Why oh why do people drive around using their front foglights/spotlights as head lights? I used to think that it was only young twenty-somethings that did it but it seems that there are a large number of people of all ages doing it. Granted that, on some cars, from a distance, it does look quite cool. However, up close, as you're driving past these cars in the opposite direction I can't see a chuffing thing because of the glare! In fact, on my way to work I have to endure 12 miles of winding country lanes. I can tell you that but for the fact that I am familiar with the roads in question I would have possibly gone into a hedge or two as a result of not being able to see a turn in the road.
The obvious point to make about offending cars with front-foglight headlights is that if it isn't foggy then why the blazes are they switched on?? It looks effing chavish to see a car with sidelights and front fogs being used as headlights regardless of make or model. In fact, its possibly the only expensive thing that can look chavish that doesn't need to be made by Burberry or Aquascutum!
Personally, I think it should be a legal driving offence to use front fogs when it isn't foggy and the punishmet be that your car fitted with an "auto-fog" sensor and, when triggered, a 15mph speed-limiter kick in and all front-facing lights switch off automatically except for two candles that sit in the hole left by the missing foglights.
Sunday, 30 December 2007
Motor Show Madness
I'm booked up to fly out to Geneva in March to go to the motor show held there anually. I've been before a number of times and I've gotta say that its pretty impressive. Its nice to drool over stupidly priced cars that can travel three times as quick as they're allowed to be driven legally on any road (except the autobahn!). Maybe if I start saving now I'll be able to afford a tyre for a Ferrari one day soon.
In the meantime I'll just keep buying the lottery tickets!
More soon...
In the meantime I'll just keep buying the lottery tickets!
More soon...
Saturday, 22 December 2007
Why Nat not Tan???
This one is simple...
For those that don't know me, my name is Nataniel. since I was a small child my family and close friends have called me Tan. Why the middle syllable of my name was chosen as its abbrieviated version nobody (family or otherwise) knows to this day.
From around the time I went off to college (age 17) I decided I would no longer introduce myself as "Tan" and would use "Nat" instead. If nothing else, it generated far fewer comments and questions such as, "Tan? What's that short for?" or "Where does that come from?"
Suffice to say that it made things a bit easier in the outside world. However, people don't like change and, some of my close friends and family to this day cannot be swayed. Contrary to some of their beliefs, I don't mind being called Tan I just prefer Nat.
Amusingly, one of my friends (whilst larking around) even started a facebook group to protest about me being referred to as Nat!! I quote from the group description: -
"Once there was a boy who grew up and was known to all as Tan. Some time passed and some of Tan's friends went off to university and then eventually to London. During this time it transpires some charlatan, ney some imposter had taken the life of Tan as his own..... except he insisted upon being known as Nat!!!"
Anyway... whilst all in good humour, this website name is my take on the whole subject.
For those that don't know me, my name is Nataniel. since I was a small child my family and close friends have called me Tan. Why the middle syllable of my name was chosen as its abbrieviated version nobody (family or otherwise) knows to this day.
From around the time I went off to college (age 17) I decided I would no longer introduce myself as "Tan" and would use "Nat" instead. If nothing else, it generated far fewer comments and questions such as, "Tan? What's that short for?" or "Where does that come from?"
Suffice to say that it made things a bit easier in the outside world. However, people don't like change and, some of my close friends and family to this day cannot be swayed. Contrary to some of their beliefs, I don't mind being called Tan I just prefer Nat.
Amusingly, one of my friends (whilst larking around) even started a facebook group to protest about me being referred to as Nat!! I quote from the group description: -
"Once there was a boy who grew up and was known to all as Tan. Some time passed and some of Tan's friends went off to university and then eventually to London. During this time it transpires some charlatan, ney some imposter had taken the life of Tan as his own..... except he insisted upon being known as Nat!!!"
Anyway... whilst all in good humour, this website name is my take on the whole subject.
Friday, 21 December 2007
Monday, 17 December 2007
Planes, kids and parents
I have been in Geneva one day. The flight over from Birmingham was eventful to say the least but not as a result of a bumpy ride or any kind of turbulence.
So what was the problem? kids... that was the problem.
Generally speaking, kids on planes don't bother me. Why shouldn't they be there? After all, in this day and age of cheap-flights British families are enjoying holidays further afield than Blackpool or Bournemouth for much the same price and, in many cases, cheaper travel costs (my flight was £49 return). Some of the kids on my flight however, were causing me a few problems.
Personally, I can cope with screaming kid here and there and aren't too troubled by crying kids. On my flight, in the row behind me was a mother with her young son (directly behind my seat - more in a moment) and daughter all excited to be starting their skiing holiday. At the beginning of the flight the kids were moaning about which DVD they wanted to watch on their personal player. Then one of them kept asking questions - I suspect with the headphones pumping in the DVD soundtrack as it was done at quite a volume. Once the volume settled down I had 15 minutes of occassional kicking at the back of my seat.
I did manage to glance at the parents. The father, wisely sat across the aisle, was spark out (prob as a result of not having to deal with the kids in the first 5 minutes). The mother decided that oblivion was the better option and appeared mesmerised by her copy of HELLO! or Cosmo and acknowledged most of the kids comments with a "Hmmm?" or a grunt.
The father I can forgive because he was asleep (which is a lame excuse for not controlling the kids but I'm sure looking after them is tiring). The kids I would have liked to have stuffed into the overhead bins and the mother.... not sure about that without getting upset (grr). She needs to learn a) how to talk to her kids, and b) how to control her kids.
In any event, for all the things I mentioned I'd like to do in the previous paragraph I think air-rage laws should be inapplicable to incidents involving tiny teraways!
So what was the problem? kids... that was the problem.
Generally speaking, kids on planes don't bother me. Why shouldn't they be there? After all, in this day and age of cheap-flights British families are enjoying holidays further afield than Blackpool or Bournemouth for much the same price and, in many cases, cheaper travel costs (my flight was £49 return). Some of the kids on my flight however, were causing me a few problems.
Personally, I can cope with screaming kid here and there and aren't too troubled by crying kids. On my flight, in the row behind me was a mother with her young son (directly behind my seat - more in a moment) and daughter all excited to be starting their skiing holiday. At the beginning of the flight the kids were moaning about which DVD they wanted to watch on their personal player. Then one of them kept asking questions - I suspect with the headphones pumping in the DVD soundtrack as it was done at quite a volume. Once the volume settled down I had 15 minutes of occassional kicking at the back of my seat.
I did manage to glance at the parents. The father, wisely sat across the aisle, was spark out (prob as a result of not having to deal with the kids in the first 5 minutes). The mother decided that oblivion was the better option and appeared mesmerised by her copy of HELLO! or Cosmo and acknowledged most of the kids comments with a "Hmmm?" or a grunt.
The father I can forgive because he was asleep (which is a lame excuse for not controlling the kids but I'm sure looking after them is tiring). The kids I would have liked to have stuffed into the overhead bins and the mother.... not sure about that without getting upset (grr). She needs to learn a) how to talk to her kids, and b) how to control her kids.
In any event, for all the things I mentioned I'd like to do in the previous paragraph I think air-rage laws should be inapplicable to incidents involving tiny teraways!
Friday, 14 December 2007
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Covers and Arrangements
Last night I was getting ready for the start of my night shifts by staying up late.
As part of my regimented routine I was surfing the net for hours with the TV on in the background. I ended up at YouTube where I thought I'd have a nosey through some music bootlegs.
I decided to look up some Beatles stuff (because no one's ever looked for that before!) and put "Little Help From My Friends" as the search term. From that I stumbled on to a version of "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Bon Jovi. Notably, this was a cover of Joe Cocker's arrangement of the song (as performed at Woodstock and on the TV theme to the Wonder Years). What really astoundeed me though was the number of idiots that post comments on YouTube about artists music vids - particularly when they start ranting about how the "beatles were better" or "Bon Jovi kick Beatles ass". OH PLEASE, SHUT UP ALREADY! whining fools... grrr
To say one thing is better than another implies that similarities exist to make them comparable. The Beatles and Bon Jovi are from completely different musical genres. Also, if one iconic band perform a version of another iconic bands' work then surely it is seen that the former band are doffing their hat to the latter???
People need to learn the different between a band performing a cover version of someone else's work and an arrangement of someone else's work: -
A "cover" is a performance of a song that preserves the musical elements found in the original even if the style of the covering band is different in sound to that of the original.
An "arrangement" is where an artist has taken the some or all of the lyrics and provided an original interpretation that is markedly different to the original.
Some expamples of covers: -
No Doubt's cover of Talk Talk's "It's My Life"
Guns N' Roses cover of Wings "Live and Let Die"
Some expamples of arrangements: -
Joe Cocker's arrangement of the Beatles "With A Little Help From My Friends"
Michael Andrews & Gary Jules arrangement of Tears for Fears' "Mad World"
As part of my regimented routine I was surfing the net for hours with the TV on in the background. I ended up at YouTube where I thought I'd have a nosey through some music bootlegs.
I decided to look up some Beatles stuff (because no one's ever looked for that before!) and put "Little Help From My Friends" as the search term. From that I stumbled on to a version of "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Bon Jovi. Notably, this was a cover of Joe Cocker's arrangement of the song (as performed at Woodstock and on the TV theme to the Wonder Years). What really astoundeed me though was the number of idiots that post comments on YouTube about artists music vids - particularly when they start ranting about how the "beatles were better" or "Bon Jovi kick Beatles ass". OH PLEASE, SHUT UP ALREADY! whining fools... grrr
To say one thing is better than another implies that similarities exist to make them comparable. The Beatles and Bon Jovi are from completely different musical genres. Also, if one iconic band perform a version of another iconic bands' work then surely it is seen that the former band are doffing their hat to the latter???
People need to learn the different between a band performing a cover version of someone else's work and an arrangement of someone else's work: -
A "cover" is a performance of a song that preserves the musical elements found in the original even if the style of the covering band is different in sound to that of the original.
An "arrangement" is where an artist has taken the some or all of the lyrics and provided an original interpretation that is markedly different to the original.
Some expamples of covers: -
No Doubt's cover of Talk Talk's "It's My Life"
Guns N' Roses cover of Wings "Live and Let Die"
Some expamples of arrangements: -
Joe Cocker's arrangement of the Beatles "With A Little Help From My Friends"
Michael Andrews & Gary Jules arrangement of Tears for Fears' "Mad World"
Google Earth
Like many, I have watsed the occasional half-hour looking at all kinds of places around the world using Google Earth. In addition, like many males, I have chuckled childishly at the sight of all types of stupidity from mooneys to others (non-painful) misfortunes to silly symbols striking resemblance to parts of the human anatomy.
So, it goes without saying that this story put a smile on my face!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/06/pennsylvania_message/
So, it goes without saying that this story put a smile on my face!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/06/pennsylvania_message/
Sunday, 9 December 2007
A Pledge for Tender
I wanted to let you all know how to get involved in a fantastic campaign to create a UK chart hit to help stop domestic abuse and sexual violence. Please take one minute to read the information below and see how quickly and easily you can make a big difference.
A PLEDGE FOR TENDER - make the right hit
You can make a UK chart hit and help stop domestic abuse and sexual violence – do it now! We only need 1,500 people to care. Your voice matters – you can do something small to make a big difference. It will take you just a minute to make the right hit. Here’s how: Just click this link to http://www.youchartit.co.uk/ NOW and promise to spend just 79p between Monday 14th and Saturday 19th January 2008 on downloading the single ‘Let It Be Mine’ by Daniel Rachel. All profit goes to Tender - the arts organisation leading the drive to stop domestic abuse and sexual violence. Your vote will help make the song a UK chart hit. Tender’s 5th anniversary - a unique night of music and comedy. Wednesday 16th January Featuring Daniel Rachel, Willis and special guest MC Kevin Day The Borderline, Orange Yard, London W1D 4JB Doors 7.30pm; £10 door £6 advance
A PLEDGE FOR TENDER - make the right hit
You can make a UK chart hit and help stop domestic abuse and sexual violence – do it now! We only need 1,500 people to care. Your voice matters – you can do something small to make a big difference. It will take you just a minute to make the right hit. Here’s how: Just click this link to http://www.youchartit.co.uk/ NOW and promise to spend just 79p between Monday 14th and Saturday 19th January 2008 on downloading the single ‘Let It Be Mine’ by Daniel Rachel. All profit goes to Tender - the arts organisation leading the drive to stop domestic abuse and sexual violence. Your vote will help make the song a UK chart hit. Tender’s 5th anniversary - a unique night of music and comedy. Wednesday 16th January Featuring Daniel Rachel, Willis and special guest MC Kevin Day The Borderline, Orange Yard, London W1D 4JB Doors 7.30pm; £10 door £6 advance
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Facebook Fads
Are you bored with Facebook yet?? Personally, I'm getting there. There is a snag to the theory that Facebook is just a passing fad. Its easily the best tool I've used for staying in touch with your friends on a casual basis.
So why like many others am I getting bored of Facebook?
Well, to be honest, I don't think people are that bored with its capabilities. Since its popularity exploded over the last 12 months it has become filled with pointless cluttering applications - all of which send messages and e-mails to all your friends everytime they are used. Its almost like encouraged spam.
As a result, what made Facebook so appealing to many in the first place - communicating with friends, old friends from yesteryear, and new contacts - seems to have taken second place to the myriad of apps that appear all over peoples profiles.
The hook... its all so damn addictive. We become so used to the things we dislike sometimes that we forget we dislike them!
In the meantime.... Superpoke, here I come!
Santa Claus on MSN??
Microsoft have cancelled Christmas..... well, Santa Claus, what with his filthy mouth!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/microsoft_kills_santa/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/microsoft_kills_santa/
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Introduction
Hello one and all.
I'm not really sure what posessed me to decide to start my own blog on the net. I guess its a good way of having a rant when you need to or just feel the need to jibber on about something. Anyway, I'll post something when the time is right. I'm at work at the mo so I better crack on!
Bye for now....
I'm not really sure what posessed me to decide to start my own blog on the net. I guess its a good way of having a rant when you need to or just feel the need to jibber on about something. Anyway, I'll post something when the time is right. I'm at work at the mo so I better crack on!
Bye for now....
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