Sometime ago I started a collection, which mentions everything that made a cool or otherwise memorable impression on me, and deserve to be recognized as such. Each year new things get added to the list. These are the things that get added from 2005:
- buying my first house (any first time goes on the list, so does this)
- Lucie Silvas - Breathe In (very nice album; bit of a throwback to Delta Goodrem, but it's been awhile since such a sound hit the airwaves, so huzzah)
- Paul Stoddard, Minardi Team Boss, goes off on a tirade during the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis (I've never heard anyone in pro sports go off like that on live TV; absolutely hilarious)
- Hitch (Will Smith and Kevin James all the way. The dance sequence is priceless!)
- Gran Turismo 4 (any video game that can single-handedly completely refresh my car knowledge deserves mention here)
- the London bombings (you try not to let it bother you, but if you're going there and there's some kind of terror threat present, you are going to be a bit more nervous)
- working abroad / going abroad for the job (that's another one of my career goals checked off, even if it's only for short stints)
- Batman Begins (most surprising, because I didn't think a movie with Christian Bale would be any good. But he worked out far better than Clooney and Kilmer and even Keaton could muster.)
- Eddie Guerrero's death. (my thoughts about this already discussed here)
- Leil Lowndes - How to Talk (as far as literature is concerned, it has been a very slow year yet again. However there was a book I got a lot out of, and it's this one. Some people won't need it, but I found it helpful, so there.)
- Special Sports (very chic sporty place; quite expensive, but considering it's got all the amenities in one place, I can live with that)
- Danica Patrick (any girl who can drive race cars instantly gets my attention; any girl who looks like that, gets my undivided attention; any girl who does both... well... you do the math.)
- Oracle (the all conquering database corporation is now Peoplesoft/Siebel as well; second only in sheer step-all-over-everyone to...)
- Google (Google Earth, Blogger, Gmail, Google Talk, Froogle, Google Analytics, Google Base, Picasa, Google Desktop, Google Maps...)
- my new catchphrase: crappa della tutti crappis
Plenty of good stuff this year all in all. But next year there's a lot to look forward to: big events, major happenings, good memories...
See you next year!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Monday, December 26, 2005
Capricorns Take Control In New Year, News at Eleven
The end of the year is a good moment to open up the yearly forecasts for (western) horoscopes. Let me take one of those 'scopes that talk about 2006 for my star sign...
Here's what one says about Capricorn (Cappy) for three subjects: love life, career and health:
Love life: Cappy is taking the home situation for granted, and is too focused on work. Communication will see Cappy through. Come November/December trust is regained.
Career: Cappy is ambitious and drives for a function in leadership. The ability to inspire people is a skill that is trained (and taught!) in the first quarter of the year. An opportunity arises in November/December, so make sure to look out for it.
Health: Cappy needs a break, so he needs to plan in moments of total relaxation. Don't eat fatty foods too much.
Of course anybody can read a horoscope how they want to read it, but for me it does show me a possible direction, with enough hooks to take advantage of the good and the positive.
And no, I am not going to do horoscopes for all the star signs. If you're a Cappy as well, you're in luck. The others, well... tough. Go look up your own sign on something like Yahoo Astrology.
Here's what one says about Capricorn (Cappy) for three subjects: love life, career and health:
Love life: Cappy is taking the home situation for granted, and is too focused on work. Communication will see Cappy through. Come November/December trust is regained.
Career: Cappy is ambitious and drives for a function in leadership. The ability to inspire people is a skill that is trained (and taught!) in the first quarter of the year. An opportunity arises in November/December, so make sure to look out for it.
Health: Cappy needs a break, so he needs to plan in moments of total relaxation. Don't eat fatty foods too much.
Of course anybody can read a horoscope how they want to read it, but for me it does show me a possible direction, with enough hooks to take advantage of the good and the positive.
And no, I am not going to do horoscopes for all the star signs. If you're a Cappy as well, you're in luck. The others, well... tough. Go look up your own sign on something like Yahoo Astrology.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Today's Top Tip: Fail Spectacularly
Everyone wants to be better, faster, farther along than the others. Being successful is everything, winning is the only thing, and all that...
And of course, not everyone gets there. If we all did, then we wouldn't be the best at all would we?
Just to put all lovable losers at ease, sometimes failing (and failing spectacularly at that) gets you further in life. Failure breeds sympathy, it builds character and allows others to see examples of how things should or should not be handled. That's a good thing.
Of course, you cannot be a failure and a whiner. That's just weak. And you shouldn't be mediocre, that's just... well... mediocre.
For some reason success doesn't just breed respect and admiration. It also generates envy, jealousy, downright hatred even. Failure however may not be as bad as you think it is. Sometimes it pays to fall flat on your face.
And of course, not everyone gets there. If we all did, then we wouldn't be the best at all would we?
Just to put all lovable losers at ease, sometimes failing (and failing spectacularly at that) gets you further in life. Failure breeds sympathy, it builds character and allows others to see examples of how things should or should not be handled. That's a good thing.
Of course, you cannot be a failure and a whiner. That's just weak. And you shouldn't be mediocre, that's just... well... mediocre.
For some reason success doesn't just breed respect and admiration. It also generates envy, jealousy, downright hatred even. Failure however may not be as bad as you think it is. Sometimes it pays to fall flat on your face.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Top Gear Ultimate Starter Car test
Picture you need a standard lease car to offer to your employees. Cars that need to be presentable and attractive, yet functional and reasonable enough to afford. Eventually your choices eventually run down to this:
- Fiat Punto
- Opel Corsa
- Peugeot 206
- Renault Clio
- Skoda Fabia
- VW Polo
So which do you pick? Now that's where the Ultimate Starter Car test comes in. Here's some quick impressions:
The new Fiat Punto is a nice car actually. It has a strange appeal to it, if you are so inclined and are willing to see past the marque. The ride is strictly middle-of-the-pack, but you are sure to get some heads turned driving it. The left armrest is a tad too high for my liking though, so it's no good for long drives.
By far the Renault Clio is the best looking of the bunch. Unfortunately it is also the bitchiest to drive. It takes a while to take the Clio in the direction you want it to go. It's not unlike some dates I've had in the past. The steering could be a lot stiffer.
The Skoda Fabia still looks like a souped-up shopping cart. The Fabia handles okay, and is quite light
Because I am a long-time 206 driver, driving the new Peugeot 206 is more like meeting an old friend. You know exactly which buttons to push and how far it takes you. I actually found the ride to be extremely boring, because nothing has changed from the old 206, apart from the steering which seems to be heavier.
The grip and the handling's quite alright, the acceleration is still mediocre, and I take it the mileage in the HDi is still excellent.
I was expecting the Opel Corsa to be very barren, but actually it comes full featured, which may end up to be the best value features-wise for money. A nice dashboard console in the center gives you access to all the important info in the car. Pity the speedometer looks very poor. The handling is average.
The best ride I've experienced of the six is with the Volkswagen Polo. It is the only car of the six that actually goes fast if you tell it to. Nice finish to the interior and exterior, and it doesn't seem to be as top-heavy as the old Polo, which was in real danger of tipping over in corners.
Just to be stereotypical the German cars (Corsa, Fabia, Polo) are very loudmouthed. It makes you wonder if carkits inside the car will do any good at all. And all that noise doesn't seem to make good on the speed, power or acceleration of the cars. Only the Polo kind of backs its roar up with some kind of power.
For some reason only VW and Peugeot know that people can be left- or righthanded. Try to close the boot with your left hand on the Punto, Clio or Fabia. Or with your right on the Corsa. Can't be done. Of course you could just close the lid from the top, but 1) often I can't reach that high and 2) if you haven't washed your car in a while, you wind up with mud on your hands.
The glove compartment on the Fabia is so small, it ONLY fits a pair of gloves. There's no space of any kind for maps, directions and that kind of stuff. That might be okay if you've got a GPS system, but if you've got a GPS system anyway you might as well get a bigger car.
So what's the Top Gear verdict?
Take the Peugeot. Boring as hell, and slow to boot, but affordable, durable and you get good mileage on it. If money is no option, the Polo is the best drive though. It's fast, feels powerful and significant.
Damn taxes.
- Fiat Punto
- Opel Corsa
- Peugeot 206
- Renault Clio
- Skoda Fabia
- VW Polo
So which do you pick? Now that's where the Ultimate Starter Car test comes in. Here's some quick impressions:
The new Fiat Punto is a nice car actually. It has a strange appeal to it, if you are so inclined and are willing to see past the marque. The ride is strictly middle-of-the-pack, but you are sure to get some heads turned driving it. The left armrest is a tad too high for my liking though, so it's no good for long drives.
By far the Renault Clio is the best looking of the bunch. Unfortunately it is also the bitchiest to drive. It takes a while to take the Clio in the direction you want it to go. It's not unlike some dates I've had in the past. The steering could be a lot stiffer.
The Skoda Fabia still looks like a souped-up shopping cart. The Fabia handles okay, and is quite light
Because I am a long-time 206 driver, driving the new Peugeot 206 is more like meeting an old friend. You know exactly which buttons to push and how far it takes you. I actually found the ride to be extremely boring, because nothing has changed from the old 206, apart from the steering which seems to be heavier.
The grip and the handling's quite alright, the acceleration is still mediocre, and I take it the mileage in the HDi is still excellent.
I was expecting the Opel Corsa to be very barren, but actually it comes full featured, which may end up to be the best value features-wise for money. A nice dashboard console in the center gives you access to all the important info in the car. Pity the speedometer looks very poor. The handling is average.
The best ride I've experienced of the six is with the Volkswagen Polo. It is the only car of the six that actually goes fast if you tell it to. Nice finish to the interior and exterior, and it doesn't seem to be as top-heavy as the old Polo, which was in real danger of tipping over in corners.
Just to be stereotypical the German cars (Corsa, Fabia, Polo) are very loudmouthed. It makes you wonder if carkits inside the car will do any good at all. And all that noise doesn't seem to make good on the speed, power or acceleration of the cars. Only the Polo kind of backs its roar up with some kind of power.
For some reason only VW and Peugeot know that people can be left- or righthanded. Try to close the boot with your left hand on the Punto, Clio or Fabia. Or with your right on the Corsa. Can't be done. Of course you could just close the lid from the top, but 1) often I can't reach that high and 2) if you haven't washed your car in a while, you wind up with mud on your hands.
The glove compartment on the Fabia is so small, it ONLY fits a pair of gloves. There's no space of any kind for maps, directions and that kind of stuff. That might be okay if you've got a GPS system, but if you've got a GPS system anyway you might as well get a bigger car.
So what's the Top Gear verdict?
Take the Peugeot. Boring as hell, and slow to boot, but affordable, durable and you get good mileage on it. If money is no option, the Polo is the best drive though. It's fast, feels powerful and significant.
Damn taxes.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Smokers vs. Vegetarians
When vegetarians and I eat out, they make me order different food. They have their own items on the menu, specifically catered to their tastes. Most of the time they can make a lot of people feel guilty about their food choices. Also I see a lot of people turn vegetarian from one day to another, but I never see a vegetarian turn back. I have rarely seen being a vegetarian to be a medical necessity. Finally, for some reason though women are vegetarians by choice, but men who are vegetarians, are mostly so inclined because of religious beliefs.
However smokers have made sure smoking cabin manufacturers across the world are in business, and the anti-smoking label industry… and the cigarette packet cover-industry for that matter. Also there's the extra tax income that cigarettes generate. As an aside smokers have got their own sections in restaurants and trains. Of course people move in and out of this membership, so that puts smokers behind vegetarians as the most influential minority, but I still say they’re close.
However smokers have made sure smoking cabin manufacturers across the world are in business, and the anti-smoking label industry… and the cigarette packet cover-industry for that matter. Also there's the extra tax income that cigarettes generate. As an aside smokers have got their own sections in restaurants and trains. Of course people move in and out of this membership, so that puts smokers behind vegetarians as the most influential minority, but I still say they’re close.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
X-Mas all the way
Christmas is not a holiday that just comes and goes by in a night. For a start there’s christmas eve, christmas day and (at least in the Netherlands) another christmas day; Of course, there’s also the run-up to christmas. You would see christmas lights hanging in every window, over every street and on billboards. Christmas songs sound everywhere. Christmas trees are up all over the place. And here’s the kicker… it all starts over a month and a half before the holidays start proper.
With the seasons and the climate all screwed-up, christmas fever runs higher than ever. We’re looking so much for some stable values that we cannot rely on the weather anymore… or society for that matter. So much so that we are so eager to start the only holiday that everybody in the (western) world cares about, that we start looking forward to it six weeks before or earlier even. Or maybe it’s because everything is so bloody expensive we need to spread it out over a longer period of time just to make ends meet.
With the seasons and the climate all screwed-up, christmas fever runs higher than ever. We’re looking so much for some stable values that we cannot rely on the weather anymore… or society for that matter. So much so that we are so eager to start the only holiday that everybody in the (western) world cares about, that we start looking forward to it six weeks before or earlier even. Or maybe it’s because everything is so bloody expensive we need to spread it out over a longer period of time just to make ends meet.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Irony
Picture this: you step into a taxi, tell the driver where you want to go, and he keys it into his PDA…
Ah, the PDA comes to life giving the driver directions. All the while, the theme from “Mission Impossible” plays…
Ah, the PDA comes to life giving the driver directions. All the while, the theme from “Mission Impossible” plays…
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