As I mentioned before I believe you should be wary of people doing adverts who clearly don’t need the money. Selling out is one thing, doing it to raise profiles or keep your face on TV is even worse. Equally you should be wary of people doing adverts for free.
Why should you be wary of people doing adverts for free? Because they’re dicks. That’s why.
Dicks like The Amazing Phil who appears who have built some kind of lowly internet profile following his appearance in these shitawful Confused.com adverts. Oh I see. He wasn’t a genuine customer who believed in the product, he’s a attention seeking egotist who wanted to get people to listen to his wacky self-stylings. Truth in advertising strikes again.
I have a few questions about Confused.com and it’s adverts. Feel free to leave answers in the comments section.
Who are these people? Do they have nothing better to do than film themselves talking about car insurance? Have we turned into a nation of bored consumer junkies who’s idea of a good night in is to film themselves explaining a comparison website to their idiot aunt?
Where did these people go for their car insurance before the launch of these comparison sites? “I saved 400 my car insurance” – fucking really? Then you deserve to be fleeced you moron. I tried this site and most of the prices that came through were above what I normally paid. If you couldn’t get cheap car insurance before the start of the meercat / opera singer / webcam / Peter Jones wars then you were probably an alcoholic Royals Royce driver.
How much time did these people spend on Confused.com before the website was redesigned? They speak as if they visited it once a week, hung out and compared prices for the Friday night fun of it. It’s fucking car insurance people, every company will undercut another so you are guaranteed a cheap price – get it sorted and then move on in life instead of obsessing over every potential saving.
Everything they say is a lie. I went to confused.com and found it utterly baffling and unnecessarily intrusive, plus since signing up for the service they’ve bombarded me with spam emails every fucking week.
Watching this advert makes me embarrassed for humanity. We have been reduced to this; making wacky webcam videos about the improvements to a car insurance comparison website. Making tiny shoes so we can dance on our fingertips whilst extolling the virtues of savings. We are a sad and desperate nation. The Amazing Phil has alot to answer for.
Read this online and would like to bring it to attention to all TOYOTA car owner !!
Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles over floor mats
AP – FILE – In this Aug. 16, 2009 file photo, the company logo shines off the nose of an unsold 2010 Camry …
By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer – Tue Sep 29, 9:55 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company’s largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash.
The recall will involve popular models such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid.
Toyota said it was still working with officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find a remedy to fix the problem and said owners could be notified about the recall as early as next week. Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver’s side and not replace it.
“A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death,” Miller said.
NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a highspeed crash in August in California of a Lexus barreling out of control. As the vehicle hit speeds exceeding 120 mph, family members made a frantic 911 call and said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t stop the vehicle.
“This is an urgent matter,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”
The recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.
Toyota’s previously largest U.S. recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue. The company declined to say how many complaints it had received about the accelerator issue.
The Japanese automaker warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can’t remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows and then try to put it into neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power.
For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds.
In the August incident near San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman’s scream.
NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.
Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the final report had not yet been submitted in the California case.
“We don’t know what the actual cause was of that accident other than preliminary reports that have been published so it’s impossible for us to comment on that particular incident,” Hanson said.
In mid-September, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured.
In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.
For more information, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at (888) 327-4236, Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.
Results of The Second International City Complexities Cartoon Contest-2008
First Prize-Angel Boligan-Mexico
Second Prize-Jitet Kustana-Indonesia
Third Prize-Mahmood Nazari-Iran
Honorable Mentions:Dachuan Xia -China, Cau Gomez Brazil, Navid Sharifi /Iran, Paulo Volmar Mattos-Brazil, Emre Ozdemir-Turkey, Agim Sulaj-Albania, Ares /Cuba, Carlos David-Cuba, Mohammad Amin Aghai-Iran, Tawan Chuntra-Thailand
Ok – now that I’ve had a rant out how my husband obsesses regarding the outside of my car and all of the dings, scratches and dirt; it’s time to talk about the inside of the car.
As the main chauffer of my house, my car is full of stuff. Kid stuff, paper, water bottles, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, homework, backpacks, sweatshirts, extra socks, Happy Meal toys, Happy Meal food bits, rocks and sticks (for my son’s collection), receipts, loose change, plastic bags, dog harnesses and leashes, just to name a few.
It all started when I was transporting some garage sale items to a friend’s house and my hubby had a ginormous meltdown because there were items in my trunk (see above) that had been in there longer than he thought should have been. OK ladies, did you know that your car is not for storage? I guess I didn’t realize that and was at the short end of a long ramble about not keeping my car clean enough.
I decided to ignore my husband at this time but when we got home he got an earful. I proceeded to REMIND him that I have to drive our son everywhere and kids are garbage magnets. I was told by the car guru aka my hubby to make our son take his stuff out of the car each time we get out (arghh.) I shouldn’t let him eat or drink in the car either because he can spill or make messes. I shouldn’t leave his sweatshirts in the car, they should be hung up inside, I don’t need to keep any basket balls or sports stuff for a just in case cause those should always be planned and the same goes for those folding chairs for sitting in not on the grass. Homework and backpacks should be in the house. The dog harnesses should be hung in the garage and things that I am returning to the store should immediately returned to the store, not left in the car for more than 1 day. Ok, take a deep breath, does everyone have that?
I know that if my mom friends or I didn’t have to cart around the family, fur babies, groceries, etc. we would be able to keep my car spotless. In fact I did keep my car clean when I was single but life happens and priorities change. After mulling over this situation I started thinking about this whole car thing and decided that I like to leave it messy because it bugs my husband so much. Is that totally bad or just a passive aggressive way of making my point?
I don’t know why I do this, I love him and all but he really needs to mellow out on some of these low priority things and just enjoy the view (ewww – too much day time TV)
As I walked down Walnut street intersecting 18th, then17th, then16th, the road traffic stopped. I was wearing the manky grey beater, if you remember. I couldn’t believe it when our eyes met for the first time. You obviously had a good job or a trust fund, I’m not sure which. You seemed young, but still somethow fitting in that incredibly expensive-looking midnight black convertible with beige leather seats. You seemed too good (or just as well, too bad) to be true. I looked away.
You needed to keep your eyes on the road, and I was distracting you. I had no idea why I of all classy people on Walnut could be distracting you, so I looked back at the street with hopes of meeting your eyes again for a possible answer to these questions. Just as I though, your eyes were right on mine. You, with your pink button-down shirt covering the chiseled physique and dark medium-length hair ever so slightly windswept, were looking back at me with dark mysterious eyes. Not only that, but you also had a hunger for discovery behind the dark irises glinted by the summer sun. I wondered about you, but I had to keep walking. I turned away to face forward. You had to turn away to face your own direction and face the road traffic ahead.
I needed to be sure one more time that the strange lighthearted feeling I had at the moment was coming from you too. I turned to face you again. At this point, your car was completely behind me and facing in the opposite direction. I was almost sure that you wouldn’t look. But you did. You were turned around completely backward, holding the headrest of the empty passenger seat next to you to help your body’s extension.You were a surprisingly safe driver as you began to move, despite your view of the road being sub-par (considering you were looking backward). I finally had to walk on, and you had to drive on. Our gazes had to separate, yet you did it so smoothly that when you drove off with a smile (directed to me), I was smiling too, unknowingly.
If you see this, mister tall, chiseled, dark, and rich, I want you to know that I’m too young for you. I’m a man-eater, and break the hearts of anyone particularly love-struck. Also, how long were you staring like that? You should probably be a safer driver than that. Good luck!
The 2009 Dub car Show was at the Miami Convention center and it was pretty dope! Nick Cannon hosted with performance’s by Pleasure P, Brisco, Triple C, and Rick Ross plus a bunch of other New artist’s but most of them weren’t very good. Hope they don’t get fended LoL I just have high standards when it comes to performing but all in all it was fun especially with all the Fly cars that were there. So be sure to catch the next 1 if you didn’t see this 1!
Of modern day muscle cars, the Shelby GT500 is a lust inspiring paradox of a machine. You have the brutal supercharged V8 propelling the rear wheels and solid rear axle on the hand. You have a relatively compact car with an up to date interior and exterior design on the other hand. The exterior being arguably the best Mustang design ever. Throw in a boy racer stripe or two and a gaping front intake and you’ve got a thrilling ride. That huge upper and lower grill opening really sets the GT500 apart from lesser Mustangs and truly makes the design. It reminds me of Indy race cars and jets of the 50’s. It also communicates a massive thirst for air for combustion and thrust!
That’s what I said to John, the truck driver when he came to tow my car late this afternoon. He looked up and we locked eyes but I didn’t seem to register in his mind. John was the exact same driver that had towed by son’s wrecked Ford around the same time the day before. We were driving home from the UC football game when I smelled something burning. It clicked in that this was my burning car when the billows of smoke rose from under the hood. I pulled over, turned off the car and turned on the flashing lights. I made some phone calls and determined it was best not to drive it but to have it towed. An hour later John and I were re-united. Frankly I could be happy never to see John again.
Although I was parked in a no parking zone the police office that drove by me didn’t stop. I guess he had more important business to take care of. When I got out to look under the hood one man waved from across the street, but I told him I was okay. By then I had called John. Three young boys appeared when he arrived and were fascinated by how the chains were attached and the car pulled up on the bed. They had never witnessed this before and had lots of questions.
We’re down to one car for now. Mine can most likely be fixed soon but I know my son’s won’t be and we’ll be car shopping soon. It just complicates our day – three people wanting to go to three different places at different times. I hope this isn’t one of those things that happens in 3’s. Does ruining my phone count?
By the way the Bearcats had a heck of a game and pulled off a win despite almost throwing the game to the Fresno Bulldogs a couple times.
Pforzheim University graduate Anne Forschner had a good time coming up with her BMW Lovos concept, which can alternatively look either like a frightened porcupine or svelte salmon, depending on its needs at the time.
The exterior of the Lovos – which somewhat ironically stands for Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity – is theoretically constructed from just one fully exchangeable part that recurs 260 times. Each exterior piece is covered in solar photovoltaic cells and can hinge on a substructure underneath to follow the sun or act as individual airbrakes. We can only assume the concept would be powered by electricity, as it makes our hairs stand up on end.
Development of advice technologies accustomed humans to admission to others as they are adaptable after accident their acquaintance with their amusing milieu. And endure minute meetings, circadian afflicted affairs and annulled accessories became a allotment of our lives. A lot of of the time humans owning a adaptable buzz accept to explain the acumen why they are not accessible. So advice is handled on alone basis, area, Communication, restrictions acquired accessory importance, Communication, . It agency that a being does not accept to lose acquaintance with his/her amusing ambience whether he/she is at home, plan or in a car. We do not accept abundant difficulties in using our accessories to ability advice technologies as we are at home or walking on the streets. The affair gets tougher if we started to drive our cars. The capital amateur in the car is the car, authoritative the advance decisions and using the in-vehicle devices. Normally a driver’s assignment is to drive the car cautiously after causing any crisis for himself and the passengers. But a disciplinarian is not a apprentice programmed alone to accomplish one mission, acceptation that animal academician has the accommodation to backpack on added than one job at the aforementioned time. Although that bearings is in favor of the driver, apperception on abounding things can could cause deconcentraion on the driver’s seat. Adaptable phones, undoubtedly, abide the a lot of cogent accessory for in-vehicle use. As adaptable buzz acceptance brings about questions during the advance of the cars, abounding countries started to altercate this affair in detail. And abounding countries banned to use adaptable during the advance of the cars. As some countries acquiesce to use adaptable phones with “hands chargeless kit”, some countries banned it in a austere way. My starting point for my apriorism was to authorize some projects to break the problems about the currently acclimated in-vehicle, Communication, technologies. I already had some questions in my apperception acute answers: How do the in-vehicle technologies affect our behaviours in the car? How bigger can the interfaces of those accessories be designed?, Communication, How bigger can i accommodated the advice demands of the driver? I started my abstraction to account with drivers to apperceive their in-vehicle, Communication, needs.My purpose was to acquisition the anwers to those questions in general: What is the affiliation of the disciplinarian with his car? How generally and which purpose does he actuate to drive? What does he charge as he drive the car? As able-bodied as with my contiguous interviews i captivated a analysis with agnate questions and beatific to humans to get a accumulation feedback. My purpose was to access a leitmotive that i would like, Communication, to focus on. The respondents explained that they accept one or added adaptable phones. Although it is banned in-vehicle use of adaptable phones in their countries, they did not alternate to use their adaptable phones. One of, Communication, my projects is alleged aeronautics arrangement interface. Currently acclimated alley navigators is based on to trace the map amid on the animate or the next about-face is anesthetized to the disciplinarian through a admonishing articulation in some systems, Communication, . Such alley navigators, Communication, play, Communication, a cogent role for the deconcentraion of the disciplinarian as he tries to trace a baby display. Mostly acclimated aural admonishing systems could be advancing as the music is on the car or cartage are talking to anniversary other. To me the alley navigator should action after deconcentrating the driver, as the capital ambition of it is to navigate. My additional activity, Communication, is Pronto, which integrates aeronautics and advice for in-vehicle use. Respondents accent that the their a lot of buzz calls are intented to apperceive area they are. Such calls can be decreased thrugh the advice of in-vehicle devices. With, Communication, Pronto, disciplinarian matches his adaptable buzz with the car already and again as he enters his car his adaptable, Communication, buzz and in-vehicle arrangement will, Communication, be synchronized via bluetooth. My point for both, Communication, projects was to adapt accepted technology and accessories to bout with people’s demands. Now both projects anticipate for the assembly as achievable and applied systems in the abreast future. Closing words are for the users’ now. Drivers accepting the befalling to try those projects said they attending advanced to use those systems in absolute activity as well. If people’s motivations are advised in abyss, Communication, as technology is shaped, it would be accessible to barrage continued activity and agitative products.I was built-in and aloft in Turkey and I catholic about the country, Communication, back, Communication, my parents are teachers. Spending my adolescence and boyish years account all sorts of books, bistro amber and peanuts, alert to aboriginal New Kids on the Block, again metal music, belief for the university access assay to be a kick-ass economist, I managed to get into a cast new university, confused to Istanbul, never took a individual economics class, approved,,, Communication, Communication, Communication, computer science, flirted, Communication, with cultural studies and art, went to exhibition openings for chargeless booze, met people, absolved through every absorbing bit of the city, danced like, Communication, no one is watching, took billions of photographs, eventually concluded up accepting a BA in beheld advice design.
An indebted father from Ashington has found a novel way to thank paramedics after they saved his sons life after an horrific car accident.
Published author Philip L Moore is certain his son Lee would have died had it not been for the excellent service from the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
And now he has decided t demonstrate his gratitude by giving proceeds from the sales of his aviation themed books to all Air Ambulance Services across the UK.
Philip said “When I heard about the accident I thought I had lost him, but the Air Ambulance Services did an incredible job and I am so grateful to them. Thanks to them, within an hour of the crash Lee had been flown to hospital, operated on, bandaged up and sent to the specialist head injury unit in Southampton. They saved his life.”
The accident in September 2008, was so severe his son had to be cut free from his car. He suffered a fractured skull, a punctured lung, a crushed eye socket and severe abdominal injuries. Much of his scalp was also torn off in the crash.
Lee still endures an agonising recovery process and says his thoughts constantly turn to the air crew that saved him. “The whole left side of my face was smashed in and my left eye was hanging out. I can’t remember anything about the crash but I do know that if I had been taken to hospital by road, I would not be here today,” explained the 23-year-old.
On September 13th, almost a year to the day after the crash, Lee was delighted to meet his rescuers at a fundraising event organised by Philip at Compton Abbas airfield in Dorset.
Lee added: “Without the Air Ambulance, there is not a chance in hell that I would have made it,”
Philip, who runs an aircraft cleaning and servicing business from Ashington as well as being an author, who has five published books, has now pledged to donate £2.00 from every book sold to UK Air Ambulances.
He is hoping to raise as much as he can and said:
I have this feeling in me that I need to express my gratitude to them for what they did. It is something I really need to do.”
Philip’s new books Kez, a teenage adventure story, and Eternal Wish (a romance novel) can be ordered from most book shops or Amazon .co.uk.
For more information , visit his website www.philiplmoore.com
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“Works great” 2009-05-09 By famke (cortland, ny) This charger works just fine with two different LG phones that I’ve had. It charges great, and the price is right.
“Doesn’t provide a full charge” 2009-04-20 By AppAlum2003 (North Carolina) It seems whenever my wife uses this charger on her cell phone, she doesn’t get NEAR the battery life than when she uses her OEM charger.
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“Nice Product” 2009-02-12 By PENNAME (VA, USA) My wife and I have the same phone so we can have one of each car. Nice product.
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09-23-09 Pomona, Los Angeles County, Ca - Pomona police have killed a driver they say caused a serious car accident and then shot at officers from his wrecked car. The man was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday evening. His identity hasn’t been released. Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Aura Sierra says Pomona officers had tried to stop a car whose driver was suspected of shooting at a home. Sierra says the man fired at the officers and drove off. During a chase, his truck hit a car, injuring two people. There’s no ord on their conditions. Sierra says the chase continued until the man’s car finally became disabled. She says officers killed the man after he ignored orders to surrender and shot at them from the car. No officers were hurt. The Sheriff’s Department was investigating.
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South Africa just released its annual crime report. The good news: the murder rate has fallen 3.4%. The bad news: business and home robberies are up by 41.5% and 27.3% respectively, and car hijackings are up 5%. The Washington Post, ever astute, observes that, “Many observers and opposition parties are not convinced the government is winning the war against crime.” In light of this groundbreaking revelation, I’d like to share a story.
A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I drove to a Congolese restaurant in a neighborhood that’s a little dodgier than the ones we usually frequent. After dinner, we came back to see that one of the car’s back windows had been smashed and the backseat had been pried apart from the body of the car. The car wouldn’t start, and we assumed that whoever broke into the car had tried to dismantle the alarm system. So we called Rent-A-Wreck, they assured us that a new wreck was on the way and we went to wait at the Nando’s fast-food restaurant across the street.
While waiting, we debated whether or not to file a police report. It turned out that there was a policeman in line at the Nando’s, so one of my friends went over to talk to him. The conversation went something like this:
Friend: Our car was broken into across the street. Can you help?
Policeman: No. I’m on my way to an urgent call.
Friend: You’re ordering fried chicken at Nando’s.
Policeman: Yes. I’m very busy right now.
Needless to say, we did not file a police report. We did, however, receive service from a very nice Rent-A-Wreck employee who brought us a bright red car in exchange for our old white one. He also discovered that the car wouldn’t start because the battery had been stolen. Along with the spare tire. I didn’t even know we had a spare tire to steal.
At any rate, this incident suggests that there is a direct correlation between amount of chicken and amount of police service. The more fried chicken available, the less police available to do things like stop crime. Thus, I would like to make the following recommendation to the South African Police Service: rid the country of fried chicken. A decrease in the amount of chicken would lead to an increase in the amount of police service, which would lead to less crime overall and burnish the rocky path to the 2010 World Cup. Brilliant.
State Highway 6 has been closed today 23/09/09 because of multiple crashes, one involving a truck and trailer.
The truck and trailer rolled in the Lower Buller Gorge at Tiroroa by the Ohikaiti River Bridge, there are no injuries but a crash near Inangahua Junction has left 3 people with injuries, Ambulance has dispatched the rescue helicopter to the scene from Greymouth.
A crane has been called in to move the truck and trailer, motorists can expect long delays.
Police urge motorists intending to travel on State Highway 6 in the Buller Gorge to delay their travel plans for two hours or expect delays while the emergency and other agencies work to clear the crash scenes.
An Oakland Housing Authority Police officer, following up on a call about a suspicious vehicle, was rammed by a man driving the car and sent to the hospital around 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning near 9th Avenue and East 25th Streets near Park Blvd. in East Oakland.
The man who allegedly rammed the officer was shot and wounded by another Oakland Housing Authority Police officer who feared that the driver would try to mow him down too.
A neighbor who lived across the street from where the incident happened said that he heard three consecutive gunshots and said officers fired through the car’s back window shattering it and wounding the driver.
These photographs captured by the California Beat show the vehicle in question parked in a driveway.
He, along with the officer was taken away to an area hospital with what authorities are describing as non-life threatening injuries.
At least a dozen police vehicles descended on 9th Avenue immediately after the initial call went out. Oakland Police officers blocked off the 2500 block of 9th Avenue as they processed the crime scene and interviewed witnesses who saw the morning melee unfold.
E-mail the California Beat at californiabeat@gmail.com. Join the California Beat on Facebook, and get breaking news headlines, story alerts and previews when you follow us on Twitter.
So last night I went to Herby James in town to see my friends band ‘Basil’ play.
I had a very good time, a big bunch of friends from my school were there too, first time taking a drink with the ‘guys’ and it was very much appreciated, I think most people have wondered if I drink at all because of my training and allround lifestyle, but indeed I do.
I came to the bar a bit early because I thought my friends would be there earlier too, just to chat and shit, but they wernt…
To my surprise the one and only waitress there didnt even look at me or ask if I wanted anything for one whole hour, she must have walked past me 50 times atleast, serving and taking orders from all the weird emos and transvestites there, haha.
I felt ogled most of the night by weirdos, it kept me on edge all of the time.
I will actually get to the weirdest part soon.
The music during the entire evening was very good, there were three bands that played; basil ( my friends band) and 2 other more adult bands.
Anywho, most of the time was just spent chilling, chatting and drinking.
I ordered a RedBull from the bar, but I was given something called ‘RedBat‘ instead…I was like WTF is this??
The bar was packed with emos, goths and other weirdos; like a 2,5 metre tall transvestite…creepy.
As I said I felt watched all of the time, because emos like me for some reason, and these emos were no different.
Whats with emos and little japanese boys??
There was one swedo emo girl, she asked me ” You are half asian right??”
I answered “yeah…”
“Which part are you?” she sontinued asking.
“British” I said ( I knew she wondered which asian part, but I like to fuck with people)
OFC she was like uuuh yeahhh I knew that duuh I meant which asian part…
Japanese, I replied with a taunting laugh, and she was all like ” kyaa I knew it” to her even scarier more emo girlfriend.
I noticed thse two following me around abit during the latter part of the evening, sculking around corners and sitting across the tables glaring…
Then, and this is the weirdest part of the evening… When me and my friends were outside taking a smoke ( them not me) I noticed for a second there was a girl standing and sort of half looking at me…no, she was literally staring at me with half open eyes from across the smoke-lounge.
“Weird” I thought, she must be looking at someone else.
But a little later, as I am standing outside again, my friend Rukas tells me there is a girl inside who likes me :O And that she wants me to come in…Im like ” Hmm, I suspect it is that weird girl who was staring at me“.
So I follow Rukas in to the bar to get a drink, when all of a sudden someone sneakes up behind me and knocks me on the shoulder.
The sissy girl that I am, I jump up into the air by surprise, only to turn around and see that it is the same girl that was staring at me out in the smoking lounge…
So it was her, and she begins to ask me like;” oohhh…Hi…whats your name?“
“Hiro” I say, whats yours?
“amblangfjadlaa” is all I remember…
Then, she pulls me close towards her and she speaks directly into my ear, saying “ I have to say that you are THE MOST beautiful person I have ever seen…“
I was baffled, WTF does one reply to such a comment?
I thanked her big a big questionmark and half-tainted smile on my face…kinda shocked.
She then asked me where I was sitting, I said outside, and then she asked ” if I go take a smoke now, will you come sit with me and talk when I come back?”…she seemed nice, so I said ” hey WTF help yourself you crazy pshycho bitch“
-No just kidding but I said ” Okay, fine“
So a while later she comes and sits next to me outside, I get a better look at her and she must have been like 20 or something…she kinda reminded me of someone from my old school.
Anyways, once again she commented on how good looking I was…it felt so weird, nobody says things like that …haha, well atleast not to a person like me.
In my mind the thought” Damn I am not a girl, what you doing trying to pull of some line like that to me?” was replaying over and over.
However next up I made the biggest mistake.
I dont know if it was the alcohol mixed with the ‘Redbat’…but my mind wasnt running right, had I been 100% pure sober, I wouldnt have given her my number…but I did.
She left saying she’d call and bla bla shit shit bang bang..Today I have had tons of anxiety and regret…why?
-We´ll have to wait and see, I suppose.
But I have the perfect plan to shrub her off.
-Im going to say;
“Hey, ever heard of the Black Widow? You know it is called the Black Widow? Because it always kills and eats its partner after mating…“
Ever feel distracted from what you should be doing. Sometimes life throws garbage in your path and you get drawn away from your destination. The inability to focus on the path before you can be blurred if not erased and then it is so difficult to get back on the path. Sometimes the world will throw a shiny new penny in front of you and you get so distracted by the shine of the penny you lose sight of what you should do with the penny. Many of you will just see the shine and move on because it isn’t that important to you. But I bet if someone dropped a shiny new car in front of you that would make you stop. Well you would have to walk around it to get back to your path anyway. I feel distracted because of sin. I allow my mind to wander places it shouldn’t wander and it causes me to lose focus. Other people’s sin distracts me, and then I wonder why it even takes place, I get distracted by sounds and sights and scenes and tastes and events and stuff and more stuff and this and that and the other. It drives me crazy! But I know where to go when all this stuff gets laid out before me when my path gets blurred. I go in search of the peace that passes all understanding that I can only find in Christ. Sometimes it takes me a while to remember that but I do go to Him. At times I cry out to Him and I yell and scream and cry and ask Him why even though I should ask what. Is this you? I know it’s me. Come with me to the place of peace today. Let’s go sit with Him in His place. Look He’s right over there and He has God’s Word in His hands and He’s waiting for us to come and sit and listen and read and praise and heal us.
Philippians 4 and or 2 John 1
Key Verses:
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-8 (in Context) Philippians 4 (Whole Chapter)
2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:2-4 (in Context) 2 John 1 (Whole Chapter)
I live on procrastination…I always procrastinate, as a matter of fact, I am procrastinating on my homework right now on my homework, its due at midnight and I got a lot of it…I probably wont finish it!! Oh well!!
Procrastination: –verb (used without object)
1.
to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.
Im lost in my life right now, im going to procrastinate and find it later….just watch!!!!
I am delighted to announce that I am the proud owner of a Nissan something or other. My delight can only be matched by the ulcer I have developed since practising driving on the right hand side of the road these last few days!
The driver’s inside door handle (on the left hand side of the car) is coming lose, we haven’t quite figured out if it’s because the car is old or because I keep fondling it in an attempt to change gears where there are no gears.
We are however very certain that hubby’s hemerroid is from last Thursday when I took him with me on my first test drive. He didn’t say anything at the time but I gathered that something was amiss when he jumped out of the passenger seat and sprinted inside before the car had come to a halt in the drive way.
All this test driving has however proved useful. I no longer scream in horror every time a vehicle comes driving toward me.
Of course it really made my day when I was told that the insurance company will accept overseas no claim bonuses (thus more than halving the price of our car insurance!).
Now that I have wheels I am already planning my next shopping trip to Sweden – what more could a girl ask for!
When a child goes to nursery, he is being taught the lessons that are appropriate to his calibre, his capacity and also to his abilities. If someone tries to make hurry and start teaching the lessons of higher standard to the kids, it can create a big problem. There are certain norms that should not be crossed for the healthier environment of studies. Same way, if there are some of the people who are trying to get habitual to the cars, or are not that sincere about preserving the cars, should be provided the cars that their habits can afford, not necessarily their pockets can!!
There are certain cars that are quite cheaper in nature and also that are having all the basic features of the required car that can be driven on the streets and can be used for the routine use of the people. These cars are majorly used by the people who have lesser frequency of using the cars. The learners could be the most appropriate contenders for the use of cheap used cars for sale. They do not have hat ability to handle the car perfectly initially. So, it is a practical decision to have the cheap used cars for their learning and caring process.
Also if you have teenager kids and youth that are required the cars for their transportation purposes, they must be awarded the cheap used cars initially as they may not have the sense of responsibility to secure the cars with good enthusiasm. They also might not be aware of the fact that the money earned is quite harder and therefore the spending also should be done with that care and calculation. Since, new car buying is quite a costlier affair, it must be learnt that the costlier products should be handled with utmost care and that probably happens with trial and error stage initially. Using cheap used car is the sort of trial and error base. So, there are sufficient reasons and factors that can make us convince that the cheap used cars for sale are the best option to buy if you fall in any of the above mentioned sections.
Also care should be taken for the quality checking and also the reliable mechanic should be consulted before buying the cheap used cars.
Cheap used cars are the cars that are truly made for the people with lower budget and also by the people who are just making a start up with their car experience. This buying can save lot of money that can be used for a better purpose of life!!
Neil leaves tomorrow for his week in Wisconsin on business and is packing as I type. A little last minute but to be fair the weekend’s been sunny and filled with various things to do, including a (fun yet rather tame) pub crawl and a ‘Sunday roast’ at the local pub to see off one of Neil’s workmates who’ll be moving to Essex next weekend and commuting to work from there.
This also marks the end of Neil’s shared lifts with said co-worker, but since his boss has moved in to the apartments next door, he should be able to catch a ride when needed while we wait for our lease car to come through.
In the way of arrivals, Stuart and Kellie have had their baby, a healthy boy named Connor Henderson. Congratulations to you both! Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.
Connor Henderson, heir to the Henderson throne
So the Henderson clan has welcomed two new members during the past couple weeks. Cheers, everybody!
FIRST CAR
There is no doubt that Americans have a love affair with the cars. Regardless of what any of us are driving today, we can all fondly remember our very first car.(perhaps this story will bring back memories of your own first car) As I think back, I can remember waiting with great anticipation for the moment that I could speed away without my parents in my own car. A car represented much more than just simple transportation, it represented freedom. I had gotten a taste of the “good life” while driving with a few of my slightly older friends that already had the good fortune of getting their license.
As the big day for my drivers permit approached, I was already day dreaming of driving. I can remember sitting in class, staring out the window, and listening to the drone of my teacher’s voice. My young mind would drift off as I watched the traffic pass by the school. I was mesmerized by the thought of unrestricted travel. I soon would be able to go anywhere I wanted, and when I wanted, in the comfort and style of my own car. In my mind, walking was highly over rated.
Perhaps I would get a Cadillac, Corvette, or a Mercedes. Maybe I could even talk Dad into getting me a convertible. My vivid imagination envisioned me racing by in a sports car convertible with my sunglasses gleaming and my hair blowing in the wind. I would slow down when I passed the school to make sure that all my friends could get a glimpse of me in my new ride. There would be no more sitting home in boredom for me.
Having my own car would open new adventures and possibilities to me. I could easily visit friends, go to the beach, travel to distant places and even take girls to the drive in movie. I glanced over at Carolyn, the hottest girl in the class and gave her a knowing wink. Even though she had not paid me a lot of attention up to this point, I felt certain that she would swoon, when I offered her a ride in my new sports car.
My daydreams were usually interrupted by the teacher calling my name and asking me to repeat what was just said. Of course I didn’t know and didn’t care, it was like being in love. In just a few short days I would finish driver education with the high school football coach as teacher and one of those weird cars with two steering wheels and two sets of foot pedals. I had driven the coach without incident, endless times around the parking lot and also to his bank, dry cleaners, and favorite lunch spots. It was clear, I was ready for Indy. Soon I would possess that small piece of paper that meant freedom. I would join the ranks and fellowship of legal drivers.
Well, soon the big day came and I passed my driving test with ease (ok..maybe I had a little trouble with parallel parking and I forgot to turn my turn signal off for 10 minutes..but I passed).
With my newly issued learner’s permit in hand I was ready to conquer the road., Just like some ancient ritual of passage that marked my coming of age, I had now joined the ranks of the adult world..Today I could drive, today I was a man.
Fortunately for me, it was Friday afternoon and that meant one thing..the whole weekend to perfect my driving game and be seen by all my friends. I was certain that today would be the last day that I would have to ride the bus home with all the other… “non-drivers”.
I had rehearsed this moment in my mind a thousand times. I felt reasonably confident that when the bus dropped me off in front of my house, I would receive my just reward for being such an outstanding driver and son. I knew I could count on old dad to remember the many hints and discussions we had about the type and color of sports car that I would prefer. I had even left a few car magazines conspicuously open around the house that morning as a refresher course on my new car preferences.
I was tingling with anticipation as the bus rounded the final corner from my home. My face was pressed up against the window as I practiced the surprised look that I would show my parents when they handed me the keys to my new set of wheels.
I can remember jumping down all three stairs of the bus and dropping my backpack in total surprise. For a moment, I stood there in shock as the bus door closed behind me and pulled off. I looked up the driveway and much to my surprise; the only car parked there was my mother’s old Dodge Dart (with the push button transmission).
There must be some mistake. Perhaps the bus had dropped me off at the wrong address. There was no new car, no giant red ribbon, and no eager parents, marching band, or well wishers there to greet me in a triumphant return from my driving test.
As I recall it took a day or two for the shock and full weight of the disappointment to set in. There would be no new car, no leather driving gloves, no dice hanging from the rear view mirror, and no shot at impressing my beloved Carolyn.
It was at that point that I learned that reality can be very humbling. My mom would be willing to drive with me on my learners permit, but she needed the car for her own use. She couldn’t part with it so that I could drive it to school (we actually tried one day, but I was so embarrassed, having to pull up and then have to hand the keys to my mother as she gave me a peck on the check in front of all the boys.) Over the next few weeks and months I bugged mom and dad for the opportunity to drive any chance I could get. Thinking back they were very gracious about spending the time with me, but I could never quite get them to match my enthusiasm for just “going for a ride”. They allowed me to chauffer them around for all their meetings, appointments, and shopping trips, and sometimes just to drive aimlessly for the fun of it.
I waited anxiously for the rest of the year until I was able to get my regular drivers license and actually take the car out on my own. I think it is a pivotal moment in a parent’s life the first time their child drives off on his or her own and leaves the parent there waving at the curb. (maybe they are just worried that the car may get scratched) It was also my first experience in paying to fill up the car. I could tell right away that this would not be my favorite part of the whole driving experience.(and it still is not today)
The young guy at the gas station would give me advice on how impress the girls with my automotive prowess. Always open the door for them, make sure you leave the car running if you have to go into the store for a few minutes, crack the window a little (or was that advice for when you had the dog in the car).
For me, it was several years latter before I got the chance to own my own car, and it was not exactly the thoroughbred that I had always imagined. Instead I bought an Old Camero, a muscle car, with a huge engine and extra wide rear tires, it was love at first sight. The fuel mileage was terrible and it pulled to the right, but I could win a race with most of the cars on the street. My parents had urged me to buy a dependable car like a Volkswagen, but I had other ideas.(after all..I knew best..right) It was my hard earned money and I was going to get exactly what I wanted ( or at least what I wanted, that was in my very meager price range).
When I had finally saved up enough money to buy my own first car, I guess I was too excited and bought the first car I looked at. I had zero mechanical knowledge (some things never change) and made the purchase without consulting a mechanic. Maybe during the test drive, I should have noticed the smoke coming from the exhaust, the squeaky brakes, or the tires rubbing the wheel wells when I went around a corner. Not to mention the near bald tires and missing engine mount. I found out that buying your first car is very much like falling in love the first time. For me, excitement took over where logic should have prevailed. The first car is after all a very emotional purchase.
Well, as luck would have it, I learned a very costly lesson and I spent more time under the hood than in the driver seat. In the end I was the proud owner of several more used cars before I finally purchased my first new car.
Well, I’ve had many new cars since then, and I still let my emotions interfere when I get the bug for a new car. There is something about the smell and feel of a brand new car that quickens my heart. There are so many new buttons to push and gadgets to work. Our cars are almost like a statement about ourselves. I always bargain with the dealer before I buy, but once I get in the frenzy I know deep down that I won’t walk away. I’m driving a much nicer ride these days, but there will always be a special place in my heart for my first car.
Please feel free to contact me at: pooritalianboy@gmail.com
Two Wednesdays ago I left Brooklyn with George, who’d decided to move to California because his favorite technology (speakers) were developed there. I joined him for the ride on the condition that we don’t drive fast and make many stops along the way. I chose our route (66) and made our couchsurfing arrangements….
Pittsburg, PA (7 hours) was our first stop, Cincinnati, OH (5 hours) the second, and St. Louis, MO (6 hours) the third.
Pennsylvania
Corn in Ohio
In St. Louis we went to the City Museum, a body arcade (slides, caves, interesting stairs, arts&crafts) constructed out of recycled industrial material inside and outside of a rundown building.
Slide going from the 7th fl to the 3rd
Wall made of recycled glass bottles
another slide
St. Louis is bisected by the Mississippi so I also got my first look at the River of Huck Finn!
Mississippi river
Our next stop was Oklahoma City, OK (8 hours) where we also spent two nights. We visited the memorial to the 1995 bombings there.
Writing left by fire department rescue team
We left Oklahoma City after noon on Wednesday and spent the night in a motel 6 in Amarillo, TX (5 hours). This city had four Wal-Mart’s and TWO gas stations on every corner =(
homage to the first Phillips 66 station
Ten Commandments along Route 66
2nd largest cross in America, Groom TX
New Mexico
Arizona
Our drive to Flagstaff, AZ (9 hours) was a weary one. We argued a lot and eventually stopped talking. When we finally reached our host’s house in Flagstaff, George left me there and drove away…
——-
Flagstaff is 85 miles away from the Grand Canyon (a 5.4 million year old gorge, 277 miles long, 4-18 miles long, and over a mile deep). I’ve wanted to visit this canyon for a very long time. By studying the rock layers in this gorge, geologists have been able to discern what’s happened to the earth in the last two billion years!
Yesterday I took a shuttle to the canyon. There was one other passenger, a 21 year old English guy, and together we hiked halfway down the canyon to the Indian Gardens. It had taken us less than 2 hours to walk down 4.6 miles and I only gave passing attention to my thoughts about the need to go back up sometime. A sign at the 3 mile mark said: going down is OPTIONAL, going up is MANDATORY.
I struggled incredibly on the way up. My heart and lungs almost gave up. Once I tried to take a shortcut instead of the following the route around the mountain. I climbed up the rocks and patches of dessert grass but my camera swung violently on my chest and my feet slipped on the unstable rocks so I decided not to take shortcuts again. Plus I was just as out of breath as I would have been had I walked around.
It was past 5 when I finally reached the top and the shuttle I had arranged to take me back to Flagstaff had left without me. I decided to hitchhike. At first no one picked me up. A lot of people waved. A Hawaiian employee of the canyon drove me my first three miles, then a contractor of the canyon drove me another 20. As I stood, holding out my thumb the mesmerizing sunset glared back at me. I was tired and cold and no one was stopping for me but I was happy, very very happy.
Then a man picked me up. From his fair face and radiating goodwill I guessed (correctly) that he was Mormon. He also worked for the canyon. He drove me 25 miles to the ramp going on the I-40. It was pitch black when I got there and there were few cars. The next person who stopped for me was native and employed by the train that served the canyon. He worked on transcribing traditional native music using western rhythms. He did not consider himself a native American and refused to pay taxes to the government. In his youth, he’d hitchhiked throughout the states.
This morning my muscles are sore and walking hurts. Later tonight I’m going to Phoenix to visit a friend. Then I’ll got to LA. Then to SF. Then home.
A letter to the asshat who broke into my car last night…
Dear Car Prowler,
While it is not likely, I hope that the money from my cheap, Kenwood CD player is used to feed your family. Studies show that kids who eat a proper breakfast and eat nutritious meals are more likely to stay in school and test better than those who don’t. Really, I hope your kids’ futures are brither than yours. God knows we don’t need anymore uneducated junkies trolling the streets looking for a fix.
There is something to be said about your taste in music. If I was high as hell, I would have stolen Animal Collective, but you left it laying on my seat. You passed over musical geniuses like the Black Keys and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Instead, you chose to take Ramona Falls and a burnt copy of the tribute cd to Mississippi John Hurt. Oh, robber, what obscure and eclectic musical taste you have. You took the time to be picky with my CDs? How very Seattle of you. I’m almost impressed. In another life, we may have been able to enjoy a show together.
In your desperate need for money, you have greatly inconvenienced me. It’s a completely unnerving feeling to know that someone was rifling through my private property just feet from my door, while I slept. I can live without a cd player, but the damage you have done to my dashbaord, heating and A/C will require fixing, which is my time and money.
So with that, feed your kids breakfast and go to rehab, you dumbass.
I know that I said my next blog would be about the pedophile van selling ice cream cones in my neighborhood, but guess what? I haven’t transferred the pictures yet so you will all have to wait, muahaha. Here is a blog that I transferred over from my old one. Enjoy. (I did a bit of rewriting.)
I live in Texas — I know about state pride, trust me.
I have seen a lot of “prideful things” in all my 25 (or nearly 25, my birthday is tomorrow) years of being a Texan, but you know, I have to say that I have never seen anything quite like this. So there I am, riding with my boyfriend down I-35 and I look to my left and who do I see? Why, I see “Sippi Boy” of course.
It may be hard to tell, but the state alone takes up 1/3rd of his windshield, seriously.
Now ‘Sippi Boy’ may not be able to see clearly out of his back windshield, but who cares! (manufacturers only but back windshields on vehicles for decal purposes anyway) He has pride for his state of: Mississippi. Oh wait, Mississippi isn’t that great? Well, someone must have failed to give him that memo.
So let me describe this because my picture really isn’t the best. (I was riding down the freeway, remember!) It is a unnecessarily large , and believe me when I say that, cutout of the state of Mississippi with Old English lettering underneath that reads, “Sippi Boy.” Not I <3 Mississippi, Mississippi Boy, or I came from Mississippi and I happen to be a boy; nope, its “Sippi Boy.” His parents must be proud.
If you’re booking online, read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your reservation. If you’re booking over the phone, ask the agent about restrictions. Be sure you understand the conditions of your reservation. Is there a penalty for no-shows? How long will the car be held if you’re stuck in traffic on the way to the pickup station? Is there a fee for additional drivers and must their names be listed in the contract? Is your 20-year-old daughter old enough to drive the car? (For liability reasons, this is important.)
If pertinent, ask about any restrictions on interstate travel. For your own protection in case of breakdown, be sure the company has offices in all the states on your itinerary.
For one-way car rentals, ask about drop-off charges. They can be exorbitant.
Always get a confirmation number. For airport rentals, be sure to give the customer service representative your flight number and scheduled arrival time. This will usually protect your reservation if the flight is delayed.
A Member of Congress proposes to use taxpayer money to fund the development of technology to track motorists as part of a new form of taxation. US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) introduced H.R. 3311 earlier this year to appropriate $154,500,000 for research and study into the transition to a per-mile vehicle tax system. The “Road User Fee Pilot Project” would be administered by the US Treasury Department. This agency in turn would issue millions in taxpayer-backed grants to well-connected commercial manufacturers of tolling equipment to help develop the required technology. Within eighteen months of the measure’s passage, the department would file an initial report outlining the best methods for adopting the new federal transportation tax.
“Oregon has successfully tested a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) fee, and it is time to expand and test the VMT program across the country,” Blumenauer said in a statement on the bill’s introduction. “A VMT system can better assess fees based on use of our roads and bridges, as well as during times of peak congestion, than a fee based on fuel consumption. It is time to get creative and find smart ways to rebuild and renew America’s deteriorating infrastructure.”
In 2006, the Oregon Department of Transportation completed its own study of how to collect revenue from motorists with a new form of tax that, like the existing fuel excise tax, imposes a greater charge on drivers the more that they drive. The pilot project’s final report summed up the need for a VMT tax.
“Unfortunately, there is a growing perception among members of the public and legislators that fuel taxes have little to do with road programs and therefore should be considered ‘just another form of taxation,’” the March 2006 report stated. “By itself, this situation appears to be preventing any increases in fuel tax rates from being put into effect.”
The money diverted from the fuel excise tax on non-road related projects must be made up for with a brand new VMT tax, the report argued. Merely indexing the gas tax to inflation or improvements in fleet gas mileage was rejected as “imprecise.” Instead, the report urged a mandate for all drivers to install GPS tracking devices that would report driving habits to roadside Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanning devices.
Blumenauer is a long-time advocate of bicycling and mass transit in Congress. Many of his largest campaign donors stand to benefit from his newly introduced legislation. Honeywell International, for example, is a major manufacturer RFID equipment. The company also happens to be the second biggest contributor in the current cycle to Blumenauer’s Political Action Committee (PAC), the Committee for a Livable Future. Another top-ten donor, Accenture, is a specialist in the video tolling field.
H.R. 3311 awaits a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee. A copy of the bill is available in a 170k PDF file at the source link below.
HR 3311 (Congress of the United States, 9/14/2009)
URL to article: http://www.infowars.com/vehicle-tracking-bill-introduced-in-house/
A hurricane comes through your neighborhood and throws your neighbor’s tree on top of your car…
Question: Does your neighbor have to pay for the damage to your car since it was HIS tree that fell on your car?
Answer: No, if you have “comprehensive” coverage on your policy than you’re covered! Call us at the Protection Connection for answers to all your insurance questions @ 954-929-9000 or visit us online: www.protectionconnectioninsurance.com
The other day I had spent the day with some relatives and afterwards I drove to the hospital to visit my granny. After arriving home, and being exhausted from a long day, I decided to have an early night.
Half-way between sleep and consciousness I heard a knock on my window, then a minute later a knock on my door. It was my neighbour letting me know that my car had been broken into! Of course I couldn’t fully believe until I saw the hazard lights flashing, the locks ‘up’, and wires hanging out of the space where my mp3 stereo used to rest… not cool… and the worst thing about it all? Not just knowing that the same person could break into my car whenever they wanted, not just the fact that I can never leave ANYTHING in my car again when I am not in it… but knowing that the ******* who did it lives in the same block of apartments as me! and he is a junkie to boot! and living on the ground floor, imagine how I feel about leaving the apartment unattended at any time of the day… I have been thrown into this mental prison in which I am the gatekeeper…
You never know what life has around the corner for you… and the junkie? well there’s not much I, the cops or anyone else can do about it… but that’s the law of the world in which we live today… It seems to protect the criminal more than the victim these days… I’m trying not to let it drag me under, but sometimes it’s just not easy… I’m just trying to wait it out n stay afloat until this bad wave passes and I can be at peace again…
Just when you’re hoping GM might be able to pull a brash, new, vigorous rabbit out of its marketing hat, the illusion dissipates in a puff of tailpipe smoke with a new GM commercial featuring GM Chairman Ed Whitacre. Rather than let Creative show us how fast and fun and splendid a product GM produces, Mr. Whitacre holds a walking meeting with us, during which he reminds us of our doubts about GM products; tells us he has shared those doubts; and then, at a time in which any promise from a corporate leader is apt to generate a universe of eye-rolling, assures us that GM will take the car back, if it turns out to be the same old crap we’re afraid it is (though he doesn’t quite put it that way). It’s really stunning: a commercial which, in its final moments, prompts potential purchasers to recall why they’ve been avoiding buying the product.
Remember how bad our cars were? Me, too! But now that I run the company, I don’t think they’re so bad. Actually, they’re pretty good. And if they are awful, we’ll take them back. This is great advertising strategy for GM? I bet they think so, over at Ford.
The message GM should be conveying — by showing us, not telling us — is that GM makes hot, gorgeous cars that are safe, reliable, and fun. And while having ads that are unique can be a good thing, right now GM needs to produce ads that are as similar as possible in style and format to their competitors’ ads, so that their ads subliminally convey that GM cars are the competitive equals of other companies’ products. You don’t see the head of Ford or Hyundai taking a meeting with the audience to assure them the product isn’t bad. The problem isn’t Mr. Whitacre’s fault, but the concept of the commercial, which almost inevitably had to result in a backward-looking, defensive message.
On the plus side — at least GM isn’t guilty of making that deeply creepy Prius commercial, in which human beings are reduced to anonymous plants in the landscape.
Who’s more scared? Parents or kids? At a new school for the third time in my child’s life I think it might be a tie. Mom-ita and I drove M-ito to his first day of school last week and I took two days off to be there for the whole first day and for the one hour intro to school the day before. The commute was fine, not to much traffic, but lots of nervousness in the back seat and the front.
Mom-ita cried and I found tears coming to my eyes also as we gave him a hug before he was lead off to his classroom. M-ito’s first day was well planned out by the school he’s going to. They welcomed new students by name, with a handshake and gift from an upper classperson, in a morning assembly that all parents were invited to. We ate lunch with our kids then took off and did some food shopping while we waited. It was something to do. It was a day of waiting and of reflecting and shopping was a nice concrete something to do. We had about four hours to wait – on and off during – that first day in between meeting his teacher, seeing his classroom, being told by school administrative staff and the headmaster that “everything will be okay,” over and over again. Sure – easy for them to say.
I was surprised at how strongly I felt about sending him to school. This was truly the summer of transition from one school to another, from one set of friends to another, and for us as parents from one set of parents whose kids M-ito knows, to another. We are in the midst of meeting all these new parents, just as M-ito is in the midst of meeting all these new kids. Each of us is having to manage new relationships like crazy. I have to put my hand and my “self” out a lot. I have to say hello and introduce myself, try to remember which kids are which and which go with which parents. Mom-ita has been doing it all summer and I’m still catching up. Now I’m putting faces to names I’ve heard and trying assign kids to them.
What has caught me a little more by surprise than these difficulties is how watching my son go to school has reminded me of my own going to school when I was his age. It has brought up deep feelings of loss and sadness for what was. I changed schools and homes when I was going into fourth grade, M-ito is changing schools in 2nd. I remember leaving people behind and meeting new kids, best friends-to-be, none of which I’m still in touch with or becuase they have died long ago. I remember getting a new father and house to live in. I can feel this viscerally, in the tingling in my fingers as I type away. What a mix. Seeing this kind of history spread out in front of my son overwhelms me. But it’s my past not his.
At lunch after the assembly my son came over to me, so that Mom-ita wouldn’t be able to hear, and said, “I want to go home.”
I looked at him with my heart breaking. “Can you last for a few more hours?” I asked him, looking deeply into those brown eyes of his.
“How many hours is that?” he asked.
“Two.”
Then he nodded and hugged me. I didn’t tell Mom-ita about this until later.
When we came back to pick him up at three o’clock he was happy and seemed fine. He’d had science last period and he loves science and so his whole experience was framed by what he did there. His teacher had told them to pick a kind of scientist they would like to be – M-ito said paleontologist, of course – and to draw a picture of one on the front cover of their science notebook.
From the back seat of the car M-ito said, “I tried to be small in the class, but they wouldn’t let me be.” Mom-ita smiled while I drove. In his last school M-ito could “be small” and not noticed – not get attention – if he was quiet and followed the rules. He could “dissapear” if he wanted to – which I think he did a lot. In this school they introduced the kids to each other, asked them to play games with each other in recess (stopping cliques from arising – or at least attempting to) and seemed to try and notice what kids were doing and not doing. Small classes, good teachers. So far so good. But it meant that M-ito had to be more social than he was used to being. He is a shy kid who takes time to warm up. He must have been exhausted from all that kind of work. I know I was. I said hello and shook many hands in the parent meetings, at the coffee shop where I saw more of the same parents hanging out – just like us – and when we picked M-ito up. I had to force myself. I learned new names and forget them all within a matter of moments. Still, it’s part of the job of a parent. At 47 I have to tell you it’s not easy to go out and make new friends. I don’t necessarily want to put in that kind of effort but it comes with the territory. I guess I like to “be small” too.
After not talking about school for a few hours – even though we pestered M-ito left and right about what he did, at dinner time he finally gave us the whole run-down.
His second day I went to work with a knot in my stomach.
It’s his third day today, this beautiful Monday morning, and his first whole week of school. I’m doing my deep breathing exercises, trying to stay present, and not slip into the past. Mom-ita and M-ito left 45 minutes ago. I’m heading out too. I find I have to remind myself, this is his school experience, not mine. And this is my parenting experience, not his. The idea, I think, is to try to keep things that way. The challenge is in making it so.
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Das Cabrio-Feeling ist im Mini Cooper Cabrio ganz besondes hautnah. Innerhalb von 15 Sekunden öffnet das Stoffverdeck. Es gibt die unterschiedlichsten Varianten des Offenfahrens beim Mini Cooper Cabrio:
Orkan = Fenster auf ohne Windschott
Windig = Fenster geschlossen ohne Windschott
Ein laues Lüftchen = Fenster geschlossen mit Windschott
FunCar Autovermietung - Tour Trentino
Das Mini Cabrio bietet noch eine weitere Variante. Während der Fahrt kann man eine Stoffschiebedachlösung öffnen und schließen. Es funktioniert wie bei einem normalen PKW-Schiebedach. Um bei geöffnetem Schiebedach störende Luftwirbel zu vermeiden, kann man die hinteren Fenster einen kleinen Spalt öffnen.
