Wild Places

Another competition entry.

This one is also a memoir, concerning M- and someone referred to by the designation J-. Not to be confused with J- who writes stories with me, J- the ex I still see, J- the ex who I don’t, or J- my friend from university, this J- was – in the loosest possible sense of the word – my boss.

I’m not sure if this story is too sentimental.  It’s mostly true – the events are in any case – but I was never actually that angsty*, and certainly not that philosophical, as a teenager. I even had one or two thoroughly awesome friends at Ellon following M-’s move, but for the sake of the plot, they have been omitted.

Let me know your thoughts anyways – I’d really appreciate some pointers on this.

*Mum would disagree I’m sure…

_____________

 

15 was an awkward age, made more so by the loss of a friend.

“I don’t know what you’re moping for – it’s not like she’s dead,” my mother had muttered as I skulked into the kitchen for yet another consolatory cup of tea.

“No,” I would think, quietly to myself, “But I am.”

I had always been a bookish child – more comfortable in the worlds of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood than at secondary school – and seemed to be unable to connect with people unless there was paper and pen between us.

When M- had joined my class, I had found a kindred spirit and we would spend hours trawling the woods by my house or writing stories, hidden away from the cold Scottish winters in her computer room. When her family moved to Warwickshire, I had thought it was the end of the world.

After she left, school became something of an ordeal and I would sulk away my lunch hour, hidden at the top of the third floor biology staircase. I lived for my music – the crackled sounds of radio recordings on an old cassette offering some comfort in my isolation. I maintain that people who call their teenage years ‘the best of their life’, can’t remember being teenagers. The way I recall it, it was a miserable time for all concerned.

 

Weekends were different though. They gave me a chance to be myself, and not – as my peers considered me – the school odd-ball. I worked at the local boarding kennels at the time and when I was there I was an adult, a member of the work force. It became something of a second home, and I would feel the cares of the week falling away as I walked the dogs through the rugged Aberdeenshire countryside.

It was at about that time the kennel owner’s son, a twenty-something man we knew as J-, purchased his first motorbike. It was a stunning machine – a BMW R850R – and, he claimed, the only blue version in Scotland.

I had always been frightened by motorbikes. Hearing crash stories and having seen some vague statistics involving death and the vehicles had made me somewhat wary of them. I routinely sang the virtues of four wheels over two and cited countless figures which proved – to my 15 year old brain in any case – that cars were faster anyway.

Nevertheless, when J- asked me if I’d like to ride pillion, I jumped at the chance – if only to be able to say once and for all that cars were indeed a superior mode of transport.

I donned J-’s mother’s set of biking leathers, creaked myself somehow onto the back to the bike and peered out through the slit of the helmet, over J-’s shoulder. The familiar kennel close looked small and incomplete, viewed through the visor. I compared the sensation to blinkers on a horse, narrowing my world to what lay before me.

 

The bike lurched and we moved forward, swinging between the potholes on the track which led to the main road. Having been instructed not to tense my muscles, I took a deep breath and went as limp as my leather shell would allow.

We arrived at the junction and after two taps on J-’s shoulder to let him know that I was ready, we screamed onto the asphalt.

The road was not a large one, connecting only the scattering of villages and farms that lay between Inverurie and Aberdeen to one another. The first stretch we rode was low and winding, our progress hindered by the pendulum of the bike as it swung between the corners. Familiar sites went gliding past – we could not have been travelling above 30mph, but the rushing air and roaring engine conflicted with the truth of my eyes, creating the effect of slowing time.

It was the fragility of the situation which stung my heart – we flew by woodland, gorse and heather, all bathed in dappling sunlight. I wanted to touch the world around me, to bask in the beautiful, concentrated images being forced through the small, clear shard of my helmet, but I knew that were I to shift my weight unexpectedly, both J- and I would come crashing to the road, shrouded in fragments of blue-stained metal and chrome.

I stayed still within my black-hide armour, drinking in the wilds around me. It was intoxicating – a primitive desire to go faster fighting with my surroundings as they begged me to slow and look.

And suddenly we began to rise, out of the valley and towards the freckling of clouds in the clear blue sky. I no longer wanted to slow down and cling to the places I had been, I wanted to see what came over the bough of the hill.

And it was glorious – a patchwork of greens and golds, spotted with hay-bale buttons and fringed with the deep bruise-blue of the Grampians in the distance. Open and eternal, the sight of what lay before me made me gasp for air. It was as if the helmet dissipated then, leaving behind only this endless, stunning world that opened wide into the sky. And me.

From our brief vantage point at the top of the hill I saw everything clearly – all the roads we could travel, all the hills we could climb, each presenting their own myriad of possibilities as this one had. We took off along the straight path ahead, hurtling into the next valley, and being bombarded with other places, other sights and sounds.

And all of this, all of this beautiful world, was mine.

It suddenly didn’t matter that M- was gone, that school was miserable. I would see her again and school would end in three short years, through which I would cling to the memory of that moment of clarity. To begin with, I thought that my epiphany had been due to the bike and the speed at which we’d travelled, but as time passed I came to realise that I could recreate the almost incomprehensible joy simply by looking around me at the stunning place in which I lived. The helmet had forced me to narrow my view, to look ahead rather than behind, but all the hope and passion and unchanging wonder that I had needed at that point in my life came from the wilds around me. Even now, hundreds of miles away in the viciously flat Fenlands, I find myself taking comfort in the fact that just a few hours drive away – on the road over that next hill – is home.

[Via http://frankiesoup.wordpress.com]

Your Perfect BMW

If you asked everyone what their ideal car would be, a lot of people would reply with BMW. BMW are renowned worldwide for making good quality cars, albeit with price tags to match. However, gone are the days when only the very rich could afford a BMW, the 1-Series starts from around £15,000 and there are many bargains to be had on used BMW cars. BMW are also rumoured to be working on a new version of the Isetta city car, which is bound to be less expensive than its executive models. Watch this space for more news on that!

So if you were wondering which BMW car will suit you, here’s a rundonw of some of the main models:

BMW 1 Series – The ‘entry level’ BMW is perfect for younger drivers looking to buy their first executive car. Prices are reasonable compared to other models.

BMW 3 Series – If you’re looking for a luxurious, executive car, the 3-Series could be ideal. It’s BMW’s standard sedan model and provides an enjoyable drive, whilst looking incredibly sexy.

BMW 5 Series – The 5-Series provides one of the finest ways to drive to work. If you’re after a professional saloon, the 5-Series is the perfect car for you. It does everything you want it to, and in a classy way too.

BMW 6-Series – Definitely one for high-flyers, the BMW 6-Series is a rare sight on Britain’s roads, so will suit you if you like to stand out from the crowd. Also, it’s likely to retain its value fairly well.

BMW 7 Series –For those who want the best of the best, new BMW 7-Series is seriously high-end class. If the only thing troubling you if whether to buy a sports car or a limousine, this is the car for you.

BMW X3 – If you want a 4×4 but don’t want a full sized car, a BMW X3 could be the car for you. It’s an exciting car to drive,

BMW X5 – For those who want a 4×4 without doing any real off-road driving. Although it looks like a 4×4, it’s not really suitable for any off-road driving. Buying a BMW X5 is more about making a fashion statement.

BMW Z4 – Like to turn people’s heads when you’re driving? Then get a Z4. This car is seriously sexy, and the wind will feel great in your hair whe you’re driving with the top down.

With any BMW, ok so you pay a premium for the badge, but you know that you’re getting a car of a certain standard – so go on, treat yourself!

[Via http://carsforgirls.wordpress.com]

Millyard V10 Viper motorcycle

( COPYRIGHT FREE – PLEASE CREDIT ALASTAIR WALKER )

Allen Millyard's amazing Dodge Viper engined motorcycle

Allen Millyard is one the best custom motorcycle builders in the UK, with a variety of one-off motorbikes, most featuring multi-cylinder engines like V8/V12 Kawasakis, to his credit.

His latest amazing creation made its debut at the UK International Motorcycle Show, which opened today, Friday 27th November 2009.

The Millyard Viper V10 features an engine from the Dodge Viper car, which Allen sourced from e-bay for £5000. The 500bhp motor transmits its torquey power via a two-speed auto gearbox to the rear wheel.  Allen made the entire chassis in his garage, with the front forks featuring Vauxhall Carlton damper units and Hagon springs. Six pot calipers, plus AP Lockheed front disc brakes help slow this 630kgs heavy machine.

But the weight of the bike, and the lack of fairing hasn’t blunted the performance. A recent test at Bruntingthorpe saw the Millyard V10 Viper special hit 207mph, making this arguably the fastest road legal, unfaired motorcycle in the UK. Allen’s special has passed the government SVA vehicle inspection, so it is taxed and insured for road use.

The bike has been ridden at high speed by a professional test rider, who was impressed with the bike’s sheer torque and its stability. The plan is to take the bike to Bonneville to set an ultimate top speed of perhaps 250mph. Lateral thinking engineer Millyard is also seriously considering a limited production run of the Viper V10 machine.

“Everything’s been designed in my head on this bike,” said Allen, ” but I want to build a pre-production prototype and do some proper design drawings, so there’s a kind of template to work from. We could make maybe ten bikes to individual owner specifications.”

Reaction at the UK’s annual motorcycle show, held at the NEC near Birmingham, was very positive, with many bikers commenting that Millyard’s V10, the Norton Commando launch and the new BMW six cylinder concept bike, were the main highlights of the event.

ends.

[Via http://motorfeatures.wordpress.com]

Workhouse Photography Studio hosts Live Ribble Valley fashion shoot....as the whole of Bristol emigrates!

I was driving along listening to the news, and you know when you hear statistics and they wash over you, well I was listening to a piece on immigration and the presenter said that last year the number of people that emigrated from the UK was 427,000.

It was only later that I realised 427,000 people is more than the population of Bristol!  We actually have the equivalent of entire cities of people leaving us, for good, every year! Be good if we could make it into  a reality TV show and we all get to vote on which city we would like to evict from the country every year….” We’re a city get us out of here…!” If we could choose the 427,000 people we could get rid of Hartlepool, Slough,  Dundee and the whole of the Vale of Glamorgan!  ”Dundee….you’re fired!”

One person who hasn’t emigrated is our new Account Manager Rachel Lilley. Rachel,26, has joined us from the Bowker Group where she was managing the marketing of BMWs, Minis and Harleys. Rachel lives in Bradshaw, Bolton with husband Brett, and has about a 20 mile trip into work. A graduate of Bolton University, she also passed her Professional Diploma in Marketing in the summer. Her degree was in fashion marketing, and I know she’s keen to get involved in any fashion shoots at Workhouse Studios. We welcome Rachel and I’m sure she’ll do a great job as part of our team.

Rachel Lilley, Account Manager at Workhouse Marketing

She missed out on the fashion shoot which Live Ribble Valley magazine did at our studios recently for their November/December issue. Here’s a taster, shot by Lottie Designs and styled by the brilliant Debbie Fish, get hold of a copy to see the rest of the pics. We’re big fans of Live Ribble Valley, and Tedd and the team at the magazine do a terrific job.

[Via http://workhousemarketing.wordpress.com]

And the survery Says: Big brands lagging on climate action.

Study of 600 brands finds two-thirds are either increasing emissions, have weak targets on cuts or do not publish data

Having just posted about McDonalds supposed new ‘green’ image I thought this was a good followup.

Consumer expectations that favourite brands are actively tackling climate change will be challenged tomorrow by a report showing that some of Britain’s top corporate names, including Barclays, Amazon and Sky, are lagging behind their competitors and failing to respond to the lead set by the government.

A survey of the carbon performance of 600 of the UK’s biggest brands reveals that two-thirds are either increasing their greenhouse gas emissions, have targets that are weaker than the government’s Copenhagen goal for carbon cuts, or are failing to put information about their carbon emissions in the public domain.

To tackle global warming the government has set a national target for 2020 of a cut of 34% on the 1990 emission levels.

The companies offered their own information for the survey, entitled Brand Emissions, and the data revealed that only one in five brands was demonstrating a reduction in emissions and had ambitious targets in line with the UK’s aims.

The “leaders” emerging from the research included the supermarket giant Tesco, the phone company T-Mobile, the computer company Dell and the car manufacturer BMW.

At the other end of the scale, and for 250 brands, researchers found no carbon emissions information at all reported; this group included Google, McKinsey and Amazon. There were no public emission reduction targets for 320 brands, including Porsche, Harvey Nichols and McDonald’s. Around 122 of the brands that did report their carbon output were seen to have increased their emissions in 2008. This group included Barclays, Sky and eBay.

The project, launched tomorrow,was developed by Marketing magazine and Brand Republic, with ENDS Carbon, a specialist carbon ratings agency, and the University of Edinburgh business school. The aim is to give an annual rating of leading UK brands.

Craig Mackenzie, research director of the Brand Emissions project, said: “The 100 or so leading brands show just how much can be done if you set your mind to it. But to keep global temperatures within the 2°C safe zone we need all brands to demonstrate the same level of ambition and achievement.”

Rachael Stilwell, publishing director of Marketing magazine, said: “These results will become an important reputational milestone for brands.”

Some of the companies that had a poor rating said revealing information could have been beneficial to their competitors. A spokesperson for Google, which claims to have been carbon neutral since 2007, said: “We have taken concrete steps to improve the efficiency of our computing infrastructure and reduce the energy used by our facilities.

Friends of the Earth’s Mike Childs said: “The government must ensure that businesses cut their carbon emissions through well-targeted regulation, taxation and financial support.”

Best brands

Tesco, T-Mobile, Dell, BMW, Eurotunnel, Accenture, Standard Chartered, Ericsson, KPMG, AMD

Worst brands

Barclays, Sky, correcteBay, Toyota, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), Travis Perkins, Bosch, Axa, British Gas

No information or targets

Google, McKinsey, Amazon, Porsche, Harvey Nichols, McDonald’s, Amazon, Burger King, Chanel, Facebook

Brands that increased their emissions last year and have not published a target to reduce them

[/source]

 

Slashdot It!

[Via http://enviralment.wordpress.com]

BMW plays its part in the Young Driver Days at Jerez.

Alexander Rossi and Esteban Gutiérrez drive a BMW Sauber F1.09.

Munich/Hinwil, November 24th 2009. Despite pulling out of Formula One, BMW is staying true to its promise of giving two talented young Formula BMW drivers their first taste of an F1 car. Alexander Rossi and Esteban Gutiérrez will take part in the official Formula One test for young drivers at Jerez from 1st – 3rd December 2009.

“Depriving these junior drivers of the test we had promised them was not an option for us, even after the withdrawal of BMW from Formula One,” said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “BMW remains committed to motor sport and is keen to continue making a contribution to well-structured talent development.”

Rossi, from Nevada City in California, earned his opportunity to test an F1 car by taking victory in the 2008 Formula BMW World Final in Mexico City. The 18-year-old qualified for the international showdown by winning the Formula BMW Americas series earlier that year.

The 2009 season saw Rossi finish fourth overall in the International Formula Master series and wrap up the rookies’ title in the process. Shortly before his 18th birthday – which he celebrated on 25th September 2009 – the American was able to familiarise himself with the Jerez circuit during a test in a GP2 car. He went on to make his GP2 Asia debut in Abu Dhabi during the final weekend of the Formula One season on 31stOctober/1st November, finishing fourth in race 1 and fifth in the sprint race.

As Rossi is keen to emphasise: “I take the opportunity to present myself as a driver at Formula One level very seriously and I’m very aware of the far-reaching potential it has. I feel very fortunate and my goals for the test are to put in a fantastic performance while fully absorbing the whole experience. There is a growing list of people that have helped me get where I am today. This is a team effort and I am very grateful for this support. A special thanks to BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen for making this test possible and having the confidence in me.”

Gutiérrez – another 18-year-old – also secured his place at the Formula One test on the back of strong performances in Formula BMW. Having swept to the 2008 Formula BMW Europe title in convincing fashion, the Mexican went into the World Final on home territory as favourite, eventually finishing third.

Gutiérrez was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon on 5th August 1991 and now lives in Paris. This year he finished ninth in the drivers’ standings in the Formula 3 Euro Series. A GP2 test at Jerez in October enabled him, like Rossi, to gain prior knowledge of the track in southern Spain. In early November he completed a two-day test in a GP2 car in Le Castellet, southern France.

The Mexican explains: “We have put all our efforts into the preparations for this great opportunity that will provide me with an insight into what the future may bring. The opportunity to drive a Formula One car is the fulfilment of part of my dreams. I feel very pleased and will use this experience to learn about and experience the professionalism of a Formula One team. This will help me to find the aspects where I need to work on myself more. This test is the achievement of many people who have given me support. It is also an honour for me to represent my home country Mexico. I will deliver my best.”

The three days of testing (for young drivers who have taken part in no more than two Formula One events) were written into the FIA rule-book for 2009. A large number of F1 teams are expected to travel to Jerez, not least because no other testing has been permitted since the start of the season and the ban remains in force until 31st December.

[Via http://f1photos.wordpress.com]

Sauber-Qadbak segue sem vaga confirmada na F-1

Time surgido sobre o espólio da BMW não recebeu nenhuma posição da FIA

Mario Theissen, ex-chefe da extinta BMW e responsável por definir os rumos da nova equipe Sauber-Qadbak, confirmou nesta segunda-feira que a escuderia permanece sem um lugar no grid para a próxima temporada.

Mesmo com o surpreendente anúncio da saída da Toyota após o fim da temporada de 2009, a FIA ainda não tomou nenhuma decisão a respeito da inscrição da nova equipe, adquirida por um grupo financeiro suíço.

“A situação não mudou”, disse o dirigente. “A equipe ainda não tem um lugar no grid. Esperamos ter, mas nada aconteceu, ainda.”

Theissen explicou que a indefinição a respeito do futuro da equipe compromete as negociações com patrocinadores e pilotos _Christian Klien e Nick Heidfeld estão entre os cotados para correr pela nova escuderia.

“Obviamente, o atraso nesta decisão dificulta as negociações com os pilotos e os patrocinadores.”

Por fim, o alemão afirmou que só anunciará sua posição dentro do time quando o impasse com a FIA estiver solucionado.

“Só vou decidir isso quando a nova equipe estiver segura e tudo estiver acertado”, concluiu.

[Fonte: tazio.uol.com.br]

[Via http://f1sms.wordpress.com]

Rolls Royce Goes HD!

Saturday, it was announced that Rolls Royce would be joining Volvo in making HD radio a standard component across all its lines for 2010!  This comes quick on the heels of an announcement from Mercedes-Benz that HD will be in all its 2010 models that have “premium feature packages.” Looks like HD has locked on with the luxury car aficionados!

That is one heck of a brand association. Rolls Royce has been known for refinement and luxury since before World War II. It is a name that has stood the test of time and retained its noble bearing throughout. The Phantom, for example,  is to cars as a tuxedo-clad James Bond is to espionage (the Sean Connery Bond). To have HD radio become a standard firmly affixes the growing medium in the luxury market and the luxury mindset.

Here is the statement from iBiquity via Radio Ink:

“We are proud to confirm the availability of HD Radio technology for yet another prestigious brand — Rolls-Royce,” iBiquity COO Jeff Jury said. “The Rolls-Royce brand is revered. This commitment to HD Radio technology as standard illustrates how digital radio’s dynamic function enhances the in-car ambiance. The addition of Rolls-Royce to the HD Radio roster truly solidifies the technology’s stature in the luxury automotive class.”

Rolls Royce  joins an array of other car makers in offering HD either as a standard or an option: BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes, Mini, Scion, Land Rover and Volvo. In addition, Audi, Ford, Kia, Lincoln and Mercury are soon to join their ranks and have committed to offering HD as well. Now that approximately 85% of the US is covered by HD signals, it looks like it could be a great time for a road trip!

It’s really fun watching a medium grow up. There are always growing pains, but the process always seems to yield fascinating results.  As each quarter slips by, we see more maturity in the HD radio platform. Not only are the high-end auto makers adding it in as a standard, but there is now a HD listening option for the iPhone. (See my earlier post.) The times are certainly changing, and as far as HD is concerned, changing for the better!

Image: ynguyen666 / CC BY 2.0

[Via http://radio2020.wordpress.com]

The perfect location for the next sci-fi video game? Seaside Heights, NJ

With the late November weather cooperating, I woke up feeling somewhat obligated going for a BMW ride today.

Still jetlagged from just having returned from Berlin, it was easy to talk myself out of doing something more strenuous, like for example Mountain Biking or Kayaking. I am quite good at talking myself out of things, or at least waffling about it until it is too late to have a go, and while I can easily hesitate about a BMW ride in questionable weather condition, today the sun was shining, the leaves did not particularly seem slippery, and with Robyn still away in India and Nepal, the few hundred miles I need to put on the bike before the next service period tipped the scale. Besides I also wanted to test out my new Vstream replacement windshield on the highway.

The South Shore BMW rider group was doing a Polar Bear ride to Hopewell NJ today, but the meeting point takes me an hour to reach, and the ride would have taken all day… Besides I like riding by myself, I can stop to take pictures when I like, and ponder the smaller mysteries of the universe, such as the spontaneous materialization of extremely slow driving minivans, only during the sweepy best curvy segments of a route. I’m sure this only applies to Motorcycles, although I think cars are also affected, if the driver is running late.

So after planning a route to ride the sweepy route 527 west, before turning back east to Seaside Heights and a visit to Island Beach State Park, I set out around 10:30. I assumed entry to Island Beach would be free after labor day, the plan was to eat lunch there or in Asbury Park.

Baldrich the Beemer

I often marvel at the technology that allows me to take calls on my Zumo GPS (connected via bluetooth to my iPhone), but having somehow imagined suave on bike conversations, the actual subject matter of such on bike calls are pedestrian in nature and typically revolve around picking up milk, or doctor’s visits. Stopping to take a call from my Mother, I by chance discovered the Ocean County RC Modelers model airplane field. After a short and concise conversation I continued an hour later.

Seaside Heights is a summer town, by which I mean that in November, it is difficult to distinguish it from a post apocalyptic movie set. Stores, Delis, Gas Stations, entire Shopping Malls seem abandoned to such a degree that looting would appear pointless.

So imagine my surprise to discover that entry to Island Beach State Park still costs money! Apparently the reason is that, while Sandy Hook is operated by grumpy college students having to work during hot summer hours while their friends are having fun, Island Beach State Park is operated by the only current life forms in Seaside Heights, a cadre of endlessly cheerful and available retirees.

Thus, declining to pay the entry fee, and facing the questionable prospect of food discovered in the desolation of Seaside Heights or Lavalette, I decided to make a bee-line for home for a nice bowl of home-made mushroom bisque.

In short, a good time was had by all, and as usual I am posting the GPS data and ride pictures on EveryTrail

On a more practical note, I recently ordered a Ztechnik windscreen to replace the stock screen on the BMW R1200RT, and the design to reduce wind noise works marvelously. With the stock screen I was having problems with the wind activating the mike of my Autocom bike communication system, and so it was easy to tell that the new screen is a lot quieter, meaning I can listen to music, navigation and phone calls with reduced volume… Tested this in traffic at about 137kph during a few stretches of heading back home on the GSP. I can post comparison pictures of the V-Stream vs the stock BMW screen if anyone is interested.

[Via http://polymash.com]

Bolidul

Stiu prea bine că mass-media este cel mai mare motor de producere și întreținere a stereotipurilor, dar tot mă minunez de fiecare dată cînd aud cum, în vreun accident în care a fost implicat un BMW, acesta este imediat transformat într-un „bolid”.  Sînt multe mărci care produc mașini mari și puternice, dar parcă niciun nume nu produce atîta satisfacție în a fi asociat cu acest cuvînt producător de fiori pe șira spinării, ca BMW. Invers, nu e nevoie ca o mașină să fie foarte mare și foarte puternică, de exemplu un BMW seria 3, pentru a fi transformat într-un bolid. E suficient că e BMW .

Zilele trecute s-a petrecut o dramă. Pentru unii. Pentru televiziuni a fost un motor puternic, un bolid, aș putea spune, de produs rating. Pentru unii a fost doar un moment de amuzament (să vezi un BMW cum intră într-o curbă și derapează într-un stîlp după care se rupe în două, poate fi amuzant pentru o minte puerilă). În timp ce pentru alții a fost un moment de eliberare a unor frustrări cauzate de invidie: „uite un bogătan care a pățit-o.. așa-i trebuie!”

Șoferul era prietenul unui prieten, prieten cu unul dintre prietenii mei. Acesta, prietenul meu, se va bucura că îl pomenesc pe blog. Știu că își dorea asta de multă vreme! Cred că merită asta, mai ales astăzi, cînd m-a ajutat să-mi rezerv un bilet pentru Stockholm, pentru 1 ianuarie, cînd sper sa plec la Uppsala. Din păcate, aproape sigur nu mă va ajuta să-l și plătesc, pentru că o să fie în jur de 220 de euro, doar dus. Dar n-am ce face, se pare că doar KLM zboară la Stockholm, iar eu trebuie să plec neapărat pe întîi, pentru că așa spune birocrația. Deocamdată, tot birocrația spune că e posibil să nu plec. Sper că partea aceea care spune că trebuie plec neapărat pe 1.01.10, să cîștige în cele din urmă. Să spun și cum îl cheamă? Mai are nevoie de vreo prezentare? Sigur că are, nu-l știe nimeni: e Puiu! Puiu știe mai bine decît mine ce înseamnă un accident de mașină, pentru că a avut cel puțin două, dintre care unul s-a soldat cu dauna totală a mașinii. Așa au spus cel de la CASCO, pe care noroc că l-a avut. Eu n-am CASCO, așa că dacă bolidul meu intră în vreo daună totală, o să ajung la fel ca Puiu acum, adică fără mașină.

Chiar dacă nu am fost în niciun accident de mașină, mă întreb  dacă pot să-mi imaginez sentimentele asociate cu unul. Asta înseamnă că ispitesc destinul să-mi arate „pe bune” ce înseamnă să ai un accident de mașină? Sper că nu! În primul rînd, mă întreb cum aș reuși să trăiesc, dacă din cauza modului meu stupid de a conduce o mașină, ar muri o persoană sau mai multe. Vorbeam aseară cu un prieten, pe messenger, și el credea că am reuși să trăim cu orice fel de crimă pe conștiință. Pentru că și uciderea din culpă e tot crimă. Poate are dreptate. Sîntem, înainte de orice, niște mașini de supraviețuit, și nu vreau să subestimez puterea acestui angrenaj.

Oare am dreptul să-mi imaginez ultimele clipe ale celor două fete de 23 de ani care și-au pierdut viața joi seara pentru că un puștan teribilist, care nu consumase băutură, cum ziceau cei de la știri, a apăsat prea mult pe pedala bolidului?

Ai 23 de ani și parcă niciodată viața n-a fost  mai frumoasă. Mai demult erai prea mic, mai tîrziu o să fii prea mare, o să începi să te temi de boala aia teribilă numită bătrînețe și pentru care nu există leac. Se pare că genetica ne promite leac și pentru ea, ne promite nemurirea, dar deocamdată nemurirea rămîne monopolul lui Dumnezeu. E 2 noaptea. Parcă niciun loc nu e destul de vesel pentru a-ți potoli setea de viață.  Poate ai auzit de teoria relativității și ai înțeles-o într-un mod băbesc. Poate crezi că mergînd cu 200 la oră păcălești moartea, mai cîștigi niște secunde de viață.  Alergi și rîsetele vesle de pe bancheta din spate, ca niște promisiuni, te fac să vrei să alergi și mai repede. Te uiți pe geam fără să știi că e ultima dată cînd mai vezi luminile astea colorate. Fără să știi că nu o să apuci să vezi cum s-a gîndit Primăria să împodobească bulevardul Magheru anul ăsta. Fără să știi că muzica veselă de la radio, care se aude cu fidelitate în difuzoarele bolidului, e marșul tău funebru. În  cei 23 de ani pe care i-ai trăit, ai avut ocazia să înveți cîteva dintre legile după care merge viața, dar ce păcat că nu te-a învățat nimeni acea lege infinit mai sadică decît toate legile lui Murphy la un loc, care spune că vinovatul trebuie să supraviețuiască pentru a purta vinovăția. Dar oare legea aia nu știe că vinovăția e o haină de care unii se pot dezbrăca foarte ușor? Nu e vorba de nicio lege, șoferul pur și simplu reușește întotdeauna să-și salveze pielea, în virtutea aceluiași instinct de supraviețuire  care mai tîrziu îi va permite să se dezbrace de vină.

Dar…mai sînt cîteva secunde. Becurile colorate trec repede, repede, formeaza linii continue, dacă te uiți pe geam. Linia lor e din ce în ce mai neîntreruptă iar tu ești din ce în ce mai mult împinsă în scaun. Și bolidul se apropie de ultima lui curbă. Se aude muzică, dar există oare pe lume vreo melodie suficient de tristă și suficient de absurdă, vreo simfonie suficient de complexă pentru a da socoteală de toate straturile de ființă ce s-au rostogolit joi noaptea în rondul de la Romană și de toate bucățelele de mașină și de carne împrăștiate care au făcut să vibreze și să se împrăștie în bucățele sufletele celor care urmau să afle, probabil la telefon, că ochii tăi, a căror culoare nu o știu, vedeau pentru ultima dată luminile Bucureștiului?

Ultimele secunde. Fizicienii încearcă, prin formule matematice, să rezolve enigma primei secunde a existenței Universului.  Să presupunem că vor reuși și că un premiu Nobel va fi decernat pentru asta. Dar cine va reuși vreodată să rezolve enigma ultimei secunde de viață? Poate că secunda asta se împarte în două, apoi în patru, apoi în opt, și așa la nesfîrșit. Poate că fiecare suflet trăiește o eterniate înainte de a muri, nu după.

Simt că aș putea să mai gravitez în jurul acestei secunde, înaintea ei, înainte să ajungă acolo camerele de filmat la fel de setoase de sînge ca  și mulțimea care s-a adunat din senin acolo. De fapt, înainte de ultima curbă, pentru a zăbovi cu ultimele lumini, cu ultimele gînduri, cu ultimele frînturi de melodie, cu planurile de Revelion și cu vreo dragoste ce tocmai înflorea, cine știe..?

Dar deja unii mă vor considera patetic, alții nesimțit și profitor, la fel ca mass-media, în timp ce eu însumi voi fi nemulțumit de mine însumi că am scris iar prea mult și mi-am speriat toți cititorii. Poate e mai bine așa, de data asta. Poate nu mulți vor fi putut sau vrut să înțeleagă acest imn post-mortem închinat vieții pe care am încercat să îl încropesc din ultimele secunde ale unor vieți încheiate brusc, cu scîrțit de cauciucuri.

14/11/2009 Parnassos valley

The week rolled boringly, waiting patiently for the next escape from everyday city madness!
So Friday has arrived and our minds are already tripping far away, to distant routes and warm villages surrounded by cold and magical mountains! What better than a trip towards Parnassos mountain, and the exploration of its lovely valley.
We start 08:30am Saturday morning, head towards Kastro from where we exit and head towards Livadia and from there to Arrachova, we bypass the luxourious and crowded Arrachova and head towards the mystical and ancient Delphi we stop for a coffee over a lovely nice cafe overlooking the Delphic olive tree valley. After our short stop we head towards the ancient site of the Delphi oracle.
Our next waypoint is the valley of Parnassos valley, we head towards Arrachova and we take the turn towards Parnassos valley, once on the valley we will be riding a few Km’s admiring the fantastic view of this place!
Around 500 Km’s again, so be prepared for a late return!
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67° Salone internazionale del motociclo - Eicma 2009 alla Fiera di Milano

Image by ...lord Alessandro Zarcone via Flickr

Da domani e fino a domenica 15 novembre presso la fiera di Milano aprirà Eicma, il 67° Salone della moto.

Dove: Fiera di Milano – SS. 33 del Sempione 28, 20017 Rho (MI).
Quando: 10-15 novembre 2009

Il settore penalizzato dalla crisi scommette su modelli ecologici.

In complesso il salone si compone di 6 padiglioni coperti, 55.000 metri quadrati di superficie e 80.000 mq dell’area MotoLive dove saranno presentate le 36 esibizioni di alcuni dei apprezzati stuntmen del mondo.

Progetto + Eco, un grande passo verso una mobilità sostenibile
Ducati Energia lancia un innovativo progetto che introdurrà quadricicli leggeri a impatto zero in numerose realtà italiane. Il comune di Ischia il primo ad aderire

Peugeot Hybrid3 Evolution, il nuovo concept di scooter
La presenza di Peugeot al Salone di Milano rappresenta l’occasione per promuovere nuovi progetti legati al mondo della mobilità urbana a due ruote

Da Eicma la notizia qui…

Novo BMW Série 5 já tem data para estreiar

A BWM divulgou hoje um vídeo mostra parte  das linhas da próxima geração do Série 5.  O sedã de luxo da marca terá o objetivo de bater de frente com o renovado Mercedes-Benz Classe E, que estreiou recentemente. 

De acordo com a BMW o carro será mostrado em definitivo já no próximo dia 23.  Antes, do que era especulado pela imprensa especializada. Vale lembrar que a atual geração do Série 5 está no mercado desde 2003.

 

Le BMW X1 : suv compact version luxe

Après le X3, X5 et X6, le… X1. Ce SUV compact de chez BMW ressemble à un Break surrélevé. Il joue résolument la carte de la modularité avec trois sièges arrière rabattables séparément, de nombreuses possibilités de rangement et un coffre généreux dont le volume peut varier de 420 à 1.350 litres. Au niveau des équipements, il sera possible de choisir un toit panoramique, une caméra de recul, des feux de jour ou encore un système GPS. Côté moteur, prime est donnée au diésel. Avec au choix les sDrive18d de 143 ch, sDrive20d de 177 ch, quatre cylindres disponibles également en transmission intégrale, ou le xDrive23d bi-turbo de 204 ch. A partir de 29.500 Euros jusqu’à 47.350 Euros pour le X1 xDrive28i 6 cylindres de 285 chevaux. Le X1 se positionne sur le segment des Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda CR-V, Mercedes GLK ou autres Rav-4. Et à partir de 2010 du Q3 de chez AUDI.

 

 

BMW e as corridas

Este post não vai falar sobre a saída da BMW da Fórmula Um. Vamos falar de outros carros, de outras categorias. Vamos falar de lançamentos, carros antigos e de como a BMW usou o esporte como meio de consolidar sua marca pelo mundo.

A idéia deste post surgiu justamente porque nessa semana a montadora alemã apresentou conceito BMW M3 GTS, modelo que será feito especialmente para o seu feliz dono levá-lo ao limite em algum circuito nos chamados track-days, idéia muito difundida nos EUA e na Europa. A previsão é de que o modelo estará disponível para à venda a partir do segundo trimestre de 2010.

GTS: versão nervosa do M3 de rua

Assim que você coloca os olhos no olha para as fotos do carro, logo você percebe que o carro tem vocação para as pistas. O carro recebeu um novo defletor dianteiro e um aerofólio traseiro – ambos ajustáveis – e iguais aos utilizados pelas BMW em seus carros que competem no WTCC. Recebeu rodas de 19 pol forjadas em alumínio e eliminou os detalhes cromados da carroceria.

Olhando para o seu interior, você poderá conferir os bancos esportivos tipo concha em fibra de carbono, cinto de seis pontos e extintor de incêndio. Além disso, ao invés de você encontrar o banco traseiro para passageiros, você encontrará a estrutura de reforço da carroceria, necessária para a participação de competições.

Interior simples, mas no padrão BMW

Como a intenção era produzir um carro de corrida, a BMW fez o que podia para aliviar o peso do carro. Se quiser conforto que compre outro BMW série 3, deve ter pensado os engenheiros da Motorsports, braço que prepara os carros mais ariscos da marca e que emprestam a letra M para o nome deles.

Além dos bancos e do teto (padrão da séria M) de fibra de carbono, o isolamento acústico e o forro das portas são de material mais simples, mas forrados por couro Alcântara, assim como o volante. Não satisfeita pelo depeno, arrancou o sistema de audio e eliminou o ar condicionado automático. E o escapamento foi modificado, sendo fabricado em titânio. Dessa forma, o peso do carro abaixou para 1500kg.

Como não poderia deixar de acontecer, o carro também sofreu modificações mecânicas. O motor V8 que antes era de 4.0, passou para 4.4 litros, fornecendo 450cv, trinta cavalos à mais que a versão de rua. O câmbio é automatizado de dupla embreagem de sete marchas é padrão no GTS, assim como os amortecedores ajustáveis.

Para parar o foguete, a Motorsport equipou o bicho com um sistema de  freios de alto desempenho com pinças de seis pistões na frente e quatro atrás. E para o seu dono desfrutar disso e mostrar que é bom de braço, o sistema de controle de tração do carro é bem menos tolerante, deixando o carro mais arisco.

Mais detalhes do carro neste video aqui.

Para não ficar muito grande o post, falarei em outra ocasião sobre o BMW M5 CSL antigo e o de 2009, criado para celebrar os 25 anos do M5 CSL.

Abraços

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I hate… Today…

13. BMW drivers – Think they own the world because they drive a BMW.  I was always told that Mercedes drivers represent old money and BMW driver’s new money.  So I am coming to the conclusion that new money means having to show people you have money and that equates to buying / leasing a beemer and driving like you don’t give a shit about anyone else on the road.  I must honk 2 of them a day for not signaling or cutting people off.  Assholes.

12. My office keyboard.  Stupid thing got wet (something to do with me spilling water on it) and now when I type capital letters the Ucking thing drops the first letter and capitalizes the next one… 

11. Swine flu / H1N1 / influenza panic… Good g-d, people are going to make themselves sick worrying about the damn vaccination.

10. The NY Yankees.  They won the world series last night and, well, see my post on them on my sports blog; www.daddyknowssports.wordpress.com.

9. Our former nanny.  Left us a couple weeks ago and has been texting me asking for more money – extra money that she thinks she is entitled to, but confusing with vacation pay which she received way more than she was entitled to.  She thinks she was given extra pay our of the kindness of our hearts, I told her it was but there aint no more.  Now she’s bitching about calling the labour department.  I called first and we’re good.  She’s a noob. 

8.  My Achilles.  I finally stretched a lot and went for a run to test it out.  Ran for 10 minutes and there was no pain, but it felt really weak, like any sudden movement would cause it to hurt.  I hate that.  I need to run to stay healthy.

7.  My weight.  I blame it on Halloween that I am forced to eat those fucking little chocolate bars like they are going out of style.  Because they are small does not allow me to eat 10 of them at once, right?  OR does it…

6.  Fair-weather friends.  Either you’re my friend and you want to hang out, or we’re not and that’s fine, but don’t string me along by being phony and they never come out.  I can’t waste time on this whole being social thing… After planning a few outings, if it’s not reciprocated, I’m done with you.

5.  Jedi vs. Sith on Facebook.  I’m fucking addicted!  Grrrr.  As of last night I was 78th in the world.  14 million players have this application.  I have 4100 points (3 points for a win, lose 1 for a loss) and the leader has 40,000.

4.  Hulk Hogan signing with TNA wrestling.  It’s a shitty promotion that might have potential if they cut the gimmicks and produced a decent show.  Crappy writing and even crappier plots make me wonder why this show exists.  Besides the fact that I hate the name “TNA” since it is too close to “Tits ‘n’ Ass” but Total Non-stop Action is not the name for a successful wrestling organization.  And Hogan… 56 years old.  Seriously.

3.   My choice of area for trick-or-treating this year.  Sucks ass.  I expected the $2 million dollar home owners to kick out some kick-ass treats for the kids.  But one candy-bar per houses?!?  Cheapskates!  How disappointing.  Not making that mistake again!

2.  Guns and Roses.  I’m still pissed at them for their simply horrible release this year.  I kind of wish they had released a bunch of stuff throughout the past decade so the shit they put on this album might have come out in other releases.   There is no good hard rock nowadays and as I listen to a few of their songs on my iPod It makes me even more pissed off.  They used to be great.  Same for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver.  Where is the new Saliva, Disturbed and Rob Zombie?

1.  Iran.  Saw this news story and it pisses me off, considering Iran claims to be doing nothing wrong. Ever.

The seizure of a massive shipment of Iranian arms bound for terrorist organization Hizbollah, proves the arms flow to Syria and south Lebanon from Iran.  The attempt to smuggle arms to Syria and Hizbullah was an Iranian violation of a UN Security Council resolution.  Typically, Iran continues to smuggle arms to terrorists under the guise of legitimate international commerce, turning the Mediterranean Sea into a platform for illegal action. 

The weapons seizure “unequivocally and without a doubt” proves the Iran-Syria-south Lebanon weapons-trafficking route.

The ship was released overnight Wednesday after 36 weapons-filled containers were unloaded, and the 12 crew members boarded the vessel and made their way back on their planned route.

Hundreds of tons of weaponry, the largest arms seizure in Israel’s history, were intercepted in the daring raid by Israeli naval commandos aboard the cargo ship sailing 100 nautical miles west of Israel.

The arms shipment was 10 times the size of the cache found on the Palestinian arms ship Karine A in 2002, defense officials said.

The different types of arms offloaded from the ship were familiar to Israel as those Hizbullah already possesses in its arsenal, Israel Radio quoted defense officials as saying.

Military sources assessed Teheran would be forced to change its smuggling routes following the Israel Navy’s successful operation.

The cache was hidden inside shipping containers belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) which departed from the Bandar Abbas Port in Iran some 10 days ago, were unloaded in the Egyptian port of Damietta and then loaded onto the Francop, a German vessel flying an Antiguan flag.

On Wednesday, Israeli PM, Netanyahu addressed the international community concerning Iran’s material support for terrorist organizations by saying, “Iran is sending these weapons to terror organizations to harm Israeli cities and kill its citizens.  The time has come for the international community to exert real pressure on Iran to stop this criminal activity and to support Israel when it defends itself against these terrorists and their patrons.”

This is going to be a tough task considering the axis of evil lined up to denounce Israel left, right and centre every time something happens in the middle east.

Nova geração do BMW Série 3 é flagrada

Ela só chega em 2012, mas já está em desenvolvimento. Trata-se da próxima geração do sedã Série 3, que começa a ser vendida na Europa em três anos. O modelo foi flagrado em fase de testes, para não atrasar o cronograma da marca bávara. O modelo terá ainda derivações perua, cupê e conversível.

Pouco se pode notar das linhas do novo modelo com as imagens, mas é possível perceber que seu porte não muda muito em relação ao sedã atual. Afinal, se o Série 3 crescer demais, acabará “batendo” no Série 5. A nova geração, no entanto, deverá se destacar pela maior eficiência energética, graças a motores modernos e carroceria mais leve. Poderemos ver, inclusive, propulsores de três cilindros, 1,35 litro e turbocompressor gerando entre 160 e 240 cv.

Eis a tecnologia alemã.

GALERIA

Toyota steigt aus der Formel 1 aus

Ich schaue die Formel L(angeweile) schon lange nicht mehr an. Seitdem die Autos auf der Strecke offenbar Überholverbot haben und Spannung generell verboten zu sein scheint, blieb mir diesbezüglich eigentlich keine andere Wahl. Ich kann mir einfach keinen ausgiebigen Nachmittagsschlaf am Sonntag gönnen und was anderes bleibt mir nicht übrig als einzuschlafen.

Auf diesem Wege bleiben mir auch die angeblichen “Höhepunkte” vor, nach und ich glaube sogar während des Rennens erspart. Außerdem setzt dieses Fremdschämen nicht mehr ein, wenn ich Kommentatoren lauschen muss, die verzweifelt versuchen das Einschlafprogramm als spannendes Sports-Entertainment zu verkaufen.

Nun habe ich heute gelesen, dass Toyota aus der Formel 1 aussteigt. BMW und Honda sind in der Vergangenheit ausgestiegen, bzw. haben es bereits bekannt gegeben.
Was bleibt eigentlich noch der schillernden Formel 1? Wenn es so weitergeht, dann werden wir häufiger solche Rennen sehen, wie damals in Indianapolis, wo der F1-Dino “Ferrari” gegen 4 chancenlose Autos seine Runden zog und ansonsten eher gähnende Leere auf der Rennstrecke herrschte.
Ob Ferrari bald 10 weitere Autos baut und die Weltmeisterschaft alleine ausfährt? Und was wird dann mit den Konstrukteurs-Titel? Fragen über Fragen…

Bleibt die Hoffnung, dass RTL auch die letzte Kurve bekommt und stattdessen das Geld lieber in Sachen Fussball investiert. Vielleicht gibt es ja die Möglichkeit, dass wir noch das ein oder andere Spiel live im Free-TV zu sehen bekommen.

Deutschland: BMW hebt Kurzarbeit auf...

Mal was Positives zwischendruch…

Gefunden bei fr-online.de:

BMW

Das Ende der Kurzarbeit

München. Der Autobauer BMW wird in den kommenden Wochen die Kurzarbeit an allen deutschen Standorten beenden.

Im Berliner Motorrad-Werk und in der Komponenten-Fabrik Landshut gilt derzeit noch für einige hundert Beschäftigte Kurzarbeit, sie würden bis Jahresende wieder vollbeschäftigt, sagte Produktionsvorstand Frank-Peter Arndt der Branchen- und Wirtschaftszeitung “Automobilwoche”.

Zugleich seien an zwei Standorten des Unternehmens bereits wieder Zeitarbeiter eingestellt worden: In Leipzig beschäftige BMW rund 300 Leiharbeiter, in Regensburg etwa 50.

Das Unternehmen hatte wegen der Absatzflaute im ersten Halbjahr insgesamt bis zu 25 000 Mitarbeiter in Kurzarbeit geschickt, im Juli war diese Zahl zunächst auf 12 200 Beschäftigte reduziert worden. Im September war die Kurzarbeit dann in den Auto-Werken beendet worden. BMW will an diesem Dienstag die Zahlen für das dritte Quartal vorlegen.

Arbeitgeber wollen Verlängerung der Kurzarbeit

Wegen der anhaltenden Wirtschaftskrise fordern Arbeitgeber und Gewerkschaften eine Verlängerung der Kurzarbeit-Sonderregelung über das Jahresende hinaus.

IG-Metall-Chef Berthold Huber sagte dem “Tagesspiegel” (Montag), die Regelung solle über 2010 hinaus gelten, weil in Branchen wie dem Maschinenbau und der Automobilindustrie “frühestens 2011, wahrscheinlich erst 2012″ das Produktionsniveau von 2007 wieder erreicht werde.

Auch die Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) setzte sich dafür ein, das erfolgreiche Instrument im nächsten Jahr weiter anwenden zu können. “Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass dies im Konsens zwischen allen Beteiligten möglich sein wird”, sagte BDA- Hauptgeschäftsführer Reinhard Göhner der Zeitung “Die Welt” (Samstag).

Ein Sprecher des Bundesarbeitsministeriums sagte der dpa am Samstag, es sei noch keine Entscheidung über eine Verlängerung der Regelung gefallen. Die Rechtsverordnung könne sehr kurzfristig für einen beliebigen Zeitraum ausgedehnt werden, da dafür kein langwieriges Gesetzgebungsverfahren notwendig sei. Nach jüngsten Zahlen der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA) haben im August und September rund 1,1 Millionen Beschäftigte Kurzarbeitergeld bezogen.

Die Kurzarbeit war nach dem Ausbruch der Wirtschaftskrise im Herbst 2008 in mehreren Schritten verlängert und attraktiver gemacht worden. Die BA zahlt den Kurzarbeitern bis zu 67 Prozent des Lohnes, der wegen der Arbeitszeitverkürzung wegfällt. Unternehmen bekommen in den ersten sechs Monaten die Hälfte der für sie fälligen Sozialversicherungsbeiträge von der BA erstattet, danach sogar ganz. Bis zum 31. Dezember kann die Kurzarbeit noch für 24 Monate zu den günstigeren Bedingungen genehmigt werden.

Der Präsident des Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammertages (DIHK), Hans Heinrich Driftmann, sagte im Deutschlandradio Kultur, die Unternehmen gingen “bis an die Grenze des Möglichen”, um ihre Mitarbeiter zu halten. Die Wirtschaft komme aber nur aus der Krise heraus, wenn es gelinge, mehr Menschen “in Lohn und Brot zu bringen, um die Sozialsysteme nicht unnötig zu strapazieren”.

Linken-Fraktionsvize Klaus Ernst forderte “ein großes Rettungspaket für die Krisen-Arbeitslosen”. Dazu gehörten eine befristete Verlängerung des Arbeitslosengelds I auf einheitlich 24 Monate und ein besserer Kündigungsschutz, der Massenentlassungen in profitablen Unternehmen verhindere. “Außerdem müssen Kurzarbeiter, die mit ihren Familien in Hartz IV fallen, besser behandelt werden.”

(dpa)