Rolling Cheese, Ageism, Safety First and Celebrations

It's a pity to start by mentioning the weather, but this madness is unbelievable. Throughout the week we've had temperatures ranging from 17 degrees at night to 34 during the day (yes, we're still in may...) and now we've got thunderstorms, hail, and pouring rain.
Someone's clock is really messed up...

So, onto the news. Everyone knows how the aussies like their beer. Well it will be no surprise then that a guy was caught with his beer strapped in the back seat of the car, and his child sitting on the floor. Beggars belief!

Anyone who has tried it, will admit that English cheese is delicious (Mature cheddar, red leicester, stilton etc). Well, something you may not know is that there is a celebration of the cheese whereby a big piece is rolled down a hill and people roll themselves after it. The slope was sometimes 1:1, and 200m in length and the cheese they were chasing was a double gloucester. Take a look at the video!

Now most of the younger generation have used social networking sites (you know, the ones that send you reminders to sign up as someone has listed you as a 'friend'). It has also expanded to some older people as well, some tailored for them, others just out of interest what all the fuss is about. One of these sites has now deleted all it's users accounts if their age is over 36. The reason behind this is that they could be sex-offenders. Following that logic I would ban all men from it too, as they are most likely to commit those type of crimes. Ah, and now that one has to treat women the same as men, well why not ban all females too...

Just coming back from your holiday, and whilst unpacking your luggage you find a tin containing drugs. What would you do? How about you just arrived in a country where carrying drugs could result being executed? Well, a Japanese man ran into this problem when a drug-sniffing dog at the airport failed to find the hidden merchandise whilst on a training exercise. Makes you feel secure when you're traveling, doesn't it?

Russian crackers managed to cause panic when they spread rumours about a local nuclear facility accident. They then proceeded to take down the news sites so that only the false information was available. Whoever said that the internet isn't a valid form of attack.

Here;s something you don't see every day. A brazilian aircraft has managed to not only take pictures of where an as-yet-not-identified tribe lives, but also caught some inhabitants in the picture. At first glance it looks like a scene from planet of the apes, and makes you think about how the 'uncivilized' people of the world still live. Very unusual sight!

Democracy, a very subjective word. In Switzerland the people will vote tomorrow on whether inhabitants wanting to become swiss can do so without an anonymous vote of the local inhabitants. They already require you to have lived there 12 years, speak the language, know it's laws and cultures, but that isn't enough say some. They want the people to decide (anonymously) whether they like the look of the wannabe-swiss from a photo and a short summary of where they come from etc. Opponents are calling it discrimination, but as the ruling party is trying to overturn the supreme court';s ruling from 5 years ago, it is now going to a referendum of the people.

And for those of you able to make it, there was a great celebration in the tiny village of Penn on the 17th. Yes, the post-wedding party took place with people coming from spain, germany as well as the UK to eat, drink and be merry. Everyone ended up rolling back to their beds after such a big feast. Well done to all the organisers !!

Keep counting those calories...

Non-Stop Hiccups, Theatrical Stripper and Online Latin

Everyone hears the stories of somebody that couldn't stop hiccupping, whilst being told to eat more slowly and not rush your drink. Well now there is actually someone who's got this problem. He's been hiccupping for the last 13 months. This might be considered an annoying but slight inconvenience, except that this guy is a musician. Yep, and he doesn't work for those natural body musicians...

Out of work, female and living near Norfolk? Then this may be a job for you. A local theatrical group are looking for a lady to strip off in their latest play. Apparently they haven't had enough offers yet. Will we get to see hopefuls performing on TV in the future a la Apprentice? Hold on, that's what Big Brother is for...

Got a Wii? Ever wanted to know how you could get your wife/girlfriend/neighbour to play with it too? Don't despair, the latest game is one of skill, balance, and body control. Yes, it's Wii Pole Dancing (pole included). Get your pre-orders in quick...

So you thought Latin was only used by clergymen, botanists, and medics? Now add internet surfers to your list, as the Vatican has gone online, creating a web-presence in Latin to help all of you budding latinists. Can't wait to see the incorporated chat...

Now for those of you who ever wondered what ever happened to those public information films you remember seeing as a kid, I've got the answer. This site has them archived in all their glory, so that you can peruse them and learn from them at your pleasure. Now remember kids, look both ways before crossing the internet superhighway...

So put on your sandals, bring your book, and get down to the river...

Smelly Art, Protected Sausage and Italian Salaries

What with the weather picking up now, it's that time of the year when the Mainz marathon takes place. This is similar to the carnival, in that all useful roads between where I live and where I work are blocked off for the most part of the day. This is not very conducive to getting work done...

In Sunderland, an art gallery has put on an unusual exhibition. It's all about smells. Examples include the Hiroshima bomb, the plague, and Cleopatra's hair. It hasn't been mentioned whether they make the smell of a good old fry-up next to the museum canteen...

After the Pork Pie's recent protected status, the cumberland sausage is at it too. Yes, this long curled up piece of meat is fighting for protection from those foreign imposters...

Just before the current italian government goes out of office, it made sure it would be remembered - by posting the salary details and registered taxes of all it's citizens on a webpage. Nice to know that privacy and identity fraud are top of the politician's lists...

Inhabitants of the Greek Island of Lesbos have decided they will take the jokes no more, and are taking the greek societies to court of their use of the name lesbian. Yes, they are fighting for their right (and nobody else's) to call themselves this name. Interesting to see what happens with this, and if the world over people will have to call themselves something else instead. Possible new names on a postcard please...

Well, last night saw the final birthday celebration of Olga, seeing as monday isn't an easy day for most people to celebrate. Visitors to our humble abode included Aline and family, Friedi and Marc, Salvo, the chichinos, Jackeline (Peru), Dani, Beatriz, Carlitos amongst others. It seems that the cheese platters went down well, as none was left over at the end. The salads and meatballs were also enjoyed, but the most successful item had to be Salvo's Guinness cake. Very nice...

So, get your running shoes on and try to get down to the river before the tired marathon runners come back...

St George, Bed Degrees, Hedgehog Star and Euro-Whiff

So the weather has been picking up, we actually had sun today! Unfortunately it was raining yesterday for Olga's birthday. Never mind, we still had great food (pity about the service though).

At school I always remember our football games got interrupted when a hedgehog decided to make it's way from the nearby bushes across out field. We always left it o do it's thing, as it was often said they were dangerous. I now realise just how dangerous they can be, as a Man in New Zealand was assaulted by one!!

Most people would love the chance to fly in one of the new A380 Airbus planes. However, I have my reservations, confirmed by finding out that they plan to cut corners on the bathrooms and fit in military style urinals. I can just imagine the plane tilting to the left, and the wall getting soaked...very nice for the next person...

The Independent gave out a new university guide last week, bringing in factors like student satisfaction. This sounds like a great way of finding out which universities swot up for their 'exams' but don't actually know how best to teach their students. But every silver lining has a cloud (or was that the other way round?), as they are now offering diplomas in selling beds!!! Oh standards...

It was always suspected, but know the Met Office was able to confirm. A foul smell that was filling up the air in the south of the country has now been traced as coming across the channel, from the Netherlands or Germany. This has earnt it the nickname of the Euro-Whiff. Insert witty anti-euro slogan here :)

Walking along the roads in London I was pleasantly surprised to not find any animal mess on the pavement (as opposed to Mainz, where you have to check every step you take). I think I now know why this is. They are scooping it all up and selling it as expensive coffee. I think I'll have mine without milk please...

April 9th is a special date in Colombia. In 1948 the future president was shot dead. Various events happened directly afterwards, but of course the most known is the start of the war with the Farc guerrillas. The BBC has an interesting article about this event that so changed a country. This is another occasion when a 'what if' question pops up.

Whilst over in the UK last week I managed to meet up with Nick one evening. He was awaiting his wife Victoria who was arriving back from the US early in the morning, so no drinking to report on. Due to fatigue, Saint George's Day went uncelebrated, maybe next year...

So, getting the grill all cleaned up, next weekend it's Barbie time !!

The end of the world, Congested receipts, Team for sale, Mozzarella woes

So, CERN is about to put it's finally finished Large Hadron Collider into use, and along comes a botanist from Hawaii and starts suing them for endangering the universe. I bet they weren't expecting that one. I hope they don't have to prove it in court...

The London congestion charge is a good step in the right direction of making the city a bit greener (or at least giving it more money to tackle the problem itself). And the possibility of paying online is another good step, cutting down on the paper that needs to be produced when doing it the manual way. However, a man from Kent was a bit shocked when, after filling out the form online, he received a truckload of paper receipts at his door. There were over 3000 of them! Just count those trees...

After having to dismiss the three members of his development team due to financial reasons, the ex-boss then announced their sale on craigslist. Yes, he said they were so good, and he was reluctant to let them go, but hopefully some other company will get to appreciate their value. Next up, s development team puts their boss up for sale...

Finally the open-skies agreement is coming into effect. This means air carriers no longer have to leave from their home country when flying to the US. So hopefully, that'll mean less stopovers, and cheaper prices. Well one can only hope...

Italy's mozzarella is now having trouble due to the fact that high levels of toxic chemicals were found in samples. Apparently the land where the buffalo graze was being used as an illegal dumping ground by the local waste disposal firm, that apparently is linked to the mafia there. So, I'll have the non-cheesy pizza then...

Scientists have now come up with evidence suggesting that cocaine use is not only bad for the person taking it, but also bad for the environment due to its effects on the biodiversity in the regions where it is produced. So, people caught snorting in future will be charged with environmental contamination as well?...

Bats are celebrating, now that a local council has introduced bat bridges to help them cross a busy road. Apparently they were constructed to replace the hedges that were taken away. They're still not green though...

Pork Pies are set to get a protected geographical status, as the European directive is currently going through. This will mean you will know if your pork pie a true Melton Mowbray or not.

After all the celebrations of the opening of terminal 5 on time and within budget, you have probably not failed to notice that there was a minor problem. Yes, the baggage controlling system wasn't tested fully, and meant up to 28 thousand pieces of luggage were not sent with their owners. This has led to hundreds of cancellations, and just as they thought they were recovering, along comes a snowfall and more flights had to be cancelled. Can't any projects go right???

So, make sure you label your luggage correctly, or just take hand luggage. I'm sure all your skiwear will fit in it...

Bear behind bars, real english, social networking problem, and sketching faces

A bear in Macedonia has been convicted by court of repeatedly stealing honey from a beehive. Apparently his defense was that he needed honey after somebody ate all his porridge. Whether or not he will have to do community service or get an ASBO prohibiting him from going within 100 yards of any beehive, remains to be seen.

Want to know the origins of the English language? Then don't take anything you find at this site seriously. However it is funny.

So what can go wrong if you only put in some information about yourself on one of the social networking sites? Well, in case you haven't read the news, read this article explaining how the info about the musical prostitute and the NY governor changed their lives and how it was found out. Now think again before you submit any more of your details...

Ever wanted to do your own mug shots, but couldn't quite get the hang of your etch-a-sketch? Ever wondered how they do it so well on CSI:Miami? Well, take a look at this site and you can have a dabble at doing it yourself. Scary...

Searching for net for all those interesting sites you don't want to I came across the following. FoodTube.net. People add videos of them making their favourite dishes. Great, I thought. I can let you all see how to make my speciality: Beans on Toast. No sooner had I got the result than I was forced to turn away. What's the point of having a perfect recipe and then adding a vegan sausage to it??? Needless to say, I will not be using this site again until it can show me how to make bubble and squeak properly.

In order to calm down the situation between Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, various local and international musicians got together and performed a concert for peace on the Colombian-Venezuelan border. Juanes, Carlos Vives, Alejandro Sanz and Miguel Bose were some of the star lineup which hopefully helped to calm down the tensions.

So now the easter bunny has come and gone, and everybody is feeling fat from eating all that chocolate. What better way of burning it off than for going for a jog or cycle ride. Hold on, it's freezing cold outside, and snowing. Never mind, some other day...

Stuck Toilets, Stolen G-Strings, Darmstadt Birthdays

So the weather has started to pick up. Despite having gale force winds the other week, a bit of warmth has come by, and one no longer needs to wear a scarf. Does that mean that summer's on it's way? Maybe...

In the US, a Kansas woman was found stuck to her boyfriend's toilet for over two years. Apparently she just didn't want to move from there. As her skin got used to the seat it actually grew around it, and so when she was taken to the hospital they had to surgically remove it from her. Sounds painful...

Finally heathrow airport has opened it's fifth terminal. And not only is it on time, but also within budget! It must be the envy of all government projects...

A postal worker in the UK was found to be opening parcels and stealing their contents. He was caught by a sting operation, where a bra and g-string were posted to a wrong address. After catching him opening the package on camera, the authorities questioned him and searched him for said items. Not finding them, he was asked to strip, whereby they found him wearing the g-string. The bra has still not been found...

Finally, our guy from Duesseldorf, sorry, Bonn - Johannes, had his birthday. Yes, he celebrated another decade in his current abode in Darmstadt. The fridge was duly filled with beer, the coffee beans started being ground, and the hamster was woken up. Yes, fun was had by all.

And remember not to sleep in the bathroom...

Snow, Lies, and Strikes

So no sooner than I say that we haven't had snow for ages and what happens? The sky clouds over and it begins to snow! Yes, we had about 30 mins of snow (which of course melted straight away) earlier in the week.

Ever thought that you understand the legal system? Okay, even a little bit? Well you'll have to rethink it again since in Italy the highest appeals court has just ruled that married italian women who are unfaithful are allowed to lie under oath to protect their honour. I wonder what the pope thinks about that...

On a rare occasion news about the strikes in Germany actually reach the international press. Normally you find full page spreads of how in France it's caused a tailback of hundreds of miles, but from Germany you only hear about a union strike affecting some transport. Well, finally the BBC has an article about the latest union strikes here. This hsa been happening every other week here since mid-2007, and is felt here as the trains are all delayed or cancelled, the buses and trams don't run, the kindergarten are closed, and the airport luggage handlers strike causing no hold luggage to be allowed on flights from German airports...it's weird that this doesn't make headlines outside of this country more often (maybe that's their way of making sure tourism isn't affected - don't let the news out of the country).

If you've ever been crossing a field and seen all the cow-pats along the route you've taken, I bet the only thing that crossed your mind was what a smell they cause. Well, a US dairyman took this thought further and created a bovine biogas plant from what comes out of the other end of his cows. It apparently can keep up with other power stations and provide enough gas for 1200 homes a day. Maybe there should be a government recycling initiative for manure collection...

Keep it green...

Anglo Earthquakes, Soft Police Dogs, Top TV Put-Downs and Birthdays

I remember winter when it snowed. And I mean at least 2 foot thick snow, where you could go sledging on your tea-tray down the slopes, build snowmen the size of a car, and when the milk arrived with it's frozen hat on top of the bottle (if the birds hadn't already eaten it away). But that's all gone. Warm winters, mild summers, the seasons are all messed up. This would also explain why we now get earthquakes in the UK!

The latest canine fashion has come. Yes, police dogs in Duesseldorf are getting their own shoes. Not as part of the latest fad of turning the green forrester-coloured policemen into more-internationally-recognised blue, but rather to protect their feet from broken glass. Anyone who has lived in a German city will recognise this as a local custom, smashing up any alcohol bottles in the street, especially if there is some sort of gathering in the city that day. You can't imagine what Mainz is like during and after the carnival...

Ever wanted to know how to put someone else down in a witty way? Ok, ever wanted to be able to reply to a put-down yourself? Well, you could do worse than using one of the TVs most popular ones, courtesy of the BBC.

Now for those that know him, Huese has undergone a change recently. Don't worry, he has not become a woman, he's actually become a German (that's meant to be a relief?). So next time you see him, remember to offer him a beer, split the bill for it with him, and throw the bottle on the floor afterwards...

A certain person who refused to come back to Mainz, and then did, and then refused to return to Germany, has now also done so. You will be able to find Jordi in Munich (when not travelling around Europe for his work). So if you're nearby, don't forget to honk your horn and maybe you'll get a tour of the dodgy side of this city (ok, not that dodgy, for that one would require Lobelto).

And finally, our beloved Lourdes celebrated her birthday on the 28th Feb, I'm not going to say how many years it was though :) And on Sunday our italian in Valencia (Luca) will be celebrating his as well. Happy birthday to you both !

Get into your hurricane shelters - the storm is on it's way...

Begging Geckos, Cheaper Tax Returns, and lots of Food

One sees them in the streets of most cities and towns, beggars are unfortunately a common occurrence in the modern day world. But who would have thought that other animals also behave like this? In Madagascar a gecko was caught on camera begging an insect for its honeydew. How sweet...

For those of you needing to do their tax returns for 2007 in Germany, then currently Amazon is offering the software "WISO Sparbuch 2008" at a good price. And if you put in this voucher code when ordering (WISOEUR5), you get another 5 Euros off (making it currently 23 Euros in total). Just use this link to buy it now

Now onto one of my favourite topics: Food. On Friday we went out to one of the best restaurants in Mainz, Ban Thai. After a couple of cocktails and a large amount of food, Ali, Luigi, Olgui and myself were able to roll back home. As if that wasn't enough, yesterday we had Friedi, Mark, Christiane and Indy over for one of Olgui's special colombian meals. A kilo of rice, another kilo of mince, and many other ingredients meant we ewre also in a very full state at the end of it. However, the wine helped it all settle down, and before we got to the Obleas and Bocadillos for dessert, a couple of shots of Aguadiente did the trick. All in all a very satisfying evening.

According to the radio, the temperature is meant to go up to 17 degrees celcius today. It is currently about 8, but one has to look at it optimistically, so better get ready for wander around as soon as the thermometer goes above the 10 degrees mark...

Eat well, and don't mention diets...

UK Borders, Blue Smarties and Space-born Fish

As governments tighten up border security, and your personal information gets shared amongst many more organisations (to make you safer, obviously) you will be glad to hear how effective your hard-earned and paid tax hsa been. A brazilian woman got to heathrow airport and before she could be denied entry she ran away from the immigration officials and escaped into london. It didn't stop there. Not only did she manage to get into the country illegally but she also ended up working as a cleaner in the house of commons. Yes, here you would assume security would also be quite high...

Forget studying computer science to try and get a green card into the UK. No, that trick doesn't work any more, there are enough computer scientists now. What you really need to do to be able to come easily to the UK is to cook curries. Yes, migrant workers from Bangladesh are being sort in order to help the declining curry industry (I don't know here the statistics are to prove this, as if you go down selly oak you will see the curry house industry thriving...).

Smarties lovers out there can go out and celebrate. The colour blue is coming back in packs near you. Apparently up until now they couldn't find another natural ingredient that gave this colour, but now thanks to a special seaweed sort, they have. Makes me sleep easier at night now, that does.

The ever-adventurous germans are doing things you never thought possible. I bet you never thought you would see the day when some fish are sent out into space to experience 6 minutes of weightlessness...

Ever thought why if you can give old clothes to charity shops, your underwear you had to throw away? Well, maybe you don't after all. Shakira has proven to the world that even old bras can fetch a lot of money from the right person. But before you start collecting all your old undies, I think being famous had something to do with it...

Wondering what to give up for lent? Well, take a leaf out of citizens of Venice's book and give up bottled water. Seems like a worthwhile act, except I can't figure out why they would do it in Venice of all places. The water there is so polluted that you can no longer go there in the summer without feeling ill.

Better get back to the 0 degrees celsius warmth...and that's inside !!!

Diploma with fries, nudist flights, and a new vending machine

Now everyone knows that kids today have more exams to go through than any generation before them. However there is always a lot of controversy about how easy the exams are getting compared to when we did them. A great example of this is that now one can get a diploma in a certain fast-food burger chain and it counts towards the exams for 18 year-olds.

And as any good englishman will tell you. Kylie Minogue has the most perfect legs (among other assets). This is now confirmed by polish scientists, that women with 5% longer legs than the average are found to be more attractive.

You know how it is. Going on holiday tomorrow and you don't know what to pack. Well, no need to stress any more. A German airline has decided to offer flights where you have to take off your clothing on board. Yes, nudist flights mean you no longer have to pack any clothes for your naturist holiday. Whether donuts will be served on the flight has yet to be confirmed.

In California vending machines will now be allowed to give out Marijuana. Yes, whilst waiting at the station one can get their can of drink, chocolate bar and a joint at the same time...

And finally, in Finland if you need to stop on the motorway to go to the loo, make sure you have enough money on your mobile phone. If not you might find that the toilet will not work, as you will now have to pay for a pee with an SMS (or MMS?). One has to ask what happens if the signal in that area goes down whilst one is inside. Can you not escape until the signal is back up again?

So the after rounding up the latest and greatest news events, I will leave you to put on your cup of tea and settle down with a good book.

Snuggle up well...

How to miss a carnival

So, having recently come back from the lovely city of Barranquilla just before the carnival fever really gets started, there was an important decision to make. Stay in Mainz during their carnival, or get out of the city (and preferably the country).

In the end we were stuck here barricading ourselves in the house so as to prevent the drunken mob doing there business against our front door, with all windows shut to try to prevent the sound of the shouting stop us from going to sleep.

There is one way to let the Mainz carnival pass by without affecting you much. Rent 5 DVDs, make sure you've stocked up on all major foodstuffs and don't leave the house from the Saturday until Tuesday. The films that we watched were The Perfect Crime, Next, Zodiac, Freedom Writers, The Oh! in Ohio.
Whilst not watching films, we kept up to date on the status of the Barranquilla carnival (the marvels of the internet) and eating through the food we had piled into the fridge.

So, now a bit of a novelty, here's a few of the photos taken on my trip to Colombia going via New York (where I met up with Eva). Hope you like them.

Christmas Markets, Bug Invasions and Roast Camel

Don't worry, I didn't get frozen (despite the weather getting down to -3 degrees) and so I'm back to keep you updated on everything that's going on here. Well, everywhere actually. But not everything.

Anyway, as December has now started all the cities, towns, villages and hamlets have opened up their Christmas markets. And yes, they are exactly the same as last year, and the year before that. Even the stands selling the same things are in exactly the same location within the market as last time. Don't they ever get bored? Maybe there's a law saying which stand is allowed to go where. There is one thing that is new though. They now have a sign showing a map of the market, and where the food and drink etc can be found. It might have been better putting up the emergency exits, as once within the crowd you can't get to where you were planning to get to, rather you get taken to where the masses are going (which is usually the Glühwein stalls anyway).

Staying in Germany for the moment, a bavarian village has decided to erect a wall to protect from attack. Not from locals from other villages, nor from the people of foreign countries. No, here they need the walls to protect them from being attacked by millipedes.

Are you up to date with the online world? You can now build a virtual house, have virtual adverts, fight in virtual wars, play in virtual casinos, make virtual love. Well now you can also be arrested for virtual burglary, as a Dutch teenager found out when he stole some virtual furniture from a virtual hotel.

You here about animal species dying out every day, but had you ever heard of languages dying out? Well that's what looks like is going to happen in southern Mexico where the last two native speakers of an indigenous language have stopped talking to each other. Maybe one of them had been caught going to a virtual supermarket...

There are many moments when people are predicting the end of the world as we know it, so it was refreshing to see that the possible solution to this doomsday scenario has been started. The ark (okay, cave) will hold many species of important crops at a low temperature to preserve them for the possibility of having to start the world anew after a nuclear war, asteroid impact, climate change etc. Let's just hope that we resist putting the genetically modified variety in there...

So you think your barbecue this summer was big? Well think again. A Frenchman has managed to spit-roast a whole 550 kilo camel. I suppose when they were serving it, the eaters were asked if they would like one lump or two. Sorry, I'll get my coat...

Just when you thought that it would be great to eat that camel, maybe you should take note, that people are being turned away from New Zealand for being too fat. Yep, time to go on that diet again...

It is often considered very thoughtful when people offer to donate money to help the less able (whether financially, physically, or mentally). Some people might however have reservations about what a woman in Chile is doing in order to raise money for disabled children. She works as a lady of the night (alright, prostitute) and has promised to donate her earnings from 27 hours to the charity.

So, time to put the wood on the fire (or turn up the radiators) and snuggle up to a good film. In fact that's what I did the other day (just the film part). "Maria, full of grace" it was called, and despite it's hard subject matter (drug smuggling), was a well filmed moving story.

Talking about Colombia, here's an interesting story from the BBC about Garcia Marquez country.

Enjoy...

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

Whilst Halloween is being prepared for, and maybe Guy Fawkes Night too, what better way to get used to the clock-rollback time than to sit back with a nice hot cup of tea and read the news. Well, that's what I'd be doing if I wasn't writing this right now.

So, on with the headlines.

Do you remember collecting those football/animal stickers as a kid and filling up your albums with them? Well times have changed. Now you get to collect pictures of your local bobbies. Just ask a passing policeman for his card and stick it in the book. One downside I see with this. Children are most likely to get loads of stickers for little time outlay if they go direct to accidents/burglary locations and ask the 20 policeman there...

For those of you who didn't read one of my previous posts about chinese censorship, then maybe this will be of interest. In preperation for the Olympics there the big bad censorship machine has rolled out it's newest weapon, namely the full net censorship clampdown. One wonders if that means that during the games only chinese winners will be named to the outside world...

When one thinks of what is necessary to show the public in order to become a politician I'm sure one of the first things on thew list will be honesty (whether or not they actually show this attribute after being voted is another matter). Well, in Mexico they must think things differently, as one politician even cheated at a running race in Berlin...

Want a new pet? Not just for Christmas? How about a pig? Too big you say? Not these ones. Yep, get your domestic pig in pint size now...

Everyone knows that census is an important thing. Filling in the forms help to let everyone know about the population of a country, so most people wouldn't bat an eyelid before filling in the form. But how would they feel, if they were forced to stay at home this day and await government representatives? Well, that's what the population of Peru ere forced to do. Maybe they will be forced to stay at home on election days, football wins, etc...

And finally the best way to stop speeding on the roads. Cameras? Police presence? Speed Bumps? How about an advert showing that speeding isn't big (in every sense of the word). Yes, in Australia this advert has been shown and apparently has had a very good response. Go on, have a look.

So another roundup done, getting the pumpkin ready for tomorrow and wrapping up warm round the fire (or is that TV nowadays?).

Spook you soon...

Chillies, Imperial Clocks and Hoovers

So, after visiting the Great British Cheese Festival (missed the beer one this year) and waddling out of there a good couple of pounds heavier, what better way to let everything settle down than with some good hot chillies.

Except of course if you happen to be a chef in Soho who's premises have just been surrounded by police in chemical warfare suits after a cloud of smoke was seen escaping from his building. Now there's something that'll tingle your taste buds...

And before you say, well that just proves that chillies are no good, scientists have managed to make an anaesthetic out of them too.

Now down to Australia. A visitor to a courtroom had a rather embarrassing time recently. His phone went off, and before he had managed to switch it off (after over 20 seconds) everyone had heard that he didn't use a normal ringtone, instead he had the sound of a woman moaning in satisfaction. Maybe that was after using her new mp3 player from my last entry...

And staying in the land down under, a burglar was apparently incriminated after leaving DNA on some rubber gloves he had used at the scene. What was worse for him was that this was no ordinary burglary, rather one involving a hoover as a pleasure aid. I don't think I'll go into more detail there (read the link if you want all the info).

Moving further north we come to China. Here officials have apparently admitted that the Three-Gorges-Dam project has been an environmental catastrophe, and will be worse still if something isn't done to help it right away. Nice to know governments can play around with their parts of the world without thinking about the future of the rest of us...

Now onto the United States. Yes, only here do politicians manage to take God to court. This case is actually to show how ridiculous some recent cases have been, but the fact that it He can be sued through the courts has to show something about the system that they use.

Down south one comes to Venezuela. Here president Chavez decided to put their clocks back 30 mins in order to show that the country is not dependent on the imperial country of the US. However, slight hickup. He actually got mixed up when giving the population the 5 days of warning, and told them to put the clocks forward by mistake. The adjustment has now been postponed til the end of the year, to allow everyone to make their arrangements.

Conspiracy theorists get out your tin hats. Turkey is to be thrown out of the EU? Not quite the news that everyone was expecting, but if you see the new face of the 2 Euro coin, maybe you'll also start believing.

And finally, ever wanted to know why men need to shave? Or why they really don't want to be left alone with the baby? Check this page out for the whole story.

So, back to the grinder, or rather, the kitchen. Guests again, so got to prepare all that cheese (gromit).

Eat up...

Survival, the Pint, and Weight Loss

Last week was a dangerous week. Not only did a woman in Hong Kong fight with a python to rescue her dog, but a hedgehog managed to survive the spin cycle at 40 degrees in a washing machine. A blind man defended himself from a mugger (ok, he might have been blind, but he was also a Judo champion), and an armed robber needed to be dealt with in hospital after he ill-advisedly tried to hold up a karate school.

As for the pint, this has been saved from the European metric monster at last. We can finally relax down the pub, calm in the knowledge that nobody's going to short-change us. Drink Britannia!

Now many people try it but don't succeed. Others achieve it but don't enjoy it. Yes, the losing of weight is a persistent problem in today's world. So what better news than without even trying weight loss can happen. Unfortunately not the type that you were thinking. The reference kilo weight has apparently loss some weight. They can't explain how it occurred. More importantly though, how did they know, if the standard itself decreases? Maybe they used our good old pint, that's not going to be changed for anyone :)

Eying those chillies for supper, but don't want any stomach problems afterwards? No need to worry. According to latest research, these hot beasts actually are good for you. Another great reason to celebrate with a pint (getting the theme yet?).

This will shock you to the toes. Prepare yourselves. Commercialism really has gone too far this time. Paddington Bear will apparently be seen to chuck away his marmalade for Marmite. It's time now to stand up for our childhood, and protect it from these money-wielding story-ruining city boys...

Didn't know what to have to eat the other day? Run out of meat? Don't worry, in Venezuela they managed to cook up a sancocho for 70.000 people. Now you know where all the supermarket meat went...

In order to have as many new babies born on the national day, a russian district has announced a regional holiday exactly nine months before, to allow couples to, well, get together. Prizes are offered, and with birth rates increasing year on year, it seems like the message is getting across.

Now for that surreal part of the day. Those people who ever wanted to combine various household devices will be thrilled (literally), after the announcement of the MP3 pleasure toy (and there was I thinking that was why mobiles have the vibrate function...).

Stay tuned...

Campaigns, Flying Lasers, Hidden Countries and Light Relief

It's not normal that I start off with such a long heading, but seeing as I haven't put pen to paper (or rather, finger to keyboard) for a while I thought it best to catch up.

Before I get on though, in case you hadn't already heard, on the 14th August I became an uncle. Yes, I'm feeling old already. My only consolation is the fact that at least I'm not a grandparent :)

Last night someone else felt older as well. Well, she got older. Whether she felt older or not is another questions. Yes, Jackeline celebrated her birthday by sending us all back into the realms of 50s films (it was a black and white party).

Anyways, back to the other news. For those who have not known what to do with themselves after production of the famous Cadburys Wispa bar ceased in 2003, never fear. The company has given in to a net campaign to bring it back, so go look at the supermarket shelves soon.

So you're off on holiday, packed your bags, checked in, got on the plane, and sat down next to the window. What more could one want. Well how about a laser weapon on board in case a hostile country decides to send off rockets into the sky (er, like guy falkes night, you mean?). Well, don't despair, as this is what is being attached to the latest Boeing 747s. Feel safer now? I didn't think so...

Been to the pyramids? No? Well now you can become your own pharaoh, as they are to start building a 578m high pyramid to entomb the graves or remains of the recently deceased in Germany. One would have thought that mass graves were not a thing to go around advertising in this day and age...

For those of you thinking that as China is to host the next Olympics and all, surely they have opened up their country more to the international journalists, right? Well read this report by a BBC correspondent and then make up your mind.

Ever tried to comprehend the Scots? Didn't succeed? Don't know why? Well try this site, which helps explain the usage, phonetics, etc of both Scotch and Scottish English.

Now just when things looked like they were getting too serious, here comes the entertainment for the day. Ever wondered what happened to pleasure toys that were no longer required? Well this site has a recycling scheme in place...

Well, that's it for now. Get back in front of the TV with a cup of Bovril and watch us get beaten at football once again.

Football's been coming home for ever...

Fun fun fun in the sun sun sun

Well, that's what I'm hoping for anyway come 10 days when I'll be hoping to relax on one of the beaches of Valencia. Yes, the time has come again, I'm off for some sun, sea and sandcastles?

So what's been going on here lately?
Gemma, Victor and Alejandra have been staying with us the past week, but unfortunately didn't get to see any sun until the day before they left.
Carlitos has his cousin over as well, meaning more KUZ late nights...

For those of you safari lovers, there's a film doing the rounds on YouTube of an interesting attack on a buffalo calf from a group of lions, which a crocodile then got involved in and lost, and then the buffalo herd came back in numbers and attacked the lions. For those who have been to a game reserve, this is something you almost definitely didn't see.

Well that's about it for now, back to the grindstone and all that.

Tune in next time where hopefully there'll be a surprise...

Weddings, birthdays, floods and cakes

Water levels in the UK are apparently going down again, but that doesn't mean it's stopped raining. Here in Mainz it also has a regular downpour every day, which just happens to catch you when you're travelling between home and work...

Despite this, on Thursday 26th July the day stayed splendid for the wedding of Vanessa and Ken. The ceremony itself happened in the centre of the city, and so all the noise that accompanies such an occasion drew a lot of attention from the passers-by. All the better, as the Capoeira dancing that took place outside was definitely something worth watching.

Talking about that wedding, I forgot to mention the party that happened later on that evening. Music, food and drink were all of the expected standard, but one thing that was definitely unique (or is that dual-nique) were the cakes that Erica baked for the occasion. They were magnificent, a lot better than any one could order from a cake-shop. That was of course a mistake from her part, as I will now be making regular orders of them from her :)

Many birthdays at this time of the year, no time to write all of the cards though, so here's the general Happy Birthday! wish.

You just have to feel lucky though. This time that you're not living in Barcelona, where there has been a power cut for the last three days...obviously someone was trying out the christmas lights a bit too far in advance...

So make sure you're stocked up with non-perishable goods (lard, baked beans, marmite) as you never know what this weather will bring next...

Summer Sun and More Festivals


Once more we are reminded that summer does not necessarily mean sun. With rainstorms appearing multiple times each day, and the flooding that's already started in Yorkshire in the UK, I tend to revert to my memories of playing in Bushy Park as a kid with not a cloud in the sky. Well, we can forget that ever happening again, I'm already investing in tornado-proof housing...

Who said there's lots of celebrations in Germany? Well, whoever it was was right. This last weekend saw the celebration of the Johannisnacht. Important events include the baptism of printers...need I say more...

Well, despite having managed to escape the bad weather for a short walk along the river to see the artisan stands on sunday, the drissle doesn't look like it will allow anything longer than 30 mins without making you swim the rest of the way. And I thought we were nearly in July...

Stay dry!

Babies, Earthquakes, and EOL

No more waiting on Aline's behalf, she gave birth to Eric on 8th June. So congratulations go out to her.

Ever wanted to know where the last earthquake or tremor happened or how big it was? Now you can with live info from the Seismic Monitor

How many different animal species can you name? Five maybe? 20? 100? Well, the Encyclopaedia of Life (EOL for short) has set out to put all 1.8 million species into one central place on the web. Of course it will take some time, but go check out their site now and bookmark it, it looks set to be a definitive reference guide.

So, that's it for now, the seeds are sown, the earth watered and the sun is strong (36 degrees at 8pm again last week...) so let's see how long til there's food on the plate :)

Mmmm, food...

Changes Afoot


Where did May go you may ask? Well, don't ask me I'm still trying to figure out where March and April went too...

So what's being on then? You might have noticed that there have been a couple of changes on the design of this site. I'm currently in the process of updating the site and so will be making more changes in the near future as well.
The current additions are the google adbanner at the top of this page. Not that I expect loads of people to be clicking on it, but sometimes it does come up with some relevant links relating to the content of this site.
The other change is the link to the lonely planet guide to Colombia. As I've mentioned a few times in previous posts, I find the Lonely Planet guides are most useful and more relevant than the other guides. Anyways, there is currently a link there for you to buy this book (from Amazon UK). If any other versions are required, for instance from another country, then let me know and I'll see what I can do.


So now maybe some news? Well for those of you planning to buy chinese toothpaste in Panama (you know who you are) maybe you should first of all read the ingredients list before you buy (and not use it if the potentially-fatal diethylene glycol is on the list).

Now one for Helen (so listen up). Ever wanted to make sure you hamster doesn't suffer from jetlag? Well, feed him Viagra and he'll be back on that running wheel before you can say "hide him from the children". Of course, if there happens to be a female in the cage as well, the wheel might not end up seeing so much use as expected...

And from Singapore comes the news that they no longer have the problem of finding Nemo. They can locate him every time as they have chipped the fish in their aquarium (not the potato kind, the electronic kind, like used in supermarkets). Of course the link to recipes and best wine to have with the meal will be taken off of the information list before any visitors get any ideas...

So you think you know enough about mythology, the greek and roman gods, even some of those lesser known gods? Well I bet you didn't know about this one. Yes, the husband to the Queen is in fact an island deity. So next time you're travelling to a far off jungle, maybe you should make sure you pack a few royal family pictures as well - you never know, they might save you...

Well, now it's time to get back to organising the place. After the extreme weather changes here it's been hard to know what to wear. But now the temperatures of 36 degrees at 8pm seem to have gone after the huge storm we had yesterday, it's become a lot cooler outside (although I'm still going to be wearing my shorts).

So it just leaves me to wish Javi a great time up in Berlin still, as the photos of my visit will be up here soon :)

Watch this space !

Summer in the City

The last two weeks have seen temperatures soar through the roof here in Mainz. 30 degrees celsius is not normal for april, but is definitely becoming more common. Which of course makes a good excuse for going to the river and having a barbie ! (BBQ, barbecue, nothing to do with the child's toy - so stop sniggering at the back there!).

We welcomed back Miguel from Croatia who came especially to grill with us. Okay, he didn't but as he was just back for a few days, it did make the event feel special.
Talking about feelings, Carlitos was the envy of all once the evening was over and the Biergartens were empty once again. Yes, the grillmaster himself has turned a lovely colour of roasted lobster, as he was standing in one position the whole afternoon looking after the food.

But back to the present as it's actually looking like the weather is sorting itself out now. Talking about presents, that's what Olga's been going through all yesterday and most of today, seeing as it was her birthday yesterday, which was duly celebrated in Sausalitos restaurant/bar here. With 40 people turning up, the climate definately felt like we were in the carribbean as we sweltered in the heat. But all went well, the happy hour was well used by all present, especially with such glorious momentos of each drink being served in the form of flourescent bracelets. These then became more effective later on when we went down to the Biergarten and it was all dark.

Of course Roberto came down from Hamburg for the occasion, which meant that this morning was brunch in Cafe ExtraBlatt time. Changing to the Schillerplatz one however was not a good idea (what do you mean you don't do butter? And what's this half-fat margarine stuff??). We'll be back at the Domplatz one next time...

Well, after having various strange noises from the neighbours again late at night, let's see if some sleep can be had tonight, as not everybody has the day off tomorrow...

Stay cool...

Easter Bunnies

So, Easter is over, egg wrappers are lying all over the floor, and nobody wants to go near the weighing scales. Must be time to read the news...

On the subject of food, scientists have finally managed to answer that long-time question (no, not the meaning of life, the universe and everything) of how to make the perfect bacon buttie (that is bacon sandwich to thos of you already confused).

A Slovenian man who went for a little swim down the Amazon, has finally made it, having swum the whole length (3,272 miles) in 66 days. Of course nobody forgot to tell him that he left his passport back at the beginning...

And for those of you wondering around the little village of Stansted trying to find the airport, British Airways has finally owned up to the fact that their maps have placed the airport in the wrong area. I'm just pleased I wasn't trying to land there in the fog...

So, as the sunny weather outside beckons, you'll have to turn on the radio for the rest of the news.

Start unpacking the sandals...

Time does fly

So, another year has passed, and I don't even know where all those days, hours, minutes have gone. Wherever they went, they did it quietly.

Well I suppose you're wanting to hear what's gone on in the last 12 months. For that I would of course need a very long time to explain, which is why I might just start anew right now and provide any infos that I think could be useful to know.

The only interesting thing that happened today, was that I spoke to Javi again. Sounds like he's having fun in Berlin, although he's still missing his very own sweet capital...
He celebrated his birthday recently (7th) just after Lou celebrated hers.

From my side there's a lot going on, but what's new. I have made my new year's resolution (ok, new blog-year's resolution) that I'll try to write more frequently, so look out for the latest stories, they be coming thick and fast (not like my custard then, that's just thick and lumpy).

Keep your eyes peeled

The Real Germany, Shock Absorbers and Saverio's Birthday

Well, not wanting to be a bit hasty, but last week a certain somebody else from Madrid celebrated another year on this earth (as opposed to the other one?). Yes, Javi became one year older on March 7th (not the 4th, like somebody thought...). So hope he got what he wished for...

Now onto some news. People never seem to believe me when I recount tales of things that happen on a regular basis here in Germany (like trains always being late - well, my ones anyway). So it was good to see another reporter found out for himself exactly what's going on here when he came over to visit Cebit in Hannover. Read his article (here) and then you'll get to know the real facts.

Now for something a bit light-headed (well light, something, anyway). Ever thought of the best way to market a sports bra? No, I didn't think so. Well someone has done it, and to what effect ! Take a look at the "interactive" website here. Amazing ! And who said that marketing types were all boring...

Other things happening around the world at the moment: In Colombia the Congressional Election is under way today, of course not without a huge amount of criticism surrounding the paramilitary involvement (despite offically being disbanded now). The presidential election comes a couple of month's later...

Next up is Castro, who has decided on a bit of luxary for when he flies over to visit Bush, sorry, that'll never happen...but he has just received two new planes from Russia. Take a look inside them here. Good to know the people aren't going hungry...

Apart from that, Valencia is currently being rocked by a set of blasts on a daily basis. But don't worry, it's not a terrorist attack, rather the opening of the Fallas that every day sees the mascleta go off...
For those who can, get over there and party.

So, another week gone by, another reel of news seen and read. Nothing left to say, but see you soon...

Congratulations

As always at this time of the year, there's a birthday in toe. This time it's Lou's. She celebrated her ### (-edited) year yesterday. So happy birthday to you !

Something else spectacular happened yesterday. I was online when I came across someone I hadn't spoken to for a while. He was having a computer problem (why does everyone I know have a computer problem?). Helping him out, he told me that he had just managed to access the results of his spanish diploma (nivel superior). I can't think of another word to describe this, he was ecstatic! He couldn't stop talking (normally a trait associated with me) and was obviously over the moon. Who could it be you may be asking? Well, if it wasn't obvious by now, it was the main man - Luca !! (of course, I'm expecting Laurent to come out of the jungles of Angola with a certificate in portuguese any moment, but this day solely belonged to the italian). So without further ado, well done Luca !!!

And that's about it for the moment, except to state that after certain adventures of 12 hours in Atlanta Airport and a delayed suitcase full of clothes (the one with presents in arrived safely) Olgui is now contemplating how to put up with the speed of life in Colombia, after the hectic that was here in Germany before her Vordiplom exam (which, of course, she passed).

Well, that'll be it for now, except maybe you might want to check out a test site for my new photo albums. Not recommended for non-DSL users (bit bandwidth hungry), but try it out, and tell me what you think (click here).

That'll be it for now then, sleep tight.

Hands On Trips

Unusual title, but you'll soon see the links.

First things first, a big "Happy Birthday" goes out to Jordi today, who has actually decided to celebrate it by buying some new sunglasses. Yes, he's gone off to Italy accompanied by the ever-friendly Albé (saludos a tu padre). Here's hoping he gets to taste some home-made pasta...

Yesterday, it was also the birthday of Gem (brother's fiancée), of course being a lady, I won't even attempt to mention her age :)

Someone else who's gone away is Olga. She's gone back to her homeland Colombia to soak up the sun and forget about the upcoming World Cup here in Germany.

Speaking of Colombia, one has to be careful there nowadays. As a cyclist found out when he groped a woman in the street. He is now spending the next four years in prison for his troubles.

Now, the news you have all been waiting for. There is scientific proof that a having sex increases your lifespan. The bad news - you have to be a zambian mole rat for that to be true.

The US is not well known for it's religious tolerance. However, in a supreme court ruling, a brazilian church that uses hallucinogenic tea in it's rituals has been granted permission to keep on doing so, despite the FBI previously banning it.

Another news story from that local hub of activity - Darmstadt. A local resident complained to police that the drugs he just bought from his dealer were not good quality, and wanted his money back. Of course, police decided to arrest him for possessing the drugs anyway, and even let the dealer go...

Well, for the moment it's all Helau, seeing as we're into the carnival weekend in Mainz. Yes, people dressed up in funny costumes and drunkards all over the place (and I'm not just talking about the student bars).

So wrap up warm and don't let any strangers in...

Perfectly Poured Beer and the Return of Mussolini

Not so far away from here, at the technical uni of Darmstadt (Alarm!), students have just handed in their seminar practical application. And it's interesting ! Yes, no longer do you need to spend hours trying (and failing) to pour your Hefeweizen beer into it's long glass, without creating too much head, or not getting all the yeast out of the bottle. These students have produced a machine that does it for you ! Talking about all this beer makes me thirsty, but still in pain from that wisdom tooth being taken out last monday, there's no way I'm going to be seeing one of those soon. Not like this other guy, who drank everything out of the fridge...

Whilst investigating a bit about the old Hefeweizen, I came across a site that shocked me to the core. No, not someone that doesn't like beer, much worse. Someone has published a recipe for my special beer pancakes, that I was renowned for whilst living in the Wohnheim Hechtsheim !! Now I have to go and prove that I invented them first...

Any of you unlucky in love, and think that a mobile phone ringtone can't change that? (it can, you try playing the Crazy Frog tune on it, and you'll see all the members of the opposite sex clambering to get away from you). Well, a woman has invented Pherotones - tunes that make you attractive to anyone you want. And they're pretty specific ringtones too (check out the variety), for guys and gals, so try them out (and send me the photos if they worked).

The US has decided that it was about time it's troops got to learn how to interact with the Iraqi people whilst they're spending in their country. About time too, you may say, as not all people can speak english (some might argue that most americans can't speak it either, but that's a subject for another time). Anyway, what better method to teach the soldiers than to program them a scenario game, where gestures are used, and explained why they were chosen over other more usual (and western) ones. Great! you might think, but hang on, you don't think they programmed the game from scratch do you? No, of course not, they used the engine from another game. And what game would that be? Why, the well known shoot-em-up Unreal Tournament. Makes me feel all safe inside...

And now on to Italy. Yes the land of cornettos, pizza and pasta. So what's happening there then? Well, as the election campaign gets under way, the current bun, sorry president, has decided to forge links with the Mussolini party and two other neo-fascist parties. Good to know he doesn't try to hide his ideals...
On top of that, the supreme court there has decided that the rape of a young girl (14) was less serious because she was already "sexually active". It just beggers belief.

To end on a good note, I will be offering my services (no, not those sort) of company for the 15th March and 15/16th April in Madrid, where I'll be stopping over from my next holiday to Colombia . So anybody around at that time, get in contact and I'll try to meet up for a quick (or long) beer or two or three. Oh, and the tapas :)

Mmmmm, food...

Sales and Football

No sooner is it reported that Jordi's abode is being extended, then he jumps over board and head off for the lowlands. In so doing ideas start forming in his mind...could it be that he's off to Toulouse...or is it just a diversion whilst he really concentrates his efforts in Brussels...tune in next week to find out more.

For those of you in the centre of the centre (Madrid), you might be interested to know that Air Madrid has offers on at the moment for return fares to Rome, Milan, Paris, London and Frankfurt for 27 Euros (excluding taxes). So get your skates on and go travelling (that means you too, Lou).

A Peruvian football team has been wondering recently, why sales of their shirts have gone through the roof. Could it be the lovely green color? Or their cheap price? Well, actually it's because of the name of the team: Deportiva Wanka. If you're not sure what that means, check out an english slang dictionary.

That's it for now...

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

You all know how the song goes, so join in !
Okay, don't then.

So this week has seen Jordi get busy making cups of tea (well, seeing as it's Spain, probably coffee, or a beer) for the builders who are now taking his house apart. Hopefully he still has a roof to protect him from the...sun (you thought, I was going to say rain, didn't you?).

Paolo has in the meantime gone down to Nuremberg to show off his gaming skills, but like a boomerang he'll be coming back on monday.

Mar is getting impatient and wanting to give birth now (has it got anything to do with the winter sales that are finishing in a few days?).

Now something for those of you looking to sing hallelujas in bed. Just read the article, I'll say no more.

We've all heard of those big american companies letting their list of customer's credit card numbers fall into dubious hands. However, none have been quite as stupid as the case of the Boston Globe (newspaper).
As the papers are delivered in bundles, to stop them getting wet or dirty, they are wrapped in old paper. You wouldn't guess what was printed on the other side of this rough paper, would you?...

And continuing the theme of stupidness, we have the case of a dealer who's home was robbed of a quantity of drugs. He then went and reported it to the police. The robber was arrested, but so was the dealer. Doh !

Some of you might have heard about Google's censoring in China. Did you really understand it though? Try this test, first look up Tiananmen on google.com.
And now try it on Google China. Scary.

Apart from those titbits, nothing else clambours from my mind to be mentioned, so may you have a relaxing weekend.

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

And so we start the 4703rd year of the chinese calendar. Yes, as of today, we are living in the year of the dog (woof!). What else does one do to celebrate the new year? Check out this link.

And to celebrate such occasion, we have accordingly brought in a special pet. "Welcome back to Mainz" goes out to Paolo (el sardo, el cerdo...) !!
He is currently awaiting his bus from Hahn airport, and assuming the bus driver decides to stop there this time (not like my trip last year), he should be arriving here within the next hour.

For those of you still believing that the quality of food here in Germany is still one of the best, have a look at the following site (in german) about all the problems with sale of out-of-date meat, that you probably hadn't even heard about (they do well about keeping all this news with the realms of the national border).

And now for something completely different.
A well known preservative maker carried out their annual survey on the subject of S (make sure the children are outside) E (close the curtains and stop the neighbours peeking in) X (lay down the rug in front of the warm fire). And the 2005 year's results show...
...well you'll just have to check the site out here and find out for yourself :)

And last but not least, if you're feeling like stargazing over the following week, and the weather is just not being kind, don't dispair. NASA has created a great diversion, in that they've sent a spacesuit out into space relaying a message every 30 seconds. You can listen in to it as from Feb 3rd, tuning in to 145.990 MHz FM (may need a special radio to pick up such a frequency). They even offer certificates to people who here the message, and prizes if you decipher the picture. So get your antennas pointing skywards now !

Well, the snow's stopped falling, the ground's still frozen, and the sun even comes out for a bit (although now it's nightime anyway). So, wrap up well, and tune in again, same time (plus or minus a few days), same place (virtually).

Bye for now

I'm sorry Lou

In my list of erasmosian movements, I commited an awful mistake. Yes, I'm sad to say that I forgot to mention Lou.
After a few chats with her I did in fact know all the latest news. Unfortunately, with a mind like a seive, I forgot it when it came to writing it down. Now I hope I'm making it up to her :)
She is currently teaching in Madrid, making sure the youth of today gets brought up proper.
Last weekend she went on a bit of an outing, to the Pyrenees with another member of this special group, to whom I've given the nickname of "friends" (the group, not the member). Yes, Albé was also there, obviously showing his male prowess by climbing the highest mountains without any gear, and in fact, without any clothes (that's how man he is). Lou has promised me that I'll get a look at the photos soon, although upon second thoughts, could you leave out the one's of Albé please...

What else has been happening? Well, you've no doubt heard about a couple of whales this week. Firstly, one decided to go for a short holiday to London, and visit the Queen, or Tony Blair (actually, probably not him). After doing the sightseeing tour of the houses of parliament (but not opting to go up in the London Eye) the whale got a bit stressed out by all the commotion (or the parking tickets it kept getting) and died (late addition: apprently it died of dehydration).
Of course, when a whale dies on the shores of the UK, the queen get's to bagsy (first offer) the corpse. In this case, I don't think she wanted any more blubber in Buckingham Palace.

Another whale also made it into the news, but this one was dead before it became famous. Greenpeace decided to take the (naturally) dead whale corpse, and leave it outside the Japanese Embassy in Berlin, demonstrating that whales also die naturally.

On a leaving note, did you know that websites like Google store personal information, which is now being requested by the US government? I thought not. 77% of people didn't know that, but it's true. And it gets worse; the MSN and Yahoo! search engines have been told to hand over user search requests, and they caved in without even trying to resist. Something for you to ponder about.

Surf safe...

Catching Up With The Jones'

No sooner had I put pen to paper last week (ok, finger to keyboard) than a flurry of responses to my new year's mail came in. So in no particular order, let's round up what's been happening...

From my gap year, Olaf and Valentina are expecting a child (ok, Valentina's expecting it, Olaf will just pretend to be pushing when he/she is born :)
Arjan and (insert wife's name here) are also doing fine, working across the desk from Olaf.

Regarding Erasmus friend's...Elisa has gone back to Madrid after finishing her work in a bank in Frankfurt.
Miquel has finished his physics studies and is now considering his possibilities (whilst using every opportunity to complement Ana :)
Gloria is still in Munich teaching away, Elena P being not far away across the border in an austrian village working as well.
Luca is finishing off his master's thesis, Mavi spent New Year's in Cuba (lucky her!) but is now back to teaching children how to do maths in Valencian...
Jaume is doing a doctorate in Valencia, as is José (Marques).
Albakra is preparing for his final exams, whilst working away with his heavy metal. Albé is also working, although I'm not sure where...
Javi is doing a masters and working his way up the ladder to become a certified spaniard (well, ok, to become an embassy representative of said country). Elena C is also in exactly the same situation (they even have the same russian class...).
Juanfran has gone down south (not Australia, rather southern Spain). He now works and resides in a town not far from the border with Portugal (probably eating fish all day long).
Carlitos, Roberto, Ali and Luigi are all still doing their bit to help out german nuclear physics research, whilst Fernando is teaching students in Valencia, and Paolo is doing his doctorate there.
Laurent is currently in (insert current dangerous country here), Leanna is in Rio , Jordi is recovering from a bout of the flu and Olga is getting ready for more psychology exams.

From uni, Kathy is back from her stint in Fiji and Australia and is now settling back to the Londoner's way of life (read, party).
Scott, Andy and Andrew are all continuing with their doctorate's, wondering when it will all end...
Helen is busy being famous on TV shows and the like, promoting physics.

My parents are finally ready to move onto a narrow boat, and are renting out their house in the lovely city of Bath (for more information, please see the contact page :)

So that's the current state of things, updates will be posted when the rest of you get back to me and tell me what you've being doing.

And with that, I'll love you and leave you (only in the metaphorical sense).

New Year's Resolution

Okay, might as well get it over with now. Those of you who have been wondering why I haven't written here for such a long time can let it all out (although why nobody thought to email me asking what was the matter, I do not know...),

Yes, I am finally back at it (the writing that is). After nearly half a year of break (and no, it wasn't a holiday, although I wish it was) I have started the year off by resolving to devote more time to writing here, and hopefully bring up the quality of the posts :)

So what have I been up to during this period? Well, I know I'm not that good at remembering things (probably the reason I find it necessary to write here :) but a few of the reasons could have been lots of work, moving house, red tape, no internet connection, and being operated on.

What's much more interesting is what have you all been up to? I know various people have taken the Christmas opportunity to go back home to see their family, whilst others have decided to move completely, changing jobs, studies and marital status...

But enough of the past, it's 2006, so let's look to the future...

This year finds many of my old schoolfriends tying the knot, with Amir, Will and Nick all deciding this summer is the time to get hitched, before their other halves have time to think it through :) Also this summer will see my brother Dug getting together with the lovely Gem. I'll of course try my best to get the best snaps of said occasion, however if he goes through with forcing me to wear that bright pink suit with green neck-tie I might have to make other arrangements...

As well as marriages, this year sees many new entries into the family scene. Yep, Gemma, Mar and Clara are all expexting little nippers later on.

So what else are we to expect in the next twelve months? You might not have failed to notice that the World Cup 2006 will take place in Germany. What does this mean? Well, firstly that the flight prices are going to go through the roof. The big cities will also be overcrowded, and the TV is going to lose any other interesting programs it had preprogrammed. Of course, the question remains unanswered as to whether the host nation will get very far, or whether England repeats it's 1966 show and brings football home again...

Now I think it's time to let you get back on with your Saturday afternoon shopping (in Germany - shops close soon) TV watching (in the UK - some important premiership matches on at the moment) or just relaxing (rest of the world).

See you soon...

Mixed Feelings

No need to go into too much detail about the main events that have happened recently. Suffice it to say, that both congratulations (for winning the bid to host the 2012 olympics) and condolences (for the terrorist bombing of 3 tube trains and a bus) are in order for London, and with that, England.

For those of you who believe that the ability of your female partner to enjoy herself is down to you, here's some scientific news claiming that it's all in fact down to her genes (I knew clothing was important to a woman, but not this much !).

With the blows going to and fro between the French leaders and the British ones, here's an interesting articles about the various rules that govern these battles.

An education charity has stated that having US-style "yellow buses" would reduce accidents and help congestion. I can't really say that I believe that painting the double deckers in london would create fewer accidents, nor that they could help to relieve stomach pains after eating too much, but hey, that's science...

The Metropolitan Police has produced a special report claiming that african boys are being brought into the UK for the sole purpose of human sacrifice. It's unbelieveable what still goes on, and right under our noses too, and has only just been brought into the limelight. Let's hope that measures to combat this come into force soon.

Those of you who have seen the film Mississippi Burning (if not see it now, definitely worth it) would be interested to hear that at last a man is being tried for the killing of the three boys, and it has just been revealed that he was in fact a member of the Klu Klux Klan, despite earlier protests to the contrary. Sometimes stories just carry on outside of the cinemas...

A bottle of whisky was sold to a businessman for an incredible 32 thousand pounds. And what better way to celebrate this achievement, than to drink the bottle in one night with your closest friends. That's the way to do it in style, none of this keeping the bottle in the cellar until it's too old to drink...

Scientists in the Netherlands have been able to show that women switch off their brains during sex. Yes (no light-bulb jokes here please) apparently you can now see if your partner is doing a Harry met Sally just by keeping a brain scanner close to hand...

Now a shock development in the US legal process (ok, the shock facter really isn't there any more) has seen journalists who used their First Amendment right to keep their sources identity secret go to jail. Yes, the Supreme Court, which is supposed to be a medium between the government and the people, has decided the people no longer have any rights when it isn't in the government's interest.

Never mind cloning, the thing to watch out for is battlefield resurrections. After scientists have found that they could bring back to life a dog who was medically dead, by just administering 100% oxygen, and using electric shocks whilst reintroducing it's blood. Of course they say they haven't tried it on humans yet, but it could explain a lot of strange happenings...

After NASA managed to smash a probe into Tempel-1 (operation Deep Impact) a russian is suing the space agency for mental trauma, citing that any change to a comet's orbit will definitely affect her own fate. The fact that she is an astrologer might of course make her correct, but mental trauma? Let's wait and see what the judge says.

And finally, ever wanted to understand what your body has been trying to tell you? Well, now you can with this Body Language site, including the extremely useful "does your urine smell of maple syrup?" question.

Sleep Safe