Archive for August, 2008

Ford Focus ST- Has The Last Laugh

I’ve been doing a bit of soul searching recently and decided that for many years now I’ve been a tad intolerant towards some of my fellow human beings. In the past I have tended to direct some of my greatest sarcasm towards the sort of individuals who loved their cars so much that they felt it necessary to join an Owner’s club. I suppose I was poking fun at the person who cleans their car at 8-00am on a Sunday morning using a toothbrush as well as every other conceivable automotive cleaning product you could imagine. I’ve seen Owner’s club badges in the windows of some spotless vehicles and an image of the individual has appeared in my mind. You know probably still living at home with their parents, certainly a bloke and almost definitely without a girlfriend. Well it seems that my opinions could be somewhat out of date. I decided to confront my prejudices head-on and took a look at the Ford ST Owner’s Club official site. They seem to be a positively charming group of people from all walks of like nothing like the stereotypical picture I have painted previously. I think the changing demographics combined with the internet of course have played a part in this refreshing new group of enthusiasts who all share a passion but above all else it’s the cars. Fast Fords have been around for a long time now. Those old enough will remember the Lotus Cortina of the sixties and who could forget the Escort RS2000 and Mexico from the 70’s. Read More This Post ...


Popularity: 100% [?]

Volkswagen Polo - A Car In Its (Optimus) Prime?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Even at this relatively early stage of my life there’s loads of things I wish I could’ve done a bit differently or encountered a bit sooner. A prime example would be the family holidays I used to go on. I was quite fortunate in that the three of us have seen most of Europe and lots of America. I remember all sorts, from jumping into a Volkswagen Polo hire car in Ibiza, long before I was aware of what those who aren’t on a family holiday do in Ibiza, to sitting in a Delorean at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. Whilst I always appreciated my holidays, now I’ve got a job, a mortgage and have to pay for such luxuries as holidays myself, I wish I could’ve made a bit more of the family trips than I did. It’s a similar story with music (which for the biography is as much a love of mine as cars). I lap up all sorts of audio, but my two big regrets are missing the boats that are Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins in their prime. The former came to a climatic end when I was only ten, so there’s not a lot I could do to change that, but the Pumpkins are a different kettle of fish. I’ve known of them for years but it’s only this week I’ve truly discovered their brilliance. The problem is, I’m about twelve years too late from their prime so for all the excitement of hearing their stuff, I know I’ll never get to see them play live (or at least not in their original guise). It really is Read More This Post ...


Popularity: 73% [?]

VW Transporter - California Dreaming

As I sit here in my dingy subterranean office (well almost, there’s certainly no window to speak of!) I couldn’t prevent my mind from wandering. Initially my thoughts turned towards the weather which has been frankly awful for a number of summers now. I can remember a time when me and my little collection of pals would pack a few items (mainly beer and instant noodles!) and head off on a Friday after work for a spot of camping. The summers seemed never ending with sunburn for everyone, due to lack of protection, which nearly led to another story but I won’t go there! Copious amounts of warm cider (West Country Lads) were consumed. This usually resulted in some pretty degenerate behaviour and got us thrown out of numerous campsites! A record I’m not proud of as you can imagine. I recently tried to recapture these halcyon days with my wife but women just don’t seem to enjoy the same experiences. You know freezing to death at night, unbearably hot by 6am the next morning. Warm lager for breakfast, uneasy silence for the entire 3 hour journey home, that sort of thing! It started me thinking that there must be a more desirable outdoor experience that doesn’t start with attempting to erect a hideously complicated tent and ends in divorce proceedings. I suddenly had a moment of clarity and remembered the legend of the Volkswagen Camper! Of course, I should have thought of it before especially as I only had to recall my teenage years when after Read More This Post ...


Popularity: 72% [?]

The Heaven is Under Your Feet

Did you know that the Rugs is one of the most exquisite and elegant stuff in the ancient Persian? According to the ancient history of Mesopotamia, only the royal family members and those aristocrats can decorate their living place with colorful rugs! Which means, rugs also a symbolic of wealthy and power in the ancient world. However, the times had change and we can find rugs everywhere. There is an interesting fact about the different between the rugs and carpets, which always been talking about amongst the people. Some of us really confused about the different and thought both of them are the same. Beep, you’re wrong! The different between the Area rugs and the carpets is closely related with its size! Yeah, is the matter of size here, which the rugs always less than 40 square feet and the carpets are larger (Well, which one would you prefer here, the ‘flying carpet’ or ‘flying rug’?). You would like to buy some rugs to decorate your house floor, but you just don’t know where to find it? Well, if you don’t mind, you’re always can find the cheap rugs in the Area rugs gallery, which its offers lots of high quality rugs with the affordable prices! Popularity: 57% [?] Read More This Post ...


Popularity: 57% [?]