(Climate) change is not good!

Well, well, after all this time it looks like the naysayers are finally being proven wrong with even the Economist having a front page on climate change. Over the past few weeks I've read many reports (example) looking at different aspects of climate change all pointing to the same solid conclusion that temperatures have increased far more rapidly than natural.

About time then we in the UK do more about recycling, prevention and minimisation of waste. We have been absolutely atrocious in comparison to other European countries in making any attempts to recycle waste. We do have to make it cost for households that do not recycle. I have seen this work in Europe whereby general waste bags cost far more than those for recycling plastics, cans etc.

Albeit, I though it was maybe going to far to have to insert chip ID's into our bins to tag waste. If they go into the bags, wouldn't that just add to the waste? Time for our government to take a tough stance and force a change on an apathetic public.

A suprising change that is beginning to make us as bad as the USA which we previously criticised is the explosion of gas guzzling SUVs and people carriers in the UK. Since when is a saloon not spacious enough for the average family. We don't exactly have a great need for 4x4s in this country. What we do need are the lanes for cars with more than one passenger for journeys during peak hours. Although, to make this happen we need to have reasonably fixed hours to allow us to share journeys.

Even better woulde be the chance to work from home for a day or two a week. Again, it looks like this would need legislation due to some backward management styles still present in the economy.

To borrow a phrase from Soccer AM, many people in the UK do think that 'Change is not good'! I say, 'resistance to change is futile!', except when it comes to the planet's climate!

Return from LA

Hi all, I know I've been really seriously stupendously terribly horribly absolutely......crap! I haven't bothered to write any updates for so long. But, I have been busy, but so are we all. Anyway, here goes for a new installment. Hopefully, this will be enough to keep you up to date with what's happening in my life.

Well, as the title suggests I just got back from LA yesterday. We also had a weekend ski-ing in the Snowbird resort in the Rockyb mountains just 30-40 mins away from Salt Lake City for 2 days before our LA trip. I'd never have thought of going to Salt Lake City, but if you want to do some seriously good skiing or snowboarding it's definitely a superb place. Plenty of fresh powder when we were there. In fact so much that they had to perform avalanche control the second day we were there & we had to leave early to avoid missing our flight.

Next was the real reason of going there, travelling to LA. Sounds glamorous, right? However, where we were was 10 mins from the airport in a slightly run down area. Hotel was great though and we didn't have to drive too far to find plenty of nice restaurants etc. Ate plenty of good food & we all enjoyed the good service. None of the attitude that you sometimes get in the UK but sometimes a little OTT for my liking. However, all in all a very good trip. Learned loads about all the new products we will run in Newport (not quite the same ring as LA, eh!) and met loads of people that I've communicated by email or telephone.

It really is strange how you have an idea of what someone looks like before you meet them and then they turn out to be completely different to what you expect! Strange, but I'm sure that happens to everyone. Maybe that's why video conferences are better.

The three of us got back yesterday afternoon in Heathrow with another 2 hour drive to Newport. We got there in good time only to find out my battery was completely flat. After trying to push start the car & asking anyone if they had jump leads we finally found some in the back of their car. Luckily, that did the trick and I was back home in the early evening. Managed to stay awake to pick Indira up from work. We talked for an hour or so before my body finally gave up at 11:30 or so.

Trips are good but it's always great to come back home where you're comfortable!!!!

Christmas Happiness & New Year Blues

Well, we're back to normal after all the festivities of eating, drinking & making merry (oo-err missus). Isn't January just the woirst month after the financial & physical splurges we all tend to do.

Christmas was definitely a great time, the best one I can remember back in Scotland with all of the family together for all day. Great food (cheers big Sis- as usual you never let us down), good beers (Hoegarden's, Leffe's & whatever else other people were having) & superb presents. As usual, I'm now kitted out for the coming 6 months at least. We went up with a 3/4 filled suitcase & came back with another suitcase and 2 kilos overweight. Not only that we had to leave presents behind!! It was a busy time before with my sis and mum out of action due to accidents & just general aches & pains. Which meant lots of driving back & forth to get everything needed. However, it was well worth it! We also came back with a new set of dishes for New Year which weren't presents. So, a bit of a crazy spending spree.

After 5 days it was back down to Cardiff to work for a few days before New Year. It's the first time I've ever done this as I've always been abroad and travelled home for Christmas or had people over to visit. It actually turned out better that way as at least there is a break from consumption in between!

New Year was spent with a good friend of Indira's & her boyfriend, Adela (Venezuelan) and Paul (English) , both living in Leed's. We also had a work colleague of Indira's & her husband, both from Turkey and friend of mine from work from up north (England, that is) as they say down here. It was relatively quiet as New Year's go (compared to being up to 8am in Venezuela or loads of drunken bums in Scotland) but everyone had a nice time. I spent several hours in the kitchen preparing the food which I hope people enjoyed.

And then back to work and getting up at 6am to take Indira to work. Ah well, life goes on! Got to pay the bills. Now to plan for the summer hols!!!!

Also, want to say thank you to all who sent Christmas cards & well wishes. Cheers & all the best for the coming year!