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About me - THE GROUCH

Forty-something, disgruntled, grumpy and cynical, living in England. Says it all really!

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Autos > Driving & Safety Best highway car: 3 of 19
No two cars are alike. Furthermore, no two people are alike, so what constitutes the best highway car for one person isn't going to ring true for someone else. From a personal standpoint I find that certain vehicles tend to reflect aspects of the personality of the owner, particularly as the exclusivity of the vehicle increas... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Iran takes British hostages (03/23/07): Likely outcome: 1 of 4
EASTERN PROMISE(S)1. Knowingly crossing an international boundary without permission with an armed force constitutes an act of war and that is exactly what the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have done.2. If British forces crossed into Iranian territory one has to assume that the airspace over Iranian water was also violated by t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the UK Tony Blair's resignation: Good riddance or fond farewell?: 2 of 7
I'll be honest, I was sorry to see Blair leaving Downing Street yesterday (27th June 2007). In spite of some of the gaffes he made during his ten years in office I quite liked the guy. The people who regarded him as Bush's poodle should remember that there is a bit of the British Bulldog inside all of us here in Blighty. It ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms What items and events best represent your generation?: 6 of 19
I was born in southern England during May 1966. My earliest memories are few but the ones I have are clear; phoning my father at work while Mum was out the room (they had a nice new wall mounted phone installed which I couldn't reach. It was a disgusting mucky green color!); getting plastered on cider that Mum had put on the ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Trash & Recycling Choosing paper or plastic grocery bags: 6 of 15
The humble plastic carrier bag is in retrospect possibly one of the worst inventions that mankind has come up with. We have taken them to our hearts and being seen carrying bags displaying the names of in-vogue stores makes them as much of a fashion accessory as the fashion accessories within. But the days of the plastic bag ... More..
Sciences > Physics Is time travel possible?: 28 of 60
Time travel is certainly possible to a degree. We are all travelling forward through Time from the moment that we are conceived. If the question is reworded to ask "Is it possible to travel forwards or backwards through time to look at the future or the past whilst remaining in the same place?" then I would have to say, "No. ... More..
Sciences > Ecology & Environment How can we reduce our electricity consumption at home and offices: 3 of 6
It is not really all that difficult to reduce our electricity consumption at home, though it may be more difficult in the office where many things are beyond our control. There are however still ways that we can contribute to a reduction in energy usage. 1/ A major contributor to the consumption of energy is leaving applianc... More..
Sciences > Astronomy The possibility of earth-like life on the planet Gliese 581 C: 6 of 11
Gliese 581C is believed to be approximately four times the size of Earth and calculations show that its orbit is within the habitable zone around the star Gliese, a red dwarf star seen from Earth in the constellation Libra. 581C is much closer to Gliese than Earth is to our own Sun, so I would expect it to be geologically qu... More..
Sciences > Astronomy Did man really land on the moon?: 4 of 7
On October 4th 1957, the Russians launched a 184lb metal sphere called Sputnik 1 into Earth orbit and the Space Race was under way. On April 12th 1961, the Russians upped the stakes by launching Major Yuri Gagarin into Earth orbit. Three months earlier US President JF Kennedy had made his inaugural speech, part of which hande... More..
Sciences > Astronomy What to do if a comet was about to hit the earth: 3 of 5
We are very lucky down here on Planet Earth. The chances of a comet impact are actually very low. There is only one comet on the list of potential impactors currently being tracked by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Comet Catalina 2005 JQ5. The comet is estimated to be approximately 1km in size and the resultant impact woul... More..