Rob's Rants

I get very wound up about various things, so I thought I'd let some steam off about them here.

Latest Rants

'Microsoft Bashing' - usually by people trying to show how much more they know about IT than you do and how much more enlightened you are.  I'm sorry, but I've been using Microsoft products for years and, generally, they're very good - especially the recent stuff.  My (home made) PC with Windows & Office XP on it has never given me any problems and lets me do everything I want to do and more.  When I have to use non-Microsoft products, I usually end up appreciating Microsoft even more.

British Companies getting bought by foreign companies - The British seem far happier to let this happen than they should!  Companies such as Rolls-Royce (cars), Bentley, Cunard, MINI, Land Rover, Jaguar... the list goes on.  Historic companies with amazing achievements in the past, become nothing more than a 'brand'.

Topical Rants

Global Warming - Do something about it!  Especially if you're American - lobby your government! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3810291.stm  See my new 'Earth' page.

Armed Air Marshals - What a bloody stupid idea.  You won't catch me on any flight that could have a gun on it!

Air-fuel tax - DO IT!  NOW!  Flying should be a luxury.  It should not be cheaper than more environmentally friendly modes of transport.  Flying is a HUGE polluter.

Motoring Rants

British Traffic Lights - Why can't they switch off at night say from 10pm until 6am or something like that.  They do this in other countries, the lights blink on amber to show you that you can go if the road is clear.  This would save fuel, save time and reduce noise levels at night (less braking and accelerating).

Xenon Headlights - I have been in a car with these and I can see why someone thought they were a good idea.  But to everyone else on the road, they are a terrible idea.  They flicker in a multi-coloured painfully bright way that is incredibly distracting and one of the most dangerous factors on the road today.

Speed Cameras - A fine idea in principle but so abused now as a money-making device that they are completely not respected and speeding isn't even seen as a crime any more.  Restrict them - NOW - to danger and accident blackspots.

American Fuel prices - put the taxes up - NOW.  European car manufacturers are being forced to develop increasingly fuel efficient cars purely on the basis of fuel tax and have done an amazing job.  There is no incentive on American motorists or manufacturers to do the same.  The world is rapidly running out of precious fossil fuels and global warming is out of control.  Drive cars with modern diesels like the Europeans are doing - you'll get twice as far (at least) for the same amount of fuel and modern diesel engines are often faster and easier to drive than petrol (gasoline) ones.  I don't think that Hybrids are the answer - yet - only slightly more efficient than a good diesel, but far more complex.

Front Fog Lights - Turn Them Off!!  Its NOT foggy!  They just add to the dazzle and complication of night time driving.  Manufacturers - stop fitting them, they're useless anyway!

Economy & Business Rants

Buy British! (if you're British that is).  If you buy a car made in Britain, the person that made it might keep their job.  Then they can PAY taxes rather than TAKE from us in benefits.  The French understand that they should buy their own products, why can't we?  Even when our products are actually better, people still buy a more 'exotic' foreign equivalent.  It is killing us!  The government and public sector organisations such as the police should always buy British unless there's absolutely no alternative - after all, they're spending taxes paid by workers in Britain!

Overseas call-centres - they take our jobs and then they call me at work with a junk call which I can't understand, on a crackly line, trying to sell me something I don't want.  Or worse trying to sell me something I do want but I can't understand them.  The haemorrhaging of these jobs out of Britain must stop somehow otherwise there will be no 'blue collar' jobs left any more.  British people used to make ships, cars, planes then they changed to making computer software and taking calls, what next?

The South East of England - People move to the South East of England for work because there aren't any decent jobs anywhere else.  Also the lure of a bigger salary is hard to resist (even if all living expenses are far higher and the quality of life is far lower).  Eventually, companies and people would realise that it would be cheaper and better to be elsewhere except that the government then pays grants to companies and their workers so that they can afford to be there.  This stops the natural ebb & flow of people around the country, and means that the ridiculous crush of people in the South East continues.  It has to stop.

Stupid exaggerated Job Titles - for instance calling someone who is just out of school a 'sales executive' or calling someone a manager who doesn't manage anything.  Generally the more important sounding the job title, the more menial the job!!

Seasonal Rants

Halloween - We go Guising in Scotland at Halloween, not trick or treating!  We go out with Turnip Lanterns  NOT Pumpkins!  This is American culture overwhelming our own special culture!!  Dook for apples, sing a song, tell a funny joke, story or poem.  The smell and sight of a turnip with a candle in it and a scary face will always bring back strong memories of childhood excitement.  The same thing with a pumpkin just reminds me of Charlie Brown in 'Peanuts'!

The 12 days of Christmas - STARTS on Christmas day, not 12 days before, or in November or in October!  In the old days, people put up their decorations on Christmas day, and then celebrated the 12 days, and then took them down again on the eve of the epiphany.  It is, after all, a religious thing!  In my youth, they put up decorations in the few days before Christmas and this was nice too... but now decorations are going up in peoples houses weeks or months in advance - its stupid and it spoils the occasion and makes it less special.  I don't mind shops doing it - they have to sell stuff.

Miscellaneous Other Rants

'You Know' - people, English mostly, who insert the phrase 'you know' into every sentence.  No I DON'T KNOW, because I've been listening to you for 5 minutes and you've not said anything yet!  Most often heard on BBC radio phone ins.