Sonic Jump for iOS: A short review

Today's free gift on Apple's 12 day of Christmas app was the game "Sonic Jump". If you've ever heard of, or played, Doodle Jump then the prospect is very similar.

The aim of the game is to jump upwards from platform to platform, collecting coins and power ups along the way. Of course, you must avoid running into bad guys or they'll knock you off and you'll need to restart the level. Yes, unlike Doodle Jump, it is level based rather than one continuous run.

Whilst ascending each level, platforms get trickier to land on and the bad guys get more dangerous and frequent.

Whilst I love Doodle Jump, I'm not really feeling any love towards Sonic Jump. It's another nail in the coffin of the dying SEGA franchise and I can't see it impressing loyal fans of Sonic, or generating potential new followers. Still, for free I suppose you can't complain.

The gameplay is rather monotonous and each level, whilst increasing in difficulty, doesn't really bring anything else to the table. The character movement is very slow and, for some platforms, moves too slowly for you to reach the next one up.

All in all, whilst not bad for free I wouldn't be quick to download the app if and when it returns to the paid for version.

Tomb Raider: Survivor

Lara Croft: Born Survivor

The hugely anticipated, latest instalment of Tomb Raider is due out in early March. As you can see from the image above, taken directly from the tombraider.com website, Lara looks a lot different than in previous games.

Then again, the entire story is different. Square Enix, who now publish the franchise, have taken a different spin on the life of Lara Croft. No longer is she the hardened adventurer that you experienced in previous versions. In the new Lara Croft, she's a fresh adventurer, new to the field and rearing to get going. Unfortunately she gets herself into a right pickle and has to learn how to survive, and how to do it well.

The story on the official site explains how the game explores Lara's origins and how she must adapt in order to survive and become the veteran she is on previous titles. The developers, Crystal Dynamics, have really thought through this one and the trailer makes the game look incredibly enticing. I know this is the sole purpose of a trailer but I don't know, with this it's different and obvious that a lot of time has gone into it. I mean, we've been waiting since 2008 for another instalment. I genuinely thought they weren't going to reboot the series.

Many people have already jumped the gun and criticised Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix of creating an aura of sexist fantasy amongst male gamers. The most informative article I found that tackles this topic was from The Guardian. You can read the article here. In my opinion, Tomb Raider has always been targeted more towards the male gamer. Why else would they use an athletic, fearless and strong female lead who hardly wears any clothes and has larger than average assets?

A multiplayer mode has also been confirmed. I wonder how this will turn out, and what is planned for it. What types of game modes will see, weapons, maps. Building a multiplayer platform is just as important and requires the same attention to detail as the standard single player mode. It is being developed by none other than Eidos Montreal, the developers responsible for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, so I have my fingers crossed for something at least half decent. It also pleases me that the studio developing the multiplayer have a link to the franchises old publisher, Eidos Interactive.

Price wise, it marries up nicely to other high end games of this modern day. There are 3 separate packages for sale: Standard, Collectors and Survival. You can pre-order them now from Game UK for the following prices:

Standard: £39.99

Collectors: £74.99

Survival: £54.99

It is worth noting that, with the collectors and survival versions, you get some rather nice additions. The collectors additions comes with an 8" Lara Croft figurine - great for all those die hard fans who want good old Lara in their display cabinet. There's also a map, art book and a "survival tin" that the game rests in. In-game content wise, you get a weapons DLC pack (presumably for the multiplayer aspect but can't confirm) and a 10 track score (not entirely sure what this is).

The survival pack is very similar to the collectors, although there is no figurine  and the game packaging is different. You still get the map, art book and in-game content however.

Personally, I won't be pre-ordering a fancy copy. I'll go to the shops on release day and purchase a standard copy instead. I cannot justify the massive price hike, sorry.

Tomb Raider: Survivor is released in the UK on 5th March, 2013 and will initially be for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. I reckon it'll play better, or at least feel right, on the PS3 because the Playstation is Tomb Raider's roots - where it all began. I'm not sure if they'll release a Wii version, but there's no sniff of speculation about it so I can't see it becoming a possibility.

You can view the latest trailer below.

Apple strikes back

It appears that the Apple God(s) have smited me for my comments in yesterday's blog post.

This morning, when coming down the stairs to get ready for work I slipped. This sent my beloved iPad flying out of my hands, smashing against the corner of the bottom step and then landing helplessly on the bottom floor. I also did some damage to my knee but at that moment in time I was only really worried about what had become of my iPad.

After crawling down the stairs, I turned it over and saw no obvious damage. The screen looked OK, it was turning on and off OK and apps seemed to load just fine. As I was inspecting it further I noticed that it had been completely dented in along the volume side, ruining a corner and also wedging the volume button into the casing. Unfortunately for me, it's wedged in on the reduced-volume side which means I have no audio. Not at all. Everytime I try to turn the audio up via the slider on YouTube, the music app, etc, it immediately returns to silence. Also, as the button is wedged into the case, I'm unable to fiddle with the audio via those means either.

Pictures of the damage are below:

Caved in 

 Volume button wedged into casing



Damaged corner

It ran out of warranty only about 2 weeks ago. In fairness, this would be classed as accidental damage and wouldn't be covered by the warranty anyway so there's no point dwelling on this too much.

I've looked on the Apple website but I can't find anywhere how much this would even cost to repair. I have asked about and been informed that I would be charged half the cost of a new one to be given a replacement. I believe I am right in assuming that if this is the case, it would be a refurbished model.

My girlfriend's dad will take a look at it for me tonight. As it's out of warranty it won't hurt to pry it open and play around with the button from the inside - might just be able to pop it back out again and make it usuable. Sadly, the cosmetic damage will remain but it's a small price to pay if I can actually get the volume working properly again.

I'll keep you posted.

iPad 5 due in March?

First of all, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. I most certainly did. I'm very happy with my new Kindle as well as the usual deodorants and shower sets that I got. 

Anyway, back to the topic on hand.

Rumour has it, and I would like to note that I have only today come across this, that Apple are going to launch the iPad 5 in March 2013. In all honesty, this wouldn't at all surprise me. Their product turnover is immense. Unfortunately for the owners of the latest iPad, or iPads if you count both the Mini and the 4, this means their beloved Apple product will be obsolete within only 6 months of it being released. As you can imagine, this has outraged many people but for others it is another step forward in the Apple Revolution.

The iPad Mini - The latest redesign of the popular iPad

I can see where the unhappy people are coming from. Personally, I would feel ripped off after spending my hard earned money on a product that, only a mere 6 months later, would be outdated by an updated version of the same product. You could even go as far as stating that the "new" product is exactly the same as the previous model just re-branded as "The New ...". Of course, this isn't entirely accurate because Apple do always improve their products slightly.

The other argument relating to such small release windows is the idea that Apple must already know and have possibly created the next feature they want in the newest model of their product. Why don't they just wait a little longer and add all the cool new features into one amazing product. This makes me think that they deliberately hold back on these features, just so they can release a newer model a few months down the line and sell it at the same price, making them huge profits in the process.

I know full well what people say - Apple are a business and they're out to make money. Whilst I agree with this, I do feel that a business needs integrity. I can't see this happening anytime soon, but I really do see Apple losing what integrity it has left if they continue this practice.

The iPad 4, dubbed "The Resolutionary new iPad" - Released at the same time as the iPad Mini

I myself have an iPad 2, purchased in December 2011. Since then, Apple have released 3 more iPads including the mini. This means that in just 12 months, they have released 3 newer versions of my product into the market. If you look at the tech specs of each iPad, the latest iPad 4 (pictured above) is not that much different to my iPad 2. Sure, it has retina display, a slightly faster processor and a HD screen, but is this worth the starting figure of £399. The exact same price that I paid for mine 12 months ago. I can't see the appeal to be quite honest.

The iPad Mini is very similar. They subtitle it "Every inch an iPad". Exactly right, it only has minor reduced specs compared to the 4 and the price is just over £100 less for the smallest GB model. In fairness, I don't have many gripes with the Mini. In certain situations, my iPad 2 is just too big whereas the Mini would be perfect with it's smaller dimensions and similar processing power. Still, starting at £269 it is still a fairly hefty sum to part with.

Concept design for the iPad 5 - the most common found on rumour sites and forums

You will see above an image I keep coming across when searching for more information about the suspected iPad 5. It looks a lot thinner and more trimmed down along the edges. I also see no evident home button so if Apple are thinking of a design along these lines, they're sure to have something up their sleeves to combat the lack of a home button. In fairness, if this design is even slightly accurate I would be the first to applaud Apple for adopting a revolutionary design and being the leader in bringing 3D technology to the tablet industry (the app icons look 3D and the screen slightly blurry, as you get with 3D films).

My only concern with 3D is that 9/10 you require glasses to get the full effect. I know Nintendo released the 3DS that required no glasses but I am not sure how well this fairs, having not played about with one myself. If any of you have one, or have played with one, I would be intrigued to learn if the 3D effect is even half decent.

What are your views on the iPad 5? Will it be well received, or should Apple seriously start to review their business plan on how quickly they release these things? Comments on a postcard... or below (that might be slightly easier).

Christmas 2012

Here we are, only 1 hour away from Christmas 2012. A time of year that some thought we would not see. As I type, the neighbours baby is bawling his eyes out which equals no sleep for them, oh the joys of parenthood - something I will soon discover.

All the presents, turkey and decorations aside, I feel that Christmas is a time of year that we should all appreciate and be thankful for. I am not a religious man but still hold the values of family and friendship. At this time of year, these two values are emphasised even more and I really think we should think of those who are less fortunate than us, even those without a family or a home this Christmas. If we open our hearts and realise just how lucky we actually are, maybe there won't be as much hatred in the world. Just my philosophy.

This is something I feel has been forgotten in the world, love. The entire world is driven by hatred and greed. It doesn't matter who you call God, nor does it matter if you don't believe in a God at all. We are all equals with as much right to live in peace as the next person. Why start pointless wars over a silly game of "you don't like it, I'll declare a war on you" or "I'm bigger than you so get ready for invasion". I really do not see a positive outcome.

I'm getting seriously off topic. I don't mean to put a damper on everyone's Christmas.

Guys, gals, peeps, ppl, whatever you call yourselves. Have a fantastic Christmas. I'll post when I can, or when something inspires me to post. Remember my technical posts coming in the new year. I am also thinking of exploring the option of reviewing products - we shall see!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas eve eve

So, as I am sure you are all aware, today is 23rd December AKA Christmas eve eve. I have just got home from work and I'm all set for Christmas. I popped out this morning before my shift started and got the last of my shopping. I must admit, I don't know why I leave things til this late. Everywhere is full to the rafters of similar last minute shoppers all rushing to get theirs done.

Accurate representation of last minute Christmas shopping

The picture above is just a stock photo I pulled from Google, plus it was probably taken during warmer months because there isn't a coat in sight (the weather also looks moderately OK). Regardless, it's an accurate representation of last minute Christmas shopping - exactly what I was faced with this morning, just before work.

I may have already mentioned that I work on the technical support desk for a major ISP. I also have a computing A-level, plus a COMPTIA A+ and MCTS certification. I'm currently studying, part-time, towards a BSc in Software Development and Networking so you might start to see a few "techy" posts appearing on the blog. I like to help people out as best I can, which is why I love technical support so much. I also know that people get very frustrated about their broadband and phone line being down so I'm definitely going to get a few articles out about how to check for basics, and what things you should be checking before reporting a fault with your ISP.

Broadband - Connecting you to the world in seconds

You see, the internet is a wonderful thing. The smallest of problems though can have massive consequences. That 5 minute video that you were watching could take a lifetime to buffer. I know just how much people HATE buffering. Stay tuned for some detailed articles about helping yourself with your broadband. I'm planning a rollout in the new year.

You'll probably hear from me tomorrow before I sign off for Christmas completely. Until then, stay safe and enjoy the time off (if you've finished for Christmas, that is)

Last minute shopping

With Christmas only a couple of days away, I think it's time for me to finalise my shopping and get wrapping. This is the thing, I'm always last minute. I always have been.

I don't necessarily do it on purpose. I do just think, "oh, It's two weeks away, I have plenty of time left" - so I put it to the back of my mind. I then look at the date and think "oh my gosh, 2 days to go and I STILL haven't bought anything". Granted, I do have cards sorted. Well, for my girlfriend at least. In fairness, if I didn't have Sam I would right up the creek without a paddle at the moment. Luckily, she bought everyone's presents before I even had chance to forget what day it was. Needless to say, I now owe her half of the costs but that's not a problem at all! Sharing is caring after all.

My New Year's resolution this year is definitely going to be "GET ORGANISED". I seriously lack organisation and this isn't a good thing. I have big things planned for 2013, it's the time when my son is introduced into the world. If I'm not organised by then I'll have no hope for me ever getting organised. I should take a leaf out of Sam's book, always fully prepared well in advance and when the time comes, perfect precision. D'oh.

(Christmas is in 2 days! How prepared are you?)

I have definitely forgotten the meaning of Christmas over the last couple of years. I haven't enjoyed it nearly as much as I used to, or should. It's a time that is always spent with the people I love and hold dear so it should be the happiest and most special of times in my life. I'm hoping that this year I re-kindle my love for Christmas. Sure, it's been commercialised up to the rafters but that doesn't matter. I don't care how many presents I got, or how much money my neighbours spent on their children. At the end of the day, it's quite possibly the only time I get to see all of my family in the same place at the same time.

Here's to a fantastic Christmas!

Oh, and before I forget - have a fantastic New Year as well.

Still here?!

As suspected, the world did not end and we're all still here. This didn't stop thousands upon thousands of people gathering at 'safe spots' - designated zones that would apparantly be saved from the apocalypse. Of course, this makes no sense at all. If the world is going to end, why would one (or a few) particular areas be saved?

(Bugarach, France. One of the 'safe spots')



All of this aside, life has continued as normal, bookies are counting their newfound profits and doomsdayers have gone back to the shadows to lick their wounds once more. I wonder how long it will take them to conjure up the next supposed end of the world.

In other, more normal news, Gangnam Style has become the first video in YouTube history to reach 1b views. I checked just now and the figure is sitting around the 991m mark, so maybe the views are taking their time catching up with themselves? Another explanation is The Indepedent is just publishing the story early, so they make sure they're the first scoop! Link here

(Psy - Hit 'Gangnam Style' reaches 1b views according to The Independent)

Let me know, if you want, how many views you can see when you look at the video?

End of the world? Pt II

So the time is vast approaching. The time that doomsdayers predict the end of humanity. Oh, and the entire world of course.

Yes, I am sure you've all heard enough of the speculation but, to be frank, if it is my last few hours on the Earth then I would like to say my piece. In all honesty, I really do think it's all nonsense. Another scaremongering attempt, possible to profit from the situation. I mean, c'mon, bookies are actually offering odds. The worst part is, people are actually betting! Yes, I'm being serious.

Who in their right mind would bet on something like that. Sure, the odds are crazy good and makes you a potential millionaire if you win but you'd be dead and have no way of claiming it, because the world would have ended. If the world doesn't end, which it is most likely not to, then you lose your money. It's a lose-lose scenario for the better so why bother...

There are a lot of conspiracies regarding the end of the world. Far too many for me to go into detail on, but there is a wiki page that explains what it is all about and lists a few of the most popular theories, link here.

For me, I am going to treat the day just like any other. I'm not afraid of it because I know that it will not happen. There is no scientific proof of any apocalyptic event heading our way. I know that it is very possible that such events could happen without warning but surely there would be something measurable that the boffs would notice. Some say that the major powers do know something, but chose to cover it up to avoid widespread panic.

Either way, if the world is going to end, it's going to end. It's not something that can be stopped so there's no point in worrying about it. I don't see the point in worrying about something that you can't control.

If you seriously believe the world is going to end, and want to say your prayers, goodbyes and whatever else, then follow this link. It's a countdown to the time that the doomsdayers think the world will end. Note it down, 11:11am. Obviously, the world cannot end at 11:11 for everyone due to timezones so if you're not in the UK/use GMT, then just use Google or another search engine to find the relevant time in your zone - if you want to go to this much effort that is.

19th December 2012

Today has been a slightly lazy day for me. Second of my days off this week so I've made the most of my time by catching up on some lost sleep.

Got out of bed at about 10am, cleaned the fish tank and then fed the cats. We don't have much in for breakfast at the moment so it was jam on toast this morning with a nice milky coffee. The plus side is I get paid tomorrow so I can re-stock on goodies which is nice. I hate the fridges and cupboards being empty so it will be a great feeling seeing those completely full again.

At 2pm, me and Sam had an appointment with the midwife. 25 weeks into the pregnancy now. I forgot to mention that we found out the sex a good 5 weeks ago, we're having a son. He's grown so fast already, and his heart beat is nice and strong which is always reassuring to know. The one thing we're really struggling with is a name for him. We've batted a few names around, checked the baby books and countless websites - we're still 100% stuck. I know we'll reach a decision before he's due though.

After we found out that everything was going fine with the pregnancy, we nipped into town for a  something to eat. It wasn't anything fancy, just a quick McDonalds to offset the hunger. Once satisfied, we made our way home.

Like I said earlier, all in all a pretty lazy day. I just thought I'd slip a post about my life in here at some point. I've covered a lot of news lately and thought it'd be nice to alter the path for just one day. Tomorrow it'll be back to the news.

Thanks for listening!

Instagram listening or backtracking?

Before carrying on any further, take a quick read of Kevin Systrom's recent blog post about the Instagram "sell your photos without permission" fiasco:

http://blog.instagram.com/post/38252135408/thank-you-and-were-listening

What do you think. Genuine confusion or tail-between-the-legs backtrack? I'm struggling with this one but I'm swinging towards the backtrack. Facebook do this all the time. They announce a new policy that will actively affect user privacy then backtrack when said user complains. Seeing as Facebook now own Instagram I would not be surprised if this is a similar tactic.

I'll play it safe and look out for anymore updates.

Does make you think though, doesn't it.

iPhone 5

First things first, this is not a review of the new iPhone. I don't think I have any right to review a product that I don't actually own myself. My girlfriend purchased the iPhone 5 today and so I thought I'd give my brief opinion of the device. I might string some kind of review together once I've had a play with it, or if I ever pick one up for myself.

Personally, I own the iPhone 4 (yeah, retro these days). In fairness, the 4 is still fairly popular and still has a little way to go before meeting it's grave. I love my phone and I'm not quite ready to part with it just yet. It does all I need it to. I don't need a fancy new A6 chip, 8MP camera or 7" screen. The apps I use operate fine with the phone I have.

Visually, the iPhone 5 is stunning. It's a lot thinner, weighs a hell of a lot less and the screen resolution is to die for. Take a look at this beauty:

(Picture from 9to5mac)

I mean, tell me you don't look at that and think, "yeah, it is a good looking piece of kit". Even the Samsung fans should be able to appreciate that the iPhone looks amazing. Likewise, I think the new line of Samsung products (Note II, SIII) are good looking in their own ways.

My contract is up for renewal in May so I'm stuck with my 4 until then. "Stuck" is a harsh word to use though, I do really love my 4 and I'm still in two minds about getting the 5. Currently, I can't justify the £529 price tag - there isn't a massive difference from the 4 (well, not that I would really notice) so, for now, the 4 stays.

Whilst in the Apple store, I did notice that there is an incredibly short supply of accessories at the moment. Bar the Apple made products like the 30-pin adapters and such, it appears that third party manufacturers haven't yet gone full steam ahead into producing the amount of accessories that the 4/4S has at it's disposal. Maybe this is because the 5 is still relatively new, but I would have thought a larger choice of cases, screen protectors, etc would be available by now.

Regardless, my girlfriend seems happy with her new purchase. Just needs to wait for the silly new nano-sim to activate and it'll be all systems go.

If you've got some time, why not leave a comment with your opinion on the iPhone 5. I don't want it getting completely out of hand though, no Samsung vs Apple rivalries please!

Instagram want your soul

So it turns out that Instagram, the online photo sharing website, has updates its Terms and Condition which will allow them exclusive rights to any photo you upload with the intention to sell them to whoever they like. The worrying part about this is they can do it without your consent, and without you even knowing who your photos are being sold to.

The new terms come into effect on January 16th 2013. Any accounts still active by this date will be tied in with the new terms and they cannot opt out. I strongly advise that if you do not want the company to have free reign over your photos, delete it before the 16th January. The new terms state that any account deleted after the 16th could still have it's photos shared, so this is why you must delete it prior to this date if you are not happy with the new terms.

Facebook purchased Instagram in April for a staggering £616m ($1bn). It wouldn't surprise me if the idea for selling the photos to advertisers comes in light of the earlier dip in Facebooks share prices. They have struggled in recent months to keep investors and advertisers happy, especially when the value of the company when floated on the market didn't even scratch the surface on what they initially estimated.

Earlier this month, Facebook stated that they would eventually "monetise Instagram". Is this it?

To me, it is a very draconian way of doing things. It goes completely against everything that Instagram was created for - a free haven for users to actively share their photos to the rest of the world. If you look at rival services, such as Flickr, who offer everything the new Instagram won't, it's hard to see how they will survive.

On the other side of the argument though, some people do state that this is the price of social media. It is a tool to interact with other people so why should we be bothered if the site is sharing our photos. To counter this, I don't think people are bothered if a site shares our photos, as long as we know where they are going, what they will be used for and what safeguards are in place to protect our privacy. Instagram have completely gone against this by not even telling you who is buying or what your photos are being used for.

As far as I can see, neither Facebook or Instagram have commented on this - even though it has caused a massive public backlash.

I'll update the blog if they make any comment.

Pi Life

Okay, so today I went to see The Life of Pi. It's due out on 20th December but I managed to secure some free tickets from showfilmfirst.com. To be perfectly honest I wasn't expecting much. I haven't read the book, nor am I in anyway a religious man but it was free so why not?

The film itself is visually stunning. I am not usually a fan on 3D films. To me, they are a complete waste of money and make your eyes go funny. Unfortunately for me this film was in 3D - luckily the glasses were free! In reality, I am really glad it was in 3D. The tricks it plays on you, the picture coming right out of the screen at you, it was all made extremely well. The 3D effects really make some of the crucial scenes so if it comes out with a choice I would highly recommend choosing the 3D version. You won't regret it.

I'm not one for spoilers so I won't go into too much detail, but basically it's about an Indian boy who becomes stranded at sea with a Bengal tiger and has to discover how to survive. Over the course of the film, you will see Pi struggle with his faith and how he must push himself to the absolute limit in order to continue fighting. It's a brilliant piece of cinema.

What I find most refreshing is Ang Lee (director) chose a completely unknown actor to play the lead role.  Suraj Sharma plays the part of Pi with outstanding professionalism and really shows that he deserves to be there. I genuinely hope he makes the big screen in future. This is exactly what I love, directors noticing young, fresh talent and showing it to the world.

Overall, The Life of Pi is an amazing display and something that should be watched. You can view the trailer for the film below. Feel free to discuss the film or the book below (please keep any conversations clean or comments will be removed).

North Korea Launches Rocket

So, North Korea today decided to launch the rocket that, previously, the UN and practically the whole of Europe condemned. 

Their first launch attempt failed miserably and no doubt embarrassed Kim Jong-Un. I can imagine a similar scene to the below from the film Der Untergang (which you should see if you haven't already done so). Oh, I almost forgot, you'll need to replace Hitler with Jong-Un.

Okay, so maybe Jong-Un doesn't think the war is lost or that he can no longer lead but you get the idea.

Today's launch happened at around 00:40 GMT and apparently followed it's designated path perfectly, dropping used boosters near Japan (which they weren't too impressed with I might add). The USA has since confirmed that something 'new' has appeared in space - maybe these secrecy mad Koreans actually did what they said they were doing.

I have always thought that their public shows of military might have been nothing more than such. I relate it to the Soviet Union during The Cold War. They publicly broadcast videos showing them with hundreds upon hundreds of tanks and aircraft. In reality the vehicles were simply circling around the block off camera and starting from the beginning again. This created the rather powerful propaganda mechanic of scaring the west into believing the Soviets had masses of military presence.

You can read more on this story by visiting the BBC News website. There are other reports out there, I just find the BBC less biased compared to the likes of the Daily Mail and The Sun. You can find the link for the story here.

Panic over

Ah, the guys over at Facebook HQ work quickly don't they. All is well again in the camp and order has been restored.

'tis a shame really, I was really looking forward to the massive media blow out coverage of the downfall of Facebook. Being the media they would have rocketed it well out of proportion - the joys of journalism I suppose.

Regardless, all you avid Facebookers have your mecca back. Go enjoy it.

End of the world?

Oh noes! It appears Facebook has been... eradicated?

Is this the start of the apocalypse people? Be prepared...


More later.

UK Weather

For all of you who don't know, I live in the UK. Our weather can be completely unpredictable and, as of late, has been on the extremely cold side.

It's not the cold in general that I have a problem with, it's all the side effects that occur as a result. Things like more people in cars because they're "too cold" to get a bus - resulting in increased amounts of traffic. This not only wastes my hard earned fuel but it send me nuts. I'm all for people using their cars but come on! if you usually get the bus because it's more cost effective for you, don't clog up my road space with your car when your privates get a little frosty!

On top of this we have the hugely inadequate road system. I pay over £100 a year to this useless government in road tax. What do I get for the privilege?  absolutely nothing, that's what. I swear, if I was given £1 for every pot hole that I'm faced with on a daily basis then i'd be a millionaire, wouldn't have to work and wouldn't need to drive myself thus saving myself all the hassle.

The rest of Europe laugh at us during winter. There Germany is, with a well structured transport infrastructure and here's the UK. The place where a little white fluff grinds the country to a halt. You would have thought we'd have learnt by now. Global warming is not going to go away overnight and our winters have become a lot harsher. We have snowy and icy conditions every year yet nothing is done. My car is always stocked with the necessary in the event of a breakdown in these conditions but there are many people who aren't so prepared - our own government for one. I was stuck in an approximately 5 mile traffic jam the other day, all because a car had skidded in the ice and blocked the entire road. Now maybe this is just me, but if that road had been correctly gritted I wouldn't have been ranting and raving in my car for well over an hour...

Anyway, ranting aside here are the main items we should all be carrying in this horrid winter weather:

• De-icer (some, even myself, dispute the necessity of this item. Usually a good old ice scraper does the trick and you don't get left with any gooey residue on your windows)
• The legendary ice scraper (if you don't have one, buy one! If all else fails, use your credit card. The plus side of this is you won't be able to increase your debts!)
• Spare tyre and the appropriate changing kit (I would recommend a full size, those mini tyres are a waste of time and most new cars don't even have the luxury of one)
• Food (obviously nothing that requires refrigeration, although the icy conditions may well be just as good as a fridge..)
• Water (I've been told off for keeping the plastic bottled water in my car because the ice could make the bottle explode when it freezes. I've never had a problem though. If you are worried about this, just put some water in one of those flasks and seal it tight)
• Blanket (If you're stranded for a while you will definitely need one of these to escape the chill - especially when you haven't got the luxury of the heaters)

The above list is what I would deem absolutely necessary for all journeys during winter. As I'm a massive paranoid weirdo I carry way more than I need but it keeps my mind at rest and I suppose it may all come in handy one day. 

Important: I am not a professional when it comes to this area. Use my list lightly. If you want any further advise, seek professional assistance. Companies like the AA will provide the key info for free.

To finish things off, I'll give you a forecast for the next couple of days. Just to put you in high spirits..

Monday:

A frosty start to the day, then mostly fine and dry with a good deal of sunshine in most areas. Chance of the odd wintry shower in the east. Chilly. Maximum Temperature 5 °C.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Staying largely dry and bright with some sunny spells. Despite this, it will stay cold with widespread overnight frosts and freezing fog patches that may be slow to clear.

(all data from the MET Office website and for the North West of England only. Forecasts for your local area are available from the website at www.metoffice.gov.uk)

Until next time, keep trucking.