A drinking schedule

You probably realised this a long time ago, so I apologise for boring you; but if you didn't know this, maybe you'll be interested as I was.

English people (maybe others too) have a very precise timetable for drinking their daily caffeine. Many people who I have asked have told me that the follwing is their daily routine, so if anyone says "do you want a cup of tea or coffee?", then they will always know the answer without thinking.

When you wake up: tea
The rest of the morning: coffee
Immediately after lunch: coffee
The rest of the afternoon: tea
After dinner: coffee
The rest of the evening: varies I think, it's unusual to have coffee late at night, so maybe a tea or even a fruit tea, though I may be wrong

Having found this from many people, I remembered that in the materials department, they sell coffee in the morning (unless you ask for tea, as I do) and tea in the afternoon, which backs up my findings.

Is the system I have described accurate or complete? Please send you comments and corrections, as I am not sure

I am weird on this score... I only drink tea anyway, so I never have to choose!

Advice #6

Eat your greens!

An Iranian Perspective

I was speaking to an Iranian man a week or so ago, when the sailors were taken by Iran. I don't know what actually happened to the sailors or who was right, and I didn't bring up the subject at the time although I was tempted...
Anyway, we were discussing the weather and he said

"these dayes Iran is like your contry"

I just don't know whether that is true in more ways than simply the weather...

Cardigans Update

It emerged on the Cardigans website that the band have postponed work on a new album indefinitely because Nina does not want to do it. I am very disappointed about that, considering that their last two albums have been very special and it would be nice to see the band progress further.

Magnus (the bassist) writes an "Ask the band" section on their website and made the announcement on the 11th of this month. Obviously any comments are from his side of things, and there have been arguments between Nina and Magnus before, notably that they both wanted to write lyrics for the songs on Gran Turismo. But I believe they have been on good terms for a few years now so the news should be reliable from Magnus.

The details from Nina's point of view are that she would like some time off and may even record an album with her solo project "A Camp", which produced an album in 2001, also called "A Camp". I have not heard the whole album, but I believe it carries on the progression between the spooky Gran Turismo and the more relaxed, country-music-influenced Long Gone Before Daylight. Anyway, recently Nina has been very busy. She had an acting role in the film "Om Gud Vill" (God Willing) last year, has done several fundraisers, has featured in the next Manic Street Preachers single called "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" (out on April 30th) and has done a book reading of one of her favourite books ("the 1978 feminist classic "Crème Fraîche" by Danish author Suzanne Brøgger" - I quote the cardigans website). She has achieved all this since last year (they toured for their last album until the Autumn).

The rest of the band were ready to start rehearsing and recording, so I guess they are as disappointed as me. They all have lives and families though, so they'll find things to do. Magnus has his solo project Righteous Boy to continue if he wants to.

Maybe a longer break will make them fresh again to change their style as they have done throughout their careers. I'm still looking forward to the next album, and hoping there will be one.

Advice #5

Look before you leap

Actually, if you want an interesting life, don't look every now and again and see what happens

The environment, Part I

I am at home from university for a couple of weeks, which means coming out into the countryside. I go out walking the dog, which means I can enjoy the fresh air and think at the same time...

I want to save the environment, and a lot of people think like me. I look at the countryside, and I think it's a shame that even in the countryside, every square inch is managed farmland or there for some economic purpose.

I do my best not to leave things on that use up power - all those things on stand-by get turned off if I am away for any length of time. I get very frustrated that you can only get rid of stand-by on some things by turning them off at the wall. For instance, my stereo is plugged in behind a chest of drawers, so it's very difficult to turn off completely. And there are lots of things we can do, like using public transport instead of a car, and recycling.

I think the best thing we can do for the environment is to put money into researching "green technology". I'd love all our power to be wind power, solar power, or even nuclear fusion in future. And if we can do that, we can produce hydrogen with no costs to the environment, for all these hydrogen cars and things.

There is no doubt in my mind that environmental problems are real. Global warming is real, over-fertilistion leading to eutrophication is real, pollution is real, the hole in the ozone layer is a real problem, extinctions and loss of habitats are real problems. And the list goes on.

I would like to see some section of the world that is unaffected by humans so we know what it would be like, and because I find that beautiful. Just seeing the birds, rabbits and foxes in the hedgerows and fields is a great experience, and I am pleased to be able to experience it. It is something worth protecting.

Advice #4

Don't boil your head - it'll hurt if you do