Hanging by a wire

(Many maps to one target.)

More progress is underway on getting the Fića to the stage it should have been a year and a half ago. However, the further along I go, the more things complicate themselves.

Some weeks ago, I set to erasing all traces of that cheap, peeling, and haphazardly glued-on gutter trim. Taking the unworthy plastic off proved incredibly satisfying – not unlike liberating a parasite from its undeserving host – and culminated with a swift toss of the wannabe-shiny-stuff into my trash can. It was so swift that I forgot to take a picture...

Review: 2011 Ford Edge Limited

Even those allergic to materialism will agree that the sensation of buying a new gadget feels indescribably incredible. Even when the item in question is a lowly Kindle, the ecstasy experienced when taking the device out of the box and seeing it for the first time engages you like few other things do.

In the last little while and within days of each other, an alarming proportion of my friends all treated themselves to an iPhone 4. I wonder if they coordinated, just to mess with my mind…

While the existence of a minor conspiracy is debatable, what’s certain is that they all experienced the ‘new gadget high’ very recently.

Review: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Comfortline

I don’t suppose you’ve ever spent much time considering the phenomenon of wind erosion. It’s actually quite fascinating.

It’s among the Æolian processes – named for the Greek god Æolus, keeper of the winds – which entail the wind’s ability to shape the surface of the Earth. This includes the transportation and depositing of materials, and erosion. While water is a much more powerful eroding force than wind is, wind erosion is very important in dry climates such as deserts.

Las Vegas, Wrap-up

(One must see the other side to get the whole picture.)

When contemplating the city, a comparison between it and LA first sprung into mind. LA is known for similar chaos and similar depletion of bank accounts, albeit in very different manners. Both are very famous cities (and they are about a four-hour drive away from each other), the most famous parts of both are as flashy as things can get, and both have the same wax museum (LA's is better, though)... Yet, they are two very different cities.

Wherever you go in LA, you can't escape the film industry. There is a sense of undeserved self-importance in the air – like the fetor of real celebrities, incidentally – that actually degrades the image of the city. Nobody wants to be around useless people who think they are important.

Las Vegas, part III

(The lights fight with the night for your eye's attention.)

In spite of the kitsch and false sensation of feeling important, it's all worth seeing, if nothing else but for its creativity. There's life in the city, after all, and there's a huge amount of things to do: for instance, the nightly shows by world-famous DJ's, comedians, and other artists and performers.

There is also every conceivable type of food known to mankind, and some of it is actually high-quality and authentic...

Las Vegas, part II

(The dancing fountains of Bellagio.)

Las Vegas has something to offer to everyone, both off and along the Strip. As a result, you will inevitably find yourself taking in the man-made sights that South Las Vegas Boulevard has to offer.

That's not counting all the free entertainment that is available right on the Strip itself, not limited to a talking tree. Imagine running into that one while drunk.

If you have heard of West Edmonton Mall, multiply it by ten in your head. That's how much each major casino-resort along the Strip has to offer. And there are about thirty of those.