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My recent decision to buy a car was not really a voluntary one. I had a small accident in which my almost 20 years old Honda Accord was promptly written off. With such an old car even a small bend and broken headlight is already too expensive to repair, so the insurance decided they better give me $1,500, which was actually a good deal. But it left me without a car.

So shopping for car was in order. This was certainly an undertaking given that I haven’t been following up on cars at all for about 8 years since I bought Honda Accord. I like driving, and do like good cars, I even like fixing the cars to some extent, but I’m no real enthusiast. I don’t read articles on cars; I don’t buy auto magazines or go to auto shows. I also usually do not start a conversation about latest models and features. Similar to a presidential candidate who is seriously “on top of things” only during the campaign — once elected, the interests and priorities change a bit.

Anyhow, I knew I had to do some extensive research in order to be happy about what I’m about to buy. So I did that, and the amount of new information I’ve gathered was even larger than I expected. You know, today’s cars are completely different things than those from 15 or more years ago. Features that did not even exist before became my main focus and motivation.

I spent several days online, just reading whatever I could find. And good thing is that all the car makers have very comprehensive websites where you can find all the information you need including the prices. It actually turned out that the prices I got off of these websites matched perfectly what I got in the dealerships — and that is with all the additions like taxes, AC fee, delivery fee, pre-delivery inspection fee (PDI) and such.

I also read other sources, mostly looking for experience of other people. There are a lot of good resources on the Internet, just do a search and you’ll find whatever you’re looking for — there is so much out there. Some of them I found useful are:

Car Buying Tips: http://www.carbuyingtips.com

An excellent website with the world of information about every aspect of car buying process. It will save you some headaches too.

Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com

Sort of a “traditional” auto portal. Also covers all aspects of the topic — from prices to safety. And, I’ve heard dealers refer to this site.

MSN Autos: http://autos.msn.com

Another general auto portal. I used it a lot when I was comparing specific features of different models — it has a handy comparison little tool.

Automotive.com: http://www.automotive.com

Automobile: http://www.automobilemag.com

These two are also general portals, and I used them mostly to find specifications of older models including my Accord ‘89 for comparison with the new models.

After a few days I arrived to a set of features that I’d like to have:

New car

Or almost a new car. Before I had time to maintain and work on a car myself, but now, with the family and two small kids, I don’t even have the time to think about the car, let alone do some work. And even having a good mechanic is not sufficient. With an old car, there is no mechanic that can guarantee anything — you have to simply accept that you’ll have unexpected problems. Before I was able to take that responsibility, but now, with a family and no time, I can’t. So I needed not only a problem-free car, but also a concern-free car.

Make

I drove domestic, Japanese and German cars before, and thought I’m going to go with Japanese once more. I thought that would give me better probability of a hassle-free car for a good price. I did question this decision during the research, but in the end I stuck to it.

Safety

With the recent car accident I wanted safety above all. Even in a small accident like the one I had, you get to experience very strongly how utterly unprotected we all are on the road. You absolutely don’t need a lot to get killed or injured. And nobody really has to make any mistake, let alone big mistake. One small, almost negligible thing happens, and there you are in a blaze of events ending with a crash.

The guy in front of me stopped short and I was fraction of a moment late to react and kicked him a bit. Not too much — his car didn’t suffer almost any damage except some scratches and dirt on the bumper. But then I started thinking “what if…” thoughts. It was fairly steep downhill, and if it were raining…! If there was a motorcycle in front of me instead of a mini van… If I was going faster and for some reason in a spur of the moment decided to avoid him by switching to other lane (full of cars)… If all of those things happened together… Even now when I think of those things, my stomach aches.

And then later while researching crash tests scores I watched official crash tests videos on the internet. Boy, I would recommend everyone to see at least one or two of those videos — you’ll get much more realistic picture about driving in a car. There are two organizations that perform crash tests and on their websites you’ll find the safety information for many models:

National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA): http://www.safercar.gov

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): http://www.iihs.org

The information on these websites is very educative and complete. It contains the descriptions of the tests, the results for many models and the video clips. You can also find a lot of general info accumulated in the years of research in this area. For example — what is the impact in front, side or rear crashes, how does impact differ for front and rear passengers, how to protect your children, the implications of increasing number of large vehicles (SUVs in particular) on the road (you better buy a bigger car yourself), etc.

The tests videos can also be found (even more of them) by doing a search on the web. A lot of them are posted on YouTube.

So I figured I wanted air bags — not only front ones, but also side and particularly curtain ones that protect rear seat passengers. The side and curtain airbags are not mandatory and they are not standard equipment. Some of the models do not have them even as an option.

ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) was also a must — I hate sudden stops, and if it’s raining or snowing, ABS can help a lot.

Other safety features like active stability control, traction control, active head restraints, car body designed to absorb the impact were also very desirable.

In the end AWD (All Wheel Drive) was something to consider as well.

Space

This was a tricky one. I had controversial requirements. Most of the time we need a small city car — going to work, driving small kids to school, shopping, etc. Only sometimes we’ll go for a longer vacation trip when we need larger trunk. Only sometimes we’ll have parents, relatives or friends visiting when we need at least enough space in the back for two car seats and one or more adults. Only sometimes I’ll need to carry a piece of smaller furniture or such. So should I buy a minivan if 95% of the time it will practically be empty? Or should I buy a small car and not be able even to go for a picnic? This question is actually even now, after I bought the car, still unresolved. Time will show how well I did on this.

Convenience

I did not need or even want things like sun roof, leather seats, body collared and heated mirrors, spoilers and such. Even power this or that wasn’t important to me although I’ve learned that these days a number of even basic models include power options to a good extent. So I figured, I’ll accept it if I have to, what can I do.

Fuel Economy

Very important. Gas prices are going up and the oil wars are going on — need say no more. And over the years that you own a car it adds up. It is actually an excellent idea to calculate the total cost of the car over a number of years (including gas, insurance and other maintenance costs) and use that figure when making the decision. So I wanted the best fuel economy possible — another controversial requirement.

I was actually hoping I’ll find a good diesel car, but in Canada there aren’t many of those since we have pretty high emissions standards so some of the good diesel cars do not qualify. And that is too bad. I rented small VW Polo a few months ago in Europe, and drove 900 km with 1.5 tanks! By specs it spends 4L/100km!! That’s a money saver. And it actually produces such a nice feeling of independence — you drive and drive and drive, and then drive some more, and the tank is still full. So sweet!!

With all these requirements I set off to dealerships one nice weekend. I figured I’ll just go to an auto mall, and browse. I figured later this was really not the best way to approach things. After a whole day of looking at cars and test driving them, you get pretty tired and they all look the same at the end of the day. And after doing that for two whole days I got sick of cars and didn’t want to buy one at all! But on the other hand I did collect a lot of information, and got the first impressions about driving them. Then I let that settle for a while and in the meantime explored options of buying a used car, buying one down-south in US, or in a dealership far away from the city where I could get a better price. Then, of course, I also needed to figure out the best way to pay for the car. Boy, this all takes time. It’s a full-time project. But in the end I had my options laid out and made a decision.

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Read the rest on following pages:

Part Two: How?

Part Three: Models and Makes

Part Four: The Dealers

Michael Thornessen
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/a-car-buying-story-part-one-why-and-what-227540.html

The Jetta SportWagen is a sporty and vibrant wagon version of Volkswagen’s top selling model and has made its official US debut at the New York Auto Show. The Jetta SportWagen is a mixture of European style that combines elegance and sportiness at its best. Its exceptional ride and handling capacity plus its segment-leading safety features along with its unique design makes it a perfect vehicle for people with active lifestyles.

To deliver better performance and value the Jetta SportWagen is going to be offered in three engine options: an upgraded 2.5 liter, five cylinder engine that now delivers 170 horsepower, a 2.0 T four-cylinder engine that produces 200 hp and a 2.0 liter clean diesel engine which is scheduled to hit dealerships in early part of 2008. The 2.5 L Jetta SportWagen will hit dealerships this August and will be followed by the 2.0T four cylinder engine Jetta SportWagen.

The new Jetta SportWagen has also retained the performance and fun—characters that distinguish the Jetta plus add it up with a sporty feel turning it into one unique vehicle. The SportWagen contain a usable cargo room measuring 32.8 cubic feet reaching an impressive 66.9 cubic feet when the rear seat is folded down.

The new SportWagen is ideal for people with active lifestyle that requires for more room. Its optional fold-flat front passenger seat provides additional cargo space. Plus its fold-flat front passenger seat is available with ‘V-Tex’ leatherette seating. And just like its Jetta brother, the SportWagen continues the tradition of providing a long list of standard equipment.

Some of this standard equipment includes: air conditioning, cruise control, anti-theft vehicle alarm, CD player, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, traction control, eight-way adjustable front seats with height, and a height-and-telescoping steering wheel, angle and lumbar support adjustments. The panoramic sunroof is offered as an option for the Jetta SportWagen. This special type of sunroof provides passengers with an impressive 12.7 square feet of daylight or starlight plus an open air connection with the outdoors.

The Jetta SposrtWagen is also equipped with a long list of standard safety features that includes driver and front passenger front airbags, Side Curtain Protection®, driver and front passenger side thorax airbags, and rear-impact optimized head restraints on driver and front passenger seat. The “Side Curtain Protection” is a registered trademark of Volkswagen of America.

Volkswagen of America, Inc. is base in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is subsidiary of Volkswagen AG the manufacturer of top-of-the-line VW hoses and Europe’s largest automaker headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars such as the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg distributed through 600 independent US dealers.

Benjamin Hudson
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/2008-jetta-sportwagen-debuts-at-the-nyias-130124.html

Volvo Cars’ new booster cushion system is the automaker’s gateway to get the World Traffic Safety Symposium awards. The new system from the automaker is engineered to help protect children who have outgrown their toddler seats.

At the 2007 World Traffic Safety Symposium, a panel of judges from the Dept. of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Automobile Association of America Foundation for Traffic Safety, the National Road Safety Foundation, and the New York Police Department Traffic Safety Division awarded Volvo the first prize in the Automotive Manufacturer category for this innovative safety feature. The award stands among three other safety acknowledgements: Public Service, Media Activity and Aftermarket Product Design.

The Swedish automaker has contributed several safety milestones in the industry including the Volvo brake caliper, seat belts, and airbags among many others. The latest, so far, is the booster cushion system which is a combination of the tougher side body structure, load limiting seat belts, inflatable curtain and other reliable parts to deliver a distinctive engineering solution that ensures safety and comfy travel experience. Volvo’s innovation is the world’s first two-step integrated booster cushion. This is why it deserves to receive a prestigious international commendation.

“Our goal is to help protect occupants. This award acknowledges our efforts to help protect our smallest passengers, our children,” noted Thomas Broberg, the Senior Safety Advisor for the Volvo Car Corporation in Sweden. “This new seat, in conjunction with our refinements in side body structure and the inflatable curtain will have a significant reduction in child injuries.”

The seat belt positioning is one of the essential considerations when ensuring safety of children of different heights. Several studies have shown that proper positioning with the use of a booster cushion helps lessen abdominal injuries caused by the child slipping under the seat belt. Field data in several studies supports these findings and stresses the significance of booster seats. Studies point out that the booster be designed to hold the belt snugly across the pelvis or thighs during a frontal impact.

The overall effectiveness of booster seats is estimated as 31 percent as compared to utilizing only a seat belt and as high as 75 percent as compared to no restraint at all. Getting all children of appropriate age and size to use booster cushion delivers a potentially noteworthy safety benefit.

According to a study carried out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 39.5 percent of the 664 children inspected in belt-positioning booster cushion were considered as critical misuse. The most common misuse was improper fitment of the shoulder belt followed by loose belt, improper fit of the lap belt and inappropriate age/fit.

“We took into account the child’s physical size and weight, seat belt misuse, child physiology, along with redesigning our vehicle side body structure and side impact inflatable curtain to come up with this new integrated two-step booster seat,” said Broberg. “There will be better fitment of our three-point seat belt, a wider age and weight range, and better attitude for the child who can now easily see outside with the added benefit of reducing driver distraction. Hopefully we will hear less often: ‘Are we there yet?’”

Glady Reign
http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/world-traffic-safety-symposium-awards-volvo-for-child-booster-cushion-system-134935.html

Being born and living in a country where most of its surface is covered with forests of all kinds, e.g. cloud forests, rain forests, Andean wet forests I have been practicing and developing my tree-climbing techniques in order to get the pictures of the higher zone of these ecosystems. I have to admit that for me (and I guess for any other photographer that has shot in the canopy) it would be most comfortable and easy to just travel by foot searching for wide vistas or stalking wildlife with tripod and camera on my shoulder like one is likely to do in Alaska or, even cozier yet, travelling on a Land Rover over the savanna of Africa but the truth is that getting the images that I want in the country that I live and in the less explored habitats of the world requires overcoming any fear of heights and leaving the very human comfort zone of the ground.

In the Amazon rainforest alone it is believed that between 70-90% of its biodiversity live, travel and coexist in the mid to top levels of the forest. Not only that but going up a tree can give you a pleasant breath of air from the humid forest below, you can even shoot with sunrise and sunset light, a big photographic plus in an ecosystem where several feet below darkness would probably has settled long ago.

THE EQUIPMENT

I’ll talk first about the tree-climbing equipment:

The idea of tree-climbing is that you pass a climbing rope over one or several tree branches of the tree you intend to climb. One end of the rope is tied securely to another tree and the the other end is the one you climb. I use ½ inch. braided rope. I like to have several of these ropes so I can work at different trees in the same area I’m taking pictures at. I have ropes from 90 ft. to 250 ft. which cover basically all the different heights I would like to work at. Here one has to take into account that one needs a rope at least 2 ½ times the length of the intended height since the rope doubles over the tree limb and the angle and knots take away some rope. Having different tree stations allows me to adapt my shooting to the conditions of the place. Many animals have roosting sites where they arrive predictably every afternoon for example so one of my stations surely will be adjacent in order to work in the afternoon and some other station might be better placed to take advantage of morning light.

To support the body I use a standard Petzl harness althought I’m seriously considering getting a seat harness a much more comfortable one in the cases I have to take pictures hanging from the rope.

Climbing a rope requires a mechanical device called the ascender. The harness attaches to the ascender which slides up the rope but when your weight is pulled down it grabs the rope with small teeth that penetrate it. So you need two ascenders: one goes attached to the harness and the other one, fitted with a piece of tubular webbing, allows you to stand up on it and slide the upper ascender up the rope. I use Petzl ascenders.

The last important accesory that you’ll need is a descender. The name says it all: it is used to descend safely through the rope. I have two of these: a figure 8 descender and a rack descender.

Other accessories I use are carabiners, several loops of tubular webbing, cowhide gloves, an etrier (a webbing ladder).

On the next section I’ll talk about the other tools and equipment needed to set the stations.

THE TECHNIQUE

When I first arrive at an area that I plan to photograph I usually don’t go and set up any rope right away. I try to walk the zone for a few days noticing where there are fruiting trees, roosting sites, nests, canopy avenues, rest trees, etc., all places that will attract wildlife at some point during the day hopefully or maybe along the week. Once I have pinpointed a promising tree, I search for larger trees close-by that I can climb safely. Other important points to consider are where the light will come from at any time of day, how clean the view will be (a tree with too many branches will be difficult to work from), whether the species to be photographed is too sensitive to human intrusion, if it is a nest extreme care must be taken so as not to disrupt the cycle), the climbing tree needs to look healthy with sprouting branches at the top.

Once the climbing tree is selected I use a Marksman slingshot adapted with an empty soda plastic bottle pointing forward. Wrapped around the plastic bottle are 300 ft. of 16-pound monofilament. On the loose point of the monofilament I tie a 9-oz. fishing lead sinker. Now it’s just a matter of choosing the best-looking limb of the tree, pointing the slingshot with the sinker and letting go of the mono. Hopefully after a few tries I will have passed the singer and mono over the chosen branch and the sinker will be on the ground at the other side. I now clip the sinker off and tie to this point of the monofilament a 300 ft. curtain cord. Then I pull the mono back to the bottle while the other side with the curtain cord starts going up. Once I have the point of the cord in my hands I repeat the process above but this time I tie the climbing rope to the curtain cord. At the end, I will have the climbing rope over the selected limb. I tie one end of the rope on another strong tree nearby with a double bowline knot.

THE STATION

Although platforms are more comfortable to use up in a tree since I can use my tripod and even sleep on them I usually don’t build them for several reasons: if I am working at a national park or reserve I would probably would need to get a permit, something that I think will probably be denied, I would also need a lot of wood planks which would require carrying for some distance, I think the tree suffers much less with less nails, if the platform is at a place where I don’t plan to return too often all the effort in building a platform will be lost; instead the following method has proved very practical, fast and efficient to my needs.

I prefer to set up my photo station right at the fork formed by the main tree trunk with a secondary strong branch. This is so I can sling my hanging fabric seat from every side easily.  Once I arrive at the fork the first thing I do is to nail two traverse logs on every side of the fork. These logs will support the camera/lens via a Bogen Manfrotto Super Clamp and my Graf Studioball ballhead. I then sling my seat at the appropiate height on the fork so as to let me maneuver my camera in a sitting position; this seat is very important since many times I spend up to 12 hours up in a tree and to be standing up all the time would be too tiring. Afterwards, sometimes (depending on the subject tameness) I pin two 6 ft. x 3 ft. pieces of camo fabric on every side of the station to act as a blind. Once all the station is set up I can bring up my equipment which I have tied to the end of the rope. The whole bag is secured with carabiners and webbing loops. It’s very important to have everything, including you, tied to an anchor point in the tree. I have dropped many things from up there and finding them in one piece is a miracle. Changing lenses carefully is specially important since you don’t have any surface to place them; I carry two waist packs, one of them empty, so I can easily put away lenses, filters and accessories.

Before you try tree-climbing I advise you to take a course on techniques and safety. Once you have gained confidence in the process you will be rewarded by magnificent vistas and great images from the canopy.

Carlos Sastoque Photography

Tree climbing

Carlos Sastoque
http://www.articlesbase.com/visual-art-articles/at-the-canopy-tree-climbing-techniques-for-photographers-715660.html

Japanese automaker Subaru is known for its mass produced four-wheel drive automobiles. The company is also known for its success in the World Rally Championship. The company’s foray in the sport may be known for the stint of the legendary Colin McRae in the team. But recently, Subaru opened eyes in the auto industry after a Subaru Forester saved a driver’s life.

Matthew Scott, 28, of Anchorage Alaska was involved in an accident on his Subaru Forester and he credited the vehicle for saving his life. Scott said that he does not remember much about the potentially fatal accident. He is now recovering from his injuries to the head and torso. Doctors though are confident that Scott will make a full recovery.

The victim said that he bought his 2003 Subaru Forester compact crossover SUV for its safety features. He said that he feels that his choice of a vehicle paid off. With safety features in place, the Subaru Forester protected Scott adequately.

The crossover owned by Scott looks as if it was what Robert Kubica was driving at the Canadian Grand Prix. The crossover is totaled after it was hit on the side by a car driven by a man trying to elude the authorities. By looking at the crushed Subaru Forester, it is hard to fathom how Scott was able to survive the crash. The crossover is a complete wreck with its Subaru engine parts scattered around the area of the accident.

Scott though did not walk away unscathed from the accident as his spleen was removed due to extensive injuries. His stomach and his back also received punishment as the impact totaled his crossover. Although he may have suffered such injuries, Scott and Lt. Steven Hebbe of the Anchorage Police Department both think that Scott is still lucky.

“Could have been much worse,” said Hebbe which Scott would no doubt agree with. “It looks like he hit the front of the Subaru on the driver’s wheel, and to the front of the vehicle. If he’d hit square into the driver door, you know, I think we could have seen a fatality of that driver as well,” added the lieutenant.

According to Scott, he bought the car for its safety features, most especially for its side curtain airbags. Although a side curtain airbag is not enough to protect a vehicle’s occupant from serious injuries, it appears that it was enough to save Scott’s life during the accident.

Subaru Sales Consultant David Donahue said that Scott’s thinking when he bought the Forester is few and far between among auto buyers. “It’s still something that’s really being used more as a sales pitch,” confided Donahue. “You don’t get very many customers coming in saying, ‘Hey, I want to ensure that the vehicle I’m purchasing has side curtain air bags.”

Side airbags have been available on mass produced cars for over ten years now. Sadly though, it was only a few years back when automakers made them standard or optional equipments for their vehicles. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 45 percent of vehicles for the 2007 model year are equipped with head and chest side impact airbags as standard equipments. Ten percent of the 2007 model year vehicles offer these safety features as optional features meaning consumers would have to shell out more for the extra protection. Sadly, 21 percent of 2007 model year vehicles are still not equipped with any form of side impact airbags.

Anthony Fontanelle
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/subaru-forester-saved-drivers-life-180138.html

On this cold winter, would you like to make your family feel double warm when they back home? At this hard time that we are suffered with a sudden drop in temperature, to spend more brains to change the soft furnishings in your home and to create a warm variation in your House.

Living Room

To replace all the cool coats of sofa cushions, and pack them with cases in warm-colors that matched with the color of sofa, thus the cold atmosphere in the living room will be driven away at once.

Bedding Room

Remove the light elegant window curtain and hang up a red chenille curtain, which could produce warm feelings in your bedding room right away. Furthermore, your could put a soft texture teddy bear on the bed, or deck the bedside with some decorations in warm color, and your bedding room will full with warmth immediately.

In general, the bedroom need to furnished with beddings in warm colors, but if the bedroom has already been decorated with a very warm curtain, there could be some breakthroughs on the selection of bedding items on the contrary, for example, you may choose some elegant color tones that popular in nowadays, such as patterns of pink flowers, which could bring your bedding room fresh vitality that alive and kicking.

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com)
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/in-this-winter-to-create-a-home-full-of-warm-with-soft-decorative-furnishings-683508.html

“The Pigeon Detectives” are a five-piece indie rock band from Rothwell, Leeds in England. The Pigeon Detectives are Matt Bowman (Vocals), Oliver Main (Guitars and Backing Vocal), Ryan Wilson (Guitar and Backing Vocal), Dave Best (Bass and Backing Vocal) and Jimmy Naylor (Drums and Backing Vocals). Their music genre are mainly alternative rock, indie rock and garage rock revival and they are signed to Leeds based independent record label Dance To The Radio. Their funny band name? Honestly, i don’t think it’s funny, it’s very unique instead. Speaking of it and according to NME, Drummer Jimmi Naylor stated that he has never like the name, but it grew on him and The Pigeon Detectives started to gain attention due to the silly name. He even mentioned that, “It came from an Australian guy who we met at the Leeds Festival.

Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives is a great successor to its predecessor, Wait For Me. For some, it might even sound better than Wait For Me. It’s kind of funny that you find that The Pigeon Detectives are in some ways, a cross between The Futureheads and The Libertines. The Pigeon Detectives have the raw energy of The Futureheads and the killing guitar hooks of The Libertines. Well The Pigeon Detectives are relatively still new, with only Emergency being their second album, but i’m pretty sure they have a steady growth of fans.

Emergency begins with the guitar-packed “This Is An Emergency”. Matt Bowman can be heard singing, “Don’t make me go, don’t make me go home…” This Is An Emergency is the type of song where it started quiet and slow, eventually when everything is right, it got louder and all the rest of The Pigeon Detectives joined in with, “This Is An Emergency…”. Heavy guitar playing can be heard throughout this track. Definitely a guitar fan will love this track. It may not be the best opening to an album, but hey, This Is An Emergency is good enough to get you asking for more from The Pigeon Detectives.

The second track on Emergency is called “I’m Not Gonna Take This”. It’s a fast tempo track with some fast and start-stop guitar playing. Matt sings, “And im not gonna take it, cause im so sick and tired of you lying, and im not sure if you’re trying for me anymore…” I can see that Matt is frustrated of being lied to over and over again, thus a slight anger can be heard in Matt’s voice. At certain points in I’m Not Gonna Take This, the guitar is being played in a way that it resembles the sound of Indian music where it’s used to control and even hypnotize a snake to perform a snake dance… Perhaps The Pigeon Detectives already got me hypnotized.

“Keep on Your Dress” has a somewhat unique opening to it. Remember a movie which starred Sandra Bullock and called “Ms.Congeniality”? If you can recall, she has a very special talent in that movie, which is making some whistling sound by hovering her hands or palms over half water-filled glasses. Well, Keep On Your Dress has this special sound to it in the beginning. This song is a catchy pop rock ballad which i believe everyone will find it a good listen, especially the guitar which has a hook that is so good.

“Don’t You Wanna Find Out” is another track on Emergency which has some really heavy guitar work and play on it. At times, i find it such a cheerful and happy pop song, especially when Matt goes, “When the sun comes up, there’d be nothing wrong, cause i will be away from you…” Anyone who have not heard of The Pigeon Detectives can start to understand them with Don’t You Wanna Find Out. I thought to myself, don’t you wanna find out more about The Pigeon Detectives?

I like the beginning of “I’ll Be Waiting”, where what sounded like a lazy guitar can be heard until Matt came in with his hyped voice, “I know you think you’re so much better, and we used to get on fine together, now i don’t think that will work, you want to see me in the dirt…” The chorus is even better, together with some light guitar and bass playing, Matt again goes, “I’ll be waiting for you, when you wanna go? When you wanna go?” Honestly, I’ll Be Waiting is such a simple song with some really catchy rhythm and hooks, but things really change, i find myself kind of like this song. Sometimes, it’s simplicity that works like magic.

“She’s Gone” is full of catchy and energetic guitar riff. Whenever i listen to this song, i can imagine that The Pigeon Detectives are having fun with this track. When the chorus comes in, the guitar playing in the background was really good. One of the reasons that The Pigeon Detectives can make it so big is definitely their catchy and ambitious guitar riffs.

“Nothing To Do With You” is a short lovely ballad. In this lovely song, you will discover another side of The Pigeon Detectives. By now you’d have already known that The Pigeon Detectives are awesome with guitars. But Nothing To Do With You expose another side of The Pigeon Detectives. Performed acoustically with the help of acoustic guitars, Matt showed us that he’s equally good even if on acoustic session.

“I’m A Liar” gets it on with start-stop bass line and some guitars which echoed like the sound of reggae. The chorus of I’m A Liar is splendid indeed. Matt goes, “papapa padapa, papapa padapa, i only came here, ’cause I hinder you drinking, darling..” This track is really full of some serious guitar sounds, including the high pitched solo guitar riffing session after the second chorus. I’m A Liar is loud and fun. It wouldn’t be long when you find yourself liking this song. Some serious guitar hooks here.

Emergency continues with “You Don’t Need It”, which its guitar really has some resemblance to those of The Strokes. At first listen to You Don’t Need It, The Pigeon Detectives already got me wanting for more. I just like the whole guitar riffs that were going on throughout this track. Before verse, during verse, during chorus and after chorus. And the rest of The Pigeon Detectives came in and joined the fun and went, “You have me come and go and I just don’t know where I stand, how could you think about me when you’re with another man, oh you don’t need it!..” I wish i can join in as well.

“Say It Like You Mean It” is such a cheerful and happy tune. A fast tempo track where The Pigeon Detectives play at their best. Fast and loud guitar riffs everywhere on this track. The verse of this track is really something. It has the quality to make me wanna sing along as well. If i’m not mistaken, i think Matt is trying to tell a girl to say whatever she was trying to express, thus the lyrics, “Why don’t you say it like you mean it?” This is definitely a track not to be missed if The Pigeon Detectives were to perform live, and you would enjoy this track even on a recording CD version as well. Happy listening.:-D

The title of “Love You For A Day (Hate You For A Week)” is very appealing and after listening to the first track on Emergency, i straight away hit the No.11 button to listen to this track. You see, the title that you chose played a big role as well. Imagine that this track were to be called just “Love You For A Day”. Wouldn’t that be too common for a title? Smart title choice by The Pigeon Detectives. This song is about a couple’s break-up and again, the main instrument that can be heard in Love You For A Day (Hate You For A Week) is guitar. But it’s really good, The Pigeon Detectives know how to play the guitar in style. There are some singing parts in this track that make me wanna sing along as well.

“Making Up Numbers” is yet again another track that contains some heavy guitar riffs. Kind of reminds me Guns and Roses. Every Sentence that Matt sings is followed by some heavy guitars. There’s a catch here in the lyrics, “What the f*ck are we doing here? I’ve made my intentions clear, we should get out while we can.” Seriously if you just read the sentence above, you would know what it means. However, if you look at the lyrics as a whole, it’s hard to understand. Even myself doesn’t get it. Making Up Numbers sounds like another couple’s break-up song yet again. Not a bad effort!

For the first part of “Everybody Wants Me - Draw The Curtain (Hidden Track)”, Everybody Wants Me is sort of catchy with its steady guitar, drums and tempo. It tells the story of a man where he was popular back then when he was young, everybody just wants him.. But he has only one person in his heart. Oh ya, the bass on this track was quite an impression as well. When Draw The Curtain comes alive, it just gets better. Draw The Curtain is an ancoustic track which i think was quite remarkable. The reason i said so? You’ll know when you listen to it. The best part is when The Pigeon Detectives sing together in a band. It’s like they’re having fun with Draw The Curtain as you can hear them laughing and whistling at the end of the track. The end with a happy note!:-D

Rating: Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives is full of energetic guitar riffs. From high pitched ones to those steady hooks. I bet they would leave us all worn out if we were to see them live in a gig or concert. The Pigeon Detectives really make guitars their best friends, with every single track, almost every one of it has some catchy and trademark hooks to it. Considering Emergency is produced less than one year after their debut, they have made Emergency as catchy as possible to whet their fans’ appetite. Even for new fans of The Pigeon Detectives, most likely they’ll have a good impression on Emergency. However to be honest, i find most of their songs forgettable. The Pigeon Detectives are still relatively new, time will tell whether they’ll evolve and grow together as an indie rock band! My rating for Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives would be 6.2 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Don’t You Wanna Find Out, She’s Gone, You Don’t Need It, Say It Like You Mean It and Everybody Wants Me - Draw The Curtain (Hidden Track).

Cheers! 

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

Darren Tan
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/music-review-of-emergency-by-the-pigeon-detectives-703780.html

Bland tiling patterns, out-dated fixtures, lack of storage area.. if any of these scenarios describe your current bathroom, fear not!  Remodeling your bathroom does not need to be that expensive, time-consuming vision that you might have conjured up in your mind.  In fact, redoing your bathroom can be done in an extremely affordable manner with a minimal price.  Of course, as with everything, you’ll only get out of it what you put into it.

While redecorating any area of the House seems to have become quite a popular hobby these days, it does not need to be an activity that breaks the bank.  Many of us are living on a strict budget due to current financial strains; however, the present economic state need not dictate the way we choose to live our lives or spend our dollars.  Some people may consider beginning with the bathroom as starting small.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  Enhancing a bathroom with unique accessories can deliver a powerful impact and make an immediate bold statement within your home.

Start with a shower curtain.  Sure, many of today’s updated homes are built with sliding glass doors, but for those of us without that luxury, we’ll always have the trusty water stopper to look toward.  Simply choose a shower curtain with a color scheme or pattern that ties in existing hues or designs within your bathroom.  Adding such a simple yet unique accessory can easily add new character and flair to your bathroom.

From the shower curtain, consider moving onto a bath set.  Bath sets typically include a contour rug for around the base of the toilet, an accent rug to place outside of your shower or bathtub, and a matching toilet seat cover.  Because these are often sold in sets, you may also be lucky enough to find a matching shower curtain to pair with the set.  Choosing bath rugs that are soft to the touch are a good option – especially if you live in a colder climate.  Stepping onto a warm surface upon exiting the shower is one of those little things that can start your day on the right foot, literally and figuratively.

Once you’ve selected your shower curtain and bath set, you might want to look into finding some uniquely designed bath accessories to fill out the theme in your bathroom.  Bathroom accessory sets are also a popular item nowadays.  Accessory sets often include a lotion dispenser, soap dish, tumbler, toothbrush holder, and tissue box among several other bath items.  These bath accessories can often be found with unique themes as well as in simple elegant and modern finishes.  Ensuring that these bath accessories complement your shower curtain and bath set will easily give you decorating direction with your bathroom.

As you can see, remodeling a bathroom does not need to mean re-gutting and resurfacing your existing structure.  So long as you follow your budget, you’ll be able to economically redecorate your bathroom.  Changing your shower curtain, and updating your bath sets and bathroom accessory sets every so often will help add a fresh new look to your bathroom at an extremely affordable price.  

Visit <a href=”http://www.popularhomecollections.com”>Popular Home Collections</a> for more information on how to redecorate your bathroom on a budget.

Suz C
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/redecorating-your-bathroom-on-a-budget-734845.html

Today, every individual strives to attain the maximum level of luxury in the routine household activities. All of us want to procure as many accessories as possible that will add some comfort and class to our daily activities. Be it the bath area, kitchen or other sections of the Household, there are various accessories which are now available for the convenience of the common man.

Out of all the areas in the household, the bath area is one of the most used portions. In the present, the market offers a vast range of accessories and products that help organize and beautify your bath area in a much better fashion than before. One of the most modern and popular bath accessory is the Shower Curtain W/Pockets. This wonderful accessory has been designed in a way that you can go in for the shower curtain either along with the pockets or without them. To make it easier for the common man, this novel accessory is now easily available through the internet.

It is always very helpful if you can have some space very close to your bath area where you can accommodate your bath accessories and other items of use. This makes it very convenient for the user as he can have an access to all the essential items, literally at an arm’s distance. This unique Shower Curtain W/Pockets has been designed with such storage areas and pockets for your convenience. You can easily house a number of items of use such as the shower gel and the scrubber in this curtain.

The pockets have been designed as such that these can accommodate accessories and items of various shapes and sizes for your convenience. These spacious pockets are made of such fabric that it can even hold heavy bath accessories or rods with ease. You can simply stack items like your shampoo bottles, bath oils and others to make them easily available to you while you have your bath.

In addition, this Shower Curtain W/Pockets is made of such material that makes it very easy to hold these accessories. Besides, the fabric ensures that the curtains and the pockets do not get spoiled as they get repeatedly wet. Apart from being practical, this Shower Curtain W/Pockets bears a highly fashionable and attractive look to add a touch of class to your bath area.

Online shopping has made it very easy for every individual to purchase these products from the convenience of their homes. All you have to do is to view the various features and costs of these items offered by various websites and order as per your choice. However, before you order, you must confirm the identity of the online merchant. If possible, you should try and locate the signs and symbols that prove the security and authenticity of the website or the online merchant. As a precautionary measure, it also helps to maintain printed records of your online transactions for future reference.
In today’s modern times, practical bath accessories such as the Shower Curtain W/Pockets are indeed one of the best additions you can make to your bath area.

Hunter Pyle
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/how-to-beautify-and-organize-your-bath-area-99116.html

The European Green Belt initiative aims to create an ecological reserve that runs from the Barents to the Black Sea, spanning some of the most important habitats for biodiversity in Europe.

By following a course that was in large sections part of the former East-West frontier – one of the most divisive barriers in history – it symbolises the global effort for cross-border nature conservation and sustainable development. The Iron Curtain Way, as wags are beginning to call it, will focus on some of Europe’s most impressive and fragile landscapes and will also increase opportunities for the socio-economic development of local communities.

The Green Belt

The Green Belt connects national parks, nature parks, biosphere reserves and cross-boundary protected areas, as well as non-protected areas along or across borders, running for more than 8,500 kilometres from the border between Norway and Russia on the Barents Sea in the north to the Albania-Greece border on the Adriatic. The Green Belt is known for its high density of protected areas – more than 3200 can be found within a 25 km zone on either side of the borders.

It will not be a consistent strip, but rather a series of core areas, corridors and stepping stones, linking a string of important habitats – a ‘string of pearls’ – some a few kilometres wide, others not even 30 metres. In most places along the Green Belt, the areas on both sides of the borders are not homogeneous, but comprise several habitats, grassland fallow and wetlands, mature woodlands, wilderness areas and man-made landscapes. Linking the areas is tremendously important for migrating species such as wolves, bears, lynx or amphibians and birds.

Former Iron Curtain

Along the length of the former Iron Curtain were military training areas, arsenals, airstrips, tank strips and waste deposits. These military areas were often depopulated and taken out of regular economic activity for 50 years or more, thus sustaining no intensive agriculture, no residential building, no quarrying or

mining, no hydrological changes and no use of fertilizers. Natural processes such as river erosion and sedimentation and the accumulation of dead wood in forests could take place unhindered. As a consequence, otherwise endangered species continue to thrive here, including wild orchids, fish otters and black storks.

On the other hand, long-term use of military areas led to a significant contamination of parts of the land and of groundwater. It is important to investigate the state of these lands, lest they pose a danger to nature or animal or human health in future. Area that was farmed or cultivated was often subject to different methods of management, which are still visible in the landscape. The Green Belt initiative aims to stop privatization and land speculation from doing irreversible damage to natural habitats and at the same time leaving local people without opportunities for self-determined development.

European Cooperation

Wonderful ideal, hard to put into practice. Cooperation between the 12 or more countries that abut the old frontier may take some time, as well as careful planning and diplomacy. The initiative’s objectives range from the local to the global, so the route of the Green Belt is divided into three regional sections for the purposes of organization :Fennoscandia and the Baltic; Central Europe; and South Eastern Europe.

How long will it be since we can walk the length of the Green Curtain? Some years, although parts of it, particularly in Germany, are well under way. The project has the modest goal of providing ‘a useful contribution to the commitments made by countries to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010’. It is certainly a space to watch.

To find the best holidays to these regions, look for the UK-based operator AwimAway (020 7430 1766, www.awimaway.com) that offers adventure and experiential holidays around the world, customized to suit your desires and your budget.

Harish Kohli
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/turning-the-iron-curtain-green-140648.html