Your name carved - on a kitchen door

Last week I was driving along the British countryside with Tom, an English guy who works with me. I was a bit hungry so I asked him if he knew any typical place where to eat something, and this is how I ended up at the Three Compasses pub on Lower Stock Road in Essex.
We had very nice fish and chips with an ale beer, and then before leaving my attention was hit by the kitchen door and this woodden plate with the full list of the pub innkeepers since its foundation in 1738.
This left me just a bit puzzled about the meaning of what we do, and how it is affecting future generations. Not many people are remembered for so a long time thanks to what they've done, while usually (and rightly) the most noticeable ones are those who really excelled in their fields or did something unique, like crossing the Atlantic first. Few or no one at all are remembered for having been a postman, a good employee, a car dealer or a barman.
But the people who run this pub decided that keeping it alive is enough for having one's name recorded forever, for enchantment of the visitors of the present and of the future like us.

Winter quilt: Italy vs China

Last week it started being a bit cool at home, so I went out in search of a quilt. I made a quick search on the yellow pages, but as Ikea was on the way home I stopped there while coming back from work.
Usually I always tried to avoid Ikea and the idea of "one same home for all", so I entered the shop suspiciously while telling myself: I swear that I won't get out of here with a Chinese quilt, even if it would mean to go get an Italian one at 300€ in a proper shop!
But then I had a look at each single quilt and found out that while the synthetic ones were made in East Europe, all the feather ones (which we wanted) were coming from duck eating China. So you may well think that I turned back and walked out of Ikea.
But... not quite, because then price stepped in: a double bed feather quilt was 35€ only!!!
So what did I do?
I'm sure you already know.
The battle against China is every day harder.
Sleep sweet dreams,
Nic

Sleeping in the Camera Obscura

Many, if not everyone, at least one time will have heard of the camera obscura.
Few, nearly no one, have ever woke up in such a magic thing.
But this is what happened to Sara and me just a couple of days ago, when we opened our yes in the morning and noticed a coloured shadow on the wall. So we stood up and checked with our eyes that the coloured spot was actually the building in front of ours but, as you know, turned upside down.
With the whole room in the darkness, all the light was just passing through a little hole at the top of the shutters and it was so unexpected that really looked magic.
We were so amazed by this thing that we'd have liked to stay for hours to watch this, but the day was calling and we had to move on.
Anyhow now we know that we're sleeping in the Camera Obscura, and every sunny day this beautiful show will be on air again.

Holes in shutters for everybody!

Nic & Sara

Collateral murder

Another shocking video from Iraq war.

The story of stuff

Here we go again.
This time I've found another video about the lifecycle of things that looks interesting. It lasts 20 minutes but I still didn't watch it, so I'm recommending to try something without having experienced it yet!
You can log to the Story of stuff internet site here and play the interactive video or you can download the film here.

Have fun,

Nic