Formula 1 at the Olympics

I watched the opening ceremonies yesterday for the 2006 Turino Olympics. As is often the case, the ceremonies showcased the culture of the host nation; in this case, Italy.

Most of the display was very artistic, and I was beginning to worry that they would never get down to business and show off the finest thing to ever come out of Italy: the Ferrari.

Fortunately, the Italians did not disappoint. Part way through the ceremony, a beautifully painted Ferrari Formula 1 car made an appearance and displayed its awesome performance. Only in Italy can performance motoring be logically displayed alongside fine arts; the Ferarri looked right at home in the Olympic stadium.

watch the video

For those of you who have never seen and heard a real Formula 1 car revving its engine as it does in the video, I want you to appreciate that the sound being emitted by the car is absolutely deafening. Formula 1 cars are extremely loud, and even at idle, that sole car would be shaking the bones of every person in that stadium. Awesome. Don't thank me. Thank Ferrari.

Drinking Swamp Water

Today, whilst sitting in my office at work, I noticed that a thin layer of slimy junk had formed on the inside of the water bottle that I suckle on every day. I haven't washed it in a little while (and when I say 'a little while', I mean months), so I'm guessing that this residue has been precipitating out of the water for the last couple of months.

Can you say, 'yummy'?!

I don't know what the sludge is. It's probably a pleasant brew of all the bacteria and chemicals that live in my city's water supply. I've probably been consuming the stuff for quite a while; I don't often audit the cleanliness of my drinking apparatus.

If I'm lucky, I bet I've been building up an immunity to bacteria and filth for the last couple of months as the grossness in my bottle slowly developed. Such an immunity would make a nice addition to the collection of other things my body easily resists. Let's just say that I've accidentally ingested my fair share of antifreeze, engine oil, grease and anything else that rains on you while you take cars apart.

Or, maybe I've been slowly poisoning myself.

Either way, I'm washing it tonight.