Credibility?

OK, I'm done with the 3rd person junk, fun as it was.
This post is intended to introduce you to the real me, all of me, both sides of the coin.

Firstly my professional life - with important details left out, names changed, and stunt men used for the dangerous stuff.

Obviously I cant tell you all the really interesting bits relating to diesel engine design because my competitors might be reading. Loose lips sink ships, and get Phil fired. The highlights though might let you get a sense of my experiences and hopefully lend me some credibility.

Ive worked on Internal combustion engines for 10 years now (sometimes we call then infernal combustion engines). You'd think that after 100+ years of developments there wouldn't be much left for me to do. That would be the case if it wasn't for our good old friends the EPA. Much of modern engine development is focused on meeting new emission standards to keep your lungs clean. Ive worked on Diesel engines and Natural gas engines that are used in a variety of applications and over broad size range. From Marine, Electric power generation, Military applications, mining and construction equipment, pumps, drills, chippers, shredders, shovels, trains, planes and automobiles - Ive been involved with them all. And from 600cc up to over 100 liters in total displacement, from single cylinders to 24 cylinders and from a 30hp to over 3000. I cant tell you who I work with, or what I'm doing now but this line of work does give me some insight into the technology involved in extracting earths resources, and the engines do a bit of consuming too. Obviously designing engines that burn diesel fuel means you learn a bit about fuel, where it comes from and what the future might hold.

The other side of my coin has at one time included some of the following:
The boy scout movement
Learned a bit about camping, shooting and lightin' fires. You can see the attraction immediately!
Racing Radio controlled cars
Probably started to become an Engineer here. You'd be surprised at the technology level in racing too. Carbon Fiber, Titanium, Kevlar, Teflon, progressive rate springs, limited slip differentials. So I started learning about cars before i was old enough to really afford one or drive one.
Air Force Cadets (more correctly known as ATC - Air Training Corps)
I thought I wanted to be a pilot - my dad was in the RAF, it should have been a natural fit. I learned to fly (more accurately I learned how to do aerobatics) in a Chipmunk, and also learned basic glider handling. I learned more shooting - even got some kind of marksman award for getting 10 shots grouped in the diameter of a quarter (it was actually the old 10p piece but the US quarter is roughly the same size) at 25 yards with open sights. They do teach some basic aerodynamics and aeronautic technology, but lets be honest I joined up so I could fly. Then I realized flying had its limits. No offence to pilots, but the whole thing struck me as a bit boring after a while. And then there's the endless parading around in uniform and the dingbat officers who command respect while earning none. Turns out I wasn't good with authority figures.
Mountain Bike Racing
I started just enjoying a good bike ride, but the engineer in me started lusting after the latest gadget, and before long I was racing as a way to justify spending all that money on the bike. I started racing cross country (XC as its known). That was OK for while, but after college the big trend was towards the faster and more dangerous downhill (DH) racing. I avoided that for a while - because I enjoyed being alive, but it wasn't long before all that suspension technology sucked me in. This all pretty much ended for me when I moved to Indiana. Fewer places to ride, and no hills. You can join the dots.
Music and Hi-Fi
This was a college thing for me, I started buying music in college, my CD collection grew exponentially. Then I had to feed the technology beast, Buying up high end speakers, CD players and amplifiers. You see how things tend to spiral, starting with a normal interest and spiraling into some kind of technology orgy. My music phase culminated in a Sunday morning job as a radio DJ on college radio. That's when I thought I was cool and started wearing strange colorful clothes.
Snowboarding
I gravitated towards this while living close to Michigan and trying to find something both dangerous and involving technology. Everyone in Michigan knows how to handle Skis and snowboards - even babies and grandparents. Snowboarding had a surprisingly short half-life even for me. After I learned how to do it - and how surprisingly easy it is - I just quit. Not enough technology I think. Oh yeah and Tara really hates it - too much snow for a Georgia girl.
Camping
This is a great way to de-stress and get away from the hurly burly of modern life. For me camping means also getting away from other people, not solitude exactly but getting away from people I don't know, to spend time exclusively with people I do know. And of course the camping world is full of expensive gadgets.
Climbing and Abseiling (rappelling for you US folks)
This started in the Air Force Cadets. Its a great way to show off how fearless you are to your younger peers. Plus more techno-gadgets. This mixes well with camping on weekends, since often the good places to climb are remote and camping allows you to spend more time in places like that.
Photography
I took a summer class in high school. It is a bit artsy fartsy, but it does have the single most important ingredient in any Phil hobby - Technology. So of course I have a camera bag full of latest digital SLR gear and lenses. Well OK maybe not the latest, but still some good stuff. You'll have to judge for yourselves if it was worth the investment. I expect I will post some photos around this place to make it look nice.
Bowling
Yes you can find technology in the least likely places. You'd think a bowling ball would be a simple affair, but once I found out about lane oiling patterns and reactive coverstocks I was "hooked". That's a bowling pun. Never mind. I quit after about a year, still have the ball should I ever feel the need. I did learn the importance of keeping ones balls clean though, OK stop I know your sides are splitting.
Hot rodding
You cant come to America, having spent 22 years paying $5 or $6 dollars a gallon for gasoline, and not take an interest in cars. Suddenly gas cost a mere $1 a gallon, I could afford a V8! The petrol fumes took over and by 2002 I had a shiny 1968 mustang parked in front of my apartment. You'll see other bits about the mustang but between the car and the photography that's pretty much whats left of all these part time pursuits.
Hunting and guns
Vegetarians look away now. I have at various times enjoyed hunting - but mostly I just like shooting. Paper target or clay pigeons its really just a bunch of fun. Hunting brings with it a whole Pandora's box of ethical questions. Luckily for me I avoided them by eating the stuff I shot. Now I cant look at a rabbit without thinking of a nice rabbit sandwich with mayo. My friends and I like to discuss gun ownership rights and what they mean to public safety. I think I bring some interesting perspectives to the table coming from Britain, they just think I'm wrong - coming from Britain.

It should be apparent then that I like to mess with technology, if it shoots, goes bang or has any entertainment value at all I have probably messed with it. Speaking of going bang, making solid rocket fuel out of household chemicals, or making a musket with a tent pole and a firecracker should have been in that list. Yes yes, I know who McGyver is, I was one of those geeks who watched that show just to critique it for technical acuracy.

This kind of background has given me a broad range of experiences from which to draw, a whole bunch of friends and yes even a few folks who lets say, didn't appreciate my enthusiasm.

Here's something that I never cared for: English. You'll see what I mean