The reckless driver

What happens when we get into a car? Honestly, I have no idea, but something must happen. Some kind of transformation. That's the only reason I can imagine to explain these strange things that happen each day on our roads.

In our cars, we honk, we harass other cars (actually not the cars themselves but more the people in them) and we curse in a way we would never do outside that thing with wheels on it. Why do we behave so strangely? Or does that happen only in my imagination?

{"thing with wheels on it" is a bit of a "popular orange vegetable" - see the very funny article below for an explanation. Good alternatives to avoid repetition would be eg "in our vehicles", "in the driver's seat", "on the road". http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/jan/06/popular-orange-vegetables-silly-synonyms }

Well, I was watching myself for a while and figured out: I am no exception. Outside my car I would call myself a halfway kind and patient guy. If someone does something to annoy me I don't feel harassed and I usually don't get aggressive. But that changes when I'm driving.

{I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "crosses my way" so I might be wrong. Does it mean "does something to annoy me" or simply that you meet them? "to cross someone's path" in English means "to meet someone unexpectedly"}

For example, I always try to keep the required distance from the car in front of me on the freeway {or "motorway" in England :D }. But almost always when I do so some idiot (sorry for that word but I just feel as if I were in my car ;-) ) drives into that gap and forces me to brake. That freaks me out...

Another example: Using the blinker light {or "indicator" in England} in a roundabout traffic. There's no driving school that doesn't explain that you must indicate before you leave a roundabout traffic. So the vehicles who want to enter can do so more quickly because they don't have to wait to see if you'll leave or not. But almost no one follows that rule. {"adheres to" also OK but more formal} Why?

I suppose it is the anonymity we seem to have in our vehicles. We treat the others more like driving machines than humans. Human behaviour can be so strange...

{Hello again, Christian! Another interesting read. My problem is that I both cycle and drive - when I cycle I hate all the drivers, and when I drive I hate all the cyclists...}

Questions before applying for a room in a hall of residence

Dear student advisor team,

If everything works I will study for one term 
(as an semester abroad from the 25th of January to the 23rd of May 2016)
at the University of Bolton.

{If you want to get fancy, you could replace "If everything works I will study" with "All going to plan, I'll be studying"}

I would be glad if you could answer a few questions for me:
- Is there something in particular to consider when applying for a room as an international student at the Orlando Village?
- When should I apply for a room?
- If the term is from the 25th of January to the 23rd of May 2016, which period is possible/best to stay for?

{With "apply" it sounds the same as the previous question. I would probably say something like "If ..., how long should I plan to stay in halls for?"}

- If I should apply now, what should I put down as my "Student Number" (my German one?) and my "Course of Study"?

Best regards

{I hope it does all go to plan! I've never visited Bolton but I'm sure you'll have a great time there.}

Tradition - drag or drive?

{What do you mean by "trig"? I've never heard this word in English. Perhaps it's a translation of "Hemmschuch"? If so, I don't think there's a direct translation for this figurative use of the word, so I've tried to come up with a reasonably close English alternative.}

Traditions are very common in most cultures. There are widely followed traditions (in my country, Germany) like collecting eggs at Easter or giving presents at Christmas. {"general" can't really be used in this context as it sounds more like "vague". "very common" would also be good.} 

But there are also more individual traditions like the specific things you do each day. For me, one of these individual traditions is to listen to music while drinking a bottle of beer each evening when I come home from work. You can't imagine how relaxing that is for me. {I don't know, I like to do it myself!} Sometimes I have to work away from home for several days and can't follow my tradition. You may think I'm crazy, but on those days I've got the strange feeling that there's something missing. {"I have" would also be good.} And it's not only because of a lack of alcohol, at least I hope not ;-)

When I was younger I laughed at people who followed traditions. I thought they were be stuffy. But nowadays, now I'm a bit older (and wiser?), I feel much more comfortable adhering to my traditions and I have a better understanding for people who do the same.

So, to answer my own question: For me, traditions are more a drive than a drag. Sure, sometimes it may be more advisable to give up old paths and be open to new thoughts and ideas, but this gets more and more difficult the older you get...

Please feel invited to tell me a bit of your own traditions and your thoughts about their meaningfulness.

I don't really have any traditions! I keep changing things every few months - maybe I'm still too young. Thanks for writing this - it was interesting to think about this from someone else's viewpoint! Let me know if you have any questions, and if you'd consider correcting my text, I'd be very grateful: http://www.italki.com/entry/548490

Review of the book "Salt, Sugar, Fat. How the food giants hooked us"

«Salt, Sugar, Fat. How the food giants hooked us», by Michael Moss, is a #1 New York Times bestseller, that helps you to clear your mind of doubts about the harm of a junk food. {Perhaps "that explains the potential harm of junk food" would be clearer? As it is it sounds like the book says junk food is good.} Nowadays {"to date" suggests it will change soon} many people are interested in a healthy lifestyle and specifically a healthy food, which {"and that" would also be ok} is why books like «Salt, Sugar, Fat» have become more popular. {or "are becoming"}

The author of this book is Michael Moss, an American reporter, who is a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. After some newspaper articles on food safety, Moss started to delve into the processed food industry. {Good sentence!} His investigations are focused on the food industry in the context of health, safety, marketing, corporate interests, and politics. He discovered how junk food forced us to eat more of it and got us addicted. 

The book is divided into three parts, named «Salt», «Sugar» and «Fat». Each part includes a brief review of the importance of these compounds in junk food. Moss discloses the marketing secrets of food giants that help them to increase sales. In the book, he describes investigations of human food excesses. {Or, with the passive, "In the book, investigations of human food excesses are described."} The reality is that all people have a so-called «bliss point» and it can be calculated in order to make food with the right combination of compounds. It means that it gives great pleasure to our brain because of its perfect taste. The scientists have found out that the ideal combination contains sugar and fat. The food industry uses this fact as one of its strategies to focus the attention of consumers on its goods. However, the food giants have many more methods helping to achieve their purposes. Michael Moss describes these as well. Curiously, well-known brands are mentioned in the book such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Snickers, Oreo, Lays, etc.
This book has a great sobering influence and every paragraph gives you a food for thought. { :D } I suppose that all of us think that we make choices and have an impact on the food industry. Actually, food industry manipulates us, but it was too hard to notice. In addition, the book contains a great deal of useful information, which can change your opinion of junk food. After reading, I no longer want to eat chips and drink Coca-Cola and so on. Hurray for the healthy food!

{An interesting review! I hope you enjoyed the book, and that your new healthier diet works out well for you. Maybe I shouldn't be eating chocolate while correcting this...}