Geoff Coupe's Blog

Reflections on life at “De Witte Wand”…

Category: Society

  • Losing Hope

    "I fear the winter and hope for nothing". That was the core of a most eloquent letter from a UK citizen in yesterday’s Guardian. He was bearing witness to the poverty trap that is growing in UK society and likely to catch many more in its jaws. As someone writes in today’s Guardian: that letter should be pinned to every single sinew connected to the Labour party. It has deserted these people and it is an absolute disgrace.
     
    Update: And here you can read the uncomprehending responses from lifeforms that inhabit the "Atari community". Sigh. There, but for the grace of whatever, go I…  

  • A Hit, A Palpable Hit

    So there I was, meandering around the blogs today as is my wont, and I come across Charles Darwin raising a well-deserved eyebrow at the news that the UK government has embarked on a solicitation exercise to empower society to have its say about science. I know, I know, it freezes the braincells even to imagine the trainwreck that will inevitably ensue. However, be that as it may, I was most taken by the comment from Henry Gee on this news. To my mind, he has gone straight to the heart of the matter. And as a result, I have now discovered Mr. Gee’s most excellent blog, which I shall endeavour to read forthwith.

  • Mistempered Weapons

    Rachel has a brilliant entry on her blog where she writes about the appeal of knives and the predictable results when it’s mixed with human emotions, particularly those of a teenager "awash with hormones and insecurities, dreamy and silly and hyper-sensitive to the pettiest slight". Go and read it, and then come back here. Go on, I’ll wait.
     
    Good piece, wasn’t it? Now, while you’re digesting it, I’ll tell you something. Last Monday evening, we were out working in the garden. We heard the sound of a moped passing the end of the drive. To our astonishment, we also heard the sound of its teenage rider yelling "Homo! Homo!" as he passed by. I was instantly seized by an adrenaline rush and became extremely angry. For a moment there, if I had been in a position to do so, I am sure I would have dragged the young oik off his bike and given him a good thrashing. So it is not just teenagers who can be hyper-sensitive. Still, I would like to look that boy in the face and ask him why he was being such a wanker.

  • Happy Families

    An extraordinary interview with the writer Paul Abbott in today’s Guardian. The term dysfunctional doesn’t even come close to describing his family background. At least he managed to escape.

  • The Chill of Costume

    David Thompson, over at, er, David Thompson, has a nice piece on the work of Steve Schofield and his photographs of British Science Fiction fans who like to dress up in the costumes of their favourite characters. There’s a bittersweet technicolor Diane Arbus quality about them, though, like Thompson, I’m not convinced about the spin Schofield puts on them. Frankly, I don’t care if they do dress up as American cultural SF icons. It’s also quite clear that some Americans simply don’t understand our own home-grown ones. And they never will, ha ha ha.

  • Head-Wall-Head-Wall II

    A discussion between John Lennox and Richard Dawkins. My take? I wish that I had the patience of Job that Dawkins exhibits. Were I there, I would be slapping Lennox with a fish within ten minutes. What an absolute wanker. If this is the best "evidence" that a Christian can offer, then why in god’s name does anyone believe this tripe?
     
    It’s interesting that others are saying that Dawkins should not have taken the tactic of letting Lennox simply hang himself (as he clearly does), because believers will simply delude themselves that Lennox has "won" the "debate". I also think that this is probably true. Dawkins also concedes the possiblility, but points to the one who will follow him. Apparently, Christopher Hitchens will debate Lennox next month. Dawkins and I both look forward to that conversation.  

  • Finger On The Pulse

    Well, you know me – I have no time for religion. Away with all that mind-numbing idiocy. Having said that, I do want to say that I thought that Rowan Williams got it spot-on when he said during the General Synod’s debate that:
    "I am deeply unhappy with any scheme or any solution to this which ends up, as it were, structurally humiliating women who might be nominated to the episcopate."
    Amen to that. What staggers me is that there are clearly people – some of them women – who believe the exact opposite. It almost beggars belief – but then I realise, yup, it’s simply religion, wending its merry way through the human psyche. Just keep out of my head, thank you very much.

  • Just Desserts

    I see that Stephen Green is claiming that he is facing bankruptcy following his failed bid to bring blasphemy charges against the BBC for daring to show Jerry Springer – The Opera. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving case. Mind you, he’s set up an online petition to beg that the BBC waive the costs that were awarded against him by the High Court. Look Stephen, it’s clearly God’s will that you lost, so just pay up. 
     
    I also note that a counter-petition has been set up to suggest that he abide by the law. I’ve signed that petition instead. Let him reap the whirlwind.

  • RIP Charles

    Charles Wheeler has died. Journalism takes another punch to the vitals.

  • Waterboarding Hitchens

    Earlier this year, Christopher Hitchens agreed to undergo waterboarding in order to answer for himself the question of whether the process constitutes torture or not. His answer, in this month’s Vanity Fair is non-equivocal: Believe me, it’s torture.
     
    Even more harrowing was watching the video of him getting waterboarded, despite the strains of Enigma playing in the background. What astounded me was seeing for myself how little time is required before the victim believes himself or herself to be simultaneously smothered and drowning. Tellingly, Hitchens says that since the experience, he’s had nightmares about it.

  • Head-Wall-Head-Wall

    It’s not often that I feel sympathy for Inayat Bunglawala, but I do in this exchange he has had with Harun Yahya. The latter is a typically depressing denialist of the fact of evolution. It’s enough to make the brain cells shrivel reading his utter bollocks.

  • A Little Problem

    So I read Anne Atkin’s apologia about Gafcon, and, I’m sorry, but I think it is perverse. Yes, I’m sure that she thinks she is right, but, sorry, I think she is deluded.
    "I find this utterly thrilling stuff, which is why I was there. It has changed my life, shaped my choices, gloriously enriched my relationships, and most important of all, will get me through the biggest challenge I will ever face: my death and what lies beyond."  
    Erm, reality to Anne, there ain’t nothing beyond your death. Do good in your life, it’s all you have – and on this evidence, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Your Gafcon crowd are simply causing misery. That I consider immoral.

  • Too Late…

    For my vicarious pleasure, I often peruse the Not Always Right web site, where the more depressing side of humanity is often on display during a customer/vendor transaction. While most of them make me despair for the future of humanity, some (thankfully) make me realise that we are all simply susceptible to human foibles. Long may it continue. 

  • Would You Like Mayo With That?

    And just to illustrate how little UK society seems to have moved on since Section 28, here comes the news that a Heinz advert has been pulled because it features two men sharing a peck on the cheek. I don’t know who is the more stupid – the arses who complained or Heinz for having less spine than an E-coli bacterium.
     
    Update: it appears as though the American Family Association  are the men behind the curtain. Personally, I wish that Toto would chew their bollocks off. They deserve nothing less. And, as has already been said by others: shame on Heinz.

  • Section 28

    Johann Hari has a very good article on a piece of UK legislation that has now been consigned to the rubbish bin of history, but whose toxic impact is still felt within UK society. Go and read about it.

  • The Asylum and its Administrators

    It begins to seem as though the insane have indeed taken over the running of the asylum. Ophelia has the story. I find this ominous. The UN Human Rights Council seems to be concerned with nothing of the sort. Perhaps it should be renamed as the UN Religious Police Council for clarity. As Ophelia says, it would seem that it is now little more than an alliance of thugs.

  • Knobs and Knickers

    I see that the conservative faction of the Church of England is getting its knickers in a twist over the fact that two men (both members of the clergy) dared to hold their civil partnership union in a church. Very sad, but I confess that I laughed out loud when I read the sublimely unwitting comment from the Reverend who led the service:
    "I am surprised and disappointed by the fuss. It was a joyful, godly occasion. Why turn it into a controversy? It was not a rally or a demonstration," he said. "Nor is it the first time there have been prayers, hymns or readings following a civil partnership. It may be that this ceremony had rather more knobs on. It may also be the only one we know about."  
    Well, yes, considering that the loving couple were both male, I suppose one could say that, self-evidently, the ceremony had rather more knobs on than most. Fifty percent more, in fact. Mind you, I can’t help feeling that the biggest knobs in the whole affair are the conservative Christians with their self-righteous anger.

  • Anniversary

    Today is our tenth wedding anniversary. Last Sunday, our friends and neighbours sprang a surprise party on us to celebrate the fact. They turned up completely unexpectedly with food and drinks in the afternoon. As it was hot in the sun, we moved tables and chairs into the shade of our little wood and celebrated. Thank you to all of them for the thought.
     
    Geoff-&-Martin-8-June-2008 
     
    Oh, the poster behind us was done by the six-year old granddaughter of one of our neighbours. A nice touch.
     
    Geoff-&-Martin-Party-8-June 
     
    20080608-1446-56 
     
    PICT0001 
     

  • A Tragedy’s Final Act

    Last April, Rand Abdel-Qader was killed by her father. Now, her mother has been killed, quite possibly for daring to speak out against him and a society where "honour" killings are considered just.

  • Mehdi Kazemi Granted Asylum

    At last, after the worries, some good news for a change.