Most men, I feel sure, are slightly in awe of their mothers, and wouldn’t want to embarrass them in any shape or form. That, I’m sure is what went through the mind of Madin Azad Amin when he was stopped by airline security. Unfortunately he failed to engage his brain with his mouth when he replied to their question about what was in his luggage.
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Mothers – Aren’t They Wonderful?
One response to “Mothers – Aren’t They Wonderful?”
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Until recently, I worked in aviation security and sent the New York Times link to that story to my ex-colleagues. They weren’t in the least surprised, we saw so much of that kind of idiocy. Like the cigarette lighter ban. Our lighters were confiscated. We were allowed to have matches. Eh?
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Apophenia and Pareidolia
Hard-wired into the human brain is the propensity to see patterns or forms in random data. A fact that leads to all manner of ridiculousness. Oh, and even more so here.Leave a comment
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Unspeak
I’ve long been fascinated by the use of language to influence. Probably because, growing up, I became aware of the dissonances implicit in phrases such as "homosexual lifestyle" or "sexual preference" (as though I chose to be gay) or the none-too-subtle putdowns in adjectives associated with being gay: "abnormal", "deviant", "sinful", etc. (when I didn’t think I was anything but normal – different, yes, but not abnormal, and certainly not "deviant").
George Orwell, of course, drew attention to the political use of language with Newspeak in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopia that seems to be becoming more relevant with every passing year.
And today, through a chance reference on Crooked Timber, I discovered Steven Poole’s Unspeak, where Poole comments on the uses of language to influence and deceive. Very interesting and worth a visit. And he’s got a book out as well! By the way, check out his video on the Amazon web site. My, hasn’t he got a hairy chest?
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And Then There Were Eight…
Planets, that is. Today, the general assembly of the International Astronomical Union voted to downgrade Pluto from its status of planet – a position it’s held since its discovery in 1930. We’re sorry to lose you, Pluto, but the viewers have spoken. Don’t slam the door on your way out…Leave a comment
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Two Data Points
The first data point: today is the first Dutch Naturalisation Day for "new" citizens. So low key that I totally didn’t realise that it was going on until I read this story on the Radio Netherlands web site. And of course, the lovely Rita is milking it for all she’s worth. This story in the NRC has a nice picture that sums up most people’s feelings about it all.Which brings me to the second data point, also on the Radio Netherlands web site, the fact that between 20 and 30 women each year visiting Morocco from the Netherlands are abandoned there by their husbands or fathers. And Rita features yet again. She met with some of these women when she visited Morocco in June 2005, and promised to take some action. But of course, Rita Verdonk, with her "hot head and cold heart" (the words of Amsterdam’s Mayor, Job Cohen) has done sod-all for them. Why am I not surprised?One response to “Two Data Points”
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Flange
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Musical Culture At Its Finest
And having acknowledged Neatorama for bringing the Peel Trident back to my attention, I don’t know whether to congratulate them or damn them for the link to the Fast Food Song. Warning: click Play at your own risk.No, on second thoughts I think I damn them.Oh, and I notice that the "Ads by Google" part of the web page has an entry for "Alex Prior – 11 year old singer and composer nicknamed Little Pavarotti". Do I dare to click that as well? – Oh gawd, I did – take away the memory, please…Leave a comment
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The Peel Trident
There are many things that come from the Isle of Man about which I can feel proud of, but I regret to say that I think the Peel Trident is not one of them. Oh, hang on, perhaps I can feel proud of the fact that it has just been voted as one of the five worst cars ever made…Leave a comment
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Stripperless Funerals
Apparently, the authorities in the Chinese province of Jiangsu have banned the use of strippers at funerals. Killjoys. I always think that funerals should have an element of celebration, and not be too po-faced.Leave a comment
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Elephant’s Dream
I’ve just downloaded and watched Elephant’s Dream – a short animation showcasing computer animation tools made by the Open Source community. The tools may be fine, but the film sucks. Visually quite inventive, but the storyline is tired, acting terrible, and the continuity girl was obviously on holiday when the film was thrown together. It’s billed as a project "bringing together a diverse team of artists and developers from all over the world". Clearly, the elephant has turned out to be a camel – a horse designed by a committee.Leave a comment
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Svankmajer’s Lunacy
I came across this review of the latest film by Jan Svankmajer: Lunacy. Sounds like a film to watch out for.Leave a comment
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Rubik’s Cube Redux
Fast and with one hand. This is clearly also a Porsche model of the Rubik’s cube – mine needs two hands to twist it.Leave a comment
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Drool
Canon are bringing out the next generation of their prosumer digital SLR camera; the 400D or Digital Rebel XTi, as it will be known in the US. Ooer – if ever I get to afford to replace my trusty 300D, this is probably going to be my choice.Leave a comment
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Mission Impossible
Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to find a work of art that is more kitsch than this…Leave a comment
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The Poincaré Conjecture
The Poincaré Conjecture is one of Mathematics’ great challenges. Now, it looks as though it has been proved, mainly through the work of Grigory Perelman, a Russian Mathematician. Perelman has turned down an award for his proof. The world of mathematicians can be a strange one at times, full of eccentrics (almost invariably men). The New Yorker has published a really excellent article on the Poincaré Conjecture, and Perelman’s role in it. It also has a very rare interview with Perelman. Go and read the article to get a feel for the world of mathematics and mathematicians.The obsessive quality reminds me very much of the short story by Charles Harness: The Chess Players, about a group of chess players who critique the abilities of one of their number, completely oblivious to the fact that he is, in fact, a pet rat. The only important thing, in their eyes, is whether he is any good as a chess player.Leave a comment
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Industrial Archeology
David Byrne (yup, that David Byrne), over at his Journal, has an interesting entry about the UNESCO world heritage industrial ruin in Essen. He writes that the place has "the feeling of an abandoned city, from a sci-fi movie maybe, or City Of Lost Children" (a favourite film of mine because of its extraordinary visual feel). His photographs confirm his impression. It makes me want to visit the site.Such places fascinate me. As a child I used to wander around the abandoned machinery, buildings and workings of the mines at Laxey and Foxdale on the Isle of Man and let my imagination run riot. Essen looks as though it strikes the same chords for me, but on a much grander scale.Leave a comment
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Paracetamoxyfrusebendroneomycin
The medical profession meets Flanders and Swann. The doctors Kay and Biswas deserve to go far, whether that’s in medicine or treading the boards. Listen, for example, to their catchy little ditty Paracetamoxyfrusebendroneomycin to hear what I mean.(hat tip to Seed magazine – oh and if you want to have a shudder, check out the six horrifying parasites link))Leave a comment
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Metro-Land
Diamond Geezer has been publishing a series of blog entries covering Metro-land. The series starts here. It’s well worth reading his entries. And what is Metro-land, I hear you ask? It was the area of London served by the Metropolitan Railway (the first steam underground railway in the world). It has a fascinating history of social change and architectural styles. And now DG tells us that BBC Four will be screening the wonderful documentary about Metro-land made by Sir John Betjeman in 1973 next Monday evening to celebrate the centenary of Sir John’s birth. I’ve reserved my seat on the sofa.2 responses to “Metro-Land”
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Wish we got Beeb 4 a few miles to the south. Hope you are well and on the mend. Gelert spotlit you on his blog whilst he is in bella Italia.
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Hi, Coboró, you shold be able to receive Beeb 4 via the Astra 2 satellite where you are. More info here. And, yep, I’m on the mend. Thanks for asking
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Alison For President
There’s a short interview with Alison Lapper in today’s Society Guardian. The interview ends with the question: "Who would be a good UK President". The forthright answer: "Me. I have a disability and take a different approach to things". I think she would make a pretty good president, certainly a better one than a certain Prime Minister who gives the appearance that he would jump at the chance if such a position existed.Leave a comment
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The Breach Repaired
So, I had my hernia operation yesterday, and I came through it OK, although I am moving very slowly and carefully at the moment.I have to say that I was very impressed by the local hospital (the Koningin Beatrix in Winterswijk). It was efficient, and all the staff were professional and friendly.My operation was scheduled for a day when there were a lot of other minor operations going on. First I was checked into a small mixed ward of five beds, and then when my turn came, the bed was wheeled by the ward nurse into the operating wing of the hospital. It was almost like a conveyor belt in the room where the anaesthesia was done. Small teams of nurses moved between the patients preparing us, and then the anaesthetist came and administered the injection into the spine. But despite the somewhat pejorative feel of the phrase "conveyor belt", all the patients were attended to in a friendly and efficient manner.I freely admit that I was not looking forward to being conscious during the operation, and the nurse asked if I’d rather be put to sleep. At that point, with teeth chattering and shaking somewhat, I said yes. I was then transferred to the operating theatre trolley and wheeled into the theatre itself. There, the operating theatre nurse who would be in charge of monitoring my vital signs asked me again if I’d like to sleep through the operation (I think she noticed I was trembling!). When I said that I was a bit nervous about remaining awake, she replied cheerfully that she could give me something to calm me down through the saline drip in my arm. So I said yes to that, and almost instantly I became much calmer. They obviously have good drugs there.The assistant surgeon asked if I’d like to listen to music, so I asked for something classical. He asked whether I would prefer Radio 4 (the Dutch classical music station) or Classic FM. Not Classic FM, I replied with a shudder – they just have bleeding chunks. Probably not the best reply to have made in the circumstances, but I still recoil from hearing Classic FM broadcast Beethoven’s Ninth in an edited version that lasted all of 10 minutes.The operation turned out to be almost enjoyable, I was watching the surgeon and his assistant at work (I could see what they were doing reflected in the light above the operating table) and chatting with them about classical music. The surgeon was also explaining what he was doing – inserting a mesh into the abdominal wall that would, in time, be grown over by the muscle and repair the weak point.The whole operation only took about 20 minutes, and I was then wheeled back into the anaesthesia area and transferred back to my bed. The staff monitor the patients via instruments there for about 30 minutes (the assistant surgeon also came in and switched on the radio to Radio 4 – well done, that man!), and then the ward nurse comes and wheels their beds back to their ward. There the ward nurse kept an eye on us, taking our pulse and bloodpressure at regular intervals. The surgeon came by to check on us, and after a couple of hours, the ward nurse declared herself satisfied that I could be discharged. I rang Martin (a phone by every bed), and he came and picked me up.The hospital will ring me today to check that everything is still OK (it seems to be!), and the surgeon will followup with a telephone call in six weeks time. All in all, a most satisfactory encounter with the Dutch medical system, and far better than I had feared.2 responses to “The Breach Repaired”
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Glad to hear you made it out safely! Also good to know that the experience wasn’t too bad. Recover safely, and take care.
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Thanks, Mike. Martin’s not letting me do much, so I’m trying to relax and enjoy this unusual experience…
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Irrational Fear, Again
Lionel Shriver, writing in today’s Guardian, has a good article on the irrational fear of terrorists. It’s a companion piece to the article by Jonah Lehrer that I mentioned earlier this month. Ms. Shriver also weaves in two other strands of the story that I think are valid. First, as she says, all the banging on about terror by Bush, Blair and the media simply drives up the level of irrational fear in the population at large. And second, that the psychological profile of a typical suicide bomber is probably very similar to how she describes them:"They suffer from equal parts self-pity and grandiosity. They have chips on their shoulders. They feel underestimated and nourish a private sense of superiority. They glorify their own view of the world, which they fantasise about shoving down everyone else’s throat. They covet celebrity, and even the posthumous kind will do. They’re actually very imitative, and suggestible, but they think of themselves as exceptional, as special, as elect. It’s a type. It’s not just an Islamic type. You find it in every ethnicity, all over the world".And, I would add, they are usually male. The female of the species seems to be slightly more balanced, although there is probably little to choose between the Tricoteuses and the serried ranks of women clad in black burqas urging on their menfolkLeave a comment
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