What Do You Think Today?

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And thinking of it, perhaps it's not a bad idea for kids to see that things were different once, that attitudes change, that language changes etc.

--A

[Iolanthe]

Y'know, I suspect that that sort of thinking (the non-pc'ness of books like that) only affects adults.

Certainly as a kid I never found anything odd about any of them. Sub-texts and implications were (fnord) invisible to me. They were fun stories that were never intended, or read, as anything but some easy escapism.

They broadened our horizons, despite the criticised lack of things like moral dilemmas etc. I don't think they managed to inculcate us with their derided simplicity. But they did help develop our love of reading.

As for the revisions, according to wikipedia:

To address criticisms levelled at Blyton's work some later editions have been altered to reflect more liberal attitudes towards issues such as race, gender and the treatment of children; modern reprints of the Noddy series substitute teddy bears or goblins for golliwogs, for instance: The golliwogs who steal Noddy's car and dump him naked in the Dark Wood in Here Comes Noddy Again are replaced by goblins in the 1986 revision, who strip Noddy only of his shoes and hat and return at the end of the story to apologise.

The Faraway Tree's Dame Slap, who made regular use of corporal punishment, was changed to Dame Snap who no longer did so, and the names of Dick and Fanny in the same series were changed to Rick and Frannie. Characters in the Malory Towers and St. Clare's series are no longer spanked or threatened with a spanking, but are instead scolded. References to George's short hair making her look like a boy were removed in revisions to Five on a Hike Together, reflecting the idea that girls need not have long hair to be considered feminine or normal.

In 2010 Hodder, the publisher of the Famous Five series, announced its intention to update the language used in the books, of which it sold more than half a million copies a year. The changes, which Hodder described as "subtle", mainly affect the dialogue rather than the narrative. For instance, "school tunic" becomes "uniform", "mother and father" becomes "mum and dad", "bathing" is replaced by "swimming", and "jersey" by "jumper". Some commentators see the changes as necessary to encourage modern readers, whereas others regard them as unnecessary and patronising.

--A

Last year I introduced my grandson (now 11) to Mr Pinkwhistle and he loves the books. I also bought him the Faraway Tree books which he has now read.

I have an Enid Blyton "Annual" from the 1950s. It is actually a normal book but called an annual. In it is a story about 3 gollywogs. I don't think I can tell you what they were called, but all the names have been changed in the modern books, and I think they have disappeared altogether now. I also remember being read Brer Rabbit books when I was at infant school in the 50s. Are those still around?

Did anyone else read the Alan Garner books? Wierdstone of Brisingamen, Owl Service etc? I bought the former for my great niece at Christmas and she has enjoyed it. One of my favourites was Stig of the Dump. I bought that for my great nephew for Christmas.

[peter]

Fully remember 'Stig' Io! Great book. The Weirdstone my sister read [IIRC] and because she liked it I wouldn't look at it! What about The Hill of the Red Fox - that was a fine read.....and The Children of Green Knowe?

[peter]

David Cameron, after a week of evasion, has come clean and admitted that, like the rest of the worlds top 1% of wealth and power, he did have money squirreled away in Panamanian off shore accounts, thereby avoiding tax in his home country. Well surprise, surprise! While the majority of the rest of us stump up like it or not, the big-fish as per usual break through the net of tax laws with impunity. And in Cameron's case, after having had the gaul to criticise the likes of actor Jimmy Carr for doing exactly the same thing. Morally unacceptable was the term he used on that occasion. This is just what we have grown to expect, and just what will drive people into the arms of the Labour party at the next election.

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Icelandic PM has basically resigned as a result of his implication...will Cameron do the same thing?

--A

[I'm Murrin]

But didn't the Iceland one involve him basically misusing government funds?

[peter]

Could well have been Murrin - I think his involvement must have had more possibly criminal aspects for him to have been ditched so rapidly. Cameron's hypocrisy on this subject has however been staggering andhe is rightly held up to public ridicule thereby. I doubt he will fall over it (he has already declared his intent to step down, which will happen sooner or later after the EU vote), but it won't help!

Speaking of the Labour party, there has been a number of reports of anti-Semitism within the party in the media of late, some implicating Corbyn himself. I am reminded of the American presidential candidate who, being told of a media slur story against his opponent in the race (planted by his campaign team) remonstrated "but it isn't true!" His campaign managers reply was perhaps apposite to Corbyn's position. "It doesn't matter," said the man, "we'll make him deny it."

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Gotta love politics.

--A

[peter]

Saw a program the other day called 'Chefs vs Scientists' or somesuch, in which top chef Marcus Waring took on a science geek to see who could best prepare a range of dishes Waring by traditional chefing methods and the scientist by appliying science to the proceedure.

They made a sponge pudding, the chef by the usual oven method and the scientist in the microwave. Both agreed that the microwave pud was a damn fine atempt and the scientist was puffed up with pride at his victory in that round. Just to let him know Dr Oetker have been making over the counter microwave puds for a few years now and we've been selling them in the shop for at least two!
Waring was also staggered at how well the scientist could produce a chip that was already salty in taste by vacuum packing the par-boiled chips in salt soln. I was somewhat suprised at his suprise; I have been achieving the same effect for years by simply adding a good slug of salt to the water in which the chips are pre-boiled. it's called 'over-seasoning'.

Sometimes these guys get so far removed from the world they can't see the wood for the trees!

[Avatar]

Interesting. I must say I'm not a fan of the molecular gastronomy fad though.

--A

[peter]

I think it has its place in the 'theatre' of eating - but it can be taken too far. El Buli was a gastronomic show rather than a meal - alas one I never got to attend - but in the end it's always down to the taste.....and that has to justify the procedure or its all for nothing. On the other hand I read the other day about a French vegetarian restaurant where the prep was so minimalist that one of the starters was simply a (home grown) tomato sliced on a plate - the chef considered the bulk of the work had been done in growing the vegetable!

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I wonder what it cost.

--A

[peter]

The new UK polar research vessel has been officially named as RRS Sir David Attenborough in recognition of the presenters contribution to popular science broadcasting over five plus decades. The name, chosen by The Dept. of Science was not however the one selected by voters in a public poll previously set up by the Dept. They chose by large majority the name Boaty McBoatface.

[deer of the dawn]

The new UK polar research vessel has been officially named as RRS Sir David Attenborough in recognition of the presenters contribution to popular science broadcasting over five plus decades. The name, chosen by The Dept. of Science was not however the one selected by voters in a public poll previously set up by the Dept. They chose by large majority the name Boaty McBoatface.

I find this eminently believable. Some years back i was curious about a Time magazine online poll for Man of the Year, Decade or maybe it was even century. The Vox Populi was overwhelmingly in support of Ric Flair. (He was a famous wrestler at the time with a bad-guy persona.)

Still, has Sir Attenborough so overshadowed the contributions of others who might share his interest, such as, oh maybe, research scientists??

[I'm Murrin]

Worth noting that the remote controlled sub will be named Boaty McBoatface.

[aliantha]

I'm still surprised that anyone was actually surprised by the result of that online poll. Seriously -- you let a question like that loose on teh intarwebz and expect people to answer it with a straight face?

[deer of the dawn]

I have to admit, Boaty McBoatface has an appeal to it.

[peter]

Worth noting that the remote controlled sub will be named Boaty McBoatface.

A diplomatic compromise of great sagacity on someone's part.

[peter]

I may not always agree with everything Z. says, but damn I'm happy to see him here!

[peter]

This was a double post untill I edited it out. As It's going to be around anyway, I'll fill in the gap with a joke.

A man goes to the doctor and say's "Doctor, I've got five penises"
He says "Five penises! How do your trousers fit you?" and the man says "Like a glove".