Kevin's Watch

Dunno about that, but definitely a thing here too. Lots of outcry at one point about gambling destroying people's lives etc.

(Interestingly, gambling (apart from horse racing) has only been legal here since the mid 90's. Under teh apartheid government it was banned because of immorality or something. )

--A

Not much on the front pages yesterday - all sports related stuff . Theresa May's honeymoon period seems to be coming to a close: the Mail on Sunday ran a story on her links with the disgraced Tory campaign chief accused of sexism and bullying in the last general election. A few dog bites man stories about footballers cheating on their wives etc - usual sort of stuff.

I was disgusted and incensed to the point of turning off the news at the disrespectful and voyeuristic coverage of the Umbrian earthquake by the BBC on their 6 o'clock program the other night. Not only were they swarming like fly's over that tragic scene, but were actively rubber-necking on people's distress, getting their cameras right into close up shots of victims trapped in the fallen buildings before it was clear if those people would even live or die. Shame on them, the bastards! Sell it off - sell it off now!

Bad news sells...not sure if that's an indictment of the news people, or of the news consumers as it were.

--A

Driving to work this morning, I noticed that we're only a couple days from the new moon. We're also only a couple days from the start of spring.

This year, the first night of spring will coincide with the dark of the moon.

It's not quite right, (not the middle night of spring) but it certainly made me think of the wraiths of Andelain.

--A

Yes - the fragile beauty of Andelain made tangible. Did we ever learn anything of their origin Av?

Not as far as I know. Just an expression of Earthpower I think.

--A

Not living entities then? Hmm... not sure about this: seems to lessen the impact of the desecration of the rite of Spring by the Ur-Viles don't you think? Makes it sort of like kicking sand-castles over on the beach

I see your point, but never really saw it that way. I mean, Amok is an expression of Earthpower, but that doesn't mean he's not alive, right?

--A

True again Av - a case perhaps of "It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

It is no easy task to come up with names for the 19,000 or so new species discovered every year, and one that no doubt demands te odd injection of humour to keep one sane. In 2011 for example we find listed a sponge like mushroom said to bear resemblance to a certain well-known cartoon character named Spongiforma squarepantsii.

peter wrote:It is no easy task to come up with names for the 19,000 or so new species discovered every year, and one that no doubt demands te odd injection of humour to keep one sane. In 2011 for example we find listed a sponge like mushroom said to bear resemblance to a certain well-known cartoon character named Spongiforma squarepantsii.

That's a thing of beauty.

I thought so too Ali , and no doubt it is!

I don't like it. It's funny, but it lacks the gravitas I prefer for taxonomy.

--A

Ahh, time will give it all the gravitas it needs Av; who knows what gems of irony of years long past rest between the dry and dusty pages of the taxonomic record

That sounded positively Lovecraftian...

--A

Got to admit I was pleased with that myself!

The new packaging legislated for tobacco products is being wheeled out and displays large and gruesome pictures of cadavers and cancers, stillborn foetuses and stroke victims.

Fair do's - we are all in agreement that smoking is bad and must be discouraged, but let's just have a look at it. Smoking has now been overtaken by obesity as a killer and drain on health service resources but there is no comparable imagery on confectionary products or high sugar foods (nor an even tiny proportion of the tax levy placed on tobacco). And what about alcohol: every weekend hospital emergency rooms are stuffed to capacity with people suffering alcohol related injuries and the social and physical cost of its abuse is staggering, yet where are the pictures of chirrotic livers, of broken limbs and beaten-up spouses on booze products? C'mon - if we're going to ok this kind of awfull deterrent method, then let's at least use it fairly!

And let's be honest...it's probably not gonna stop me from smoking...

--A

Better to use positive imagery - old couples gazing into sunsets etc - to highlight what one might miss out on .........