Author: Sipu

Photo Competition # 24

“Food, glorious food!”

I know we have done ‘Eat drink and be merry’, but this time I want the emphasis on the food itself. Photographs of food in any shape or form. It must be edible by most sensible humans. Points will be awarded for the deliciousnessness of the subject. Hint, I am not a vegan. I appreciate that OZ, for example, would be turned on by a bouncy woolly lamb gamboling in the meadow, but he is more likely to succeed if that lamb is photographed on a spit, slowly roasting over a fire. Continue reading “Photo Competition # 24”

Childhood

I started writing this as a comment on Janus’s post but got a bit carried away. As I did not want to hijack his, (I am considerate that way), I decided to write my own.

I have mentioned that I came from a large family. Living in the Tropics meant that the hours of daylight were fairly constant throughout the year. About 11 hours in winter and 13 hours in summer. In a farming community not a great deal went on after dark, especially during the week. We did not have television at home and so we spent our evenings together talking, reading and playing games. My mum taught us at home until the age of 10 when we were sent off to boarding school. Continue reading “Childhood”

Dagen H (Any resemblance to ice cream is purely coincidental)

While on the subject of films, but otherwise completely unrelated to the Oscars, so excuse me, I went to see the Hollywood version of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, a couple of weeks ago. I suppose at this point I should bow my head and admit to the shame of having read and enjoyed the Millennium Trilogy. Moving swiftly on, I found the film to present an accurate portrayal of the novel with the characters, settings and events, meeting my expectations. However, there was one incident, the details of which I have been trying to recall without success. The story involves a flashback scene to 1965 and a motor accident that occurred on a bridge. What I have been trying to remember is whether the film shows the cars driving on the left or the right. Some of you may remember that until 1967 cars in Sweden drove on the left. What adds a little bit of spice to the story is that Swedish cars were a ‘left hand drive’ as well. It should be fairly easy to spot such an anomaly, so if any of you have seen the film and can recall the moment, perhaps you can put me out my misery and let me know whether the producers got it right.

I am keen to see the Swedish version of the film which I know that some people preferred to the American version, though I suppose it is safe to say, ‘they would wouldn’t they’. I wonder whether they got it right with the bridge scene.

Note: the day on which the Swedes changed sides 3rd September 1967, was known as Dagen H. You can read more about it here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H

The Age of Reason

There have been a couple of interesting articles in the DT recently.

The first tells of a 5 year old boy called Zach who has decided, since the age of 3, that he is really a girl. Parents, NHS doctors and psychologists and teachers all seem to have agreed that he suffers from GID, Gender Identity Disorder. He has been officially diagnosed as such.

The second tells of a 42 year old women who engaged in consensual sex with two boys aged 13 and 14 as a reward for vandalising the car of her rival. She is being prosecuted for ‘three counts of sexual activity with a child’.  The prosecutor said, “the boys had been willing participants, but were not legally capable of giving their consent. At the age of 13 a lot of boys have hormones coursing through their veins and are perfectly capable and willing to have sex but they are mentally immature.”

So, a 5 year old boy is able to determine that he was born with a gender disorder, but two boys, 13 and 14, are not able to determine that they want to get laid.

Funny that!

The Jeans of Slave Traders

Some of you may remember a post I wrote a couple of years ago about my disillusionment with Richard Dawkins. A copy of that post is here. Yesterday I was reading one of our local papers and I came across this rather dodgy article here, which took me to the original, but equally dodgy article in the Daily Telegraph here. Continue reading “The Jeans of Slave Traders”

The Bozone Layer

In an effort to kick-start my brain after years of inactivity, I have started to learn the skill of solving cryptic crosswords. Some time ago, I bought a book of Daily Telegraph puzzles and began struggling away. I know there are some who rattle through them each morning in no time at all, but never having really attempted more than a handful before, I still usually battle to get beyond half way, though I am getting better. I actually completed my first puzzle, without help, just before Christmas. Occasionally my grey cells ignite and I will get several in a few minutes, but other times I stare blankly and cannot for the life of me figure out the answers. Continue reading “The Bozone Layer”

Delayed Gratification

Rod Liddle in The Spectator

The body of this post has been copied to a safe place pending a decision by Boadicea. It will be reinstated and re-opened for comments if, and when, she concludes that it is appropriate material for the Chariot.   Bearsy.

Having read the full text of this post, I have decided that it will not be published.

I find the article in The Spectator offensive. I fail to see how ‘Indigenous Australians’ behaved in the 1920s (long before most had contact with European habits) has any relevance to the lazy ‘Indigenous British’ who fail to toilet train their children, despite being exposed to the wonders of the ‘Water Closet’ for several generations.

My apologies for the chequered history of this post – but I am rather busy on other matters.

I have re-opened the post for comments.
Boadicea

Trial By Jury

I was recently lent the DVD set, ‘The Jury’ (Series 2) by a visitor from England. For those who have not seen it, it tells the story from the point of view of various jury members who have been summoned to a case involving the retrial of a man convicted of murder, but whose conviction was overturned on appeal. At the same time that the trial is taking place, a bill is being discussed in Parliament that proposes the ending of trial by jury. It was an enjoyable drama with some interesting characters, plots and sub-plots. Continue reading “Trial By Jury”

Rhino Horns – For Soutie

Hi Soutie, I know this is a subject close to your heart, and mine.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=162979

I think this chap presents a sensible solution. I particularly agree with this observation:

“Most donor agents appear not to like the idea of a regulated trade; maybe because it is the most likely solution, and a solution is not what they seek?

The public should be cautious about donating money to these agencies. They may be perpetuating the crisis.”