All posts by Keith

I’m a controversialist and catalyst, quietly enabling others to develop by providing different ideas and views of the world. Born in London in the early 1950s and initially trained as a research chemist I retired as a senior project manager after 35 years in the IT industry. Retirement is about community give-back and finding some equilibrium. Founder and Honorary Secretary of the Anthony Powell Society. Chairman of my GP's patient group.
links

Your Interesting Links

Another round of links to interesting items you may have missed.
Science & Medicine
In a series of three articles an Australian vet looks at why it might better for your pet not to be fed twice a day from a bowl.
Why do some guys with dark (or blonde) hair have ginger beards?
Sexuality
OK, so just why do women fake orgasms? The cynical inner me says it’s the same reason they wear make-up: vanity.
So you don’t want to have children? That’s fine. Not wanting kids is entirely normal and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Environment
An ancient Chinese ginkgo tree drops an ocean of golden leaves. Some gorgeous photographs.


And more stunning photography, this time of some city-dwelling leopards highlighting just what amazing urban wildlife is out there.
Social Sciences & Business
Who said meditation was a con or a waste of time? Not when it transforms one of San Francisco’s toughest schools it isn’t.
OK, so what do you reckon is the best department store in London? Londonist investigates and you might be surprised at the answer.
And here’s another rather surprising thing … What is the single best interview question you can ask? Certainly some food for thought for those of us who have to hire staff.
Leading on from that here’s an interesting piece about how we make big decisions (indeed all decisions; we just don’t notice so much with the small ones).
How good at you at influencing people and getting them to do what you want? Here are some psychological tricks you can use.
Art & Literature

So is this picture (above) really a Leonardo worth £100 million or a forgery? A convicted forger says he did it but the experts think it is the real thing. Here are two reports, one from the Daily Mail the other from the Guardian. Whichever it is I don’t agree with the Guardian reporter’s thesis and I would have thought a few basic scientific tests should prove if it is definitely forged.
Richard Branson is worried about the rise of online messaging and wants to bring back the pen so we can all write “thank you” letters.
History
Next year the British Museum is promising us another blockbuster exhibition: Sunken cities: Egypt’s lost worlds. The Independent fills in some background.
And talking of Egypt, back before WWI there was a proposal to build a pyramid in Hyde Park. IanVisits takes a look.
Shock, Horror, Humour
IanVisits (again) has found a awesome rubber-band powered steam train.
[NSFW] And finally at the bottom of the barrel we bring you a Soviet erotic alphabet picture book from 1931.

ramblings

Advent Calendar 12

An Advent Calendar
Some of My Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Variation on a theme (M1220438 E-M1 171mm iso800 f5.9 0.3s)
Note that this image is not mine and is copyright the original photographer
who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

ramblings

Advent Calendar 11

An Advent Calendar
Some of My Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
DSC_1310 2
Note that this image is not mine and is copyright the original photographer
who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

amusements

More Auction Oddities

Yet another collection of the strange and unwanted from our local auction house.
A modern folksy wall mirror, the square plate in a frame of whitewashed twigs.
A mixed shelf of items including metal ware such as a decorative ink stand with ceramic liner, a pair of champleve and brass candlesticks, a pair of brass figures, two small brass and glass oil lamps, a large pair of green glazed vases decorated with flowering chrysanthemums, blue and white plate, Staffordshire flatback figurine of a stag and terrier, small quantity of coronation wares to include mugs, an old brass fire extinguisher, a large 19th century family Bible, a small quantity of old tins and a horn and brass purse plus other decorative items.
A plaster model of a skull, a clay bust of an African child, a selection of woodland brassware to include three Barley twist wooden candlesticks, a highly carved wooden box possibly Oriental (with key), further wooden jewellery and trinket boxes, a cross banded tea caddy inlaid satinwood, a wooden abacus, pair of rhino bookends, a pair of African figural bookends, soapstone vase decorated with monkeys, brass lamp, brass carriage clock, a 19th century metal iron, a brass tea set, pewter mug and others.
Approx. 35 bottles of alcohol including red and white whine [sic] such as four bottle of Botzinger 1989 Rose wine and four bottles of Bulgarian 1983 Oriachovitza Cabernet Sauvignon plus others.
A Royal typewriter, a Citizens atlas, four cameras including Kodak, boxed Brownies, two glass paperweights by Tiffany and Co. one modelled as an apple, a model car and small quantity of Meccano.
A pair of 19th century metal dog nutcrackers …
Do just make sure the dog is muzzled first!
Collection of Bisque figurines of elderly people and children, a light up Christmas ornament, three Lilliput lane ornaments including Big Ben in winter, various animal figurines including dragons, deer, cats and birds, a character teapot decorated with cats, hand painted oriental eggs on hardwood stands, a pair of carved wooden African busts plus other various ornaments.


A large wooden African carving in the form of a totem pole
What an almighty beast of a dildo!
A 70cl bottle of Bacardi, two litre bottles of Baileys, a litre bottle of Victory gin, 75cl bottle of Cockburns Port, two bottles of Deitz Champagne, plus others and a musical chess table and pieces, plus a Seconda watch
Two boxes of ribbons and tapes for dressmaking, plus four printer’s trays and wooden rollers
Three oversized red white and blue baubles used in the 1953 Coronation, and a special Punch edition for the Coronation of 1953, and two slipper pans, one by Boots called ‘Ideal’, the second Perfection Bed and Douche Pan
Two old metal scales and weights plus a vintage Spong mincer, a pair of Jockey Club Paris binoculars and another, a Kodak Box Brownie N0. 127 and another, a pair of old straw filled leather boxing gloves, a large leather Gladstone bag, a Nikon F401S camera in carrying bag, a flower press and quantity of framed pictures
A Maori ceremonial hardwood paddle deeply carved with tiki, with beaked head terminal to the handle, shallow-carved reverse, inlaid with a total of eight abalone discs, 61 long

A Nebuchadnezzar of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne (15 Litres), owc; this bottle was donated to Oxfam and is signed by twelve famous film personalities comprising Ken Loach, Aishwarya Rai, Marion Cotillard, Monica Belluci, Pedro Almodovar, Penelope Cruz, Tony Parker, Eva Longoria, Vincent Cassel, Willem Dafoe, Vin Diesel and Scarlett Johansson
I’ve never seen a Nebuchadnezzar — 20 bottles worth! — before, and I’ll likely never see another because they aren’t that common.
An African carved wood mask applied with cowrie shells
An impressive late Victorian Scottish ram horn table snuff mull, with white metal mounts

Three black garden pots, each containing trees, and three empty pots, all on floor in front of window, including two decorative metal herons.
A Baird portable record player, an old accordion, early electrical medical instrument and a rape [sic] to tape reel deck by Elpico
A small quantity of decorative items including a table lamp in the form of a toadstool with cats living within, a brass and metal table lamp, a bottle of Campari, A Lladro figurine of a poodle and further poodle themed items such as figures, purses etc. a Jay trinket stand. A masons Ironstone cream jug and vase – Mandalay pattern, a small quantity of Portmeirion botanical garden dinner wares, a Wedgwood cornucopia pattern mantle clock and others
An Aladin [sic] brass and glass oil lamp, a green glass and brass hukka lamp, two leaded glass window panes, a wooden carved picture frame and a Sinclair ZXC Spectrum personal computer
An early 20th century table incorporating an old mangle on an iron base.

amusements

Ten Things #24

1 Comment

Christmas is coming, although I can’t comment on the obesity of the geese, so this month our ten things are …
Ten Truly Dreadful Cracker Jokes

  1. cracker“Waiter! This coffee tastes like mud.”
    “Yes sir, it’s fresh ground.”
  2. What has four legs but can’t walk?
    A table!
  3. What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
    Tinsilitis!
  4. What do crackers, fruitcake and nuts remind me of?
    You!
  5. What does the Queen call her Christmas Broadcast?
    The One Show.
  6. What’s round and bad tempered?
    A vicious circle
  7. On which side do chickens have the most feathers?
    The outside.
  8. What happened when Santa went speed dating?
    He pulled a cracker.
  9. Why doesn’t Santa suffer from claustrophobia when climbs down the chimney?
    Because has had his flue jab.
  10. What do you call the chicken that’s crossing the road?
    Poultry in motion.

Well what do you really expect round here? Surely not academic rigour?

ramblings

Advent Calendar 10

An Advent Calendar
Some of My Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Bridgnorth
Note that this image is not mine and is copyright the original photographer
who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

ramblings

Advent Calendar 9

An Advent Calendar
Some of My Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer
Scottish Wildcat
Note that this image is not mine and is copyright the original photographer
who may be identified by following the link to Flickr

ramblings

Advent Calendar 8

An Advent Calendar
Some of My Favourite Images from Other Photographers on Flickr
Click the image for larger views on Flickr and details of the photographer

Note that this image is not mine and is copyright the original photographer
who may be identified by following the link to Flickr