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.
arts, music, topographical

Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival

Piping Live! is the Glasgow International Piping Festival which, in this their 10th year, is being held from 11-18 August.
The bagpipe is an ancient instrument which is found in many parts of the world — not just in Scotland but in various forms right across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. And of course more recently introduced to wherever there is a Scottish influence.


The pipes do seem to be something you either love or hate. Although I’m one of those who love the pipes (but preferably styles other than Scottish) I can quite see why they were used (notably by the Scots and Irish) as a fearsome weapon on the battlefield.
Being held in Glasgow this is naturally a Scotland-centric festival, although the week long programme of concerts and competitions includes a number of pipe bands from abroad: Italy, Hungary, Canada, Brittany, Ireland amongst them. There are also talks, whisky tastings and the World Pipe Band Championships.
As always there is a lot more about the event, as well as a full programme of the week’s events, at www.pipinglive.co.uk

words

Word: Helminth

Helminth. This word cropped up in conversation over our postprandial coffee with friends last evening (you know who you are!) and it is one I’ve been meaning to write about for some time.
Helminth : A worm, especially a parasitic intestinal roundworm or tapeworm.
Yes, nasty things that you really don’t want to know about.
Hence anthelmintics or antihelminthics are drugs that expel such parasitic worms from the body, by either stunning or killing them. The drugs may also be called vermifuges (which stun) or vermicides (which kill).
Interestingly though, according to the OED, helminth is also a chlorite mineral which occurs in felspar and quartz.
Oh and the word comes from the Greek ἕλµινς, ἑλµινθ-, a worm.
[PS. No image with this one as nobody is that keen to be put off their tea!]

current affairs, medical

Just Stay Well

So you thought the NHS was a simple hierarchy of family doctors and hospitals? Think again.
Created for The King’s Fund**, this animation explains the current state of the NHS in just over 6 minutes. It is well worth watching and puts (some of) the current organisation in context.
And it is about the best explanation I have yet seen.

Though to be fair it wasn’t that much better before the recent reorganisation — just different! And actually it has never been a simple structure.
No wonder I’m cynical about it all, but still determined to do my bit to try to make it work professionally. The thing is if we don’t make it work then we’re all stuffed.
Gawdelpus!
** The King’s Fund is an independent charity working to improve health and health care in England. They help to shape policy and practice through research and analysis; develop individuals, teams and organisations; promote understanding of the health and social care system; and bring people together to learn, share knowledge and debate. Their vision is that the best possible care is available to all. They are not a sideshow; they are hugely influential.

words

Word: Ecolect

Ecolect
According to wiktionary an ecolect is a language variety unique to a household although I might cast the net slightly wider than a single household, maybe to an (extended) family.


However it appears that as yet it has not made it’s way into the OED or many other mainstream dictionaries.
Compare with:
Idiolect: The language variant used by a specific individual.
Ethnolect: A language variety specific to an ethnic group.
Sociolect: The variant of language used by a social group such as a socioeconomic class, ethnic group, age group etc.
Dialect: A variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular area.

environment, food+drink

National Allotment Week

5-11 August is National Allotment Week.
National Allotments Garden Trust and the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners will be teaming up with local authorities to recognise the importance of allotments — not just locally, but nationally too.
Following on from the success of the 2012 event they are bringing back their ‘Party on the Plot’ and inviting allotment societies across the country to dust off their bunting and BBQs, spread the word and hold a jolly good knees-up!


Too often allotments are thought of as places that only grow the humble potato or everyday carrot, but in truth they offer a cornucopia of delicious treats, including some of our most delicious fruit: strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries; blackberries, plums and apples.
Allotments need protecting from development plans and budget cuts, so now is the time to get involved and help ensure they survive.
As always there is more information on the National Allotment Week website.

personal, sexuality

Five Questions, Series 4 #3

So it’s that time again. Well to tell the truth it was probably than time days ago but who round here is clock-watching? Isn’t retirement all about not having to worry about clocks?
Anyway, yes, it is time for an answer to question three in the latest series of “Five Questions”. So here goes …


Question 3: If you could be the opposite gender for a day, what would you do?
To put it very simply: Fuck.
I’ve always wondered what it is like to be female, and especially to have sex — because it seems to me from the outside that sex is a much different experience for girls than for boys.
More importantly, perhaps, I feel I should know, and would like to know, what it’s like to be female. And I don’t just mean the good bits like fucking, but also the messy bits like periods and childbirth. No I doubtless wouldn’t enjoy those bits, but it’s about understanding as well as having fun.
I’m sure if even 10% of men could experience what it’s like to be female, even for just a few days (and conversely 10% of women experience what it’s like to be male) then we’d understand each other so much better and everything would work so much better. Yes, I know we all have these ideas of what being the opposite gender is like, but I suspect they are mostly delusions. And there’s nothing quite like the real thing.
But yes, basically, if I had only one day, I’d fuck. It might be fun, it might be educational and it might even be lucrative. Sounds like a winner to me. 🙂

amusements

World Thumb Wrestling Championships

The World Thumb Wrestling Championships are being held on Saturday 3 August at the Triangle Tavern in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
World Thumb Wrestling is a fun sport, where competitors are encouraged to glam up their thumbs and choose a ‘stage name’ for their thumb before entering into battle. There are men’s and ladies’ competitions.


Each Year the annual World Thumb Wrestling Championships is held at the Mecca of Thumb Wrestling, Lowestoft, Suffolk. On display are some of the World’s top thumb wrestlers who battle it out to see who will be the champions.
It seems that anyone can enter by buying a ticket online or registering at the venue before 14:00 on the day (spaces permitting).
There are more details as well as the rules, on the World Thumb Wrestling website at www.thumbwrestling.co.uk.