Category Archives: amusements

amusements, current affairs, medical, science

You May Have Missed …

Another in our series highlighting articles you may have missed …
Unfortunately top billing this week has to go to Prime Minister David Cameron’s desire to impose a “porn block” on every internet connection. Needless to say the internet has been awash with people decrying the scheme as unworkable censorship. Some has been the usual squealing about anything we don’t like but much has been sensible commentary on the abhorrence of censorship and the practicalities of why the system won’t work. Those of you who know me, and who follow here, will be able to guess my view. Here is a selection of articles:
Original news item from the Independent: David Cameron cracks down on online pornography with ‘porn block’ option
The anotherangryvoice blog shouts against David Cameron’s “national wank register” although the article is more rational and practical than that sounds.
Meanwhile in measured fashion New Statesman asks 10 questions about Cameron’s ‘war on porn’
While in PC Pro the smaller ISPs are resisting.
Another blogger maintains the proposed UK porn filter is a threat, not a safeguard.
Milena Popova looks at the proposals from the perspective of an abuse survivor.
Finally there is the inevitable e-petition on the government website: Do Not Force ISP Filtering of Pornography and Other Content. At the time of writing it has just over 25,000 signatures. Whether you agree or not I’d urge everyone to sign as 100,000 should ensure a parliamentary debate, which is about the best we can do in exercising our full democratic power.
Now let’s return to the usual rather more amusing and esoteric fare.
Big ears! Yes ears (and noses) really do grow as we age.
Here’s an interesting, if slightly contentious, article on why we should fight back against those who are determined to kill off obesity. Yes, we know there may be risks (for some) in obesity but moral blackmail isn’t the answer and quality of life does matter.
At last an explanation for all those tales of werewolves. Apparently sleep quality declines around the full moon.
Still on things medically orientated, scientists are increasingly demonstrating that there are links between faulty body clocks and mental illness although it should be stressed that a correlation doesn’t prove causation.
Well who would have guessed? Bottlenose dolphins use names to identify each other. Wolves too it seems. You mean all animals don’t? I bet they do; just because we can’t understand what name our cat or dog calls itself!
A couple of writers for Practical Fishkeeping magazine go snorkelling in an English river and are surprised by the amazing biodiversity.
Oh dear, here we go again … More sleight of hand in the finance industry. Nationwide Building Society is working out how to issue shares and remain mutual. Ho hum …
Meanwhile some fun … I love it when eccentric, guerilla ideas take off. Apparently campaigners have planted cannabis seeds all over a German town and the authorities are struggling to keep up with destroying the resulting sudden growth.
More fun, but more seriously … apparently the Tory party’s plans to claw back EU powers have been thrown into disarray after an official study describes the London-Brussels balance as ‘broadly appropriate’. As usual though, I bet they ignore their advisers.
And now for a true British eccentric. Obituary for the 7th Marquis of Anglesey, historian of the British Cavalry, who died last week.


And on British eccentricities, here is a series of photographs of Britain’s listed historic signal boxes.
Finally one close to my heart. Biologist Rob Dunn investigates the roamings of his cat, and despite her age gets a surprise.
More anon …

amusements

Five Questions, Series 4 #2

OK so here goes with my answer to the second of our fourth series of questions. Ready? … Go …


Question 2: Why are manhole covers round?
I’m so surprised at even having to be asked this, as I would have thought the answer was obvious: as a safeguard against square aliens, of course.
I mean what other possible reason could there be? It isn’t as if they’re really easier to make than heptagonal covers, is it? Nor easier than square ones.
And it can’t be that a round cover would use less material than a polygonal one, can it. That would just be silly! How could any right-minded person think such a thing?
No the only possible answer is that they’re to guard against square alien invaders …

See what I mean?

amusements

World Tin Bath Championships, 13 July

Anyone on the Isle of Man on 13 July should head to Castletown for the the World Tin Bath Championships.

Yes, this is what it sounds like: competitors paddle tin baths around Castletown’s Middle Harbour to raise money for local charities. There are men’s, ladies and team races.



There is also the Snake Race, which seems to consist of teams of six (four men, two women) competing as a team in some form of construction of type inner tubes.



If you like water (include me out!) it looks like fun.

As always there is more on the World Tin Bath Championships website at www.castletown.org.im/tinbaths/.

amusements

Auctionalia

Well it’s summer (allegedly) and there doesn’t seem to be a whole bunch going on to blog about. So here is one of our irregular collections of curiosities from our local auction house’s latest catalogue. As usual the eccentricity defies logic.

A full-length pastel of a girl on the seashore, by D Alvarez Gomez Domingo, signed, wearing a long white dress with a scarlet sash and holding a straw hat, modern frame
[But why was D Alvarez Gomez Domingo wearing a long white dress, with sash, and carrying a straw hat when they signed the picture?]

A small limited edition engraving of artist mice being watched by a cat, signed by the artist in the margin (illegible), two oils of cats, etc.

Three reproduction Georgian style mahogany framed wall mirrors, one with a shell and the other a Ho-ho bird surmount.
[And the third mirror? Oh and WTF is a ho-ho bird?]

A mid 20th century autograph bool (sic) with sketches, poems, photographs of the stars of the time, some signed, etc.



A pair of large George III silver shoe buckles, with openwork faceted beads between milled borders, maker’s IL, lion passant and duty marks.
[This is only one of about two dozen similar lots. Who collects this stuff?]

A musical John Peel tankard by Crown Devon, and silver plated objects including a candelabra, (sic) candlesticks, goblets, etc.

A snooker cue in metal case, inscribed on a plaque, ‘To Stumpie from Max and Buddy Bear’
[The mind boggles!]

Three shelves of mainly tribal wooden carvings including a wooden duck with brass and mother-of-pearl decoration, a lion, green painted octagonal lidded box with brass decoration, wicker lidded box, a tribal head, brass pot, etc.

A large mantel clock in exuberant pottery case … c.1900

An interesting collection of bladed weapons and associated items, 19th and 20th century, comprising 7 bayonets with 4 scabbards, a commando knife with leather scabbard, the blade signed IXL, a kris, 4 other knives with 2 sheaths, 3 powder horns, a shot flask, 2 shell cases, and gun parts

A reproduction suit of armour and four dress swords
[Anyone got a castle to decorate?]

A 4-Hatch Coaster radio controlled boat named ‘Tamara’ with a digger on the deck, in white, red and grey, approximately 40″ long, on stand

A radio controlled German WWII E-Boat, scale 1:24, approximately 57″ with three motors, also a part-built submarine approximately 67″
[These two boats are a sample of about 12 similar lots!]

A lot of old skulls, antlers and horns, and a display of small tusks

Two old tool boxes and contents, a roll of barbed wire, axle supports, a saw, level, etc.
[It’s the barbed wire that makes this a “must have” lot!]

An example of taxidermy, a mongoose struggling with an adder



A BMW motorbike combination, registration number E259 LOW, the sidecar possibly by Steil