[David Russell]
Five Questions, Series 4 #1
Sorry, it’s been too long since I posed the five questions of Series 4, and thus my answer the the first of the questions is long overdue. So here we go …
Question 1: What happens after we die?
Well wouldn’t we all like to know! However it seems to me that this is one thing we can, by definition, never know. That doesn’t mean that all the reports of “near death experiences” are meaningless or imaginary; they may well not be. But clearly, despite appearances, the people experiencing them aren’t actually dead, so they don’t (and in my view never can) tell us what happens after we die.
As a scientist the reality seems to me to be summed up in the words of Genesis 3:19:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
and the Burial Service from the Book of Common Prayer:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life …
(Isn’t that just so much nicer English than all this modern stuff?)
So yes, the scientist in me says that we disintegrate back into the environment for we are no more than a collection of chemicals: earth, dust and ashes.
However … our thoughts can go on: as books, music, art, whatever. In that sense we may be dead but our brains are never buried, never lost, ever immortal.
And yet. And yet there remains that nagging little doubt somewhere deep inside which says that there is some form of reincarnation. Not in the Biblical sense of a Day of Judgement. More perhaps our “soul” (whatever that is) gets chopped up in some way and distributed (with bits of others?) to future beings. Who knows? We can likely never prove it. But it would explain a lot. And it would be a whole lot more fun than earth, dust and ashes.
Weekly Photograph
This week I thought we’d have a couple of photos from our visit to Kew Gardens last week. For me one of the delights of Kew at this time of year is the Water Lily House which houses a collection of spectacular tropical water lilies. On a hot day, as it was when we visited, the Water Lily House has to be one of the best saunas in London. So this year it is also being used to grow a super display of chilli plants, some with enormous red fruits up to 6 inches long! But it is always the water lilies which I love; they are just so spectacular.
Click images for larger views on Flickr
Two of the many Water Lilies on show
Water Lily House (Montage)
Kew Gardens, 8 July 2013
Although by Kew greenhouse standards the Water Lily House is small (that pond is just 36 feet in diameter) it is a delightful Victorian purpose-built greenhouse (it was completed in 1852). And that pond is also teeming with small fish which keep the algae and the mosquitoes at bay.
Something for the Weekend
Word: Speleology
Speleology
1. The scientific study of caves, , especially in respect of their geological formation, flora, fauna etc.
2. The the sport or pastime of exploring caves; caving.
First coined, according to the OED, by EA Martel in the Report of the 6th Geographical Congress of 1895.
Hence speleological, of or pertaining to speleology; speleologist, a student of, or authority on, cave-research; an explorer of caves.
Buggered Britain 17
Another instalment in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
These delightful properties are in Manor Park Road, London, NW10 — admittedly not one of the most salubrious areas of the city.
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/.
World Pea Shooting Championships, 13 July
If you were anything like the kids in my childhood, pea shooters were all the rage. So what better way to relive ones delinquent infancy than at the World Pea Shooting Championships which take place at Witcham on 13 July.
Witcham is one of those quiet villages in the Cambridgeshire fens a handful of miles west of Ely. They will be holding the 43rd World Pea Shooting Championships as part of their local festival and village fête which raises funds essential for the upkeep of facilities like the village hall.
As well as the World Chamionship there are ladies, juniors and team competitions. And yes,the championship is truly international: the 1996 and 1998 World Champion was an American!
There is more information n the World Pea Shooting Championships and the village of Witcham on their website at www.witcham.org.uk.
Weekly Photograph
I found these two feathers from a Rose-Ringed Parakeet (aka. Ring-necked Parakeet, Psittacula krameri) in the garden on Saturday. Considering that we have these birds around the garden almost continually it is surprising that these are the first such feathers I’ve found.
The larger is about 11 cm from tip to tip and given the curvature on it (which the photo doesn’t show) it is almost certainly a primary (probably P4) — you can see the black on the wings feathers (probably P1/P2) of the bird shown below. For a naturally moulted feather it is in remarkable condition, and the green is wonderfully iridescent.
The smaller feather is about 4 cm from tip to tip so is probably a breast feather. It really is that very lemony yellow. There were a couple of parakeets sitting in the top of our silver birch tree while we were sitting outside eating tea and I actually saw this feather floating gently onto the lawn.
Click the images for larger views on Flickr
Parakeet Feathers
(the relative sizes are approximately correct)
Greenford, 7 July 2013
And yes, they are from one of these beauties …
Ring-Necked Parakeet
Greenford, March 2012
Five Questions, Series 4
Back in March I promised that we’d have another round of “Five Questions”. Why? Well because thinking about them keeps us on our toes. Besides, I have to have something inane to write about and you really don’t want me writing about tennis, now do you!?
In series four we’re back to the old mix of difficult and slightly silly questions. Well you can treat them all as silly if you wish; they’re chosen so they can be open to daft responses. So take the questions as seriously, or not, as you like.
The five questions for series 4 are:
- What happens after we die?
- Why are manhole covers round?
- If you could be the opposite gender for a day, what would you do?
- Is it even possible to create a Utopia?
- What is the biggest obstacle that stands in your way right now?
Again, like the previous series if you take them seriously I think they’re going to be deceptively tricky. I certainly don’t know exactly how I’m going to answer them all, although I have a few ideas up my sleeve.
Anyway I’ll answer them one at a time over the coming weeks; the first probably later this week.
And as I’ve said before, if anyone has any more good questions, then please send them to me. I’d like to continue to do this two or three times a year so good, but potentially fun, questions are needed.
Watch this space!