The Time To Vote Approaches

A great moment is approaching. Having become a citizen in January, I am finally eligible to vote. On Thursday, there will be a General Election.

I remember my first-ever vote in 1984. I listened carefully to the candidates, as I sought out their positions on the issues that were important to me. I made my choice, and my candidate suffered one of the greatest defeats in the history of American Presidential elections.

These days, it seems that the only way to make a choice is to decide what one likes the least. There aren't really any policies - despite each party telling us that they are the party for change - it is all spin. Matthew Parris wrote about this in the Times yesterday:

"Change is the last thing the British people want. They want things to carry on as they are. They are losing confidence in their politics to arrange it. That’s why they’re angry. Do you imagine change is what the Greek mob want? No, it’s change they fear.

We are in the same condition as the benighted Greeks, but not so far down the primrose path: dimly aware of the truth, scared of the truth, angry with the truth, and howling for the head of any politician who threatens to admit the truth.

The truth is simple: we’re living beyond our means. The change — if change were what we were really prepared to embrace — is simple: we will have to live within our means."
The Times 1.5.10

As he says, hard times are coming. Whoever gets the poisoned chalice will try their best, and make a lot of people very angry. So how am I supposed to choose? Thanks to the recent adoption of American-style debates, presentation and performance have suddenly become career-changing elements for our party leaders. So do I go for the guy who sweated the least? The one who had the nicest tie? Do I eliminate the one who stood there with his hand in his pocket?

I'll get back to you :-)

Amanda Seyfried

On the one hand I am far too old to be interested in a pretty little thing like Amanda Seyfried. On the other hand I am the proud older sister of a fine journalist whose interview with said actress was published by the Sunday Telegraph here.

Prisoner Piglet

My parents were great fans of the television show "The Prisoner", starring Patrick McGoohan. It has just been remade, which does not usually work for cult favourites. Above, Piglet flees from Rover - The Giant Ball of Death. Below, Patrick McGoohan is closely followed by the big white ball.

Facebook Manners And You

Just saw this on a friend's Facebook page and thought it was jolly good.

Where Did Thursday Thirteen Go?

My old friend Thursday Thirteen seems to have disappeared, although some of the old gang may be found around here. I fell asleep thinking about one the other night, and since I will soon forget it since I cannot seem to remember any ideas by the morning, I shall do it now. So here we have my latest (not) Thursday 13:

THIRTEEN THINGS AUGUSTUS

1. Augustus Caesar
The obvious one. Here are a couple of things he is reputed to have said.

2. Augustus Sans Serif
If you are into fonts, have a look at this.

3. Augustus Who Would Not Eat His Soup
Although the original German story from 'Der Struwelpeter' tells of Suppen Kaspar, the English translation describes the demise of Augustus. To hear it told to you right now click here.

4. Augustus Egg
Here is the way to all you may ever wish to know about the nineteenth-century painter with the fabulous name.

5. Agaricus Augustus
What might this be? I had no idea, and was pleasantly surprised by this picture.

6. Augustus Jackson
This Augustus was an African-American credited with an important place in the history of ice-cream. Go here, and click on his name for more. Safe for diabetics.

7. Fort Augustus
For your next expedition to find Nessie, why not make your base camp in this historic town by the loch.

8. Augustus de Morgan
He was a famous British mathematician and logician. Famous at least in the world of mathematics. Sadly, words like 'trigonometry' or 'differential calculus' do not compute in my brain. Far be it from me, however, to deny you anything actually so have a look at this.

9. The Augustus Society
This group preserves and promotes a positive image of Italian-Americans in Clark County, Nevada.

10. Augustus John
Here is a brief biography of the (mostly) twentieth-century portrait painter. Famous also for his multitudinous affairs, apparently his illegitimate children were referred to as 'Johnlets".

11. Charles Augustus Lindbergh
That's it. The middle name of the famous aviator. As it was for his father, and his poor first son.

12. Seimone Augustus
An Olympic basketball gold medal-winning female Augustus! Read about her here.

13. Augustus Gloop
The one you've all been waiting for! No? O well, the demise of the chocolate guzzler in Willy Wonka's factory may be viewed here.

I had wanted to include Gus the Theatre Cat, but it turns out that 'Gus' is short for 'Asparagus'. *sigh*

Alan Sillitoe RIP

Alan and Ruth have been part of my life since I was a child. There will probably be lots of articles and obituaries in the next few days that examine his legacy and place in English literature. He was kind and loving, and I am sad for Ruth and David and the rest of the family.

from Paul Bowles
Google Images of Alan
Everyday people remember Alan
BBC Obituary
Telegraph obituary
Guardian obituary
Times obituary
Alan's selections for Desert Island Discs

Jo Grant Returns

While Sarah Jane Smith has always been my favourite companion, Jo Grant was my first Doctor Who companion (and with hindsight probably the one I fancied the most). Now the Telegraph reports that Jo will return for a couple of episodes of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures'.

On the one hand, hurrah! On the other hand, how can she possibly live up to the expectation of a 25-year-old memory?

Women Priests - Why Not?

This is my blogfriend La Chienne de Garde's personal perspective on a recent poster campaign by the French Catholic Church. The Church hopes to convince young believers that it is cool to be a priest. More details from the Telegraph here.

Not the best time to be recruiting, methinks.

PS This is the original recruiting poster:

Irony?

We were looking forward to being in Krakow just about now. Unfortunately, ash in the air prevents our journey to Poland. Isn't that ironic?

Gays in Football

They say that it's not safe to be out as a homosexual footballer in Britain. This picture is from the City of Manchester Stadium earlier today at the end of the game between City and United. It was in front of 47,019 people. Not to mention the television audience across the world. I guess it doesn't count if you just scored the winning goal.

UPDATE: ESPN posted the pic and originally named the file 'nevillegay' before changing it to 'nevillekiss' and eventually removing it. Story here.

For Gleeks Everywhere

Loved Jane Lynch in 'The L Word', 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' and 'Julie & Julia'. She is what makes 'Glee' worth watching. This, however, is stratospheric!

Let's Blame the Jews ... Again

Today's Guardian has an interesting story: "Bishop 'blames Jews' for criticism of Catholic church record on abuse". The emeritus bishop claims he never said it. Even though he has a previous record of critical comments about the Jewish community. The report may be found here.

Scary. Not particularly surprising. In the end, though, it's just another smokescreen to hide behind. We are no longer discussing the abuse and the priests who did it and those that covered it up. Now there is a different subject to discuss, i.e., interfaith relations. Feh! Get back to the point please Catholic clerics. Who is responsible for the abuse, and what are you going to do about it? Eh?

O Akos, My Akos

No doubt we shall throw the game away, but my favourite player is back on form and has scored a fantastic goal so I shall just rejoice in that!

And So It Begins

I am so tempted, but shall take the high road and say no more.

Keep It Gay!

Today's Guardian has a blog article about the current state of plays and their gayness. The premise seems to be that these days there is a much greater range of portraits of gay men on the stage. Ultimately, though, the conclusion is that gays on stage are not yet completely out of the closet. The blogger makes quite a good case, as he trawls through productions of the past, present and future. O, and he even mentions a lesbian, albeit in brackets. Read it for yourself right here. Feh!

Routemaster Piglet

The number nine - my favourite bus. It used to go from Mortlake to Liverpool Street, but now seems to go from Hammersmith to Aldwych. Here, Piglet rests gently on the bonnet of an old Routemaster.

The New Doctor Who

We have to admit that we were a bit worried about finally seeing the first ep of the new Doctor Who this evening. The BBC had hyped it up so much, and we were still pining for the Tennant; so the possibility of great disappointment seemed imminent. All I can say is that at the end of the show, the world's greatest DT fan sitting next to me said that Matt Smith wasn't that bad ... and the companion had great potential! Other early reviews:

"To millions of fanatical fans, changing the Time Lord is far more important than changing the Prime Minister. Parliaments are temporary… the universe goes on forever. So the good news is… you can all relax. After a fine performance in an encouragingly expensive and slick special- effects packed opening salvo, it’s crystal clear that Mr Smith is certain to be a sensation. The Beeb’s best franchise is in safe hands. Phew!"
The Mirror

"Essentially, the Doctor is meant to be a mad alien, and Smith looks like one before he even opens his mouth. By the end of episode one he was bedizened in a suitably daft public-school geography-teacher ensemble of bow tie and tweed jacket. It was ridiculous but it felt right: mad, alien, brand new but very old. A+ to the casting director. A+ to Smith."
The Telegraph

See? Not a spoiler in sight!

Baseball is Back!

The 2010 season begins in a few hours when the Yankees go to Fenway for the first of hopefully more than 162 games. It has been so long since I had to follow from over here that I have not yet got any kind of system in place. The main thing is whether or not I will be able to find online the CBS broadcasts with my heroine Suzyn Waldman. So my apologies to non sport fans - my obsessions are both winter and summer!

Baroness Park of Monmouth RIP

I know I know another blinking obituary. They are just so compelling. This one, for example: the top spy of her time. It is just irresistable! Here are some excerpts from the Telegraph:

"Daphne Park demonstrated that a woman could be an immensely competent officer on the ground. Extracting information in the middle of an African jungle or burning top secret documents (and then hiding the ashes in her knickers) were simply part of the job."

"Here (in the Belgian Congo), Daphne Park dealt with the inevitable death threats and lawlessness of society with habitual sangfroid. On one occasion, when living alone, she chased off an intruder by leaning out of her window and shouting: "I am a witch! And if you don't instantly go away your hands and feet will fall off!""

"The family home was a mud hut without running water or electricity. Daphne pegged her first gold claim aged three, finding a single nugget which she then lost. She had no formal education until the age of 11, when she walked three days to the nearest road and hitched a lorry ride "through a cloud of locusts" to Dar es Salaam."

Go and read the rest for yourself. It's here. Another amazing woman - she puts me to shame with her energy and initiative.

Mind Cleanser

Jews across the world today are cleaning out their cupboards in preparation for the festival of Passover. May I present an opportunity to flush out one's brain also: the theme tune to the cartoon 'Pinky and the Brain' ... in Russian! Greetings and good wishes to you all!!

In Synch With the Times

Was delighted to see the front page of the Times today had as its main picture a cyberman. Turning to page eleven there was also a medium-sized story:

"... More than 100 props from Doctor Who will be sold at auction today allowing fans to buy an original, if somewhat ramshackle, part of sciencefiction folklore. As well as two full-size Daleks from 1988, which are expected to go for up to £7,000 each, the sale includes modern costumes such as David Tennant’s suit and Billie Piper’s pyjamas from Marks & Spencer.

It is the Heath Robinson monsters that catch the eye, however, made in a hurry from foam latex, fibreglass and electrical components that would not look out of place in a school science experiment. A fearsome red snake encountered by Peter Davison and a young Martin Clunes in a 1983 episode was created mainly from airconditioning tubes.

“The monsters were made from things you could buy in a hardware shop,” said Stephanie Connell, entertainment memorabilia specialist at Bonhams in Central London, who said the use of DIY components allowed the BBC to meet tight schedules ..."

The rest of it is here. Have to say I prefer my own pics :-)

Are You My Piglet?

Guess who went to the viewing at the auction house of Doctor Who props and costumes? Here, Piglet tries on the costume worn by Billie Piper in 'The Empty Child' and 'The Doctor Dances'. Much fun was had by all.

Colonel Mike Osborn RIP

On the other hand, I usually complain about the unusually large amount of obituaries of World War Two veterans. The following, however, caught my eye. Mike Osborn witnessed the capture and death of the evil Heinrich Himmler:

"Osborn's counterpart in Intelligence, Lt-Col "Spud" Murphy, insisted that Himmler remove his SS uniform. The man refused to wear battledress on the ground that it was enemy uniform, so he was stripped, wrapped in an Army blanket and bundled into Osborn's staff car.

Osborn drove to Army HQ as Murphy, with a drawn revolver, rode in the back with their prisoner. On arrival Himmler was escorted to a room where a doctor was waiting to carry out a preliminary examination to check that he was not carrying any poison.

As Osborn left the room to telephone the Army commander, he heard a shout and the sound of a scuffle. On coming back in he saw Himmler writhing stark naked on the floor, foaming at the mouth. He had concealed a small phial of poison under his tongue."

He also was one of the first to discover the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, he landed in Normandy on D-Day plus 1, he was in Tobruk ... the man seems to have been everywhere!

Read about him here.

Kathryn Grayson RIP

Singing "I Hate Men" in 'Kiss Me Kate'

One of the reasons that I have learned to love the Telegraph obituaries is because its valedictory style is not always laudatory. A recent and particular example is that of Kathryn Grayson, a singing Hollywood star who was never a favourite of mine, except that she was in one of the best movie musicals ever, i.e., Kiss Me Kate. Here are a few quotes from the Telegraph:

"...she had a pert expression, bee-stung lips and a retroussé nose that her studio, if not always her public, thought would be irresistible"

"Her voice passed in less demanding times for how a great singer should sound, but recording techniques have improved greatly since then. Nowadays, the more florid moments sound curiously like Minnie Mouse gargling."

"Legend has it that, as a child, she wandered on stage after the show at the St Louis Municipal Opera House and sang just for the janitor. In the empty auditorium, a torrent of one-man applause greeted the performance. Only when it was time to say goodbye did she realise that he was stone deaf and hadn't heard a note."

They are not exactly speaking ill of the dead, but they are certainly having a little fun at her expense. For 'Kiss Me Kate', if nothing else, I shall always hear her voice in my head.

Dr Joan Austoker RIP

Was sad to see an obituary in today's Times for Dr. Joan Austoker. It begins:

"Dr Joan Austoker was a brilliant communicator to the public of the importance of early detection of cancer through screening, whose writings reached millions of homes. She wrote much of the public guidance that was crucial in helping women to consider the benefits and limitations of screening.

She conveyed the complex biology in an accessible way that encouraged many people to accept their invitation for screening and have their condition diagnosed before it became lifethreatening. The present Department of Health National Awareness and Early Detection Initiative is the product of her work over the past two decades."

The rest of it is here

The thing is, when I saw the name, I was pretty sure that this was the same woman who taught me biology when I was twelve. I remember her clearly, mainly because I liked to sit in the back of the class with my friend Fran and do my maths homework until Dr. Austoker decided that I couldn't see the board properly from there and had me sit up at the front next to her :-) Somehow, I am really glad to learn that in fact she was a wonderful woman, and am also sad that I did not know it until now.

For All My Friends who Follow the Team at Fenway

Just found this online, and think it needs to be shared. It's not even Spring Training yet - can't we all be friends? Er, no.

Banning the Burqa

The wearing of a burqa is an issue which evokes extreme reactions across a spectrum. In democracies that pride themselves on a variety of freedoms, one might think that choice of clothing should not be a problem. On the other hand, many people find the burqa offensive. India Knight wrote an interesting piece in the Times a couple of weeks ago. She was discussing a potential law in France that would fine women wearing the burqa or niqab in public. According to her, the French government considers wearing a burqa to be an in-your-face action by extremists, rather than a religious prescription. Her response is that

"I find this whole subject uncomfortable because I don’t really know what I think; I change my mind constantly. I start off, as most people would, from the point of view that everyone should be allowed to wear what they like, regardless of how peculiar it might strike others as being, without being dictated to."

That seems pretty clear to me. What I may think the custom says about the lives of the people who observe it, e.g., oppression of women, is my opinion, but surely not any basis for enacting its prohibition. On the other hand, as Knight also says

"The bottom line, I guess, is that you have to fall into line with the country you’re living in. I was in Marrakesh a couple of months ago and, as ever, was treated to the sight of idiot tourists wandering around the souks half-naked, complaining loudly about unwelcome attention and taking photographs of the picturesque natives without asking first. So you could argue that banning the burqa is a variant on the same thing: stopping people offending the social mores of the country they find themselves in."

The thing is, I find it hard to be offended by an item of clothing. It's not like it is a yellow star or a pink triangle. On the other hand, I would rather be able to see people's faces if I am to interact with them. I have not had much interaction with burqaed women, though. Anyway, I'm afraid that this all has a lot more to do with the Western response to those terrorists who claim to be acting according to Islamic teachings. Of course it is important to try and stay safe. Laws governing clothing, however, aren't the way to go.

India Knight's article is here

The Epitome of Angelic

Sadly this is only a picture of a photo (the negative was lost many years ago). It is, however, generally held to be a representation of the sister of ravaj at her most beautiful moment of childhood. Happily, while no longer necessarily angelic, she continues to shine.

Krakow Cuisine

As Piotr and his friends from Krakow set up their exhibition in the Czech Scrolls Museum, we have had some interesting conversations about Jewish life in the area. Ancient relatives of the ravaj lived in villages round and about, so a trip to Poland may be taking place in the not-too-distant future. With that in mind, I did some googling, and came up with this fine Jewish restaurant :-)

Sneaky Sister!

The sister of ravaj, who screams razorblades if one tries to photograph her, nicked this little pic last Boxing Day down at Mecca. Although we won, the football we played was incredibly bad, as reflected by the look on my face.

Homer Simpson Quotes

I am sooooo procrastinating. In that mode, I have found some Homer Simpson quotes on the BBC website and feel the need to share them:

• [Reading computer manual] "To start, press any key. Where's the 'Any' key?"

• "I want to share something with you: The three little sentences that will get you through life.
Number 1: Cover for me.
Number 2: Oh, good idea, Boss!
Number 3: It was like that when I got here."

• "Pffft, English. Who needs that? I'm never going to England."

• Homer: "Well, he's got all the money in the world, but there's one thing he can't buy."
Marge: "What's that?"
Homer: [thinks] "A dinosaur."

Rest in Peace Miep Gies

I remember watching the Oscars one year, when a film about Anne Frank won an award. The film-maker came onstage with an old lady beside him, and suddenly I sounded like the Roadrunner as I pointed to the screen crying "Miep, Miep!" In one of the obits below she is quoted regarding her decision to go to the Academy Awards having been based on the fact that Anne had loved Hollywood so much.

Miep lived to a ripe old age - 100 - yet it is still sad that she has gone. Now it's all just history, since the last witness is dead.

"Miep Gies devoted herself to sustaining Anne Frank's legacy, answering letters from all over the world. In 1987 she published a book, Anne Frank Remembered. In it she observed: "I am not a hero. I stand at the end of the long, long line of good Dutch people who did what I did and more – much more – during those dark and terrible times years ago, but always like yesterday in the heart of those of us who bear witness.""
The Telegraph

"When Otto Frank finally returned to Amsterdam in the summer of 1945, it was to find that Miep Gies had kept the business going despite nearly starving during the terrible final winter of the conflict. With nowhere to live, Otto Frank moved in with the Gies family and stayed with them for seven years until he moved to Switzerland to be close to his mother."
The Times

"After Otto Frank's death in 1980, she continued to campaign against Holocaust deniers and refute allegations that the diary was a forgery."
The Guardian

"A small woman — just a shade over 5 feet tall — whose hair had turned white, she bore a single remembrance of those days in the hiding place, a black onyx ring with a diamond in the center, worn on her left hand. It was a gift from Auguste von Pels, one of the doomed Jews she had sheltered."
NY Times

Piglet in O'Hare Airport

On the way back to London from a delightful Thanksgiving in Appleton, Piglet stops to chat with an old friend.

Perils of Facebook

It's been a while, I know. My three regular readers have either given up, e-mailed me to check I still have all my fingers, or followed me to Facebook. What can I say? I was seduced by the chance to see pictures of the grown-up children of people I had not seen since Junior (Middle) School. Am I sated? Not quite, I think. Shots of weddings of friends of my sister still have a bit of a hold on me, although I no longer play any word games with annoying strangers who score so many points you'd like to think they are cheating but really you are just ticked off that you aren't getting any better. Anyway, just wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy secular new year!

A Bit of Poetry

When I was at university, we had to study this poem:

This Is Just to Say
(by William Carlos Williams)

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

While I was convinced that this was not really a poem but rather a note he'd left on the kitchen table that had fallen out of his ephemera; others in the class got terribly serious about his literary style. Today I was delighted to find this blog. Enjoy.

The Story of Susan Travers

The amazing story of the only woman ever to serve in the French Foreign Legion is reported here.

"When France fell to the Nazis she made her way to London and signed up with General De Gaulle's Free French and was attached to the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Legion Etrangere, which sailed for Africa. Volunteering as a driver to the brigade's senior officers, she exhibited such nerves of steel in negotiating minefields and enemy attacks that she earned the affectionate nickname "La Miss" from her thousand male comrades."

She would have been 100 this week.

If James Dean Had Lived

This is an ad for an investment company I think. Nevertheless I like what they have done. Have always been a big James Dean fan :-)

Jedi ejected from Tesco's Supermarket

This lovely story via the Telegraph and a fb friend:

"Daniel Jones, 23, who created the International Church of Jediism, claims he was “victimised over his beliefs” by staff at the supermarket in Bangor, North Wales. The religion, inspired by the sci-fi films, is practised by 500,000 around the world and requires believers to cover their heads in public places. But Mr Jones, from Holyhead, said that staff ejected him from the store over security fears when he refused to remove his hood. Mr Jones, also known by his Jedi name Morda Hehol, told The Sun: "I told them it was a requirement of my religion but they just sniggered and ordered me to leave. "I walked past a Muslim lady in a veil. Surely the same rules should apply to everyone." The handbook of the UK Jedi Church, founded by the Star Wars fan last year, states: "Jedis must wear a hood up in any public place of a large audience." Daniel added: "It was discrimination. I was really upset. Nobody should be treated like that.” "I'll advise worshippers to boycott Tesco if it happens again. They will feel the Force."A Tesco spokesman said: "Jedi are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods."Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all went hoodless without going to the Dark Side. "If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers.""

To find out more about the Church of Jediism, you might try clicking here.

What's In a Name (2)?

Apparently Nigella Lawson's mother originally intended to name her 'Gondola'.

For this, and other tidbits, watch this BBC 5-Minute interview.

Twinkle Twinkle Mega Star

My friend Yuri posted this for me to see, and I thought the musical ones among you might be interested, as I was, to hear the diversity of Indian musical traditions.

A Message From the President

Thank you Mr. President, and congratulations to both the writer of your speech and the person who helped you practice the Hebrew words so they came out right :-)

Happy New Year to you if you are celebrating Rosh Hashana; Eid Mubarak and/or a great weekend to everyone else!

R.I.P. Mary Travers

Growing up in England, with a mother who was a classical pianist, I was not terribly exposed to American folk music of the 1960's. It wasn't until our friend Bob z"l gave me an album by the Weavers when I was about 18 that I got my first taste of it. To this day I continue to listen, and the songs of Peter, Paul and Mary have a place in that canon. Thus I say thank you and good night to Mary Travers.

Telegraph announcement.

People Can Be So Rude!

A mash-up of two notable interruptions that took place in the US this week - Joe Wilson heckling the President and Kanye West spoiling Taylor Swift's special moment at the VMA awards.

Shock Value

I begin by conceding that my taste in most things to do with the Arts is highly influenced by the likes and dislikes of my parents and therefore access and experience I had growing up in London in the '70's and '80's. I like Charles M. Schulz, Magritte, Russian ballet music (but not so much the dancing), Preston Sturges, Oscar Wilde, the Beatles, German Expressionism, Dame Judi Dench, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, The Threepenny Opera, klezmer, Holbein, Queens Park Rangers FC, the Specials, the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and maltesers. I appreciate wit, imagination and a touch of the macabre. I am grossed out by most comedy that pushes the envelope in the area of bodily functions (think Little Britain). Pretty average tastes really. And then I come across something like this:

"Hard day at the orifice, dear?
The focus of a new production of Le Grand Macabre is a vomiting fibreglass model. No wonder they're screaming in the aisles, says Oliver Marre
The Observer, Sunday 13 September 2009

The instruments in the orchestra pit next week at the Coliseum in London, home to the English National Opera, will include brown paper bags, planks of wood, car horns and an enormous metal saucepan. The performers will be dressed in costumes ranging from body suits in primary colours to nothing very much at all. The action will involve pretty graphic sex and very graphic violence. And the music will be by György Ligeti, most famous for the soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick's weird movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. But it is the set which is really causing a stir.

An enormous, naked, crouching woman (she's called Claudia), made of fibreglass, with enormous hanging bosoms, forms its centrepiece. Claudia will rotate, she will have parts of her peeled away as the opera progresses, revealing anatomically correct insides, and inside her bottom is a fully stocked bar, to be used for an onstage party. When this production, by the Catalan opera company La Fura dels Baus, of Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre was performed in Rome, the audience screamed abuse from the stalls. The ENO's musical director, Edward Gardner, describes the opera as "a crazy fantasy of a piece" and the production manager, Nicholas Sperling, explains how the performance will begin with film of an actress playing Claudia in a dirty flat. She falls ill; she collapses onto her hands and knees; the screen gives way as the curtain opens and there is fibreglass Claudia, 20ft high, vomiting out the first singer. This is just the first of her orifices from which someone will emerge. Ears, nose and the rest come into play as the evening progresses."

Am I getting old? All I could think of when I read this was 'what is the point?' It annoys me. It just seems like a colossal waste of time and energy. And thence the shock value. O my goodness, I am turning into a fuddy-duddy! The cool and liberal; laid-back, open and always interested image I imagined for myself is a tissue of lies! Help!!

Atheist T-Shirts

I have a dear friend who is an atheist. This one's for her!

NB A list of a top twenty of atheist t-shirts may be found here.

Caster Semenya

Salon.com responds here to the assertion by the Times of London that Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite. The press is propagating a stolid belief that gender identity is polar, rather than promoting the understanding that it runs along a spectrum. This isn't going to end well. Meanwhile,I hope Semenya gets to read the Salon article:

"It’s also worth noting that Semenya is far from the first person to fail a sporting gender test. In 2006, Santhi Soundarajan, an Indian runner, was stripped of her Asian Games silver medal after being discovered as intersex ... She ... had moving words of advice for Semenya. “She is a woman and that’s it, full stop,” she said. “A gender test cannot take away from you who you are.”"

What is Wrong With This Picture (iii)?

Absolutely nothing is wrong with this picture from the September issue of Glamour magazine. Well that's what I say. Strangely enough, the comments have come not because the model is, albeit tastefully, naked. Rather it is the small, the o so small roll of fat on her stomach that has caused a furore. "Hurrah for showing a real woman" was the main sentiment of the myriad e-mails that flooded the magazine's website. The model herself, one Lizzie Miller, was less gung ho about it. She "admitted that seeing her small roll of flesh in the magazine made her cringe. "I'm just like every girl or person with insecurities," the 20-year-old said. "You zone in on the (worst) part. Let's just say you're your own worst critic." "

Look here for more or just google Ms. Miller

And We Return With ...

from the Lego reconstruction of the New Testament book of Revelation - The "Saving" of 144,000 Jews. This is on a website called The Brick Testament. I might have found it amusing, except that the picture preceding the above was this:
on the other hand, there are some interesting ecumenical pics out there as well:
This is Siddhartha Gautama under the bodhi tree.

The Hiatus is Over

If any of my three formerly regular readers are reading this, hello! The ravaj has been in the process of moving to another country, and this has seriously interfered with her blog-writing. The move has now taken place, although there is, as yet, no permanent location for person and possessions. In any case, this page has been empty for too long. Hope to see you here again quite soon.

Panda Update from ITN

A panda needs a pillow, and sundries

All About the President's Trousers

Meredith Vieira discusses the comfy jeans President O wore to throw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game last week. Why were they not more fashionable? A new high in obfuscation, as real news might prove too distressing for the poor audience, or maybe the poor anchors. Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him? O yes ...

First View of New Doctor Who

Here is Matt Smith in his Doctor Who costume. His bottom half is rolled-up trousers and bovver boots. Glad to see he is continuing David Tennant's tradition of impossible hairdo.

Walter Cronkite RIP

I did not grow up with Walter Cronkite, so his iconic status is beyond me. If you had asked me, I would have guessed that he was already dead. If someone is alive to you through the airwaves, once they retire and go back to their private lives, isn't that a kind of death?

Another Great Shot

This is from the second day of the second Test match against Australia. The wonderfully-named Graham Onions smashes a four past the despairing grasp of an Aussie fielder. I love this photo!

Angelo Balanta 2 - 2 A Slovenian team

Sorry non-footie peeps but as the season begins I am returning to my first love - QPR. These goals were from a friendly game last night. Love the first one especially.

The Perils of Smoking

From the Telegraph tomorrow:

A New Hampshire man has said he swiped his debit card at a gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes and was charged over $23 quadrillion (£14 quadrillion).

Josh Muszynski checked his account online a few hours after the purchase and saw the 17-digit number – a stunning $23,148,855,308,184,500 (twenty-three quadrillion, one hundred forty-eight trillion, eight hundred fifty-five billion, three hundred eight million, one hundred eighty-four thousand, five hundred dollars). Mr Muszynski told WMUR-TV that he spent two hours on the phone with Bank of America trying to sort out the string of numbers – and the $15 overdraft fee.The bank corrected the error the next day.

Bank of America said the card issuer, Visa, could answer questions. Visa, in turn, referred questions to the bank.

o fffffffffalafel

David Mitchell has been writing about swearing for the Observer newspaper. He believes saying "fuck" is no big deal. I happen to find it very difficult to swear, and am a right little prude about it. It sounds ugly to me, and this is because I was brought up to believe this. Not by my mother, who swore freely throughout my childhood. In fact, I don't really know why I have such a problem with the word. Like most everything else, it is probably a class issue. Meanwhile, Mitchell writes:

" "Is 'fuck' a rude word?" Everyone accepts it's a rude word - it would hardly be used if it weren't. The disagreement is about whether using it (and other swearing, but "fuck" is the Gaza Strip here) is an offensive act.

I don't think it is. I don't think it matters a shit, damn or piss if someone says "fuck" or how many times they say it. My friends and colleagues unthinkingly use it all the time and, as far as I can tell, it hasn't resulted in the poisoning of their souls or their becoming unable to express themselves because of the effect of linguistic inflation.

That's the argument often deployed against swearwords: "If you overuse them, they'll lose their effect." Well, so what, if you hate them so much? Or is the prospect of a rude word losing its offensive power too unsettling for the offendees, as it would reveal that it was only ever a word and the power was an illusion of their own making? It would emasculate their attempts to censor with their censure."

read the rest here.

It is only a word, of course. I knew a 5-year-old whose brother had taught him that the worst word in the world was 'mushroom' so when he was really angry he would say 'youuuuuuuuuu MUSHROOM!' with deathly fury. Personally, I prefer to say 'o FFFFFFFFFALAFEL!"

What about Roger Williams?

Having been interviewed last year by the third and fourth grade students in my alter ego of Roger Williams, I was disturbed to hear of the controversy surrounding the full and proper name of the state of Rhode Island, known to most of us as "Rhode Island". Ray Henry reports for the Associated Press:

" The country's smallest state has the longest official name: "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." A push to drop "Providence Plantations" from that name advanced farther than ever on Thursday when House lawmakers voted 70-3 to let residents decide whether their home should simply be called the "State of Rhode Island." It's an encouraging sign for those who believe the formal name conjures up images of slavery, while opponents argue it's an unnecessary rewriting of history that ignores Rhode Island's tradition of religious liberty and tolerance.

The bill permitting a statewide referendum on the issue next year now heads to the state Senate. "It's high time for us to recognize that slavery happened on plantations in Rhode Island and decide that we don't want that chapter of our history to be a proud part of our name," said Rep. Joseph Almeida, an African-American lawmaker who sponsored the bill.

Rhode Island's unwieldy name reflects its turbulent colonial history, a state that consisted of multiple and sometimes rival settlements populated by dissidents. Banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his unorthodox religious views, minister Roger Williams set out in 1636 and settled at the northern tip of Narragansett Bay, which he called Providence Plantations. Williams founded the first Baptist church in America and became famous for embracing the separation of church and state, a legal principle enshrined in the Bill of Rights a century later ... Opponents of the name charge argue that "plantations" was used at the time to describe any farming settlements, regardless of slavery.

Stanley Lemons, a professor emeritus of history at Rhode Island College, said changing the state's name ignores the accomplishments of Williams, whose government passed laws trying to prevent the permanent servitude of whites, blacks and American Indians. "There are different meanings for this word," Lemons said. "To try to impose their experience on everyone else wipes out Roger Williams.""

Michael Jackson?

Bored now.

Michael Jackson RIP

This is the Michael that everyone loved. Reuters is reporting that the 50-year-old singer is dead from a heart attack. He was such a troubled man, and it's hard to get that image of him dangling his baby from a window out of my head. But 50 - that's my generation just about. Have to admit I am a bit shocked about this. Now we must watch the vultures land.

Triumph and Disaster

Love this photo - wish I'd taken it. England win. New Zealand lose. End of.

farrah fawcett r.i.p.

Charlie's Angels - one of the great guilty pleasures. Sabrina - the dykes' Angel. Farrah was still a big part of it though, and it is sad to hear of her demise.

buffy still rocks

Sillies

I need cheering up today because it is Father's Day and I miss mine. Here are some stupid airport names:

1. Batman Airport (BAL) Turkey

2. Useless Loop Airport (USL), Australia

3. Black Tickle Airport (YBI), Canada

4. Beaver Creek Airport (YXP), Canada

5. Moron Airport (OZP), Spain

6. Ogle Airport (OGL), Guyana

8. Eek Airport (EEK), USA

9. Pickle Lake Airport (YPJ), Canada

10. Deadhorse Airport (SCC), USA

Others here.

Betrayed!

If there was one person in the world that I was pretty sure would never be seduced by the world of fitness, it was my hero Stephen Fry. Long has he mocked the svelte and the running. Now, the Daily M announces that not only is he a convert to the religion of exercise, but he has lost 6 stone in 6 months (a stone = 14 lbs). How could he do this to us? Look at this picture of the new Stephen:


He looks gorgeous! grumble grumble congrats grumble whine grumble

Hillary Clinton stole my bruise!

The ravaj had quite a heavy fall last Saturday, landing mostly on her left arm. While the bruised dignity was instant, the actual purpliciousness of her elbow that would indicate the reality of her pain has not yet come through. Now she realises why. The NY Times reports:

"WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will have to undergo surgery to repair a fractured right elbow, caused when she slipped and fell on her way to a White House meeting on Wednesday evening, the State Department said Thursday. Mrs. Clinton, 61, was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where doctors determined the break would require an operation, said a State Department spokesman, P. J. Crowley. “She is at home, resting comfortably, or uncomfortably,” he said.

The mishap occurred as Mrs. Clinton was walking to her car in the basement of the State Department. She was headed to a meeting with President Obama, accompanied by the administration’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard C. Holbrooke. After Mrs. Clinton fell, Mr. Holbrooke said, “She struggled to get up to go to the meeting, but the pain was very intense.” Still lying on the ground, she instructed Mr. Holbrooke to go without her and reminded him to brief the president about a visit to Afghanistan planned by the State Department’s new ambassador for women’s issues, Melanne Verveer.

“She said, ‘Go to the meeting, that’s an order,’ ” Mr. Holbrooke said."

She stole my bruise! Despite this crime, I still wish her a speedy recovery.

Premiere Nigella

Bruno may not look interested, but I am. Nigella has a penchant for dresses where the straps fall gently onto her upper arms.

You Can't Shut a Bad Man Up

Just received notice that Congregation Beth Simchat Torah in NYC is going to be picketed by Fred Phelps and his gang this Sunday. The CBST website says the following:

"June 18th, 2009

CBST has received warning that members of the Westboro Baptist Church are coming to protest against our congregation this Sunday at our Bethune Street location. They have targeted other New York synagogues this weekend.

Led by Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church is a hatemongering organization known most widely for picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard, for their protests at the funerals of servicemen killed in Iraq, and most recently, for protesting at the funeral of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, the security officer killed at the National Holocaust Museum in Washington.

We are responding in two ways:
CBST will be holding a non-violent prayer vigil and service during the time of their protest. We cannot allow this group to go unchallenged as they engage in hateful speech at our synagogue. The most powerful response to such hatred is our demonstration of what makes us strong and powerful in the face of bigotry. We will not engage in any confrontational action or shouting matches. They would love it if we were to lose our composure. We will present who we are in a strong and meaningful way.

If you have a tallit, please bring it. If you would like to make colorful signs, please consider using:

"We are all created in God's image"
"God loves all of us"
"God made me gay"
and similar messages

8:45 AM on Sunday, June 21st at our Bethune location

__________________________________________________________

Inspired by a gift from Mitchell Gold, CBST will be participating, as many other LGBT organizations have, in a fundraising effort to counteract the attacks on us by this group.

Mitchell Gold has pledged $10 per minute that the Westboro Baptist Church representatives are picketing us. Their presence will benefit us! We can tell them each minute how much they are raising for us!!

Once the total amount has been raised, we will be sending an acknowledgement letter to the church to let them know that their appearance helped to raise money to support LGBT causes. Many other organizations around the country have done this and raised funds to defeat those who would attack us. (check out phelps-a-thon.com to be inspired by other stories like ours).

As of the writing of this email, we have already raised $40 per minute!

we are delighted that Fred Phelps will help raise money to strengthen the work we do to create a progressive religious voice"

You go peeps!

Welcome back Bees!

The BBC reports:

"A bumblebee which is extinct in the UK is to be reintroduced from New Zealand under plans being announced. The short-haired bumblebee was exported from the UK to New Zealand on the first refrigerated lamb boats in the late 19th Century to pollinate clover crops. It was last seen in the UK in 1988, but populations on the other side of the world have survived. Now Natural England and several other conservation groups have launched a scheme to bring the species home.

Poul Christensen, Natural England's acting chairman, said; "Bumblebees are suffering unprecedented international declines and drastic action is required to aid their recovery. "Bumblebees play a key role in maintaining food supplies - we rely on their ability to pollinate crops and we have to do all we can to provide suitable habitat and to sustain the diversity of bee species. As many as 100 of the bees will initially be collected in New Zealand and a captive breeding plan established, with the aim of eventually releasing them at Dungeness, Kent, where they were last seen. They will be flown back on planes in cool boxes, and will not be disturbed, according to Natural England, as they will be in hibernation during transit.

The scheme's project officer Nikki Gammans, of the Stirling-based Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said the bee was a "keystone species" which was key to pollinating around 80% of important crops. "By creating the right habitat for these bumblebees, we are recreating wildflower habitat that has been lost, which will be good for butterflies, water voles and nesting birds." The partnership project is being run by Natural England, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust the RSPB and Hymettus."

Old News

The stream has turned to a trickle, but there is still incredulity at the absolute chutzpah of those British Members of Parliament and their expenses. This is my favourite at the moment - a $2500 duck island. It is actually hard for me to believe that such a group of bland bottom-kissers could be so bizarre and so incredibly corrupt. It is just a pity that Sir Peter Viggers did not buy a Canada Goose Island (known for their large and hard-to-remove poo)

Viva Vincent

Whether you say 'van go' or 'van gokh' or 'van khokh', Simon Schama says this picture is the progenitor of the modern art movement. I like it anyway.

tickling a gorilla

Scientists tell us this week that tickling a gorilla makes him/her laugh much as it would a human. It sounds different only because our vocal chords developed differently. Have a look at the vid - maybe it will cheer you up too.

Happy Pride Month!

The President has officially announced June to be Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual and Transgender Month. This photo is of a memorial in the Nollendorfplatz in Berlin, commemorating the homosexual victims of National Socialism. We have come a long way, and yet there is still so far to go.

Anyone for tennis?

This is an old pic the ravaj took in her photographing days. It reminds her that the serious tennis season is upon us. The quarter-finals on the red clay are coming up, and then all too soon it is time to slump in front of the tv and watch the rain pouring down on Wimbledon in-between wonderful old matches like Navratilova vs Evert or a bit o' Borg 'n' Mcenroe. Hurrah for Major Walter Wingfield!

The Bibliomule

How to bring books to peasant children in the outer reaches of Venezuela. Hurrah~

A Tattoo

Wouldn't this make a great tattoo?

Desperately Seeking the Self

Looking through some old papers today, the following story was discovered amid the writings of the father of ravaj:

Once, there was a man who forgot everything when he went to sleep. In the morning, he could not remember where he had placed anything. Finally, he made a list before going to bed. As he took off his garments, he noted them down one by one: his shoes, socks, trousers - even his hat - and noted where he had placed everything. The next morning, he followed that list triumphantly and then inspected himself in the mirror. This time, he recognised everything. It was all there. But then he cried out in anguish: "Everything is in its place; but where, where am I?"

Boo Hiss

The California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8. Although the c. 18k marriages that took place while it was legal in California will remain legal, there will be no more same-sex marriages for now. Utterly disappointing. Hey, Californians, don't give up the fight though!

Read a brief summary of today's decision via the BBC here.

Eyes Beware!

Here it is, the German entry for Eurovision, in the live version. Note the silver trousers, paired with the 1940's cigarette girl outfits, swing music and, not shown by the cameras until the end, Dita von Teese with a whip. We didn't know where to look!

PIng Pong

The Independent newspaper reports that it is the new cool thing - table tennis, aka ping pong.

"It has to be one of the unlikeliest Hollywood pastimes yet, involving two people, a couple of vaguely S&M wooden paddles and a hollow plastic ball. Whisper it: ping-pong is cool. Forget scout huts and church halls – on Saturday, the latest achingly hip New York table tennis venue will open its doors to an adoring star-studded following. SPiN New York will be an exclusive ping-pong parlour big enough to house the sport's growing number of A-list devotees who turn up, bat in hand, at ping-pong social clubs around the city. Among the Hollywood elite captivated by the craze are the actors Ed Norton and Matthew Broderick, and the actress Susan Sarandon – who will be cutting the ribbon at SPiN's glitzy launch. Even the rapper 50 Cent wants to be seen at America's cult table tennis parties."

How can this be possible? This is a game at which the ravaj excels, and now it is in? Don't worry, by the time she sorts herself out and gets into a game, the fad will have passed. Or maybe not. Watch this page ... !

Bunnies and Puppies and All Things Fluffy

And the winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest is Norway, with their cute little boy singing while half-decent gymnasts tumble around him. There appeared to be 3 main types of songs this year: ones that tried to include elements of their country's ethnicity in their costumes/songs; ones with gymnastic routines that may or may not interpret the song; and, as my roomie pointed out, Shakira lookalikes. I was most stunned by the German silver lame trousers, and least impressed by the ones I cannot remember. Thanks to CKC for IMing with me during the contest so I did not have to go it alone. Next year in Norway!

A Taste of Eurovision

Yes it is almost that time again. Eurovision buffs are already debating the merit (or lack of) the first ten finalists selected this week. Here are some clips of the contenders, courtesy of the BBC.