Thursday 13 November 2008

Charles Darwin's Beard

Charles Darwin wrote iconic works that are still making waves today as creationists attempt to get their ideas in to the science curriculum alongside his famous theory of evolution.

But its Charles Darwin's beard not his writing that's causing a stir at London's Natural History Museum where hair from his famous beard has gone on show to the public.

By all accounts its just a few strands rather than the whole beard that are on show which is a shame as the whole thing would have been a wonderful thing to see. If only someone had had the foresight to 'scalp' his beard after death it would have made a marvelous interactive exhibit. Imagine the fun of trying Charles Darwin's beard on.

I believe that not only children but adults and even some famous scientists such as Richard Dawkins for instance who seems to have been wearing Darwin's metaphorical beard for some time, would enjoy trying it on. Now Dawkins sporting Darwin's beard would be worth seeing - in fact I'd pay to see that.

In the great age of science that Darwin inhabited no real scientist worth their salt (even the women I'm told) would dream of not wearing a beard but these days many scientists look so normal that I immediately begin to mistrust them and their science, begin to think that they are not real scientists at all but wanna-be celebrities who see their science as a way to make big bucks through populist quasi-scientific books rather than discovery.

Yes, give me a scientist with an eccentric beard, strange dress sense and syntax to match and I'll return to my studies. I might even stop shaving.

something moves
in grandad's moustache
winter supper

Saturday 8 November 2008

Foreplay

A survey of over 2,300 women comes to the conclusion that foreplay as an aid to orgasm has little or no significance. It also reveals that intercourse for Europeans is on average about 16.2 minutes whilst Americans come in on an average of 7 minutes.

The researchers speculate that: "It could be that this reflects, a greater appreciation of intercourse and sensuality by Europeans than by Americans."

Many people suffer mental and general health problems when they feel that their sex life or performance is not up to what ever standard the most recent style magazines suggest and whereas this type of research might refocus some away from having to perform the greatest foreplay it now places an emphasis on length of intercourse.

Scientists and lifestyle gurus conspire to bringeth us up and putteth us down again.

As to the American vs European intercourse time trial - well people live fast lives in America and maybe its like in skiing - the 'adrenalin junkies' do the downhill and the 'skills that kills' folks do the slalom. The important thing is that they both get to the finish line - just in different ways.

clocking off
the first snow of the year
slides off the roof

paul conneally

Friday 24 October 2008

Of God and Guns

Barack Obama is taking it to Nevada. A land of God and guns.

The state has traditionally had Republican sympathies but recent and large inward immigration could see the Democrats make real inroads if they work hard at it.

Both Obama and Clinton are scheduled more visits to Nevada before election day and significantly to country areas that perhaps the Democrats would in the past have given up as lost causes.

The image of candidates actually out on the stoop in unfamiliar territory has to be a good thing.

Whoever wins this election will have to win by showing the public that they really want their vote and are willing to work for it.

Halloween lanterns
shot through with bullets
'just a little sport
'

paul conneally

Thursday 23 October 2008

Enter Sandman

From this weekend the British institution that is the 'Speaking Clock' will change.

The British Telecom Speaking Clock will be spoken by... Tinker Bell.

Yes that's right Tinker Bell.

But, I hear you think, Tinker Bell, the fairy from Peter Pan can't talk - well she can now.

Disney are sponsoring the BT Speaking Clock and putting the all American schmaltzy and non-fairy like voice of the Tinker Bell from their new film inside the speaking clock.

enter sandman
the darkness comes

an hour earlier

Here is a link to Tinker Bell speaking the time.

Wednesday 22 October 2008

On Diet and Robbery

The paucity of good nutritional information including the amount of fat etc. on some food goods in UK shops could have been a factor in the apprehension of a naked burglar who was too fat for the chimney at a Tesco Express store in Wigan.

Had he had access to such information over the months before his unfortunate predicament he may have eaten more healthily and so undertaken his robbery without worry of getting stuck.

He now faces charges and a possible spell at Her Majesty's pleasure.

almost November
a supermarket aisle
of tinsel and stars

paul conneally

Monday 20 October 2008

Flight Plan

Moments before take-off a pilot is taken from his cockpit and marched away by police to be breathalysed.

Passengers watch on clutching their duty-free goods a little closer.

From Heathrow to San Francisco is long way.

the leaf blower
finally falls silent

a starling sky

Footfall

As Christian Louboutin prepares to launch his first pair of eight inch stiletto heels fashionistas are using Botox injections in their feet so that they can wear higher and higher heels more comfortably.

autumn sale
the memory of hot sand

and cool water

Sunday 19 October 2008

Beautiful Flowers

"Convert or we will kill you" is the stark message to fleeing Christians in the Indian state of Orissa.

Hindu lynch mobs threaten to burn Christians' houses and babies unless they become Hindu.

Violence has been growing since the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on 23 August.

The VHP appear to be supporting the lynchings.

rainy season
beautiful flowers ride
the town drain

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Bear Claw Pastries

Another execution. Lethal injection. Ohio.

Richard Cooey a murderer and rapist who claimed he was too fat to be killed humanely by injection.

He was wrong.

still undigested
bear claw pastries
a lawn of red leaves

Sunday 12 October 2008

Tightening Times

The financial meltdown hits home hard on Ordinary Joe as unemployment rises with two million expected on the dole by Christmas.

The first and hardest hit are the building industry, car manufacturing and transport companies.

Small businesses face laying off their workforce and possible closure as the 'not yet recession' bites down.

autumn deepens
dad scours the newspaper
for situations vacant

Friday 10 October 2008

Brits In Space

"Let's put a Brit in space" says the new Science Minister and the first question leapping to mind for some will be OK which one?

There are many candidates for who we personally might like putting into space with perhaps a one-way ticket but this is a serious matter not least it seems for 'national pride'. Beyond any intrinsic scientific worth the new Minister, Lord Drayson, feels it would inspire a new generation with an interest in science and promote businesses.

In the middle of a national and global financial crisis with jobs being lost or in danger of being lost this seems like bad timing. Britain has for a long time supported the European Space Agency, in fact being the biggest funder of the ESA's Aurora Mars project but withdrawing from any planned manned missions.

Drayson continues with his non-science reasons for sending a Brit into space by implying it can't be a bad thing because multi-millionaire business man Richard Branson feels it will be a commercial success - charging fat-cats to be sent out on near space joy rides.

october chill
a man raking moonbeams
from the mill pond

Sunday 5 October 2008

The Two Way Street

Lured by high tax free salaries westerners move to work in Dubai and
similar locations.

Such moves are not a one-way deal. The attractive pay and luxury home require that you agree to live by the cultural mores and legal system of the host country. These are not always what some expect and it can be easy to fall foul of the law.

The same applies to visitors to our lands. Economic migrant, asylum seeker, tourist.

Headlines scream 'an immigration crisis' whilst governments bailout financial institutions.

Can we expect to have our cake and eat it?

Freedom's a two way street. Room for accommodation on both sides.

citizenship test
the difference between Devon
and Cornish cream teas

Thursday 2 October 2008

Oh Apple!

A good old ding-dong is going on between two eminent academics at a level of celebrity bitching that just has to be aired somehow as a TV debate - a debate that would surely be more interesting and engaging than many of the political TV debates that our nations' and the world's future seem to hang on.

Prof. AC Grayling holds exactly the opposite views on Intelligent Design to Prof. Steve Fuller who feels ID should be taught in schools.

The subject may be Intellegent Design but the debate at times could hardly be called intellectual or intellegent turning to personal insult at times. Grayling describes Fuller's new book Dissent over Descent as "300 pages of wasted trees".

If someone could get these two together in a TV studio or even better still a boxing ring I'd be the first with my money out for the 'pay to view' coverage. I'm thinking the odds are in Grayling's favour for an intellectual knockout but hopefully not too early on in the bout - lets see some action!

oh apple!
how did you come to be
so tasty?

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Night Fixture

Manchester United's midfield terrier Paul Scholes was injured in last night's emphatic Champions League win in Denmark and will now be out of action for ten weeks.

Wayne Rooney too limped off with an injured ankle and the club are now awaiting news on the extent of his injury.

United have not had the best start to this season and players like Scholes and Rooney despite the depth of talent in Ferguson's squad will be sorely missed.

Scholes is now 33 but many feel he is playing at the top of his game and the prospect of not being able to play him for up to 16 matches is not one that any fan will be looking forward to.

night fixture
a bat catching moths
in the floodlight

Thursday 25 September 2008

Half-Time Orange

FIFA have worked along with all national football associations to promote the 'Give Racism the Red Card" message but still we get racist chants at some International matches and Croatian fans appear to be amongst the worse offenders.

The not quite £15k fine given to the Croatian FA for its fans racial taunting of England player Emile Heskey is nothing in the grand scheme of football finances and many are now asking for stronger action including perhaps disqualification from international competitions including the World Cup.

Football or soccer as the Americans prefer to call it is a truly multi-racial sport and FIFA's assertion that racism should play no part in it needs to perhaps be backed up by sanctions with teeth.

half-time orange
the coach gives a team-talk
in six languages

Wednesday 24 September 2008

Show Us The Messiah

Monty Python's The Life of Brian is a classic British film and it comes as a bit of a shock to find that it's still banned by a number of local authorities across Britain - it doesn't feel 'British' this banning of a satirical film.

Torquay is one of these authorities. It calls itself the centre of the English Riviera and ironically is the home of John Cleese's small minded comedy creation Basil Fawlty in the TV sit-com Fawlty Towers who perhaps typifies the mentality that has seen Torquay taking all these years to lift their ban.

Perhaps other authorities will now follow suit and welcome Brian into their towns.

palm sunday
a scattering of hailstones
in the wheelbarrow