BACH BLASPHEMY...?

“I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality.” - H.A. Overstreet

A routine Saturday, with the usual chores to do, shopping, some gardening. But at least a beautiful evening with an outing, a nice dinner, and quiet time for relaxation…

For Song Saturday today, something that will make the purists cringe, but I’m sure something that the more open-minded amongst us will appreciate. Bach would have liked it, I think!

Here is French songstress, Mauranne, singing “Sur un Prélude de Bach”.



Do you like it?

PUB FARE

“My favorite animal is steak.” - Fran Lebowitz

Another very busy day at work today, in which I achieved lots, at least. I just wish that all people would work together as a team – it’s enough to have a bad apple to make the whole crate go off. I really don’t understand the sort of person who is nasty and mean for no reason at all. If personal gain is involved, I would understand it, but to be bad just for the sake of being unpleasant or malicious is beyond me. Fortunately, I have the support of my staff and I have enough patience to deal with this person in a calm and conciliatory manner – for whatever it’s worth…

We presently have a group of Korean medical students visiting our College and they are doing a Summer short course with us. They are greatly enjoying it and are a very vivacious, fun-loving group. The professor who has come with them is also a very friendly and outgoing woman and today we had another two members of their staff join us. I took them all to lunch with members of our own staff and after asking them where they would like to go, what type of cuisine they wanted to sample (this being the very cosmopolitan Melbourne with an embarrassing richness of choices), we all went to a typical pub and we enjoyed a typical pub lunch. This the overseas guests also enjoyed greatly.

Melbourne pubs are omnipresent and vary greatly in terms of atmosphere, décor, cuisine, pricing and ambience. Everyone has a favourite one or two, and while they all mainly serve alcohol at a bar, they all also serve meals. The arrangement is more or less the same – one is seated, looks at the menu, selects their meal and then goes and orders, pays and the meal is served at the table. The quality of food and the service varies greatly, but pub fare is generally very similar, with most popular pubs having standard, popular meals like spaghetti carbonara, veal parmigiana, oysters Kilpatrick, Caesar salad, steaks of all persuasions, fish and chips and other such old favourites.

Some pubs are more trendy and they do some vegetarian meals, Thai food, Chinese cuisine, or “fusion”. The prices of Pub meals are generally quite reasonable except in the very trendy ones (pubs with a superiority complex) that are found in the more “aristocratic” suburbs. I have never enjoyed an outing in one of these “uppity” pubs and the food is pretentious and expensive – not good value for money at all. The wine is also quite expensive in these pubs (not to mention the clientele, which can be a little challenging as well!).

Today, we lunched at the Lion Hotel in the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre in the heart of the City. This is an average pub located in the upper level of the shopping centre and is in “faux” old English pub style. It is quite enormous and tends to be rather busy most of the time. There are many bars and lounges and eating areas, but the nook that we usually frequent is a private room called “The Library” which is in the back of the pub. It is a relatively small room that will fit about a dozen people at the most, all sitting around a big rectangular refectory table with bench seats along its three sides. It is decorated like a library with shelves and books and curios in cabinets, old prints on the wall and looks quite homey and “old-world”.

Our Koreans loved the ambience and atmosphere and were most impressed with this unexpected place on the top floor of a modern shopping centre in the heart of the bustling city centre with skyscrapers all around. We had typical pub fare, with some choosing traditional beer-battered fish and chips, others an expanded version of the other standard BLT (bacon lettuce and tomato) sandwich, others fyllo pastry vegetarian parcels and some choosing the Cajun-style chicken. We drank some beer and once again our guests were very pleased. I was pleased also as the expense account did not have too big a dint in it afterwards!

A pub that we sometimes go to closer to home if we want a typical night out (Sundays are usually good) is the “Old England Hotel” in Heidelberg, about a 10 minute drive away from our house. This is a slightly up-market version of a typical pub, but at the same time it is not pretentious. The food is reliably good and reasonably priced with the service average. It’s an easy solution to going out somewhere without fuss or need to dress up for when we are not in the mood for cooking (it doesn’t happen often, but it’s good to have this choice).

Another pub that is reliably good is the Railway Club Hotel, in Port Melbourne. This serves great steaks so when we are feeling carnivorous (that also doesn’t happen too often!), we go there for a very nice steak dinner. One can inspect the choice of meats in the glass fronted fridge and select the cut of steak they like (or for the squeamish like us, we leave it up to the chef!).

CONTACT

“The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.” - Bill Watterson

A very busy day at work today, with hardly any time to sit back and have a quiet moment! We are working on so many urgent and critical projects at once that it’s really quite amazing that we are managing to carry on as normal with the routine day-to-day activities also. The good thing today at least was that I managed to catch up with three old friends (sure enough one was on the phone, one was on Skype and one on Messenger) and even though the conversations were short, it felt good to say “hello, how are you, how are things?”. Nowadays of course we don’t have any excuse for not keeping in contact – as I said, phone, Skype and Messenger – but even though I enjoyed the brief chats, I still felt I missed the “real” flesh and blood people and the wonderful feeling one has when chatting face-to-face for a leisurely amount of time…

The word of the day today is “contact”:

contact noun |ˈkänˌtakt|
1) The state or condition of physical touching: The tennis ball is in contact with the court surface for as little as 5 milliseconds.
• The state or condition of communicating or meeting: Lewis and Clark came into contact with numerous river tribes | He had lost contact with his friends.
• [as adj. ] Activated by or operating through physical touch: Contact dermatitis.
• A connection for the passage of an electric current from one thing to another, or a part or device by which such a connection is made: A one-way electrical contact between a metal and a semiconductor.
• (contacts) Contact lenses.
2) A meeting, communication, or relationship with someone: They have forged contacts with key people in business.
• A person who may be communicated with for information or assistance, esp. with regard to one's job: Francie had good contacts.
• A person who has associated with a patient with a contagious disease (and so may carry the infection).
verb |ˈkänˌtakt; kənˈtakt| [ trans. ]
Communicate with (someone), typically in order to give or receive specific information.
DERIVATIVES
contactable |ˈkänˌtaktəbəl; kənˈtak-| adjective
ORIGIN early 17th century: From Latin contactus, from contact- ‘touched, grasped, bordered on,’ from the verb contingere, from con- ‘together with’ + tangere ‘to touch.’

We so often speak of keeping “in contact” with people nowadays but actual physical touching or physical presence is not involved. We have contacts all over the world with whom we communicate electronically, but no actual “contact” is involved. We seem to be turning into people who physically touch others less and less, even though we may boast a huge number of “friends” and “contacts” in our electronic communication channels. Are we becoming a species of loners and solitary recluses, socialising only in virtual spaces? We seem to be thriving on multiple contacts with other hermits living a safe distance away from us?

In the train I often see people absolutely cringe during rush hour when there is the slightest chance that they may contact someone. The other day someone nearly toppled over as he stepped back to avoid being too close to another person. He was embarrassed, but at a safe distance, notwithstanding the near fall. I remembered the situation in India when I was there and the sardine-like proximity of people in trains and I almost burst out laughing there in the train, but I restrained myself, only because there were so many people crowding me!

Is this progressive, debilitating isolation and tendency to become loners that forces us sometimes to seek out crowded public events? Is the privation of contact that makes us seek out the crowds of football games, public events, protests, demonstrations, large parties? Do we need to periodically reassure ourselves of the gratifying presence of large numbers of our own kind close to us? Is this part of the reason why massage is such a popular therapy nowadays? Is it because it provides us with the sense of touch and contact that we miss in our daily solitary life? Is this what causes some people to perhaps thrive the close contact of peak hour trains?

Perhaps we are becoming too civilised for our own good. Contact but more specifically physical touch, is one of the most fundamental of our sensory perceptions and one that can trigger some of the most significant emotional responses. We may have iPhones and Skype, computers and messenger applications, Facebook and Twitter, but the fundamental and most satisfying way of communicating with other people remains the face-to-face meeting and the wonderful sense of touch.

COURAGE

“Valour is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.” - Michel de Montaigne

While we are still reeling under the effects of the floods in the Eastern states of Australia, Perth in Western Australia has been battling bushfires, with nearly 50 homes lost to the flames and many times more of them damaged. We live in a land of extremes and natural disasters seem to be a fact of life for Australians ever since this land was settled. I can only imagine what the poor British thought in the first few decades of the first white settlement when confronted with cyclones, floods, bushfires, locust plagues, sandstorms, high winds…

There is currently much debate in parliament regarding natural disasters and the way that Australia will rebuild and how we shall pay for it. Although most people support a short-term levy (paid by those who can afford it as a tax payment), there is also talk of spending cuts and allowing the budget to go into the red rather than preserving election promises of a balanced budget or one in the black. The aggregated bill that goes into many billions of dollars demands payment and one way or another Australia will have to pay…

These topics seem to be far removed from Poetry Wednesday, however, there is an underlying theme of adversity and courage that manifests itself in the most unfortunate conditions. The Australian psyche seems to be one that rise to the challenge of adverse situations and typically one can rely on one’s fellows in times of hardship in Australia. It is a harsh land that we live in, but it also one of bounty. While Australians are tough to match the land, we all tend to have a soft spot for those of our fellows that are down and out and we are all willing to lend a helping hand and be generous of spirit. However, the courage shown by the victims is something that is admirable and worthy of acknowledgement.

Today, a poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1902), whose popularity sky-rocketed as it was used in the film of the same name: “Invictus” (2009). The theme of the poem being one of adversity and the struggle to survive, suits my topic well today. Invictus means “unconquerable, invincible” in Latin and if we have strength of character, great stores of courage and fire in our soul, we can overcome anything and we are truly unconquerable!

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1902)

VASANT PANCHAMI

“I believe that all wisdom consists in caring immensely for a few right things, and not caring a straw about the rest.” - John Buchan

Today is the Hindu Festival of Vasant Panchami. Vasant Panchami is devoted to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day (i.e. Panchami) of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. During this festival children are taught to write their first words, under the tutelage and protection of the goddess. Most educational institutions organise a special prayer for Saraswati and invoke her guidance and protection.  Pens, notebooks, and pencils are placed near the goddess’s feet to be blessed before they are used by students. Brahmins are fed and ancestor worship is performed, while the god of love Kamadeva is worshipped. The colour yellow rules this festival, with people usually wearing yellow clothes and the goddess Saraswati herself, being worshipped dressed in yellow. Children are give yellow-coloured sweets and customarily will fly kites on this day.

Saraswati is the consort of Brahma, and her name derives from the Sanskrit word “saras” (meaning ‘flow’) and “wati” (meaning “woman”). Initially Saraswati was a river as well as its personification as a river goddess. In the post-Vedic age, Saraswati began to lose her status as a river goddess and became increasingly associated with literature, arts, music, learning and knowledge. In Hinduism, Saraswati represents intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment, music, the arts, and power. Hindus worship her not only for secular knowledge, but for “divine knowledge” essential to achieve liberation from the cycle of reincarnation (moksha).

Saraswati is shown with four hands, which symbolise ego, intellect, alertness and mind. She carries a lotus and scriptures in two of her hands and she plays music on the veena (an instrument similar to a sitar) with her other two hands. She rides on a white swan. Her white dress is a symbol for purity. The swan signifies that people should have the ability to discern good from evil. If the goddess is depicted sitting on a lotus, it is an indication of her wisdom and veracity. When the goddess is shown sitting on a peacock, it is a reminder that a strong ego can be held back by wisdom.

Vasant Panchami marks the end of the winter season and welcomes Spring. Yellow signifies the brilliance of the sun and the vibrancy of life. During the Vasant Panchami festival, India’s crop fields are filled with the color yellow, as the yellow mustard flowers at this time of the year. Hindus will prepare and feast on a special pastry called kesari halwa, which is made from flour, sugar, nuts, and cardamom powder and saffron strands. Saffron gives the sweetmeat a vibrant yellow color and its distinctive fragrance.

The holiday is celebrated with great splendour and affection in India and it is a public holiday. Government offices, schools, colleges are closed on this day. Some private offices are operational as is public transport, however, there is heavy traffic due to many processions at various places.

MOVIE MONDAY: A WESTERN AND AN... EASTERN

“A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it.” - Alfred Hitchcock

We watched two films at the weekend, one relatively new and the other “vintage”. We enjoyed both of them although they were very different and represented two entirely different genres. We can recommend watching both of them, unless you are allergic to one or both of the genres…

The first was the classic 1972 Mark Rydell Western “The Cowboys”, with John Wayne in one of his best mature roles. This was a typical Wayne Western, but it had some surprises, as well as a delightful performance by Roscoe Lee Browne who played the black cook of the cattle drive. The film was big and bold and the cinematography was beautiful. It dealt with a coming of age of a group of young cowboys (aged 9 to 15 years!), who are hired by Wayne in desperation as he cannot get any cattle drovers on account of them running away to take part in the gold rush. Their job is to take a herd of cattle across the country, dealing with all sorts of dangers and villains in the process.

The film is typical Hollywood and in this case that is to its credit. There is a luscious music score, good performances, interesting plot, humour and pathos, light-heartedness and poignancy. John Wayne aged 65 years in this movie gives one of his best performances, I think. He interacts beautifully with his fellow-actors, especially the young boys, who are very convincing and give good performances all round. Bruce Dern makes a convincing villain, but the honours must go to the great performance by Roscoe Lee Browne, whose every scene is a stealer.

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie (which oddly enough we hadn’t seen before) and we can recommend it most highly. As well as lots of shooting, it does have a sad ending, so be warned.

The other film we watched was the 2010 Mike Newell fantasy “Prince of Persia – The Sands of Time”. This was an elaborate fairy tale seemingly straight out of the Thousand-and-One-Nights. The Disney studio, which was responsible for this movie, has a tradition of such fare and it does it well. The movie was inspired by the video game series “Prince of Persia”, so I’m sure we shall see one or two sequels, although at a budget of $200,000,000 to be made, it still has to earn a quid or two to break even!

The film concerns itself with the King of Persia and his three sons, two of whom are his own and one of whom is adopted. The adopted son is the hero of the story, Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Gemma Arterton plays his leading lady, Tamina, who is the princess of a mysterious sacred city, Alamut. The King’s brother follows the three princes to Alamut to do battle with it as there is evidence that Alamut has a store of weapons that it is selling to the enemies of the King. The city is overtaken by Dastan’s strategy and bravery, and he takes as booty a magic dagger that has the capability of turning back time. However, all is not what it seems, and there is traitor amongst the three Princes – or is there? Alamut had no store of secret weapons (tongue in cheek dig at Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction?) and the Princess Tamina has to grudgingly side with Prince Dastan to recover the dagger and save not only the kingdom, but also the world it turns out.

The film was entertaining and was pure escapism and fantasy. However, as is the case with many Hollywood historical or quasi-historical films what history was shown was grossly inaccurate – but never mind, we won’t show this film in a history class. However, one does wonder, with a budget of $200,000,000 couldn’t they employ a historian to vet the film? But that’s Hollywood for you, the historian’s wages were instead used for the pedicurist who did the dogs’ nails!

One again we enjoyed this film, as it was full of humour, incident, action (some wild parkour sequences!), lavish costumes and scenery, fantastic CGI that blend imperceptibly with the real scenery and actors. The result is a polished, high quality bit of fluff that will keep many amused. Not having seen the video game (much less played it), I cannot comment on how accurate a depiction of the game the movie is, but as a movie it worked for me – within its genre.

YEAR OF THE RABBIT

“The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?” – Zhuangzi

Well, the celebration of the Chinese New Year was going at full throttle this weekend in Melbourne. There were numerous events in many places, the first and foremost of course being Chinatown in Little Bourke St. As well as that, Crown Casino had various activities, understandably as many of the gambling patrons (especially international big rollers) are Chinese. Along the Southbank Casino Promenade a Chinese New Year Market with all sorts of stalls and activities was set up, attracting many Melburnians who visited it, despite the rainy weather. Traditionally, a rainy New Year in Greece is considered auspicious, I wonder if it the same for the Chinese?

It is the Year of the Hare (or Rabbit) this year and it officially started with the New Moon of Thursday night. If you are a Hare (i.e. born 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927, 1915) you are diplomatic, good at negotiating, gentle, emotional or even sentimental. Rabbits are also a little selfish and you can pursue your own pleasure, although you tend not to hurt others in the process. You can be badly hurt by thoughtless treatment or criticism from others, but you are tactful enough not to show it. You typically appear well-groomed and have good manners, but also you are playful and you can surprise people. You are a sensitive lover, but also shrewd and seek a partner who offers the security you need in life. Your strength is in observing situations, assessing the game and coming up with a solution or an innovation when the time is ripe.

I have resisted to select Dürer’s well-known “Hare” to illustrate this week’s Art Sunday, but I will refer to it! I have chosen rather a lesser known work which is also quite beautiful. It is Hans Hoffmann’s “Hare in the Forest” of 1585. This is a highly attractive work and as beautiful as the hare is, the vegetation is what holds my attention more as it is exquisitely rendered. There is lady’s mantle and thistle, hare bell and plantain, dock and hawksbeard, grasses and woodland herbs. The trunks of the trees frame the scene in the foreground, providing a warm background that complements the fur of the hare. Smaller animals and insects abound and when one looks carefully discovers all sorts of detail.

The hare itself is sitting rather nervously, I think, almost as if it is aware of having its “snapshot” taken and is poised mid-bite just as it started to nibble a leaf of lady’s mantle. Its fur, whiskers and eyes are well painted, although one can tell that the calibre of this artist is a lesser one than that of the masterly Dürer. His “Hare” of 1502 is a wise old animal, introspective and serene. The pose is almost identical but the vantage point of Dürer is slightly more elevated. And the almost monochrome drawing with watercolour shows the older artist’s superior draughtmanship. Hoffman had seen the “Hare” of Dürer, while in Nuremburg. Later, when Hoffman went to work in the court of Emperor Rudolf II, he helped the Emperor acquire the watercolour for his Kunstkammer.

Hoffman’s “Hare in the Forest” is housed in the Getty Museum.

CHILDREN'S SONGS

“Children find everything in nothing; men find nothing in everything.” - Giacomo Leopardi

What a night we had last night and what a morning… Even here in Melbourne we got the tail end of cyclone Yasi and we had heavy rains all night and all morning! The skies were leaden gray, the rain fell in heavy sheets and the roads flooded. A respite of showers and then more rain… It was definitely a day for staying inside and enjoying the pleasures of home.

For Song Saturday, remembering the past and the quality children’s songs of the now legendary radio program, Lilipoupoli (Lilliput City) curated by the great Manos Hadjidakis, which ran from 1976 to 1980. The lyrics were by Marianina Kriezi, while the young and fresh composer team of Dimitris Maragopoulos, Lena Platonos, Nikos Kypourgos and Nikos Christodoulou wrote the high quality music. Great singers like Spyros Sakkas, Savina Yannatou, Antonis Kondogeorgiou and Nena Venetsanou were the interpreters.

The program was much loved not only by children but also by intelligent adults, as it was fun, imaginative, wonderfully punning and with a great sense of wordplay, gently satirical, ecologically sensitive, with a social conscience and in the end it became quite political. The government of the day found it offensive, wishing to ban it!

Here is the Chrysalifoúrfouro song:



The Chrysalifourfoúro Flower

In the dales of Lilipoúpoli
Blooms a little flower
Called Chrysalifourfoúro
And looks like a little golden rose.

Blow the petals of the Chrysalifourfoúro
Blow them and Spring will arrive.
And they blow away like a feather,
Someone loves you and you don’t know it.

Golden coins hang below its petals
And in the zephyr’s toying breath
They tinkle like a golden bell,
Every now and then.

Blow the petals of the Chrysalifourfoúro
Which you hold in Spring in your hand,
And if it becomes dust, golden dust,
You love someone and he doesn’t know it.

**********************

Here is a catchy little green song about the Ball of the Peas where artichokes dance with zucchinis while spinach, okra and beans have great fun on the green swards of lawn.



Or how about the little yellow song of the Chinese swimmer wearing a yellow bikini who dives into a sea of mayonnaise, only to encounter a yellow ship that fires melon balls from golden cannons?



And the bossa nova of the pastry shop, where sweet fights with donuts, honey, marmalade, Turkish delight and showers of sugar drench all children…



The pink song of Rosa-Rosalie with her pink pet pig, under flamingo skies walking along a shell-pink beach. Rosa-Rosalie whom when kissed, will make a cherry tree bloom.

LENTILS

“Gratitude is the least of the virtues, but ingratitude is the worst of vices.” - Thomas Fuller

Lentils are a wonderful food – packed with nutrients, easy to cook in a variety of ways, easily complemented by many different flavours, they are a staple food in many cultures and available year-round. Lentils, like beans and peas, are legumes and are full of protein, fibre and micronutrients like molybdenum, manganese, iron, magnesium and copper. Their high content of fibre lowers cholesterol actively, and they aid in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fibre content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Lentils also provide good amounts of two B-vitamins with virtually no fat.

Lentils originated in central Asia, having been consumed there since prehistoric times, and are one of the first foods to have ever been cultivated. Lentil seeds dating back 8000 years have been found at archaeological sites in the Middle East. Lentils were mentioned in the Bible both as the item that Jacob traded to Esau for his birthright and as a part of a bread that was made during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people. Before the 1st century AD, they were introduced into India, a country whose traditional cuisine still treasures a spiced lentil dish known as “dal”. In many Catholic countries, lentils have long been used as a staple food during Lent. Currently, the leading commercial producers of lentils include India, Turkey, Canada, China and Syria.

Lentils came to mind today as there is a restaurant chain in Melbourne known as “Lentil as Anything”. The good thing about these eateries is that not only do they provide good and nutritious food that is vegetarian and organic, but that what you pay depends solely on you, the customer! You pay what you think the food is worth and what you can afford. It is a fantastic idea and this non-profit food chain provides training and educational opportunities for marginalised people, as well as tasty vegetarian food for its customers. All funds collected by the operations goes to a range of services that help new migrants, refugees, people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed. Most people do not abuse the privilege of being allowed to donate what they can afford into the collection box and you pay what you can in a collection box, anonymously. Most people who eat there are generous and honest, but unfortunately there are some rat bags too…

This is the case in an incident that happened to Ousman Ngom, the manager of the Footscray branch of “Lentil as Anything” on Wednesday evening. While he was out shopping for the restaurant, two men set upon him with a knife and left a 10 cm gash from his ear to his mouth. He had to have plastic surgery. The attack is thought to have had a “revenge” motive as the two attackers were told the previous night to leave the restaurant as they were using foul language and being disruptive. It is sad that the attackers, who were arrested by police, are teenagers 18 and 19 years old.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident in the Footscray branch of the chain, which has had many incidents of violence and disruptive behaviour. The general manager even toyed witht eh idea of getting a security guard! As this was one of the most violent and cowardly of attacks, the future of the restaurant in Footscray is now uncertain. It may well close. It goes to show that even when some people go out of their way to help their fellow human beings, they spend their lives doing good, being what each one of us should be, they may find themselves reaping violence and ingratitude as a reward for their good deeds. Some humans are inhuman, regrettably…

Here is a web page that has a wealth of different lentil recipes.

A BREEZE CALLED YASI

“The insufferable arrogance of human beings to think that Nature was made solely for their benefit, as if it was conceivable that the sun had been set afire merely to ripen men's apples and head their cabbages.” - Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac

Another natural disaster has wrought havoc in Queensland. This time the might of a tropical cyclone has all but destroyed one town (Tully) as its fury was unleashed on the coast and havoc was wrought once again on a state that was already suffering the effects of the deadly floods a couple of weeks ago. The fortunate thing about this disaster (if fortunate can be used in this context…) was that at least the cities of Townsville and Cairns were spared and to date there have been no reports of deaths, although a man is missing.

On the news this morning, there was a flash flooding warning as the forecast was for thunderstorms and possible heavy rains in localised areas. News from the USA tell of massive storms that have covered half the country in record snow fall. Reports from other parts of the world also have news of extreme conditions and unruly weather phenomena that have not been experienced within living memory.

These extreme weather disruptions seem to be occurring with alarming frequency these past few years, fuelling the climate change debate. The firm believers of the theory that the earth has started to undergo changes consistent with the greenhouse effect due to excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere produced by human activity, point to the changing weather as evidence. Skeptics of the theory point to statistics that go back (in some cases) for many decades or centuries, and the climatological evidence locked in sedimentary rocks, thousand-year-old ice deposits in the polar regions and to the fossil record going back for millennia that all demonstrate extreme weather conditions are a cyclical occurrence and we humans have to accept that we live on a friendly, yet whimsical planet!

I mentioned above the phrase “living memory”. This is such an anthropocentric and flippant yardstick when one looks at conditions that affect our planet and have cycles that recur every 10,000 or every 100,000 years – both of these time periods a mere fractions of a second (relatively speaking) on a cosmic scale. In earth’s 4.5 billion year history there have been so many extreme upheavals – in weather, geology, biology – that we puny humans, a late arrival in earth’s history, talk about events in “living memory” and ignore the evidence of billions of years and think in terms of the human lifespan. How insignificant we are, in cosmic terms!

When looking at the weather conditions in the last 10,000 years we are really blessed. Before that, our distant ancestors had to cope with an ice age that lasted for centuries. The big thaw was followed by weather that has been remarkably temperate. It is no surprise that now we are seeing some extremes. Perhaps over the next 500 or 1000 years our planet will experience yet another cyclic ice age (long overdue according to some scientists) –whatever we may choose to do or not do.

It is true that as species we are biologically successful. Within a remarkably small time period (three million years is a mere wink on a cosmic scale, remember) we have become the dominant species on earth. We have altered our environment on a massive scale and have forced thousands upon thousands of other species into extinction. We have selectively created conditions that favoured other species, while using up natural resources on an unprecedented scale – especially so in the last 100 years or so. As a species, we are resourceful and inventive, adaptable and intelligent, but unfortunately not wise (at least collectively speaking).

We pride ourselves on the technology that we have created and which allows us to have control over most of the processes and events around the planet, but compared to the might of Mother Nature, our power is risible. We may have sent man to the moon, yet we cannot control a category five tropical cyclone as it pummels into the shore. We may update our Facebook account and ring each other on iPhones, but we cannot control flood and drought. We may stage decadent, elaborate banquets or transmit the inanity of Master Chef programs on TV, yet millions of our own kind die of starvation annually…

My word for today is fittingly:

hubris |ˈ(h)yoōbris| noun
Excessive pride or self-confidence. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one’s own competence or capabilities, especially used in the context of people in positions of power.
• (In Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis.
DERIVATIVES
hubristic |(h)yoōˈbristik| adjective
ORIGIN Greek - ὕβρις

CANDLEMAS

“The soul’s impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right judgments, and the pure soul is one which has right judgments.” - Epictetus

Today is Candlemas (and/or Groundhog Day if you are in North America). Candlemas is officially known as the Feast of the Presentation, and commemorates the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the Temple, which took place 40 days after His birth as Jewish law required. According to Mosaic Law, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered ‘unclean’ for seven days. Also, she was to remain 33 days ‘in the blood of her purification’.

In Luke there is a passage quoting Exodus 13:2,12, that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem because every firstborn child was to be dedicated to the Lord. They also went to sacrifice a pair of doves, showing that Mary and Joseph were poor. Once in the Temple, Jesus was purified by the prayer of Simeon, in the presence of Anna the prophetess. Simeon, upon seeing the Messiah, gave thanks to the Lord, singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis:

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace,
Your word has been fulfilled:
My own eyes have seen the salvation,
Which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
A light to reveal you to the nations
And the glory of your people Israel.

The common name for the feast, Candlemas, comes from the activities associated with the feast. It came to be known as the Candle Mass. In the Western Church, a procession with lighted candles is the distinctive rite. According to post Vatican-II discipline, (if possible) the beeswax candles are to be blessed somewhere other than where the Mass is held. During the procession to the church, the Nunc Dimittis is sung, with the antiphon ‘Lumen ad revelationem’ (Luke 2:32). This procession into the church for Mass commemorates Christ’s entrance into the temple. Since Vatican II, the feast is reckoned a feast of the Lord (as opposed to a feast of Mary), and officially designated “The presentation of the Lord”.

Groundhog Day is rather more prosaic and is definitely more profane than sacred! The legend of Groundhog Day is based on an old Scottish couplet:

“If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there’ll be two winters in the year.”

Every February 2nd, people gather at Gobbler’s Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, in Pennsylvania, USA. They observe a humble groundhog (dubbed ‘Phil’) as it comes out of its burrow, and observe it to see whether it casts a shadow or not. This event in Punxsutawney was held in secret from 1887 until 1966, and only Phil’s ‘prediction’ was revealed to the public. Since 1966, Phil’s forecast has been widely broadcast by the media.

The groundhog comes out of his electrically heated burrow, looks for his shadow and ‘utters’ his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative. The representative then ‘translates’ the prediction for the general public. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner. Approximately 90% of the time, Phil sees his shadow.

FREEDOM DAY

“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” - Abraham Lincoln

It is National Freedom Day in the USA today. It commemorates the signing of a resolution that proposed the 13th amendment of the nation’s constitution on February 1st, 1865. Abraham Lincoln, who was the president at the time, signed the resolution to outlaw slavery. This anniversary is annually observed on February 1st. Major Richard Robert Wright Sr, a former slave who founded the National Freedom Day Association, played a pivotal role in establishing the observance of this day. Major Wright was deemed as a community leader in Philadelphia and was active in education, the media, business and politics. He dearly wished to see a day dedicated to celebrating freedom for all Americans.

The first commemoration of such a day took place on February 1st, 1942, although it was not made into law yet. A tradition of laying a wreath at Liberty Bell also began. On June 30, 1948, President Harry Truman signed a bill to proclaim February 1st as the first official National Freedom Day in the United States. Wreath-laying at Liberty Bell, which symbolises freedom or liberty, has subsequently occurred on this day over the years.

This anniversary takes on an eerie significance with the situation that is evolving in Egypt and the way that it is threatening to involve the USA and the rest of the international community. The USA has traditionally been a strong ally of President Mubarak and now that the wrath of the people of Egypt has turned against their leader (whom they consider a dictator), America is finding itself in an embarrassing situation. It does not wish to alienate itself from a mighty nation that has risen up to fight for freedom, basic human rights and demand democratic elections (ostensibly all that the USA holds dear), but at the same time it does not wish to withdraw support from an ally and a leader it has openly supported for many years.

This embarrassment of the USA is manifest as President Obama’s silence and his unwillingness so far to urge Mr Mubarak to step down. It is a right royal bind! The USA has to reconcile its avowed support for countries that are struggling to put in place democratic reforms, with an actual legacy of supporting “friendly” authoritarian regimes (provided they are willing to serve US interests). President Obama has often spoken eloquently of America’s agenda to better relations with the Arab world and it is with interest that he is being watched in every nation to see whether he will stand up for the idealistic American values of Liberty, Equality, Democracy. The alternative is to remain silent and continue the legacy of secret agendas and realpolitik…

It is a fact that for many decades the USA spent billions of dollars a year in economic and military aid on Mr Mubarak’s corrupt, authoritarian regime. During this time, the USA turned a blind eye to the gross violations of human rights in Egypt, with the excuse that such policy “preserved stability in the region”. And so the boil continued to accumulate pus. All the while the pain of the average Egyptian increased as US funds disappeared to line private pockets of corrupt officials. Successive US governments and administrators knew of this situation but did not overtly criticise the Egyptian regime because of Egypt’s ally status to the USA and the delicate situation in what is a volatile region.

In 2005 Condoleezza Rice said in a speech in Cairo: “For 60 years, the United States pursued stability at the expense of democracy in the Middle East, and we achieved neither.” Quite a candid comment and an open admission of defeat of a policy that was obviously not working. US efforts to keep Mr. Mubarak and other US sympathisers in power in the Middle East may have avoided the return of war in the region (thus keeping the flow of oil free), they have certainly not brought stability and growth. As a result, these conditions have allowed extremism and terrorism to develop.

Happy Freedom Day, America!

CREATION - MOVIE MONDAY

“All evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct.” – George Bernard Shaw

We watched a good film at the weekend. It was a historical/biographical drama co-produced by the BBC, which usually does an excellent job of such productions in terms of scenery, detail, atmosphere and settings. It was Jon Amiel’s 2009 film “Creation”, which dealt with the part of Charles Darwin’s life relating to the death of his daughter and his psychological struggles to come to terms with it. It is very much an interpolation so, often, historical fact has been sacrificed in the name of poetic licence. The resulting film should therefore not be taken as gospel truth and thus it is not suitable for high school educational purposes (especially in the sciences). However, I found it quite suitable as film to be shown in relation to teaching psychology and counselling as the plot primarily revolves around the loss of a child and a family’s trials in dealing with this.

Darwin’s theory of evolution and his book “The Origin of the Species” (a masterpiece of scientific enquiry) transformed ideas about the creation of the world and many hailed it as evidence against the existence of God. This was not Darwin’s intention and the ideas represented in this book are not contrary to the existence of God, but rather it is a warning against taking the Bible literally. The book of Genesis is a magnificent allegorical creation myth, akin to the creation myths of other religions. Accepting Genesis as a creation myth does not preclude faith in God nor does being a scientist mean that one cannot be a true believer. Much of what we have produced in our literature, in our art, in our most beautiful and inspired of activities has been for the glory of God.

The film, however, does have as one of its strong subplots, the debate between creationism and evolution (anachronistically and with poetic licence) placed within the context of Darwin’s struggle to complete his book “The Origin of the Species”, while coping with the loss of his daughter. It makes a good movie, but most of what is depicted is far from reality. As long as one is aware of this and makes allowance for the inaccuracy, one can enjoy the film for what it is: A man’s struggle with the death of his child, his faltering relationship with his wife and his estrangement from his other children. All this, while he is debating within himself the existence of what seems to be a cruel, vindictive God who takes innocent lives without any reason. Darwin may have become an atheist, but this is not the subject of the movie.

Darwin’s famous voyages are referred to in the film, and there are tantalising flashbacks to anecdotes that he relates to his children, but so much more could have been made of these –then again the film would have been a long mini-series, not a 108 minute movie. On the matter of flashbacks, oh boy! This movie has flashbacks, flashforwards, dream sequences, sequences of altered perception of reality, so many, that we the poor viewers have to wonder sometimes what is going on, is it past, present, future, or part of Darwin’s tortured view of reality where he sees his daughter’s ghost. This is the director’s fault as he co-wrote the movie with John Collee, based on the novel “Annie’s Box” by Randal Keynes. It is “arty” and meant to keep our interest up while “educating us” in terms of our artistic development as cultured cinephiles, but it got to be quite annoying really…

There is much in the movie and some scenes are very repetitive, especially so Darwin’s “loss of mind” and his extreme grief in reaction to his daughter’s death. There could be much removed from these scenes without impacting on the movie, and there is so much more that could have been added to clarify our perception of “Darwin the Scientist” as opposed to “Darwin the Man”. Paul Bettany does a great job acting the part of Darwin and relishes every second of his screen time. There is much praise to be given to his performance, although he very nearly overacts on occasion. Jennifer Connelly as Darwin’s wife also does an admirable job and looks quite stunning in many scenes, which she plays with more restraint. Top honours to Martha West who plays the ill-fated Annie Darwin, their young daughter. A winsome performance played with gusto and the right touch of poignancy.

The music by Christopher Young was saccharine for the most part and designed to twang the heart-strings, often verging on the maudlin. I enjoyed more the apt classical pieces that were used appropriately as Mrs Darwin was playing the piano and exteriorising her emotions. Overall, though, an enjoyable film which I recommend highly, provided one is aware of its shortcomings on the historical front and the business of flashing (forward and backward). The atmosphere is right and the film looks wonderfully authentic. It is touching and tender in parts, while at the same time psychologically tense and suspenseful in others.

EGYPT, LAND OF CULTURE AND ART

“It's a sad and stupid thing to have to proclaim yourself a revolutionary just to be a decent man.” - David Harris

One of the most pernicious and destructive effects of revolution is the mindless assault on civilisation, art, culture, and the devastation of heritage that belongs to all humanity. While the Egyptian unrest and anarchy is going on, however justified the uprising may be to its supporters, the destruction of artefacts in the Egyptian Museum and the looting that began (and was thankfully checked in time) is enough reason for any civilised person to oppose this form of insurrection.

It seems that whatever noble sentiment may cause a populace to rise up against its leaders and strive for freedom, it will also have many ill effects on the fabric of society. Anarchy by its very nature is a state of disorder due to flaunting of authority. This manifests itself in acts of lawlessness and chaos. Unfortunately it is not only the idealists and the downtrodden who are mobilised in such rebellions. There are also the riff-raff, the opportunists, the looters, the dregs of society who in that state of anarchy and lawlessness take occasion to show whatever is worst in the human character.

I have visited Egypt twice and enjoyed both trips immensely. Not only taking in the thousands of years of history, visiting the historical sites, museums and famous landmarks, but also enjoying the interaction with the people, their culture and their everyday life. It is extremely sad to read of the worsening crisis in this ancient land and learn of the threat the political situation is putting on the legacy of the Land of the Pharaohs to not only modern-day Egyptians, but also to the rest of humanity. I sympathise with the Egyptian people, but I denounce the acts of barbarity that are the fall out of revolutionary acts.

History is full of similar situations – one only need think of the French Revolution, the Bolshevik uprising in Russia, the storming of Baghdad by the mob following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and many more such cases. In all instances the cultural losses have been immense, although some would argue that any such loss is preferable to having people living in fear, subjugation, oppression, hunger and destitution. It’s a debate that can keep the adherents of both camps occupied for many hours.

Freedom, personal liberty, assurance of a dignified existence, respect of human rights and the expectation of a safe living environment, adequate food, water and a place to live in are the birthright of all human beings. Can we not as civilised human beings claim those rights without destroying our common world heritage?

For Art Sunday, a sample of Egyptian Art from the Cairo Museum, one of the great museums of the world and a world heritage custodian. These graceful geese are from Dynasty 4, ca 1680-2500 B.C. It is a detail of a tomb painting from the mastaba tomb of Nefermaat at Medum. Height: 27cm (Egyptian Museum, Cairo).

TEARFUL EGYPT

“In Egypt today most people are concerned with getting bread to eat. Only some of the educated understand how democracy works.” - Naguib Mahfouz

Well it was a beautiful summer’s day today in Melbourne, hot but not scorching, a breeze blowing now and then. We had a morning full of chores, but then visited the library and took it easy for while there. In the afternoon, when things started to get a little warmer we sat inside, where it was cool and watched a movie. Went out to dinner tonight ad the night finished relatively early.

The riots in Tunisia and Egypt are occupying a great deal of prime news time. The situation in Egypt especially seems to have reached a critical point. I read with amazement that the country had turned off its internet yesterday, something that I thought was impossible to do, but apparently yes, it did happen through the government putting pressure on the handful of internet provider companies that supply the whole country with its internet access. This is a half-baked attempt to quash dissent and anti-government feeling being expressed through social media and internet-enabled communication services… The truth will out one way or another and there surely must be more than one satellite phones capable of internet access connections.

Things are not good worldwide, and these latest riots are part of the disgruntlement and agitation that is evident around many countries throughout the world. Fortunately here in Australia, things are good and I am grateful for this.

As a special tribute to the Egyptian people tonight, I offer you a wonderful piece of music. It is a collaborative effort between Egyptian and Turkish musicians and called “Kolaymi?”, meaning, “Is it easy?” in Turkish. It is by Omar Faruk Tekbilek, taken from the Album “Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Brian Keane - Beyond The Sky” (1992).

LET'S DO LUNCH

“Let not the sands of time get in your lunch.” - Tony Hendra

Despite the holiday midweek, this was a difficult and busy week with much happening and long hours at work, as if to make up for the “lost” working day. In any case the weekend is nearly here and I look forward to some rest and relaxation. I’ll try to do the least work possible and enjoy the break. Sunday promises to be a scorcher with a forecast maximum of 40˚C so the best place to be is somewhere cool and shady!

I have been trying to have a bit more of a healthful diet, as well as increase the amount of exercise I regularly do. As the years advance, it’s so easy to put on weight especially if one likes good food and drink. Nevertheless, there are so many tasty, healthful, fresh and slimming food options out there now that it’s a shame not to take advantage of them. And one feels so good once the kilos begin to be shed.

I wrote about the benefits of a good breakfast last week so today I’ll write something about a good lunch. In Australia, where we work right through the day (unlike, say, in Mediterranean countries where a post-lunch siesta is the norm, followed by more work), lunch is often a rushed affair, with fast, unhealthy food more than likely the norm. Many people that pack a lunch from home end up eating sandwiches, which depending on the filling can be quite nasty. Others eat out and are tempted by pizza, fried food, chips and all sorts of other take-away horrors that are consumed quickly and on the run, or at our desk. Very few people will have the good option of a protein-rich staple supplemented by complex carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, with lots of fluid, preferably in the form of cool water or green unsweetened tea. Preferably, these will be consumed somewhere away from the workplace, giving us the opportunity for some exercise before and after lunch.

One of the first things to try and reduce in the lunch menu are butter, margarine, oils and all sorts of other fats. One can use substitutes. For example, why not try spreading your multigrain bread with some nice, ripe, mashed avocado? Cholesterol-free olive oil, used sparingly is another good substitute. Avoid mayonnaise, bought salad dressings, ready-made sauces and spreads of all kinds. Cheese can be packed full of fats and calories, although it may taste heavenly – eat sparingly! Cottage cheese is another matter, but its taste (or lack of) is another matter too…

Here are some interesting and healthful lunch suggestions for a whole week:

Monday: On Sunday night, put some chopped zucchini, capsicum, mushrooms and strips of chicken breast into a roasting tin. Lightly spray them with olive oil, season with paprika and ground pepper. Put in the oven on low heat until the chicken is well cooked and the vegetables are tender. Put in the refrigerator overnight. On Monday morning, pack the chicken and vegetables into a container and take to work with a wholemeal bread (or tortilla) wrap and a handful of ready-washed salad leaves. Assemble your wrap at lunchtime, just before you eat it so that it’s not soggy and tastes fresh – delicious!

Tuesday: Spinach, beetroot greens and rocket salad with red peppers, red onion, tinned tuna and a balsamic dressing. The salad ingredients are packed in a container and taken to work sot hat they can be quickly assembled at lunchtime. The salad dressing is made at home and put in a bottle to keep in the fridge at work. It is made with extra-virgin olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar, freshly ground black pepper, a little salt. You can also add lime juice, some Dijon mustard or herbs such as oregano or thyme. You can drink some iced green tea with this.

Wednesday: Roast beef sandwich on rye bread with rocket leaves and horseradish. You can buy pre-sliced roast beef at your delicatessen or if so inclined make it at home (last night’s dinner leftovers, perhaps?). The horseradish sauce is shop-bought (unless you are really into this cooking thing and make your own too!), while rocket is now widely available, in an organic version too. You can supplement this lunch with a piece of fresh fruit, or prepared fruit chunks or some fruit juice.

Thursday: Couscous mixed with chopped vegetables and fresh herbs. If you have never had couscous, you are missing out on an interesting and healthful food. It is full of the goodness of grain, especially if you buy the wholemeal version, and it takes only a few minutes to cook. You can really please yourself with what you mix in it, but try a variety of raw or cooked vegetables, chopped avocado, walnuts or beans and stir in plenty of fresh herbs. Low-fat yogurt can accompany this meal – either in its savoury form on the side of the meal or the sweet form, to be had as a “dessert”.

Friday: Lentil tomato stew with onions and bay leaves. This is a dish that you have to make the day before, but it keeps well in the refrigerator and you can have two or three meals out of it. Use 2 cups of lentils (rinsed and picked over), 1.5 cups of crushed tomatoes (you can use canned ones), 4 tablespoons olive oil, 6 cloves garlic – sliced, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, pepper, 2 bay leaves, 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced. To prepare: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook or until softened. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, salt, cumin, sage, pepper, and add 4 cups of water, bringing to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the bay leaves, cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Saturday: Homemade vegetable soup with crusty multigrain bread. Fresh fruit salad with low-fat Greek yogurt. All sorts of vegetables can be made into soup and you can follow your whimsy and taste. For example, for spicy parsnip soup, fry chopped onions, spring onions and garlic in a little oil until brown. Add chopped parsnips, potatoes and a spoonful of mixed spices. Add a pint of vegetable stock and cook until vegetables are soft. Blend until smooth and stir in a tablespoon of tahini paste before serving.

Sunday - Option1: Jacket potato with cottage cheese and chives with a large green salad. A cereal bar, if desired. Pierce a washed potato all over and put in the microwave on high heat for ten to twelve minutes, depending on its size. Skewer through to ensure it’s cooked all the way through. Score into quarters and serve with creamed cottage cheese (or low fat sour cream), fresh chopped chives and salad on the side.

Sunday Option2: Poached or scrambled egg on wholemeal toast with grilled field mushrooms and tomato. A fruit smoothie to round off lunch - try blending up a banana, berries and some pineapple with a little orange juice.

You get my drift with these menus. As you can see the recipes have a low content of fat, a fair amount of protein, lots of fibre and fresh vegetables/fruit, small quantities of cheese, milk, eggs, with very low simple carbohydrate and processed food content. Such a diet, combined with some exercise will do wonders for your health and reduce your weight.

DAY OF THE TWO SUNS

“You should treat all disasters as if they were trivialities but never treat a triviality as if it were a disaster” - Quentin Crisp

I was struck by a news item a few days ago that was reported widely, not the least by newspaper that I read on the train every evening as I come home.  The title was sensationalist enough - “Sun to Shine at Double”, but the body if the article continued in the same vein: “The earth could soon have a second sun, at least for a week or two.” This article turned out to be a reference to Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the night sky and a giant red sun in the constellation of Orion. This aging sun is on the verge of exploding into a supernova, which will light up the night sky as if we had a sun shining and in daytime, it will look as though we are being illuminated by two suns…

All this even if Betelgeuse is 640 light years away from (so we are at a safe distance and we won’t bear the brunt of the explosion, don’t worry!). However, in cosmic terms we have a ringside seat, hence the awe-inspiring display. Well, I was wowed by this! To think that SOON we would have this spectacle to witness was amazing! However, as I kept reading I was slightly disappointed. Yes, sure enough Betelgeuse could turn into a supernova soon, as soon as this year, but in cosmic terms “soon” could also mean any time over the next million years. What a let down!

This was a wonderful bit of yellow press reportage where a comment by Brad Carter, Physics senior lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland was taken out of context and sensationalised. Well, it worked! It grabbed my attention. What the good professor Carter said was that Betelgeuse is a very old star running out of nuclear fuel in its centre. When the fuel runs out, the sun will collapse in on itself initiating some complex nuclear reaction that will lead to a massive explosion, with incredible amounts of energy and light produced. Hence the spectacular light show for several weeks.

No doubt helping in the sensationalism of the new item was the name of the star, Betelgeuse – identified with the devil, and also the doomsday predictions of the “ending of time” in 2012, in accordance with the Mayan calendar prophecy. People love a good disaster story and things don’t get more disastrous than time ending and the “Devil Star” exploding in our own cosmic back yard. However, I won’t be losing sleep over this and certainly will not be holding my breath till there two suns in the sky!

supernova |ˈsoōpərˌnōvə| noun ( pl. -novae |-ˌnōvē| or -novas ) Astronomy
A star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass.
ORIGIN late 19th century: From Latin, super-, from super ‘above, beyond.’ and feminine of novus ‘new’ (because such stars were thought to be newly formed).

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY, 2011!

“Our true nationality is mankind.” - H. G. Wells

Happy Australia Day to all my Australian friends! This is a day for all Australians to celebrate the things we love about our country. It is a time to celebrate our freedom – as individuals and as a nation. It is important for us to be grateful for our lifestyle and culture; our land and its beauty. We go out to beaches, forests, and the outback. We acknowledge our history and Indigenous past, while taking stock of and our opportunities and looking forward with optimism to the future. There are many opportunities to celebrate and commemorate this special day: From the smallest barbeque with friends right up to the thousand-strong People’s March down Swanston Street. This is the day where we take pride in our country and reflect on who we are as a nation.

Melbourne, like all state capital cities has a full Australia Day program, which is designed to be as fun, as family friendly and whenever possible free. There are events and activities beginning on Thursday 21st January and running right through to the fireworks on the evening of 26th January. Traditionally on Australia Day, there are “Big Breakfasts” organised in various venues. For example, the Australian Unity Big Brekkie in Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, and the RACV Big Brekkie in the Alexandra Gardens. The Australia Day Treasure Hunt in the Fitzroy Gardens is another popular event for young and old alike.

Ceremonial occasions like the Raising of the Flag, where the Victorian Premier and Governor, and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, outside the Town Hall on Swanston Street participate in the official Flag Raising ceremony are de rigueur. There is also the Shrine of Remembrance 21-Gun Salute, as well as Open Day at Government House. An aerial display by the “Roulettes”, the Royal Australian Air Force’s elite formation aerobatic display team is another high point (pun intended! :-). The day finishes with another tradition: The Fireworks display at Federation Square, by the banks of the Yarra River.

As it is Poetry Wednesday, here is a poem by a great Australian poet:

Nationality

I have grown past hate and bitterness,
I see the world as one;
But though I can no longer hate,
My son is still my son.

All men at God's round table sit,
and all men must be fed;
But this loaf in my hand,
This loaf is my son's bread.

Dame Mary Gilmore (1865 - 1962)
Mary Gilmore was born near Goulburn, NSW. She became a teacher and a writer and was editor of the women’s pages of the Australian Worker newspaper for 23 years.  In 1886, Gilmore went to Paraguay in South America to join a group of Australians who planned to set up a new colony where everyone would be equal and would work together. This colony was not successful.

After some years, Gilmore came back to Australia with her husband. She spent the rest of her life writing, doing her editing work and fighting for people who needed help. These included Aboriginal people, children who were forced to work in factories and shearers who were being underpaid. She also fought hard for women’s rights.

In 1937 she was made Dame Mary Gilmore by King George VI. A suburb of Canberra is named after her and her picture is on the $10 note (along with Henry Lawson the only 2 Australian writers to be featured) and on a few of Australia’s stamps.  Dame Mary Gilmore was Australia’s “grand old lady of letters”. She authored over twenty books and was the subject of a controversial Dobell portrait.

A GOOD FARE

“If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The taxi driver got up early that morning. Times were tough and his young family needed more and more support. His son was just starting school, his daughter needed new books for her classes. His parents were ailing and medicines were getting more and more expensive. His mother-in-law needed a cataract operation and the taxi payments had to be kept up. His wife had lost her job only last week… He wasn’t one to complain. His doctoral degree in physics was useless at the moment and with work scarce, driving a taxi was an honest option. He should be thankful, others weren’t so lucky. Yes, all considered, he was one of the lucky ones, able to put bread on the family table. Times were tough but his family had never gone hungry yet…

As he was driving through the dark morning winter streets he was glad to pick up even the short distance fares, thankful for every little bit that helped him live with dignity and provide for his family. He drove, always on the lookout for the familiar raised arm beckoning him to stop. People got in, he drove them to their destination and his daily takings kept increasing. If only he could get a couple of good fares, he might even get enough today to buy all the textbooks his daughter needed. A woman clutching a large suitcase stopped him near the old square. He stopped and got out into the biting cold to help her stow her baggage in the boot. She was young and dressed in black, the winter clothing wrapped tightly around her, her head covered with a black hat, a scarf wound tightly around her neck and lower face. She was deathly pale and her eyes dark and intense – bottomless abysses.

She sat in the back and bundled herself tightly against the closed door. Her voice was quiet and the accent thick as she directed him to the airport. He nodded, happy for this unexpected boon. This was going to be an excellent fare. His young son would have a new uniform. He smiled pleasantly at her through the rear view mirror and tried to make small talk. Her gaze was distant, her eyes glazed over with tears that would not flow. She waved absently at him and murmured something incomprehensible.

He respected her silence and nodded, keeping quiet himself. Still, he could not keep from smiling as he thought of the good day he was having today. His family would not want while he was there for them. And he would do anything to keep them fed, warm and well provided for. The traffic was building up as they approached the airport. The woman spoke again and directed him to the entrance she wanted. Cautiously, he drove through the chaotic traffic and mindful of the other taxis, stopped at the taxi rank. The woman paid him and refused her plentiful change, which he gratefully accepted.

Ever helpful he sprang out opened the door for her and took the suitcase out of the boot. He offered to carry it inside for the woman – the least he could do for the large tip she had given him. She shook her head and grabbed at the suitcase. It was relatively heavy and he, ever chivalrous waved her away, telling her effusively that it was no bother. She looked around them worried and when she saw that their altercation was attracting attention, she grudgingly allowed him to carry the suitcase inside the terminal.

The explosion rocked the terminal building and the people were mowed down. There was fire and smoke, flying bits of debris and deadly metal, nails, and blood and body parts. Screaming and panic followed, alarms rang. The taxi driver died instantaneously, happy, his last thoughts with his family and the good fare – his last. The woman in black died shouting something in her language, full of passion and conviction. Many died in the blink of an eye. So many were injured. All of them innocent, many possibly even agreeing in principle with the woman in black’s convictions.

When the police knocked on the apartment door where the taxi driver and his family lived, his wife answered the door. Her pitiful wails were heard around the building and the aged parents could only sob uncontrollably on and on.

In memoriam of all the innocent people who died in Moscow’s Airport today. Violence may give someone a short victory, but defeat inevitably follows in its wake and it is utter and self-destructive, ultimately.

MOVIE MONDAY - THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE

“We have rudiments of reverence for the human body, but we consider as nothing the rape of the human mind.” - Eric Hoffer

Last Saturday we watched the second of the Stieg Larsson Millennium Trilogy, director Daniel Alfredson’s 2009 movie of “The Girl who Played with Fire”. We had already watched the raw and powerful first film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and when this second movie appeared on the video shop shelves we were keen to watch it also. The Swedes have a tradition in movie making, internationalised and widely applauded through the work of Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007). There is also a rich tradition in literature, with August Strindberg (1849-1912), Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940), Hjalmar Bergman (1883-1931) and Pär Lagervist (1891-1974) being some of the shining lights. The success of the Millennium Trilogy as books and then as films therefore, is no surprise.

The books of Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) may not be of Nobel Prize standard (as represented by the Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1909, Selma Lagerlöf, for example) but they have been very popular and if nothing else are extremely powerful documents against violence towards women. Larsson, was disgusted by sexual violence this being because he witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was 15. He never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth – like the young heroine of his books, herself a rape victim. These books are written as testament to the real Lisbeth’s ordeal and as Larsson’s redemption for his weakness or cowardice.

The story picks up straight after the end of the first film in the series, when Lisbeth Salander returns to Sweden after spending a year abroad. She calls on her court-appointed guardian to remind him of his promise to submit satisfactory reports on her behaviour. Mikael Blomkvist continues as an editor of Millennium magazine and the journalists there are onto a major story about prostitution and trafficking of women from Eastern Europe. When the investigative journalist and his girlfriend working on that story are brutally killed, the police announce that Lisbeth is their prime suspect. Lisbeth and Mikael work independently trying to find out who is really behind the murders. They not only learn the identity of the culprits but also some of Lisbeth’s own family secrets.

I think we enjoyed the first movie better, although this one also had quite a lot of action and surprises. It did give the feeling, however, of repetitiveness and wasn’t quite as engaging as the previous movie. There were quite a few bridging flashback sequences from the previous movie and overall I felt that this second I the series was a weaker one than the first. Nevertheless, we watched it with interest and we were entertained, although once again there was much violence and bloodshed (although not as confronting as in the first movie – maybe it’s a bad sign: Are we getting immune to it all?).

Overall, a good film with plenty of incident, action, memorable characters. Mikael Spreitz makes a formidable villain and both Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace do an excellent job of playing the main characters, Mikael and Lisbeth. The cinematography, music and editing are of good standard and the film flows well. Recommended, but if given a choice I would go for the first installment, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. See my review of this movie here.