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The aftertaste of slightly browning banana is butter.

Origins of 'cheesy' and gypsy travellers

Who decided that the word 'cheesy' in the sense of slightly awful romantic gestures would have these implications? How is the cheese we eat in our sandwiches related to this.



10am this morning I encountered gypsy travellers. I was crossing the road and pretty sure the boys driving the vehicle (not sure how gypsies refer to these old style caravans) whipped the horse so it sped up as it drew nearer to me. The horse was then challenged with the deceivingly evil hill which finished off my wake-up walk 4 times a week, and I was slightly concerned that the poor thing would just stop and fall on its side and refuse to move and cause a blockage right by my tutorials which would inevitably send the 'yum' minivan into a frenzy in which it would not be able to turn off its ice-cream sirens and I would be forced to listen to this throughout the entire 60 minutes.

If a horse falls on its back is it unable to get up again, like sheep?

French Universities

I am amazed how the French can manage to have the best healthcare system in the EU but at the same time fail so dramatically with their Universities-

• There is no selective entry for undergrads so anyone with any grades can apply anywhere
• Over 2/5s of undergrads drop out
• There are no tuition fees
• Most of the University libraries close at weekends

SXSW 2010

I cannot drag myself away from this recently discovered music. From a festival in Austin, Texas called SXSW 2010.
Here is a sample..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2BsWVBNqCU&NR=1

ANT VORTEX (in 3D motion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA37cb10WMU&feature=player_embedded

"An electronically transmitted voice is not a real voice" I said. "We've all grown used to these simulacra of ourselves, but when you stop and think about it, the telephone is an instrument of distortion and fantasy. It's communication between ghosts, the verbal secretions of minds without bodies. I want to be able to see the person I'm talking to. If I can't, I'd rather not talk at all".




Admittedly being stranded on a train for the best part of two hours makes having a mobile phone incredibly useful, however at times I find the use and need for one burdensome; having to report and maintain communication with people when they're not in your presence, solely to fulfill the needs of a socially constructed action. 
'Iya. Wuup2? Tb.xx'... 'Got such a nastee hangover. Gud nyt tho. Wen r u uploading the photos online?xoxo'. 
Now more than ever the original invention and introduction of technology is being abused to create and sustain the extension of a person's identity, an identity which is fraudulent and insincere, not to mention misleading. Admittedly I have veered more to the debate of facebook/myspace/bebo/twitter, however all can be coined together to see how it is terrifyingly disturbing if you are to consider the effects this is having on the basic levels of communication on a wider social plane. Rather not talk at all?

Stamford welcomes Malik

Malik paid me a visit this week.
Inevitably it was eventful.
Birds were flying into train tyres causing 2 hour delays and our canadian rugby exchange endured the spanish inquisition, being made to outline his 3 favourite things about Canada beginning with C. Cuddles, culture and his cat he responded.
On taking Lucas back to the boarding house we had a drunken chat with the housemaster after which Malik proceeded to pose on bridges pretending to be a stamfordian.
Once safely in 'the wig', we were accosted by army guys and head boys and other stamford raas. Malik pursued an intellectually rigorous debate on whether Hitler was a good leader.
It was a good night.

Malik is now recovering from spending his 21st birthday night out at Chinese karaoke, something which I am envious of. I am expecting an update on his destruction of liverpool, no more biography style please.