Monthly Archives: January 2007

Russian Gynaecology

Posted on January 30, 2007 by acb

Svenska Dagbladet has a review of a book about European demography, Barren States, in which I found the following anecdote: In Russian, mothers are also young: a woman of 27 is considered too old to give birth vaginally, and encouraged … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | 9 Comments

Snake venom salesman

Posted on January 28, 2007 by acb

Dr Majid Katme (who really exists, and has been at it for years; I have talked to him) is telling Muslim women that they must not get their children vaccinated because some of the products used to make vaccine are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 3 Comments

Just a thought

Posted on January 27, 2007 by acb

I watched Easy Rider last night, for the first time in about thirty years, and pretty much completely sober. The soundtrack is still remarkable, but I was surprised to discover at the end, when the rednecks shot Hopper and Fonda, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | Comments Off on Just a thought

A reader writes

Posted on January 26, 2007 by acb

WHO ARE YOU? The web suggests you provide such details. It does not say whether you are Religious or Irreligious, Conservative, Liberal or Socialist, A Darwinite, Creationist or other. It does not tell us what you majored in. Alan W. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 2 Comments

Lost ejaculation

Posted on January 25, 2007 by acb

Somewhere on this blog is a scan from a Biggles book, where the hero is surrounded by “a circle of ejaculating natives” — but actually we have lost rather a useful word. What is now the proper term for sudden … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 4 Comments

The Swedish provinces on youtube

Posted on January 24, 2007 by acb

Last night I discovered that there are lots of small Swedish towns where people have recorded their lives on youtube. These are places where boredom is the fourth dimension. In Lilla Edet, for example, where I lived for three years, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | Comments Off on The Swedish provinces on youtube

Anyone out there speak Finnish?

Posted on January 22, 2007 by acb

I am transcribing a tape of a gold prospector talking about his adventures in the arctic mountains of Norway. We’re talking in Swedish, but his first language is Finnish. Most of it is sparkling clear, and the sound quality is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | 3 Comments

Orotund and rotund too

Posted on January 21, 2007 by acb

In case you have wondered what the masterminds behind Bush’s surge actually look like in the flesh, the excellent Belgravia Dispatch has a link to the video of one of them orating. How Kipling would have despised them, and despaired! … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in War | 1 Comment

An oddity of Wikipedia

Posted on January 21, 2007 by acb

Every now and then, when wading through the swamp that is Wikipaedia, one comes on a tussock of firm ground: something clearly written and well-argued, if a little stilted, which does not leave a methanous smell as you pull your … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Net stories | 1 Comment

Google vs Spam

Posted on January 18, 2007 by acb

I wonder if anyone has analysed the extent to which spam shapes the internet. In particular, I am thinking about the way that we have to trade off a degree of privacy to get effective protection. Google has excellent spam … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in nördig | 2 Comments