taking the swear jar to extremes

South Carolina Senator Robert Ford has sponsored a bill to criminalise swearing. Full text below.

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-370 SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO COMMUNICATE PROFANITY IN A PUBLIC FORUM OR PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION; BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-430 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISSEMINATING PROFANITY TO A MINOR AND PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR THE OFFENSE; TO AMEND SECTION 16-15-305, RELATING TO DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY, SO AS TO SPECIFY BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN PUBLICATIONS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 16-15-375, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR PURPOSES OF MORALITY AND DECENCY OFFENSES AGAINST MINORS, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE OFFENSE OF DISSEMINATING PROFANITY TO A MINOR.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 3, Chapter 15, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-15-370. (A) It is unlawful for a person in a public forum or place of public accommodation wilfully and knowingly to publish orally or in writing, exhibit, or otherwise make available material containing words, language, or actions of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature.

(B) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

SECTION 2. Article 3, Chapter 15, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-15-430. (A) It is unlawful for a person to disseminate profanity to a minor if he wilfully and knowingly publishes orally or in writing, exhibits, or otherwise makes available material containing words, language, or actions of profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature.

(B) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

SECTION 3. Section 16-15-305(A)(3) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(3) publishes orally or in writing, exhibits, or otherwise makes available anything obscene to any a group or individual; or"

SECTION 4. The first undesignated paragraph of Section 16-15-375 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"The following definitions apply to Section 16-15-385, disseminating or exhibiting to minors harmful material or performances; Section 16-15-387, employing a person under the age of eighteen years to appear in a state of sexually explicit nudity in a public place; Section 16-15-395, first degree sexual exploitation of a minor; Section 16-15-405, second degree sexual exploitation of a minor; Section 16-15-410, third degree sexual exploitation of a minor; Section 16-15-415, promoting prostitution of a minor; and Section 16-15-425, participating in prostitution of a minor; and Section 16-15-430, disseminating profanity to a minor."

SECTION 5. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.

SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

What the fuck? There should be a law against legislators wasting time (paid for by taxpayers) on trivial matters.

See also WCBD TV news


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Today was a do nothing day.

heroine to the maids

Reported by Associated Press, this is a very uplifting story about a Filipino maid who rose above her hardship and is now helping others

Philippine celebrity maid fights abuses with songs

By JIM GOMEZ – 18 January 2009

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Sentenced to death for killing an employer she accused of trying to rape her, 14-year-old Sarah Balabagan became the public face of poor Filipino migrant workers who regularly suffer abuses abroad.

That was 13 years ago. Her execution by firing squad in the Middle East commuted, she is now a budding singer and TV host who uses her songs and story as weapons against labor abuses.

"They should not be afraid to talk and to fight, that's the message in my songs," said Balabagan, who has recorded two CDs focusing on her campaign and newfound Christian faith.

She has sold several thousand copies, mostly to Filipino migrant workers during concert tours, where she preaches the lessons of her near-death ordeal. In October, she visited Malaysia and Singapore, frequent destinations for Filipino maids.

At a Manila gathering of overseas workers in December, Balabagan and her band belted out a mix of songs and ballads.

"Don't let yourself be stepped on wherever you end up," she admonished the crowd in a Tagalog-language song. "Don't cower when you know you're right."

Former President Joseph Estrada, an ex-movie star, shook her hands and posed with her before TV cameras. "She's a celebrity now," Estrada said.

Balabagan is from a Muslim family in southern Maguindanao province, a region torn by a decades-old Muslim separatist rebellion. Her family was so poor that half of her 14 siblings died because they lacked access to basic medical care, she said.

In June 1994, when she was 14, she left for the United Arab Emirates to work as a maid, saying she was 28 to circumvent an age limit set by Philippine authorities. After more than a month, she stabbed her Arab employer 34 times, alleging he tried to rape her at knifepoint.

A court sentenced her to seven years in prison while acknowledging she was abused. But in a 1995 retrial, a second court found no evidence of rape and condemned her to die.

An international outcry led to her sentence being reduced to one year and 100 lashes, plus payment of "blood money" to her employer's family, which was provided by a Filipino businessman. She returned home in 1996 to a shower of cash, scholarships and attention.

A Philippine studio made a 1997 film about her, which earned her $92,000. Then came on-and-off appearances on TV and radio programs that dealt with overseas workers, allowing her to travel to Europe, the United States and Asian countries.

Balabagan later started a small business to help send her three children to school. She converted to Christianity in 2003.

Such cases, ending in death sentences, aren't just a Middle East problem.

After a Filipino maid was hanged in Singapore in 1995 for a double murder she claimed she didn't commit, the Philippines passed the Migrant Workers' Act, which outlined steps for the government to protect migrant workers abroad.

The more than 8 million Filipinos who work overseas have been called "new heroes" by the government for the earnings they send home. In 2007, they remitted almost $14.5 billion, equal to 10 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

Her story should inspire the millions of Filipino (and indeed Indonesian) maids worldwide to stand up to abuse by their employers.

Human exploitation and cruelty is abhorrent.

headline of the month

Okay, it's the third one for January, but how could one resist?

From UK Daily Mail

How wine can turn you into a werewolf (And the bad news is, we're not joking)

Go on, click on it. You know you want to.

Lèse majesté part 2

I wrote about lèse majesté last June. An Australian author has been sentenced to three years imprisonment under the charge. From ABC

Man who insulted Thai monarch jailed for 3yrs

By South East Asia correspondent Karen Percy

19 January 2009

Sentence reduced...Nicolaides was originally given a six-year jail term. (Reuters: Sukree Sukplang )

• Video: Aust author jailed for 3 years (ABC News)
• Related Story: Aust man to plead guilty in Thai lese-majesty trial

An Australian man has been sentenced to three years jail in Bangkok after pleading guilty to insulting the Thai royal family.

Forty-one-year-old Melbourne man Harry Nicolaides wrote a book in 2005 which briefly referred to the private life of Thailand's Crown Prince, Vajiralongkorn - the son of the current King, Bhumipol Adulyadel.

There were tears in Nicolaides' eyes as he faced the court.

The five criminal court judges initially imposed a six year sentence, but it was reduced because he pleaded guilty.

Nicolaides told reporters after the ruling that he wished his family the best.

He was arrested in late August when he was trying to leave the country.

The lese majeste laws are fiercely upheld in Thailand where King Bhumipol is revered by his people.

Nicolaides is likely to apply for a pardon from the King.

Two years ago a Swiss man found guilty of insulting the monarchy was pardoned and deported from the country.

Is the reverence for the royal family freely given or a result of draconian laws? Surely if this reverence is real, there would not be a need for such laws.

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Monday.

bizarre foods to try

Andrew Zimmern's list from Bizarre Foods.

Goa
Cow's Urine Tonic

Phuket
Fish Stomach Sauce

Ethiopia
Raw Camel Kidneys with Berbere and Lemon Juice

Tanzania
Fresh Goat's Blood

Uganda
Giant Flying Ants

Hawaii
Roy Yamaguchi's Homemade Natto Tofu Skin with Hana Snails and Salmon Roe

Samoa
Giant Clam Sashimi

Maine
Rob Evans' Honey Glazed Smoked Raw Lobster
Toasted Ears at Hugo's

Los Angeles
Wolfgang Puck's Hunan Style Rooster Balls
Nobu Matsuhisa's Uni Shooter

Chile
Piure
Niache (seasoned lamb's blood)

Iceland
Hakari (eight-week-old putrefied shark) in Slatur (blood pudding)

Russia
Pickled Lamprey

Bolivia
Chafaina (cow vein stew)
Chunos (freeze-dried rotten potatoes)

Minnesota
Lutefisk (dried cod rehydrated in lye)

China
Penis Soup
Donkey Skin

I would try anything, but draw the line at rotten shark. See also Pilot Guides (Intrepid Dishes: Mouldy Shark Meat).

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Today was a very lazy day.

trillionaires who are not actually rich

About six months ago, I wrote about Zimbabwe's billionaires. There has since been the addition of more zeros. From Agence France Press

Zimbabwe unveils $100 trillion banknote

16 January 2009

HARARE (AFP) — Zimbabwe unveiled a 100 trillion dollar note Friday in the latest grim measure of its staggering economic collapse, heightening the urgency of a new round of unity talks set for next week.

Veteran leader Robert Mugabe and opposition chief Morgan Tsvangirai are set to hold talks Monday with key regional leaders in a bid to salvage a four-month-old unity accord, which has yet to be implemented.

The stalemate over disputed elections last year has only fuelled the economic and humanitarian crisis that has impoverished the country, leaving nearly half the population dependent on food aid as a cholera epidemic sweeps the country.

The Reserve Bank announced in the government mouthpiece Herald newspaper a series of trillion-dollar denominations to keep pace with hyperinflation that has left the once-dynamic economy in tatters.

The new 100,000,000,000,000 Zim-dollar bill would have been worth about 300 US dollars (225 euros) at Thursday's exchange rate on the informal market, where most currency trading now takes place, but the value of the local currency erodes dramatically every day.

The move came just one week after the bank released a series of billion-dollar notes, which already are not worth enough for workers to withdraw their monthly salaries.

Inflation was last reported at 231 million percent in July, but the Washington think-tank Cato Institute has estimated it now at 89.7 sextillion percent -- a figure expressed with 21 zeroes.

Robert Mugabe is an idiot.

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I was far too busy today, spending most of the day out.

the high Fs

New post in my music blog. Stunning.

Economic freedom

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in the United States has released its Economic Freedom Index for 2009.

graphic from Wall Street Journal

The foundation defines economic freedom as

The highest form of economic freedom provides an absolute right of property ownership, fully realized freedoms of movement for labor, capital, and goods, and an absolute absence of coercion or constraint of economic liberty beyond the extent necessary for citizens to protect and maintain liberty itself. In other words, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, and that freedom is both protected by the state and unconstrained by the state.

The list makes sense with Hong Kong coming first, with its unfettered capitalism with little government interference.

It's quite interesting that the top two, Hong Kong and Singapore have issues being democratic. It's not all about money.

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Today was a very hot day.

liberating George

PeTA has rescued a 140 year old lobster nicknamed George from human consumption

Seafood Restaurant Agrees to Release 'George' Back Into the Sea

For Immediate Release:
January 10, 2009

Contact:
Ashley Byrne 757-622-7382

Kennebunkport, Maine -- Just three days ago, the prospect that a 140-year-old, 20-pound lobster confined to a tank inside a New York seafood restaurant would ever see his ocean home again were bleak at best. But after initially denying PETA's request to release the ancient crustacean, the folks at Manhattan's City Crab and Seafood had a change of heart and agreed to let PETA return the lucky lobster to Kennebunkport, where he will be released back into the sea today. PETA invites the media to cover the lobster's release:

Date: Saturday, January 10
Time: 10:15 a.m.
Place: The pier on Ocean Avenue, between Pearl Street and Green Street, Kennebunkport, Maine

According to Dr. Jaren G. Horsley, an invertebrate zoologist, lobsters have a "sophisticated nervous system" and feel "a great deal of pain" when cut or cooked alive. And because lobsters do not enter a state of shock when they are hurt, they feel every moment of their slow, painful deaths when cooked in a kettle of boiling water. Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., have found that lobsters use complicated signals to establish social relationships and take long-distance seasonal journeys, often traveling more than 100 miles in a year.

"We are thrilled to be able to let lobster George, who has avoided being trapped since the Civil War, to live out his days in freedom and peace," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "We hope that City Crab and Seafood's kind gesture serves as an example that these intriguing animals don't deserve to be kept in tiny tanks or boiled alive.

PeTA blog

In this photo released by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, "George," a live 20 pound lobster rests on a plate at City Crab and Seafood in New York, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. City Crab and Seafood has spared the lobster, which is expected to be released Saturday, Jan. 10, near Kennebunkport, Maine, in an area where lobster trapping is forbidden. PETA and the restaurant gauged George's age at about 140, using a rule of thumb based on the creature's weight. (AP Photo/P.E.T.A.)Reported by CNN, Associated Press and other media outlets.

Good for George. Just like all other living creatures, if it has lived for this long, it deserves to continue doing so.

In the meantime, I found some great recipes for lobster - here and here.

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A day at home today, but a shame it was so warm.

the first dog dilemma solved

In November, I wrote about the dilemma being faced by the new President in choosing which breed of dog they would adopt from a shelter. Recent media reports have suggested that the First Family will now decide between Labradoodle and Portuguese water dog. From USA TODAY

Obama choice: Labradoodle or a Portuguese water dog

By Janice Lloyd, USA TODAY

Will the next pooch in the White House be a dog of change?

Sunday, President-elect Barack Obama told George Stephanopoulos on ABC News' This Week that the family has narrowed the choice to either a Portuguese water hound or labradoodle.

The former is actually known as the Portuguese water dog. It dates back to the 1200s and worked on boats with Portuguese fishermen, according to the website of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America.

Sen. Ted Kennedy has helped make them famous, returning to the Capitol after brain cancer treatment with his two Portuguese water dogs.

The labradoodle, on the other hand, is a relatively new dog whose cross-breeding between a Labrador and a poodle goes back only to the 1980s.

In his election-night victory speech, Obama promised daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, they could have a puppy in the White House. He later said that Malia is allergic, that the family would need a "hypoallergenic" dog and that they wanted a pound dog.

Both dogs are non-shedders and do not cause as much reaction in allergy sufferers as other dogs, says Stu Freeman, president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America.

"There really is no hypoallergenic dog," Freeman says. "We tell people to spend time around the dogs to make sure they're going to be OK. The hair might not bother them, but the saliva might."

Freeman says it can be difficult to find either breed in shelters because "rescue groups will always get word they're in shelters and save them."

Obama told Stephanopoulos they were going to start "looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up."

Mary Harkings, who oversees a Portuguese water dog rescue group, says the breed is "funny and very family-oriented" but adds that the dogs crave exercise. "You can't just put them in a backyard and let them run it out," she says. "They want to do things with you."

That might be one huge plus for the labradoodle. "They can get by on 30 minutes a day of walking," says Melissa Angelini, a breeder in Monroe Township, N.J. "They're not that high-energy. Mine have been lying around for three days and are fine."

Obama has said finding the right dog has been "tougher than finding a Commerce secretary."

Rolli Grayson, a Chicago breeder of the Portuguese water dogs, was watching the show and had this advice for Obama: "I just wish he'd get what he wants. He should stop worrying about pleasing everyone and get what's best for his family."

This is what a Portuguese water dog looks like



Neither of those two breeds would be receptive to wearing lipstick, unlike Pitbull Terriers or pigs.

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Today was far too busy at work.

how to explain about Tintin on his 80th anniversary

Another Tintin article - from the BBC

Confused by the cult of Tintin? You're not alone

Tintin and Snowy: the intrepid duo

Tintin turns 80 at the weekend as Steven Spielberg begins work on a Hollywood film of the comic book hero. He has long been a star on the Continent, but the cub reporter is almost unheard of in the United States and little more than a cult in the UK, writes Laurence Grove.

When, on 10 January 1929, Tintin first appeared in the children's supplement of Brussels' right-wing newspaper Vingtieme Siecle, the serialised adventure that was to follow could, at the time, have had all the makings of a transatlantic hit.

Tintin au Pays des Soviets was to portray a cruel and corrupt communist regime, where factories were cardboard cut-outs and those who spoke out against the Party were dispensed with immediately.

Unfortunately the boy scout may have ruined his chances of becoming an all-American role model in his subsequent adventures by belittling the natives in Tintin au Congo (1930) and then unveiling Mafia strangleholds and cruelty to native Americans in Tintin en Amérique (1932). Nonetheless, Europeans have largely forgiven him his flirts with Nazi sympathies (L'Étoile Mystérieuse, 1942).

So how come, as Tintin approaches 80, like Johnny Halliday, but unlike Jacques Brel, he's a famous Belgian who has not yet managed to woo the US?

Made in Britain

There is no doubting that Tintin is a Euro-hit: he has featured on stamps, phonecards and a range of products from underpants to edibles, and is to be the main subject of a new museum opening in Belgium this year. Although Herge, his creator (real name Georges Remi, 1907-1983), expressly forbade the series to continue after his death, related publications are a Rackham-like treasure trove for Moulinsart, the organisation known for its draconian enforcement of Herge's copyright estate.

RANDOM TINTIN FACTS Despite being a journalist, Tintin is only ever seen once with a completed article The now defunct chain of UK bookstores, Ottakars, was named after the Tintin book King Ottokar's Sceptre The Thom(p)son twins weren't twins, despite looking almost identical

By comparison, recent albums of Tintin's comic-strip colleague Asterix, a relative whippersnapper at 50 this year, have, in France, outsold Harry Potter and the Da Vinci Code put together.

Even in the British Isles, Tintin's following tends to be cult rather than mass devotion. Although for many, it was the bequiffed boy's trip to Britain that sealed his longevity.

The 1938 album L'Ile Noire (The Black Island), which takes its inspiration from The Thirty-Nine Steps, is, for many Tintin's coming of age. It is this album that refines his trademark thrill-a-minute adventure format, and saw Herge perfect his clear-line style, which proved a major influence upon Andy Warhol and the pop artists. Arguably L'Ile Noire is to Herge what Macbeth is to Shakespeare.

Yet while Tintin embraced Britain, the English-speaking world never returned the compliment

Maybe he just came on to the scene too late.

The formula of a serial newspaper strip that each week had a cliffhanger ending was one that the US Sunday supplements had successfully exploited from the turn of the last century onwards. Herge in effect was doing little more than providing a Euro version of a US phenomenon.

More recently, Tintin can be seen as quite simply the Hollywood James Bond, but without the girls: he travels to exotic locations, mixing humour and gadgets as he battles the generic international baddie du jour.

Cosmopolitan character

Bond, like Indiana Jones, is a superhero without specific superpowers. And it is the idea of a Superman, or indeed a Wonderwoman, that has typically drawn North Americans to comics. In Britain a more self-effacing outlook has underlined the comic in comic, with heroes from the Beano or Topper traditionally making us laugh.

Ironically, when it comes to Tintin the person, it is perhaps his very internationality that is his undoing

The "bandes dessinees" that are the French-speaking world's equivalent have, however, been more ambiguous; a graphic creation - in France comic strips are known as the Ninth Art - on a par with New Wave cinema.

Ironically, when it comes to Tintin the person, it is perhaps his very internationality that is his undoing. Euro-characters who do well in the States - James Bond, but also those portrayed by Hugh Grant and Gerard Depardieu - often play on national stereotypes and foible-laden sophistication. Herge, however, went out of his way to deny Tintin any specific Belgicite, underlining rather his international features.

Hercule Poirot he is not. He lives in a French chateau, has no Belgian linguistic tics, and could not be imagined tucking into mussels, chips and fine chocolates. His friends and acquaintances evoke different aspects of Euroness, from the Thompson twins' bowler-hatted Englishness, Bianca Castafiore's hot-headed Italian traits, or Professor Calculus's Germanic scientific-ness.

Even the names must have seemed entirely alien to an American audience.

Indeed Tintin's sophistication is of a very different kind: Le Bijoux de la Castafiore (1963), an album in which nothing happens, plays with notions of degre zero writing. Tintin au Tibet (1960) considers the evolving status of the post-colonial Other. And the posthumous Tintin et l'Alph-Art (1986), a book about artistic creation, is essentially a work of meta-fiction.

Tintin's creator, Herge, stripped his character of Belgicite

It is easy to see how, from afar, Herge, let alone Cuthbert Calculus, can be seen as indulging in traditional French-style philosophical beard-stroking.

Such intricacies may have worked against Tintin, with Steven Spielberg having had his planned movie on ice for years since he bought the movie rights in 1983.

The project's shortcoming was apparently US puzzlement at Tintin. One rumour suggested there were problems with an adventure hero whose only love interest appeared to be a fox terrier, to the extent that at one stage making Tintin into a girl was not out of the question.

The situation may however be changing, as filming is finally to start on a Tintin movie, to be produced by Spielberg and Peter Jackson, apparently a mixture of animation and "real-life" with extended 3-D effects.

Tintin certainly has evolved since the days of his politically incorrect misadventures, and so too has America. Perhaps in the brave new world of Barack Obama there will be more room for this white European octogenarian.

Laurence Grove, is head of French and senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow. He is also president, International Bande Dessinee Society.

I love Tintin and cannot explain it. Tintinophiles will understand. There is no point in explaining ourselves!

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Today was far too busy for a Sunday. I so wanted to have an afternoon nap.

Elvis in Parkes

Not in Nashville nor Graceland, but a small outback town in New South Wales called Parkes. From the Canberra Times, reporting about the Parkes Elvis Festival

In Parkes, where the King is not dead
9/01/2009 12:07:00 PM

The king of rock and roll lives on, with thousands of Elvis Presley enthusiasts set to pay tribute to the hip-swivelling legend this weekend in central NSW.

On Friday almost 400 Elvis look-a-likes will board an eight car "Elvis Express" at Sydney's central railway station at 9.30am (AEDT) bound for Parkes.

On the way those aboard will be entertained by a Elvis tribute artist, and prizes will be awarded to the best dressed Elvis wannabe.

In Parkes more than 8,000 Elvis enthusiasts are expected to take part in the five-day festival.

Planned events include an Elvis Gospel Church Service, an Elvis street parade, and the crowning of Miss Priscilla.

Retired Wiggle performer Greg Page, a huge collector of Elvis memorabilia, is loaning items to the council of Parkes for visitors to glimpse.

They include the first management contract signed between Elvis and his manager Colonel Tom Parker, the original blueprints for Graceland, two original pairs of Elvis' trademark Aviator sunglasses, Elvis and Priscilla's marriage certificate, and one of only two gold lame suits made for Elvis by Nudie of Hollywood.

The Elvis Festival is now in its sixth year.

It kicked off last Wednesday and will finish on Sunday.

On Monday the Elvis Express is scheduled to return to Sydney.

Why Parkes? Why Elvis?

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First week back at work after 16 days off. I still need a holiday.

headlines of the month

From a number of media outlets

- Mermaid discovery confirmed (Brisbane Times)
- Mermaid found on Great Barrier Reef (NT News)
- Scientists' hopes up for discovery of Mermaid (The Australian)

Actually, I only read one of them. Had to. How can one not?

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Cooler day today.

foodie kids

I was most impressed with this article in the (Melbourne) Herald Sun

Hey mum, pass the oysters
Kylie Hansen

January 07, 2009 12:00am

AN army of tiny, sophisticated child foodies is changing Melbourne's dining scene.

Personalised and multi-course menus, allergy-sensitive dining and sandpits are part of an arsenal of offerings by restaurants and cafes to lure children.

And it's food-savvy children who are often in charge of where parents spend their restaurant dollars, according to industry experts.

* Kids' menu: Parents campaign for better food for children
* Tips and links: How to enjoy eating with kids

"The child diner is a growth industry," said Restaurant and Catering Victoria CEO Todd Blake.

"Children are becoming more sophisticated diners than in the past, and business is starting to see the importance of children in terms of their appeal.

"Often it is the four-year-old who has control of the $130 parents spend on dinner."

The Pantry in Brighton offers crayons, tablecloths that double as drawing paper, takeaway child juices and milkshakes to match mum's coffee, and 4pm dinner starts.

"It can be a bit of a zoo in here sometimes and there are perils to child dining -- waiters sometimes end up being childcare workers," said Pantry manager Tim Purton-Smith.

Gail Donovan, of Donovans, said she had noticed a change in the role of children.

"Parents are more relaxed to be out with their kids," Ms Donovan said.

"We notice lots of little babies here and from age four they become quite sophisticated at eating out.

"While we offer a child menu, we find many parents talk them through the main menu and children order from that."

Even the city's high-end establishments are happy to cater to children.

"We do get regular guests who make it a priority to bring their children so that they can show them fine dining," said Vue de monde marketing manager Anna Augustine.

She said the adjoining Bistro Vue offered a children's menu, with mains $16.

The Boathouse restaurant in Moonee Ponds offers a children's menu and will customise food to a child's tastes.

The Boathouse menu doubles as a colouring sheet while Birdie Num Nums cafe in Carlton has installed a sandpit and enclosed play area.

Even Lynch's in South Yarra, well known for its no-child policy, is considering letting children in to its soon-to-be-opened bistro area.

And even advice

Tips to dining with kids
Kylie Hansen

January 06, 2009 12:00am

TIPS to successful dining with kids

Some ideas from Jacqi Deighan, chef, children’s food educator and spokeswoman for the Parents Jury:

YOUR local Thai, Japanese, Greek or Indian are often a good starting point, as they have a wide variety of flavors and tastes to try.

IF the children’s menus is not to your liking, encourage children to order from the main menu. Within reason allow them to choose what they want to try. Avoid saying ‘You won’t like that’ and consider ordering one for everyone to share. Praise them for trying new things.

IF your kids are only used to kids menus try expanding their taste buds a little. Restaurants that offer ‘tasting plates’ are a great way to introduce new foods and flavors. Middle Eastern, Spanish, Turkish and Greek restaurants are good at this.

MAKE sure your kids are hungry but not ravenous as they may try something new but if they are starving they may become irritable and restless.

EAT early, before the restaurant becomes too busy, and leave before boredom sets in.

MAKE it an experience the kids will want to repeat and let them see you eating and enjoying good food.

All those so called "children's meals" at fast food joints - Happy Meal anyone? - are a con job, equally marketed to parents as well as their children. Why would a child eat that junk when they can discover interesting cuisine.

I was at a food court once and overheard a child asking her mother for some satay sticks at a curry stall. Her mother's reaction was to refuse and take her to McDonald's. I was appalled. Grown ups with no palate for tasty food are depriving their children and responsible for them eating junk.

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Today was a very hot day.

skedaddle

Someone at work used the word skedaddle today. I honestly thought that it was a nonsense word. Even a writer from Encyclopaedia Britannica thought the word had fallen off the lexicon from disuse.

Michael Quinion in World Wide Words explains the origin of the word and its usage

Run away; scram; leave in a hurry; escape.

This archetypal American expression has led etymologists a pretty dance in trying to work out where it comes from.

What we do know for certain is that it suddenly appears at the beginning of the Civil War. Out of the blue, it became fashionable in 1862, with lots of examples appearing in American newspapers and books. The focus of all the early examples is the War; without doubt it started out as military slang with the meaning of fleeing the battlefield or retreating hurriedly. Its first appearance in print, in the New York Tribune of 10 August 1861, made this clear: “No sooner did the traitors discover their approach than they ‘skiddaddled’, (a phrase the Union boys up here apply to the good use the seceshers make of their legs in time of danger).” However, it quickly moved into civilian circles with the broader sense of leaving in a hurry. It crossed the Atlantic astonishingly quickly, being recorded in the Illustrated London News in 1862 and then being put in the mouth of a young lady character by Anthony Trollope in his novel The Last Chronicle of Barset in 1867: “ ‘Mamma, Major Grantly has — skedaddled.’ ‘Oh, Lily, what a word!’ ”

So far so good. Where it comes from is almost totally obscure. Was it Greek, as John Hotten argued in his Dictionary of Modern Slang in 1874, derived from skedannumi, to “retire tumultuously”, perhaps “set afloat by some Harvard professor”? It sounds plausible, but probably not. The English Dialect Dictionary, compiled at the end of the nineteenth century, argues that it’s from a Scottish or Northern English dialect word meaning to spill or scatter, in particular to spill milk. This may be from Scots skiddle, meaning to splash water about or spill. Jonathon Green, in the Cassell Dictionary of Slang, suggests this transferred to the US through “the image of blood and corpses being thus ‘spilled and scattered’ on the battlefield before the flight of a demoralised army”.

Even I might start to use it.

********
Today was a warm day.

the new Doctor is in

As announced by the BBC in a media release on 3 January 2009

Matt Smith is the new Doctor

Date: 03.01.2009

Category: TV Drama; BBC One; Wales

The BBC today announced that Matt Smith has been cast in the role of the Doctor in the iconic BBC series Doctor Who.

Smith will be the 11th Time Lord and will take over from David Tennant who leaves the show at the end of 2009. He will be seen in the forthcoming fifth series that will be broadcast in 2010.

The fifth series will also have a new lead writer and Executive Producer in the form of the BAFTA award-winning writer Steven Moffat, who is taking over from Russell T Davies.

Moffat will be joined by Piers Wenger, who will be the new Executive Producer for BBC Wales making the show.

Following David Tennant's decision to step down at the end of 2009, the team behind the new series set about casting the new Doctor so that new adventures could be created and scripts written with Matt in mind.

The identity of the new Doctor was revealed on a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential that was broadcast on BBC One today (3 January) at 5.35pm (17.35 GMT).

In it Smith revealed his initial reaction at taking on such a legendary role and his thoughts on what direction the Doctor might now be going with him playing the part.

Matt Smith said of his new role: "I'm just so excited about the journey that is in front of me. It's a wonderful privilege and challenge that I hope I will thrive on.

"I feel proud and honoured to have been given this opportunity to join a team of people that has worked so tirelessly to make the show so thrilling.

"David Tennant has made the role his own, brilliantly, with grace, talent and persistent dedication. I hope to learn from the standards set by him.

"The challenge for me is to do justice to the show's illustrious past, my predecessors, and most importantly, to those who watch it. I really cannot wait."

Lead writer and Executive Producer Steven Moffat said: "The Doctor is a very special part, and it takes a very special actor to play him. You need to be old and young at the same time, a boffin and an action hero, a cheeky schoolboy and the wise old man of the universe.

"As soon as Matt walked through the door, and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man.

"2010 is a long time away but rest assured the 11th Doctor is coming – and the universe has never been so safe."

Piers Wenger, Head Of Drama, BBC Wales, added: "With two hearts, a ferocious mind and over 900 years of experience behind him, it's not every 26 year old actor who can take on a role like the Doctor but within moments of meeting Matt he showed the skill and imagination needed to create a Doctor all of his own.

"It's just the beginning of the journey for Matt but with Steven Moffat's scripts and the expertise of the production team in Cardiff behind him, there is no one more perfect than him to be taking the TARDIS to exciting new futures when the series returns in 2010."

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama, added: "I am delighted to see Matt take on this iconic role. It will see him continuing his relationship with the BBC following his performances in Ruby In The Smoke and Party Animals, and his upcoming role in Moses Jones.

"The combination of Matt, Steven and Piers will, I know, take Doctor Who onto new and even dizzier heights."

Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, said: "Matt Smith will be a mesmerising 11th Time Lord, true to the spirit of the show.

"He is a worthy successor to David Tennant who has been utterly remarkable in the role and promises to continue to be in next year's four special episodes."

Doctor Who Confidential – The Eleventh Doctor can be seen on BBC iPlayer until 10 January 2009.

There will be four Doctor Who specials featuring David Tennant that will run in 2009 into New Year 2010 (dates to be confirmed).

An extended interview with Matt Smith can be seen at bbc.co.uk/doctorwho.

Matt Smith pictures are available from www.bbcpictures.com.

Biography

Matt Smith, 26, grew up with his family including one sister in Northampton. He was head boy at Northampton School For Boys where he excelled at sports, music and drama.

Initially, Matt wanted to be a professional footballer and played for Northampton Town Under-11 & 12s, Nottingham Forest Under 12, 13 & 14s and Leicester City Under 15 & 16s before a back injury forced him out of the game.

Following his injury, and with the encouragement of one of his teachers, Jerry Hardingham, Matt decided to join the National Youth Theatre.

It was during this time that Matt first gained attention at the Royal Court Theatre when he was cast in the play Fresh Kills, directed by Wilson Milam, whilst still at the University Of East Anglia where he was studying Drama and Creative Writing.

Already a stalwart of the National Youth Theatre, his performance at the Court led to a variety of theatrical experiences at the National Theatre: in the award-winning History Boys (directed by Nick Hytner), On The Shore Of The Wide World (directed by Sarah Frankcom) and also in the acclaimed trio of plays Burn / Citizenship / Chatroom (directed by Anna Mackmin).

These roles led to Matt's first outings on the small screen, alongside Billie Piper in Phillip Pullman's period detective stories, The Ruby In The Smoke and The Shadow In The North (both BBC One), where he played Jim, right-hand man to Billie's detective heroine Sally Lockhart.

These pieces were followed by the lead role of Danny in the BBC Two series Party Animals, the brilliantly observed drama set in the world of young politicians.

In a dazzling return to the Royal Court in 2007, Matt played Henry in Polly Stenham's award-winning first play That Face, opposite Lindsay Duncan. His performance gained Matt an Evening Standard Best Newcomer nomination and a year later the play had a second life in the West End at the Duke of York's Theatre.

In between the two runs, Matt played Guy opposite Christian Slater's Buddy in Swimming With Sharks, Mike Leslie's searing West End adaptation of the 1994 Hollywood film.

In this time he also played a lead role in the BAFTA winning BBC One series The Street, opposite Gina McKee and Lorraine Ashbourne.

Matt has recently completed work on Moses Jones for BBC Two, directed by Michael Offer, in which he plays the lead role of Dan Twentyman, alongside Shaun Parkes in the title role.

JP3

Big shoes to fill.

*****************
Back to work today. It was okay.

Stille Nacht

Christmas celebrations are not yet over, as Ephinany falls on the last day of the twelve days of Christmas on 6 January. Furthermore Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate 6 January as the nativity.

One of my favourite carols is Silent Night, which is best heard in the original German (Stille Nacht).



The words in German also have a slightly different meaning.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn! O wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’.
Jesus in deiner Geburt!
Jesus in deiner Geburt!

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt seh'n
Jesum in Menschengestalt.
Jesum in Menschengestalt.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt.
Jesus die Völker der Welt.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit,
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß.
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja,
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:
Jesus der Retter ist da!
Jesus der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht was written by Josef Mohr in 1816 and put to music by Franz Xaver Gruber in 1818 for guitar. It was first performed on 24 December 1818 at the Nikolaus-Kirche (Church of St. Nicholas) in Oberndorf, Austria.

I think it should only be sung in German.

************
Back to work tomorrow. Poor me.

French Christmas accidents

From Le Journal du Pays Basque (24 December 2008)

Accidents de fêtes

«Dans les hôpitaux, c'est toujours la même chose. Les effectifs sont fixes quel que soit le jour, en tout cas aux urgences et en réanimation» selon un cadre de santé de l'hôpital de Bayonne. Noël est-il un jour particulier aux urgences ? «C'est imprévisible. On constate le même phénomène que les samedis et les dimanches, les gens viennent parce que leur médecin généraliste ne travaille pas. On a aussi davantage de personnes âgées oubliées pour les jours de fête ou de vacances... Et sinon, les accidents typiquement liés aux fêtes comme des chocs à l'oeil avec le bouchon de champagne, ou les blessures aux mains en ouvrant des huîtres».

Only in France - Champagne corks to the eye and cuts to the hand from opening oysters.

See also - The Times (in English)

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One day left before work and I still have plenty to do.

what is the 'normal' price of toilet paper?

Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, the price of toilet paper is about to go up

Cheap toilet paper imports get flushed

Ian McIlwraith
January 2, 2009

ONE of life's humble staples, toilet paper, is likely to cost more and, oddly enough, it's because of an anti-dumping investigation.

The price of toilet paper is not generally top of mind, so most consumers would not have realised that cheap imports from China and India - most of them parcelled up into the Select brand for the Woolworths and Safeway supermarket chains - have been keeping their ablutionary costs down.

The Home Affairs Minister, Bob Debus, has now accepted the results of a year-long Australian Customs Service investigation, which found that imported toilet papers are coming in at prices almost 40 per cent below "normal" and hurting local manufacturers.

Two local makers, Kimberly-Clark Australia and SCA Hygiene Australasia, say that after Woolies awarded a tender in May 2006 to a local importer, Paper Force, their prices on supermarket shelves were undercut by up to 20 per cent.

Woolworths declined to give Customs full details of its toilet paper tender arrangements and says the success of its brand reflects a superior product at an acceptable price.

The retailer has also been under pressure from a campaign by the CFMEU over its sourcing of paper products from Asia Pulp and Paper, which the union says is a leading contributor to deforestation in Indonesia.

Most of the toilet paper used by Woolworths comes from two APP plants, Gold Hong Ye Paper in China's Suzhou and PT Pindo Deli in Indonesia.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said yesterday the toilet paper supply contract ended in August and a new one was being devised to include environmental sustainability specifications.

Woolies' brand may have kept a lid on toilet paper prices but Kimberly-Clark and SCA, which have the lion's share of the toilet paper market, complain the imports are unfairly damaging their businesses because the prices at which they are being sold are below the costs of production - that is, dumping.

Millions of dollars are at stake. In 2007 Australians spent $728 million buying 120,000 tonnes of toilet paper and the market has grown by 25 per cent in just four years.

About two-thirds of toilet paper sold is premium grade - thicker and softer - and Woolies' brand grew from nothing to 6 per cent of the market in just two years. Kimberly-Clark and SCA are foreign-controlled but the anti-dumping investigation found they make enough of their toilet paper here to qualify as locals.

Kimberly-Clark is better-known as the maker of Kleenex and Coles's own-brand in the premium market and Wondersoft in the mid-range. SCA makes Sorbent at the premium end and Purex in the mid-range.

The customs investigation found that PT Pindo Deli's products are 33 per cent to 38 per cent below "normal" prices and Gold Hong Ye's between 5 per cent and 10 per cent below.

Those companies, and other importers, have until late this month to appeal the decision before penalties are applied to the toilet paper they bring in.

A spokesman for APP in Australia says it is likely it will appeal the decision.

The dumping penalties mean it is likely that prices on supermarket shelves will rise.

Hmmm...

I used to benchmark the cost of toilet paper at 50 cents per roll, even though the number of sheets per roll gradually reduced covertly, including another 50 cents for the packaging. The ideal price of a four-pack was $2.50 and a six-pack was $3.50 etc and that was usually only during the discounted specials.

The other day, I bought a six-pack of Sorbent for $4.49. Not allowing for packaging, that is 75 cents a roll.

Surely local manufacturers cannot claim that foreign made toilet paper is being imported (dumped) at below production costs as offshore costs would be far less than in Australia. I wonder how much profit those companies made last year.

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Two days left before work, and I have done nothing for the past few days.

Vergangenheitsbewältigung

Jeffrey Herf, writing in the New Republic about a German film called Der Baader Meinhof Komplex / The Baader Meinhof Complex opened his article with a reference to Vergangenheitsbewältigung.

There is an ungainly German word, Vergangenheitsbewältigung, that has no equivalent in the English language. It means "coming to terms with past," and it was coined to refer to the efforts of German intellectuals, journalists, and even some politicians who, over the past half century, insisted that facing unpleasant truths about their country's history was both a moral and political necessity. As a result of these efforts, Vergangenheitsbewältigung has become part of the core political culture of contemporary Germany.

It is quite a good description, even better than Wikipedia. It is a good means towards reconciliation and other countries have similar though not as formalised means of approaching unpleasant aspects of their histories.

Unfortunately, similar processes were not applied in Japan after World War II.

In hindsight, the American occupying administration (General Douglas MacArthur) let the wartime Japanese government off very lightly, being more concerned about the emergence of communism.

Compare this to what happened in Germany with the Nuremberg Trials. The Germans will always be reminded of its history by its culture of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, so that it will never be repeated. There is a sense of collective national guilt.

In contrast, many younger generations of Japanese have no knowledge of its history during the same period. This upsets the Chinese, as in their eyes there has been no atonement. The Chinese have very long memories which can stretch hundreds of years, and they do not easily forgive. (See BBC and The Independent about Nanjing).

****************
I watched Brick Lane on DVD today. Brilliant.

candles to midnight

Villeroy and Boch crystal candlestick


three candle candlestick


Georg Jensen Swing Candelabra (six candles)


IKEA Stockholm Candelabra (eight candles)


I need to find ones that hold four, five and seven candles respectively. That is my mission for 2009.

Happy New Year (2009).

fusion

Recently reported by the Daily Telegraph (UK), the National Ignition Facility (NIF), part of the US government funded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in California has 192 lasers designed to create a fusion reaction.



In Europe, ITER (formerly for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, but the use of the name discontinued) is being built as another fusion experiment. China is a member of the consortium so their work on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) will feed into ITER.

Hopefully NIF and ITER will not end up similar to Doc Ock's fusion experiment, in the Spiderman 2 film, which went amiss. Terribly.



Still, hopefully the results won't be like the Fleischmann and Pons experiments on cold fusion.

**********
Last day of 2008.

Understanding Tintin

There was a fantastic article in The Economist about Tintin in preparation of the upcoming films - to help "baffled Americans" understand.

In America filming is supposed to begin in earnest on a trilogy of Tintin films to be directed by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, using digital “performance capture” technology to create a hybrid between animation and live action. Mr Spielberg secured an option to film Tintin shortly before Hergé’s death in 1983. The delays seem to have been caused partly by American puzzlement at Tintin. In September 2008 Universal Pictures pulled out of a plan to co-finance the project. The Hollywood Reporter, a trade publication, describes the films as being about “a young Belgian reporter and world traveller who is aided in his adventures by his faithful dog Snowy”, and explains that this storyline is “hugely popular in Europe”. You can almost hear the baffled shrugs.

Clearly, anybody who understands Tintin would be much more enthusiastic. More from The Economist

Tintin is not an outsider, or a rebel against the established order. He defends monarchs against revolutionaries (earning a knighthood in one book). His first instinct on catching a villain is to hand him over to the nearest police chief. He does not carry his own gun, though he shoots like an ace. Though slight, he has a very gentlemanly set of fighting skills: he knows how to box, how to sail, to drive racing cars, pilot planes and ride horses. He has few chances to rescue girls or women, moving in an almost entirely male, sexless world, but is quick to defend small boys from unearned beatings. His quick wits compensate for his lack of brawn. André Malraux, a French writer and politician, claimed that General de Gaulle called Tintin his “only international rival”, because both were famous for standing up to bullies.

Tintin is grandly uninterested in money. He is indifferent when—on occasion—he is offered large sums for accounts of catching some villain. Hergé’s disdain for transatlantic capitalism is portrayed in the 1931 “Tintin in America”, in which businessmen bid each other up to offer Tintin $100,000 for an oil well. When the young reporter explains the well is on Blackfoot Indian land, the businessmen steal the land from the Indians.

Hmmm... A lot of the political and historical nuances are going to be lost with an American audience, particularly if the film is directed by an American with no clue.



Also check out
- tintinmovie.org
- www.letintinmovie.com
- tintinmovie.info

*******************
I've been house cleaning and tidying. Always best to start a new with a clean house.

car horn sympony - Slumdog Millionaire

I hate the word cacophony, and Simon Beaufoy, writing in The Guardian about adapting Vikas Swarup's novel, Q and A into the screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire was able to avoid its use. I like this passage

Nuance doesn't stand a chance in the car horn symphony of a Mumbai traffic jam.

And this one

They say that if you get caught in an avalanche it is hard to know whether you are facing up or down when the tumbling stops. The Mumbai slums are like an avalanche of the senses - an excess of smell, noise, taste and colour. Once I've turned the first corner, I'm not sure which way I came in or how I'll ever get out. But in this avalanche, something becomes abundantly and wonderfully obvious.

Beaufoy is a truly gifted writer. The rest of the article is worth a close read.


Simon Beaufoy speaks at the "Slumdog Millionaire" press conference during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival held at the Sutton Place Hotel on September 8, 2008 in Toronto, Canada. (photo from Getty Images via daylife)

More in The Guardian.

*************
Today/Sunday turned out to be terribly unproductive.

headline of the month

Actually two for December.

From the Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

Princess of Whales to pauper: Mimi Macpherson
By Glenis Green
December 27, 2008 12:00am

FROM the Princess of Whales to pauper in just 11 years - how could it have gone so wrong for Mimi Macpherson?

The story is only newsworthy because Mimi is the sister of Elle Macpherson, otherwised nobody would give a toss.

And from Reuters and subsequent variations in media outlets

Peruvian Jesus born to Virgin Mary on Christmas
Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:46pm EST

LIMA (Reuters) - Virgin Mary, a 20-year-old Peruvian woman, gave birth to a baby boy on Christmas day and named him Jesus, Peru's state news agency said on Friday.

The baby's father, Adolfo Jorge Huamani, 24, is a carpenter. Religious Peruvians compared him to Joseph the Carpenter in the Bible.

"Two thousand years later the story of Bethlehem is relived," read the headline about the birth in El Comercio, the main newspaper in Peru, a predominantly Catholic country.

The mother, Virgen Maria Huarcaya, delivered the 7.7 pound (3.5 kg) boy, Jesus Emanuel, in the early hours of Christmas at the central maternity hospital in Lima, the capital.

Not really news as the mother couldn't possibly have been an actual virgin in the biblical sense! In any case, news desk editors could not possibly resist a headline from that story.

rescuing Marley and Me

I read Marley and Me a few years ago on the recommendation of Emily. It was a nice story of a real life account of living with a Labrador. I don't know why it had to be adapted into a film, but here is a good article about some important issues with the adaptation in the Los Angeles Times.

Marley & Me" spreads a rescue-friendly message

5:55 PM, December 24, 2008

When the live-action "101 Dalmatians" film was released in 1996, the American Humane Assn. was overwhelmed by the public's response; filmgoers purchased dalmatians in droves, often with unpleasant end results for the dogs. Since dalmatians are a high-energy (not to mention large) breed, many families found out too late that they didn't fit in with their lifestyles and the dogs wound up abandoned in shelters across the country.

More than a decade later, the organization had an education-centric plan in place for the release of "Marley & Me," the new film based on the best-selling novel by John Grogan and starring Jennifer Aniston (along with the 22 Labrador retrievers who play Marley at various ages).

The idea was threefold: to make sure that Labs (already the most popular American Kennel Club breed) don't become impulse purchases for the "Marley"-viewing public, to encourage adoption and to nip opportunistic puppy-mill breeding in the bud. (Puppy mills have notoriously flooded pet stores with breeds featured in popular movies, like "101's" dalmatians and St. Bernards after the release of "Beethoven.")

The group partnered with 20th Century Fox, the studio behind "Marley," to distribute pet ownership tip pamphlets and educate viewers about the importance of adoption. (Clyde, the dog who played Marley during most of the film, is a rescue himself.) Adoption events and a pet food-blanket drive were held in connection with "Marley" premiere screenings. "[Fox was] one of the most outstanding studios that I've had the opportunity to work with," says Jone Bouman, the head of communications for American Humane's Film & TV unit. "I'm just so grateful to them."

American Humane (not to be confused with the Humane Society of the United States) is the group behind the "no animals were harmed" end-credit disclaimer. They supervise and rate more than 1,000 productions a year to ensure the welfare of animal actors ("Marley" received an Outstanding rating).

Early reviews for "Marley" look good -- Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman calls it "the single most endearing and authentic movie about the human–canine connection in decades." And PETA, not to be outdone, gives it "two paws up."

--Lindsay Barnett

Photo: Dan Steinberg/Associated Press

It is a timely message as many dogs end up in shelters at this time of the year, surrendered by their people before they go on holidays (vacation) instead of paying for board. They are joined by puppies who were unwanted Christmas gifts.

See also, from the Sydney Morning Herald
- Grim end for Christmas puppies
- Dead dogs walking get reprieve
- RSPCA says adoption is best

People who treat companion animals as if they are disposable are despicable.

*******************
Seven days off work now, and I have not done anything I intended like tidying and cleaning the house.

Canis Resort

Reported by Deutsche Welle (17 December 2008)

Pampered Pooches Get Their Own Five-Star Resort

The four-footed jet set can now enjoy wellness and undivided professional attention at Germany's first five-star hotel resort for dogs. Whether it's just for a day or for longer, those well-off pups can be pampered.

Are you worried that your dog may be bored? Is the day-to-day canine life just not doing it for your pup anymore? Well, your worries are over. Welcome to the first exclusive hotel resort for dogs: Canis Resort.

The hotel, which opened this week near Munich airport, promises to deliver "a unique experience for your dog."

But it stresses that it isn't just geared towards on-the-go businesspeople. Anyone who wants to treat their loved pet to something exclusive is at the right place -- for the right price: overnight care runs at 80 Euros ($110) per night.


The Dog Lodges are a cozy place to retreat

Dogs can run and play on a 350 square meter field. Or, if they want to retreat for some peace and quiet, they can head to their 45-square-meter Dog Lodge and lounge on their resin floors usually found on yachts. The lodges are designed for a maximum of five dogs-- and include a private yard.

For those owners who just can't wait to see their beloved pets when they return to town, a gate-to-gate service -- at extra cost -- takes dogs to the airport to greet their owners.

Also on hand are designer grooming and gourmet dog food -- in short, everything to make it feel like anything but a kennel.

"Dog owners often have a bad conscience when they leave their dogs to be looked after because the places feel like kennels," said Thomas Gerteis, the co-managing director.

There is occupancy for 40 dogs, plus a day-care service for travellers who aren't away overnight.

"We have a 24-hour, seven-day check-in service," Sabine Gerteis said. "If the dog wants to be petted, the dog-sitter is right there for him."

And for those of you who may be a bit short-changed in these times of economic crisis, Canis Resort is offering opening specials.

Video


Link - Canis Resort

Hmmm.... I wonder whether this approach only adds to separation anxiety. Still, very smart of a business to profit from people's anxiety about abandoning their pooches.

***********
Thank goodness Christmas is just about over.

Just because a tradition is old, it does not make it right

A disturbing article from AFP

Saudi court rejects divorcing eight-year-old girl

22 December 2008

RIYADH (AFP) — A Saudi court has rejected a plea to divorce an eight-year-old girl married off by her father to a man who is 58, saying the case should wait until the girl reaches puberty, a lawyer involved told AFP.

"The judge has dismissed the plea (filed by the mother) because she does not have the right to file such a case, and ordered that the plea should be filed by the girl herself when she reaches puberty," lawyer Abdullah Jtili told AFP in a telephone interview after Saturday's court decision.

The divorce plea was filed in August by the girl's divorced mother with a court at Unayzah, 220 kilometres (135 miles) north of Riyadh just after the marriage contract was signed by the father and the groom.

"She doesn't know yet that she has been married," Jtili said then of the girl who was about to begin her fourth year at primary school.

Relatives who did not wish to be named told AFP that the marriage had not yet been consummated, and that the girl continued to live with her mother. They said that the father had set a verbal condition by which the marriage is not consummated for another 10 years, when the girl turns 18.

The father had agreed to marry off his daughter for an advance dowry of 30,000 riyals (8,000 dollars), as he was apparently facing financial problems, they said.

The father was in court and he remained adamant in favour of the marriage, they added.

Lawyer Jtili said he was going to appeal the verdict at the court of cassation, the supreme court in the ultra-conservative kingdom which applies Islamic Sharia law in its courts.

Arranged marriages involving pre-adolescents are occasionally reported in the Arabian Peninsula, including in Saudi Arabia where the strict conservative Wahabi version of Sunni Islam holds sway and polygamy is common.

In Yemen in April, another girl aged eight was granted a divorce after her unemployed father forced her to marry a man of 28.

Sometimes I wonder whether I judge such a practice as wrong based on Western values. There is such a thing as universal human rights, and the internationally agreed Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Saudi Arabia became a signatory on 26 January 1996 (however, with reservations with respect to all such articles as are in conflict with the provisions of Islamic law).

Marrying off a child is akin to treating the child as chattel, and not far removed from slavery. Just because a practice is old, it does not mean it is

*********************
Another almost do nothing day.

I want one

Remote control Tarantula

What the RC Tarantula is all about...

Arachnophobics – be warned! The Remote Control Tarantula is out there stalking innocent victims, hungrily feasting on the terrified screams of it's human prey.

Forget the warm-hearted heroine in Charlotte's Web – this hairy-legged hood is enough to make the skin crawl on a department store dummy. Or to put it into a spider lover's language "this is soooo cool!".

You control it from an inconspicuous distance with the palm-size remote control "egg". It's so realistic – people won't be able to tell the difference until you're up very close (which most people won't want to be). Those furry legs crawl in a disturbingly spider-esque fashion – creeping, stalking and scurrying across any smooth flat surface. And if that isn't unsettling enough, just wait until it's eyes glow red!

Those who love the thought of owning a tarantula – but are forbidden for some reason – will be in heaven! All you have to do is choose a name – how about Incy-Wincy, Aragog, Miss Muffet or "The Devil's Spawn" (that last one is courtesy of our accountant, who obviously has issues).

Perhaps those with severe arachnophobia shouldn't completely discount owning their own RC Tarantula – it might actually be a great way of desensitising yourself, before you face the real thing.

Order your RC Tarantula now – if not to help you spin your wicked web of practical jokes, then at least to help our accountant whose been standing on his desk for 3 weeks.

Product Specification

The RC Tarantula is approximately 17 x 15 x 4.5 cm in size. It requires 2 x AAA batteries (not included) and the remote operates on 2 x AA batteries (not included).

The remote control spider moves in any direction and features independent leg movement to provide real crawling action. It also has light up eyes and a realistic furry texture.

Recommended for ages 6 and above.

A small revenge on all those people who do not let spiders live in their houses (inside and outside), as I do.

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Today was one of excitement. A doggy visitor (until 31 December), a human visitor (Kim, for lunch), and walks to the shops then markets sans canine.

Another candelabra added to my collection from IKEA. Hmmm... am getting a nice collection going, including a Georg Jensen.

decades apart, when love reunites

There was an interesting article in the Weekend Australian Magazine of 20-21 December 2008 by Kate Legge about couples who reunited after decades apart, returning to each other after another lifetime of separate marriages etc, and rekindling their first love.



An excerpt

Karl Mineur’s sister remembers finding her brother’s initials carved next to Marion’s inside the wooden lids of desks that had serviced thousands of students at Sheffield High. The couple met as 13-year-olds through their fathers, both separated, who lived as neighbours in this tiny Tasmanian township. Karl’s stepdad was Dutch, Marion’s father was German. Her mother lived in Hobart and she insisted Marion finish school there. Distance killed the courtship. “We had no electricity, let alone a telephone,” Karl recalls, “and I was lousy with a pen.” Marion had no money for stamps.

They both married other people. Karl moved to Brisbane, working as a roofer; Marion was living in Melbourne, where she split with her first husband. They have two kids. After buying a new computer she registered with the website Friends Reunited. Karl’s sister was registered too, so Marion emailed her seeking contact details for Karl. Later that evening she phoned him. “She said, ‘Do you remember me?’ I said, ‘Of course I do.’” They spoke for six hours.

“I just had such a good gut feeling. We have such similar backgrounds because we knew each other so long ago. The old heart hoped for something good and it has been,” he says.

Six months on she’d moved to Brisbane with her son, leaving her teenage daughter, who wanted to stay put with her peer group, in the care of her ex-husband. Soon she fell pregnant. Now their toddler son is more than a year old and they plan to move back where they began. “We’ve got the most incredible support from both our families now,” Marion says.

Unfortunately, things don't always work out, especially in some cultures. Reported in the Guardian

Octogenarian forced to seek out lost father for wedding approval

Robert Tait
The Guardian, Saturday 20 December 2008

After a life of spinsterhood, Setareh, an 80-year-old Iranian woman, assumed she was fated to see out her remaining days alone and was preparing to move into an old people's home for company.

When the boy-next-door from her youth suddenly reappeared and proposed, she thought her long-forgotten dreams of marriage were about to be fulfilled.

But Iran's laws require a father to grant permission to his daughter before she is allowed to marry. Now the lovestruck octogenarian has asked a court in Tehran to establish whether her father, who abandoned her when she was two, is dead or alive so that her wedding can go ahead.

The legal obstacle came to light when Setareh and her betrothed, Jamshid, tried to tie the knot at a registrar's office, only to be told the ceremony could not go ahead without either the written agreement or proof of death of her father.

It represented a cruel blow to the elderly couple, who had been childhood sweethearts but were forced to scrap plans to wed after Setareh's mother protested that it would lead to her being left alone. Reluctantly, Setareh resigned herself to living with her mother.

Appearing before Tehran's family court, Setareh, a former foreign languages teacher, explained that Jamshid subsequently married another woman who had since died. The pair had rekindled their affair just before Setareh was due to move into a care home. "Seeing Jamshid made my heart start beating faster and suddenly the passion of youth returned," she said. "When I heard him proposing to me once again, I thanked God for the second chance, because I had found another spur for the remaining days of my life."

She said her father had been forced into marrying her mother during the 1920s. The marriage was loveless and he walked out after Setareh was born. Neither mother nor daughter heard from him again.

The judge, Mahmoud Baghal Shirvan, asked the Iranian registrar's organisation to examine the father's status and pronounce whether he is dead or alive. He also asked officials to check whether he had passed through Iran's land, air or sea frontiers since abandoning his family. If the father is found to have died, the court is expected to permit Setareh to marry.

Her plight is an example of what campaigners say is systematic discrimination against women under Iranian law. But the state-linked Iranian Women's News Agency said women needed their father's permission to protect them from "emotional" marriage decisions.

One would think that at 80 years old, that part of the law would not be applicable. Poor Setareh, the law is an ass.

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Third day of 16 days off work, and I still haven't tidied the house.

Twilight after Interview with the Vampire

It seems that the film Twilight, adapted from the Stephenie Meyer novel has made vampires fashionable again. In an article for the BBC News magazine, Brendan O'Neill wrote

With the hit film Twilight, the transformation of vampires from terrifying, bloodsucking killers to sensitive, emotionally-intelligent, misunderstood souls, is complete. How was Bram Stoker's legacy so drastically betrayed?

O'Neill must be new to the genre. The transformation was complete over a generation ago by Anne Rice. I wonder if the new readers of Stephenie Meyers have even heard of Anne Rice.

Just like JK Rowling, a lot of modern literature is derivative and really don't deserve the praise they receive, without acknowledging the pioneers of the genre.

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Another do nothing day.

beer in Iceland

The sale of beer was illegal in Iceland until 1 March 1989. See - Iceland Ministry of Industry and Commerce (page 19)

Surely some people made home brew and gave it away.

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I did mostly nothing today.