Social Scrutinies: A Mensan

Well curiosity finally got the better of me and I applied to join Mensa International, a high IQ society founded in 1946 by Roland Berrill, an Australian barrister, and Dr. Lancelot Ware, a British scientist and lawyer. Mensa is an international society with only one criterion for membership: a score on a standardised IQ test higher than that of 98 per cent of the general population.

Mensa is a not-for-profit society with its stated purposes as being:

• to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity,
• encourage research into the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and
• to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members

They have regular entrance examinations in each state where all you need to bring is 3HB pencils, an eraser and a clear mind (they recommend no heavy drinking prior to the exam - lucky they warned me!). There are actually two exams so you get a 'second chance draw' if something goes horribly wrong with the English Language first test. The second is designed to be language independent and works more on direct pattern recognition than language knowledge and was good fun.

I received my confirmation two weeks ago of my acceptance and today received confirmation of membership from the Qld representative. I look forward to meeting my fellow mensans at the next do!

Of real interest to me is the Special Interest Groups, or SIGs, which are groups of Mensans with similar interests or backgrounds. There are SIGs to join from within Australia and around the world. They range from the predictable chess, maths and Star Trek groupies to Densans (Mensans who don't always act too bright), Bardolatry (For lovers and enthusiasts of the Bard of Stratford-Upon-Avon) and Naturists (Nude Mensans).

"Mensa encompasses members representing many points of view. Consequently, Mensa as an organization shall not express an opinion as being that of Mensa, take any political action other than the publication of the results of its investigations, or have any ideological, philosophical, political, or religious affiliations."

Book Botherings: "Assassin's Apprentice" - Robin Hobb

The is an oldie but a goodie and I am now reading it for the third time so I figured it warranted a post in my book botherings. "Assassins Apprentice" is the first in Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy and her first book under this pseudonym (she is really Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden born in 1952 in California). It was published in 1995. Hobb really hit the nail on the head with this series, expertly drawing you in to her fantasy world from page one. It forgoes the usually "scene setting" blah blah that a lot of fantasy writers feel necessary as a preface and instead launches into the story from the point of view of a six year old boy who is only himself learning about this new world he finds himself in so his discoveries deliciously parallel your own. The supporting characters are imbued with almost too human characteristics (the vile Regal haunts me still) and the main character Fitz is immediately and irreconcilably a cherished child or vicarious self.

This first book covers the beginning of Fitz's life as a disclosed "bastard" of the then Prince Chivalry and his introduction to Buckkeep. He is initially ignored by his would be relatives and left to his own devices but after a chance encounter with King Shrewd, he is scrubbed up and sent to be trained as an assassin and protector, a job he successfully fulfills in safeguarding the throne from his treacherous uncle Regal, an act which almost costs him his own life.

The Fool, Chade, Shrewd, Verity, Burrich, Pleasant, Galen, Nosy, Molly Nosebleed and a rich caste of other characters makes for an enjoyable and refreshingly unique fantasy feast. I highly recommend this one to any fantasy fiction connoisseur!

Social Scrutinies: TED - Ken Robinson

This is an old favourite from Feb '06 which I thought I would link in here. TED is a collection of riveting talks by remarkable people presented free to the world. If this isn't a signpost for a changing world then I don't know what is. I have spent hours devouring the thoughts, feelings and experiences of fellow humans who are just up to the full game of life. They are inspiring! Ken's lecture below on how Schools kill Creativity has stuck in my head for many years and forms part of the basis on which I relate to my sons.

Text link to video

To really value creativity on par with science and mathematics and business acumen is both liberating and humbling. I see people in all walks of life struggling and pushing through depression and 'deadness' to fit in with the way things are. Some find little avenues of creativity that let true pieces of themselves out to play but rarely do I see them fully self expressed. Those who do find full self expression often live on the fringe and remove themselves mostly physically sometimes psychologically from the rest of us in order to be free of the bonds that bind us. We are in a trap not of our own making. We have inherited it and live inside its walls as though it were real. TED I find opens the door here and there to show you what is possible beyond the barricades.

Music Mutterings: Don McLean (American Pie)

Don McLean's American Pie remains a real favourite and enigma...what the hell was he singing about. I have researched this over the years but nobody really knows. There are many guesses and suggestions but nothing from the man himself. Maybe it will be a deathbed confession.

A long, long time ago...

I can still remember

How that music used to make me smile.

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And, maybe, theyd be happy for a while.

But february made me shiver

With every paper Id deliver.

Bad news on the doorstep;

I couldnt take one more step.

I cant remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride,

But something touched me deep inside

The day the music died.

So bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

And them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

Singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

Did you write the book of love,

And do you have faith in God above,

If the Bible tells you so?

Do you believe in rock n roll,

Can music save your mortal soul,

And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that youre in love with him

`cause I saw you dancin in the gym.

You both kicked off your shoes.

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues.

I was a lonely teenage broncin buck

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck,

But I knew I was out of luck

The day the music died.

I started singin,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

And singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

Now for ten years weve been on our own

And moss grows fat on a rollin stone,

But thats not how it used to be.

When the jester sang for the king and queen,

In a coat he borrowed from james dean

And a voice that came from you and me,

Oh, and while the king was looking down,

The jester stole his thorny crown.

The courtroom was adjourned;

No verdict was returned.

And while lennon read a book of marx,

The quartet practiced in the park,

And we sang dirges in the dark

The day the music died.

We were singing,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

And singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

Helter skelter in a summer swelter.

The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,

Eight miles high and falling fast.

It landed foul on the grass.

The players tried for a forward pass,

With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume

While the sergeants played a marching tune.

We all got up to dance,

Oh, but we never got the chance!

`cause the players tried to take the field;

The marching band refused to yield.

Do you recall what was revealed

The day the music died?

We started singing,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

And singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

Oh, and there we were all in one place,

A generation lost in space

With no time left to start again.

So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick!

Jack flash sat on a candlestick

Cause fire is the devils only friend.

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage

My hands were clenched in fists of rage.

No angel born in hell

Could break that satans spell.

And as the flames climbed high into the night

To light the sacrificial rite,

I saw satan laughing with delight

The day the music died

He was singing,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

And singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

I met a girl who sang the blues

And I asked her for some happy news,

But she just smiled and turned away.

I went down to the sacred store

Where Id heard the music years before,

But the man there said the music wouldnt play.

And in the streets: the children screamed,

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed.

But not a word was spoken;

The church bells all were broken.

And the three men I admire most:

The father, son, and the holy ghost,

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died.

And they were singing,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

And them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

Singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Thisll be the day that I die.

They were singing,

Bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

Them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye

Singin, thisll be the day that I die.

Coding Cogitations: Back to the Status Quo

Well my sojourn into Google Chrome as my default browser is at an end. I gave it my best support but have found too many websites where Chrome either doesn't work at all or numerous features fail. I am a big believer in always supporting various competitors in the market to create difference and promote variety. I am a staunch Microsofty at heart though and so it is with a small fond tear in my eye that I have reactivated IE 8 as my browser of choice. Sorry Google but there is still work for you to do. It appears though the IE has taken up the call of "If you can't beat em - join em" as many of its features mimic the good things I enjoyed in Chrome in any case.

WINDOWS 7 - another triumph!!

After labouring (and I do mean labouring) under Windows Vista on my main development PC for over three months I couldn't take it anymore. It was either take a punt with Windows 7 or blow the damn thing away and rebuild with XP. I bit the bullet and lept into 7. Wow! All the good things of Vista are there and none of the bad memory choking, blood pressure raising, keyboard slamming, cuss causing frustrations. It flies. It is smooth. It is highly customisable and I don't know how I survived previously without the pinnable taskbar.

If you are in any doubt on Windows 7 - I say take the plunge. You won't be dissappointed on this one! I'm still going to send Bill Gates a bill though for the time I wasted grappling with Vista. I think I lost 10mins from every hour of productivity waiting for things to load, think, render, crash, report, confirm etc etc. But I forgive as I think Windows 7 is altogether a great product. Google has it's work cut out for it if it thinks Vista left the might MS vulnerable in the OS market!

Medieval Musings: Agrarian Festivals

Who doesn't love a good festival. Medieval festivals were not mere parties, BBQs or even whole day celebrations such as weddings. These were week long extravaganzas that brought people from far and wide!

Medieval celebrations centered around specific feast days that had pagan origins and were based on ancient agrarian celebrations that marked when certain crops should be planted or harvested.

Wheat and rye were sown from Michaelmas (September 29) to Christmas. Spring crops would be planted from the end of Christmas through to Easter. Christmas, Easter and Pentecost would be celebrated with a feast of the Church. They were followed by a week of vacation. Visions of an Oktoberfest style celebration springs to mind but on a much larger scale.

There were many lesser celebrations as well such as:

- Candlemas (February 2),

- Hocktide (end of the Easter week),

- Mayday,

- the Rogation Days,

- Ascension (all in May),

- Midsummer or St. John's Day (June 24),

- the Lammas or Feast of St. Peter

These would all be marked with feasts and unique celebrations. Michaelmas marked the beginning of winter and the start of the fiscal year for merchants and tradesmen.

By November, feed was often too scarce to keep animals through the winter, and became known as the "blood month" when meat was smoked, salted and cured for consumption during the long winter ahead. The month began with All Hallows (later, All Saints) Day, followed by St. Martin's Day (November 11).

But medieval society awaited the dreariest time of the year to celebrate the grandest feast of all. The two-week period from Christmas Eve to Twelfth Day (January 6) transformed into the longest vacation for workers. The Lords of the manor or castle often gave bonuses of food, clothing, drink and firewood to ye olde servants. Houses were decked with holly and ivy (there's a song in there), and giant Yule logs were brought in and burned throughout the two-week celebration. New Year's took place during this time and added to the festivities, and "First Gifts" were often exchanged on this day.

"Plow Monday" took place the day after Epiphany, and freemen of the village would participate in a plow race, to begin cultivation of the town's common plot of land. Each man would try and furrow as many lines as possible, as he would be able to sow those lines during the coming year. Children would play the role of "Fool Plow" and go from house to house asking for pennies. Those who refused would find the ground in front of their door plowed up.

Easter, as Christmas, was a day for exchanging gifts. The castle lord would receive eggs from the villagers and in return, provide servants with dinner. May saw celebrations of love, especially on the 1st. Villagers would venture into the woods to cut wildflowers and other greenery for their homes to usher in May and hope for a fertile season.

Original and further information can be found here.

Bring back a life of festivities, common purpose and mutual exertion I say... especially if it also heralds the end of commercial corporate mass manufactured entertainment!

Hear Hear!

Reality Ruminations: Reflected as an Angel

I have always struggled with the ability of some people to create and perpetuate massive and unsettling lies about themselves, circumstances and events. The struggle was also with myself as my memories often were met with "that never happened" or "it didn't occur that way". What is going on?

I have read about 'Moral Disengagement' where a person excuses their own hurtful or bad (and I know that is subjective) actions within a moral framework that would justify and excuse or 'dress up' those actions as judicial or necessary or whatever made it palatable to them, but does that explain simple re-interpretations that aren't necessarily so morally loaded?

I recently had the experience of coming into conflict with a person who simply appeared disengaged from reality. He was saying things were done that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt never were and further that things weren't done that I know beyond a shadow of doubt were. I accept that interpretations can differ but he now (as this is a recent invention) has no such doubt of my obvious culpability. Is he simply mendacious or is something deeper going on? Normally I would not be particularly concerned except the he has now embarked on a campaign of misinformation that appears to be readily accepted by others. What is even more perplexing is that those relationships that were previously successful with great outcomes are suddenly being re-interpretated by them as abject failures despite prior emails of congratulations and past conversations of gratitude. It is like a spreading virus that is corrupting the holy into a decayed shadow of its former self.

In seeking answers I came across an article called "THE 'PATHOLOGICAL DISHONESTY' DISEASE" by William J. Beaty, 1998.

It reads: "The "liars" are formidable opponents because they have no need to ever surrender. When you take them on, you aren't even dealing with a human, instead you are fighting an unleashed subconscious which has far more extensive mental resources than normal. Also, they can tell enormous lies with a clear conscience, and people will believe their side of the story without a second thought, since their attitude and body-language is that of a truth teller. REAL truth-tellers always have some self-doubt, and when they go up against one of the liars, the liars appear to be far more truthful than the genuine truth-tellers."

The original full article is HERE.

After reading further I found that this sort of "Convenient Disremembering" is a defence mechanism we all have. If we are challenged or 'called' on poor behaviour, our subconscious launches into defence mode and begins reinterpretating reality to cover the hole. I know I have done that in the past myself when my behaviour has been less that noble. Either within my own mind or in conversation with those around me I have 'modified' what really happened to shine a better light, not overtly or intentionally but certainly with an element of subconscious spin. This might perhaps sound like a minor infraction but it is actually quite hideous when you look at it deeper. I guess that is why you hear that even mass murderers believe they are good people and something (generally outside of themselves) justified, caused or created the terrible behaviour.

Beaty in his article also says that we "also put much emphasis on the idea that all of reality is just a matter of opinion. A very strange viewpoint. Though the "blind men" disagree, this doesn't have any effect on the elephant!". I wonder given the discoveries of quantum scientists that the observer has an impact on the fabric of reality whether it actually does have an effect on the elephant. Perhaps in the agreed conversations of humans the past and present is changed and I now need to apologise.