Its very weird. This morning, work had been slow going. I had an essay to write for culture. Usually I can write with no problem – words just flow, and on my expanded keyboard, on a good day, I can trot out 1000 words in a morning. I couldn’t this morning, and I decided to go out after about two hours and only 250 words. I went to talk to friends. When I came back, it occurred to me to take my shoes off, since they had felt odd all morning. I’d fallen after breakfast too. When I did this, with a wiggle of my feet, I typed merrily away, and soon doubled my wordage. How odd

Tonight we celebrate the birthday of my good friend Marcie, known, alternatively, as rocky. She is a most kind and gentle person; whenever I need a hand she’s always there.

Well, tonight we celebrate! There’s a big party at Steve’s place – it’s fancy dress,, and we all know what that means! I have selected my costume ready to change into later! I do not, however, intend to drink much tonight. Tomorrow I plan to start my 2000-word culture essay, and besides, alcohol does not do spandex any good.

Mind you, I’ll probably catch cold, lol. Happy birthday marcie

An interesting thought occurred to me while drying myself after my bath last night o the subject of language. I was going over the relationship between langue (written language) and parole (spoken language). As a voca user, langue is more closely related to parole simply because, when out and about, I have to type all my utterances. It seems to me that langue has evolved.

However, this is not in the most obvious sense. Most people think evolution just change over time, and they would be correct, but that is only one type of evolution the broadest. There are various mechanisms through which animals evolve: one, I believe, is called specialisation. Say I had a group of primates: it’s getting rather large so part of the group splits off to find new food. Say they go to a part of the wood with trees with fruit with hard rind. Over time, through natural selection, they adapt to possess stronger hands which can tear through the rind. Thus, while remaining primates, they have developed into a new species.

I believe we can observe this in language today. Of course languages change – Germanic to old English, old English to middle English, etc. thus we can observe linguistic evolution in the broad, macro sense. Yet I believe we can observe it in the sense of the primate example too, in the area of electronic communications. Of course, I refer only to langue – parole has continued to change at it’s standard rate. The written word seems to be developing a new subspecies, but isn’t in itself changing. We still use traditional forms of writing – syntax, spelling etc – to compose documents, but with the advent of electronic forms of communication, a new subspecies or sublangue has developed. This is not, however, a sublanguage, for the way we pronounce words has not changed.

Just as with our primate example, there is a definite cause for this. today, in text messaging, msn, and indeed on machines like my lightwriter, there is a need to write quickly. Hence, the phrase ‘good to see you’ becomes ‘good 2cu’. The way in which we pronounce this phrase verbally hasn’t changed, but the way in which we write It in texting has. Certain letters, such as C U and R, have ‘evolved’ to become not only letters but hieroglyphs, and nor represent words. Of course, one must mention that this seems to bear out de Sesseur’s statement that the relationship between sign and signified is arbitrary, and therefore subject to change.

This process is not purely random, so the purely Darwinian paradigm does not strictly apply. Only certain letters, that is, those which are pronounced like words, have been modified – a process which is not arbitrary. However, it is interesting to note how closely natural speciesisation resembles the evolution of texting. I therefore see it as natural, and would ask those who decry texting as something akin to sacrilege, as I once did, not to despair too much.

Due to the beer I had at lunch, I don’t feel like writing much. Coming home always makes me feel lethargic, and I think I’ll just go watch TV all afternoon. Either way, I just found this article on a hoard of fossils found up in the artic; they’re of extinct marine reptiles, which swam in the northern seas at the time of the dinosaurs.

Improbable though it may be, it’s interesting to note the resemblance to Nessie- might some have survived?

The nature of science, and indeed the entire academic spectrum, means that we can never be sure of anything. Granted, we can be almost certain of a fact, but we cannot be absolutely certain. Yesterday, I attended a fascinating lecture on historiography given by Dr. Dave Roberts, my head of unit. The nature of history is that we must never be dogmatic: when, for example, asking questions about the causes of the first world war, we must not snap to the answer ‘the assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand’. History is much more complex, and much more interesting than that. Yes, the assassination did play a role, but there were a plethora of other factors: what if his chauffer had not made that wrong turn, etc? indeed, one historian cites the inflexibility of train timetables as a cause, for once the troops had started to be transported to the front via train, there was no way to recall them. Moreover, we must rely on sources, which essentially we can never be sure of the providence of; once we factor in bias too, we can see how elusive historical truth is.

We can say the same of all sciences, both social and natural (by which I mean physics, biology chemistry etc). I need hardly remind you guys that any scientific paper carries alternative hypotheses, admitting that results can be explained by other means. Science can only give us probabilities. Despite the vast quantities of data to support evolution, even Richard Dawkins admits god may still exist. Granted, as is the case with the theory of evolution we now have so much evidence that we can be 99.999% sure of something, but we must never proclaim ourselves absolutely certain of something. To do this would render the whole scientific field absolutely pointless.

I also see parallels between this and politics. One party proposes a bill, and another disagrees. No politician or person interested in politics should be so obstinate as to say that they are absolutely right on a subject. This is why politics, like academia, is a never-ending debate.

The problem comes with dogmatism. I refer to religious o political dogmatism. I go onto blogs and comment because I have a right to do so: I may disagree utterly with what a person has posted, but I can respond because truth is transient. I do not believe in the existence of truth, only opinion. Dogmatic people such as religious fundamentalist (Islamic, Christian or whatever) insist that there is no truth but there’s, as do, I find, many people on the right wing. This is why, I think, the two are often bedfellows. Thus my problem with religion is not beliefs in themselves – as suggested, we can never rule god out entirely – but the rejection of the transience of reality. Once we believe in one truth, we stop making progress; people who believe that there is no truth but theirs have closed their minds to alternatives.

This is why I am scared by George bush and Osama bin laden. Both men are fighting to impose their version of the truth; both are doing the same thing. If they don’t stop, the result can only be bad. Very bad.

If there’s a single phrase that can wind me up these days, it’s the phrase ‘political correctness gone mad’. It’s being trotted out ad nausiem by those on the right – often people fed up with, for example, ramps being put up to shops, or signs being translated into urdu, just because it inconveniences them. Well, they wouldn’t say that if they only spoke urdu, or used a wheelchair. Political correctness is just that: correct. It is the tendency to be liberal and accepting of others.

I can accept and respect other people’s points of view. After all, I would contend that, since there is no absolute truth, all viewpoints are valid (but should be weighed according to the evidence supporting them). Yet I have trouble with these conservative-types making such statements as if the majority of people agreed with them.

Then, when you try to debate the subject with you, they accuse you of being the dogmatic one. Liberalism is innately undogmatic, whereas I find conservatism is.

Thus, the propensity to dislike political correctness is linked to a reluctance to change, to accept new ideas etc, especially when it interferes with one’s own business. I’m sorry; I accept they have a right to think as they wish, but conservatism, with it’s barely hidden racism, audacity, hypocrisy and stubbornness, is pissing me off right now.

There are very few lessons that truly inspire me these days. I don’t mean normally inspire, as I ‘what a good lecture’, I mean, ‘holy pigcrap. Now I wanna write my thesis’. Writers Contexts this year is such a lesson. The tutor who takes us seems almost infinitely learned in writing and art history. He’s drawing parallels between art and painting which I hadn’t known about, but now seems obvious. I now intend to employ the things I learn of art within the context of filmic semiotics. Can we extrapolate the principals of the static image to the moving one. It is this question which now intrigues me.

A few days ago, my friend graham asked me to help him with his Masters. It’s a stage adaptation of 100 years of solitude, and graham wants me to help him with the details. I have to read the book, and give graham guidance.

Why he asked me to do this I don’t know. I think he likes my love of literature, a passion which we share. To be honest, this project sounds like fun – something to do in the evenings, and now I have another book to get my teeth into, full of Latin passion. Yay!

But I had to laugh. Last night graham had gathered his cast to start rehearsal, and, upon meting me in the canteen, had invited me along. You will never see anything weirder than a drama session, I can tell you. It was like a series of party games: they were tossing fake balls of energy around etc. it was like a big game of lets pretend or charades. We writers are much too refined for such tomfoolery. Actors, bah! Mind you, it was fun when I joined in!

So, today I have a book to read; I’m meeting graham at 10 and Julia at 12; there’s a 1voice phone meeting tonight too. It should be a good day!

Would someone please explain how this guy is making his guitar produce such noises. How?

stolen from here.

Now I’m jealous! Apparently a few crips have got to go to Africa courtesy of the bbc. It’s not fair. They get to trek over sand dunes and stuff, while I get to watch the rain in alsager. I can’t even watch them.

Mind you, what’s the point of that program anyway. Crips going over deserts? So? If they want to film someone making a challenging trip, they can film me walking home from the bar. Now that’s challenging.

Day 1: matt starts walking home.

Day 2: Esther finds matt under a bush, still asleep.

Well, it’d be better TV than 99% of the crap they put on these days.

I just noticed that my hitcount has passed the 200,000 hit threshold. This means that my site as been accessed 200,000 times; I’m not sure why, it’s not that I’ve had much of interest to say recently. Well, thank you all for coming, even if you did wander here by accident, or had googled ”dwarf tossing”, or were looking for cripple porn (hmm, that might be an idea…) Either way, I hope you enjoy your visit – more ill-informed ramblings to come!

It’s been a busy couple of days. Well, it’s not that I’ve been doing anything useful, just that I’ve not had much time at my pc, and thus not much time to blog. I never thought uni could be this exhilarating nor this knackering. My conversation these days ranges from Barthes’ ideas on the death of the author, to the best way to light farts, which is apparently very dangerous, and is probably responsible for some deaths, including those of authors. Believe it or not, both these subjects cropped up last night, at a party me Steve and Chris attended.

It was a house party, and it was a fairly dull affair. I don’t know why, but some parties have that spark while others just don’t. it’s odd, as if there’s a special secret element which sets off hedonism and madness. People just sat around and talked, and we left for the pub at about half ten.

Nevertheless, this, along with cultural elevation on Friday (which deserves a blog entry unto itself) means that it’s been quite a mad two days. Today, I have some reading to do, which I’ll do in the fresh air.

You know, I’ve never felt quite so alive.

I just found out about a new sport – dwarf tossing. It’s where you get a little person and chuck them as far as possible. It’s mostly played in pubs, which, if you asked me, seems fitting. presumably, you must catch said dwarf first… hmm…wheres my net?

proof of the existence of dwarf tossing

This year, Thursdays will probably get on mine and Esther’s nerves. It’s just so hectic. For one, my first lesson’s at 9, and I’m of the opinion that 9am lectures should be illegal, especially the morning after the Wednesday disco. I had to go to bed at 11 just to make sure I was up! It’s positively barbaric. Then, this afternoon, I had a film lecture from 3 till 6 – SIX would you believe. That’s after teatime. How dare they make me wait for dinner?

Mind you, both these lectures were fascinating. In writer’s contexts, instead of the usual wishy-washy ‘we say a sentence and you continue writing’, we actually learned something of art history. At last, I thought, something I can get my teeth into.

Film was even better. We learned mostly about philosophy in relation to film (too tired to relate it here) but I found it very stimulating. Alan seemed enthusiastic about my doing a PhD too!

This year is gonna be a good one!

I’m just looking at my PhD application form – you almost need a degree to fill it in, but I suppose that’s the whole point. I have put aside this afternoon to get on with it; to be honest, I just want to do the research and the reading, never mind the stupid forms. I also need to get my head round funding, which, coming from a man in an almost perpetual state of confusion, might be a tall order.

Forms are silly!

How to write a paper in college/university:

Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well lit place in front of your computer.

Log onto MSN and ICQ (be sure to go on away!). Check your email.

Read over the assignment carefully, to make certain you understand it.

Walk down to the vending machines and buy some chocolate to help you concentrate.

Check your email.

Call up a friend and ask if he/she wants to go to grab a coffee. Just to get settled down and ready to work.

When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lit place.

Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it.

Check your email.

You know, you haven’t written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You’d better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.

Look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.

Grab some mp3z off of kazaa.

Check your email. ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR YET?!

MSN chat with one of your friends about the future. (ie summer plans).

Check your email.

Listen to your new mp3z and download some more.

Phone your friend on the other floor and ask if she’s started writing yet. Exchange derogatory emarks about your prof, thecourse, the college, the world at large.

Walk to the store and buy a pack of gum. You’ve probably run out.

While you’ve got the gum you may as well buy a magazine and read it.

Check your email.

Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren’t missing something truly worthwhile on TV.

Play some solitare (or age of legends!).

Check out bored.com.

Wash your hands.

Call up a friend to see how much they have done, probably haven’t started either.

Look through your housemate’s book of pictures from home. Ask who everyone is.

Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.

Check to see if bored.com has been updated yet.

Check your email and listen to your new mp3z.

You should be rebooting by now, assuming that windows is crashing on schedule.

Read over the assignment one more time, just for heck of it.

Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.

Lie face down on the floor and moan.

Punch the wall and break something.

Check your email.

Mumble obscenities.

5am – start hacking on the paper without stopping. 6am -paper is finished.

Complain to everyone that you didn’t get any sleep because you had to write that stupid paper.

Go to class, hand in paper, and leave right away so you can take a nap.

Having just got my first assignment, posting this seemed appropriate!

It would appear that the ouch podcast is getting increasingly political, as the most recent has David Blunkett as it’s guest. His appearance there raises a few interesting questions though, such as to what extent should a disabled MP be expected to speak about disability issues, even if he was elected to do something else? This the programme itself explores: should a disability be incidental, or an innate part of one’s being? I personally believe that one should balance the two: be proud of one’s disability, but don’t be consumed by it.

link

All I can say to this is ‘well, D’uh!’. I could have told them that attacking Iraq would make matters worse; a million people who went to the march in protest could have done so. But no, we went to war in the terrifyingly stupid belief that by killing terrorists their numbers would decrease.

How idiotic can you get?

I would dearly have loved to see the burrow again. Most of my friends are in Chester this weekend, at charlotte’s; she invited me – in fact she invited me almost as soon as we saw each other on Monday morning – and I told her that I would think about it. I certainly wanted to go, as almost my whole cohort of friends were going, and I knew it would have been a lot of fun, but as far as I could see there were two problems:

1.transport. How was I going to get there? Of course, I could always have cadged a lift of someone, or asked Steve if I could go with him via train. This was, I knew the most minor of the two problem

2.this is my first weekend staying at university, and as such it’s the first time home help have come to me of a Saturday morning. JB, who arranges things like my care, had gone to a lot of effort to arrange a weekend call for me. The last thing I wanted to do was confuse the whole system by cancelling my very first call. Okay, I know what some of you are thinking:; ‘if you had a personal assistant for breakfast instead of homecare, there’d be no problem.’ This is true, but homecare do offer certain advantages, inflexible though they are, such as reliability. Plus, I’ve only had my new PA a week, and I better build up some time with her before actually doing the mad stuff.

Oh well; I think I did the right thing, but this didn’t stop me getting rather bitter about it last night. It was okay, in the end, though – I took myself to brandies and had about five pints of tetley’s.

At this rate I’ll die of exhaustion. I went to another party last night, this time in Crewe. I was invited by Rob, and, having turned him down in favour of going to the pub on Tuesday, I felt I better go. Jim gave me a lift.

I swear, rob’s going to be the end of me. As on Wednesday, nobody was dancing to the rock band on stage. As a 3rd year, I thought I had better respond to rob’s request and set an example by dancing. So, with his help, I walked down the steps onto the dance floor, and…well…danced. Surprisingly, I didn’t fall over, even after the couple of beers I ad been drinking with some freshers! I jigged about; Rob ran about like a mad thing; my good friend Martin came over too, and a good time was had by all. Rob told me that th band – whose name I forget – are touted as ‘the next big thing, and I could certainly believe it.

I better say, as new student activities officer, Robert Crol is brilliant. I have never seen this place so buzzing. He has so much lined up; I only hope he can maintain the momentum.

Mind you, I might not be able to.

I was wrong yesterday. I had expected a regular disco, but with samba beats; what I got was a real samba band. It was set up in the axis theatre, where the samba band had been hired in from Birmingham – after the show, the audience was supposed to o to brandies next door.

The English are a funny lot. The seating platforms in the theatre had been pushed back, leaving the flat floor which could only mean one thing – they wanted the audience to dance. Being British and reserved, however, they just sat on the floor, like primary school children in an assembly. To them, this was a performance, and the right etiquette had to be followed. Thus, to begin with, nobody was dancing.

I tried to lead by example by jigging my chair about, and towards the end of the show, most people were on their feet – my mate rob (now student activities officer) was jumping around like a loon. But some people stayed sat on the floor. Weird.

Anyway, last night was cool after all. I still say Christina would have shown everyone how to do it, but she’s way too clever to even be on campus! Nevertheless, if this is the type of thing Rob’s going to organise, I’m looking forward to this year.

Tonight is, apparently, samba night at brandies. I heard this last night, and my eyebrow instantly rose – I had visions of lines of northern girls trying to do something resembling a samba, thinking they look good but failing.

It also reminded me of quite aa cool night out I recently had in London. My Brazilian aunt and cousin took me, Luke and my parents to a pagodgy – a Brazilian / Portuguese bar. There, over a few beers, my cousin Christina taught my folks to samba, which was rather an amusing image. Chris certainly has rhythm, and I’m tempted to invite her up from oxford so she an show everyone how samba should be, although I doubt she could come at such short notice. Oh well, I should have a few giggles tonight anyway, especially given that most girls will be very scantily clad indeed. hmm

I was just looking for a video my bro Luke showed me about the universe, and I stumbled on to this. it’s about a camp in America which apparently intends to teach children to be ‘soldiers of Christ’. Now, I do not mind people being religious – until I read hawkin, I used to be very religious myself. But when kids are being so obviously brainwashed, and told they have to believe in the bible without question, I think we should all be worried.

I need hardly remind you guys: academia is all about questions. It’s about debate. One researcher poses a question, another might answer, but it does not stop there. Research is a never ending debate where we can never be and must never be absolutely certain of the answer. We must always be open to new ideas, and weigh each idea according to the evidence supporting it.

This type of religion closes minds, brainwashes even. It teaches kids that ‘there is only one truth – mine’, which is very unhealthy. As a person who relishes academic rigour, I see such camps as betraying children. I am very worried.

I’m back at uni. Right now, I’m sitting in my old university room, mum having dropped me off about half san hour ago. Because it had adaptations which suited me, like special keys and buttons to open doors, I’ve always had this room when at university; thus it feels rather like a homecoming. The place hasn’t changed much, apart from a pair of curtains and a lick of paint, and I’ll have to get Esther to put my posters up later. Nevertheless, my third and final year should be a good one, and I really am looking forward to lectures starting next week.

This gives me time to settle in, sort out my timetable and get a head start on work. Hopefully I’ll see a few friends around campus later today.

Hope everyone has an equally good day.

Last night I watched with horror Tony Robinson’s documentary on ‘End Timers’ – people who believed that the world is about to end in accordance with the book of revelation. It was an excellent, well rounded documentary, and a clear antidote to the other tripe usually on TV of a Saturday evening; what it exposed, however, horrified me.

It is deeply worrying that people actually believe this ‘end of the world’ garbage. After all, as Robinson pointed out towards the end of the programme, it was probably written on an island by a man whose intention was to write some anti-roman propaganda. However, some people still believe in it, as they believe in the story of creation over Evolution.

As with creationists, one’s first reaction is to dismiss such people as lunatics. However, while I am convinced of their abject stupidity, so much so that I want to go up to them and cry ‘it’s just a frikkin book!’, these people are too numerous to be ignored. Moreover, they seem to be in a position of power, especially with Bush in power in the u.s.

This is worrying. If you believe that the world is going to end soon, what’s the point in planting crops? More importantly, what’s the point of caring about the environment if you believe that global warming is just evidence of the coming apocalypse?

And here, I think, we get to the rub. Although Mr. Robinson does not say this in his programme, it seems obvious to me that such thinking plays straight into the hands of the petrochemical companies. With people thinking like this, they can have carte blanche to dig where they want. Indeed, one American on last nights programme said he was intending to dig under the holy land, claiming he had scripture backing him up.

Thus it is clear that, in America, we have a toxic mix of fundamentalism and oil: people are using religion for their own personal gain, using it to distort realty and make money. People are being manipulated, yet seem too arrogant and sure in their own narrow beliefs to notice. It is very very scary and something we should all be worried about.

I heard earlier today that the children’s commissioner Sir Al Aynsley-Green has described education provision for kids with autism as ‘shocking and appalling’. I have no reason to argue with him, but fear that this is only the tip of the iceberg. Provision for kids with SEN in general is dire, not just those with autism; my fear now is that people will start the whole ‘inclusion isn’t working’ gig. The opposite is the case: it is segregation that’s the problem, as special schools are innately damaging. This is not to say that I advocate dumping all kids into comprehensive schools as is; this will do more damage than good. The solution is more complex. My fear, however, that this report will cause a backlash from those who think segregation is the way forward – it isn’t; and I doubt it was the author’s intent to say such a thing. Nevertheless, the inclusion debate has just warmed up a bit more.

read more here

This link is just incredible. It’s about a woman with a bionic arm, controlled only by thought. I am totally amazed by what…

TRANSMITION INTERUPTED

SUBSPACE FREQUENCIES OPEN

WE ARE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND PREPARE TO BE INVADED. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

just kidding

Previously, I had been worried that the new bbc 3 comedy I’m with stupid. This afternoon, however, I read this article by Alan martin, which does go some way to assuage my concerns. He points out that, after all, this is a bit of fiction, not intended to mirror reality. Of course, one can point out that programmes with crips in come about so rarely, this is our one chance to get it right; yet for the same reason, if we moan too much, we risk putting off program selectors, and programmes about disabled people won’t be commissioned. Anyway, go read

i think this dude can play guitar:

go check this out now!

although its on the AOL site, here’s a link to the latest Casino Royale trailer. Good to see that, in the days of international terrorism, there are still a few people upon which one can depend.

cheers esther!

It was, perhaps, no surprise that Blair faced hecklers this afternoon. He is, after all, something of a lame duck after announcing his own expiry date earlier this week. Yet, while I disagree upon many points, notably the war in Iraq, I thought it was a good speech delivered by a master orator. I felt he presented good, well-rounded points upon issues like immigration: I have no problem with the idea of keeping some kind of record of who comes in and leaves the country, especially these days. I do, however, have a problem with trying to limit immigration, as Mr. Cameron proposes. The differences between labour and Tory are still there, believe it or not.

Another important difference is delivery. Blair still seems like an honest, genuine guy, who passionately believes in what he is saying, whether you agree with him or not. After all, he’s not up for re-election, which lends him credibility. Cameron, on the other hand, just seems to me like an actor, trying to appear friendly to the public. Obviously, he’s trying to emulate Blair. Yet he is still a Tory: his stance on inclusive education shows that he does not understand the issue, and you et the sense that if and when he’s elected this mask will slip, and we’ll slip back to the dark days of thatcher and major. I for one am not that gullible and I hope that my fellow voters also see through this act.

This date is strange. Two numbers on the colander which mean se much to so many people. The beginning of a fight back for some, the beginning of a war of vengeance for others. I remember thinking, five years ago, where this will all end.

It hasn’t yet.

If, like me, you are interested in anthropology, you’ll find this very interesting indeed. the finding of these pigments very interesting indeed. it would suggest that abstract thought evolved in humans 100,000 years earlier than previously thought. While I remain skeptikal, my question is, could this represent the beginning of language?

There are many things in this world worth fighting for. As a disabled person, I support the causes of disability rights, inclusive education and so on. However, as a human, I feel it vital that we conserve as much of the biodiversity of our planet as possible. I admit I pollute; I admit I use excessive amounts of electricity; this does not mean conservation is no important to me.

It’s probably best if I let the experts speak for themselves:

” The fate of the creatures which share our planet lies entirely at the hand of mankind – it is within our power to protect them or watch them become extinct. Let us choose the first route.” – sir David Attenborough.

Or, better yet, watch this [makes me very sad].

This afternoon, I settled down to watch Two Rode Together on bbc2. a film from 1961 starring James Stewart. It’s a western, but what caught my eye is the portrayal of race relations between ‘white’ people and ‘native Americans’. The Indians had kidnapped some ‘white’ children about 15 years before the events of the film, and their parents want them back.

As we all know, native American people were traditionally handled appallingly by American film-makers. Americans wanted them to be portrayed as savage heathen, thereby concreting their claim to the land. They wanted film to confirm that the Indian was the bad guy, not them (never mind that the white settlers were guilty of virtual ethnic cleansing, and stole the land). Thus, in two Rode Together, we see this typical view confirmed: the Indians were savage child-stealers.

Yet, here the message gets slightly ambiguous. It is true that, in this film, Stewart describes Comanche ceremonies as barbaric, emphasising the most gruesome parts. On the other hand, when the captives are eventually ‘rescued’, it seems that they felt happier with the Indians; the hypocrisy and barbarism of the white society is exposed. Moreover the way in which white people are exposed as lynch-happy drunkards leaves one wondering which ethnic group is more ‘civilised’.

I have questioned for quite some time our arrogance in thinking that western society is the most advanced and ethical. It’s certainly the most polluting and wasteful.

Indeed, we can still see the attitudes some of ‘us’ – and I dislike using that word – held towards people like the Comanche, Navaho and Apache now held towards Muslims and people of Indian decent. It’s appalling how some still rely on old ways of thinking, outdated and just wrong, no man is any better than anyone else, regardless of skin tone, religion, accent, ability, or whatever.

I don’t know enough of the history of the western genre to know how much of a watershed two Rode Together was, but I suspect it was towards the end of the time when American Indians were simply caricatures. Yes, it had it’s faults, but I think it signalled a step in the right direction – a step that some still refuse to take.

I want to know why this dude didn’t get full marks. he answered the question, didn’t he?

Although it’s only part of the article, I found this story from the New Scientist fascinating. It’s about the discovery of a transitional form between fish and amphibians. While I must admit I am very amused by the mental image of a walking fish, flolloping along the ground (perhaps being chased by me in defiant to complete the pythonesque picture) I am amazed at the same time. Could Darwin have known that his theory would be proved so forcefully? Probably not.

For my part, I am an artist not a scientist, although I like to keep myself informed. Filmic analysis is not a science since the creation of film is an art. Yet at the moment I am convinced that, at the level of the shot, film can be dealt with in a roughly scientific paradigm. We learn from Metz that film is not a language, so I am happy to throw the linguistic paradigm out, but semiotics still remains. [I’m going in circles with this stuff right now].

Ho hum. At least filmic analysis is less messy than digging for fossils, even if there is not yet a central governing framework, like evolution, behind it.

Note I say ‘yet’.

I just got back from visiting university campus. I’ve recently employed a new non-academic PA, so I needed to show him where I’ll be for most of the time for the nest none months or so. I can’t have him coming to give me dinner, and him not knowing where I am. Hungry cripple! Bad medicine.

Campus was as quiet, as I had expected. Workmen were giving brandies a lick of paint, and my mate Jim was there (he lives on campus) but that’s about it. Yet the odd thing was, there was a strange smell. It isn’t a nasty smell, just the smell of campus, but for some reason I associated that smell with fear. I guess I only notice that smell at the beginning of term, before it fades into he background, and it is at the beginning of term that I am at my most apprehensive. Thus, I associated that smell with fear and felt a knot in my stomach as soon as it hit my nostrils.

But why should I be scared? True, this being my third year I know I’ll have to work my socks off, but I feel more prepared than ever. I have been doing plenty of reading, and feel comfortable with my subject. It’s illogical, but that knot nevertheless formed.

Either way, I’m really looking forward to this term. Going to lectures, seeing my friends, watching films, plays etc. I guess it’s just residue from school and Resi.

my fellow palin fans might be interested in this, a blog devoted to panin’s new europe. I don’t doubt it will be as great as his other series, and I’m really looking forward to it.

I’d like to express my sadness at the death of Steve Irwin. I’m surprised how much this news has affected me: I seldom got the chance to watch his programmes, but, when I did, I was taken by Irwin’s zest for life. Yes, much of what he did had me questioning his sanity, but this was in a joke-like manner, and everyone could see that this was a man who cared deeply for nature. He was quintessentially Australian, as Sir David Attenborough is quintessentially British, and he will be greatly missed.

link to the report