Friday, July 30, 2010
The most boring "debate" EVAH!
Ostrich "scientists"
Ruben put it in these terms: Imagine you go to see a renal surgeon, who examines you, and your scans, and your blood tests, and says, "You have a large renal tumour. It needs to come out as soon as possible." You go for a second opinion from another renal surgeon. He says the same thing - "You have a tumour, and it MUST come out." You see a third, fourth, fifth, twentieth renal surgeon - in fact you go and see 10,000 renal surgeons, and they all tell you the same thing. But then you go and see an ear, nose tha throat surgeon, and he says, "It's all a renal conspiracy - there's actually nothing wrong with your kidney."
Who are you going to believe?
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Proust Questionnaire
What is your most marked characteristic?
Thoughtful. Not in the "thinking of others" way, although I think I often am that, but in the "thinks about stuff a lot" way.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Trustworthy.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Confidence.
What do you most value in your friends?
Generosity.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Envy and resentment. OK, that's two, but the're linked.
What is your favorite occupation?
Being with friends.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sunday morning + window seat + sunshine + guitar.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Not being able to help your child feel better.
In which country would you like to live?
France looks nice, and I'd like to spend at least a year in New York. But if you can't find somewhere in Australia that suits you, you're pretty hard to please.
Who are your favorite writers?
Roald Dahl, Philip Pullman, Kurt Vonnegut, Annabel Crabb.
Who are your favorite poets?
Hmm. Not really a poetry guy, but I do like the elegance of a well-crafted haiku.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Yossarian from Catch-22.
Who is your favorite heroine of fiction?
Lucy from the Narnia books. I also used to have a bit of a lit-crush on Nancy Blackett from Swallows and Amazons.
Who are your favorite composers?
Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven
Who are your favorite painters?
Jeffrey Smart, and the Heidelbergers.
What are your favorite names?
Anything spelt conventionally.
What is it that you most dislike?
Injustice and deceit that leads to injustice. I'm looking at you, footballers of the world.
Which talent would you most like to have?
To be able to draw like Shaun Tan.
How would you like to die?
Peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming in terror like his passengers.
What is your current state of mind?
Excited about the opportunities before me, slightly stressed at how little time there is to achieve them all.
What is your motto?
"A drop of ink may make a million think." (Byron)