Late Summer 2019 at Nº 42
Summer girls have come and gone – and their company was utterly wonderful, as always. This year they brought along with them a pair of glorious Victorian cut crystal claret … Continue reading
Louis XVI Commodes, Including a Highly Important Marquetry Dresser by RVLC
Firstly, have a look at this: “… The commode having three drawers, the first set in the frieze, mounted with panels of ormolu interlace and rosettes above the remaining two … Continue reading
Uncle-hood
We had a surprise visit – which coincided with the heat wave. We thought the temperatures (we’re just two hours away from the record breaking 45.9º!!!) might ruin the experience, … Continue reading
Like stepping into a Jane Austen novel: The Harveys and the Herrings
To the left the Harveys, to the right the Herrings (of Norwich/Norfolk), in this most unusual portrait painted in 1820 by Joseph Clover, when the two prominent families were united … Continue reading
Lights, Camera – Mazamet
Lights, lights, lights in the garden! Absolutely wonderful. There was one thing I missed terribly about Spain and that was the ambience at night. Particularly in the garden at Villa … Continue reading
André-Léon Vivrel, Sotheby’s Hong Kong
AGE OF ELEGANCE: EUROPEAN PAINTINGS, FURNITURE AND SCULPTURE HONG KONG André-Léon Vivrel (1886-1976), FRENCH STILL LIFE Source: Vivrel Still Life, Sotheby’s This is an artist I did not know, but … Continue reading
To Gillie, With Love
“I hope you are already aware of the forthcoming celebration of Gillie’s life and art and the launch of the Lynne and Land Foundation we are setting up to help … Continue reading
Call this number and tell the woman I must see her chest without delay.
That’s the sort of unusual note Mike finds on his desk in the morning. And let me tell you, what a chest it turned out to be! Central or Northern … Continue reading
Consequences of Vilification: The Transphobic Mob Attack in Paris
This video has shocked France. Last week, Julia, a transgender woman in her early 30’s was trying to get on the subway when a group of young men blocked her … Continue reading
John Branyan: Supporting Slavery & Endorsing Murder
In case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been doing lately – well, I’ve been documenting the hate speech of an American Christian Extremist “Comic”. If you want to have a … Continue reading
A Hanging, our Mazaversary and Various Other Versaries
The Hanging: It looks right. It was March 2015 when we arrived at number 42. Many corners have been turned since, but now it looks as if the big ones … Continue reading
Mazamet, March 7th, 2019
February in Mazamet has been like Spring. Lots of sun and beautifully mild temperatures hovering around 15 during the day, cooler nights. It’s been very enjoyable but of course something … Continue reading
Early February in Mazamet. A little bit of wonderful.
First things first, I’ve been doing the interiors of the cabinets in the scullery. They were plain and boring – completely unrefined. So I thought I’d add a bit of … Continue reading
As I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadows of Hungry Ghosts
Or is it goats? Worry not, this isn’t a depressing post! I’m actually feeling very well. But this is a haphazard post which basically goes nowhere, so be warned. I’ve been … Continue reading
Happy Holidays!
As usual, we couldn’t get the dogs all together and still for a Christmas card picture – so this year there are two. The boys were particularly disruptive, which meant … Continue reading
Did you know that when a parent dies you get a free churro?
A breathtaking piece of writing from a cartoon, no less. If you have Netflix, look up: Bojack Horseman series 05 episode 06, it’s delivered by Will Arnett. The first part … Continue reading
A Meaningful Discussion on Trans Issues
… should not be led by me! But should definitely be had considering trans people have become the main target of today’s Christian Right. So I’d like to suggest a … Continue reading
Chairs, China & Art – and detours
Remember how the dining room was nearly done? Oops. There’s been a detour. I wasn’t happy with the balance of the lighting as we sat at the table. The right … Continue reading
The World in Which a Dead Son Is Better Than a Gay Son
I’d rather have a dead son than a gay son. Let that phrase wash over you. Let it envelop you. Let it sink in. Taste its bitter sting. A dead … Continue reading
Mazamet, October 2nd, 2018
The weather has been sublime. Warm days, cool nights, stunning skies. I’ve been making an effort to order my thoughts. Sometimes my mind feels so full it’s like sitting on … Continue reading
Cooking this season – let’s call it vintage style: Cordon Bleu, Madhur Jaffrey & Edouard de Pomiane
The other day I found a complete set of the 1968 Cordon Bleu home course for sale online, and of course bought it immediately. It was designed by Rosemary Hume … Continue reading
The End is in Sight!
The fabric above is a 100% linen fabric called Water Iris, by Zoffany. Only £78 p/ metre. It’s what we’ve settled on for the dining room chairs. I’ve been working on … Continue reading
If the grass is greener on one’s own side – does one stop watering?
So confusing! I opened an upstairs window this week to this image. People here let their grass go brown in summer. I went looking around and it seems everyone does … Continue reading
Let’s talk about good stuff. Mazamet, August 22nd, 2018
The wallpaper is up and I’m thrilled. The effect is even better in person than in the pictures. The room is alive. The dark table will anchor the whole thing, give … Continue reading
So – Sarah Porter – What can I say?
It’s true that the day after you get bad news is a little bit easier. Just a little, though. Memories have been flashing in my mind all day yesterday and … Continue reading
LET THE FUN BE-GIN!!! Until it ends.
Summer girls have come and gone. We had a glorious time as we do every year. They went exploring this year in a way they hadn’t done before. They say … Continue reading
This map shows what white Europeans associate with race
“… Each country on the map is coloured according to the average score of test takers from that country. Redder countries show higher average bias, bluer countries show lower average … Continue reading
Denialism: what drives people to reject the truth by Keith Kahn-Harris
“In recent years, the term has been used to describe a number of fields of “scholarship”, whose scholars engage in audacious projects to hold back, against seemingly insurmountable odds, the … Continue reading
Mazamet: Being Gazumped & Hot August Real Estate
Okay, so we weren’t actually gazumped – I just like using that word. An apartment came up for sale in the building across the street (Residence du Haut Languedoc) and … Continue reading
Fundraiser by Swarndeep Gill : Road to Independence
“… relocating to a deeply religious sect in the South to be closer to her parents who had been transferred there by the military. The trauma of her … Continue reading
Mostly pictures
Summer girls are here and out for the day to Albi – I was going to go with them but when I saw the temperature was going to be 35º … Continue reading
More dining-room-inations and some pergolating
The blue-grey is going up as I type. The blank space in it is for the Palmeraie (wall)paper after Carl Blechen. I’m in the last stages of the ebonising of … Continue reading
Of ridiculous things to say
Yes, Richard, it must be cultural. Either that or senility. Church bells are an absolute invasion of people’s right to reasonable peace and quiet. I make an effort not to be … Continue reading
Mazamet: Creating a new life in the South of France – Interview for MainlyMale on Medium
“We moved to France in December of 2014. We rented a little cottage smack in the centre of the country, outside of Bourges, and used that as our base for … Continue reading
For Brexiters, truth is what you believe – even if it’s a lie | Opinion | The Guardian
“… It was shameless, a degradation of our public life. But sealed in the bubble of her ideology, protected by a right-wing press locked in the same bubble, she was … Continue reading
Religion as a Tool in Social Dominance Theory
“Social dominance theory was put forth by two researchers, Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto, in 1999. Specifically, Sidanius and Pratto attempted to explain how, and why, social structures seemed to … Continue reading
Dame Gillian Lynne 1926-2018. Once upon a time.
Dame Gillian Lynne, who has died at the age of 92, quite simply changed the way we think of dance. Her husband, actor Peter Land, announced on Twitter the … Continue reading
A marble bust of the Roman Emperor Commodus | Christie’s
“… Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus (161-192 AD), or Commodus as he was more commonly known, was the last emperor of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire for … Continue reading
(Almost) July at number 42
Mike got an umbrella because when summer girls are here we sit outside most days and his skin is prone to those lesions (caused by the sun) that have to … Continue reading
The Magnificent Hannah Gadsby Monologue
” … because I still have shame. You learn from the part of the story you focus on. I need to tell my story properly. Because the closet, for me, … Continue reading
Pot-pourri —– is a stupid title
Did you know pourri means rotten? The French term came about during the Napoleonic occupation of Spain. It began life as the name of a typical Burgos dish which mixed … Continue reading
Former inmates of Good Shepherd homes want compensation for forced labour – DutchNews.nl
“In the Netherlands at least 15,000 young girls and women were forced to work in the laundries and sewing rooms of the Catholic order of the Sisters of the Good … Continue reading
An Evening with Patrick Melrose or why the worse thing that ever happened to me was that I wasn’t an orphan.
Saturday evening in Mazamet. June 9th. The weather is mild. There’s a street party in the centre of town. From the garden we can hear music in the distance. For … Continue reading
June at number 42
Firstly, the garden. Above is what I’ve added to the garden in the past week. Today I’ve added 6 more astilbes (purpurkerze), 2 hostas (big daddy) and three lathyrus pink … Continue reading
In research this week: The Commode en Console
“… It’s French name, commode en console, indicates that it is, in fact, a console table designed to stand against a wall and a commode or chest of drawers. A … Continue reading
Yippee: a crucifixion, abortion, ducks and pretty things!!!
And it’s only Wednesday! – In case you missed the exceedingly popular last issue of Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, there’s a fascinating article on the second case of crucifixion ever found. … Continue reading
Author Didier Eribon: ‘What was difficult was not being gay but being working-class’ | Books | The Guardian
“What was difficult was not being gay but being working-class,” he says. ‘People who say they are proud to be working-class are really saying they are proud to no longer … Continue reading
Christie’s: The Kenneth Neame Collection, Including Arts of India, English and European Furniture and Works of Art
“This June, discover the refined taste of Kenneth Neame, one of London’s most respected antique dealers. Ahead of his forthcoming relocation, Neame is offering a curated selection of pieces from … Continue reading
Number 42: Upstairs Landing Update
The bedrooms side of the landing is now painted. Scaffolding will be needed for the stairs side. The Baudson Wisteria mirror (from the charity shop) has a new glass and … Continue reading
The “Governor’s Residency” at Tel ‘Eton, The United Monarchy, and the Impact of the Old-House Effect on Large-Scale Archaeological Reconstructions
“… This has bearings on the date in which social complexity evolved in Judah, on the debate regarding the historicity of the kingdom of David and Solomon, and it also … Continue reading
The Elegant Atheist: Keeping away the Jehova’s Witnesses and the Mormons
I finally decided to get a sign having been woken up today by the doorbell and the consequent dog barking. I ran downstairs flustered, stopped at the inter-phone to say … Continue reading
Dining room-inations
So we were talking the other day about what to (finally) do about the dining room and Mike said it would be wonderful if we could make it feel like … Continue reading
Princess Margaret preferred a vase –
The Queen’s sister was so miffed at the tiny glasses on Concorde that she used a vase for her G&T, according to a recent report. But what is the best … Continue reading
Amazing deal: Maison Bourgeoise in Mazamet for 85 000€
Source: Vente maison / villa 12 pièce(s) à Secteur de Mazamet : 245 m² avec 7 chambres à 85 000 euros – Lopez immobilier Apparently this is in a fantastic location … Continue reading
Les Floriales 2018
This year’s Floriales (open air garden fair) is from the 27th to the 29th at the usual spot, the Jardin des Promenades. It’s definitely worth a visit, there’s a lot … Continue reading
A student pod – experimenting with space
This was a challenge. So much so that I’d been putting it off for months. I was so uninspired I was leaning towards just leaving the two studios in building … Continue reading
That was quick + The visit of flexitarian millenials.
– That took five minutes to sell, which is a rather good sign for the strengthening market of the area. Asking was 470 EU which is 580 US$ (at today’s … Continue reading
The Léon Daures Archives
The descendants of architect Léon Daures have donated all of his files/notes/drawings to the government of the Tarn. You might not recognise his name but if you’ve been to Albi … Continue reading
Hommage à la famille Hessel : mécènes et modèles | Christie’s
“The Hommage à la famille Hessel : Mécènes et Modèles auction, to be held on 23 March, offers one of the rarest art collections of the 20th century, including works by French … Continue reading
Chris Hayes: What ‘Law and Order’ Means to Trump – The New York Times
“… In this view, crime is not defined by a specific offense. Crime is defined by who commits it. If a young black man grabs a white woman by the … Continue reading
The Dilemma(s)
I spent a good long while last night examining the console table. The damage goes far beyond what I initially presumed. There’s over-painting throughout. And it’s not just the gold … Continue reading
A Horrendous Day
I had planned on posting wonderful pictures of a stunning parcel gilt lacca povera console table from the first half of the 18th century this afternoon – but that will … Continue reading
Fabulous news! Dame Gillian Lynne Theatre
‘Andrew Lloyd Webber has today announced that the New London Theatre is to be renamed in honour of the trailblazing choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne. The Theatre will be formally recognised … Continue reading
Older Than Springtime
The weather was lovely over the weekend and again today. I’ve taken advantage of that to start pruning the wisteria. Nightmare job. Terribly frightening to be that high up a … Continue reading
The Mezzaro & Other Textiles (an update)
The person you see in the video is J.C. Bordes. He’s a local artisan with shops here in Mazamet, in Labastide Rouairoux and in Albi – and he makes woodblock … Continue reading
Countdown + the newest family member
It’s countdown to Holy Week when the family arrives. People from Holland, (the) Ukraine and Britain. One of them is heavily pregnant with this child above! They don’t want … Continue reading
From a 2014 Sale: An Italian green and gilt-japanned chinoiserie bureau cabinet, Venetian, circa 1750
“This striking bureau cabinet, decorated with chinoiserie scenes imitating Oriental lacquer, takes its inspiration from the form of early 18th century Anglo-Dutch examples, which quickly took root as important pieces of … Continue reading
Demystifying Maison Jansen by James Archer Abbott
“Befitting its rich heritage, the name “Jansen” has multiple connotations. First, it identifies a century-long, global offering of decorating services that focused on both historical revivals and contemporary trends, largely … Continue reading
On this cold winter afternoon
Last night was the coldest night in France this winter. It snowed on the Côte d’Azur and in Corsica. Here the temperature went down to -7, but that was … Continue reading
The Heart is a Burial Ground: The lost, wild world of Caresse Crosby
“She is credited with inventing the modern bra, launched Salvador Dali on the international arts scene and founded a publishing house for writers including Hemingway, Joyce and Faulkner. But the … Continue reading
Beautiful Things: Indian Palampore or Genovese Mezzaro “Tapestries”
“A palampore is a type of hand-painted and mordant-dyed bed cover that was made in India for the export market during the eighteenth century and very early nineteenth century. Only … Continue reading
The African Textiles Are in Place
I’ve missed these terribly. They’re either Ajar veils or Bakhnug shawls, which are part of the attire of Berber women. We had them in the hall in Sotogrande (the … Continue reading
Mazamet: The property market this week
This just came on the market this week. I recognise it as I’ve gone by many, many times. This house faces the park on Avenue Albert Rouvière, almost directly across … Continue reading
Les belles demeures des anciens patrons mazamétains – 11/02/2018 – ladepeche.fr
“…Face au château, trois belles et grandes demeures. «Elles ont toutes appartenu à la même famille Vidal, propriétaire d’une des grandes fabriques de délainage. C’est d’abord le père qui a … Continue reading
The Paranoid Style in American Politics | Harper’s Magazine – 1964
Richard Hofstadter was DeWitt Clinton Professor of American History at Columbia University. His book “Anti-intellectualism in American Life” was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1964. This essay … Continue reading
V.I.Poo
So we’re watching television last night when this advert comes on. I kid you not. V.I.Poo. Not a documentary about reality tv stars, but an air freshener. I’d like to … Continue reading
Entirely Unreasonable
From -3 on Tuesday to +17 on Friday. Insane. Snow doesn’t have a chance in these conditions. Here’s Rudy in his work clothes. We have the impression the power’s gone … Continue reading
Mazamet Under the Snow
Last night was the coldest night in France this winter. And this morning we had our first proper snow of the season. This year I was prepared and all the … Continue reading
Enlightenment Now by Pinker via Bill Gates
Five interesting facts Gates liked from the book: You’re 37 times less likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning than you were at the turn of the century—and … Continue reading
Bidding on the Ritz: Paris hotel auctions furniture
Artcurial Sale “The Ritz hotel in Paris is auctioning off 10,000 pieces of furniture and decorative objects. The hotel, founded in 1898, reopened two years ago after four years … Continue reading
Is Jordan Peterson the stupid man’s smart person? – via Macleans.ca
Tabatha Southey delves into University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson’s work and finds his secret sauce—and what makes his work unnerving Tabatha Southey “…Western civilization is, after all, a delicate … Continue reading
Satan Come Forth!
Someone was kind enough to tip me off to this having been put up on youtube. Utterly hilarious – and what an absurd wig they put on Mike. They all … Continue reading
A Carpet for the Study
A very attractive silk and wool Bidjar from the first half of the 20th century in just exceptional condition. It fits the room beautifully leaving about the same distance on … Continue reading
Titles are boring
This was the last Christmas of my 30’s. Then the last New Years of my 30’s. Then the last January 4th of my 30’s. Today it’s the last January 17th … Continue reading
Many days are irritating, this wasn’t one of them.
Sorry, the pictures are awful; but what you see resting on the desk is a wonderful Belle Epoque mirror frame we found earlier today (I put another mirror behind it … Continue reading
Tradução: Um Menino A Ser Sacrificado
Abdellah Taïa para o New York Times Paris, 24 de Março de 2012 ”No marrocos da década de 1980, onde a homossexualidade evidentemente ‘não existia‘, eu era um pequeno menino … Continue reading
Exceptional weather
17º C and sunny. Even warmer than the last New Year’s we spent in Spain. How much alcohol does it take for someone to get alcohol poisoning? It must really … Continue reading
Experimentations in Shallow Breathing
We watched Call Me by Your Name today. Undoubtedly the film of the year. It’s only going to be released in France in February, so it was excellent to see it … Continue reading
Happy Holidays!!!
Wishing you all the best of everything – just as long as it’s just that little bit less good than whatever I get 😀
Big-nosed Jesus and God as a second-rate Santa: the worst Christian art | Art and design | The Guardian
“… Instead, Kermani does something both refreshingly cheeky and philosophically instructive. As he wonders what Christian art says about Christianity, he meditates on works ranging from Old Masters (Leonardo, Caravaggio, … Continue reading
Exceptional Beauty: Up Close and Personal with Goya
Boys with Mastiffs, de Goya y Lucientes Prado Museum 1786. Oil on canvas, 112 x 145 cm. “Two boys hold two large, muzzled mastiffs by their leads. On the collar … Continue reading
Not a great day
Annette Glasmacher, interior designer and former director at Chanel, has died. I spent the day trying to get my head to stop replaying images of her, her terrace, her house … Continue reading
Autumnal
‘Tis the season to be raking – which is tiresome; but at least I like looking at the red ivy. It gives me a chance to exercise silencing my mind, … Continue reading
Breaking News: ISIS claims responsibility for When Calls the Heart, Season 4
If they claim responsibility for series 1-3, then Canada can breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe Trudeau could ask his offshore money manager to speak to their offshore money manager … Continue reading
A very good blue & Larkin
“A Louis XV ormolu-mounted blue and gilt Vernis Martin bureau en pente. By Pierre IV Migeon, circa 1735-40, the vernis decoration attributed to the Martin Frères. Estimate: £120,000-180,000 The brothers … Continue reading
Sophisticated Theology™ in Group Structures (and politics)
Something absolutely fascinating happened to me yesterday. D.P. Monahan, who sometimes comments here, pointed me to a blog by someone called Hoyt who’d written a post on Matriarchy/Patriarchy. She (and … Continue reading
20ème siècle | Paris | October 2017 | Christie’s
“This October, Christie’s presents Giacometti’s colossal Grande femme II alongside Basquiat’s masterpiece, Jim Crow. Drawn from two exceptional French collections, the two works lead our series of auctions dedicated to … Continue reading
This week in that other part of my life
I’m overseeing the restoration of this rather wonderful Dolorosa (Madonna of the Seven Sorrows, to be specific). She’s circa 1750, carved wood, applied gesso and polychrome painted with glass eyes. … Continue reading
It’s not my fault | Edouard Louis
“It was a chase scene. In the foreground was what looked to be a middle-class man, wearing a white shirt and suit pants. He was trying to get away from … Continue reading
How the oligarchy wins: lessons from ancient Greece | Ganesh Sitaramanan | Opinion | The Guardian
“To understand that, we can turn to an instant classic from a few years ago, Jeffrey Winters’ Oligarchy. Winters argues that the key to oligarchy is that a set of … Continue reading
You weren’t wondering – but anyway
I’ve been quiet because I’ve been doing stuff. On occasion my mind becomes exceedingly unpleasant. Critical and negative, to an almost crippling degree. This has been one of those periods. … Continue reading
If Goodness Is Represented by X
Last night I couldn’t sleep and I was thinking about that tired line on how can there be goodness without “god”… But – what is goodness really? Isn’t the very … Continue reading
Now Canada Has Gone Too Far
I’m afraid this is a much more serious declaration of war on the entire world than any test North Korea might attempt. I have rarely, if ever, seen so many … Continue reading
Just a thought
One of those email forward things going around, but an amusing one. This woman is 51 yrs old. She is TV health guru Gillian McKeith, advocating a holistic approach to … Continue reading
(Translation) Tradução: 40 Anos do Movimento Anti-Gay
Versão original in English: aqui. Em 2005 a SPLC publicou um cronograma da história do movimento anti-gay nos Estados Unidos. Usando aquele trabalho como base criei uma versão alternativa, mais detalhada, … Continue reading
It’s an alpha male thing: what dominant chimpanzees and Donald Trump have in common | via The Guardian
“Chimpanzee politics can be intricate, but they always obey the rules of social dominance. Because chimps and humans evolved from a common ancestor going back 5-7m years, we humans know … Continue reading
Using the scale provided
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
How the aristocracy preserved their power | Chris Bryant
“Historically, the British aristocracy’s defining feature was not a noble aspiration to serve the common weal but a desperate desire for self-advancement. They stole land under the pretence of piety … Continue reading
The value of ancient religions in life today
So now it’s even the nice little Buddhists! Seeeeeeeeeeeee! See why I keep saying creating a hierarchy of which religion is least rubbish is pointless? All it does is give … Continue reading
Film, Dance and Life – not necessarily in that order
The great dancer Tamara Tchinarova died two days ago. She was the first wife of actor Peter Finch (remember Network?) It was all very peaceful. She was up one day, … Continue reading
Protected: Screaming for silence; In which one loses it.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
30 Day Exercise Challenges?
Has anyone done any of these 30 day exercise challenges? If so, how was it? I bought gym equipment again. The teenage boys who lived next door to us in … Continue reading
Lady Macbeth (Leskov) & Beatriz at Dinner
We finally got around to watching both films. This Lady Macbeth (as I mentioned in a recent post) isn’t the Shakespearean version, but based on a novella published by Nikolai … Continue reading
Sexism, Racism, Classism & Homophobia – Here I come!
Or there I went. Down the rabbit hole, just like Alice. This business of one’s past is dangerous stuff. Here I was, safely behind my exceedingly high French walls, but no, … Continue reading
The WC. at the top of the stairs, before & after
This was a fiddly affair, but we’re nearly there. All that’s missing now are the windows which are being restored. The floors unfortunately had to be replaced because when the … Continue reading
Look what I found
He’s going to be furious 😀 Hilarious. It’s on a site that’s called Movies & Portraits. Very creative, best wishes, George. Who’s George, and how has this picture ended up in … Continue reading
As mid-life crises go (come?)
I’m at 70kg. Which is down from 73, but not quite the 64 I was between the ages of 19 and 37. I’m 5’9 and a half, so I know … Continue reading
How Well Can We Remember Someone’s Life after They Die? – Julia Shaw for Scientific American
“Memory is often a social construction. Certainly in the context of grief, memories are often elicited and shared in group settings with family members and friends. Information is disclosed, information … Continue reading
Summer at number 42 (Mazamet, 2017)
“And when the Lord said drinketh champagneth, we didith.” Alcoholics 20:17 We’re enjoying summer no end this year. The girls have made it particularly fun and special. They do every … Continue reading
A Boy (or more) to be Sacrificed
I watched the men talking on the beach with some degree of suspicion. I simply did not understand what was going on, what they were doing, or why. I’d never … Continue reading
A Gap Year at Number 42
The August Girls are here and we’re having a ton of fun. Next year will be the 10th year we summer together. That’s a long time, isn’t it? The other … Continue reading
Rulers, Religion and Riches by Jared Rubin – why the west got rich | Books | The Guardian
“Why are some parts of the world rich, and other parts poor? In the west many of us live in conditions almost unimaginably more comfortable than billions of people in … Continue reading
Why Are Americans So Afraid? | Class Warfare Blog
“I was reading an article over at AlterNet with the title above. The subtitle is “Facts Take a Backseat to Deeply Ingrained Fears.” That article takes a fact-based approach in … Continue reading
1967 to 2017 = 50 years
Found this the other day. Amusing or what? 50 years ago this Agendist’s grandfather was presenting to the world the first long term injectable contraceptive. I’m not entirely sure why … Continue reading
Trans discrimination II via Clare Flourish
Trans discrimination II by Clare Flourish “It is not a free speech issue. You’re a man, really has little value as speech. Why would anyone want to be rude to … Continue reading
Standards of Real Manhood™
“Segurem suas cabras que meu bode está solto“ That’s a traditional Lusophone saying that means tie up your does because my buck is free. Get it? Keep your females locked up … Continue reading
Illuminated by Gas
About a year after I came out the dust had settled. All financial support from my family had ceased. Many harsh things were said- mostly by me. And at that … Continue reading
Of what we feel – and don’t feel.
After posting that little excerpt from The End of Eddy I ended up reading the English version yesterday. Excellent, although the translation isn’t quite as stylish as the French original; … Continue reading
How the middle class hoards wealth and opportunity for itself | Inequality | The Guardian
“… Opportunity hoarding does not result from the workings of a large machine but from the cumulative effect of individual choices and preferences. Taken in isolation, they may feel trivial: … Continue reading
Rank reversal aversion inhibits redistribution across societies | Nature Magazine, Human Behaviour
“Income inequality is pervasive despite evidence of inequality-averse social preferences. We show that people will sometimes support inequality to avoid reversing the rank of others in society. Using a … Continue reading
Summer 2017 (at nº 42)
We have a slight pause between the departure of our last guests and the arrival of new ones. Well, we do have a dog guest now, but that’s different. I’m … Continue reading
Artificial realities and income
Just found this in today’s El Pais And I had this one for France already: Does anyone have examples for other countries? You’d never guess those are the real … Continue reading
And one day you realise you’re a cartoon squirrel
And all the beautiful and sophisticated things you have are just you hoarding acorns- no matter how many romantic Dostoevskian justifications you may have. And you mostly socialise with other acorn … Continue reading
The ecology of human fear: survival optimization and the nervous system | Neuroscience
“In this article, we gather ecological theories and empirical data from a variety of related fields in an attempt to create a unified model of how humans predict, respond to, … Continue reading
The Zurbarán Nearby
I recently discovered that the Zurbarán above lives just 20 minutes away from number 42. It’s at the former Episcopal Palace in Castres (now a museum.) A very nice building of … Continue reading
Safety in numbers?
One of (in my firm opinion) the best interior designers in the world has landed at number 42- bringing along with her a photo of us together many years ago. … Continue reading
Update: Ten Types of Human by Dexter Dias
Absolutely worth the time! The title may be off-putting because it’s gimmicky- but the contents of the book are not. He uses the Ten Types format as an outline to … Continue reading
Nearly there
We’re still waiting for the moulding that tops off the wainscoting (aka chair rail), and then it’s mostly details. In all I’m pleased. It’s got great light and a welcoming … Continue reading
Tentative Uncertainty
When my mother-in-law was first ill, it was a strange time. Sometimes she’d say unusual things. Things that didn’t quite fit in the conversation. Then she’d have the occasional fall. … Continue reading
Cultural Oddities: Slave Jewellery
Isn’t that an extraordinary picture? All that jewellery you see, it’s gold. Solid gold. Salvador was the birthplace of slave jewellery. I think the concept doesn’t exist in any other … Continue reading
From the Rescuer to the Aggressor – understanding the 10 types of human | Science | The Guardian
“Dias tells the story of human behaviour through 10 tropes. The Kinsman will protect his or her own gene pool at the expense of any other. It’s illustrated in the … Continue reading
A Mild Headache & Peonies
–I have a mild headache. –We’re entering summer mode. We had guests a couple of weeks ago, but as of Wednesday it’s basically non-stop until September. Cold soups will feature … Continue reading
‘Are you yellow?’ Red Symons interview with Beverley Wang prompts ABC apology | The Guardian
Symons: “Do they speak Mandarin or Cantonese? Wang: “Who’s ‘they’?” Symons: “The people in Taiwan.” Wang: “They speak Taiwanese and they speak Mandarin. And in Canada, where I’m from, … Continue reading
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