In his book ‘Across Trackless Labrador’ (1913) the English explorer J. Hesketh Prichard, practically unknown in North American, wrote, ‘The problem of existence is solved by successful destruction.’ This prophetic statement has been the condition of mankind through the ages. Wolves kill a deer and solve the problem of their existence. Man tears at the land to get at iron ore, gold, minerals and so helps solve the problem of his own existence. The Alberta oil sands produce so-called‘dirty oil’ and blame is dished out by the environmentalists for destruction of the landscape; likewise those who extract iron ore in Labrador, those who clear cut the forests of the Maritimes, British Columbia and Oregon, too. They’re all castigated for making a mess of the environment. Yet they’re only doing their bit to help solve the problem of our existence. Without their efforts to satisfy our wants – if not our needs – where would we be? In short, we have our iPods, radios, tvs, aircraft, pleasure ships, cars, food, shelters ad nausea, so let us have less complaining.
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Solving the problem of existence
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012Lightweights taking on heavyweights
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011), who wrote ‘God is not great’, had a no contest public debate with former Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair, who came like a lamb to the slaughter. There was some was sympathy for the poor fellow, but not much. To his credit, though, he tried hard and at least earned a good purse for his effort. Next, one Tom Harpur, another champion of monotheism with numerous books to his credit, steps into the ring. Harpur had little to say in defence of any argument against atheism although he used an excess of words to say it. It was a heck of a lot of gobbledygook, which ended with, ‘…When I consider the amount of confidence in sheer coincidence required by atheism in the face of the latest scientific findings about the origin and nature of the universe, I realize I simply don’t have and never will have the amount of faith such a leap demands.’ (Clearly this man of faith has insufficient to make big leaps.) If he wrote in plain English the less educated of us might be able to understand what he says. Meanwhile, he might easily have referred us to that wonderful book by the Peter Hitchens, ‘The Rage against God’, which is a first-rate counterpoint to his brother Christopher Hitchens’ book ‘God is not Great’. Enough said.
Oh, the gall of it all
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty visited the Middle East this week – or what is left of it. They assure the Israelis that Israel has no greater friend than Canada (Bit cheeky this. What will the U.S. think?) Baird then chastises Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Maliki and says that Canada views the Palestinian initiative (to have their territory recognized as a state by the United Nations) as profoundly wrong. (Really!) Unilateral action such as this is shocking and beyond reasonable, he said. Palestine must go back to the negotiating table without preconditions, but for what compelling reason? Hasn’t Canada enough problems of its own without sticking its oar in elsewhere? What about their failure to accommodate their own First Nations, to settle their differences with Quebec, with building more prisons for declining crime, spending billions on fighter aircraft to protect Canadian borders, which have yet to be attacked except by the States (besides, the U.S. is doing that for them, but against what?), rescinding a registry of long guns, telling the Canadian public what a marvellous job their doing? Who’s going to get the Israelis to the table without preconditions? They must love this international attention. Anyway, they’re too busy getting ready to thump Iran for running a nuclear programme. Oh yes, the very gall of it all seems beyond belief.
A child’s introduction to Fitzgerald’s Rubáiyát
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012‘What’s the meaning of the hunter of the east?’ he asks. ‘It means the sun, what is called in English a metaphor, which is saying one thing but meaning another,’ I say. ‘If you lived in Sanaa, in the shadow of mountains lying east that rise to three thousand feet you’ll be in shadow from the rising of the morning sun. When the sun’s rays appear over the top of the mountain they strike the tallest buildings first, the minarets with their bobbles, in a burst of glorious light. So the lines “And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught, The Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.” make perfect sense.’
‘And what about Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night? What does that mean?’ he asks and I reply, ‘The sky at night is a gigantic bowl of stars that sheds a ghostly light. When day breaks in the desert, the watchman flings a stone that strikes the bowl by the fire to awake the camp – for the morning light puts the stars to flight. They disappear like turning out the light. So you see, those opening lines make perfect sense.
Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.
‘What about the rest?’ he asks
‘That you have to read, my son, and work out for yourself.’
Sir Percy Sillitoe’s African descendents
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012Sir Percy Sillitoe (1898-1962), former head of MI5, spent his early years as a guardian of society in the Northern Rhodesian Police (Northern Rhodesia was renamed Zambia after independence from British rule). There Sillitoe met Mary Museba of the Bemba tribe in the Abercorn District. Mary, born about 1900, became Sillitoe’s consort and gave birth to John Sillitoe who, with his father’s involvement, was schooled and educated in a Methodist College. In the Second World War, John enlisted in the Northern Rhodesia Army Service Corps and married Molly with whom he raised a large and successful family. For his work in Zambia, John Sillitoe received the Order of Distinguished Service, the country’s highest honour, by President Kaunda (1824-2008). Today, the African Sillitoes of Zambia are well-dispersed: some in the UK, others in Africa, and two of John’s grandsons are medical specialists in North America: one an orthopedic surgeon on the Canadian West Coast; the other is an assistant professor at the Department of Neuroscience of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY. Not bad for the noble son of a noble man.
What’s the use of moaning and groaning?
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012It was a furtive mailing. At least, we’re always taken aback at its coming. We wiped away our tears with this pendulous scimitar swinging above our heads. What is this? Up again? First installment $1,500 and two more to go? That’s $4,500 for the year. The town managers are quick off the mark with their tax demands, but the town budget won’t be ready for another six months. Their profligacy knows no bounds. Heavens to Betsy, the decadence, the extravagance, the lavishness of it all. They want special equipment next door for ice rescues. Be good sports and buy it. Cost over-runs for maintaining the new sports centre? Stick it to them. An outdoor shelter for the police over what was once a public right of way? Squeeze it in; they’ll never know. What about raises – those indexed pensions, too? A mere 2 per cent (on the QT actually – three!), but no matter. Keep it under your hat. As for you lot who provide this largess, cough up. There’s no point in moaning and groaning.