Feed the Imagination.....

Just Finished Reading: The Bedford Incident by Mark Rascovich (FP: 1963)

The USS Bedford is one of America’s most advance anti-submarine destroyer in the fleet. Patrolling the dangerous waters between Greenland and Iceland in the search for Soviet submarines she is crewed by the cream of US naval academies and is the envy of many. But it is her captain that defines her. Known as resourceful and unforgiving of failure he has personally crafted a crew that can operate at peak efficiency for hours or days on end as the hunt continues. But Captain Erik J Finlander (played by Richard Widmark in the 1965 movie adaptation) is a deeply obsessive man. He is also a man who harbours a deep hatred for submarines and sub-mariners, a hatred that has only grown since his wartime experiences. His obsession even has a name, although one given to a Soviet submarine never caught in multiple encounters – Moby Dick. So when faint radio signals lead the Bedford into the waters below which the ill-fated HMS Hood lies on the seabed Finlander is determined that this time his quarry will not elude him – no matter the consequences. But will the Captain’s obsession with consummating the hunt with an actual kill make a Cold War very hot indeed?

This is another one of those books I picked up years or decades ago after seeing the movie on TV (probably prompted by my father). I remember bits of it – in particular the end – but those memories have faded a great deal so the book turned out to be surprisingly fresh. Chocked full of tension this is the tale of a cat and mouse game for very high stakes indeed. Finlander himself is a great character with many admirable qualities but still a deeply flawed one (indeed he’s possibly insane or at least borderline psychotic). The other members of the crew are well fleshed out although I did find the British naval officer more than a little silly and unbelievable. The German Commander (an ex-U Boat captain) was an intriguing addition to the crew and provided a very interesting sub-plot and some sparkling dialogue. The embedded reporter was more than a little annoying (I think you were supposed to not like him) but again had some good lines. The chase itself was full of tension, surprisingly so as there was no actual ‘combat’ to focus on, and was very ably done. Overall, despite its age and a few wobbles with the plot, I was quite impressed with this Cold War thriller. More Naval gazing and Cold War goings on to come. This was also the first book in a collection of ‘End of the World’ stories. Be prepared to be rather depressed over the next few months…… Sorry!  

Cartoon Time.

Make the Effort.... Change your Life.

Survey shows deep class divide in reading habits 

From The Observer

Wednesday 12 March 2014


New research shows a stark and "worrying" cultural divide in the UK when it comes to reading, with half the country picking up a book at least once a week for pleasure, and 45% preferring television.

The England-wide survey of the reading habits of 1,500 adults conducted by DJS Research for Booktrust says that on average, the higher the socio-economic group that someone is in, the more often they read: 27% of DEs never read books themselves, compared with 13% of ABs, while 62% of ABs read daily or weekly, compared with 42% of DEs. Reading charity Booktrust, which commissioned the research, believes its findings should serve as a warning that "Britain's divided reading culture is a barrier to social mobility". The study indicates "links between deprivation and not reading books", said Booktrust, with those who never read living in more deprived areas, with a higher proportion of children living in poverty, and those who read less "more likely to be male, under 30, and have lower levels of qualifications, happiness, and satisfaction within their lives".

One respondent, a male who fell into the survey's 30-44 years age bracket, told researchers: "The fact is, it's 2013 not 1813. We have electricity now so we can buy DVDs and watch television rather than read books. Books are for an older generation, younger people on the whole do not read books." Overall, nearly a fifth of adults surveyed (18%) said they never read physical books at all, and 56% said they believe the internet and computers will replace books in the next 20 years. This figure rises to 64% among 18 to 30-year-olds, said Booktrust. Twenty-seven per cent of respondents said they preferred the internet, and social media, to reading books, with this proportion rising to 56% for 18 to 30-year-old respondents.

Although most of those who read regularly told the researchers that this improves their life, this was more pronounced for higher social-economic groups, said Booktrust, with 85% of ABs saying reading helps to make them feel good, compared to 69% of DEs. The research also shows the "significant" link between a family's reading habits and a child's future attitude to reading, with 89% of respondents whose parents read to them as children reading regularly to their own children, compared to 72% of respondents whose parents didn't read to them. Booktrust is "concerned that this divided reading culture is leading to large numbers of children missing out on the benefits of books", and is running a conference on Tuesday at which figures including children's laureate Malorie Blackman, and the MPs Alan Johnson and Liam Fox, will attempt to kick start a national conversation about improving social mobility by encouraging reading earlier.

Blackman told the Guardian that a love of books "is one of the greatest gifts that can be passed down to our children", but that "sadly too many are missing out. The new research shows this has a negative impact on so many aspects of life – wellbeing, happiness and employment," said Blackman, adding that families "have a huge role to play in encouraging reading from an early age and supporting parents is crucial. We need to reduce poverty and improve social mobility – spreading the opportunity to read is one of the most powerful ways we can do this," she said.

Labour MP Alan Johnson also responded to the survey, saying: "This new research reminds us that we need to give everyone a hand up the reading ladder … By putting reading at the centre of early intervention and child poverty strategies, and in particular fostering a love of books, we can ensure all children have the best possible start. A positive one nation reading culture can be transformative."
Booktrust chief executive Viv Bird said the research indicates that frequent readers "are more likely to be satisfied with life, happier and more successful in their professional lives. But there is a worrying cultural divide linked to deprivation. There will never be a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to social mobility, but reading plays an important role – more action is needed to support families."

[Well some of that makes really sad reading. Although I have come across several people in the last 5-10 years who are very proud of the fact that they haven’t picked up a book since school. Others are generally perplexed either by what I read (seemingly anything) or that I read at all, considering such a thing as an aberration and proof positive that I’m more than a little ‘strange’. Personally I cannot conceive of not reading and, if prevented from doing so for too long, start reading street signs, passing bus adverts and cereal packets just to get some printed words inside my head. I’d have to say that reading is good for you in so many ways, and not just as a cure for ignorance (there’s certainly enough of that around). Books, I believe, make you a better person. You live inside the heads of other people and see the world through their eyes. That alone is worth the ‘effort’ of turning pages.]

Cartoon Time.

Good advice...........

Lithium study helps scientists unlock ageing puzzle

From The BBC

7 April 2016

A common drug could hold the key to long life, in flies at least, according to research. At low doses, lithium prolonged the life of fruit flies in lab experiments. Scientists say the finding is "encouraging" and could eventually lead to new drugs to help people live longer and healthier lives.

Lithium is used in psychiatry to help stop mood swings but has a risk of serious side-effects at high doses. How lithium acts on the brain is not fully understood, but in fruit flies the drug seems to extend life by blocking a chemical known as GSK-3. "The response we've seen in flies to low doses of lithium is very encouraging and our next step is to look at targeting GSK-3 in more complex animals with the aim of eventually developing a drug regime to test in humans," said Prof Linda Partridge of the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, who led the study.

The research, published in Cell Reports, found fruit flies lived 16% longer than average when given low doses of lithium. At high doses, lithium reduced their lifespan. "We found low doses not only prolong life but also shield the body from stress and block fat production for flies on a high sugar diet," said co-researcher Dr Ivana Bjedov from the UCL Cancer Institute.

Claire Bale of the charity Parkinson's UK, which part-funded the study, said: "It's encouraging to see that the researchers have been able to identify a key piece of the ageing puzzle, which one day may allow us to intervene in the ageing process. This research has the potential to not only help create a healthier older generation, but also provide significant insights into how we could potentially treat or even prevent conditions of ageing like Parkinson's."

Lithium salts have been used in the past as a health tonic and to heal conditions such as gout and migraines. In modern medicine, lithium is used to encourage mood stability in bipolar disorder and is also being considered for the treatment of memory impairment. It has a risk of serious side-effects at high doses.

[Stories like this interest me more as I get older. Despite the fact that we’re mortal doesn’t mean that we can’t extend healthy life beyond what is considered to be normal. An average age of 100 is more than achievable and I don’t think that 200 is beyond our capabilities either. Beyond that? I think if we want to move beyond 200 we might need something a bit more radical than exotic chemicals. We’ll need to understand and be able to manipulate the human genome a lot more than we do presently. If we want to go much beyond 500 we’re going to get really radical. But I’m not ruling it out. There does seem to be a great deal of energy (and money) being invested in life extension. Maybe, just maybe, it’ll pay off one day…..] 

Reading expands the mind......

Almost Didn’t Finish Reading: The Separation by Dinah Jefferies (FP: 2014)

Malaya, 1955. On returning home after visiting a sick friend, Lydia Cartwright finds her house empty and her husband and children nowhere to be seen. Investigating at the High Commission she is informed that her husband has been assigned to an emergency post ‘in country’. Determined to meet up with her family again Lydia embarks on the perilous journey inland through the very heart of the local Communist insurgency known simply as ‘The Emergency’. But bad news awaits her. On reaching the outpost she finds that the government building has been burnt to the ground by terrorists and that everyone, including her family, died in the fire. Distraught she falls back on the only person she can trust, Jack Harding - plantation owner and former lover. Meanwhile, in England her Husband and two girls are starting a new life. The girls have been told that their mother has abandoned them, but the eldest girl, Emma, refuses to believe it and begins asking questions much to her father’s growing irritation.

OK, firstly this wasn’t really what I was expecting to read. I guess I should have read the blurb a bit more closely but still….. My other excuse for almost not finishing this – I essentially gritted my teeth through the last 80 pages or so – was that I was ill throughout the second half of the book. Anyway….. Although this was quite well written, especially for a first book, I did have huge problems with it – or more specifically with the main character Lydia. I’m not sure if all mid 50’s women were like this but I honestly wanted to slap her more than once. I mean, she was just so trusting of the authorities. Told that her family was dead – without a shred of physical evidence to support it – she simply accepted the fact and tried to move on. Even when presented with evidence that they were alive, or at least statements that contradicted the official position she hesitated and suddenly became sceptical. When given the opportunity to ask leading questions she either failed to do so – being seemingly more interested in past or present emotional attachments of the other characters – or asked a single question and meekly accepted the answer she was given much to my growing frustration with her (I honestly lost my cool with her on one occasion and almost through the book down in disgust). The plot, such that it was, was overly convoluted (a common fault with first novels) and containing sub-plots that neither moved the story forward nor explained anything about the characters themselves. The rejected lesbian kiss and the completely unnecessary child molestation sub-plots particularly annoyed me. Overall I only finished this book because not to do so would have been a huge waste of time. I most certainly didn’t enjoy it and can’t recommend it to anyone else.  

Happy Birthday to Me! 56 Today.....!

Cartoon Time.

Read... Whenever you can.... Wherever you can.....

Back in My Day We had None of That…..

I suppose that it’s a combination of a couple of things – the fact that I’m just coming to the end of a book about Western achievements over the last 1000 years, the fact that I’m 56 in a few days or the fact that my Mother is 80 on Wednesday and when we spoke about it recently I remarked ‘Oh, the things you must have seen…..’

Which, naturally got me thinking about some of the things I’ve seen or remember over the last 50+ years. No doubt my younger readers will dismiss the idea that I remember a time when we had two TV channels (BBC1 and BBC2) which transmitted during limited hours, shutting down late into the evening, and, of course, only transmitted in black & white. I was part of that generation that straddled the gap between listening to the radio and watching TV. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to radio plays which honestly gripped this little boy’s heart and wouldn’t let go. I don’t know if it’s a real memory or not but I remember listening to the adventures of Dick Barton, Special Agent but that might have been the 1972 revival. Of course I remember the launch of Channel Four in 1982 bringing up to four the TV channels available swiftly followed by the cable explosion.

I fondly remember the arrival of the New Wave, New Romantics and, of course, Punk which both shocked and delighted me in equal measure. I remember seeing my first Punk (actually two of them) walking along a street in Wigan (about 7 miles from my parents’ house) who literally stopped traffic as they walked along. I’m surprised that they didn’t cause a few traffic accidents. I remember the dawn of the IT age and the days I spent hunting down an early model Sinclair Spectrum and badgering my parents to buy it for me. I loved that thing to death and not just because I could play games on it. I’d been gaming since 1974 when I first came across an arcade style game called Pong. The rest, as they say is history.

Many things have left no impression at all. I have no memory of the Cuban Missile Crisis (aged just over 3) or the Kennedy Assassination. I must have known about it but both events simply didn’t register. I remember watching the Moon landings and having my Mother wake me up in the very early hours to watch it live. I strongly remember Apollo 13 as my school had TV’s set up across the campus and actually advised us to watch the events as they unfolded throughout the day. I also have strong memories of Vietnam and have had a ‘double image’ type thing going on when I see documentaries about the War – remembering seeing the footage live on TV at the time. I particularly remember the ditching of helicopters over the side of aircraft carriers to allow more refugees to escape the final days.

I remember, possibly for the first time ever, standing in line to watch a movie that everyone was talking about – Star Wars in 1977. I remembered really liking it up until the rather lame medal ceremony at the end. Most of what are now regarded as 70’s and 80’s classics I saw either at the local cinema or, more frequently on VHS video (remember that?). I remember seeing my first mobile phone in London – complete with handy battery carrying case. I even remember the early Internet, and more shockingly a time before the Internet even existed, the AOL Online and USENet. Oh the heady days of jumping across the world from computer system to system with that still evocative sound of a modem ‘handshaking’ across the phone lines. It still sends a delightful shiver down my back every time I hear one.

So much to remember if I put my mind to it, so much probably forgotten. It’s nice when a deep memory pops up like an old friend though. It’s all rather cosy when you think about it….      

Cartoon Time.

Sexist bullying 'can make bright girls feel unfeminine'

By Judith Burns BBC Education reporter

31 March 2016

Girls feel they have to choose between being attractive or clever because of sexist name calling in schools, a teachers' union leader has warned. It can lead to lessons "with boys talking and girls listening", said Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Girls too often feel they are on a tightrope, Dr Bousted added. Students at both mixed sex and all-girls' schools were internalising society's views of women, she warned. "There are so many names girls can be called - far more than for boys," said Dr Bousted, speaking ahead of the ATL's annual conference in Liverpool next week where the issue will be discussed.

She said this could lead to a "sorting" of girls and a feeling that it was not possible to be both brainy and feminine. "Unfortunately this is what some girls think," said Dr Bousted. She said there were multiple pressures on girls - to be thin, attractive, compliant and quiet - and that bright girls could be made to feel unfeminine. "I think sexist bullying is a thing that just doesn't get talked about. For girls, 'if you are swotty and clever and answer too many questions, you are not attractive'. There's a very fine line. There is a conspiracy of near-silence amongst girls." Dr Bousted, a former English teacher, said she had once taped lessons at her school, believing there was a "fairly even split" between the amount the sexes contributed to class discussions. But when she played the recording back it was clear the boys dominated the debate and girls listened. She said these attitudes could affect girls' subject choices and "it can become hard for them to believe they can achieve". The ATL conference is due to debate calls for the union to develop a definition of sexist bullying and harassment - and work on resources for teachers to help them deal with it.

"Schools of course have to promote equality between the sexes but this is not an issue for schools alone," said Dr Bousted. "Adolescents today have more access to highly sexualised films and content, on social media, than ever before," she said, adding that this affected pupils' attitudes to females and was very hard for teachers to police. Dr Bousted said she was "very confident" schools were dealing with the issue better than they had a few years ago. She said it was crucial all pupils were helped to develop good speaking and listening skills to boost their confidence both inside and outside the classroom. Helen Fraser, chief executive of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST), said there was "certainly nothing unfeminine about standing up and making your voice heard". She added: "In our increasingly image-obsessed society, it is not surprising that girls feel under pressure to maintain idealised personas but what they look like is only one very small part of who they are. By pushing boundaries, asking questions and taking risks, girls can develop a sense of self-worth that is anything but superficial." Ms Fraser said gender stereotyping was less prevalent in single-sex schools with 59% of GDST A-level students taking at least one science or maths subject last year.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said the government was "crystal clear" that sexist bullying, like all other forms of bullying, must not be tolerated. "Every school is required by law to have measures in place to prevent it. We have strengthened teachers' powers to tackle bullying and have made clear that teachers can discipline and investigate cases of bullying outside school. In addition, we're ensuring all children are better educated about the dangers of the internet, with children learning about internet safety as part of the new National Curriculum."

[How the times have changed. I am honestly horrified at some of the stories coming out of our schools today and am thankful that I don’t have to worry about any of my kids going through the education system. Back in my school days – during the 1960’s and 70’s – we had bullying sure. I myself was bullied to an extent but I managed my way out of it. Sexist bullying? Now that’s a new one on me. Every school I went to was mixed sex so we certainly had plenty of girls around. Some were attractive, some very attractive and others were smart. Some of the attractive girls were also smart. Did this cause any great comment? Not to my knowledge. The idea of ‘keeping girls in their place’, which is what this article seems to be alluding to, is completely alien to my experience. I have to wonder a great deal about the future generation(s) that we’re producing right now. Not only are we storing up problems for the future but we seem to be deliberately creating those problems in the first place. It confounds me.]   

You always see further on books..........

Just Finished Reading: The Downfall of Money – Germany’s Hyperinflation and the Destruction of the Middle Class by Frederick Taylor (FP: 2013)

Countries across the globe have experienced periods of rapid inflation but the hyperinflation of the early 1920’s in Germany is by far the most frightening example of this economic disaster. Fuelled by internal debt to pay for WW1 – ironically ‘buttressed’ by the thought that the victorious Central Powers that future Reparations could be used to ‘service’ it – and tacitly encouraged in the years following her defeat it quickly got out of hand producing the now famous images of housewives wheeling baskets full of bundles of money to the shops before the prices changed and people using money as wallpaper because it was either that or use it as fuel. Interestingly the author makes reference to the, what I thought was, apocryphal story of the shopper who left her baby carriage outside the shop with bundles of Billion Mark notes only to return to find that the carriage had been stolen and the money left behind as true. Reading this fascinating (almost car-crash style) economic history of a country completely out of control I can certainly believe it.

Now I’ve lived through inflation rates that would horrify the kids living around me today. Back in 1975 (books about the period to come) the UK inflation rate hit and amazing 24.2%. Now that’s a LOT. Indeed the very idea of that rate of inflation is pretty scary. Now imagine living somewhere where inflation hits 50% a MONTH and gets worse…… that’s Germany in the 20’s! The most surprising thing was how well Germany society coped – in the fact that the whole structure didn’t simply collapse under the weight of all that paper money. Of course if you had any savings and didn’t withdrawer them smartish then you were essentially screwed – the author relates a story of a pensioner who withdrew his entire pension pot, which he expected to live for years on, spent it all on a tram ticket to go home where he starved to death – less so if you were on a fixed income where the local and national governments tried as much as possible to provide an amount of money people could live on. Of course if you had ‘things’ rather than cash (or nothing) the increasing inflation created many opportunities for the rich to get even richer which should as no surprise to anyone.

Of course with an economy out of control the political consequences were profound. The post-revolution Left Wing government garnered many followers and did the trade unions but the far Right prospered too holding the incumbent government responsible for both the Army’s ‘stab in the back’ and for the post war chaos. These people could not, of course, ever be trusted. When strikes broke out and spread to open insurrection in some parts of Germany the Army was only too happy to intervene to crush the Communist menace. When a similar breakaway group attempted a poorly thought out ‘putsch’ in Munich neither the local authorities nor the nation Army agreed to step in. Being notoriously ‘blind in the Right eye’ they slapped the hands of the ring leaders (including an up and coming young firebrand Adolf Hitler) and allowed them to continue. Nothing lasts of course and eventually, when things got really bad, the government stepped in, issued a new currency and stabilised the situation. But not before the German Middle class had been effectively destroyed and the rise of the Right was unstoppable.
 

Told with a deft hand this is an excellent tale of what happens when economies are allowed to get out of hand and the very avoidable consequences we are all familiar with and still living with. Excellent political history with some fascination insights into the German Revolution of 1918-1919. Highly recommend for anyone interested in a true nexus of world history.

As usual, as it's my Birth Month, SaLT will be even more dedicated to all things bookish for the next 30 days. I'm sure that I'll find something for most of you - but in the meantime stop reading my Blog and start reading a book!

Cartoon Time.

Damn those Magicians! Setting off their Atomic Spells!

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

You may have noticed that we have a pretty important election coming up on this tiny island just off the coast of Europe. In June (23rd I think) we get to decide if the UK stays in the EU or leaves to find its own place in the world. Those who know me well will know that I’ve already made my mind up on the issue. From what I’ve seen of the propaganda so far – surprisingly little considering the importance of the question – I have the feeling that people will vote to come out, because when you get right down to it people generally are pretty stupid.

From what I’ve seen/heard so far the OUT voters are focused on immigration, that great bugbear of modern politics. If we’re outside of the EU, they believe, we’ll have far more control over who comes into the country and it’ll be all carrots and apples from then on. Apparently leaving the EU will have no, or only minor, negative effects which can be compensated for elsewhere in the world. Of course what they’re missing is the mainland Europe is by far our largest trading partner. After we leave any agreements will either become null & void and will eventually lapse. The problem will be when the agreements are renegotiated – are they going to be identical in nature or worse? I hardly expect them to be better than before. Then there’s laws that have been written into UK law on the insistence of the EU as part of our membership agreement. Will they become null & void, simply ignored or actively repealed? You know, small things like the Working Time Directive which limits the number of hours someone can work and other things like, for instance, our signing up to the European Human Rights legislation. Will all that now be swept away? No doubt some out there couldn’t agree more. Why do we need to force companies not to employ people for ridiculous periods and who needs Human Rights anyway. After all they only get in the way of what we want to do so why not get rid of the whole lot of them. What could possibly go wrong?

I know at least two people in my team who will be voting OUT so I can at least cancel out on of their votes. If you’re a UK resident I’d definitely advise you to vote in this one. I missed the last one because I was too young and the decision in June is going to have huge consequences whatever the outcome. Don’t assume that one side or the other has already won (OK I did that at the start but I’m still casting my vote!). The media always pull shit like that and are then surprised by the real outcome. I don’t know what the rules are yet but I do hope that it’s not a simple majority. I think the bar should be at 66% or above to make it valid. Wasn’t the Scottish Referendum 75%?

Oh, and speaking of Scotland, it’ll be interesting to see if the overwhelming majority of English vote to leave and the majority of Scot’s vote to stay in. That, some have said, would prompt an automatic revote on Independence and I honestly don’t think that they’ll say No this time! I guess I might be retiring to Scotland in a few years…..

Maybe so.... Just not in those heels!

Cartoon Time.

Must be the new Panda Line in London.....

Just Finished Reading: Zoo Station by David Downing (FP: 2008)

Berlin, early 1939. British journalist John Russell is beginning to think that his time in Germany is limited. After 14 years in country it increasingly looks like war is coming and if it does the very best that he can hope for is to be interned for the duration. But he doesn’t want to leave. After 14 years he has accumulated too much just to pack his bags and go – an ex-wife, a teenage son and a glamorous girlfriend, not to mention friends in the international press. But if John didn’t think that things were complicated enough they’re going to get a whole lot more so. Approached by the Soviet authorities he is persuaded to spy for them against his better instincts. Catching on that he’s working for the Soviets (in an apparently innocent capacity) the German secret service ask him to spy for them too. Then, when the British ask him to spy for them too, it gets really complicated! But it is the parting request of a friend in the American consulate that could be the complication that breaks everyone’s back. Asked to teach two Jewish teenage girls English to make their exit from Germany easier John become involved in Germany’s increasingly dark internal politics. It seems only a matter of time before one of his jobs will be the end of him.

My regular readers will no doubt remember my love of Alan Furst espionage novels based just before and into the early years of WW2. It seems that he now has a very serious rival indeed. John Russell is a great character who’s embedded in the regime and so can take the reader on a guided tour of the high and mighty as well as the poor and destitute. The evocation of late 30’s Germany is incredibly powerful and well done. It’s probably a toned down version of what was really happening then but is, in some places at least, stomach churning enough that I honestly don’t want to know the awful truth. But if you want a flavour of the time without the need to wash your hands (or have a shower) afterwards you can probably do worse than this. The author is a historian as well as an author of fiction so he knows enough about the period to make things feel real. Personally I was riveted practically from the first page to the last. Luckily this is the first book in a series of adventures for John Russell and I shall be acquiring future books as soon as I can – because, you know, I need even more books in my life! Well written, believable, not exactly for the faint hearted but highly recommended. Very good indeed!