One Way To Sum Up Brexit

If there is anything that sums up the week again concerning the shambles of Brexit, well - this is appropriate.

Just because...

well as it was St. Patricks Day here is a compilation of Father Ted -

Monday Musings

I think we have skirted the last of the storms. Today is sunny and mild - although still not as warm as we had. I have changed my plans yet again, and now will be heading into town to do the fourth visit of my pub food visits.

Meanwhile, I have completed reading two more books which I will review at some stage, maybe later today.
I had a thought about the surprise package coming from bro on Wednesday. he may be offloading some of his books as they have outgrown capacity to give them room anymore. Or it may be some hi-fi equipment or something else that I have not even considered.

Only time will tell.

I need to pick up some bubble wrap as I have two books to post and they need some covering before I wrap them up in a suitable brown hard-wearing paper before sending them off. I have more paper than wrap at the moment.

Oh, and if you are wondering why I did not do a morning post, we had a minor brownout caused by a substation malfunction. It affected parts of Ospringe for almost thirty minutes, so I went to bed again and read a book. I have just two more chapters of that one too to finish off. 

The Joy And The Order

Some post-punk and new wave grooves -

Joy Division - She Lost Control

Joy Division - Disorder

( More JD/NOhere )

Enjoy

Understanding Ian Curtis

More of the post-punk band from Macclesfield - up north to you southerners.

Although I an a Sumner I bear no relationship with Bernard Sumner of the band. Drat!

Sonic Youth Remembered

Another great alt-rock band and darlings of Wire magazine - now split up alas.

Serendipity

Earlier on I was watching the documentary on Ian Curtis and later on, I was watching Only Connect, and in the second round where the contestants have to guess the fourth in a sequence, this came up -

Stiff Kittens       Warsaw        Joy Division


I knew the fourth in the sequence straight away -

New Order

The sequence is the evolution of the band New Order. 

None of them got it. 

Bool 27 - Daniel L. Schacter "The Seven Sins Of Memory"

Daniel L. Schacter "The Seven Sins Of Memory" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)




Schacter approaches his task as a teacher. He focuses on seven problems with memory that have undoubtedly been experienced by the average reader.

1. Transience - Our memories weaken over time.
2. Absent-mindedness - We don't focus on what we need to remember.
3. Blocking - It's in our memory somewhere, but we can't find it.
4. Misattribution - We are wrong about where we learned something.
5. Suggestibility - Other people can "plant" false memories in us.
6. Bias - We rewrite the past with the pen of present beliefs.
7. Persistence - We keep remembering things we'd like to forget.

For each of these problems, he gives understandable examples. In the final chapter, the problems are discussed as a group, and the author states the opinion that these problems are a small price to pay for a memory capability that performs extraordinarily well.

In the early part of the book, there are references to specific functions of the various lobes of the brain and how those lobes may affect the processes of memory. As the discussion moves on to the rest of the “sins,” there are fewer references to objective scientific data, and more references to hypotheses and activity testing of various types. Professor Schacter does a thorough job of referencing the works of other psychologists, and summarizing their opinions.

An informative book, intended for non-technical people who want an overview of the field and a basic understanding of academic progress.

Book 28 - Richard F. Thomas "Why Dylan Matters"

Richard F. Thomas "Why Dylan Matters" (William Collins Books)










This was one of the books I received at Christmas.
It was a fascinating read of an artist I am beginning to appreciate more.

Of all the many books regarding the life and work of Bob Dylan, this one ranks at the top when it comes to being scholarly. Part of a long-standing Harvard class taught by Thomas, this distillation dissects no few examples of Dylan’s now-classic role in producing great works by stealing from others. More importantly, however, Bob Dylan makes what he steals his own. No small task and something only a very few distinctive artists can pull off successfully. But the great ones, in fact, do exactly that. What interests me most is Dylan’s process of creation based on the studies, experience, and knowledge of the professor’s obsession with great Classic art. It is no stretch to state that Dylan is one of the best in the business and well-deserving of his 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature


Very informative and enjoyable to read this tribute.

Good Night