Uh-oh!
Indeed. Step forward Capnocytophaga canimorsus.
This is why I always love it when dog owners bring their pets into supermarkets and coffee shops. Because yes, Capno is – as it states above – rare. But there are numerous other more common (but ok, potentially less serious) bacteria, viruses and parasites that your friendly neighbourhood pooch is carrying around with them, right next to you as you’re having your breakfast or buying your food.
(And don’t even get me started on cats…)
Nice.
A bit of a mishmash of stuff I didn’t write, but that I think you should read today.
But first off, a health warning. How’s your energy frequency today? I’m still recovering from the weekend and my bad back, so I’m only mid-50s.
Oh, and Fresh Food = Death. Who knew?
Seems legit.
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Next: CLIMATE! SeeOhToo is huge, glaciers are melting, and it’s not quite as hot as it was 4 years ago. I’ve said before that I’m not going to get too deeply involved in this debate, but I enjoyed reading this article on the subject. Again, I’m not fighting the science, I’m fighting the reporting of the science.
I asked the Australian climate scientist Tom Wigley what he thought of the claim that climate change threatens civilization. “It really does bother me because it’s wrong,” he said. “All these young people have been misinformed. And partly it’s Greta Thunberg’s fault. Not deliberately. But she’s wrong.”
I would not like to see us motivating people to do the right thing by making them believe something that is false.
Been there, too.
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Here’s an interesting twitter account: FootyQuakes
Measuring the seismic effect of goal celebrations in the EFL Championship.
Amazing.
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A brief intermission here, as I just asked someone at a multi-million Rand business (we’re talking 9 figures here), and was told that I could pick it up in Bellville. I don’t want to go to Bellville, so I asked for it to be sent via email, and was told:
We do not send so many pages via email.
Wow. Should I ask for a fax?
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And – vaguely linked, actually – I’ve been using WeTransfer to share some files recently. While the files are uploading, you get offered links to wepresent – their photographic essay site. Some of the stuff there is pretty good.
I’d advise https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/story/nuuk-york-state-of-mind/ and https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/story/corey-arnold-aleutian-dreams/ but the whole site is worth a look.
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Enjoy your day!
It’s election time in the UK, and I’m really glad I’m not there.
If the hysteria and hypocrisy on social media is anything to go by (and to be fair, it’s probably not), it must be an absolute crapfest over there at the moment.
Taking a step back 6000 miles… away from the situation, it’s always interesting to me what the combination of acute politics, access to the internet and a glass or two of wine can bring out in people. In an age when we are trying desperately hard to educate our kids as to the dangers of poor social media etiquette, people – parents! – really don’t seem to think before they share and post stuff online.
Take this hilarious meme, for example. Yes, yes, I see what they’re trying to say here, and of course they’re entitled to their political opinions, but in stating one particular party in the slightly altered heading (did you even notice?), for me, they’re implying that any other party’s propaganda is fine.
That definition of propaganda for you:
information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
So if one party is lying, that’s [emoji poo], but for anyone else, it’s fine?
Ok then.
It’s another good example of the hypocrisy that is conveniently overlooked when shouting about these things. Because if you think that Labour or the Lib Dems (other parties are available) are going to deliver on their election promises, you really haven’t been concentrating on any election ever.
And yet the people posting this sort of crap are (mostly) well-educated, professional individuals who wouldn’t dream of saying something so clearly illogical in any other area of their life.
There’s some major sociological study just waiting for a suitable PhD candidate right here. (It’s probably already been done, to be honest.)
I’ve said it about sport:
…it’s fine to be irrational, as long as you know you’re being irrational. Sport brings out the irrational side in a lot of people…
The trouble is, much like sport, politics encourages this weird kind of behaviour as well. And, much like sport, it’s exacerbated by social media.
Take a look at your friends’ posts online now. And if you don’t see this phenomenon, you’ve either chosen good friends (well done) or you’re deep inside the echo chamber with them (oh dear).
I will admit to feeling a little jaded today. Last night was a lot of fun, but a scary amount of alcohol was drunk and I’m really not feeling ever so brilliant today. In fact, I’ve even just taken an afternoon nap in an attempt to mend myself. It’s only partially succeeded. Very partially.
The food was good. I am a big believer in keeping things simple and doing them right, and I think I got at least half of that right yesterday.
The back continues to improve as well – thanks for asking. I’m fairly sure that the disc has popped itself all the way back in now. No more pins and needles in my foot and ugly pain down my leg. Gym tomorrow then? Nah – maybe not quite yet, but it will happen sometime this week.
And that’s about it. When you’re hungover and still have mildly sore sacrum, you don’t want to be sitting writing long posts. You don’t really want to be doing anything, which is exactly what I plan to continue (not) doing now.
See you tomorrow.
Friends round for dinner this evening, so I’ve mainly been busy in the kitchen today. Tonight’s menu may feature one (or more) (OK, it’s one) dish from the Henderson’s Relish Cookbook. A little bit of a Sheffield speciality in deepest, darkest Africa.
And a greasy chip butty…