Homo economicus’ Weblog

Tim Rice wrote “A Winter’s Tale” for David Essex, misquoting Shakespear’s play by mistake. Yet when the cold wind chills to the bone, my mind reflects on the past year. Not just because the year is nearly out but to numb the body from the icy sensations running between my skin and a wool rich Italian coat. Not always caused by the weather.

This self reflection was helped along by the first Christmas card coming from my ex. In answer to her question, returning my Nintendo DS and games would go a long way towards it. However, this is the first full year since being 19 I have been single. Seeing as next month I am 31 this has been an atypical year.

I have been single, though I have not been without affection, only lacking what was mutually agreed as a missing firm foundation. I just managed a long distance relationship in Germany at University in my 20s; the prospect of one in the United States into my 30s makes me grateful she realized that would be too much for either of us, newly single people, to embark on.

At the time after this revelation was delivered, suddenly stranded on my own in Stratford Upon Avon having seen Henry V, I felt like I had seen my Christmas puppy get run over on Boxing Day. Almost exactly a year to the day in Shakespear’s hometown, I am glad to have been spared seperation across the pond. Still have fond memories of puppy love.

Returning to Henry V, love seems like a lot of tennis balls rolling across the stage. It is everywhere going in all directions, but watching and grabbing onto one is enough to give you more then tennis elbow. You will be aced often, unsure of your footing. Still worth taking a swing though.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers – do not dispare. Because, as Shakespear observed elegantly, love is comical, beautiful, a tragedy. Though our adventures mean the world to us, Time Rice observed why should the world take notice of one more love that has failed?

I know that Summer shall come again, and that those long Summer Days will lengthen those lustful enchanted evenngs. I am in no rush. The best things come to those who wait, even though it is just another Winter’s tale for now.

Facebook

As friends have testified I have suddenly become active on facebook, whether stating that I am having onion soup or latest status asking for advice over whether my first iTune album download should be Guns n Roses’ or the Kings of Leon’s album. The f button on my iPhone home page allows me in seconds to update it.

So through facebook I learnt that a former work colleague is pregnant when she posted the first sonogram; become more aware of the hobbies and interests of my new work colleagues (which will come in handy for Secret Santa which I am organising) and discovered that out of my friends I have been voted:

best father (potential)

hottest

best catch

With such ringing endorsements this single young man (I believe that when I leave the 18-30 group in January that cannot be used any more in an absolute sense, hence getting as much mileage out of it as I can now) feels he has enjoyed his bachelorhood for long enough. At least I should go into the Christmas Party tonight with more of an air of confidence then the song “How Soon is Now?” ringing in my ears. Hold on to your friends.

Surviving the Christmas Party

The Party is over

How do you survive a staff Christmas Party (the politically correct Holiday Party can take a running jump. Call a spade a spade for crying out loud)? It seems fairly obvious and common sense:

Turn up

Have fun

Don’t talk shop

Don’t drink more then you can handle (absolute drunkenness)

Don’t become unsober quicker than the people around you (relative drunkenness)

Beware camera phones

Try to not look for love at the Party – better places to woo without other work colleagues watching you

Mingle like your social life depended on it

On that note better make sure the house is organised, as some people may well end up crashing at mine tonight. Not that I am trying to break any of the rules above. Though sometimes that is the charm about rules; they make such a charming clinking sound when they are broken. The only think is the sound can reverberate for far longer than you had intended.

Met up at the Skeptics Social at the Swan and Rushes in Leicester last night for ale. Penny and Chris (organizers behind picketing Ken Ham speech) kindly gave me a lift home after a few pints of Bishops Farewell.

This meant a walk in the cold crisp morning of minus 3 celcius/26 farenheit of an hour to the station. My trusted bicycle was left there, so I had the pleasure sound of crunching ice underfoot while keeping perpendicular.

What I would not give for skywalks being in Britain the way they are in Minneapolis. There was a charm though seeing the dark night give way to the dawn and coming across the solitary bicycle turned upside down in front of the cinema. The topsy turvey nature of that time gave the impression of change as fall gave way to autumn and night to day at this moment.

I continued on foot with hopes that my bike, like myself, would still be upright at the end of the journey.

I arrived at the station where the morning dew that had settled on my hat had by now turned to ice. Twenty minutes later breakfast at the work canteen was a welcome relief as warm food entered my system while the snow started to cascade down outside the window.

Through all the winter days ahead, I intend not to compain if more mornings are like this.

Which may be easier said then done if we are hard wired to make distinctions between those that will cooperate (for our betterment) and those that would cheat (to our detriment) in a social contract. Some behavioural scientists looking in this area suggest that:

The results of these experiments suggest that cheaters might look different from
cooperators, possibly due to beliefs and personality traits that make them less ideal exchange partners, and the human mind might be capable of picking up on subtle visual cues that cheaters’ faces give off. [source]

Examples have been mock courts, with the same evidence and script, where the only variable has been the demeanour of the defendant. While we may want an impassioned jury to base the innocent or guilt on the evidence, but the dress or physical characteristics of the defendant did impact on how a mock jury made it’s decision. [source]

However, that module that helps us to rationalise trustworthiness in people can be hijacked by cultural traits. These can lend itself to making observations about people which may not be rational in nature, but use the same system of working out who to trust. Using that instinct, often when not all facts are in, may often serve us well on the whole in a fight or flight situation. Now and again though it would fly in the face of logic.

The ancient word online

Take for example my blog being used on a christian forum board, where a poster is concerned about the Codex Sinaiticus, and how to respond. The person that responded to him decided that I was not a trustworthy person because on the cover they assume:

I am gay

I am anti-christian

Claiming that my blog supports the two propositions. Which is odd given that I am straight (as many gay friends will more than happily verify) and that I am against religion being enforced on infidels and none believers by the political and judicial system. If I could get hold of the “Atheists for Jesus” T shirt I would – nothing like trying to emphasises the humanity of Jesus rather than the divinity and hellfire afterlife awaiting non conformists.

Mind you if you just went by:

Homoeconomicusnet

and

Perhaps the person may decide, based on their module for trustworthiness (where religion as a cultural fact is a high indicator that is against homosexuality) consider that:

As to the website you linked to it is typical leftist tripe. The owner is (as his other articles show) a practicing homosexual and an anti-Christian. [source]

The fact that I am for free markets, read economics (hence pseudo name), hetrosexual (practise makes perfect), and someone that thinks that the secular state defends the freedom of the religious and the none believer may counter that. It seems though that we are both inclined to use the same source (this blog) to appeal to our difference of opinion. Perhaps I can claim to have insider knowledge on these things denied to the casual reader. As some do to rendering holy sacred text.

Mind you at least no one on the basis of these words on the blog are going to start a religious creed, or make life and death decisions enshrined in law. These words are recognised as being the product of man – where evidence, logic and rationality can be tested and argued over. Just because I type these things it may not be true.

It helps when you can do this with all literature. Rather than just judging by the cover that the book was written by god. Or that you do not like the cover so disregard it- without examining it. As my comment at the christian cafe ended trying to answer the original post as the devil’s advocate:

As the owner of the blog in question, the pseudo name Homo economicus is an economic concept – and not a reference to my sexuality http://homoeconomicusnet…./01/being-born-a-lesbian/
Even if I was gay, that has nothing to do with the original poster’s question. It actually shows an intolerance that is disturbing.

My concern with religion is where it is forced upon people who do not acquiescence to that belief. Jesus as a human being I have a lot of time for
http://homoeconomicusnet….hristian-not-a-christian/

The point is that various editions of the bible, how scriptures were included to be in certain editions, and the many hands that wrote them is an indication of the works of man. The idea that the bible to every word and punctuation mark is ordained by a higher power seems rather unlikely given the history of how the bible we have today originated.

The strongest argument against that charge is that the gospel is something to be lived, and not a text to be burned into your heart in a fundamentalist way. The bible may have been written by men, but the life lived as a follower of Christ is one that gives grace and would make the world a better place.

I may not agree, but the argument is a stronger one than dismissing some one’s argument on the grounds of sexual orientation or voting intention. [source]

OTHER BLOGS:

Man’s Word – the Codex Sinaiticus

The urge to get people to listen to what you have to say. Or at least get people to listen to your point of view.

So go for it – leave a comment saying what your blog is about and link it.

OTHER BLOGS:

Inspiring change by blogging

Well this September has seen the highest readership of the blog. The previous August did have the record, but September manged to more than double that previous best. Blogs on Sarah Palin being McCain’s running mate and the fall of Michale Reiss from the Royal Society – showing the arguments over religion and science being incompatible are not about to go away. Not least with Richard Dawkins Website being banned in Turkey.

The Michael Reiss thing led to an early exclusive. Sir Harry Kroto responded to my blogs about Reiss on 26 September. On Sunday 28 September that was published in The Guardian. I have asked Sir Harry if he could go further than his comment by saying how students that bring up creationism in the classroom should be tackled. Though rather fortunate to have had a comment from him at all, if he does reply that will be included this month.

Stats of course are only part of the story. I am curious to know who out there reads this blog on a regular basis, or at least keeps coming back for more. So please do drop a comment to let me know who the loyal readers are.

Don’t be shy. I know one person who never directly comments on the blog, but does by e mail. If they comment on the blog I just might get lunch this time 

Usually travelling from Cornwall to the Midlands will require three changes, and take 7 hours. However this Sunday there will be engineering works and there is only one service out of here. Which according to the website would be:

What you may use with a train ticket in the UK

Seven changes, 11 hours, and three buses. On a train ticket. I am wondering if for the sheer hell of it I should do it.

When it comes to planning your life the moral of the story is do not rely on public transport. Visiting these shores plan ahead, and beware when using the trains especially at the weekend.

As some friends know my mother is in hospital, having kidney stones removed. It looks like some remaining ones have blocked the kidney, and it is taking days for them to do the scan so tomorrow sees the start of her second week. When she comes out, they operate more, remove the kidney, or discharge her is any one’s guess including the medical staff.

When visiting a hospital do not bring flowers, and be sure to use the hand wash dispensers dotted around the hospital. Contamination and super bugs are the unwelcome visitors not to bring in with you, and with someone else entering the ward I shouted at some guys that waltzed in without doing so.

For gifts may I suggest the number one thing guaranteed to raise a smile? Ear plugs. There are four people to a unit, two units to a ward. Recently admitted, opposite mum, was a woman when the pain hits (ulcers over both legs) who whines and screams in delirium till given something, or at least attention. Then on my first day there was the chap opening the window and shouting for the police, while the nursing staff wondered if they should sedate  against his will. Finally, when it was quite at 4 am my Mum tiptoed out the ward to the restroom – she noticed eyes from beds watching her as she went through the wards. Suddenly buzzers were being pushed to alert nurses to wet beds and people needing help answering the call of nature - the noise preventing any chance of Mum getting back to sleep on her return.

If you are a good deal younger (as an offspring of the patient this is nothing to be ashamed of) it is good to visit for conversation. Surrounded by two people in their late seventies, their conversation was repeating, sometimes even during the same meal. Not sure if mum was suggesting that the ear plugs would be good for this too, but when I arrived Mum insisted on leaving the ward with me to get away in the corridor. In hospital Mum is not just worried about loosing kidney stones, or even a kidney, but her sanity.

Have money with you. Things in hospital cost, things which usually you take for granted. Screens that you can watch TV from are available across all beds , at the bargain price of £8 ($16) for three days. True there is a common room, with seating for six people and a TV to stare at – it has not worked in ages. Old magazines are available but everyone is scared of MRSA to read them. Then there is the 1000 piece jig saw to do, only the tables over the beds are no where near big enough to do them. So much of my time has been spent going to the shop to get things.

Coffee Break

At one point the people in Mum’s unit were trying to get me to join in their conspiracy to get some decent coffee. They have faith that coffee outside the ward is much better, but wondered how I could sneak four cups of coffee past the nurses station. While pondering, the beverage trolly was wheeled in by a nurse – and they enthusiastically asked for coffee acting grateful. I hoped that they did not cover up when the doctors asked how they were feeling. So my plan is to bring a decent cupper in next time as if it is mine but give it to mum. Sometimes a conspiracy requires forward planning and the solatary act of one that can out stare the watchful sister of the ward.

At some point you may wonder when to leave. The patient will tell you when. This is no reflection on your company. Rather it is the patient working out when they can best recover after you have gone – for Mum that is about an hour before they serve supper, though it is her stated concern that I did not get back too late. Distracted from their current situation, they start to realise how it will feel without you being there. Left with people they do not want to ever see again, not knowing what is happening next, and desperately trying not to scream at you how afraid they really are.

I dread to think what it must be like going into hospital alone with no one to visit you. My advice if you have soemone to visit in hospital but you are not sure – go. Even if all you do is hold their hand as they recover from the pain of an operation, you are a moment of escape for them, with the downside that you cannot take them away till the doctors have finished. That moment is the best gift you can give them – ear plugs being a close second.

On the 28th of August 2007 this blog was born out of the frustration that the Myspace blog features were none existent. A friend suggested WordPress and I have not looked back since.

Within a year blog readership has increased one hundred fold, and this August has seen the most traffic of any preceding month. To put that growth into some kind of perspective it is like starting with the most crowded city in Malta (Senglea) reading the blog each month to the whole nation of Malta now reading it. For that, my thanks to all the readers that come to the blog.

That very first blog was an introduction. In those early months you could view an entire month without going to another page. Pictures and photos were largely absent. Then something unexpected happened. While in the States the police pulled me and my friends over outside the Pentagon – dinner with Richard Dawkins hanged in the balance as we were questioned.

After that Conference in Washington DC, I was encouraged to keep up the blogging by the people I met.

I feel a list coming on, much as I want to avoid them. I wonder if in Sam Harris’ research he may examine the part of the brain that we use when making lists. Maybe an overly sensitive part of that habit to list things – shopping, packing, life decisions, accounts. Explaining such pattern seeking behaviour as listing commandments to train spotting.

As such, for the past year here are the top 5 blogs:

Jose Mestre – the living impact of refusing blood transfusions

Darwin Awards 2007

Make Me A Christian

Are the Jehovah’s Witnesses a cult?

About Me

Honorary mention for blogs which I especially enjoyed writing:

Me and Douglas Adams

Atheist at Ken Ham talk in Leicester

Christopher Hitchens: “Thomas Jefferson: Author of America”

Great Ideas of Biology – 9th Simonyi Anniversary Lecture

Sam Harris – do not cast the first stone

Thanks for reading, and if you have enjoyed what you read do please spread the word!

Travelling on a Bank Holiday was not perhaps the best idea. Even the people at Birmingham New Street Station did not have full information. A group of festival revellers lay in a circle comatose, with a smell that suggested that personal hygiene had not been high on the activity list, as chemicals interacted with body odour in the stale air of the concourse.

So rather than getting in at half nine it was nearer to midnight – late running trains, missed connections and last minute changes all playing their part. Unexpectedly getting off at Plymouth when the train was suddenly terminated (supposedly going through to Penzance) hurriedly grabbing my laptop still playing “House”. Which according to a couple travelling with their daughter from Manchester meant I had missed a confrontation in the seats in front of me. Thank goodness for decent headphones.

They were on the train because, after the plane crash in Spain, the mother did not want to use their return flight to Newquay. Their journey by train was not quite uneventful on the safety front because opposite them two brothers had been drinking, and one of the inebriated gentleman offered his beer to his two infant nephews.

This resulted in language between the brothers that was colourful and the escalation caused the Father to suggest they calm down. To which they said wait till we get to Plymouth – we will have you. I had on my way to the buffet car passed these two men smoking out of the window (wondering if a body minus a head might fall behind me). Much as I would have liked to come to the aid of anyone in this situation I was at this moment watching “TB or not TB”.

At Plymouth I waited with the couple for the train to Cornwall. The brothers were no where to be seen. So instead of getting involved in a brawl I kindly took some offered humbugs and exchanged pleasantries as we waited half an hour for the last train to Cornwall.

So rather like the characters from The Camomile Lawn I got in to Penzance station near midnight.

TV adpation of Mary Wesley's book

Before vacating my seat I noticed that people were travelling from one end of the carriage to the other to get off. Picking up my bag at the other end I realised that was because two gentlemen were awe struck by the automatic doors and were giggling away as they used their bodies to stop the doors closing. In the face of such absurdity I decided not to travel to the other end and bravely did what any Englishman would do in the circumstances – kept a stiff upper lip and ignored their antics.

After nine hours travelling what was a short car hop to my final destination of St. Ives (no trains to St. Erth to get to St. Ives so I would have been stuck without transport). Offered a beer by my mother I politely said no, much to her surprise. After the experience of travelling I decided that sobriety and a good night’s sleep was in order.