Life slipping past

[zotz]

There was an interesting article in today's paper - allegedly the hundred most influential environmentalists. The usual suspects were present - Rachel Carson and Schumacher top it, but we also get Prince Charles, William Morris, Ansel Adams, Arnie, Malthus, David Suzuki (who wrote one of my genetics textbooks), St Francis, Stephen Jay Gould, Ghandi, Darwin (and Wallace), the Dalai Lama, Tom and Barbara from The Good Life, Coleridge, Joe Strummer and Father Christmas (this last for services to carbon-free delivery).

In other news, I'm just beating Phil in the phlegm-clearing stakes, but not by much. I think I can safely say that the neighbours are still awake.

Some bugger jammed the front door lock and hadn't bothered to get it fixed, so I've just done it. Joe upstairs left a note asking whoever it was jammed it to have it fixed, and got nothing but a sarcky comment in return. I shall resist the temptation to point fingers.

Meanwhile, from the public-service department:

Saint Patti on New York was on Radio 3 tonight, talking about her poems. It can be ListenAgained here, which is http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/shows/rpms/radio3/nightwaves_tue.rpm or rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/nightwaves/nightwaves_tue.ra for those of you who have to jump through the same hoops I do. After la Smith, there's some discussion on whether HG Wells was an influence on Churchill, and then Bill Thompson and Bruce Sterling talking about Google . . . and blithely assuming that everyone is familiar with The Monkey's Paw.

Hmm. The intro to this often makes me think of Life On Earth.

Comments

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Joe Strummer? What? I didn't know he was an environmentalist... just puts him even further up in my estimation, that does!

[zotz]

Something to do with planting trees, I think.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Very cool!

[deliberateblank.livejournal.com]

Father Christmas (this last for services to carbon-free delivery)

You'da thunk the raindeer would produce a certain amount of methane, which is far worse than CO2...

[shaunotd.livejournal.com]

CO₂ as well - but at least it wouldn't be from fossil fuels.

[kixie.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose you'd fancy visitors for a few days in July, would you?

Oh, I think I'd beat you both in the phlegm clearing competition. Can we set one up for nose blowing?

[zotz]

Sounds good on both counts - but do you think you'd beat us individually or collectively?

[kixie.livejournal.com]

Collectively. Hands down (well, except to hold tissues). I am the Snot Monster, goo goo goo joob.

[zotz]

Don't you go goojoobing on my LJ.

Wipe that up.

[kixie.livejournal.com]

No! It is world domination - first your journal, then all of livejournal and then the world! All will flail and drown in my goojoob and beg me for mercy! BWAHAHAHA!

[zotz]

So I should buy a liferaft before you arrive?

[kixie.livejournal.com]

Yes. And gather two of every species (one male, one female) whilst you're at it. Except the bees, they can suffer a gooey doom.

[stonedsamurai.livejournal.com]

Patti Smith was also reading and talking about her poetry on Radio 4 'Start the Week' (Monday 9am) which I'm sure you can also listen to again via their website if you are so inclined.

[zotz]

I may very well do that. Thank you.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

Everyone isn't familiar with The Monkey's Paw?

And as a Canadian I'm not surprised at all that David Suzuki made the top environmentalists list.

[zotz]

Everyone apparently is not. A straw poll today showed that two out of two of my friends hadn't even heard of it.

I've seen and flipped through a couple of Suzuki's non-textbooks and seen one TV series. He seemed quite sound. Good to hear he gets heard.

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

Your paper is behind the times - that article was in Metro whenever I last got the train, which I'm guessing was Friday.

I refuse to believe that anyone has been inspired to use green transportation because Father Christmas does.

[zotz]

Oh, you cynic. He sets a shining example to the leaders of tomorrow.

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

:)

He set a shining example to the leaders of today too, which must be why so many of them have such marvellous green credentials, and of course fly around in sleighs.

[zotz]

It is a little-known fact that from 1972 until 1956 Santa's sleigh was drawn by coal-fired steam reindeer, and from then until 1992 the reindeer were powered by gas turbine. These deer have since been phased out. The current policy of using only moss-eating reindeer has cut carbon emissions by over 95%, and the remaining emissions are generally deemed carbon-neutral due to their renewable source.