the public. the shopping public

I'm sat, swigging a cold one, listening to Jenn Grant, and I reaslise... I have a few questions to ask regarding the shopping peoples of Plymouth city centre. Not, however, solely Plymouth; this encompasses probably most cities in... well.. the world. Infact, I will start with a Birmingham based scinario. But before I start I must say that, with no area of doubt in my mind, and with no possible chance of retraction..

I hate the public.

Ok, maybe not 'hate'.. and maybe not everyone... just the idiots... so, I whole heartedly retract my previous statement. But still... If you haven't guessed, this is a rant about my frustration at the total disregard to fellow humans that people have in and around shops.

Set the scence - I am in HMV in Birmingham, in the Bull Ring shortly after the grand opening. I dont remember what I was buying, most probabaly something painfully cool. So some, how do i put this, 'young mother' (YM) complete with a big pushchair (and probabaly exotically named bairn) decides to run over my foot. Rude.

'Is that it, Benjamin?' I hear you disapointedly cry.. the answer to this wringer would be, put simply, 'no'. When i said she 'ran over my foot' (Waterhouse, B.R. 5min. ago) that wasn't entirely true; it didnt go all the way over my foot. Instead it went half over then back again... like some sort of failed climbing attempt. So instead of saying 'oh, sorry' as many undoubtedy would.. She had another try! and failed again!!

It was at this point (the point where she had twice failed to boss up my foot) she said 'cant you see i have a pushchair?!' .. She has some cheek, I thought, some cheek I'd like to slap. Can you get your hat on to it? I was literally stood in the queue minding my own business and then this!!

I'll admit it, I was so taken aback that I made some weird stutter 'oh, er, I, err, just' she was gone, naturelment I relented. If I had this moment again. Oh man... Well lets say, if she spilled the contents of the pushchair, I wouldn't be the one to help her out. Words tantamount to 'can't you see i'm holding a CD..?' and immediately step over Kanye Diddy, or whatever name this fatherless child has, to get on with attending to my shopping agendas...

I am currently in two minds as to whether to put up all my qualms regarding the shopping pubic members whom deserve a dead leg. But I think that instead I will whack a different scinario up every-so-often, open to comments. Or this would be one LONG post..

- benjamin

beat the chimp...

No, no.. this is not a post about what people get up to in their 'me time' so.. read on.

Having just returned home from a lecture about animal behaviour I have looked into a subject which was addressed. In a recent study of memory in primates it has been found that humans have not got the totally superior minds that it was thought we have... In my eyes just reinforcing the meaning behind the phrase 'he would forget his nuts if they weren't in a sack' which I all-to-often hear.

The study, reported ----> here, showed that when a group of juvenile chimps were tested against their senior counterparts, and also a bunch of university undergrads, in a counting and memory exercise they reigned superior. Obvoiusly the chimps (and undergraduates) were taught the the ability of recognising ascending numbers beforehand. I for one have had a gander at a video available for this study and I got completely crushed by the 5 year old... I take my hat off to him. But lucky for me I tried this alone and thus, dignity was maintained.

It seems this attribute is thought to be lost due to the aquisition, by humans, of language. which is probably right.. But maybe, knowing that new born animals 'imprint' the image of the first large, moving thing they see as a 'parent', could it be that this ability, shown solely in juveniles, is an extension of this branch of memorising stuff? Not as an imprint but its practically a photographic memory; an ability lost with age...

Just out of interest, the adult chimps did about as well as the humans. so at least we can take solace from that.

For info on other animal memory tests, learning and insight see this site.

notes.. the bane of any house-share

Like many people in great britain - I live in a house. now, I like my house and I like my housemates but there has been some issues regarding the washing up. A classic area of malcontent for the cleaner of humans. I'm a clean guy, I shower, occasionally shave, and try to stay stocked up on loo-roll, but personally I dont mind a bit of mess, like, not loads but I dont mind if a plate or two are lying about. you get the picture...

So, I comes in last night from the library where I was attempting to write an essay on salmon migration and genetic imprinting for navigational purposes (ooo get you..) and I enter the kitchen to find a note.. fair enough.. then another note.. and another.. something was afoot. The final note count was SIX peices of paper. that said there were three notes hosted by one lone slice of parchment. So whats a guy to do?

Thats right.. Write another note! Why can't i get involved? So.. I got all the notes that were dotted around and wrote a note saying (in capitals) thusly:

'WELCOME TO NOTE CENTRAL, HAVE A RIDICULOUS DAY..'

You can see this here ...a fair comment I thought. This was in no way a poke at any single member of my household, more an indication that this note culture has become somewhat out of hand. But, it seems, others dont see it that way and I got told off badways by a noter (I was the notee at the time) and then her boyfriend! A double whammy of disillusionment! I ran away back to the library which is where i received the stroppy txt messages, and discussed (laughed about) it with alex tompkins .

Have a look at 'I lick my cheese. and other notes from the frontline of flatsharing', for similar stuff.

welcome one and all... and me.

Hello there! come in, come in.. what's that? no, don't worry about your shoes... take a seat, grab a beer if that's what you like.. i'm having a tea.

So I'm pretty new to all this blog based stuff so bare with me... It might take a few goes to get interesting. Basically I'll be crankin out posts about what I do and my general thinkings. Currently I am at university doing a degree in biology.. specifically environmental biology. So there will be sciencey stuff all up in your face.

But wait!.. theres more..

I pretty much love music and riding bikes and basketball and stuff so there will be associated posts. Hopefully whack a few cool bands and songs up for your listening pleasure too.

Time for one massive cliche me thinks; 'watch this space'

peas

benjamin