Monday 24 October 2011

Changing a Light Bulb in Leicester

I've been using long life bulbs for about 20 years, but notice that we are now discouraged from putting spent bulbs in the dustbin.

In Leicester we are offered a choice of two Community Recycling Centres.

One is near Freemen's Common (misspelt as 'Freemans Common' on the Council Leaflet) which is two bus journeys away from me. The other is on Bridge Road. I might be lucky there because there's a Bridge round about a mile from my house. On the other hand I might be unlucky; the other Bridge Road is about 4 miles and two bus journeys away.

Whichever Bridge Road it is, most people in Leicester could not get to either recycling centre in fewer than two bus journeys.

I wonder how many dispose of their light bulbs in the manner recommended

Saturday 22 October 2011

Don't Underetimate Clothes

I just watched a television interview with someone who found it difficult to pay his fuel bill. I noticed that he was wearing an open necked shirt, but no pullover or jacket.

Today many people keep their houses much hotter than necessary and walk around half dressed.

I sometimes think central heating is to be regretted.

Saturday 15 October 2011

One thing Leads to Another

When a recent television news programme showed a footballer called 'Wayne Rooney' kicking another footballer, I thought 'I bet he wouldn't be any good at flower arranging'.

It was a surprising association of ideas, because there was nothing about flowers in that programme, and I handn't been thinking about them before I watched the programme.

Perhaps there is a primitive inclination to connect similar things, and to infer that something ugly, like Master Rooney, could not produce something beautiful like a flower arrangement. Certainly Philosophers have often claimed that an effect ought to resemble its cause. I think that assumption unwarranted.

Perhaps if only Wayne Rooney took up flower arranging he would excel, and at the same time become less unpleasant.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Valuing People

Israelis and Palestinians have agreed to exchange 1027 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel for one Israeli held prisoner by Palestinians.

It appears that both sides agree that one Israeli is worth 1027 Palestinians.

One can understand that some Israelis might make that evaluation, but it is very revealing that Palestinian authorities agree.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Bored by Political thought

I'm revising my Notes on Philosophy chapter by chapter and am now wrestling with Politics, and am finding it very boring.

To a considerable extent political thought involves creating elaborate systems of fallacious argument to provide a smokescreen for bossy people to tell other people what to do, and to give themselves an excuse doing so with self righteous pomposity.

Worst of all, many of them seem to be so stupid that they believe it.