Weekly digest #5

Get famous, die young : Scientists in USA have found a link between being a celebrity and an earlier death. They studied some obituaries and have found nothing scientifically conclusive: they can't say that it is because individuals were famous that that was the cause of their early departure, but that it certainly does seem to be a trend. If being famous does kill you earlier, I certainly wouldn't want to be famous, would you? Is it really worth it? Saying this, however, although they died earlier, there is also the chance that they got to experience so much more of life than someone who sits in their academic study until they reach the age of 82, with a head full of knowledge and a life full of... libraries? Research? I think that we need to make sure that if we do dedicate a life to academics, that at least do something practical with it, rather than just know it or publish a commentary on it. Go out and experience it, even if it just means looking at the corner of Table Mountain and apply theories of Geometric Control Theory (if that's even possible...). (Also, in the time it took me to write this paragraph, I ate a whole slab (90g) of Cadbury Bournville. And it was wonderful).


Supernatural CSI in Port Elizabeth : So maybe this is an exaggeration, but they found a man dead in his hotel room in Port Elizabeth. His throat had been slit, allegedly a self-inflicted injury which he appeared to regret - he was found as though he was trying to get to the door to get help. Video footage shows no one entering or leaving the man's room, and his room was double latched from the inside. It sounds to me like the kind of stunt Voldemort would pull. If he did do this to himself, even that sounds like something that you would do under the Imperius curse. Either way, for the moment I feel this is the kind of case that Grisham and his Las Vegas team of CSI's should be investigating (Horatio would be suitable in a different situation, perhaps with more swamp involved...).


Sexual violence equals silence : Today served as the day of annual 1 in 9 Silent Protest, which aims to raise awareness of the fact that 1 in 9 women with be a victim of sexual violence at some stage in their life. I did not participate this year, but I did last year. The link for this story will take you to my post about this. Currently, all the participants are at the Cathedral Service. Sexual violence is a growing problem. Some people don't understand that there doesn't necessarily have to be "violence" in order for an event to be traumatic, and invasive, a violation of an individual's space and privacy. Coercion is a problem too, and people need to be educated that they need to say "no" if they are not comfortable with something.