Regarding quotes, Oliver Darkshire says "Neil Gaiman lost my book - he offered to try find it to give me a proper pull quote and I was like no this is much funnier, change nothing, I have everything I need."
But King alfred definitely burned the cakes. I know that because it was in my history book at school. Have you read 'The Plato Papers' by Peter Ackroyd? It's a short philosophical novel about how 'history' happens, I think you'd like it. Thanks as always for your Friday morning thoughts.
A lesser kbnown fact is that Alfred got the addition to his name when his wife attempted to draw his attention to the burning cakes by waking him with a shout of: "Alfred the Grate".
I’ve failed to invent a link to this week’s newsletter but would love to know what Helen (and her readers) think of Good Omens 2. The reviews have been universally glowing but I thought it was an absolute stinker, albeit a stinker with a great cast. I love the book, the R4 adaptation and the original series (in that order!) My son says Neil Gaiman is now so in thrall to his fans that he has started writing Neil Gaiman fan fiction. Or are we missing something?
I deleted my Twitter account (2nd best decision I made this year) so can only see the one linked post in the reply to her critics from the ‘sugar plantation slaves had their idea stolen’ lady but that was enough, I’ve been waiting for her reply to the well researched and well argued criticism of her conclusions as I was expecting her response to not engage with the actual arguments but to play a variety of social justice warrior cards and it really seems like she didn’t disappoint
You wrote last week Helen about how you used to believe ‘our side believed in evidence, then the gender wars showed you that we have our cranks too’ (paraphrased obv) and I literally clapped after reading it as it’s exactly the realisation I’d made, well if the gender wars were exhibit a, then this woman and her ilk (her many many ilk sadly) are exhibits b c & d
“The icy hand of death” reminds me of a poem about overdosing I once wrote. I was quite pleased with the line I came up with, although I can't remember the whole thing. There was a bit about the needle's eye winking, giving its sign to start and the silence drowning out the noise. Anyway, I didn't use ‘icy’ originally, but here's an appropriately adjusted version:
You are correct, however the met office has designated a ‘meteological’ autumn to start at the beginning of September. Similarly with the other three seasons, their meteological dates have all been pulled back approximately three weeks (met spring starts 1st March, summer 1st June, autumn, as said, 1st September and winter 1st December. I never really understood the reason for this change, it seems arbitrary and pointless. The equinoxes and solstices make much more sense to me, but maybe they think we're too thick to understand.
Their definitions are for gathering and comparing statistics - because historically the have data by month, not by season. So it is for the sake of comparison. There is no such thing as ‘Meteorological Autumn’. The Met office is welcome to define stats - but it can’t define the cosmos!
I see. That does make sense, thank you for enlightening me. If it wasn't clear, I entirely agree with you, although, given what you've just told me... I first came across it in a BBC weather forecast a few years ago when the weatherman mentioned it. I guess he was trying to be informative? Oh, and please excuse the misspellings, I don't know why ‘meteological’ is even in my dictionary. It's a very old replacement phone as I left mine in Hastings & haven't been able to pick it up. Thanks again.
I would argue that history as a compilation of unassailable facts is unlikely and undesirable. What creates a shared culture and society are the myths we all agree to believe. Newton's apple, Washington's cherry tree, and Santa may not be strictly factual, but they will never go away as long as they support our societal feels.
Thanks for this, I very much agree with it. It's the stories that we tell ourselves that define us. Facts do matter of course but a robot can do facts. it's the stories that we weave around the facts that make us human. As always though, you need both.
I have a friend who has argued for a while that the downfall of the USA is that the figurehead and the political head are the same person. I would argue that the VP role has room for someone to be a mere spectacle.
Tbf he has retired from writing Reacher novels and lives in remote Wyoming so he may be the only author with enough time to read all the books he gets sent
That picture's not Napoleon. It's Michael Jackson.
Regarding quotes, Oliver Darkshire says "Neil Gaiman lost my book - he offered to try find it to give me a proper pull quote and I was like no this is much funnier, change nothing, I have everything I need."
https://mastodon.social/@pyperkub/110199847840634002
But King alfred definitely burned the cakes. I know that because it was in my history book at school. Have you read 'The Plato Papers' by Peter Ackroyd? It's a short philosophical novel about how 'history' happens, I think you'd like it. Thanks as always for your Friday morning thoughts.
Great tip, I will hunt it out
Yes, that sounds really interesting. Thank you indeed.
A lesser kbnown fact is that Alfred got the addition to his name when his wife attempted to draw his attention to the burning cakes by waking him with a shout of: "Alfred the Grate".
🤣 Very good
I’ve failed to invent a link to this week’s newsletter but would love to know what Helen (and her readers) think of Good Omens 2. The reviews have been universally glowing but I thought it was an absolute stinker, albeit a stinker with a great cast. I love the book, the R4 adaptation and the original series (in that order!) My son says Neil Gaiman is now so in thrall to his fans that he has started writing Neil Gaiman fan fiction. Or are we missing something?
YES. It was all about the vibes and aesthetic.
I deleted my Twitter account (2nd best decision I made this year) so can only see the one linked post in the reply to her critics from the ‘sugar plantation slaves had their idea stolen’ lady but that was enough, I’ve been waiting for her reply to the well researched and well argued criticism of her conclusions as I was expecting her response to not engage with the actual arguments but to play a variety of social justice warrior cards and it really seems like she didn’t disappoint
You wrote last week Helen about how you used to believe ‘our side believed in evidence, then the gender wars showed you that we have our cranks too’ (paraphrased obv) and I literally clapped after reading it as it’s exactly the realisation I’d made, well if the gender wars were exhibit a, then this woman and her ilk (her many many ilk sadly) are exhibits b c & d
I love your newsletter and look forward to it arriving in my inbox on Fridays.
I’m still convinced “tour-de-force” is a misspelling of Tour de France but I can’t figure out why so many book blurbs mention it..
“The icy hand of death” reminds me of a poem about overdosing I once wrote. I was quite pleased with the line I came up with, although I can't remember the whole thing. There was a bit about the needle's eye winking, giving its sign to start and the silence drowning out the noise. Anyway, I didn't use ‘icy’ originally, but here's an appropriately adjusted version:
“Feel the icy hand of death
The scent of mentholated breath”.
It is not Autumn. It is late summer. Autumn starts at the Equinox.
You are correct, however the met office has designated a ‘meteological’ autumn to start at the beginning of September. Similarly with the other three seasons, their meteological dates have all been pulled back approximately three weeks (met spring starts 1st March, summer 1st June, autumn, as said, 1st September and winter 1st December. I never really understood the reason for this change, it seems arbitrary and pointless. The equinoxes and solstices make much more sense to me, but maybe they think we're too thick to understand.
Their definitions are for gathering and comparing statistics - because historically the have data by month, not by season. So it is for the sake of comparison. There is no such thing as ‘Meteorological Autumn’. The Met office is welcome to define stats - but it can’t define the cosmos!
I see. That does make sense, thank you for enlightening me. If it wasn't clear, I entirely agree with you, although, given what you've just told me... I first came across it in a BBC weather forecast a few years ago when the weatherman mentioned it. I guess he was trying to be informative? Oh, and please excuse the misspellings, I don't know why ‘meteological’ is even in my dictionary. It's a very old replacement phone as I left mine in Hastings & haven't been able to pick it up. Thanks again.
I would argue that history as a compilation of unassailable facts is unlikely and undesirable. What creates a shared culture and society are the myths we all agree to believe. Newton's apple, Washington's cherry tree, and Santa may not be strictly factual, but they will never go away as long as they support our societal feels.
Thanks for this, I very much agree with it. It's the stories that we tell ourselves that define us. Facts do matter of course but a robot can do facts. it's the stories that we weave around the facts that make us human. As always though, you need both.
I do enjoy the breezy nature of the weekly Bluestocking update. Never a chore! And how nice to get a mention.
I do wonder if comparing to the tobacco industry is the new comparing to the Nazis- seems a common maneuver for beleaguered opinioneers.
Astral codex is a banger. Your finding is a very sharp eye. Thank you.
I have a friend who has argued for a while that the downfall of the USA is that the figurehead and the political head are the same person. I would argue that the VP role has room for someone to be a mere spectacle.
More goodness here in this lovely spot online. Thankyou. It’s a pleasure to see this turn up each week.
Re the 30 blurber: however did you become acquainted with Lee Child?
Tbf he has retired from writing Reacher novels and lives in remote Wyoming so he may be the only author with enough time to read all the books he gets sent