Will’s View

Well, finally they’ve done it. They’ve made normal-looking hypo-allergenic cats! Not only that, but they have managed to stick away from controversy by saying that they haven’t been genetically modified/engineered, but instead the scientists used “naturally occurring genetic divergences (GD) already present in cats that do no harm to the cats in any way”. Just in case anyone wanted to have an anti-GM debate with them. Good move!

It must be a great thing for those who like cats but are allergic to them, and who have a spare US$4000 sitting around. But one is tempted to ask, “Well, if you’re allergic to cats, don’t you think maybe the world is trying to tell you something?”. But who am I to get between a sneezey owner and their pet?

This subject got me to thinking, what else could we remove from the world via GD? Imagine a world where the amazing scienticians from Allerca managed to breed honesty into Politicians. Although I think maybe the trait actually has to be there in the first place in order for it to be enhanced through selective breeding.

Just to be predictable, what about designing lawyers with ethics, or accountants with a sense of humour? What would we do with our stereotypes then? We’d be forced to verbally abuse posties or civil workers who actually contribute to society. Maybe it’s best that this technology stay in its infancy, in order to preserve the natural order of things, and society’s sense of humour.

--> Well, finally they’ve done it. They’ve made normal-looking hypo-allergenic cats! Not only that, but they have managed to stick away from controversy by saying that they haven’t been genetically modified/engineered, but instead the scientists used “naturally occurring genetic divergences (GD) already present in cats that do no harm to the cats in any way”. Just in case anyone wanted to have an anti-GM debate with them. Good move! It must be a great thing for those who like (More...)

Whilst on my way back from my recent trip to Sydney, I had the privilege of travelling JetStar - Australia’s newest low-cost airline. Having already flown with them, I was not too bothered about the way they operated. After checking in and being told that we had to wait an hour because the plane was delayed coming in, we finally managed to get on to the plane, and then we were off.

But this would have been far too simple and straightforward after having waited for an hour. Instead the captain comes over the loudspeaker and announces something along the lines of:

” Hi there ladies and gents. Since our departure was somewhat delayed - and due to the high volume of traffic - we are currently fourth in the queue to use the runway. But we expect to be off the ground shortly. “

It was true too. Leaning over the person beside me I was able to see at least three or four other planes either behind us, or parallel to us, waiting to get onto the runway. Not only that, but the intonation and phrasing of his announcement had me thinking of the bane of modern society. The Phone Queue.

I could just imagine an automated voice coming over the pilot’s intercom saying something like

” You are currently … fourth … in the queue. Please be patient as your flight is important to us. You will be assigned a runway as quickly as possible. And please note, your take-off may be monitored for training and quality assurance purposes.”

And then proceeding to play lovely hold music, possibly a calming overture or something of the sort. I am sure that the pilots would develop queue rage within minutes.

Queuing is seemingly a delicate art, or so I discovered recently. Whilst walking around the lovely suburb of Artarmon in Sydney, I noticed a sign that read:

I had to wait a while to read the text, as a car was in fact queuing in front of it. But it got me to wondering: Shouldn’t anyone with common sense or a basic grasp of the road rules be able to figure out for themselves that queuing through a roundabout - or for that matter any intersection - is really not a sensible idea? Why can’t they see that the easiest way for everyone to get where they want to be is to follow the road rules, like they were taught when they were learning to drive, all those years ago? Just think what would happen if planes queued across the middle of a runway!

--> Whilst on my way back from my recent trip to Sydney, I had the privilege of travelling JetStar - Australia’s newest low-cost airline. Having already flown with them, I was not too bothered about the way they operated. After checking in and being told that we had to wait an hour because the plane was delayed coming in, we finally managed to get on to the plane, and then we were off. But this would have been (More...)

I am currently in Sydney for a relax during the holidays, or “non-teaching period” as it is called. On Friday evening we decided to go for a drink at the Opera Bar underneath the Opera House, looking over the bay to the Harbour Bridge.

On the walk from Circular Quay (the nearest train station) to the bar we were confronted by a large flashing sign reading:

No access to forecourt - Event full

What did we do? Well, the most logical thing of course. We asked each other “What event?”, and then came the next logical question: “Does that mean the bar’s closed?”. Whilst loudly asking this of each other a passerby interjected with “Why, it’s the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.”

Oops. We were most definitely ‘meant’ to know that one. But was it indecent, or an indiscretion that we didn’t? I’ve never really been one for keeping up with the local concerts, and visiting conductors. I suppose that as patrons of the area around the Sydney Opera House we were expected to ‘know better’, and to keep up with ‘current events’. Or at least take a token interest in free concerts in the Opera House Forecourt, but we were just off to have a quiet drink, and the concert was an annoyance if anything!

--> I am currently in Sydney for a relax during the holidays, or “non-teaching period” as it is called. On Friday evening we decided to go for a drink at the Opera Bar underneath the Opera House, looking over the bay to the Harbour Bridge. On the walk from Circular Quay (the nearest train station) to the bar we were confronted by a large flashing sign reading: No access to forecourt - Event full What did we do? Well, (More...)