The Eternal Struggle: GOOD Versus EVIL!

You Don't Think I'm Over-pitching There, Do You?
I put it down as, once again referring to Brewer's* for my title inspiration, I opened at page 20, and found the useful definition of "Ahriman": in the Persian Zoroastrian religion, Ahriman is frankly a bit of a git.  He is the spirit of evil, in constant battle with Ahura Mazda, who is nothing to do with Japanese cars but is instead the spirit of goodness and light.  In the end, the Zoraoastrians believe, Ahura Mazda will biff Ahriman for six and goodness will prevail.  In the meantime ...

And here a Mazda.  Close enough

     You might be more familiar with another name for Zoroaster - "Zarathustra", as used in the symphony "Also Spracht Zarathustra", German for "Thus Spake Zarathustra".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-QFj59PON4

     Which is also the opening theme of "2001: A Space Odyssey", and when seen on the cinema screen it makes the hairs on your neck stand up.  Only 12 people have seen that view in real life, you know ...

One of my very favourite films

     Now, you know the blog normally avoids religion like pineapple and parsnips*, so why mention all the above?
     Well, on a much smaller scale you have First Bus, the embodiment of evil.  Then you have Conrad, who is much worse better I mean better!
     Oh enough intro.  On with the notley!


"Bleeding Edge" By Thomas Pynchon
I am really digging this novel.  A light touch of pop references, typical sorties into plot tangents, daft songs, some horrendous puns, evil conspiracies, it's got the lot.  Unfortunately Tom is extremely convincing about things he makes up, so Conrad** has to go and check.  And what do you know, there really is a "Corruption Perception Index" - an index of how corruptible various countries are.


https://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

There's a great map at the above link, showing how the Scandinavians are really squeaky clean - Denmark is Number one. They also have Mew, so that's two positive things about the Danes already.  Then - er - not so good news for Russia and Iran - joint 136th.  Mind you, in a poll of 175 countries, North Korea comes last.

Leading edge.  Close enough

     Tom also mentions "sillage", a word Conrad has never encountered before, so - obviously! - he went off to look it up.  It refers to the persistence of a scent or perfume after exposure, and is not to be confused with "silage", which is a disgusting fermented muck brewed in silos, hence the name.
     Despite being a work of fiction, Conrad is reminded of a work of fact, "Barbarians at the Gate", about the fall of RJR Nabisco.  No matter how big the business and the profits, in the end what did-in the company were two basic human traits - greed and egotism.

Ah!  The sillage of silage.

Wow!  We've been very intense tonight.  Time to kick off the slippers and socks and caress the carpet with our toes in order to - Sorry?  "Too much information?"  Well excuse me!

Bus Wait Rate - confirmed at the bus stop in Royton tonight as three buses pass by on the other side in the space of 5 minutes.  Can I patent this idea and make money out of it?  As it so obviously rings true.

Excuse ME!
What did I espy on the Beeb website yesterday?  What but this -

I'm talking about the "Technology" article

     Now, let me tell you that my nuclear war-fighting information is not as up-to-the-minute as it was in the Eighties, but that photograph has nothing to do with GCHQ, who intercept media communications.  It is, in fact, Fylingdales Moor Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station with it's famous "golfball" radomes.
     Really, Aunty!  5 out of 10, must do better.


"Would You Like To Buy A Pint Of Isopropyl Bromide?"
This is the autobiography of an American chemist called Max Gergel, which sounds amusing when said aloud, appropriately, as it is also a most amusing set of memoirs.  Max was a chemist, and you would be surprised at how chaotic, dangerous and amusing the life of a chemist can be.  Especially when his company recklessly agrees to produce chemicals so noxious and/or dangerous that no other company will touch them.
     
http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/gergel_isopropyl_bromide.pdf

There's a link to the free PDF.  You can thank me later.

A model of the molecule.
You can thank me later

What's This?
Ah yes, those idiots the Twits have been suggesting ridiculous nonsense that Conrad might be interested in.

"There's a powerful new e-mailing tool that you probably don't know about"

     Okay, let your aged but annoyed scribe set the record straight here: I probably don't know about this particular tool, but, more than that, I DO NOT CARE ABOUT IT!  NOT ONE BIT!  NOT AN IOTA!
     Thank you for listening to an old man have a bit of a rant.



* God help Conrad if some mad scientist develops the hideous hybrid parnapple.
** Pedant Extraordinaire