Just read on the Guardian that the people in the US who created 'Big Brother USA' have a new show lined up with what I can only describe as a horrible premise:
Small companies who have been hit hard by the current financial situation and need to 'downsize' will take all the employees who are potentially 'downsized', allow them to see how much each of their salaries, and let it become a popular vote as to who stays and who goes.
One of the companies involved (I forget if it was an executive producer from the show or one of the 'small companies') said that it was a good idea, because (and I paraphrase) 'He's been in charge of a company before, and it is a sad thing to fire people, so this is a good thing.'
This is truly sad.
IF YOU CAN'T FIRE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT BOTHERS YOU, YOU EITHER KEEP THEM WORKING IN THE COMPANY OR YOU FIRE YOURSELF.
It's called 'management'. That's why they pay you far more than the other people in the company (and if you're the owner, why and how you make a profit).
Let's take the authority and responsibility of management completely out of their hands.
Yes, let us do that.
Because it's not like they are already seen as 'incompetent'.
No, not one bit.
Modern culture done nothing more than praise the resolve of management, specially in these hard times (can't detect the sarcasm?)
Let us turn employment decisions into a popularity contest, devoid of things such as:
-Work Ethic
-Qualifications
Or being that one guy or gal that does more work than three of the other colleagues, but simply fails to 'click' socially with the rest of the group.
I wonder if humanity realises how fast (thing speeding bullet speed here. Or Maximum Warp, or Ludicrous Speed) we're heading into a 1984 style of world (I prefer the 'Running Man' comparison, but only because it was an 'Ahnohld' film), and we just do what sheep usually do:
Be docile and simply accept it as entertainment.
SAY NO!, DAMN IT!
Have we lost any and all sense of decency, of compassion for our fellow humans?
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Monday, 6 April 2009
Whatever happened to 'Please'?
I dislike the 'I' generation with a passion. It promotes the self to a new level of narcissism, and disconnects it from the realities of life.
Yes, the realities of life.
'But Aji Chombo, the Internet has connected millions. Brought them together as one! So much has changed for the good of humanity in the last 50 years!'
U-huh. And in this modern day we have more wars and more countries than ever before bickering at one another, while people simply disconnect from everything.
Because we've chosen to lift the individual above the collective, which in a positive way has allowed us to voice concerns which had previously gone silent, but more and more nowadays it's used as an excuse for anyone with a chip of their shoulder to whinge, whinge, whinge.
I'm just going through a morning rant, s'all (whinge, whinge, whinge)
The 'I'-pod...
...'I'-phone
...'Personal' computer
...'Personal' planner (PDA)
Heck, even the single meals are all designed to promote 'individual' independence (sure, marketed as 'interdependence') rather than help bring about a notion of community.
But then again, community doesn't sell, does it (not unless you market it as your 'personal' slice of the community).
Are we that selfish? (well, I could always argue the rampant proliferation of 'sexy' toys in recent years as another log in the fireplace for this argument. But I digress...)
'I' guess with so many 'I' devices, there really is no need to be mindful of the 'other', is there?
We're just a collection of 'I's...
Yes, the realities of life.
'But Aji Chombo, the Internet has connected millions. Brought them together as one! So much has changed for the good of humanity in the last 50 years!'
U-huh. And in this modern day we have more wars and more countries than ever before bickering at one another, while people simply disconnect from everything.
Because we've chosen to lift the individual above the collective, which in a positive way has allowed us to voice concerns which had previously gone silent, but more and more nowadays it's used as an excuse for anyone with a chip of their shoulder to whinge, whinge, whinge.
I'm just going through a morning rant, s'all (whinge, whinge, whinge)
The 'I'-pod...
...'I'-phone
...'Personal' computer
...'Personal' planner (PDA)
Heck, even the single meals are all designed to promote 'individual' independence (sure, marketed as 'interdependence') rather than help bring about a notion of community.
But then again, community doesn't sell, does it (not unless you market it as your 'personal' slice of the community).
Are we that selfish? (well, I could always argue the rampant proliferation of 'sexy' toys in recent years as another log in the fireplace for this argument. But I digress...)
'I' guess with so many 'I' devices, there really is no need to be mindful of the 'other', is there?
We're just a collection of 'I's...
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Crazy Pigeons!
Ghaaaaa! The chillies have developed succulent leaves!
Nah.
It's just the triffids. Thought I'd show you what they look like (top photo). They are already taller and thicker than the rest of the chillies.
The middle photo is the of one of the Orange Habaneros, and the bottom one is of the Rocoto Rojo (you can tell because of the hairy leaves). Took these two this morning. They are getting big now. Just need to hope they continue that happy growth for the rest of the season. The ones at the office are quite big now. Two more weeks before I take them over to Almapaprikas' parents (one of the chocolate sweet peppers and the Cherry Chilli at the very least are going over there).
Speaking of titles in a blog, Almapaprika and I waited at an intersection in the city centre recently along with some of the locals. That, of course, included a pigeon (no, not one of the nicknames given to locals here), which behaved like some crazy manic hobo, pacing left and right close to us, but never actually crossing the road.
Until the little green crossing man lit up.
It crossed the road with us, the crazy little bird.
Almapaprika and I (well, mostly me) kept 'speaking' on its behalf. It was mostly making the pigeon sound and act like Donkey from Shrek.
You really needed to be there.
What's eve more amazing is that the paranoid things proceeded to behave the same way on the other crossing light of the intersection, and only crossed WHEN THE LITTLE GREEN CROSSING MANE LIT UP!
Now, mind you, I never got to study ornithology, but something tells me birds can do certain things people can do:
-See better than people.
-Poop green
-Lay eggs
And, oh, yes...
...FLY!
Maybe this pigeon is becoming human...
...it will start hanging out at pubs, go out with its mates and have a pint or two, and take in a game of cricket.
Silly, silly bird...
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Triffids invade!
Almapaprika has taken to calling our new 'children' triffids. The Butternut squash seeds I planted last Saturday in little coir pellets have not only already grown taller than the tallest of the chilli peppers we've planted this season, but have also protruded their roots so far out that they ended up intertwined, though each pellet was separate at a distance of about 1 inch from the next.
All of this in one week!
I've had to move them to 3 inch pots until they outgrow them (at this pace, it will be in another week).
I did bring two of them to work, as gifts for two colleagues who had tried to grow sunflower seeds but not succeeded. I did warn them, though, that the Butternut Squash will grow and overtake their desks if they aren't careful and move them somewhere adequate.
Then it really will turn into a triffid fest! I can just see the office as one lush jungle of climbing, creeping, crawling vines, ensnaring anyone foolish enough to walk up to them and say: 'Ooh! a Butternut Squash!'
Maybe it's all part of my devious plan...
None of Aji Queen's seeds have germinated, but I expect them to soon. If the weather picks up as it has the last few days, it should be good growing.
The chillies at work are doing well, though the smaller ones (Belpicen, Caribbean Red and Orange Habanero) seem not to be doing as well as their 'counterplants' back at the flat.
ROCK LOBSTER!
All of this in one week!
I've had to move them to 3 inch pots until they outgrow them (at this pace, it will be in another week).
I did bring two of them to work, as gifts for two colleagues who had tried to grow sunflower seeds but not succeeded. I did warn them, though, that the Butternut Squash will grow and overtake their desks if they aren't careful and move them somewhere adequate.
Then it really will turn into a triffid fest! I can just see the office as one lush jungle of climbing, creeping, crawling vines, ensnaring anyone foolish enough to walk up to them and say: 'Ooh! a Butternut Squash!'
Maybe it's all part of my devious plan...
None of Aji Queen's seeds have germinated, but I expect them to soon. If the weather picks up as it has the last few days, it should be good growing.
The chillies at work are doing well, though the smaller ones (Belpicen, Caribbean Red and Orange Habanero) seem not to be doing as well as their 'counterplants' back at the flat.
ROCK LOBSTER!
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Butternut Squash?!
Finally planted the seeds from the Aji Queen last night, whilst watching THE single weirdest TV series finale ever (BSG). I sowed seeds for:
-Aji Brazilian Pumpkin
-Datil
-Habanero 'Pastel Market'
-Cumari ou Passarinho
-Habanero Paper Lantern
-Aji Limo Rojo (this last one was the free one from Peppermania).
I didn't have space in the little greenhouse because I had decided at the weekend to plant some butternut squash seeds I'd taken out of a squash Almapaprika and I had used for a curry. So I used four seeds from them, and then decided I wanted to give the Red Savina Habaneros and the Jamaican Hot Scotch Bonnets another shot, so planted two apiece.
Yup.
That's another full greenhouse.
Brought three plants over to work yesterday as well. An Orange Habanero, a Caribbean Red Habanero, and one of the Belpicens. I brought the ones that had been grown inside the glass jars (the 'mini-capsicums') to compare growth with the ones at the house.
Wouldn't you know it?
One of the butternut squash is germinating.
After four days.
That's just amazing!
-Aji Brazilian Pumpkin
-Datil
-Habanero 'Pastel Market'
-Cumari ou Passarinho
-Habanero Paper Lantern
-Aji Limo Rojo (this last one was the free one from Peppermania).
I didn't have space in the little greenhouse because I had decided at the weekend to plant some butternut squash seeds I'd taken out of a squash Almapaprika and I had used for a curry. So I used four seeds from them, and then decided I wanted to give the Red Savina Habaneros and the Jamaican Hot Scotch Bonnets another shot, so planted two apiece.
Yup.
That's another full greenhouse.
Brought three plants over to work yesterday as well. An Orange Habanero, a Caribbean Red Habanero, and one of the Belpicens. I brought the ones that had been grown inside the glass jars (the 'mini-capsicums') to compare growth with the ones at the house.
Wouldn't you know it?
One of the butternut squash is germinating.
After four days.
That's just amazing!
Monday, 23 March 2009
Weekend/Monday pics
Really excited today. First of all I planted some of the seedlings that were in the glass jars into small pots (3cm this time), and moved almost all of the seedlings in the small greenhouse into the now empty jars (missing one Splendor).
Second of all, I passed by the office (had lecture) to see the seedlings there, and WOW! One weekend of mild sunshine (not even that much. It was cloudy all weekend) and some Chilli Focus made them shoot up quite a bit.
I GOT MY OTHER SEEDS! Hazzah! I ordered them from Peppermania (home of the Aji Queen. I wonder if that makes me her subject?). I ordered some Datil Chillies, Brazilian Starfish, Habanero Pastel Market, Paper Lanterns, Cumari au Passarinho. The Aji Queen threw in some free seeds (Aji Limo Rojo), and her business card had another little bag with a hodge-podge of chilli seeds! YAY! There are some Capsicum pubescens seeds (easy one, pubescens seeds are black), and probably another two types. I'll enjoy growing them to see what they end up being.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
The White Habanero
Since the last time I posted, I have now made some changes to the plants. But I'll post those new photos later.
I have realised that, while I have been talking incessantly about life and its many intricate 'intricacies', and I have also been posting about my adventures in chilli growing, I have not properly introduced you to the wonderful little capsicums that I am attempting to grow.
So, from time to time, I will write a little bit about them, using the information I can gather from the Internet and from whatever I end up discovering along the way!
First up, for no particular reason, is the White Habanero (the spicy 'honky' Habanero amidst the 'flava' of Habaneros).
I picked up this photo above from https://www.pimentas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6039, from a 'forumite' called 'pypcak ' (Let it not be said I do not give props when it's due). I looked up a bit of information on this little Capsicum chinense form Azienda Agraria Sperimentale Stuard in Parma (Italy), and their helpful catalog mentioned the following 'technical' data:
-30-35cm in height
-50-60cm in width
-'late' in its precociousness (Italians...always thinking about that)
-Highly pungent (spicy) fruit, smaller than the typical Habanero.
-Plant is sensitive to drops in temperature (not frost tolerant).
-Fruit is 3-3.5cm by 1-1.5cm.
thechileman.org says this is a really spicy number.
From personal experience (very limited though this is) it is one little number to get to germinate. Took forever for the seeds to sprout, and even after they germinated, they are by far some of the smallest seedlings in the lot. Still, if mine look half as good as the one on the picture, then I am really looking forward to this one.
Apparently they are really good small plants.
I have realised that, while I have been talking incessantly about life and its many intricate 'intricacies', and I have also been posting about my adventures in chilli growing, I have not properly introduced you to the wonderful little capsicums that I am attempting to grow.
So, from time to time, I will write a little bit about them, using the information I can gather from the Internet and from whatever I end up discovering along the way!
First up, for no particular reason, is the White Habanero (the spicy 'honky' Habanero amidst the 'flava' of Habaneros).
I picked up this photo above from https://www.pimentas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6039, from a 'forumite' called 'pypcak ' (Let it not be said I do not give props when it's due). I looked up a bit of information on this little Capsicum chinense form Azienda Agraria Sperimentale Stuard in Parma (Italy), and their helpful catalog mentioned the following 'technical' data:
-30-35cm in height
-50-60cm in width
-'late' in its precociousness (Italians...always thinking about that)
-Highly pungent (spicy) fruit, smaller than the typical Habanero.
-Plant is sensitive to drops in temperature (not frost tolerant).
-Fruit is 3-3.5cm by 1-1.5cm.
thechileman.org says this is a really spicy number.
From personal experience (very limited though this is) it is one little number to get to germinate. Took forever for the seeds to sprout, and even after they germinated, they are by far some of the smallest seedlings in the lot. Still, if mine look half as good as the one on the picture, then I am really looking forward to this one.
Apparently they are really good small plants.
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