the cult of celebrity

Humans are so obsessed with celebrities. Much has been written about this cult of celebrity, in particular of those who are famous for being famous, without actually doing anything to deserve that fame. Oh look, Paris Hilton is in the media again... because she opened her mouth and said something stupid.

First there are the film and television actors (why are they called stars? maybe because the sun shines out of their...), then there are those who sing for a living - these are the worse of the lot. Some do deserve being spotlighted because they have acquired acknowledgements in the form of awards.

Then there are "super" models, who happen to be more famous than the usual run of the mill catwalk or photographic fashion models. Why? Why must we know their name?

Certain politicians by nature of their work, being in the media spotlight are kind of like celebrities. So are certain journalists, but they are always "award-winning" journalists rather than "celebrity" so they have earnt their fame by achieving.

Then there are "celebrity" chefs. Like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson because they have their own TV shows and their own cookbooks. Okay, there are millions of food preparation chefs in the world, but how many names do you know?

Certain sportspeople are called "elite" athletes. Maybe they are, but they are helped by endorsing products in advertising and getting overpaid for it.

Unfortunately, there are also "celebrity" hairdressers in Australia. I kid you not. Thankfully, they are a dying breed.

One that I do like is "French celebrity philosopher" (for example, Bernard-Henri Levy - haven't heard of him? Shame on you!). I think people with ideas deserve much more of our attention. We should begin a "celebrity" intellectual movement to acknowledge smart people.

A dog will always just be a dog, and a cat just a cat. Perhaps we should also start a "celebrity" dog and cat movement? We can begin by prefacing Lassie with "celebrity dog" Lassie.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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After that rant, I feel like writing blah blah blah. So I will. Blah blah blah.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Yerba Buena

In 1846, the town of Yerba Buena was captured by the Americans during the Mexican-American War. On 30 January 1847, it was renamed San Francisco.

Yerba Buena was the name used by Spanish settlers because of the abundance of the herb (Satureja douglasii) which grew in that area.

Imagine if the place had not been renamed.

I left my heart in Yerba Buena? - I don't think so.

How about Scott McKenzies' If you're going to Yerba Buena.
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair - ahem.

What about that old cop show with Karl Malden and Michael Douglas: The Streets of Yerba Buena - doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

YBSU or SFSU, UCYB or UCSF?

Would you rather land at YBsomething or SFO?

How about the Yerba Buena 49ers? (come to think of it, my human still hasn't found that signed photo of Joe Montana that was sent to him by the team years ago).

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I can't wait for this warm weather to end. Most people love summer, but it is very uncomfortable for us cats (and my human too).

keisercat@wildmail.com

Year of the Dog

I can't believe that today is the first day of the Year of the Dog. Happy New Year.

Why do dogs get a special year? The closest we get is the Year of the Tiger.

I say we overthrow the current system and institute our own Chinese zodiac years. The first year will be the Year of the Cat.

Other animals of which I am in favour include the Duck, the Turtle, the Whale, the Wombat and the Frog.

I am happy to keep the Year of the Horse and the Year of the Dragon.

What do you reckon?

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was another warm day. I napped around, and even lied on my human's lap for a bit.

Then Devi came over and they went off to watch Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Luckily, they came back afterwards and I was given my dinner. My human told me about the movie and asked me why the lion (Aslan), and the cheetahs (or leopards) are on the side of good and the tigers are on the side of evil? Well, it was a long time since I read the book and I will have to wait for the movie on DVD before I can answer.



But my human told me that I would have been great in the movie. Lucy could have carried me around, and I could have actually talked to them in English instead of cat-speak meows. Hmmm, maybe we have an old wardrobe somewhere?

Not soon after, they went out again. Something about dinner and Peking duck. Thankfully my human came back not too late. There was not a catty bag for me (as usual).

keisercat@wildmail.com

Prometheus - Προμηθεύς (forethought)

I love the stories of ancient Greek lore - of Zeus, Hera, Artemis, Persephone etc.

One of my favourites is Prometheus, a titan (the titans led by Kronos ruled the world before they were overthrown by the gods headed by Zeus - indeed Zeus was a son of Kronos).

Anyway, Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus (afterthought) were responsible for creating the living creatures on earth - Epimetheus of all the creatures, and Prometheus of man (males).

Prometheus took his time and made man in the gods' image. As he took so long, the gifts of Zeus (like claws, feathers etc) were used up for the creatures and mankind got cold.

That was the reason why he stole fire from the gods to give to them.

Anyway, Zeus was furious and as punishment (there was a fair bit of a back story in between too including the introduction of woman, Pandora etc), Prometheus was tied to a rock at Mount Caucasus and an eagle would eat his liver. His liver would grow back again, and the eagle would eat it again... for 30,000 years.



After 30 years, Heracles (Hercules) freed him. This time, Zeus allowed him to return to Olympus.

Prometheus is a cool name and there are many objects or ideas named after him.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was warm. I napped for most of it. I tried to lie on my human's lap but he told me it was too hot. He later had an early afternoon nap in bed (not the couch) so I joined him and sat there looking at him for ages while he slept.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Mozart 250 Geburtstag

I've waited a whole jahre for this one to write. This time last jahre about Mozart I wrote. Heute was Herr Mozart's 250th birthday.

He was a musical genius who composed some 626 pieces of work, starting from the age of five until his death (that was the Requiem mass).

This jahre, Austria is having a huge celebration, particularly in Vienna und Salzburg.

You can find out all about the celebrations here -
Mozart 2006

Hmmm, I will ask my human to put on Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) for me tomorrow morning.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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It was so hot today. My human came home a bit earlier but didn't give me my dinner until the usual time. Then Merlin's human Kim came but both she and my human left. Not only that, but the computer was turned off at the wall so I couldn't even write my entry tonight until now!

Later on, Nell and Declan came over when my human returned, and I talked to them, but they didn't stay long.

I was deprived of human contact tonight, but it is still so warm inside the house that I really can't be bothered complaining.

keisercat@wildmail.com

a fool and their money are soon parted, on eBay

Local media recently reported that "four fun blokes" in Sydney are auctioning their friendship for a weekend including a couple of beers, snags (sausages), and a good time.

The thing is, there are people stupid enough bidding for it. The current bid is A$1,275.

What sort of a loser needs to buy friends like that?


I hope the money they make goes to charity, and they pay income tax on it. After all, they are offering a "service" which should have no price attached.

LINK - eBay

How much money should people bid on my offer to lie on their lap for an hour?

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I forgot to mention Burns Night yesterday. My human was out anyway so we didn't celebrate with Haggis.

Today was Australia Day, a public holiday, so I had my human with me all day. Mind you, I spent most of that time napping on my deck while my human was doing chores (even though it was warm). And no, there was no lamb offered in celebration. What a party pooper!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Right to Life?

President Bush recently spoke by telephone to the rally of abortion opponents rallying on the anniversary of Roe vs Wade. The first thing he said to them was:
You believe, as I do, that every human life has value, that the strong have a duty to protect the weak, and that the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence apply to everyone, not just to those considered healthy or wanted or convenient.

You can read (and listen) to the rest of his statement here - President Calls "March for Life" Participants via telephone, 23 January 2006, 12.40pm

I'm a little confused. I need somebody to explain to me how as Governor Bush of Texas, he supported and allowed capital punishment.

Surely "Right-to-Life" proponents believe that, with no exceptions. It just seems to me that their argument is a little inconsistent.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I didn't do much today. Just napped a bit. My human came back from work but didn't stay, but thankfully he gave me my dinner first. He went out with his second cousins to dinner. Just as well, he didn't stay out too late. I just want to sit on his lap as much as I can. Is that too much to ask?

keisercat@wildmail.com

M AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIVM FECIT

This is the inscription at the top of the Pantheon in Rome.

In full, it would read MARCUS AGRIPPA LUCII FILIUS CONSUL [ILLUD AEDIFICIUM] TERTIUM FECIT, which means Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius made [this temple] as third one when he was Consul.



The Pantheon is a spectacular building. It was first built by Agrippa in 25 BC dedicated to the Roman deities.

Agrippa's Pantheon was burned in 80 AD and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 126 AD.



My human told me that the building is located in an unassuming manner and it is not as ostentatious as other monuments. When my human "stumbled" across it whilst in Rome, he was pleasantly surprised.

By the way some idiot cyber-vandalised the Wikipedia entry about the Pantheon so I will not include its link here.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was a much more pleasant day compared to the heat of yesterday. When my human got home from work, if he had a tail like me, it would have been swishing from side to side. In the end, he decided to have a nap on the couch with me first, which I very much enjoyed. Then he made his dinner later after he woke up.

keisercat@wildmail.com

the new Bolivian President

The fact that Bolivia elected its first indigenous president is as significant as when Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa.

Will the United States ever elect a Native American as president, or Australia appoint an Indigenous aboriginal as governor-general or prime minister?

What do you think?

'Bolivia's 1st Indian President Sworn In' in Los Angeles Times, 23 January 2005
Now why are the American media calling President Evo Morales 'Indian'? He is Bolivian. He was never born in India. Just because an explorer made a mistake hundreds of years ago, doesn't make it right. Get with the program!

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was another scorcher. I know my human told me to stay inside with all the blinds down, but I still went out to my deck. Just in case there was a breeze.

Anyway, tonight we are either watching on TV, Supernatural or RACE - The Power of an Illusion on our ABC, while taping the other to watch later (they clash).

keisercat@wildmail.com

Whales - part 3

Firstly, I wish to apologise for my topic yesterday about Paris Hilton. My human told me that he couldn't believe that I had stooped so low to even consider that bimbo as a topic of discussion. You know, he was right. I'm very sorry.

Now for much more meaningful matters.

I've previously written on two occasions about whales.

It is very sad that the Northern Bottle-nosed whale which made its way up the River Thames didn't survive the rescue attempt. There must be so many disappointed and crest-fallen Londoners who were hoping for the whale to be saved.



See - BBC News

In 1988, three California Gray whales were trapped by the Arctic icepack near Point Barrow, Alaska. The whole world watched (assisted by a media circus) and after millions of dollars spent, the whales eventually reached open sea.



More recently, Greenpeace has been trying to thwart the hunting of whales in the Southern Ocean by Japanese whalers undertaking "scientific research". If the world cares about one whale in London, and those three in Alaska which needed to be rescued/saved because of accidental navigation, then what about those being hunted?

People should be concerned about whales all the time and not just when it makes a nice story in the media.



My human was surprised but pleased to see someone he knew on the TV news heading the Greenpeace campaign to stop Japanese killing whales.

We may not always agree with Greenpeace's methods, but nobody else is doing anything about this travesty.

LINKS
- Greenpeace Australia Pacific
- Greenpeace International

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was very hot again. I spent most of the time napping and staying still. I even forbade my human to do his chores, especially using the vacuum cleaner as that darn machine generates even more heat blowing hot air out.

If only we could swap about 15 temperature Celsius degrees with Moscow.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton will not be joining Mensa anytime soon, nor is she your average person. See - 'Legal papers proves she's no Einstein'.

However, she is filthy rich. Just as well people like her have lawyers and accountants to look after them.

What a shame that intelligence is inversely proportional to wealth. There is simply no justice in this world.


We call people like her, media tarts (befitting of some politicians and celebrities who have no reason to be famous who crave the spotlight). Will a network please devise a reality show called Idiot of the Year?

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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It was quite warm today. My human left me in the afternoon and came back tonight, so my dinner was late. He went to visit Merlin's humans Kim, Jordan and Liam (but Merlin must have hid to try and stay cool) and then Jimmy and Lily's humans Brian and Jacqui where he was fed an amazing slow cooked lamb meal. Again, I miss out.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Orion

I love celestial objects, in particular nebulae.

The Orion Nebula was first 'discovered' in 1610 by Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc.

It is about 1,500 to 1,600 light years away and is the brightest diffuse nebula in the sky and visible to the naked eye.

But it looks best up close! The Hubble Telescope captured the best picture ever.



*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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My human came back a little earlier today from work, but not by much. Later, Couscous' human, Anaree came over for dinner of lambshanks cooked in tomato, served with mash potato and sweet potato, and brussel sprouts. They also watched the Danish police drama Rejseholdet (Unit One) on TV. I sat on her lap briefly, which should be long enough to upset Couscous (as he is a boy cat).

I begged for some lamb by looking very pitiful. But no, I was denied this simple pleasure yet again. My human knows that I love lamb! Eating lamb is an Australian birthright!

keisercat@wildmail.com

tragic romances or romantic tragedies?

Tristan and Isolde is a very old tale, probably first written in the 12th century. Being so tragic, it was suitably re-written as an opera by Wagner (we have it, but I leave the room when my human puts it on - I simply cannot listen to such heavy metal opera). It is now a Hollywood film.

Wuthering Heights is also a very tragic romance. It has been adapted into several film interpretations. The question is, why hasn't this story been made into an opera yet? Kate Bush is a talented musician, classically trained. Perhaps she could write it, and use the melody from her old hit song. Just as long as she doesn't warp the story and have Catherine returning as a ghost... "Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy, I've come home, I'm so cold, let me in your window..." But please, anybody but André Previn (his operatic version of A Streetcar Named Desire was dreadful - those opera singers imitating cats on heat).

The Ghost and Mrs Muir was a sad romance of unattainable love. Why hasn't it been turned into a musical?

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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This morning I was cold and not feeling well and went straight back to sleep on my other bed. My human got all worried as I curled up into a little ball.

I was better by the time he came home as he gave me cooked fresh tuna which I gobbled up.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Philippe Starck

Today (18 January) is Philippe Starcke's birthday. He turns 57.



Monsieur Starcke is considered to be one of the world's best designers. He has designed bathroom fittings (sinks, bathtubs, toilets, taps for Grohe), a mouse for Microsoft, furniture, interiors such as hotels and for Eurostar, toothbrushes, lamps, shoes, vehicles, etc.


Starck designed bathroom (cat water torture room)


Ero/S/ is a small, snug armchair with an organic egg-shaped form, characterized by a refined combination of finishes and by a wise use of colour. It comes in various different tones of polycarbonate in both the transparent or solid coloured versions. (the naked ladies don't come with the £180 price tag - how is a cat to hop on a lap if they put their legs up like that?)

See - Philippe Starck homepage

If only his stuff is available at IKEA.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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We had really heavy rain last night and also a bit more this morning. It also made for a cooler day.

I had a fresh raw chicken wing for dinner tonight. For my after dinner stack , I also had some fresh cooked tuna. My human must have felt guilty after he read my blog entry about eating fresh fish!

keisercat@wildmail.com

G'DAY LA!

No, my human and I aren't about to visit Los Angeles nor move there. Shame!

G'DAY LA! is the slogan for Australia Week in Los Angeles. I am a little late with this notice as it started on 14 January, but will continue until 22 January 2006.

There was even an Australian Rules football game between the Swans and the Kangaroos (Roos won) at UCLA Westwood.

Those who managed to get to a fancy dinner by top Aussie Sydney chef Neil Perry were very lucky indeed.

To my American kitty friends' humans - if you've missed out and haven't managed a trip 'downunder' there is always G'day LA! in 2007.

LINKS
- USAFL Australia Week activities (too late I'm afraid)
- Australia Week

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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It's now raining thankfully. It was very moggy, err muggy all day what with all that rain from yesterday and the warmer day, it got rather humid.

I'm gonna go now and help my human watch Supernatural which he taped from last night (we were watching the last instalment of Guns, Germs and Steel instead). Ooh, it sounds spooky and scarey, just right up my human's dark alleyway...


A scene from Supernatural. What are they waiting for? BOO!

keisercat@wildmail.com

something fishy

We love fish in our house, especially fresh fish. When my human has fish for dinner, he makes sure I am given my share.

This is usually Tasmanian farmed Atlantic salmon cutlets, which my human poaches and has in a salad.

We used to also have whole poached snapper when there were more fish eating humans around, and when my brother Fatty was still with us. He was such a fish cat. My human used to buy silver warehou fillets especially for him.


Snapper - delicious poached. Fatty knew when snapper was for dinner. He was caught hopping up on the kitchen bench for more!

Anyway, the status of fish in Australia is in crisis.

This is due to overfishing, and most of our lovely fresh ocean catch is actually exported due to global demand for premium quality fish.

In return, we import most of our seafood including frozen cod from South Africa and more recently basa fillets from Asia.

Basa fillets are actually farmed Mekong River Catfish from Vietnam. If that was labelled at sale, nobody would buy it, but they do because it is cheap (about one-third the price of local ocean species), and now the main fish in our 'fish and chips'.

Fish substitution has also been a problem, with cheap imported fillets miss-labeled as a fancier one. Obviously many human fish eaters can't tell the difference. Fortunately, I have trained my human to have a much more discerning taste!

I have told my human that we should still eat fish, but stick with the good fresh local stuff, even if it is not as often.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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It poured with rain today and it was so loud. Consequently my human came home from work earlier as Malgosia gave him a ride home (just as well as at 5.30pm on the dot when my human usually leaves work, the heavy rain came again). I had a good meow-chat to Malgosia and thanked her for all the nice things she has given me.

I had some raw corn-fed chicken wing for dinner then a nap with my human on the couch. When he woke up an hour later, I tricked him into giving me another dinner, but this time it was cooked chicken. Woohoo!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Freakonomics

Something more cerebral today.

Most people and kitties consider economics to be a very dry subject full of numbers and assumptions. Things like the J curve, and the relationship between interest rates and inflation etc.

Anyway, Professor Steven Levitt at the University of Chicago has applied economic theory to much more interesting topics.

For example, he bravely suggested that legalised abortion has helped to lower the crime rate.

Professor Levitt also has lots of other interesting ideas and it is worth taking the time to read his work.

Professor Steven Levitt - homepage - includes downloadable papers

Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (Amazon.com)

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was a little bit cooler. This morning I also discovered a hiding place that my human can't find. He was in the bathroom using the toilet when he heard me run in from outside through the cat door. I always scamper after I do a poo.

Anyway, when he came out of the bathroom, he was looking for me, as my post-poo scampering always inevitably leads to a 'butt fur check'. He looked for me here, he looked for me there and in the end he went out the back door. That was when I appeared.

When your human is calling out your name and looking under beds and in between furniture, the trick is to remain hidden!

keisercat@wildmail.com

Agie the library cat

Agie, a calico cat who has been living at the Willamina City Library was going to be evicted following a city council decision to ban animals in public buildings (except for guide dogs).

Thankfully, the local public decided that she should stay.



See
- ' 'Library Cat Won't Be Evicted After All' KOIN news, Portland OREGON 13 January 2006
- 'Puss may get the boot in Willamina' News-Register, McMinnville OREGON 29 December 2005

I think Agie (named for Agatha Christie) is very lucky. Not just all those people who visit the library and pat and talk to her, but all those books. I wonder if she has her favourites.

I hope she gets to review all the new acquisitions.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was really warm and I spent most of the day sleeping. My human also found it barely bearable.

keisercat@wildmail.com

seasonal stupidity

Four stupid things I have read lately.

A man at a restaurant 'ducked' to avoid a tossed shrimp, jerked his head, had to have an operation (whether related or not to the incident is being decided by a court), and died a year later.
- 'Benihana shrimp toss cited in death', Newsday 12 January 2006
Hello? If you don't want to see food flying, don't go to a teppanyaki restaurant. Idiots.

A 19 year old man broke his leg while trying to kill a spider. What an idiot.
- 'Man breaks leg while kicking spider' The Age 12 January 2006
We have spiders like this in our house all the time, my human and I leave them alone as they eat other bugs.

A woman marries a dolphin.
- 'British woman marries dolphin' Fox News 3 January 2006
What a moron.

People who go away for holidays and don't arrange for neighbours or friends to feed their dog or walk it.
- 'Looking out for another man's best friend' The Age 7 January 2006
Neglect is cruelty by another name.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was a much cooler day outside but the house doesn't always cool down from previous warm days.

Merlin's human Kim came over tonight for a dinner of tandoori lamb chops with rice and blanched broccolini. Afterwards they watched Austin Powers in Goldmember. I napped on the floor, but it sounded like a lot of fun. I did get to sit on her lap for a short period.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Cy

I was going to write about Cy, the kitten who was born with only one eye.

As I was scooped by Cooper who wrote such a wonderful and touching piece about Cy, I defer to him - Holoprosencephaly

See also - Washington Post article

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was another very warm day. All I want to do is stay still and nap, except when I eat.

keisercat@wildmail.com

Are newspapers doomed?

Reports of the dwindling in newspaper circulation are alarming.

What was once a major source of news and information now has to compete with television, radio, and the internet (not only news sites but now also blogs).

The other forms of media offer sound bite packages of information. There is nothing like a newspaper for in depth analysis (except for specialised intellectual journals and magazines).

We love the Saturday newspapers in this house. Saturday is the big day for newspapers in Australia, similar to Sunday in the US and UK. My human brings back for me the local paper (The Canberra Times which is nothing like its quality Washington counterpart), the Sydney paper (The Sydney Morning Herald) and the national paper (The Australian, a Murdoch flagship). The opinions, analyses and letters to the editor are much better considered compared to the other media like talk back radio. And then there are the glossy magazines inserted in SMH and Aust which are really cool.

With a newspaper, you can take a break and return to the article, re-read it, and keep it for later reference. Of course being a cat, I rely on my human to yell out "listen to this Keiser...", otherwise he leaves it on the floor for me to read later.

It is such a shame that newspapers are losing their share of readers to other forms of media.

Check out - 'Are Newspapers Doomed?' by Joseph Epstein in Commentary which is a very interesting article.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today started out as a warm day. Then it rained around midday which cooled things down but not inside the house.

Devi came over in the evening for a poached salmon salad. It was still too warm for me to sit on her lap.

keisercat@wildmail.com

falsetto

I have written a lot about music in my blog/diary; favourite opera arias, favourite pieces of classical music, popular and alternative music etc

One style of singing which is very interesting are the male countertenors (although strictly speaking, or rather writing, is a term used in classical music) singing in a high voice which is much higher than their usual range.

These men sing in falsetto and if they do it well, it sounds amazing.

Famous singers who can do falsetto well include Barry Gibb from Bee Gees (especially in Stayin' Alive), Darren Hayes from Savage Garden, Prince, Jimmy Somerville from Bronski Beat, then Communards, Frankie Vallie from The Four Seasons... the list is long.

The lead singer of one of my favourite groups, Jón Þór Birgisson (or Jónsi) from Sigur Rós sings almost exclusively in falsetto.


Members of Sigur Rós (Jónsi is the 'shy' one)

Even James Blunt gets to the falsetto range in his song High from his Back to Bedlam album.


James Blunt

The amazing songs from Scissor Sisters would not sound as great if they weren't in Jake Shears' falsetto.


Scissor Sisters in Barcelona 2003

Once upon a time, boys would be castrated before puberty so that their high 'soprano' voices didn't break, and they were known as castrati.

Today's modern singers must be thankful they still have their balls.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was another very warm day. Nina's human Deb came over to see me for about 10 minutes after my human came home from work, so I hopped straight on to her lap. Of course I meowed and asked her how Nina was (I heard that Nina got put into a cattery for a week and she was not very happy about it).

keisercat@wildmail.com

I'm worth how much?

This item is addressed to humans...

Would you pay £10,000 to save your dog from destruction? Or £2,000 to rescue a rabbit with a broken leg?

Read more - ' Do you love your pet that much?' (UK Daily Telegraph, 5 January 2006)


Harry, a two-year-old tabby, is thought to be the first cat to undergo life-saving open-heart surgery, at a cost of £10,000 to the pet insurance company.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I was left home alone all day today. And it was a warm day too.

keisercat@wildmail.com

fukubukuro

In a global economy, we should adopt all cool customs from elsewhere in the world.

I think fukubukuro sounds like a really cool one.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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I must apologise for not having updated my diary/blog of late. Thank you for the messages of concern from my kitty friends. My human was really sick and sleeping most of the time, so I cuddled up to him to make him feel better. He did remember to get up to feed me though. Unfortunately, I haven't managed to work out how to use the telephone to dial 911 (or rather, 000 in Australia). I hope I never have to.

On a lighter note, when my human wasn't sleeping we did watch some cool movies including The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Princess Mia's cat, Sir Fat Louie sure had it good with his own seat on the learjet and the run of the palace!



keisercat@wildmail.com

Isaac Newton

Today was Isaac Newton's birthday in 1643 (adjusted for calendar changes from Julian to Gregorian). He made one of the most important contributions to modern science including the Three Laws of Motion.

- Unless acted upon by an unbalanced force, an object will maintain a constant velocity.

- The alteration of motion is ever proportional to the motive force impressed; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed. -- If a force generates a motion, a double force will generate double the motion, a triple force triple the motion, whether that force be impressed altogether and at once, or gradually and successively. And this motion (being always directed the same way with the generating force), if the body moved before, is added to or subducted from the former motion, according as they directly conspire with or are directly contrary to each other; or obliquely joined, when they are oblique, so as to produce a new motion compounded from the determination of both.

- All forces occur in pairs, and these two forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

There is so much more that can be said about Isaac Newton, but that would take pages and pages.

See - BBC History



*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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keisercat@wildmail.com

new seven wonders

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were compiled by Antipater of Sidon in 2BC. His list incluced:
- the Great Pyramid of Giza
- the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- the Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
- the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
- the Colossus of Rhodes
- the Lighthouse of Alexandria

Today, only the Great Pyramid of Giza remains.

The New Seven Wonders Foundation now has a shortlist of 21 open for voting by anybody (voting ends one year from now). The shortlist includes:
- Acropolis in Athens, Greece
- Alhambra in Granada, Spain
- Angkor (Wat) in Cambodia
- Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico
- Christ Redeemer (statue) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Colosseum in Rome, Italy
- Easter Island Statues in Easter Island, Chile
- Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
- Great Wall in China
- Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
- Kyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan
- Kremlin in Moscow, Russia
- Machu Picchu in Peru
- Neuschwanstein Castle in Füssen, Germany
- Petra in Jordan
- Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
- Statue of Liberty in New York, USA
- Stonehenge in Amesbury, United Kingdom
- Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia
- Taj Mahal in Agra, India
- Timbuktu in Mali

LINKS
- Vote here (you can also check out the pictures)
- BBC News

My human has only seen five of the 21 shortlisted. As much as we like the Sydney Opera House, new structures like that and the Statue of Liberty should really stand the test of time (hundreds of years) first.

Definite picks for the final seven should include Angkor Wat, Petra and Machu Picchu. Most new structures pale into insignificance by comparison.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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The last week was too good to last, and the days are back to normal (me being left home alone during the day). Another three days before the weekend again!

keisercat@wildmail.com

What's new pussycat?

It's not unusual that Tom Jones has finally been honoured in the Queen's New Year's Honours list with a knighthood. We like him as he sings a great song to a special pussycat.



LINKS
- Tom Jones (official site)
- BBC News

Dame Shirley Bassey DBE, did beat him to it though.

Go Cymru!

If you have an inkling to learn Welsh, check this out - Clwb Malu Cachu

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was still warm, but not as terrible as yesterday (but spare a thought for the poor people and kitties in Sydney yesterday where it was 44 degrees Celsius - 111 degrees Fahrenheit).

I sent my human out to the city downtown today for a few hours, where he met up with Devi to help her find a present for Hannah for her 10th birthday. And finally, today he came back with a present for me. Woohoo! It is a Spode Blue Italian bowl.



I must remind my human that Guns, Germs and Steel is on TV tonight. My human said the book was really good, but Jared Diamond (the author, also presenting the TV show) was a bit rude during the book signing a couple of years ago.

keisercat@wildmail.com

New Year wishes

What I hope for in 2006:

- peace in the Middle East, including in Iraq;
- peaceful reunification of North and South Korea;
- greater global effort in reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- changes to NAFTA so that American businesses invest in Mexico, thereby creating jobs and wealth for Mexicans, so they can stay home and American rednecks can stop whining about "illegals";
- a waning in the influence of the religious right and Americans become less puritanical and more accepting;
- nobody watches "reality" shows on TV anymore, so they stop making them;
- nobody cares about Paris Hilton and she quietly "retires"; and
- my human invests in aircon before next summer.

*As always, please check out Cooper and Camilla who always have interesting things to say.

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Today was so hot again. I stayed indoors trying to keep still and cool. My human watched Garden State which he enjoyed. He likes those quirky movies. I liked the music in it - on the floor with my ears tuned towards it.

Devi came over briefly on her way home from her parents in a small country town a few hours away (by car) for a dinner of Sri Lankan lamb curry on saffron basmati rice with green beans and brussel sprouts.

I only had cooked chicken for dinner, but the last two mornings, my human has been hand feeding me with ham cut of the bone. I have him well trained.

So hot... I better go and lie on the floor again now.

keisercat@wildmail.com