Archive for September 25th, 2008
Sarah Clarke of The Torbay Bookshop reviews the latest releases.
The Dolphin People by Torsten Krol is a fantastic adventure story set against the backdrop of a jungle village deep in the heart of Amazonas. It’s 1946 with emotions running high after the end of the Second World War when a German family crash lands and are rescued by the natives. The narrator, Erich, a 16-year-old boy, begins to realise that his Uncle Klaus, a former SS officer, may not be the noble figure he thought he once was and by the time he finally escapes his whole life and values have been completely overturned.
The Dolphin People, Torsten Krol, Atlantic Books, £12.99, 9781843545774
• The Torbay Bookshop is one of the leading independent booksellers - visit it online.
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September 25th, 2008
posted by Cptn
Good evening ladies and germs, we have news in from the South Devon Humanists about a talk that’s on tonight as part of their series of lectures. Paul Menday will give a talk about the evolution of bacteria entitled from Darwin to the Antibacterial Arms-race, at Birdwood House, Totnes from 7.30pm.
“Penicillin, hailed in the 1940s as a miracle treatment, has become virtually useless against a bacteria it initially killed”, Paul told the PRSD. He will show how common bacteria have evolved to combat antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause.
“These are modern day examples of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution through natural selection. You can see this happening before your very eyes. It is war between man and bacteria. Can man win this war, or will bacteria always fight back through evolution?”
He explained: “To study evolution you probably need at least 1,000 generations. In mankind this would take something like 20,000 years. However, some bacteria - in the right conditions - double every 20 minutes, so evolution can be witnessed over a matter of a few years. And here we see an arms race for survival.”
“Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin that killed many bacteria. However, a strain developed resistance and therefore thrived, becoming the dominant bacteria. Scientists then developed a new type of penicillin, methicillin, which killed the now dominant bacteria. However, another strain has evolved which is now resistant to methicillin - better known as the deadly superbug MRSA. “
Paul added: “Resistant forms evolve all the time. As man develops different drugs to kill different strains of bacteria, some will become resistant. There will never be an outright winner in this arms race, but hopefully man will always have the upper hand. It is the survival of the fittest - evolution through natural selection.”
Paul worked as a microbiologist in the pharmaceutical industry for 30 years. During this time he was involved in many clinical trials, working with drugs for many infectious diseases and for cancer and eczema. He was even known to use himself as a guinea pig from time to time! Paul took early retirement in 2001 and moved to South Molton with his wife. Here he became a member of the North Devon Humanists. Paul is a great Charles Darwin fan and he is currently planning a trip of a lifetime to Galapagos.
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September 25th, 2008
Johnny Depp has confirmed he WILL play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s forthcoming Alice In Wonderland - currently being filmed at Antony House near Torpoint.
Read the full story and find out which other blockbuster Johnny’s set to star in, on D+CFilm.
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September 25th, 2008
posted by Cptn
Devon County Council is determined to make the region England’s greenest county, and they are taking the lead to promote a greener working environment, with a new website and prizes for those who cut down on their car travel.
The council is so committed to reducing its carbon footprint it’s launched Doing it for Devon@Work to remind people of stuff they probably already know, like turning off lights and computers and such like, reducing reliance on the car for work and thinking about new flexible working patterns.
There’s a figure flying about that the council could cut 250 tonnes of Co2 emissions if it achieved its Travel Plan targets (about half of the organisation’s carbon footprint is produced by car). And it could save what amounts to 245 trees every month with more paper and card recycling.
They are even looking at a voluntary second car free day.
And as a reward, those who park on site for less than four days a week will be entered into a weekly draw for prizes like vouchers towards walking and cycling equipments and public transport discounts.
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September 25th, 2008
posted by Cptn
We hear of artists getting up to all kinds of stunts to promote their work, but Tom Dale’s work goes one further. His Kings Island exhibition, which revs into action on September 27 and runs until November 16 at Plymouth Arts Centre, is made up stunt ramps.
For his first sole show Tom has put together a whole load of stunt ramps which launch those death-deying leaps over buses and what not not. They are reconstructions of the ramps of motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel, but the trajectories have been skewed, and although this is billed as conjuring up “ideologies of national pride and sacrifice: launch pads for the olitical ideals of a culture and its time”, couldn’t they also (rubs chin knowingly) be a warning to our own impossible dreams and kooky perspectives?
Plus, there’s bright colours.
There’s a conversation with Tom Dale at Plymouth Arts Centre, which took place in July, where he talks about his work, which includes a film of Evel. “I can’t overemphasise what a vulgar figure he was,” says Tom. “He was overtly misogynist, racist and anti-Semitic.”
He explains a possible reason for the show: Maybe it was borne about from a sense of frustration for the times we were in. We had just seen the Bush administration come to power and Washington was full of 4×4s and Stetsons. There was a sweeping change and the US was led by someone who thought it was alright to say, “Saddam Hussein tried to kill my father”.
Tom Dale’s Kings Island takes off on September 27, leaping October and skids to a halt on November 16 at Plymouth Arts Centre.
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September 25th, 2008
