Lørdag den 28. oktober 2017

I aften skal vi stille urene en time tilbage, så vi i nat kan nyde den ekstra times søvn i sengen. Men først og fremmest er det et tegn på at vinteren er på vej. Vi bruger formiddagen på at rydde op i haven, og flytte terrassemøbler ind i skuret  - hulk, hulk! 

vi rydder op i haven – vinteren er på vej – uha!

Men faktisk har vi ikke haft flere lejligheder til at nyde vores terrassemøbler denne år. Det var ikke den bedste sommer, vi nogensinde har haft, ingen tvivl om det. Vi håber på bedre ting næste år. I det mindste vil Lois og jeg oplever lidt varmere vejr, hvis vi besøger Sarah, vores datter i Australien, og hendes lille familie.

Faktum er, at vi bare er to gamle krager, og vores to kære døtre bor begge to i udlandet, den ene i Danmark, og den anden i Australien. Men i dag ser vi i det mindste billeder af vores børnebørn på whatsapp og ”Insta”, hvilket opmuntrer os lidt.

vores børnebørn i Australien tilbragte dagen

på at en lokal basar og hyggede sig med at male og pynte sig selv:

Lily (til venstre) og Jessie.

Lily – hvor er hun dog sød !!!!

Lily og Jessie sammen med en af deres venner.

to af vores 3 børnebørn i København, Josie (11) og Isaac (7)

fejrer Halloween hos Darlene, deres kanadiske klaverlærerinde

Vi er ikke så alene, som vi føler os!

11:00 Vi kører til en lokale nærbutik for at købe et par ting. Lois er bag rettet for første gang i snart ét år, hvilket er lidt af en milepæl for hende efter sin øjenoperation for grå stære – hurra!

12:30 Vi spiser frokost og bagefter går jeg i seng for at tage mig en gigantisk eftermiddagslur. Jeg står op kl 15 og hopper op på min kondicykel. Jeg cykler 9 miles (15km), mens Lois smutter ind hos naboerne (Bill og Mary) for at snakke lidt med Mary, der lider af mild demens. Lois er så hvarmhjertet. Bare jeg kunne være så menneskekærlig som hende.

16:00 Jeg lytter lidt til radio, et interessant program, der hedder ”Store Live”. Programmets vært er den charmerende Matthew Paris.

I hver uge nominerer en berømthed en anden berømthed, som han betragter som en stor mand, og mandens biograf eller anden ekspert kommenterer og tilfører yderliggere oplysninger. I dag hører vi Richard Dawkins, den berømte evolutionistisk forsker, der nominerer en tidligere arbejdskollega, Bill Hamilton (1936 – 2000) som ”ugens stor mand”. Bills søster Mary deltager også i diskussionen, som ”ekspertvidne”.

Hamilton var en rigtig cyklist, ikke en elendig kondicyklist som mig. Som en gråhåret mand terroriserede han både fodgængere og bilister på byen Oxfords gader med den utrolig cykelhastighed, han opnåede. Han plejede at cykle så hurtigt, at en check på 15.000£ fra Royal Society engang fløj ud af sin cykelkurv, og var aldrig fundet – du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!!

Bill Hamilton, den evolutionistiske biolog og vanvittig cyklist,

der terroriserede byen Oxfords gader med sin super-hurtige cykling.

Han ligner lidt min ven, ”Magyar” Mike, må jeg indrømme

Min ven, ”Magyar” Mike (til venstre)

Jeg har nogle gange tænkt på den bedste måde jeg kan forestille mig min egen død. I filmene ser vi mange romantiske imager af  død, for eksempel i tilfælde af  RJ Mitchell, der udviklede det ikoniske Spitfire-kampfly i 1930’erne og var helten af en inspirerende biopic (biografisk film).

Ved slutningen af filmen bliver Mitchell mere og mere syg og han dør desværre som en ganske ung mand (på 42 år), i 1937. Han er blevet begrænset til en lænestol. Hans sygeplejerske bringer ham et glas mælk og forlader ham et par minutter. Vi ser hans sjæl forlade hans krop og flyve ud af vinduet og op i luften, hvor det kongelige luftvåben er i gang med at teste Mitchells kampfly. Hans glas mælk falder til gulvet, hvor sygeplejersken finder det, da hun et par minutter senere kommer tilbage. Du godeste! Hvor rørende!!!

Hamilton, den evolutionistiske biolog, havde nogle fikserede idéer om, hvordan han forestillede sig sin egen død.

Når han døde, ville han gerne blive lagt ud på skovbundet i Amazonas jungle og blive begravet af ådselgravere som mad til deres larver. Begravende biller lever af at  tage døde kroppe ned under jorden og lægge deres æg i dem. Deres larver bliver udruget på denne måde og dukker op det næste år som flyvende voksne .

Hamilton sagde, ”Når jeg dør, vil jeg ’undslippe’ inde i disse ’børn’, opdraget med omhu af deres hornede forældre, formet af knytnæveformede bolde skabt fra mit kød. Omarrangeret og i multipel form, vil jeg til sidst summe væk fra jorden som bier ud af en rede, faktisk summe højere end bier, næsten som en sværm af motorcykler. Jeg skal så blive båret op i luften af bille efter flyvende bille ud i den brasilianske jungle under stjernerne."

Dawkins mener, at dette billede af multiple Hamiltoner med blå iriserende vinger der flyver op i den brasilianske jungle - er et smukt poetisk indfald, og det giver jeg ham ret.

en sværm af biller  -  multiple Hamiltoner?

en typisk ådselsgraver – Bill Hamilton, den evolutionistiske biolog,

ville gerne blive til multiple ådselsgravere efter sin død – yikes!!!!

Hamilton var min type af forsker, fordi han var så selvudslettende (derfor har ingen hørt om ham). Han var en så produktiv kilde af idéer, der involverede så mange aspekter af evolutionistisk biologi, men han skrev ikke altid afhandlinger om dem – han  begravede for eksempel en af sine snildeste teorier i en anmedelse, han skrev om en kollegas bog.

Han var en stor beundrer af Darwin og faktisk lignede ham meget ifølge Dawkins. Og han var meget ivrig efter at ”rydde op” nogle af de usvarede problemer, som Darwin ”efterlod” bag sig.

Hans teori om altruismen prøvede at  forklare eksistensen af denne ejendommelighed som stammende fra individets forsøg på at forplante generne af folk, der har lignende gener som sine egne, for eksempel, generne af vores tætteste slægtninger.

Selvom Hamilton er bedst kendt for sin forskning om altruismen, var selve manden mest interesseret i spørgsmålet om sex – hvorfor har vi sex? Ja, vi vil alle gerne sprede vores gener ud til alle sider, men ville det ikke være mere effektivt, hvis kvinder kunne føde via partenogenese, og dermed sprede deres gener i en helt ren form (som kloner med andre ord) uden hjælp fra mænd??

Det er juryen desværre stadig ude om.

seksuel udvælgelse i den akademiske verden

Han arbejdede også på seksuel udvælgelse. Hvorfor vælger hunner én han fremfor en anden han? Hamilton troede, at det er vigtigste, at hannen viser, at han kan modstå de nuværende parasiter, fordi parasiter udvikler sig konstant og i et alarmerende hastighed.

Det er velkendt, at hunner vælger hanner, der bærer visse ejendommeligheder, for eksempel lyse fjær. Hamilton troede, at disse ejendommeligheder er et slags ”sundhedscertifikat”, der viser, at hannen har høj modstand mod parasiter. Og hunnerne går konstant på jagt efter disse sundhedscertifikater, så de kan have sex med certifikatets ejer.

Du godeste, sikke en skør verden vi lever i !!!!

17:30 Lois kommer hjem og vi spiser aftensmad. Bagefter taler vi lidt med Alison, vores datter i København, og Ed, hendes mand. Det mest sandsynligvise nu, at de vil flytte tilbage til England næste påske. Den familie, der for tiden bor i deres hus i Haslemere, planlægger at flytte ind i deres nye hus næste påske eller deromkring.

Vi overlader til senere diskussion om planer om jul og nytår. Lois foretrækker, at hun og jeg bliver herhjemme i år. Vi må spare penge sammen for at besøge Sarah, vores datter i Australien, i foråret, og hvis Alisons familie flytter tilbage til England næste år, vil vi have mange lejligheder til at se dem derefter. Også Lois er stadig lidt bange for at flyve, så hun gerne vil minimisere de flyveture, vi har brug for at tage.

21:00 Jeg ser lidt fjernsyn, mens Lois smutter ind i spisestuen for at snakke i telefon med Ruth, sin fætters kone. Jeg ved godt, at Ruth vil snakke i en time eller mere, om alle sine mange slægtninges mange problemer og sygdomme. Ruth er en ”problemer-junkie”. Hun ligner ikke den evolutionaristiske ”hunner”, der konstant går på jagt efter dem, der bærer synlige ”sundhedscertifikater” – hun går konstant på jagt efter nogen som helst, der bærer en (fysisk eller psykisk) ”usundhedscertifikat” – du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!!

22:00 Jeg stiller urene en time tilbage, bortset fra de to ure, vi holder på Western Australia tid – folk er heldigere derovre, og de bliver ikke tvunget til at forstyrre deres kropsure to gange om året.

Vi går i seng – zzzzzzz!!!!!

English translation

Tonight we have to put the clocks back one hour, so we can enjoy the extra hour of sleep in bed. But first and foremost, it is a sign that winter is on its way. We spend the morning clearing up in the garden and moving patio furniture into the shed - sob sob!

we clear up in the garden – winter is on the way. Oh dear!

But in fact, we have not had many opportunities to enjoy our patio furniture this year. It was not the best summer we have ever had, no doubt about that. We hope for better things next year. At least, Lois and I will experience a little warmer weather if we visit Sarah, our daughter in Australia, and her little family.

The fact is that we are just two old crows, and our two dear daughters both live both abroad, one in Denmark and one in Australia. But today at least we see pictures of our grandchildren on whatsapp and "Insta", which encourages us a little.

 Our grandchildren in Australia spent the day

at a local bazaar and enjoyed painting and decorating themselves:

Lily (left) and Jessie.

Lily - how cute she looks !!!!

Lily and Jessie with one of their friends.

 two of our 3 grandchildren in Copenhagen, Josie (11) and Isaac (7)

celebrating Halloween at the house of Darlene, their Canadian piano teacher

We are not as alone as we feel!

11:00 We drive to a local convenience store to buy a few things. Lois is behind the wheel for the first time for almost a year, which is a bit of a milestone for her after her eye operation for cataracts - hurrah!

12:30 We have lunch and afterwards I go to bed and take a huge afternoon nap. I get up at 3pm and jump up on my exercise bike. I cycle 9 miles (15km) while Lois pops into the neighbors' (Bill and Mary) to have a little chat with Mary, who suffers from mild dementia. Lois is so warm-hearted. If only I could be as charitable as her.

16:00 I listen a bit to the radio, an interesting program called "Great Lives". The host of the program is the charming Matthew Paris.

Every week, a celebrity nominates another celebrity, whom he regards as a great man, and the man's biographer or other expert comments and adds further information. Today we hear Richard Dawkins, the famous evolutionary scientist, who nominates a former work colleague, Bill Hamilton (1936 - 2000) as "the great man of the week". Bill's sister Mary also takes part in the discussion, as "expert witness".

Hamilton was a real cyclist, not a rubbish fitness cyclist like me. As a gray-haired man, he terrorized both pedestrians and motorists on the streets of Oxford with the incredible cycling speed he achieved. He used to cycle so fast that a cheque for £ 15,000 from Royal Society once flew out of his cycle-basket and was never found - good grief, what madness !!!!

Bill Hamilton, the evolutionary biologist and crazy cyclist,

who terrorized the city of Oxford with his super-fast cycling.

He looks a bit like my friend, "Magyar" Mike, I must admit

My friend, "Magyar" Mike (left)

I have sometimes thought of the best way I can imagine my own death. In the movies, we see many romantic images of death, for example in the case of RJ Mitchell, who developed the iconic Spitfire fighter plane in the 1930s and was the hero of an inspirational biopic (biographical movie).

At the end of the film, Mitchell becomes more and more sick and he dies as quite a young man (42 years old), in 1937. He has been confined to an armchair. His nurse brings him a glass of milk and leaves him for a few minutes. We see his soul leave his body and fly out of the window and into the air where the Royal Air Force is testing Mitchell's combat aircraft. His glass of milk falls to the floor where the nurse finds it when she comes back a couple of minutes later. My goodness! How touching !!!

Hamilton, the evolutionary biologist, had some fixed ideas about how he imagined his own death.

When he died, he wanted to be laid out on the forest floor in the Amazon jungle and be buried by burying beetles (sexton beetles) as food for their larvae. Burying beetles live by taking dead bodies under the ground and laying their eggs in them. Their larvae are brought up in this way and appear next year as flying adults.

Hamilton said, "When I die, I'll 'escape' into these 'children ', who are cared for lovingly by their horned parents, and are nourished by fist-shaped balls made from my flesh. Rearranged and in multiple form, I will finally buzz away off the ground like bees out of a nest, actually buzzing more loudly than bees, almost like a swarm of motorcycles. I will then be carried up in the air by beetle after flying beetle into the Brazilian jungle under the stars."

Dawkins believes that this image of multiple Hamiltons with blue iridescent wings flying up into the Brazilian jungle is a beautiful poetic fancy, and I agree with him there.

a swarm of beetles – multiple Hamiltons???

a typical burying beetle (sexton beetle) - Bill Hamilton, the evolutionary biologist,

wanted to become multiple beetles after his death - yikes !!!!

Hamilton was my kind of researcher because he was so self-effacing (that's why nobody has heard of him). He was such a productive source of ideas involving so many aspects of evolutionary biology, but he did not always write dissertations about them - for example, he buried one of his most ingenious theories in a review he wrote about a colleague's book.

He was a great admirer of Darwin and was actually very like him according to Dawkins. And he was very keen to "tidy up" some of the unresolved issues that Darwin "left behind".

His theory of altruism tried to explain the existence of this characteristic as derived from the individual's attempt to propagate the genes of people who have similar genes to his own, for example, the genes of our closest relatives.

Although Hamilton is best known for his research on altruism, the man himself was most interested in the question of sex - why do we have sex? Yes, we all want to spread our genes far and wide, but would it not be more efficient if women could give birth through parthenogenesis, thus spreading their genes in a completely pure form (like clones in other words) without the help of men ??

Unfortunately, the jury is still out on that one.

sexual selection in the academic world

He also worked on sexual selection. Why do females choose one male rather than another? Hamilton thought that the most important thing is for the male to show that he can resist the current parasites because parasites are evolving constantly and at an alarming rate.

It is well-known that females choose males that bear certain characteristics, such as bright feathers. Hamilton believed that these features are a kind of "health certificate" that shows that the male is highly resistant to current parasites. And the females are all out looking for these health certificates, so they can have sex with the certificate’s bearer.

Good grief, what a crazy world we live in !!!!

17:30 Lois comes home and we have dinner. Afterwards, we talk a little on Skype with Alison, our daughter in Copenhagen, and Ed, her husband. The most likely thing now is that they will move back to England next Easter. The family that are currently living in Ali and Ed's Haslemere house, plan to move into their new house next Easter or thereabouts.

We leave discussion till later about Christmas and New Year plans. Lois prefers that she and I stay at home this year. We must save money to visit Sarah, our daughter in Australia, in the spring, and if Alison's family move back to England next year, we will have many opportunities to see them thereafter. Lois is still a little afraid of flying so she would like to minimize the flights we need to take.

21:00 I watch a bit of television while Lois pops into the dining room to talk to Ruth, her cousin's wife. I know that Ruth will talk for an hour or more about all her many relatives' many problems and illnesses. Ruth is a "problems-junkie". She is not like the evolutionary females who are constantly on the hunt for bearers of visible "health certificates" - she is constantly on the hunt  for anyone bearing a (physical or mental) "unhealth-certificate" - good grief, what madness !!!!

22:00 I put our clocks back an hour, except for the two clocks we keep on Western Australia time - people are lucky over there and they are not forced to disturb their body clocks twice a year.We go to bed - zzzzzzz !!!!!