Tag: Humour

Now you see it, now you don’t!

Bermeja (Mexican Gulf) – anyone seen my island?

There’s a wonderful story in last week-end’s The Sunday Times, a British newspaper, written by Matthew Campbell concerning the loss of an important island that has been used previously to define the limits of Mexico’s maritime

Old map with Bermeja
Old map with Bermeja

border (read oil!).  Here’s an extract:

The mystery has come to haunt Mexico as unrelentingly as one of its beloved soap operas: where is Bermeja, an island off the Yucatan coast that appears to have vanished without trace?

The disappearance of Bermeja is no laughing matter – it would allow Mexico to extend its maritime border some 55 miles further north, helping it to fight off what it sees as American encroachment on its claims to potentially vast oil reserves in the Mexican Gulf.

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Precision engineering

Technology is so much more than bits and bytes.

Recently had the opportunity to visit a factory belonging to Horst Engineering in the nearby town of Guaymas (pronounced whymas), Sonora, Mexico.  The factor manager is an American, Andy Law, who, with his lovely wife, livesHorst 2 across the road.

It is simply ages since I have seen a precision engineering factory at work.  Not only was I impressed but it took me on a long trip down memory lane, with a couple of strands: engineering tools and the British defence industry.

But before the reminisces, a word about the calibre of the young Mexicans working for Andy.  Unlike so many of the locals who one comes across, these bright, young men and women are committed, self-motivated, multi-lingual (Sp/Eng) citizens. It was a treat to observe them and hear Andy speak so highly of them.  Mexico sorely needs up-coming generations of highly capable people.

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Hitler’s 787.

Imaginative versions of the film Downfall

My son, who is a commercial pilot flying with a company that have a number of Boeing 787s on order, sent me a YouTube clip that is a re-subtitled version of the film Downfall.  That film, by the way, is an excellent portrayal of theHitler last days of Hitler in 1945 and well recommended.

Anyway, it appears that the art of substitution is alive and well because a YouTube search reveals film clips of Hitler learning about Michael Jackson’s death, Hitler being banned from playing XBox Live, Hitler loves his waffles and more.

This particular clip is about Hitler learning of delays in the delivery of the Boeing 787.  It’s funny (but does include some minor vulgarity).

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This is a spoof, isn’t it?

Big brother may be watching

But in this case it is a mythical pizza house.  (Includes sound as well)

Anyway, watch this futuristic scene courtesy of the American Civil Liberties Union.

By Paul Handover

The sub-prime crisis

British humour

One aspect of British culture is their dry sense of humour.  In terms of satire, for over a decade three people have held pole positions: Rory Bremner, John Bird and John Fortune.  WikiPedia has a very good summary.

Bird and Fortune have also recorded a series of ‘interviews’ focusing on some of the idiocies of life.

Here’s a classic about the sub-prime crisis.  Slightly dated but no less funny for that.

More from these incredibly, clever guys from time to time.

By Paul Handover

It’s strange being human!

Ten things we don’t understand about being human, from New Scientist magazine.

Thanks to Naked Capitalism for pointing me towards this fascinating piece in New Scientist.  The article discusses 10 outwardly frivolous behaviours and attributes that have scientists scratching their head.  They are:

  • Blushing
  • Laughter
  • Pubic hair
  • Teenagers’ behavioursNew Scientist skeleton
  • Dreams
  • Altruism
  • Art
  • Superstition
  • Kissing, and
  • Nose-picking

The article links each of the above to a further examination of why it is so strange.  It’s a good read and the accompanying photograph heading up the article, reproduced across, is rather clever.

Reminds me of that lovely English ditty:

The whole world is rather queer,

except thee and me,

and I have my doubts about thee!

By Paul Handover

Full moons and ghostie things.

Man’s continuing fascination in unworldly ideas.

When the bedroom light was turned out last night, the full moon was brilliant through the window.  Inevitably, we pondered about that massive universe out there.  My wish was expressed that before I die, I wanted to know that there UFO(1)was life on another planet.  This one piece of information would be the most thrilling and challenging fact ever presented to mankind.

So it was rather serendipitous to come across a small clip on BBC Television purporting to show a ‘UFO’ being caught by a live web cam.

However, the BBC also had in their archives another clip that did rather bring things down to earth.  Towards the end the reporter interviews the man responsible for crop circles, a better example of an eccentric Englishman would be hard to find!

Bet we still privately hope there is something ‘out there’, don’t we?

By Paul Handover

Sunday post 2

Casper is the cat’s whiskers when it comes to bus travel.

Don’t check – it isn’t April 1st, All Fools Day.

The Daily Telegraph, an English newspaper, is clearly having a quiet day, well the online version is.  So ‘print’ space is given to a rather charming story about a cat that takes a regular bus journey.

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It’s hot, damn hot!

Being based at the moment in Sonora State in Mexico and this being my first summer, those immortal words in Robin William’s film Good Morning, Vietnam keep coming to mind.  Here’s an excerpt from the script that covers that exchange between Adrian Cronauer (RW) and Roosevelt, somewhere out in the jungle.

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