Margaret Thatcher and Katherine Hamnett in 1984-02. Yes, this is my favourite photograph of Maggie.
“There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families.” Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013), quoted in, Women’s Own (1987-10-31). Yet, Maggie could be charming, as shown in the above photograph from 1984, with Katharine Eleanor Hamnett (née Appleton; 1947 – ), an activist and English fashion designer best known for her political T-shirts, such as the one she is wearing criticizing American Pershing missiles in Britain. She was invited to a reception at #10 Downing Street, London, after being selected as fashion designer of the year, 1984. Hamnett was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours, for services to the fashion industry. Then, on 2024-02-20, Hamnett publicly relinquished her CBE distinction in protest against the UK government’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Wearing an all-caps t-shirt reading “DISGUSTED TO BE BRITISH” she said she was against Britain’s role in the Gaza genocide before disposing of her distinction in a rubbish bin/ trash can/ garbage can.
I have journeyed by train in England, for the last time.
On British trains we encounted the phrase See It, Say It, Sort It, numerous times in the course of every journey. The details of this phrase will remain vague for some paragraphs, as I attempt to show how I am interpreting it, to gain greater control over my life, as it is forced to interact with rail corporations intent on profiting from me.
On Wednesday 2024-07-31, I was a passenger in coach 1 of a 12 car train from Stratford station in London to Gatwick airport. My estimate is that there are a minimum of 100 people aboard each car, or somewhere between 1 200 and 1 500 people in total. I am not sure what train it was because while numerous audio and video announcements are made including a listing of all of the stops the train will make, the train itself was not uniquely identified. At no time are we told we are on board train, say 12345 running on route 6789. So we are left with a rather vague time we left a particular station (if it is remembered).
I suspect this lack of a unique identification number is policy. It is a deliberate measure to ensure that there is no opportunity for passengers to summon help. Throughout the journey, we are given a coded message: See it, say it, sort it. Passengers are encouraged to speak to staff, or contact transport police. Yet, I interpret the phrase as a fictitious attempt to compensate for the lack of conductors, or any other personnel looking after the needs of passengers. There were no such personnel onboard many of the trains I was on. On some trains personnel came onboard to ensure everyone had a ticket. In other words, these people were solely looking after the needs of the various owners who operate trains, not the needs of passengers.
Incident 1: a woman with a first-class ticket and seating place, arrives in second-class to have a business conversation with someone by phone. While that someone cannot be heard, her voice dominates the soundscape, and we are given intimate, detailed information that should be kept private. After fifteen minutes, at the end of her conversation, she retreats to the privacy of the first class compartment.
Incident 2: a gang of youth enters the compartment and play Detroit rappers at high volume for their own entertainment and, I suspect, to deliberately make the journey less comfortable for the other passengers. A passenger, possibly aged 30, attempted to silence these youth to no avail. He then sat beside me, and said that he now understood his grandfather complaining about the youth.
… and so back again to the meaningless phrase, see it, say it, sort it. Sort it makes no sense. It is the transport police who will decide if and when they will intervene. When the train reached Gatwick and we left the train, there were still no police or staff available to deal with the youth. They simply carried on, undoubtedly disturbing new passengers for the rest of the journey to Brighton.
I have stayed at Travelodge, for the last time.
While every other place we have stayed at during our trip has offered free WiFi connected internet for the duration of our stay, Travelodge offers one half-hour free, or a surcharge for additional 24 hours of connectivity. This is unacceptable. In the future, I will be checking the fine print about internet usage.
Other complaints with Travelodge have to do with their breakfasts. They offered cold scrambled eggs, and lots of sugar and salt. Nutrition, not so much. I was particularly offended by the oranges. At the theoretical level, I have no issues with oranges wanting to reproduce themselves, but prefer to eat seedless oranges. In the offering from Travelodge every fruit sack had a large seed. In addition, the bread was unpleasant to eat. I have no issues with the bread I eat in Norway. Even in New Westminster, Canada, I grew up with a bakery 4 blocks from home, the National System of Baking. In contrast to other brands, it produced nutritious, edible bread.
Travelodge switches from left to right: Hallway light on, bathroom light off, bedroom light on. At Cliff Cottage all light switches act like the one for the bedroom light, on the right.
Then I read in several sources that Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Elko, Nevada, is adding two fees all guests must pay, in addition to the standard 15% tax: There’s a $12.95 nightly energy recovery fee and a 3% credit card surcharge. It was noted that credit card surcharges for hotels are incredibly rare, used only by rogue hotels. Then one comment noted that H Hotel near LAX airport has a Safety and Protection of their employees fee, at $10.00 plus $12.95 for each day.
I have flown Westjet, for the last time.
Westjet wants people who prefer to sit together to make an additional payment for this privilege. I am uncertain who they are expecting to put up with this policy, because the major carriers have understood that they cannot act in this way. Budget airlines are in a price squeeze, as they see it. They need the same prices as the majors to survive, because they have the same expenses, but want to appear cheaper. Their solution is to offer a cheap base price, and then to charge for addons customers want, so that the end price is about equal. The Southwestern style of humourous commentary, given by some cabin crew member, does not compensate for disrupting a basic primate need of a troop having to stay together. Westjet, Ryanair and other airlines know this. Those who don’t are encouraged to read Desmond Morris’ (1928 -), The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s study of the human animal (1967).
Language usage
Yes, I am the sort of person your mother warned you about. I use language for dramatic effect. When I write that I have done something for the last time, there is an unspoken condition that clearly assumes this is the situation, unless something changes! What has to be changed is never mentioned.
My main computer and technical information site, /. = slashdot, has a time-machine. It doesn’t go forward in time, only backwards, and for interesting information, it does not go very far back, probably only to the 1930s at most. Reliable information stops at about 1960. This time, it has gone back 30 years to 1994. What it is able to find is entirely dependent on the organic content, stored inside people’s brains, while it examines significant events and places from the past. They also use a few imitation time machines, relying on ancient texts and videos, augmenting their findings with suppositions and imaginings. These sources are not nearly as reliable because, sometimes, they rely on historians, rather than on people who have experienced something. I have been studying one such report today, from a world I know almost nothing about.
There is a vague time stamp: Early morning. What does that mean? 01:00 or 07:00. I am uncertain. Then there is the next informational component, Sunday. For most people it is the second day in a row off work. Then comes something more tangible 1994, a year. modified with late. That probably means more than a month, but how much more? Three or four months, towards the end of the year. So, most likely October or November. That gives only nine dates, 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 in October, 6, 13, 20, 27 in November. I select the midmost, October 30. I can remember the time period when I learn that on 1994-09-28, The car ferry MS Estonia sinks in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people. On 1994-10-01, The World Wide Web consortium was founded. Earlier in the year, Power Macintosh computers arrived. Sweden decided to join the European union.
The location comes next: Great Britain, England, London, Fitzrovia. Wikipedia could help: It is an informal area, not an administrative unit, characterised by its mixed-use of residential, business, retail, education and healthcare, with no single activity dominating. The once bohemian area was home to writers such as Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Rimbaud. In 2016, The Sunday Times named it the best place to live in London.
The informant is shuffling. A shuffling gait is a walking pattern that occurs when a person drags their feet. The length of each step is typically shorter than normal. While most people occasionally shuffle—perhaps while catching their balance after tripping or trying to run when their leg muscles are tired—a consistent shuffling gait pattern can signify an underlying health condition. Oh dear, perhaps something related to intoxication.
There is some content supporting the intoxication thesis: “bloodstream still rushing after a long night.” I let in pass, thinking that readers can find their own alternative interpretation. Bagley’s refers to a club in King’s Cross, a massive venue, in an old warehouse, popular, home of Bagley’s nightclub ravers group. A name from a Yorkshire firm which once manufactured glass bottles in the warehouse. It gradually expanded to host five-room dance spectaculars like the Mud Club, Freedom, Pushca and World Dance. Sounds from the 1990s. What does that even mean? People belong to so many tribes, with competing sounds.
The sun comes up, as you come down. Sunrise is about 6:51. Say, 7:00. The second time suggestion is confirmed. Coming down? My mind jumps to, Coming down the Wye (1942), by Robert Gibbings, a text about the river in England and Wales with engravings by the author. I have a copy. The engravings are inspiring. My mind flashes back, coming down means sobering up!
The occupant in the time machine is intimately familiar with central London. The text so far shouts masculine, rather than feminine. His hand is stamped with a party logo. His brain is no longer functioning. It needs some artificial stimulus, coffee.
He finds himself outside a teal blue cafe. Teal is a greenish-blue color. Its name comes from that of a bird—the Eurasian teal (Anas crecca)—which presents a similarly colored stripe on its head. The word is often used colloquially to refer to shades of cyan in general.
The cafe is Cyberia, the world’s first internet cafe.
The story of Cyberia begins with Eva Pascoe (1964 – ), a Polish computing student living in London. Myth has it that she interacted with Tim Berners Lee. She states: “I was very interested in cyberfeminism and wanted to figure out how women could reclaim tech.”
Her European origins emerge: “There were no coffee shops in London. Just greasy spoons and everyone drank tea. I wanted a European-style cafe.”
Pascoe with David Rowe and Keith and Gene Teare launched Cyberia in 1994. They were social hackers: people skilled in information technology who achieves goals by non-standard means. So Hackers-style aesthetics emphasizes something non-standard. I find it difficult to connect with the adjective futuristic, especially with the noun furniture, in such a landscape, cafescape. Yet, I can also appreciate a U-shaped layout allowing visitors could see each other’s screens.
Eva continues: “I wanted women to feel safe, because a lot of the stuff on the net was dodgy.”
In 1994, the computers would be desktops: large, beige and ugly. Three senses are accommodated in Cyberia. Visual: tentacle cables hang from the ceiling. Thirty years later, and animatronics is still for the advanced hacker. Each tentacle segment has two stages, each of which has two degrees of freedom, that allow it to arc in two directions. Combine several segments and the resulting beast can convince almost anyone that it is alive. Sound: Ambient techno reverberates from wall to wall. No, not Tekno, the Nigerian singer. Techno bangers, that impure combination of heavy metal and electronic dance music. Excessive behs. Smell: cigarette smoke fills the air. Yes, this is definitely no later than 1994.
Eva visited an Amish community in Pennsylvania to negotiate the acquisition of the cyberia.com domain name. In London, Cyberia quickly became a hot location. Cyberia opened around 20 cafes worldwide, in addition to: Cyberia Channel (a streaming service), the Cyberia magazine, Cyberia Payments, Cyberia Records, a Cyberia television show and Cybersalon, a think-tank.
Is the inside alien in any way? I am unsure, with club kids, tech heads and game developers describing the more masculine element. Where are the women? Are they in the background ensuring that everything functions as it should? Or, are they in the foreground, avoiding the male gaze, while communicating with their feminist sisters?
We had our own internet cafe, here in Inderøy, starting in 1998. e@ = Ea, local Norwegian slang for the eider duck, found close by in the fjord. Cafes with computers in them are unnecessary now. Everybody has their own portable device, from dumbphone to laptop, with smartphones and tablets as intermediaries. One just needs a place with wireless broadband, and strong black coffee.
Rural areas can be socially advanced. Residents don’t have to spend large portions of their incomes on mortgage or rental payments. One finds it best not to offend more than half of the population.
My wife Trish was on the board of the local Saniteten, the women’s organization primarily concerned about women’s health issues. They gave E@ a dishwasher, so that it could meet public health requirements. Yes, restaurants have to ensure that bacteria are dead when they leave a dishwasher. Washing cycles are longer and at a higher temperature than that found on domestic dish washers.
In addition, we organized an alternative Christmas dinner, for people without a place to go. This continues, but we are no longer active in it.
Our son, Alasdair, was also active as a volunteer, learning how to be of service to others, and gaining other important life skills.
In the year 2024, I am using various online sources to find out how many of the 20 or so Cyberia cafes exist today. Trip Adviser finds one, 524 Shelden Ave, Houghton, MI 49931-2144. That is in northern Michigan, on the peninsula, on the shores of Lake Superior.
The cantilevered roof, outside the library at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Photograph: Philippe Giabbanelli, 2007-09-01
Some people study structural engineering to work professionally designing structures. Others, such as myself, are content to remain amateurs, but want to understand how structures function. There are three principles:
Efficiency = calculations of forces/stresses
Economy = cost, but also seen in its social context
Elegance = form/appearance based on engineering principles, not decoration
Two of my favourite online courses involved the art of structural engineering, offered by Princeton University, and presented by Maria Garlock. I completed the first, about bridges in 2016, and the second about vaults = long-span roofs, in 2019. A third, about towers, was announced along with the others in 2016, but has never emerged.
I believe the first time I ever seriously looked at the structure of a modern building, was in the mid 1960s. It was a cantilevered roof, outside the library at Simon Fraser University, It seemed to be a structure that was: endless, simple, appropriate and elegant, in contrast to the brutalism, surrounding it.
When we moved to Inderøy in 1988, preliminary work on Skarnsund bridge had already begun, although work on the bridge itself waited until we moved in. Thus, I had ample opportunity to observe the construction of what would be the cable-stayed bridge (CSB) with the longest main span = 530 m. The bridge was, 1 010 m long.
At about the same time, I was aware of two other CSBs, along the Fraser River in British Columbia. With a bridge length of 2 525 m with a main span length of 465 m, the Alex Fraser Bridge (named for Alex Fraser (1916 – 1989), a former British Columbia Minister of Transportation) was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world when it opened 1986-09-26, and remained the longest in North America until the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in South Carolina with a total length of 4 000 m and a main span length of 471 m, opened in 2005.
The SkyBridge between New Westminster and Surrey, was built between 1987 and 1989, it carries trains of the Expo Line of TransLink‘s SkyTrain across the Fraser River. It was much smaller, with a total length of 616 m and a main span length of 340 m.
One of the most significant characteristics to consider when evaluating structures is completion time. CSBs do not require the same levels of anchoring found in alternative designs, such as suspension bridges. A CSB can handle greater forces, allowing the deck to have more resilience against wear and tear because of its greater rigidity. In areas subject to earthquakes, CSBs are noted for their ability to better withstands shaking compared to most other bridge types. They also resist cross-winds better, and maintain its shape better while supporting the heavy loads.
CSBs use less about 30% less labour than other comparable designs. This advantage is one of the main reasons why CSBs are becoming so popular. Spans of different lengths acn be connected together with support pillars or towers to create a bridge of almost any length. The Jiaxing-Shaoxing Sea Bridge is the world’s longest and widest multi-pylon cable-stayed bridge. It is 10.14 km long, and 50 m (8 lanes) wide. Construction started in 2008, and was completed in 2013.
A CSB can be built using many different technologies. The side-spar design is the most common, as it only needs one tower and supports that are on just one side of the structure. In other places a cantilever-spar design is more appropriate. This provides a single spar that is located on one side of the bridge. Other options allow for cradle systems or multiple towers.
Cables provide the structure with the temporary and permanent supports it requires simultaneously. More cables are added as the bridge grows in length (and mass). Cables help to displace forces throughout the structure to prevent one section from receiving excessive stress. After the bridge opens, these cables will stabilize the structure as it distributes any unexpected forces.
Cable symmetry provides more stability and strength. When the spans on either side of the pillar/ tower are of the same length, then the horizontal forces help to balance out the effects of each other. That means there is less need for large ground anchors to support traffic as it passes along the deck.
There are four different types of cable rigging for CSBs less than 3 km in length. Mono design uses a single cable from its towers to provide support. This is rare unless the span being crossed is relatively small.
Parallel/ harp design, uses cables approximately parallel to each other so that the height of their attachment is proportion to their distance from the tower and their deck mounting.
Fan design requires cables to connect to or pass over the top of the towers. This option is preferred when cable access is necessary. to the cables while maximum supports are needed to create a stable deck environmental requirements too.
Star design spaces the cables apart on the tower, but connecting them to a single point or closely-spaced points on the deck instead of spreading them across the span.
Single arrangement refers to the use of a single column for cable support. This column is usually placed midway across the deck, but it can be placed along one of the sides. Double arrangement uses pairs of columns on both sides of the deck. Portal arrangement adds a third member that connects the tops of the two columns. This provides additional strength for traverse loads. A-shaped arrangement achieves the same goal as the portal design by angling the two columns toward each other, so that they meet. Columns can be vertical, curved or angled relative to the bridge deck.
CSBs are not perfect and do not provide a universal bridge solution. Here are some imperfections/ limitations.
Computer-aided design for cable-stayed bridges has increased the maximum span, but this still has limits. Most CSBs will have a span between 100 and 1 100 m. They are often preferred for pedestrian bridges and situations with unusual loading configurations might be present. Currently, the longest single span is found on the Russky Bridge, in Vladivostok Russia, with a length of 1 104 m.
While CSBs can provide a consistently supportive deck when there are crosswinds present over a span, they do not work well with constantly high wind speeds, which will encourage the deck to rock, which over time will loosen the support cables, which could lead to structural failure = a bridge collapse. This occurred with a cable-stayed bridge at Genoa, Italy, 2018-08-14. The bridge was built in 1967 largely of concrete. The collapse killed 43 people.
CSB design typically places the support structure bundle areas in places where a physical inspection becomes challenging. Add in the reduction of anchors, and the routine maintenance becomes intensive (read: expensive). Although the initial installation cost might save 30% of labour costs, maintenance costs will eventually eliminate those savings, over a design lifespan that is now typically 100 years.
Most 21st century CSBs are constructed out of concrete and steel to create a rigid structure. These materials need protective coatings to ensure integrity and prevent corrosion and metal fatigue. At Skarnsund, seven coatings were applied to the cables, when the bridge was built, to protect them against corrosion. This is common practice, especially in coastal regions, due to salt in the air.
Cable-stayed bridges date back to 1595, where designs were found in Machinae Novae, a book by Croatian–Venetian inventor Fausto Veranzio. The cable-stayed bridge design fell out of favor in the early 20th century because it simply lacked the strength to support traffc, although it was still used for short-to-medium spans, suspension bridges grew in popularity. They offered increased durability despite higher installation costs. When the populations of the planet began to recover then increase after World War II, CSBs became more popular: They could be built quickly and cheaply, and were a cost effective way to improve transportation infrastructure. In addition, these bridges were aesthetically pleasing, strong and durable.
Geodesic domes
The first geodesic dome was designed by Walther Bauersfeld (1879 – 1959) for a planetarium for Zeiss, in Jena, Germany, located on a building roof. Construction was started in 1912 and completed in 1923. This structure is considered the first geodesic dome, which is a polyhedron = a three-dimensional shape with flat polygonalfaces, straight edges and sharp corners or vertices. More specifically, this particular building was an icosahedron = a polyhedron with 20 faces. A convex regular icosahedron = a regular icosahedron, is one of the five regular Platonic solids, and is represented by its Schläfli symbol, containing 20 triangular faces, with 5 faces meeting around each vertex.
Some 26 years later, Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895 – 1983) reinvented and popularized this design.
Science World in Vancouver, built for Expo 86. Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic dome. Photo: Differense, 2012-01-11.
Lloyd Kahn (1935 – ), who wrote Domebook 1 (1970) and Domebook 2 (1971) became disillusioned with geodesic domes, because they were smart but not wise. Disadvantages include: sheeted building materials such as plywood come in rectangular shapes that are wasteful to cut into triangles, increasing construction costs; fire escapes are problematic; windows are problematic, and expensive; electrical wiring installation requires increased labor time; expansion and partitioning are difficult; domes are difficult/ impossible to build with natural materials.
Others comment: air stratification and moisture distribution within a dome are unusual, resulting in degrade wooden frames and interior paneling; privacy is difficult because partitioning is difficult; sounds, odors and reflected light tend are diffused through the entire structure; wall areas can be difficult to use; some peripheral floor areas lack of headroom; circular plan shapes are difficult to use; rurnishers and fitters design with flat surfaces in mind.
Some dome builders, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, found it hard to weather-seal domes because of their many seams.
The most effective waterproofing method with a wooden dome is to shingle the dome. Peaked caps at the top of the dome, or to modify the dome shapes are used where slope is insufficient for ice barrier. One-piece reinforced concrete or plastic domes are also in use, and some domes have been constructed from plastic or waxed cardboard triangles that are overlapped in such a way as to shed water.
Notes: This weblog post was inspired by Incredible Crossing: The History and Art of the Bridges, Tunnels and Inland Ferries that Connect British Columbia (2022), written by Derek Hayes (1947 – ). We also have and regularly refer to his historical atlases of: Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley (2006); California (2007); North American Railways (2010); Washington and Oregon (2011); British Columbia (2012); Early Railways (2017); Iron Road West [British Columbia railroads] (2018). His latest book is: Quest for Speed: The definitive history of high-speed trains (2024).
This was the most dignified photo, in the public domain, that I could find of the Dallas Cowgirls cheerleading squad. It shows them entertaining US soldiers at Tuzla Main Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1996-12-21. Photo: SPC James Gordon.
This post was intended to be published on Cheerleading Day, 2025-09-14. Someone asked me, why wait almost a year? That was all the encouragement I needed to push the date forward to 2024-11-23. It was written while vaccinations on both arms were making construction work more painful than appreciated. It emerged after watching a short video entitled The Ten Worst Songs of the 1980s on Saturday, 2024-11-16. I have found that descriptors such as best or worst are highly subjective. I was indifferent to most of the songs. I strongly disagreed with the #2 worst song listed being included: Europe, The Final Countdown (1986). One of the more dis-remembered yet entertaining songs was Toni Basil, Hey Mickey (1981 or 1982).
I then watched up to several versions of that song, each usually lasting 3 – 4 minutes in duration. I found the cheerleading interesting and decided to investigate it further. There are claims that the original video was made in 1981, other sources state 1982, which is the year that appears on several videos.
Toni Basil = Antonia Christina Basilotta, born 1943-09-22 (40 years to the day before Alasdair) in Philadelphia. She is of Italian ancestry. Her father led an orchestra, and her mother performed in vaudeville. The family moved to Las Vegas in her childhood. In 1961, Basil graduated from Las Vegas High School, where she was head cheerleader.
This is not the only song with cheerleaders I have appreciated. A decade later = 1991, Nirvana offered humankind a video of Smells Like Teen Spirit. I had read somewhere, sometime in the past thirty four years, that Nirvana had recorded uptake after uptake to get all the participants (audience, cheerleaders, janitor) totally bored. Anarchy symbols were attached to the cheerleaders. Kurt Cobain wrote about cheerleaders and football jocks: “They must be petrified to ever think of being the stuck-up, self-righteous, segregating, guilt-spreading, ass kissing, white right-wing republicans of the future.” All I can add is that cheerleaders (and football players) are people, and hope they don’t take Kurt’s spite too seriously.
Other music videos with cheerleaders include: Nada Surf, Popular (1996); Marilyn Manson = Brian Hugh Warner (1969 – ), Tainted Love (2001); Gwen Stefani (1969 – ), Hollaback Girl (2004); Busta Rhymes (1972 – ), Touch It (Remix, 2005) with young cheerleading girls; My Chemical Romance, Teenagers (2007) it seems to follow the same script as Smells Like Teen Spirit;Taylor Swift (1989 – ), You Belong with Me (2008); Fol Chen, Cable TV (2009) with five out-of-uniform Los Angeles Lakers cheerleaders dancing in a drained swimming pool; Macy Gray (1967 – ), Beauty in the World (2010). Of the eight videos listed here, I only really liked the first (Popular) and last (Beauty in the World), but felt Tainted Love had some merit, although I am more a fan of the Gloria Jones (1945 – ) and Soft Cell versions (1964 and 1981, respectively). Long live, Northern Soul!
Parkour is the sport I find most interesting. Some refer to it as an athletic training discipline rather than a sport. Wikipedia tells us that traceurs = practitioners attempt to get from one point to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assistive equipment and often while performing feats of acrobatics. With roots in military obstacle course training and martial arts, parkour includes flipping, running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, plyometrics = jump training/ plyos = exercises in which muscles exert maximum force in short intervals to increasing power, rolling and quadrupedal movement—whatever is suitable for a given situation. Parkour is an activity that can be practiced alone or with others, and is usually carried out in urban spaces, though it can be done anywhere.
I see cheerleading as parkour light/ lite with some social content, currently missing in parkour regular. Because women are generally more sociable than men, I see cheerleading being more appealing to women than to men.
Cheerleading was at first an exclusive male activity. Some of the more famous male cheerleaders included: American presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882 – 1945) at Harvard, Dwight David Eisenhower (1890 – 1969 ) at West Point (?), and George W Bush (1946 – ) at Phillips Academy. There are a few other notable men who have been cheerleaders including Aaron Spelling (1923 – 2006), Michael Douglas (1944 – ), Steve Martin (1945 – ), Mitt Romney (1947 – ), Samuel L Jackson (1948 – ) and Jamie Espinal (1984 – ).
Women were permitted to become cheerleaders in 1923, at the University of Minnesota. It took time for other universities and schools to allow it. However, with World War II the American military draft reduced the number of males available, and this activity, and others, such as welding, were taken over by females.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders debuted in the 1972-3 season, but were first widely seen in Super Bowl X (1976). They were appreciated not just for their revealing outfits but also for their sophisticated dance moves. Professional, often football related, squads of the 1970s encouraged the male gaze.
Note: In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world in the visual arts and in literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heterosexual male viewer.
Cheerleaders were promoted as American icons of wholesome sex appeal. Yes, it does sound as if some marketing specialist had influenced the text in the last sentence. I am sure many readers would like to know where to find the boundary between wholesome and indecent sex appeal. Female cheerleaders are presented as perma-grinning, shining icons of idealized American femininity.
That said, I have naively regarded cheerleaders as promoters of their schools and sports clubs. Some regard them as a key marketing tool.
Women cheerleaders have included: Madonna Louise Ciccone (1958 – ) most often just known just by her first name, Sandra Bullock (1964 – ), Christina Aguilera (1980 – ), Jennifer Lawrence (1990 – ), Miley Cyrus (1992 – ). There are many more, but it is difficult to find a list that all readers might recognize.
There are also fictional cheerleaders. Let me dispose of Buffy Summers and Cordelia Chase (portrayed by Sarah Michelle Prinze, née Gellar, 1977 – and Charisma Carpenter, 1970 – respectively) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are members of Sunnydale High Razorbacks Cheerleaders. Neither Buffy nor Cordelia are part of my fictional world. Sandy Olsson and Patty Simcox (portrayed by Olivia Newton-John (1948 – 2022) and Susan Buckner, (1952 – 2024) respectively) in the film Grease (1978), are in my fictional world.
The most interesting cheerleading squad name I could find was a tie between: Hog’s Breath Cafe Broncos Cheer Squad, part of the Brisbane Broncos, and The Gold Coast Hogs Breath Cafe Sirens, part of the Gold Coast Titans. Both teams are part of the Australian National Rugby Union. Top marks go to the Broncos squad for better grammar, even though I thought hogs should be a plural possessive noun, as in hogs’, in both cases.
The best known squad, and the only one I could name before writing this post, is The Dallas Cowgirls, part of the Dallas Cowboys. Their real name is actually The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. This comment is intended to introduce Texas cheerleading legislation.
In 2005 the Texas legislature debated what has been called a cheerleader booty bill, to eliminate overtly sexually suggestive cheerleading. Democratic representative Al Edwards (1937 – 2020):”We are telling teenagers not to have sex, but are teaching them how to do it on the football field and applauding them when they do it. It’s just too sexually oriented, you know, the way they’re shaking their behinds and going on, breaking it down.” He claimed that cheerleading leads to teen pregnancies, school dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
It appears that everyone in Texas was required to take a stand, good or bad, on many cheerleading issues: tiny = short pleated skirts, tight fitting sweaters, saddle shoes = low-heeled casual shoes, with a plain toe and saddle-shaped decorative panel placed mid foot, made of leather in white but with a coloured saddle matching the uniform, fluffbunny = cheerleader nickname, cheerleading = presence or absence of athletic prowess, the suitability of hip gyration.
Mary Ellen Hanson (? – ), author of Go! Fight! Win!: Cheerleading in American Culture (1995) regards cheerleaders as American representatives of the virgin/whore dichotomy; simultaneously representing “youthful prestige, wholesome attractiveness, peer leadership, and popularity” as well as “mindless enthusiasm, shallow boosterism, objectified sexuality and promiscuous availability.”
Some see cheerleaders as reinforcing gender stereotypes. Many want to repeal the 1972 legislation that mandates equal funding for male and female sports in education.
The debate in Texas also has a focus on the Dallas Cowgirls. Have they turned cheerleading into a para-pornographic spectacle? Hopefully, all are aware that playing American (and Canadian) football causes traumatic brain injuries, with so much pain that some players opt to commit suicide. Yes, football involves violence and suffering.
Other existential cheerleading questions beyond Texas, involve the spelling of pom-poms vs pom-pons, and the choice of material from which they are constructed. Some people, such as Natalie Adams (? – ), a former cheerleader, says cheerleading has split into two tribes: the traditional who cheer and the competitive who compete. I would say there are even more tribes, adding punk to the mix. These are cheerleaders who understand Nirvana’s message. Trailer Trash could also be its own tribe featuring milky-eyed, tombstone-toothed and prison-tattooed cheerleaders such as MiLi and TilduH. Others claim these are not real cheerleaders, only parodies.
Cheerleading carries the highest rate of catastrophic injuries to female athletes in high school and collegiate sports. Of the United States’ 2.9 million female high school athletes, only 3% are cheerleaders, yet cheerleading accounts for nearly 65% of all catastrophic injuries in girls’ high school athletics. In data from the 1982–83 through the 2018–19 academic years in the US, the rate of serious, direct traumatic injury per 100,000 participants was 1.68 for female cheerleaders at the high school level, the highest for all high school sports surveyed. The rate for (male) football players was lower at 1.18. The college rate could not be determined since the total number of collegiate cheerleaders was unknown. The total number of traumatic, direct catastrophic injuries over this period was 28 female & 5 male = 33, higher than all sports at this level aside from football, which had 215, all male. Another study found that between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling, or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority (67) occurring in cheerleading. For details, see here.
Two final questions
What will it take for Americans to end the carnage occurring on the playing fields among football players, as well as cheerleaders. My answer is for viewers to avoid the Superbowl! Find something better to do.
I will end by asking if the Portland (as in Oregon) Thorns, women’s soccer = association football, team has a cheerleading squad? and if its members are male? I tried to find this out, but I am left with an answer that is tentatively no, but with a willingness to not only view humanity better, but to correct this mistake, if someone else can present evidence.
Cariad is the Volkswagen Group’s in-house software division . It was founded in 2020, but since then it has had to deal with: reorganizations, setbacks of assorted types, delays, hiring sprees followed by layoff sprees.
I use their software on a weekly basis driving a VW ID. Buzz. However, I am far from a fanboy. It leaves me unimpressed.
VW CEO Herbert Diess (1958 – ) received a doctorate in mechanical engineering and production technologies in 1987. This does not help with the critical issues facing electric vehicle manufacturing in the 2020s. At one point he seemed to be in a bro-manse with Elon Musk. My suspicion then was that VW wanted software help from Tesla. They didn’t get it.
Now VW is in a relationship with Rivian. It is anything but a bro-manse because one participant is providing a needed service (Rivian), and the other participant (VW) is paying for it. It is referred to as a software joint venture, but joint does not refer to any form of equality in the relationship. Volkswagen is investing up to $5 billion into Rivian. To understand why this is happening, one has to return to Dieselgate, when the Volkswagen Group faced an earth-shattering scandal that led it to commit to one day going all-electric.
This electification meant that the VW Group needed, for lack of a better term, a Tesla-like approach to software and digital technology. Historically, the auto industry trivialized software. It was only used for a few things, like engine management, or driver-facing bits like infotainment and navigation. The components using software were made by different suppliers, with different software standards, and there was no need for this software to communicate with other bits of software. A key term here is piecemeal. It was also old-school, compared to the smartphones and tablets that have now become an integral part of human life.
A piecemeal approach doesn’t work in a world where cars need over-the-air software updates. It doesn’t work when companies need revenue from downloadable features. It doesn’t work when effective EV battery management has to be integrated with DC fast charger and slower home charging systems. It doesn’t work when drivers are dependent on advanced automated driving assistance and, one day, fully autonomous cars.
Today’s electric cars need to be computers on wheels, more than anything else. Volkswagen needs to be great at making computers. The alternative it becomes a car body manufacturer, supplying components for tech companies, or sells its plant and equipment to manufacturers who understand the new manufacturing requirements. Many of these will be located in China.
Almost every legacy automaker has struggled with pivoting their 100-year-old businesses to do this stuff well. (Companies like the recently bankrupt Fisker show the startups aren’t automatically better.)
Issues with software have led to negative reviews of early examples of cars like the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4. The key problem here has been the lack of physical buttons, and a reliance on screens that require far too much scrolling, and take attention away from the road. Other problems can be classified as delays. This applies to individual models such as the Porsche Macan EV and Audi Q6 E-Tron.
Even worse, it applies to platforms, such as one for Project Trinity, involving: “a newly developed electronics platform with state-of-the-art software, the simplification of the supply structure, and fully networked and intelligent production at the main plant in Wolfsburg.” Yes, those were VW’s own words. I appreciate the fact that Trinity wants autonomous driving in the volume segment possible starting at Level 2+ but technically ready for Level 4. They claim to want a system based on neural networks, but this would require digital competence that is probably unavailable. In other words, it is just hype. Magically, Trinity gives people time and saves them stress. I am uncertain if they can deliver!
As I have been reading in Wolfgang Münchau’s Kaput: The end of the German miracle (2024), Germany lacks a meaningful digital culture. Thus, I doubt whether they have the internal competence to produce artificial intelligence (AI) real-time (RT) products.
Volkswagen Group has been struggling in three major markets. Despite largish sales, it is a follower in Europe, where Volvo, Renault and now Tesla have been leading the way with respect to EVs. VW has been losing ground in China, where any sensible Chinese purchaser will opt for BYD, Nio or some other domestic manufacturer. It has failed to grow in North America, but thinks it may find salvation with a cute Buzz, and a revamped Scout brand.
It now thinks that delaying the transition to EVs will be to its benefit. I disagree. This will only give other OEMs more time to develop better products. I am thinking especially of BYD, but even companies based outside of China, will have an opportunity to make improvements. Yes, I am thinking especially of the Vietnamese Vinfast.
I have previously attempted to explain why hydrogen based vehicles will not be suitable: the cost of producing green hydrogen, will be too expensive. The electricity needed to split H2O into H2 and O2, could be used to power EVs, without an intermediary. Of course, I suspect that hydrogen manufacturers will want to use black hydrogen, based on methane. It is cheaper, but still a fossil fuel.
The investment from VW will allow Rivian to not only improve its automotive production, but will transform Rivian into an automotive software powerhouse, the go-to company for software components.
Rivian is providing an electrical architecture and computer platform that reduces the number of electronic control units (ECUs) used to control a vehicle from 17 to 7. A zonal architecture cuts 2.5 km of wiring from each vehicle, a 20 kg savings. The key to understanding these reductions, is not to regard the reduction in material costs, but in labour costs, because vehicles can be built faster. Rivian’s key innovation is its electrical architecture. This is what allows a company to update software over the air (OtA). Vehicles cannot just import software from Apple, or Microsoft. They need real-time operating systems (RTOS) that manage thermal dynamics, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and safety systems, as well as another layer related to an infotainment system.
Note: Note: Younger people without a meaningful career path, reading this post may want to investigate real-time computing. Often any programming requires adherence to safety standards, such as DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is a guideline dealing with the safety of safety-critical software used in certain airborne systems. With those skills in place people should be able to find that there are many work opportunities, and little competition. Robotics is another area where real-time computing is used. Training in this field is usually outside the context of normal computer science subjects. With an RTOS, the processing time is measured in tenths of seconds. This system is time-bound and has a fixed deadline. The processing in this type of system must occur within the specified constraints. Otherwise, This will lead to system failure. Examples: airline traffic control and reservation systems, heart pacemakers, multimedia systems (audio and video), robotics.
Solutions do not involve hiring massive number of programmers, because most programmers will not know what they are doing. Most automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including GM, Ford, Stellantis and VW Group have repeatedly tried to master software, but ultimately failed to do so. Geely (with Lotus, Polestar and Volvo) has been more successful, as have many of the domestic Chinese brands. Toyota is at the other end of the scale, despite its early adoption of hybrids.
My belief is that the leadership of these OEMs have failed to understand that computer systems differ. Someone who is an expert in databases (sorry, Patrick) probably does not have the background needed to understand real-time systems. Very few people with computer backgrounds have worked with these, let alone managed real-time development environments.
Part of the challenge here is that the OEMs look at Tesla, and see a company that has managed to make large numbers of EVs. What remains hidden is the Tesla Roadster. It was in development from 2003 to 2008, with the first prototypes being officially revealed on 2006-07-19, in Santa Monica, California.
Various Think vehicles were built from 1991 to 2011, under various names. Kewet, later Buddy, produced EVs were produced from 1991 to 2013. Other early EVs were vans. The Citroën Berlingo Electrique, was built from 1998.
The Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance was established in 1999, originally between Renault of France and Nissan of Japan, but with Mitsubishi Motors of Japan joining in 2017. It has its headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Renault Kangoo EV van was introduced as a prototype in 2008, the Nissan Leaf has been in production since 2010, the Mitsubishi MiEV since 2011. These were the first EVs for ordinary people.
Other manufacturers, looking at the early adapters, including Tesla, believed that the auto industry could easily pivot to batteries, motors and software. Unfortunately, transitioning is hard work. Part of the problem is that press releases don’t align with engineering realities. The age of the auto industry can be debated, but some estimate it is approaching 140 years old. Building EVs not only involves using new technology. There is also a lot of tradition that needs to be eradicated. Sometimes getting rid of something is more difficult than adding something.
Closing remarks: I wondered what sort of EV I would be driving for more than a decade. In 2012, I borrowed/ test drove a Nissan N-200 van, and considered buying an Evalia. It did not appeal to my partner. Neither did the new Citroën Berlingo EV. I also wondered if our first EV would be a Renault Kangoo van. It wasn’t. When the next moment came to consider an EV in 2022, the contenders included a vast number of brands, including a Renault Zöe, Migane and Kangoo. I am happy with Buzz, but see the weaknesses in it.
Recovery and coloring of the Animal theoretical: C = circulatory system, D = digestive system, E = excretory system, N = nervous system, R = respiratory system, Paul Bert (1833-1886), Leçons de zoologie, 1881
Since I spend much of my time writing, I often reflect over the words that I use. One of these reflections involved the use of the term model, which is used in several divergent contexts.
As a noun, it can be: an imitation or a replica. A synonym here could be a copy. It could also refer to a small object, usually built to scale, that represents in detail another, often larger object ; a preliminary work or construction that serves as a plan from which a final product is to be made; a work or construction used in testing or perfecting a final product; a person with a role either to display commercial products or someone posing for an artwork such as a painting or photograph; a product line, referring to its design, in the context of the manufacturer’s range or series of products, where different models are distinguishable by technology, components, underpinnings, and/or style and appearance.
As a verb, it can refer to the act of person displaying themselves. Then again, there is non-human modelling, especially creating a scaled-down version of something large, or a scaled up version of something small. It can also refer to: to form or plan according to a model; to give shape or form to; fashion; to make a miniature model of something; to fashion in clay, wax, or the like; to simulate (a process, concept, or the operation of a system), commonly with the aid of a computer; to display to other persons or to prospective customers, especially by wearing: to model dresses; to use or include as an element in a larger construct.
As an adjective, model can refer to: serving or being worth to serve as an example or model; being a small or miniature version of something. Exemplary or miniature could be useful synonyms here.
I consulted Wikimedia Commons to see what images showed up when searching with the keyword model. Of the first 100 models I found there were 6 human females, 0 human males, 11 architectural, 79 transportation related, and 4 other models presented as images. The first item, one of four in the other group, illustrates this post. It is titled: Recovery and coloring of the Animal theoretical by Paul Bert (1833-1886), found in: Leçons de zoologie, 1881. It was coloured by Wikimedia user Lamiot, and published 2012-10-13.
Sailboats
Sailing dinghy models are referred to as classes. Thus, it is with some hesitancy that I begin showing examples of models with these. Some models/ classes have very stringent criteria that have to be met, to be included. Others thrive on flexibility. I have always appreciated small sailing dinghies, especially the designs of Uffa Fox (1898 – 1972). From my perspective, his most important design was that for Avenger (1927), world famous for being the first planing hull dinghy. For its time, it was very fast.
The first time I sailed in a dinghy was with Thomas de Roos (1920 – 2005) and his son Robert (1948 – ) on a Dutch built dinghy (of an unknown class), on Okanagan Lake. The de Roos family also had a smaller boat (about 7 foot) which was a Pirat.
Some sailing dinghies have animal names: Blue Jay, Butterfly, Frog, Firefly, Fly, Flying Ant, Jacksnipe, Lark, Marlin, Moth, Otter, Pelican, Penguin, Shrimp, Sunfish, Tadpole. Of those, the one that has attracted my attention the most is Moth, for its foiling capabilities.
The first dinghy I built and owned was a Sabot, named after the Dutch wooden shoe, designed by Charles G. McGregor, and published in The Rudder magazine in 1939, with variations produced later. I had a copy of this design made available at Valley Lumber, in New Westminster. Note: I have been trying to find more information about McGregor. All I really know is that between 1906 and 1949 he published 58 designs in TheRudder magazine. From 1930 on, most of his designs were intended for plywood (read: amateur) construction.
Another dinghy that I sailed was the Enterprise, designed by Jack Holt (1912 – 1995) in 1956 for The News Chronicle, becoming the first UK sailing dinghy to be sponsored by a national newspaper. Most of its appeal could be summarized in one word: availability. During our annual stay at Blind Bay, on Shuswap Lake, I would borrow one from the boatbuilders who lived and worked there. Once again, I was particularly fascinated with it because much of it was made of plywood, a product that was suitable for amateur construction. In retrospect, the socialist Brock has been challenged by its blue sails and class name. The larger Wayfayer, designed by Ian Proctor (1918 – 2002) in 1957, is probably a better boat. Frank Dye (1928 – 2010) sailed one, Wanderer, from Scotland to Iceland and back in 1963, then to the Faero Islands and Norway and back to Scotland in 1964.
I also have one special mention: Fatty Knees, designed in 2000 by Lyle Hess (1912 – 2002). It is often regarded as the world’s most versatile dinghy. It can be sailed, rowed and towed. It is made out of fibreglass, and can be stowed aboard a small offshore cruising sailboat. For its size, it can carry a lot of people and goods when necessary, and is stable, and easy to maintain. It is made in three lengths, 7′ (2.1 m), 8′ (2.4 m) and 9′ (2.7 m).
If I should buy a sailing dinghy now, it would probably have to be a Swedish Tvåkrona = Two crowns, designed by Erik Thorsell (1949 – 2021) in 1991. It is made of fibreglass. It is suitable for use in Trondheim fjord.
Cars
My first car was a Hillman Minx. Some might find the model name perplexing, but I find it honest. The definition of Minx, that I prefer, is a girl or young woman who knows how to control other people to her advantage. Yes, I often felt controlled by the cars that have owned me! Other definitions add: flirtatious, impudent, pert, promiscuous or wanton. I prefer not to add any of these restrictions.
Sometimes size matters as in: the Morris Minor, the Morris/ Austin Mini, the Austin Maxi,
Then there are astronomy related names: Chevrolet Equinox; Ford Galaxy; Mercury Comet and Meteor; Mitsubishi Eclipse; Northstar engines found in Cadillacs; Opel (and badge engineered, Saturn) Astra; Polestar, which is a brand rather than a model, referring to the north star. Of those the comet has the most interesting history as a model name. It was originally intended to be a compact Edsel model. With the Edsel brand no longer in use, the Comet in USA was sold in 1960 and 1961 just as a Comet. The Mercury brand name was added in 1962. In Canada, the 1960 model was referred to as a Frontenac, named after Louis de Buade de Frontenac (1622 – 1698), sometime Governor General of New France.
Named after mammals: Audi Fox; Chevrolet Impala; Dodge Ram, a male sheep; Fiat Panda; Ford is the master at using mammal names: Bronco, Mustang and Pinto refer to horses, and the Puma, a cat, with their Mercury division producing a Bobcat and a Cougar; Hillman Husky; Hyundai Pony; Sunbeam Tiger; Triumph Stag; Volkswagen Rabbit. I find the juxtaposition of the VW Group Fox and Rabbit most interesting, in terms of real predator prey relationships. Even more interesting was a fake relationship in a statement from an unknown GM executive who said a Chevrolet Camaro was a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.
Then there are birds: AMC Eagle; Buick (and Hupmobile) Skylark; Ford Falcon, and the mythical Thunderbird; Humber Hawk and the Snipe; Nissan Bluebird; Plymouth Road Runner; Pontiac Sunbird as well as the Firebird, another mythical bird; Reliant Robin, a three-wheeler; Studebaker also had various Hawks and a Lark.
The Chevrolet Corvette may take its name from a small warship. However, the first model I became acquainted with, and the only one I would want to own, was a Stingray, a fish. I wrote about a Plymouth Barracuda, another fish, in an English language textbook written by Trish.
Snakes: AC Cobra; Dodge Viper.
Even insects get mentioned: Hudson Hornet; Piaggio Vespa scooter is Italian (and Latin) for wasp; Piaggio Ape = honey bee, in Italian, a three-wheeler.
Special mention: Lotus, with model names beginning with E. The Elite = Type 14 (1957 – 1963). Frank Costin (1920 – 1995) worked for DeHavilland in Britain, but designed the Elite in his spare time. More generally he advanced monocoque chassis design and applied aircraft aerodynamic knowledge for automobile use. Elan = Type 26, Drop Head Coupe & Type 36, Fixed Head Coupe (1962 – 1975) designed by Ron Hickman (1932 – 2011). He is best known for designing the Black & Decker Workmate wood-working bench. These were the only two Lotus models that interested me.
Aircraft
DeHavelland Canada, has named numerous aircraft after animals: DHC-1 Chipmunk, DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, DHC-4 Caribou, DHC-5 Buffalo. They ran out of animals after the DHC-6, Twin Otter.
Boeing has used 7×7, in aircraft model names since the 707 emerged in 1957. Before that, many of their model names began with 3, such as the Boeing 314 Clipper long-range flying boat produced from 1938 to 1941. Airbus models begin with A3, such as the A300 manufactured from 1971 to 2007.
People
Often a model refer to a person displaying something. Examples include haute couture hangers: Swedish Lisa Fonssagrives (1911 – 1992), often regarded as the first supermodel, discovered by photographer Willy Maywald (1907 – 1985) in an elevator in 1936; Jinx Falkenburg (1919 – 2003), the highest paid supermodel in the 1940s in USA; Suzy Parker (1932 – 2003), who appeared on the cover of thousands of magazines in the 1950s; Veruschka = Vera Lehndorff (1939 – ), often called the first German supermodel, notable in my universe, for her role in the film, Blow-up (1966); Twiggy = Lesley Hornby (1949 – ), known for her thin build and the androgynous appearance; Beverly Johnson (1952 – ), the first African American appearing on the cover of Vogue in the 1970s; The Body = Australian Eleanor Nancy Gow = Elle Macpherson (1964 – ); Canadian Linda Evangelista (1965 – ) notable through most of the 1980s and 1990s; Brazilian Gisele Bündchen (1980 – ) the world’s highest paid supermodel between 2003 and 2016. There are male supermodels, even if their income is only a fraction of that made by the most enterprising woman. One example is Tyson Beckford (1970 – ).
Computer names
Commodore Amiga, our first family computer, in Spanish refers to a female friend, but not a girlfriend (or bride), which is novia. Asus – whose name comes from pegasus – also offers portable computer models with Zen: Zenbook, Zenfone, Zenpad. My current laptop is an Acer Swift 3. I have decided, without proof, that it is named after a bird, members of the family Apodidae.
Inappropriate names
UNESCO’s The World Atlas of Languages is an interactive and dynamic online tool that documents different aspects and features of language status in countries and languages around the world. Their methodology indicates there are 8324 languages, spoken or signed, documented by the governments, public institutions and academic communities: Of these, about 7000 languages are still in use.
There are undoubtedly many model names that are suitable in some languages, but are inappropriate in others. The Honda Fit is one example. Throughout Europe it is referred to as a Honda Jazz, because fit is just too impolite to use in Scandinavian languages. Other model names are more humorous, such as the Hyundai Kona. In Norwegian, Kona translates as, the wife.
Because these situations arise, it is understandable that businesses will choose something meaningless for model names. My desktop computer is an Asus PN-50. I also store several generations of Acer Revo mini PCs.
After this text had been written, I decided to see how close my perception of the term model came to that of an online dictionary. Here is what one had to say, with a few minor adjustments:
model as a noun
a standard or example for imitation or comparison.
a representation, generally in miniature, to show the construction or appearance of something.
an image in clay, wax, or the like, to be reproduced in more durable material.
a person or thing that serves as a subject for an artist, sculptor, writer, etc.
a person whose profession is posing for artists or photographers.
a person employed to wear clothing or pose with a product for purposes of display and advertising.
a style or design of a particular product.
a pattern or mode of structure or formation.
a typical form or style.
a simplified representation of a system or phenomenon, as in the sciences or economics, with any hypotheses required to describe the system or explain the phenomenon, often mathematically.
Zoology. an animal that is mimicked in form or color by another.
adjective
serving as an example or model, for example: a model home.
worthy to serve as a model; exemplary: a model student.
being a small or miniature version of something: a model ships.
verb (used with object)
to form or plan according to a model.
to give shape or form to; fashion.
to make a miniature model of.
to fashion in clay, wax, or the like.
to simulate (a process, concept, or the operation of a system), commonly with the aid of a computer.
to display to other persons or to prospective customers, especially by wearing: to model dresses.
verb (used without object)
to make models.
to produce designs in some plastic material.
to assume a typical or natural appearance, as the parts of a drawing in progress.
to serve or be employed as a model.
Origins: First recorded 1565–75; earlier modell, from Middle French modelle, from Italian modello, from Vulgar Latin modellus (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin mod(ulus), a unit of measurement ( module ) + -ellus -elle
Duo promoting Duolingo Scottish Gaelic. Image: Duolingo
On 2008-08-01, I officially began work at Leksvik secondary school. At some point, possibly because of trips to France, I decided it would be good to improve my French. Thus, I acquired some French textbooks that otherwise would be discarded, and began to spend time studying it.
Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that language textbooks do not suit my personality. I then discovered Memrise, undoubtedly after it was founded in 2010-09. Memrise is focused on vocabulary, and uses spaced repetition to accelerate vocabulary acquisition. It claims spaced repetition is an evidence-based learning technique with increasing time intervals between reviews of previously learned materials.
Once again, I discovered that Memrise did not suit my personality either. I needed something that had more of a focus on grammar. Then I encountered Duolingo. It seemed a better match for me. I have used it since 2014-06-??. Yes, that is over ten years ago. French was my first language, and is still the language where I have accumulated the greatest number of points with Duolingo. This is followed by: Swedish, Scottish Gaelic, German, Ukrainian, Finnish and Portuguese. In addition, I have tried out a few other languages.
A note on Nordic languages.
There are those who contend that Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are dialects of a single language. I can understand that argument. What I don’t appreciate is the misunderstandings that arise because people do not recognize how the three languages differ. In my tertiary level education in Norway, I have had to use textbooks in five languages: Bokmål = regular Norwegian, Danish, English, Nynorsk = New Norwegian and Swedish. There is usually no problem for a Norwegian to understand written Danish, as long as they avoid numbers! Take seventy (70) = sytti in Norwegian, but halvfjerds, short for halvfjerdsinds-tyve = half way to the fourth times twenty. It is spoken Danish that creates misunderstandings.
When I was using Swedish textbooks, I would deliberately pronounce the words aloud. This made them understandable in Norwegian. The problem with Swedish for Norwegian speakers are the false friends. The most common example is rolig. In Norwegian it is an adjective meaning quiet. In Swedish it means funny. There are many more.
I cannot recall a time in my life when I have felt so exhausted as in 1980 – 1981. It was usually after returning home from school, after using Norwegian continuously throughout the day. Fortunately, that situation changed fairly quickly. Today, I can switch between English and Norwegian without difficulties. Except, this year, when visiting the Isle of Wight, I attempted to use Norwegian (rather than English) with one of the locals. This is due to conditioning. In my daily life, whenever I encounter a stranger, I use Norwegian.
Further developments …
In 2015, I had completed everything in French that Duolingo had to offer. After I had worked on it daily for 500 days, I allowed my streak – continuous duration of daily language exercises – to lapse. I then worked with Duolingo fairly regularly to learn other languages, but often took weekend breaks.
After a trip to Madeira in 2017, I once again decided to work with Duolingo on a daily basis. On the publication of this post, I have officially worked on it for 2835 consecutive days = 7 years, 9 months, 3 days. I am currently working with Scottish Gaelic, with the hope of being reasonably fluent in it for a trip to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 2025. My intention with learning Gaelic is to gain a better understanding of the Gaelic culture there.
This extensive use of Duolingo, does not mean that I have been totally faithful. At one point, I was also using a dedicated site to learn Icelandic. In part, I enjoyed it because I thought it would help me appreciate the Icelandic crime program Ófærð = Trapped, with 3 series and 28 episodes since 2015. I found the Icelandic course well structured, but had limited use for it. Then, when I planned a visit to Iceland in 2023, it was too late to learn much more of the language. It is doubtful that I will visit Iceland again, for more than a day on a trip to or from somewhere else in North America.
The Scots Gaelic Duolingo course has been operational since 2019-11-30. In 2022-03, it was taken over by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, = The great/ big barn at Ostaig (literal translation), the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, with their main campus on the Sleat peninsula, in the south of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. They also offer: An Cùrsa Inntrigidh = the entrance course, and the immersive, An Cùrsa Comais = the competency course.
At one point I had read that 1.8 million people had tried Duolingo Scottish Gaelic, and that over 500 000 had used it regularly.
This is not my first excursion into Scottish Gaelic. In the early 1980s, fresh from successfully learning Norwegian, I purchased a copy of Roderick Mackinnon’s (1908 – 1979) Teach Yourself Gaelic: A complete guide for beginners in Scottish Gaelic (1971). I still have this book close at hand, because of its 45 pages of vocabulary.
I would not encourage everyone to study Scottish Gaelic. My interest, at least in part, is because of my Scottish heritage, both biological (from the Orkneys) and adoptive (from Morar, then South Uist in the Hebrides). I am supportive of Misneachd = Courage, the Gaelic campaign group, and its proposal for a Scottish Gaelic local community language based on Ireland’s 2012 Gaeltacht Act. In Scottish Gaelic, the term used is Gaidhealtachd = a recognised Gaelic-speaking area. In this model there would be a local organization in each district throughout the core Gaelic areas of the Western Isles = Outer Hebrides, Skye and Tiree, as well as in urban areas such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Gaelic was once the principal language of Scotland. After the Jacobite Rebellions from 1689 to 1745, the language was heavily persecuted. The highland clearances resulted in many Gaels being sent overseas, often to Canada, where they founded Gaelic-speaking communities. The Education Scotland Act of 1872 effectively banned Gaelic in Scotland’s schools. Some of those caught speaking the language faced physical punishment.
Gaelic is now spoken by just under 60 000 people in Scotland. In 2005, the Scottish Parliament passed an act securing Gaelic as an official language of Scotland. Since then the number of speakers under 20 has begun to rise. Around 5 600 children are currently being schooled using Gaelic. The majority of Scots view Gaelic favourably. Gaelic now has its own television channel, radio stations, and a short film festival. New dedicated schools are being built. Parents are learning Gaelic with their children.
Duolingo’s Gaelic course provides a free and accessible route into Gaelic learning for all. However, it comes with advertisements. I pay an affordable annual fee to avoid the ads.
It is crucial that people learn this language in order to maintain its recovery. That situation is also true for many other languages, and people without a Scottish heritage may find it more appropriate to learn a different language. Because Gaelic is a small language community, every speaker — native and learner — is important to secure its future. Irish and Welsh, have shown how smaller languages can thrive on Duolingo. Propaganda from Duolingo suggest that parents with children in Gaelic-medium education will be able to learn alongside their children.
Gaelic phrases
Here are three basic Gaelic phrases: Halo = hello, fàilte = welcome, tapadh leat = thank you.
The language does contain some false friends. Here is one example: beag (pronounced big) = small; mòr = big. Some situations demand that the spelling and pronunciation change to bheag and mhòr, so that the first part is pronounced like a v.
Here is a more advanced Gaelic sentence to Impress your friends: Thig crìoch air an t-saoghal ach mairidh gaol is ceòl. = The world may end, but love and music will endure.
My future with language
I intend to expand my horizons by learning more about runic alphabets. The Scandinavian variant is known as fuþark, or futhark; this name is derived from the first six letters of the script, ⟨ᚠ⟩, ⟨ᚢ⟩, ⟨ᚦ⟩, ⟨ᚨ⟩/⟨ᚬ⟩, ⟨ᚱ⟩, and ⟨ᚲ⟩/⟨ᚴ⟩, corresponding to the Latin letters ⟨f⟩, ⟨u⟩, ⟨þ⟩/⟨th⟩, ⟨a⟩, ⟨r⟩, and ⟨k⟩. The Anglo-Saxon variant is known as fuþorc or futhorc, due to changes in Old English of the sounds represented by the fourth letter, ⟨ᚨ⟩/⟨ᚩ⟩.
