07 October 2005

Two Things (Try to spot which two)

Congratulations the IAEA on being awarded the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize. The BBC report is interesting to read for the soundbites from those who could've won or thought they should have won, in particular the comment from a Japanese activist:


The IAEA, he added, was "not an organisation that has conducted peace activities".


with its strange turn of phrase. Anyhow, anti-nuclear energy campaigners tend to get me a bit riled sometimes when they oppose nuclear energy simply because of their misplaced fear of all things to do with radiation. Countries like France and the US have been using nuclear energy safely for decades, though admittedly disposal of the spent fuel is always a contentious issue. The term nimby (not in my backyard) was invented precisely because no one likes the thought of radioactive waste in close proximity to their homes. The unfortunate side-effect of the overcrowding of this planet is that it's increasingly harder to run away from stuff (and people) we don't like.


The reasons why we don't like particular people have always fascinated me. There are times when, overwhelmed with dislike for someone, I find almost everything he or she does to be the height of irritation. Sometimes I go on to wonder if his or her personal habits are deliberately cultivated to cause annoyance. But a disinterested observer would find nothing remarkable in the behavior of my nemesis. So a lot of our hate and bile is actually some sort of self-reinforcing mantra. (Where is the lurrrrve?) I pray for eyes to see.

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