A little light relief…

Blogs over the last few days have been on the long side. In order to keep things relatively light, here are some photographs and a brief description of some of my favourite trips through photographs. They include visits to Salisbury and the Isle of Wight; though more anon. Whilst the beauty of these locations is best experienced at first hand, I hope these snippets will inspire - enjoy! First up the exterior of Salisbury. A truly lovely exterior is seen to advantage here. The cathedral was built during the 13th century with the exception of the spire, which was constructed by 1320. This spire remains the tallest (standing) pre 1400 example in the world!

The font in Salisbury Cathedral is idyllic. Moments spent in meditation in front of it are never regretted.












The cathedral also boosts a working medieval clock from around 1386, or possibly earlier. The clock was found in 1796 and was restored in 1956. Notice the lack of clock face on this piece. This is because clock faces were not thought of when it was made. Instead you can ascertain the time of day by listening for the bell instead.







Now to the Isle of Wight, and on this occasion Osbourne House, the location where Queen Victoria spent many happy days and eventually passed away here. It is now open to the general public.



This is the main entrance and as you can see, the scale of the palace is fitting monument to Victorian confidence and prosperity. Built on an impressive scale the house contains relics and influences from across the globe, whilst also retaining a distinctly English feel.









I could n't resist ending with this beautiful view of the extensive gardens around the House.



Miles of parkland stretch away into the distance. When one beholds it, one feels very calm and comfortable.

In pursuit of certainty: the avoidance of doubt and other methods

In the modern age in which we live, there is often considerable emphasis placed on the need to prove logically a statement; so that no other explanation could stand. This approach can be traced back to Descartes and was the precursor to the modern scientific method. It is, however, no real way to produce a sensation of certainty in our lives.

The problem is a little difficult to describe easily and clearly, but I will do my best here. Essentially the problem is whether you place greater value on feelings or on the intellect. Some look for certainty through logic, others accept the possibility of doubt but look to their sense of self and feelings to make the best of the situation.

Some psychological models have used the idea of human beings as driven by desires and beliefs. Beliefs may be thought of as the way you perceive how to get your desires, and desires are wishes to experience – whatever they may be. Experience is made up of lots of things, but one thing it always includes is feeling. So, feelings are inescapable. For many people, some feelings occur more often than others. Indeed, it can even be that some feelings happen so often, people forget what the various other states ‘feel like’. Instead they concentrate only on a very narrow band of feelings. In some cases this may be a good thing, such as with positive emotions, in others, in the case of negative moods, it is not so good for the experiencer.

For some people life is racked with doubt. In order to try to escape from doubt and experience a more pleasant way of looking at the world, many modern minds seek out the pleasures of science, or more specifically the use of formal logic to solve their problems about life’s deepest issues. When something is logically provable, there can be no grounds for doubt and as such, feelings concerning doubt should disappear, so the logic goes: leaving behind on the experience of certainty.

It is quite natural to be doubtful about almost anything. Doubts are often caused by a feeling that a piece of information that is important has been has not been considered sufficiently. This is distinct from a piece of information that is not important and that has not been factored in. For example, ‘dinosaur fossils, when analysed by carbon dating, show the world must be at least 65 million years old; and very probably much more than that. But perhaps 1 in 1 million carbon dating tests is wrong. It is a subjective decision whether you think the problem with this piece of information is worth causing you to dispute the fossil evidence or not. Whatever decision you make, it could be doubted. This situation is subjective; and intellect and feelings are not necessarily in alignment.

There are a few situations that are logically provable and cannot be seriously debated: for example, all triangles have three sides. In such a case, it is not possible to argue with the validity of this statement. There is no room for doubt since, by definition, all triangles have three sides. In such a case, feelings and the intellect are in alignment.

As a result, even some of the best known theories in science today, such as the Theory of Evolution, remain just that, theories. They may be very good theories, but there is always a possibility that there something will discovered tomorrow that breaks the rule. So the elusive sense of certainty is not found with this method.

One defence strategy is to deny the subjectivity of the self and try to write it out of the equation altogether. However, such a move would be do deny experience – experiences have to be subjective, since no two people ever have quite the same experience. Consequently each viewpoint is subjective. To a point, there is no such as objectivity without some degree of contamination from the subjective viewpoints observing the ‘objective’ phenomenon.

Instead, in order to actually experience certainty from the real world, you do best to look to the feeling of certainty and consciously choose to focus your attention on that most of the time. Thus, if certainty is what you want to experience, focus your attention on that, rather than trying to prove something by fruitlessly trying to prove something with tools that are debatable in the first instance.

Here’s the punch line: you could only experience (feel) certainty by knowing what a lack of certainty feels like. Experience would numb without a sense of one thing being different from another. Consequently, look to your feelings. In order to experience certaintity, you have to be out of your mind…. Literally!

My ideal career progression: me in 10 years time.

I have decided to practice what I preach. Many self-help and Positive Psychology experiments have pointed to the power of envisaging where you want to be in the next 5 years and 10 years and working back from there using realistic goals as a means for making your dreams manifest. This method is likely to help you clarify what you want to do and the progression that will take you there. By breaking the large task into a series of related small episodes, you make it easier to see how each will happen – improving your chances of persevering with your goal. Without further a-do them:

10 years hence, I would like to be established in a promising career in some area of Positive Psychology/Social Psychology, or something very similar. I would like to mix both teaching and research. During the summer I would like to give lectures on how those who wish to can improve their emotional well being; find greater meaning in lives and help them find themselves. Ideally, I would own a house, or partly own a house by this time and be living with my girlfriend.

5 years hence, I hope to be just starting on my career in academia. I also hope to have passed my PHD with an excellent grade. I would be especially pleased if my viva went well, as I have thought for a long time, I perform very well in the spoken spontaneous environments.

1 ½ years time, I would like to be starting my PHD. I think my area of specialisation will be some aspect of self identity, though it might possibly be in some aspect of history and psychology or emotions and well being.

6 months, I hope to be starting my Masters course in Psychology research methods, probably at the University of Leicester. Money from various part time jobs I have will be enough to see me through the course with plenty left over for other projects such as trips abroad and saving for the house/flat.

3 months, ideally, I would to get a 2.1 for this year’s postgraduate conversion course. That is not easy, given the amount of hard work that has been set; and my continued job at Sainsbury. However, I think it is possible. If this proves beyond me just now, as long as I get a 2.2, I will be able to study a Masters course. That will give me the time needed to raise my game to a PHD standard.

So now you know how it is done. All you have to do now is pay a visit to the blog to see how I am getting on!

Image copyright, Mark Weislogel

And this week's Personality of the Week is.....

At the café, we are delighted to announce this week’s Personality of the week. It may come as a surprise to those of you who suspected someone else, but we are sure you will not be disappointed with this choice its…Mr. Hugh Laurie.
Hugh Laurie is such a conspicuous face in the media at present that he scarcely needs an introduction, but for those of you who may not know the full extent of his work, a short summary is provided below.
James Hugh Calum Laurie was born in Oxford in 1959, son to doctor Ran Lauire, his son Hugh Lauire first came to the general public’s attention through his television appearances in the 1980s. These included playing the prince in Blackadder 3, a role in the comedy series Alfresco and his part as Bertie Worcester in the series Jeeves and Worcester.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Laurie appeared with his dear friend Stephen Fry in a series entitled ‘A bit of Fry and Laurie.’ This is an excellent series and one which the café fully endorses. Thank you for your legacy of entertainment which has kept the proprietor so entertained during his studies.
Since then, Lauire’s most famous project is the American series House, in which he plays a grumpy but enormously talented doctor. Interestingly, his character in House is a high status character one whereas his previous roles have largely been submissive in nature for example Sam Bell in ‘Maybe Baby’.
Despite his very considerable success, Laurie has not always been a happy man. He has suffered from depression, but also been brave enough to tell people. He achieved a third in his degree from Cambridge in Archaeology and Anthrolopology. His example is an inspiration to us, to keep going, even when times are tough.
In recognition of his note worthy acting career (to date) he was awarded an OBE in the new year’s honours list. Hugh Lauire, we salute you! Your prize awaits sir!

Daring taboo – should Britain apologise for the slave trade or not?

Café Lumiere is aware that is difficult to talk about slavery without offending someone, but this should not hold people, of the café, back from discussing the topic in a frank and open way. For this reason a few things will be written which, it is hoped, give a more balanced perspective than some of the extreme reactions from both sides of the debate. The main questions of focus will be the following: 1. Should Britain apologise for the slave trade, and 2. Would such an apology be helpful?

Good historians are often careful not to apply anything other than the most fundamental of moral judgements on past events – since past events happened to people who possessed different ways of being from us. Whilst in modern times we pride ourselves on our ethics and judgements, it does not mean that in the future we will look frightfully backward and unsophisticated. One of the greatest faux pas, for a historian, is to read too much of their age into the past without due respect for players in the events they seek to understand. Without naming names, some ‘authorities’ on the subject, seem to believe that because in the 21 century, we believe in the equality of men and women, this somehow means that people who did not have the same beliefs in the past are morally hollow and contemptible. To see someone from 1790 as the same as someone from 1990 is to ignore the effects of 200 years of cultural moulding. As the psychologist Baumeister (1987) would say, selves take time to develop.

Though Nail Ferguson is a famously right of centre historian, it does not stop him having a point when he writes in ‘Empire’ that back in the 16^th century, England was one of the last nations in Europe to get involved in the slave trade. Only the prospect of being completely over taken by other European polities such as Spain and Portugal drove England to adopt the practice initially. Of course, once the habit was started it proved all too hard to break. Essentially, the 17^th and 18^th centuries saw very large scale conflicts between the European nations played out in the new and old continents of the world western world. Thus it was only when Britain’s ascendancy in Europe was apparent at the beginning of the 19^th century that she could afford the luxury of ending slavery, without fear of being overtaken by other nations.

At the time, of course, the nations of Europe genuinely believed that the extermination of their enemy would somehow herald a golden age for themselves – or at least lost of plunder. Nowadays, the Café hopes, the various nations of Europe appreciate that it is in no ones interests for Europeans to fight with one another of plunder. Life is more sacred than territory. Indeed, diversity is what allows us to know ourselves fully. Vive la difference! But just because we feel this way now, it does not mean we can, or should, apologise for events carried out by people 200 or more years ago.

It is also worth saying that, according to one rather insightful writer (George MacDonald-Fraser’s specifically his character Flashman) slavery could not have happened without the complicity of many tribal leaders. For such leaders, slavery was a convenient way of getting rid of political prisoners within a tribe in exchange for prized supplies. It was only sometime later (ie from about 1800 or so) that normal members of the tribe started to be rounded up and sold on in exchange for weapons and other supplies from Britain and other European powers.

On the more liberal side of the debate regarding slavery, a number of good historians have pointed out that many of the great cities of Britain, including Glasgow, Liverpool and Bristol could not have been built without slave labour. It is also worth noting that many of the most magnificent achievements from the Ancient World, such as Ancient Colchester and the Roman Baths at Bath to name just two could not have been built without slave labour. Does this warrant an apology from the Italians for their slavery in Britain circa 150-400 CE? Do Viking raids mean an apology from the Norwegians is long overdue? Does 1066 warrant an apology from the French? Just think about the court cases and compensation suites that could happen!

The cafe would go one step further and link the production of the railways, a generation after slavery was abolished entirely and sing the praises of the Irish navvy. Had it not been for their cheap labour many of Britain’s railways could not have been built. Does the mistreatment of the Irish labourer warrant an apology from Tony Blair? Would such an apology actually mean anything? Is the state of Britain in 2007 really capable of representing in some way that nation of pre 1807? The cafe does not believe it is.

If the café had to chose a side to back, it would probably be the mild ‘nos’ on the grounds that a) an apology to one group over another is just another form of discrimination, b) a culture of apology, where every nation has to say sorry to one another may not be very helpful for harmonious relations in the future and c) it is very dubious as to whether people can apologise for events they were not directly involved in. A statement of regret might be the most realistic approach.

We suggest a celebration of our collective achievements as human beings. Surely the great lesson is that the wonders that are present all across the world, in the form of cities such as London, Bristol, Glasgow, Paris and Kingston (Jamaica) to name a few, were only possible with whole groups acting in concert; some its members not even present in the country the monument now stands. One person did not build Paris many did. In this sense, no achievement is in isolation, but instead is part of a never ending web of cause and effect, action and consequence. All peoples are the inheritors of the great monuments not just an elite few.



(copyright for the image of Arch de triumph PCWorld.com and Baths at Bath Wikipedia.org).

In pursuit of the best take away coffee in Sunny Staines

I have been a coffee fan since I was 13 when I first got into the habit of drinking it. Since then, the substance has proven to be a good friend to me – it has seen me through many hours working at essays and preparing for exams, this year being no exception.

It seems vaguely appropriate therefore to consider where one might go in Staines for a nice take away coffee. There are three suppliers to consider. Three of the largest: Costa Coffee, The Staines Station cafe and Coffee Republic will battle it out for the the illustrious Café Lumiere ‘credible supplier of Take away Coffee’ award.

In order to conduct this investigation, either an Americano or a Latte was ordered at each of the suppliers listed below and were then compared with our stringent guidelines as to what good coffee should be.

Our guidelines include the following, the coffee should be:

1. Lovely to taste
2. Reasonably priced
3. stimulating, but not to the point of inducing hyperactivity
4. Staff should be helpful and respectful
5. the coffee should be served in a stylish and pleasing way.
6. Any other aspect that seems important.

First up is Mr Coffee Republic. The coffee here is quite good as the flavour is pleasant enough and the atmosphere in the shop is acceptable. The coffee could do with being a litter stronger though.

The café as a whole will be improved when the smoking ban comes into force later this year; since sectioning the place into smoking and non-smoking just means that everyone has to breath the cigarette fumes. The price is competitive (by Staines standards).

Overall, 6/10. On the second inspection, the coffee machine was out of action, so they lost brownie points. This lapse may have cost them the competition!

Costa Coffee. Costa Coffee is one of the big players in the coffee world and its red insignia must now be recognised up and down the length of the country. This does not mean, however, their coffee is superlative - I don’t especially like it. Their beans are rather too nutty for my palette and not sweet enough. Costa beans are roasted in such a way as to make the Americano the preferable option over the Latte, in my experience. Their prices are also far from competitive.

Overall, 4/10. Especially disgruntled at seeing a jam tart priced £1.50 to eat in!

The Café on Staines Railway station.

Though its name escapes me, this café has been rather brave in designing corporate advertising that does not take itself very seriously. For example, one of the cups given to me said something like ‘another space we could have used for advertising, but did n’t, be grateful.’ Immediately, this put me in a good frame of mind about this company. The coffee is good, but the staff tend to put too much milk in their drinks. The price is reasonable at £1.75 for a medium sized latte in comparison with the other outlets, especially given its proximity to the trains.

Overall, 7/10

Go easy on the milk guys and you might make it up to 8!

Conclusions, if you only have the time for a take away coffee and are near the station, head for the cafe there. Otherwise, Coffee Republic is probably your best bet. However, in the near future a branch of Starbucks (aka Buckstar) will be opening in Staines so Coffee Republic's days of dominance may be numbered! Remember, you heard it here first...

A tale of two cities – two trips to Woking!

It was Charles Dickens who wrote the story ‘a tale of two cities’ and he wrote it about London and Paris. If he were alive in the present age, however, he might have used his poetic license and used the description of the town Woking, England. If he had had the same experiences as me, he might have concluded that it was a place of two halves.

It was the worst of towns. I was struck by the urban banality of the place when I first visited the town. I parked in the station car park and all I could see was a branch of KFC and a distinct lack of a pleasing land marks. The station lacked a nice building. Even Slough, which is famous for its ugliness, has retained a pretty nice ex-GWR station. You'll understand why Woking did not leave me with a good first impression.

My dissatisfaction continued. I left the station via the subway and was less than delighted with the smell. The street I walked down was full of rubbish and the people I saw were wearing too many gold sovereigns and chains to be attractive or healthy in the head.

In some ways, it was the best of towns. By contrast my second visit was considerably happier. I was on secondment to Lightwater Sainsbury, which is on the edge of Woking. This branch of Sainsbury is large, as it contains over 40 aisles and glory of glories – a home-shop with funky blue lighting. My task was to stack the shelves for the afternoon. The work was hardly taxing, though there were an unusually high number of people asking for directions which sometimes took me from my work. I must have helped at least 25 people find products over the course of 4 hours, which is around 5 times more than in my native store.

Outside the shop things continued to go well. The sun was up and the sky was a beautiful healthy blue. In the near distance the Church spire presented itself in a tasteful and friendly way. Petrol was a penny cheaper per litre than back home and I took the opportunity to fill up. All in all, my sojourn was rosy indeed.

The upshot of these two very different experiences is to make me feel I have wronged Woking. Perhaps it is an example of that most English of phenomena something that is in the middle of two extremes. I plan a third visit to provide a definitive impression of Woking. This trip will probably be after the exams so stay tuned.

It will be a far far better trip that I plan to this town, than I have ever planned before.

My thanks to Mr. Charles Dickens for his advice on some of the phrases used in this blog.