Two new Roborovski hamsters

Afer a suitable period of mourning for Grumpty, Mojito and Zorro, I've become the owner of two new dwarf hamsters, Roborovskis to be precise. They're still quite small and are unnamed as of yet.

Roborovskis are noted for being much more active than the other breeds of dwarf hamster, and I've already noticed that my new little dudes are clocking up the miles on the wheel. They're also quite adept little climbers. As a result I feel that I have to buy some additional tubes and climbing stuff to keep them occupied. Hence the hamster suspension bridge available for purchase on eBay.

The other thought that's currently brewing in my head is a little project to measure exactly how far the hamsters run over the course of a night. A little bicycle computer should do the job, but at 54cm in diameter, the hamster wheel is at the small end of what bicycle computers are typically designed for. I'm still searching for a suitable non-contact revolution counter.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe

Katherine Howe is a descendant of two women accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials of 1692 and this is basis for her debut novel "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane". I received an ARC copy of the book and was immediately favourably impressed by the artwork and texture of the cover.

Connie Goodwin is a postgraduate student at Harvard who has recently been advanced to candidacy for her PhD in American Colonial history, meaning she now needs to find an original material source upon which to base her thesis. Her supervisor, the elite Manning Chilton, head of department, is applying pressure to choose a topic. On top of all this, Connie's mother Grace, an eccentric new-ager, contacts her and asks Connie to clean out her deceased grandmother's house in the town of Marblehead.

It is while cleaning out the ancient house that Connie stumbles upon a little mystery. Hidden inside the pages of an old family bible, she finds an old key with a hollow shaft in which is a rolled-up piece of paper bearing the words "Deliverance Dane". This discovery places Connie on a voyage of discovery, both historical and personal.

Howe skillfully draws on her impressive knowledge of colonial America to create a novel which moves between the modern day and the days surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. It is testament to her ability that while you are reading one side of the story, you are eagerly anticipating the events to come in the other side. Howe has also taken a distinct and fresh perspective on this terrible history and uses it to explore the roles of "cunning" women (women typically skilled in herbal lore and medicine) who have often been persecuted as witches throughout the years. It is ultimately a story about self-discovery and family and a very enjoyable read.

Loutus Asian Cuisine - Maynooth

We were staying in the Glenroyal Hotel in Maynooth last weekend. It was pouring rain on the Saturday night and we thought that we'd eat in the hotel bar/bistro but the extortionate prices on the menu quickly changed our minds. All the food around us looked deep-fried, there was no salad on the menu and E22-odd for chicken supreme was pulling the proverbial piss.

We reckoned that a quick run in the rain would be better than suffering those prices, thus we ended up in Lotus Asian Cuisine. It also doubles as a take-away but the main dining-room is decorated in shades of cream and white and feels quite light and bright. The menu is a mix of Thai and Chinese food and we quickly settled on Spicy Thai Yuk Sung as a shared starter. It arrived accompanied by perfect bowls of iceberg lettuce and resting on a bed of crispy noodles. It was spicily hot and delicious.

For mains we went for Mongolian Chicken and Spicy Thai Beef. The Mongolian chicken was served on a sizzling platter and turned out to be a strong hoisin-type sauce. The Thai beef consisted of beef stir-fried in a sweet Thai chilli sauce, (as opposed to proper Thai flavour) but was quite tasty.

Overall, we enjoyed our meal in the Lotus, although we did feel that E4 for a portion of rice was pushing it. Total cost for one starter, two mains, two rice, two chinese beers and one glass of white wine came to a total of approx E70. Not a cheap meal but we enjoyed it a lot more than the food on offer in the hotel.

Tesco Pricing Error

I was in Tesco Maynooth today and I picked up a small bag of coriander. I then saw that there was a larger bag available was better value. Looking closely at the shelf labels, I realised that someone at Tesco clearly can't do maths.

30g bag costing E1.29 or E43.00/kg


80g bag costing E1.99 (so better value) but the shelf label records the price per kg as E9.99, when a quick calculation tells you that the real price per kg is E24.88/kg.


So although Tesco aren't making you pay more per kg for the bigger bag, it's clear that their pricing isn't accurate.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Hugh Jackman returns to the X-Men franchise in his fourth outing as the invincible mutant, Wolverine. It attempts to deliver the story of tortured hero Wolverine, but ultimately does nothing to enhance the X-Men series of films. Jackman is in fine physical form for this film, but the flat and dull storyline sucks the action out of the film. Liev Schreiber delivers a great menancing performance as Sabretooth, Wolverine's brother but nothing is quite enough to save the film from itself.

Go see it if you're an X-Men fan, you won't be disappointed, but I doubt that you'll be delighted.

Birds have rhythm!!

Two recent studies have suggested that some birds have a remarkable talent for dancing, as published in the journal Current Biology. This was all sparked by the appearance on YouTube of videos of Snowball, a dancing cockatoo with a penchant for the backstreet boys.



Further investigation reveals that the birds have an innate sense of rhythm. Researches varied the tempo of Snowball's favourite music and discovered that he varied his routine in accordance with the beat.

All well and good, and in fairness, it makes for amusing internet videos. But why is this news? Why is deemed valid scientific research? Birds sing after all. It is fundamental to their recreation. Surely they are more musical than us? (Though that doesn't explain why Snowball likes the Backstreet Boys).

Ultimatum - Matthew Glass

Ultimatum is the first novel from English writer Matthew Glass. It's set in the near future, 2032 to be precise, and Joe Benton has just been elected as President of the United States of America. Before he takes office, the incumbent president asks to meet him in private. What he tells Benton is shocking. Global warming is accelerating much faster than anticipated and action must be taken quickly. The previous administration had been in talks with the Chinese trying unsuccessfully to reach a bilateral agreement to cut emissions.

This news radically changes the focus of Benton's administration. He had been planning to push through a series of laws to reform education and health, as well as funding a Relocation plan, to help move people from areas affected by climate change. Now he needs to find the time and resources to deal with this new crisis. Benton is a man who genuinely wants to make change, meaningful change that is, but the world is frighteningly close to catastrophe.

Ultimatum gives detailed insight into the pressures and actions of an American president and his administration. Like Lincoln, Benton appoints a cabinet who are not always unified in their views. As Benton tries to formulate a plan, he also has to deal with warring cabinet members. At this stage, the book is filled with dialogue and detail, but somehow, it stays interesting.

As a result of his desire to truly make a difference and create a better world for his children, Benton takes the USA down a decisive and controversial path, leaving America stranded on the global stage. As he faces the consequences of his actions, it is interesting to see how he questions his actions and responsibilites.

Ultimatum is billed as an environmental and political thriller, but it's not quite balanced on a knife-edge. It does deliver keen insight into modern global politics and the current greenhouse gases crisis. It is unsettling and thought-provoking, but with the overlying dullness of a scientific paper.