|k| clippings: 2015-01-07 — hypnos' bridge is falling down

WORK

“In Martinique, I had visited rustic and neglected rum-distilleries where the equipment and the methods used had not changed since the eighteenth century. In Puerto Rico, on the other hand, in the factories of the company which enjoys a virtual monopoly over the whole of the sugar production, I was faced by a display of white enamel tanks and chromium piping. Yet the various kinds of Martinique rum, as I tasted them in front of ancient wooden vats thickly encrusted with waste matter, were mellow and scented, whereas those of Puerto Rico are coarse and harsh. We may suppose, then, that the subtlety of the Martinique rums is dependent on impurities the continuance of which is encouraged by the archaic method of production. To me, this contrast illustrates the paradox of civilization: its charms are due essentially to the various residues it carries along with it, although this does not absolve us of the obligation to purify the stream. By being doubly in the right, we are admitting our mistake. We are right to be rational and to try to increase our production and so keep manufacturing costs down. But we are also right to cherish those very imperfections we are endeavouring to eliminate. Social life consists in destroying that which gives it its savour.”

—Claude Lévi-Strauss
—from Tristes Tropiques

WORD(S)

gephyrophobia. noun. A fear of crossing over a bridge or, more rarely, passing under one. From Greek géfyra (bridge) + phobos (fear). Upon request, some states will provide drivers for particularly fearsome bridges including the Tappan Zee Bridge, Mackinack Bay Bridge and Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

“Or take gephyrophobia, a classic fear. Eots of people suffer from it. What’s gephyrophobia? asked Juan de Dios Martinez. The fear of crossing bridges. That’s right, I knew someone once, well, it was a boy, really, who was afraid that when he crossed a bridge it would collapse, so he’d run across it, which was much more dangerous. A classic, said Elvira Campos.” (Roberto Bolaño)

“A terror of crossing bridges brought traffic to a halt for 45 minutes on the A45 yesterday. […] The woman’s problem was not caused by a fear of height, but by gephyrophobia, one expert said.” (The Times)

WEB

1. Coffee and a nap is better than coffee or a nap alone. I love science.

2. Don’t know your quarto from your quadragesimo-octavo? Unsure if it’s recto or verso? Let this handy glossary of book format, binding and anatomy terms help.

3. More compelling research on the importance of sleep and how most of us don’t get enough of it. Combine with the pernicious effects of “blue-light” from phones and tablets—and more and more studies about devices, sleep disruption and depression—and I’m going back to an old-fashioned alarm clock and the (non blue-light emitting) Kindle in my bedroom.

4. You owe yourself a few minutes (at least) watching the Bad Lip Reading YouTube channel.

5. Today is the Festival of Seven Herbs (Nanakusa no sekku) in Japan, during which it is customary to custom of eating a seven-herb rice soup traditionally flavored with the youngest spring herbs available in the new year: chickweed, cudweed, nipplewort, radish, shepherd’s purse, turnip and water dropwort. The seventh day of the first month has been a prominent festival in Japan since ancient times.

REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES

• Reader B. has a difference of opinion: “Having just read Darryl Ayo’s article, I disagree. I don’t disagree as to whether the movie The Interview is good or bad, but I do disagree about the value of humor against tyranny. Humor helps to focus attention to a cause and is capable of gaining support to advance a fight. I would very much like to know Mr Ayo’s view of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show.” — You should ask him: http://darrylayo.tumblr.com/ask

• Reader G. writes in about Goldbarth: “I love some of Goldbarth’s work, but some (= too much) is way too long and self indulgent. Too clever by half. It’s a tragedy because he has a number of poems that just bring me to my knees with both admiration and envy.”

• Reader J. corrects Goldbarth: “Actually, Astronomy says: the earth’s turning will make the sun seem to rise tomorrow… ¶ Just sayin’…”

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