The Cute Factor

Denis Dutton is a philospher of art at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. I would like to quote this man on cute.

"Cute cuts through all layers of meaning and says, Let's not worry about complexities, just love me."

He's currently working on a book on darwinan aesthetics. (yendonaa?!)

Hmmm...

Now i'm not so sure about being called cute anymore, cause is this what i'm communicating through my visual cues?

A New York Times Report says - "Cute cues are those that indicate extreme youth, vulnerability, harmlessness and need, scientists say, and attending to them closely makes good darwinian sense."

Does it now?!

I mean so where does that leave us cute folk, eh? (i mean humility be side stepped for a minute here!)

If cuteness is distinct from beauty, emphasising rounded over sculpted, soft over refined, clumsy over quick - then i ain't cute no more. I wouldn't like to be called that please! Sniff...

But wait a minute - i chanced upon this little piece of information as well - further down the cute NYT report is says - "Even as they say a cute tooth has rational roots, scientists admit they are just beginning to map it's subtleties and source. New studies suggest that cute (images) stimuate the same pleasure centres of the brain aroused by sex, a good meal or psychoactive drugs," (which means i'm a trip for free?!).

So with these contradicting studies doing the rounds i now settle into a self debate of whether to take compliments of cute seriously. Here we are in a century where everything is pretty much out in the open. Everyone knows everything, give it to you straght, mince nothing. And yet, we still have our pockets where things aren't dished out to you straight. So what exactly is one saying when they say - "you're cute."

Is it the easy way out of saying you're not a bomb, but hey i like ya? Could it be a genuine response of what you're sending out as a visual cue (Do i make you feel like you just had a good meal? awh ma goodness gracious!)

So much to say that now, i understand one thing - the cute factor makes evolutionary sense! It's gotta, cause once you start catering to the balance of providing for it (the cute factor is said to stimulate ends of many unused synapses to provide, respond, care for, and protect!) then the evolution of the species is made whole in it ultimate journey toward the next steps in making progress.

Gawh i carry such a heavy weight on my shoulders - Atlas shrugged, i'm still in the fight, y'all!

So is the report true when it says, "Beauty attracts admiration and demands a pedestal; cuteness attracts affection and demands a lap. Beauty is rate and brutal, despoiled by a pimple. Cuteness is commonplace and generous.

What the...?!

Sigh.

So much for making evolutionary sense.

Fish Basket - May Ai Halp yu?

A Press Invitation of such epic proportion is as rare as the Hailey's Comet. Rarer even!

Ladies and Gentleman in my quest for a simple gourmet experience, i found this press letter too tempting not to share, enjoy!

NB: The spelling is all 'okay', yeah?

Fish Basket Restaurent

Dear Mess'rs,

Entering the Fish Basket does not fill you with the confidence that the meal that that you are about to receive is going to be all that special or the place has unique Decoration.

But, we are happy to report looks can be deceptive.

The concept here is the fish market style you go to an ice counter covered with fresh sea 'delicious'. All what you have to do is choose the way you like it served and we will memorize the yammi expression and hang them on our chests as a middle of honour for gaining your satisfaction.

Join a world of compare less taste and service in a surrounding VIP atmosphere. We will be honoured by your visit you will honour us.

Please note that reading this paper payed you an Invitation for two.

_________________________________

Ladies and Gentlemen - The Fish Basket...

Now if this doesn't make you take printouts and rush over there, i don't know what will!

P.S - Anytime you swing by Dubai, go check 'em out - Tel 3367177, PO BOx 26522, Dubai, UAE

Happy New Year | Strain for the prize

I started out somewhere in this blog with a New Year message,and here i am making antoher one.

Taken from a book called the Daily Bread, December 31st. It was 12:00 a.m. Dad and i sat down to pray, thank God for what He had given us. Interestingly, we were wiser, suddenly open to reality in a different way, a much nicer way.

"In his painting 'An Allegory of Prudence,' 16th century Venetian artist Titian portrayed Prudence with three heads. One head was of a youth facing the future, another was of a mature man eyeing the present, and the third was of a wise old man gazing at the past.

Over their heads Titian wrote a latin phrase that means, 'From the example of the past, the man of he present acts prudently so as no to imperil the future.'

We need that kind of wisdom to overcome the anxiety created by our past failures and fear of repeating them in the future - an anxiety that keeps us from living to the fullest now. Paul was able to 'forget' his past and anticipate his future (Phil 3:13-14).

This doesn't mean his memory was erased; it means that Paul was free of any guilt or pride he may have felt from his past actions, becasue God had forgiven him. This attitude enabled him to live in the present and 'press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus' (v.14). So he had one driving passion - to know Christ better.

As we close the chapter of this year, let's rededicate ourselves to Christ. Jesus will enable us to live fully in he present as we gain wisdom from the past and face the future with courage."

- Dennis De Haan | Daily Bread | RBC Ministries

____________________________

And so to prudence, i raise my toast. To our ability to stand the test of what is set before us and to make of it a better understanding and better tomorrow.

- that's me by the way.

Happy New Year, all of ya!