Unatural white teeth

Sometimes an occurrence will grab my attention.  Perhaps because it is out of place, unusual, or maybe because it repeats itself.  Recently this has happened to me while watching TV.  I have  seen broadcasters who have unusually white teeth.  These teeth are so white it looks like they have come out of a washing powder commercial.  My eyes squint when I see them.  Worse of all, they are so unnatural.  There are very few people in the world who actually have naturally occurring white teeth, the reality is teeth are varying shades of  pale beige, or even yellowish.  Whilst black skinned people may appear to have teeth which look whiter, this could be from two factors, one genetics and two contrast.  The contrast of seeing teeth against black skin makes them appear whiter than they actually are.  If you see an old movie, the actors have perfectly kept teeth but not necessarily white, just well looked after.  Like they had just been to the dentist for a scrape and polish.  This is acceptable as standards of oral hygiene have improved over they years.  But white teeth is abnormal.  People who have artificially white teeth do look out of place and on TV a warning should come with them, advising the view to put on the sun glasses.

Stress Monkey

In the Fish Factory there is an individual I have to associate with.  They have a personality trait which is begining to get too annoying.  They are a stress monkey.  They blow up every time something comes up which they feel unable to deal with.  Their own attitude and behaviour then effects other people, a bit like a whirlpool anyone who is within three desks can get sucked into it.  My personal irritation level is rising.  I had learnt some time ago it doesn't do much good getting annoyed.  It will always happen when something gets to you, but the only way to rise above it is to give it a moment then get on with the job.  Concentrating energy on solving the problem rather than moaning about it.  Which also lead me to be as self sufficient as I could.  I'd find out how to do something by myself and then I'd do it.  But people are different.  The Stress Monkey reminds me of my own stress monkey and my need to keep it under control, I don't need another person waking it up.  The fact this person is irritating me is a point marking my stress is now being effected.  I want a quite easy life.  I don't need all this exploding bloody stress monkey only a few desks away.  I've contemplated murder, with the hope as the criminal justice system has gone down hill I'd get let off for good behaviour.  This individual is on medication for their stress.  One solution might be just to wait and if I wait long enough they will literally explode.

Useful idiots

I was listening to the radio this morning.  It was the World Service.  This is a good channel to listen to on a Sunday because it gives news items and little sketches of interest.  One item today was about the Holocaust Stalin had inflicted upon his own people.  It was said some 10 million Russians died during it, when referring to the Ukraine genocide.  But because Putin is in power today and was a member of the secret police, he had managed to re write the history books so now in schools there is only one short paragraph which disputes it ever happened.  There was also something they called 'useful idiots.'  This term had apparently been coined in Lenin's time. Such people of  were used as free public relations advocates for Russia.  They would be wined and dinned and given all the best treatment while visiting Russia.  Nice things would be said to them of their work, they would be flattered and men were often given the attention of very attractive Russian women.  They were famous people, writers, singers, actors and the such like.  A short list would include Ernest Hemmingway, Walter Duranty and Che Guevara.  After being wooed and their big ego's stroked they began to purr louder than the biggest Persian cats.  Sent back to their own countries to extol the virtues of communism and Russia as the best thing since sliced bread.

How sad it is normally intelligent people can be so hoodwinked and how important it always is to have a second viewpoint, an opposing view point which is ready to ask questions some find very uncomfortable.