Stephen Hawking: Even a Genius Gets it Wrong Sometimes

I was surprised and disappointed to read that Stephen Hawking (the cleverest man in the world...and an atheist ) has decided against travelling to Israel for a conference, after bowing to pressure from American professor Noam Chomsky and some 20 other academics.

Chomsky's reason are, and I quote "Israel systematically discriminates against the Palestinians who make up 20% of its population in ways that would be illegal in the UK"

Chomsky is a hypocrite of colossal proportions by siding with the Palestinians who, incidentally, discriminate against their own women, or 55% of its population in ways that would be totally illegal in the UK.

While I'm the first to agree that Israel have over the years blatantly discriminated against the Palestinians, the same 20% who refuse to accept Israel's right to exist, I don't think an academic boycott serves any purpose whatsoever. In fact the sciences are about the only activity where Israelis and Palestinians work together - as equals.

Israel is not perfect by any means and has done many things wrong, as have all other nations, but at least it does not discriminate against its own women.

Israel is a democracy - Palestine probably never will be.

Judaism can and does co-exist with democracy - Islam can't.

Israel has more Nobel Prize winners than all of the Moslem world put together.

Come on Stephen, do as you had intended. Go to Jerusalem and spread your wisdom and atheism.Go to Israel and speak to both Israeli and Palestinian physicists who will welcome you and don't listen to the double-standard rhetoric of two-faced academics.

If you don't attend the Jerusalem conference the sensible people of the world, such as myself, will in future expect you to boycott all Islamic nations for the discrimination of women and gay people.

Oh, and by the way, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair are both going to Israel, and we all know those two care more for the human condition and have worked harder for social justice than pompous Chomsky and his geeky pals ever will.

Dear readers, your comments on this matter would be appreciated.

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but my mind is free - Part I

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I was watching a program by Stephen Hawking, the brilliant English physicist, when something he said made me sit up and think.

Well, lots of things he says make me sit up and think; he is probably the greatest thinker of our times, but these words struck a particular chord.
“I am paralyzed, but my mind is free to wander”. How inspiring is that!

Stephen Hawking - Genius

Stephen Hawking suffers from neuro-muscular dystrophy and has been paralyzed for the past 30 years. With the exception of his eyes and his mind, he is completely paralyzed. With the help of a computer to ‘speak’ for him by means of a sensor that picks up his eye movements, Stephen has managed to produce mind-blowing work throughout his 40 year career. What an inspiration. I have no job or money (temporary glitch, I hope) but my mind is also free to wander!

Hence my decision to embark on a journey to the places in my bucket list, with or without money.

The first port of call is Antarctica. This beautiful frozen continent is unspoilt and largely untouched by man. Long may that continue…?

undisturbed beauty

What draws me to Antarctica are; isolation, frigid purity, stunning views and Emperor Penguins.

I absolutely adore penguins (probably my favourite animals) and I hope to see the biggest of the lot, the majestic Emperor.

adorable or what?

Here I am… moments after arrival.

battery low...yeahhhh

This last of the unspoilt wildernesses on the planet may not remain this way for long. Antarctica is administered by The UK, Norway, France, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and Brazil, for geographical and colonial reasons.

The general consensus has always been to preserve the continent and avoid the introduction of alien flora and fauna, but how long for before the pressure to exploit its natural resources muscles in? Only time will tell.



All in all it was a wonderful experience, as predicted, and I enjoyed every minute of it. One of the many highlights was going for a pee outside the tent and seeing it freeze before hitting the deck! Awesome! There were signs everywhere warning visitors not to eat yellow snow?! Ew

I never did get to hug a penguin :(  but now that I have discovered this convenient way to travel...well  I can return whenever I like (I need to get a life, and quickly)
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