Free Will

This is not going to be a textbook philosophical treatise, more just the view from the hangover after a big night out.

There is an oft-quoted saying - that people regret more of the things they didn't do than the things they did do ...

but like all oft-quoted sayings, that's a load of context-specific twaddle.

Sometimes you might think that you'll regret not going somewhere - but when you later learn the fate of those who did go there, then you'll be grateful. Grateful to whom? To your own decision-making capability.

Or as noted by Neil Peart - if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Beer, Music and Science

Loud music in bars encourages people to drink more, unless it drives them off. That's old news now, and we can attest from personal experience anyway.

The results, published online in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, show that the louder the music, the more swiftly the drinkers finished their beer, ordered more – or left.

But though I was not very impressed by that conclusion, I was very impressed by the research of Katherine Sanderson of Nature. She simply looked at some of the other publications of Nicolas Guéguen, Professor of Behavioural sciences at the Université de Bretagne-Sud who led the study. A few examples of his published research from his website:

1. Semantically induced love and helping behavior

2. The domestic dog as a facilitator in social interaction: An evaluation on helping and courtship behaviors.

3. The effects of women’s cosmetics on men’s courtship behavior.

4. The effect of a woman’s smile on men’s nonverbal behavior.

5. Women’s eye contact and men’s later interest: Two field experiments

Well done to Katherine for the spotting them, that is real research. And well done to Nicolas for getting away with it.

Sorry Brian!

We could discuss the news. But I'll stay personal today.

I used to have a pet snail called Brian. Well, he was not really a pet, but I did see him a few times sliding across my patio.

Maybe giving him that name was a mistake. But I can honestly say that I named him after the main character of the Magic Roundabout and not after the supposed prophet. I appreciate that some people may believe that Brian was a divine messenger whose every word should be obeyed. I used to think those people were gullible fools, but I realise now that only they know the true meaning of life.

Apology done. Now I'm off to get lashed.

C2 H5 OH 2

I said that for some people monetary factors may limit what they consume on an evening out.

I observed two tables. One table was broadly junior management. A second table was broadly senior management.

At the first table the lower paid managers seemed to be clubbing together and buying their own drinks with consolidated cash.

At the second table the higher paid managers seemed to have their drinks bought by the credit cards of senior agency staff.

Hmmm.

C2H5OH

Although the daily nature of this blog necessitates a topical prompt, I did want to avoid this becoming an online diary. However, I think the state of my head yesterday clouded my judgement. So completing yesterday's note a bit more clearly, here are generically the top five reasons for stopping drinking in the evening…

1. A general long-term health policy.

2. You run out of money. Either a simple lack of cash or a broader budget issue.

3. You run out of time. You live far away and there is a last train waiting.

4. You feel that you are losing control. You can no longer trust your own behaviour.

5. Even though you know that you've only had a few and other people are just warming up, the mother of all hangovers is already smashing around inside your head.

Only number 5 applies significantly here. I know that you are different.

Drugs

I write this while suffering. Not because of the cricket result, but because I am hung over.

For some people the limiting factor in an evening's alcohol consumption may be the cost. For other people the limiting factors are the behavioural effects - you may know that beyond a certain stage your actions may become unpredictable or unpleasant. But for me the limiting factors in consumption are definitely the physical effects.

I am aware that alcohol reduces your inhibitions. It may make you say or do things that you would be reluctant to do anyway. But I agree with the doctors, it should not make you do things that you would never do while completely sober. And if your sober personality is fairly calm, and if you nothing major to hide, then a little release may be generally considered a good thing.

So I drink until I am sick? No, but it does me make feel sick. Unfortunately.

Ce soir

I advise on European marketing. We are always dealing with customers, prospects, suspects, in fact consumers of every variety and nationality. Sometimes messages can be confused in translations.

In French, a consumer is a consommateur and to consume is consommer. However the same verb can have another meaning.

We work with the London office of an international marketing agency. Leaving the agency today is a young lady from France, and her leaving drinks are this evening. In the note she sent out yesterday inviting us to them, she mentioned the alcohol and encouraged us all to "consummate" in moderation … hmmmm.

More than a PLC

I'm going to stick with this advert theme for a moment.

This morning, like most Sunday mornings, I played football on the other side of London. Unlike most Sunday mornings, I came back on the tube.

As I travelled up the Victoria line in my amateur football kit, I was struck by the huge numbers of people in Emirates shirts, presumably heading up to the Emirates stadium. The league season has not started yet, and they didn't look like they had their footie boots on so I guessed they were not players, and were going up to contribute money to the impoverished players and sponsors at that new stadium in Islington.

I'm probably being harsh on the genuine fan who supports the club not the sponsor, but when the name of the sponsor is so much more prominent than the club badge then it is a fair target. Though it is probably not fair to only pick on Arsenal. They play great football. And all big clubs sell out nowadays don't they? No, not all do.

Der Inder und das Bier

The recent stuff has been all about big issues and deep questions. Time for a genuine little aside about the family.

Not having a proper pension, since retiring my dad has kept afloat with the odd minor role in a few TV shows such as Eastenders and the Bill and the League of Gentlemen, adverts for Natwest and Drifter, and also the occasional one-off such as the Moonstone and Murder in Mind and Syriana. But he's not famous, no-one outside our community would recognise him.

He recently returned from a short trip abroad with a few press cuttings. Attached. The text is in German. The contents slightly surprised me.

A colleague and friend recently left here to return to his home in Germany, and he just called me from his office in Munich and confirmed it. My dad is apparently very well known throughout Bavaria as the star of a major advertising campaign that has been running for five years!

Not bad for a formerly homeless penniless refugee.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranaban/822982146/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranaban/822982308/


Probably back to serious issues tomorrow.