Spider Monkeys are a sexually segregated species - very like humans!

CAN SPIDER MONKEYS HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY GIRLS LIKE SUGAR AND SPICE AND BOYS LIKE SLUGS AND SNAILS? I for one think so...

Sociologists will tell you society makes us behave the way we do & it is society's fault that males can focus on details and excel in engineering and physics and that it is due to societal conditioning that females orientate towards people-centered careers, such as nursing. Yet parents insist they never made their son like toy cars and they never encouraged their daughter to play with dolls. Boys and girls and men and women naturally segregate for play and for work and I think there is a genetic reason for this and that society was built by our evolved biology. New research on the spider monkey at Runaway Creek in Belize reveals they are a sexually segregated species and it's speculated that other primates, including chimpanzees and orang utans, may also be sexually segregated. I wrote a bit about this in New Scientist.

Richard Dawkins talks vampires with Carole Jahme

Strangers on a Train

I was delighted to share the bill with Richard Dawkins at the 2012 British Humanist Conference. It was even more exciting to find myself sat next to him on the train home afterwards. Click here to watch a video of Richard Dawkins' speech at the conference. Click here for a video of my presentation, "The Better Apes of Our Nature" and below is a verbatim account of my confused, "extreme-male brain-type meets extreme-female brain-type", conversation with dear, dear, dear Dawkins on the train home :)

C       Oh Richard, nice seeing you again, it was a great conference, can I sit down? (squashes into seat opposite him, shoves his bags aside, doesn’t wait to be asked)

RD     er… Yes 

C       [I’d thrust copy of my novel Worth Their Weight in Blood into his reluctant hands the previous night] Do you think you’ll get a chance to look at my book?

RD     I hope so

C       I know you must be extremely busy, it’s just I’ve done something really innovative and I quote the Selfish Gene. I use Darwinian science to explain….. 

(RD stares out of train window looking somewhat bored) 

…..how vampires might have evolved, I compare them to humans and chimps. I use the way vampires don’t reflect in mirrors as a metaphor for self-reflection. 

RD     (alert) Don’t vampires reflect in mirrors? 

C       No they never see themselves, we never see them in mirrors 

RD     (looks quizzical) Really? I didn’t know that. 

C       Didn’t you ever see an old Hammer Horror? 

RD     (looking more confused) No, I never have. 

C       Yes it’s gothic law, vampires don’t reflect in mirrors. 

RD     Are we discussing bats? 

C       No vampires, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula 

RD     I thought vampires were bats. 

C       Well they are, but they are also fantasy creatures 

RD     (looks extremely nauseous) I don’t really do fiction 

C       I know it’s not your thing, but I’ve synthesised your research with gothic law & I think you’ll like it. 

RD     Oh. (looks confused) is it available on Kindle? 

C       Yes, shall I send you a digital version? 

RD     er..Yes 

C       Great, (jumps up out of seat) lovely seeing you. 

RD     (happy now I’m going) Yes, yes, lovely, 

C       I’ll be in touch 

RD     Right-o 

C       Bye 

RD     Goodbye

Susie Hamilton's brand new work now exhibited at the Paul Stolper Gallery

Paul Stolper Gallery is presently exhibiting "Marrakech", a new body of work from British painter Susie Hamilton

Hamilton rarely gives interviews and is notoriously camera shy. Last week I was invited to her studio where, on film, I questioned Hamilton on her methods, her rationale and what drives her forwards. Watch this 21 minute video for insights on Hamilton's technique and what makes her tick. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4B5R-AbLoE&feature=youtu.be

(watch in 1080p HD)

 

How to Have Fun with Complete Strangers for the Rest of Your Life...

THE BRITISH HUMANIST ASSOCIATION 2012 CONFERENCE CARDIFF WALES 

Carole Jahme 

presents 

...The Better Apes of Our Future...

OR 

How to Have Fun with Complete Strangers for the Rest of Your Life...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceOI5risYZ0