Comments on: …standing naked mid-winter under jet streams of hot clean water http://www.radarlake.com/2009/11/jet_streams/ Ideas in the middle of nowhere Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:51:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jeremy http://www.radarlake.com/2009/11/jet_streams/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Jeremy Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:03:00 +0000 http://www.radarlake.com/?p=54#comment-3 It's right at the beginning when he was realizing that proposing the kind of greenhouse gas emissions he was might mean reverting back to the stone age, as McEwan's passage describes. Monbiot, of course goes on to write a book about how that's not actually true. It’s right at the beginning when he was realizing that proposing the kind of greenhouse gas emissions he was might mean reverting back to the stone age, as McEwan’s passage describes. Monbiot, of course goes on to write a book about how that’s not actually true.

]]> By: Madeline http://www.radarlake.com/2009/11/jet_streams/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Madeline Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:39:10 +0000 http://www.radarlake.com/?p=54#comment-2 All throughout Saturday, Ian McEwan provokes quite the appreciation for little, mundane things, but not in a cheesy 'wake-up-and-smell-the-roses' kind of way. He just... brings little things sharply into focus, making me feel like I sleepwalk through my life and miss out on all these moments of illumination. Although, I've got to say, it must be pretty tiring to live your life perpetually alert to and contemplative of all your surroundings. I'm fairly certain our senses aren't set up to be so taxed. Anyway, this is my favourite quote: sweeping statements about the world based on observations about his kettle... "What simple accretions have brought the humble kettle to this peak of refinement: jug-shaped for efficiency, plastic for safety, wide spout for ease of filling, and clunky little platform to pick up the power. He never complained about the old style - the sticking tin lid, the thick black feminine socket waiting to electrocute wet hands seemed in the nature of things. But someone had thought about this carefully, and now there's no going back. The world should take note: not everything is getting worse." - Ian McEwan, Saturday I'm a fan. Of the passage, post and Saturday. What was the context in Heat? All throughout Saturday, Ian McEwan provokes quite the appreciation for little, mundane things, but not in a cheesy ‘wake-up-and-smell-the-roses’ kind of way. He just… brings little things sharply into focus, making me feel like I sleepwalk through my life and miss out on all these moments of illumination. Although, I’ve got to say, it must be pretty tiring to live your life perpetually alert to and contemplative of all your surroundings. I’m fairly certain our senses aren’t set up to be so taxed.

Anyway, this is my favourite quote: sweeping statements about the world based on observations about his kettle…

“What simple accretions have brought the humble kettle to this peak of refinement: jug-shaped for efficiency, plastic for safety, wide spout for ease of filling, and clunky little platform to pick up the power. He never complained about the old style – the sticking tin lid, the thick black feminine socket waiting to electrocute wet hands seemed in the nature of things. But someone had thought about this carefully, and now there’s no going back. The world should take note: not everything is getting worse.”
– Ian McEwan, Saturday

I’m a fan. Of the passage, post and Saturday. What was the context in Heat?

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