God of Javascript

Originally I thought Thoth would be the God of Javascript. He is, after all, the god of writing. But Ogma is really much better suited.

In France, Ogma is shown as an old bald man, greatly wrinkled and browned by the sun. In Ireland we find him as a muscular young chap shouldering his sheilalagh.

Ogma is the god of communication and writing and he invented the script named after him -- the Ogham Alphabet. The Druids could read it, but no one else. And it's still indecipherable to 99% of the population. Sound like javascript to you ?

Gods for the Modern World

A colleague of mine was wrestling with a bit of javascript recently and complained that " ... the Javascript Gods were having a little fun with me". He wondered if he should try sacrificing a mouse before writing another script to keep them happy.

That's what we're missing in modern society, gods to assist us through the everyday trials and tribulations of the 21st century. Like javascript for example, or traffic gridlocks. Who would you entreat ?

If only there were deities I could sacrifice chicken livers to, and so stock up on goodwill for when I need to ask a favour. Like a god for power blackouts, for clogged vacuum cleaners, for keeping the cat in at night and, last but certainly not least, a god for giving up smoking

How to help after the tsunami

As we welcome in the first month of the New Year, my heart is heavy with sadness on the worst natural disaster of our times.

To help with the aid work after the sea rose up to claim so many lives, I urge you to support the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation or UNICEF

Amazon and paypal are also taking donations, if you regularly use these services, a one-click system is put in place.

New Year Customs - Did you do them ?

Stocking Up: The new year must not be seen in with bare cupboards, lest that be the way of things for the year. Larders must be topped up and plenty of money must be placed in every wallet in the home to guarantee prosperity.

Paying Off Bills: The new year should not be begun with the household in debt, so checks should be written and mailed off prior to January 1st. Likewise, personal debts should be settled before the New Year arrives.

New Year Customs - First Footing

The first person to enter your home after the stroke of midnight will influence the year you're about to have. Ideally, he should be dark-haired, tall, and good-looking, and it would be even better if he came bearing certain small gifts such as a lump of coal, a silver coin, a bit of bread, a sprig of evergreen, and some salt. Blonde and redhead first footers bring bad luck, and female first footers should be shooed away before they bring disaster down on the household.

The first footer (sometimes called the "Lucky Bird") should knock and be let in rather than unceremoniously use a key, even if he is one of the householders. After greeting those in the house and dropping off whatever small tokens of luck he has brought with him, he should make his way through the house and leave by a different door than the one through which he entered. No one should leave the premises before the first footer arrives — the first traffic across the threshold must be headed in rather than striking out.

First footers must not be cross-eyed or have flat feet or eyebrows that meet in the middle.

Nothing prevents the cagey householder from stationing a dark-haired man outside the home just before midnight to ensure the speedy arrival of a suitable first footer as soon as the chimes sound. If one of the partygoers is recruited for this purpose, impress upon him the need to slip out quietly just prior to the witching hour.