QC 4 QuantumBrain

Prior to reading this book I had next to no knowledge about the history of the British Empire. Tragic isn’t it? I have lived on that small island for over 23 years and I would have struggled to tell you anything of the East India Company, the Boer War, Baden Powell, or even Winston Churchill’s role in the Empire. I think this says more about the place that history lessons hold in the list of priorities for teaching during my younger years, than it does of my own ignorance.

Empire: How Britain Made The Modern World

I’m pleased to say that this has all changed and although I wouldn’t call myself an expert I have a feeling for the Empire now. By ‘feeling’ I mean a geographical one above anything else. I have learned about the extent to which the British went to control the seas throughout the late 19th and first half of the 20th century, about how one third of Africa was once under British rule and perhaps most shockingly that one quarter of all people on the planet had a British administration. The exam questions that were set to OxBridge graduates hoping to be admitted to, the then prestigious, civil service. How Churchill went from journalist in the Boer war to leader of the Empire. How a group of like minded people known as the Clapam Sect eventually bought the travesties of the slave trade to a halt, and how the Empire strived to bring about a worldwide stop by becoming pirates!

This book is just crammed, simply filled to the brim with facts and figures about the Empire at its peak, with stories and biographies of those who made the Empire what it was and those who made it what it is not today. From Wilberforce to Kipling, from Boston to Ceylon, pirates to slaves, this book has it all and a story to go with each.

Niall Ferguson sets straight the good and the bad guys. He delves into the darker side of the Empire with a frank and matter of fact execution, allowing the reader to form their own views. Like any the British Empire had its bad points and good points and in conclusion Ferguson brings them together with eloquence. It is hard to gauge the authors bias for or against the Empire, yet he clearly stands strong with the title’s notion and makes a very appealing argument for it.

Matt’s Fantabulous Book Rating: (*)(*)(*)(*)(*) 5 star

Although I went into work on Friday 31st July I still had a great time. Hey, that’s what I’m here for right? I did some physics, followed by some beer and topped off with a few rounds of ‘Outburst!’, the most heavily biased board game out there. If you’re English, you’ll probably win. I didn’t win, but that’s because I’m just rubbish. The rest of the night I spent reading Aboriginal myths and tales, fantastic book, thanks Jenna!

On Saturday I spend the whole morning hunting down ingredients and preparing for a dinner party. The menu was simple but effective. Effective being it served it’s purpose: being food and tasting good.

Starters…. Well I put out some Doritos and made some guacamole, does that count?

Main - Parsley, lemon and garlic marinated Salmon with mushroom and lemongrass risotto. All the ingredients I found at the Saturday West End market, super cheap and also super tasty. 

Dessert - Chocolate mousse topped with strawberries and gingerbread crumbs. Sounds yummy doesn’t it. It was. 

Making the mousse was the best part. I hadn’t done it since home-economics class 10 years ago. I dreaded the thought of over whisking the eggs so had an extra dozen on standby. That’s a tip by the way. The salmon cooked beautifully and everyone enjoyed it. I’m sure Sandro would have enjoyed his a lot more hadn’t he eaten rice with salmon the same afternoon… oh yeah, and the salmon he bought from the same guy. Note to self, surprise menus have risks.

On Sunday morning I woke up to a cold winter morning. I recently moved into an old, though very well kept, Queenslander. It’s a joy to be in traditional housing out here in Australia, and I’m sure I’ll appreciate the relief that the tall ceilings and wooden structures provide in the summer months, however, in the winter the place turns into a fridge. There was close to a 10*C temperature difference between inside and outside at midday today. I digress. I spent the morning shaving like a real man, utilising a real badger hair brush to apply shaving cream, thanks Sandro; drinking proper coffee made with my very own cafetiere, given to me my Marcelo and apparently to keep me up during my thesis hours; reading a few pages of Aldous Huxley’s ‘Perennial Philosophy’, excellent so far, cheers Jim; and when my mind drifted, it was usually in the direction of my new lava lamp, it is entrancing. I could spend many hours watching that thing, thanks Ben and Nia! So, I have been well looked after this year with many things to keep me occupied over the coming months. After which time I shall either discard your gifts or sell them on ebay.

Such was the spirit of the day no other activity could possibly have sufficed but frisbee. A short hop across the river and I was absorbing the golden rays of the Australian sun, warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, but not quite skin cancer territory. Simple pleasures. 

I’m back home now and to my horror have discovered that my lava lamp has taken a turn for the worse. It’s operational ambient temperature is standard room temperature which in normal people’s houses is 22*C. Of course I live in Australia now and we don’t have heating, double glazing or anything that could remotely discourage the transport of heat away from our homes. And so the wax just sits there at the bottom doing nothing. Perhaps it would serve better as a hot water bottle right now.