Ffeinnes - admirable or daft?

Thanks, Butternut and Greatnan!

NfkDumpling, yes, the yellow dozers are a bit Top Gear, but in these temperatures and windspeeds there is no way they could do it unsupported*, and the research and fundraising is worth the exhaust fumes - it will have been argued over and approved by the Antarctic experts who are very protective of the place.

*given the number of people who now trot around the polar regions on their own, after Ran and Mike Stroud nearly killed themselves doing it first, winter crossings will be a package holiday in 50 years... Humans are amazingly competitive and only need a spur to beat a record!

Oh, btw - the beat-the-Norwegians thing is a 100-yr old Antarctic joke...

It's a strange thing, raising money for charity. It was only recently that we realised that, usually it's only after someone dies that we become aware of their charitable deeds. I was always fascinated by that girl who 'walked round the world' after she said she'd do it at the Live Aid concert. Read a couple of her books; found her a very complex character. In fact, going to google her to find out what she's doing these days. I've got a book called Pole Dance by Tom Avery who gave a talk at a local school; he went to the South Pole..never got round to reading it, I'm afraid, but it was a very interesting talk.

Interesting carpathia thank you.
Maybe he is a victim of sound-bytism.
I wonder if we are, just a tad, just the teeniest bit, misanthropic on GN. in the sense of the weeniest tendency to be critical of men? Retires to gaze at navel.

Jess.

Good point jess
I am guilty of this, but not re. men like R.F.
For instance, I don't like grandfathers, well that is the cloak they use, posting on this site. With all respect for their being.

Gransnet is open to all, johanna, not just grandparents and not just women! I think I understand what you mean, though...

Carpathia thanks for your info, I have now 'googled' your friend's profile and accept that he has shown bravery, tenacity and an amazing adventurous spirit. I still feel that this is one expedition too far, tho' and that he could raise money for charity in many other ways.
Jess

Misandry - hatred of men and boys! I did have a touch of this until I had grandsons and a lovely son-in-law and grandson-in-law - my experiences with my own father , brother and husband and two brothers-in-law and two sons-in-law had not left me with a lot of respect for men, and I am still rather dubious about most men of my age. I am very optimistic about the younger generations though, as they seem much more open-minded and willing to share.

Is misandry a fairly new word, Greatnan? I only ask once because I read once that there was not an equivalent word for misogyny.

Well, misanthrope has been around for ages. I studied Molliere and he was 17th century, I think? So I imagine these words are also French in origin.

It comes from the greek - the same as polyandry which means a marriage of one woman with two or more men.
Misogynist is an irrational hatred of women, and misanthropy means you hate everyone!

That's right Greatnan. Apparently, although misandry isn't a new concept the word didn't appear in dictionaries until relatively recently. As anthropology is the study of humanity, so misanthropy is dislike of one's fellow humans. Philanthropy is love of them but generally used in a charitable context.

Misandry not in my scruffy old Oxford dictionary [tried to throw it away when I bought a new one but it somehow wouldn't stay in the bin so out it came again]. Think all dictionaries were written by men until recently. Like 'how can they possibly not like us ...?

I have just found it in my 1999 edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. Was going to email Susie Dent, but won't bother now. By 1999 they must have had some female lexicographers.

I love words - and maps. When I was a child I used to read dictionaries and atlases instead of children' books.

Well, since we have gone slightly off topic - I hate those reality shows, like Palin in the Sahara, and the one about driving on the world's worst roads, when they are supposed to be alone and are obviously accompanied by back-up trucks and photographers. We are not daft!

I think Palin did a series or two too many but enjoyed the first few. I must admit to not making a point of watching the 'worst roads' series but not being able to stop watching if I came upon it by accident [being a somewhat nervous driver and even worse passenger]. The first Ewan McGregor one was good as well. I suppose the Antractic ones don't hold my attention because I like finding out about other cultures [some tv presenters are very good at that] and I can only see so many penguins without getting a bit bored. Always more interesting if they use huskies [Benedict Allen [sigh] used animals to gain my attention; the best was the series where he made friends with lots of camels]. I'm not obsesed...honest ...

Chortling at the misanthropy posts!

Ran's trek will be filmed because part of the reason for going is to see what happens to the human body at those temperatures. He's not pretending otherwise - if people can't keep up to date with progress they won't be motivated to give to the charity, for one thing. Whether they're taking a film crew or filming themselves with digital cameras I don't know. Maybe cameras won't work below certain temperatures.

As for liking the expedition - I support him wholeheartedly, but I won't pretend to like it, and I'll worry about him, as will all his family and friends, until we know he's safe again. Is this an extreme reality show? If you like watching people suffer (albeit of their own choice) this will be the one to watch...

NB No penguins away from the coast - nothing survives on the continent itself without massive life support.

The OG's Aunt intended that, after her death, her body be used for scientific research.
Her daughter attempted to carry out her mothers wishes, only to be told that the 'old girl' was too old!
Will the effects of extreme cold on the body of a 68 year old advance the progress of scientific research, I wonder?

Ran's going with a much younger man, so between the two of them, yes, Oldgreymare! More so than with two young men - the contrast will be extra valuable. And for those concerned with gerontology, Ran alone will produce some useful results.

Hello Carpathia at risk of appearing a luddite, I still fail to see how subjecting a body to the sort of temperatures that no-one else is likely to encounter can possibly be of scientific interest.
I wish the participants well.

No me, Oldgreymare! but I'm not a scientist. They are interested in the most extraordinary things, and who knows what knowledge will have value in the future?

When Tony McCoy broke his back after a fall and wanted to get back riding as soon as possible on of the things he did was go into a freezing cold room and subject his body to freezing temperatures. It did work [he was riding again in no time, being McCoy] but he didn't spend all that much time in the freezing room. I'm not sure how it helped but it was part of the treatment.

Each to his/her own I say. Live and let live. (sorry for the platitudes)

My son used to be, probably still is, a great admirer of his.

Can you tell I don't care?