Thursday, June 26, 2008

Book Report

Cow has been reading "Between the Bridge and the River" by Craig Ferguson, the Late Late Show host.

Frankly, Cow doesn't know what to make of this book though it is entertaining in a strange disconnected way. Mostly, Cow is mightily impressed that a Mississippi Library bought this book and allows it to circulate, given the supposedly conservative climate here.

Cow has also been reading "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes--and Why" by Amanda Ripley.

This studies both theories of human behavior in disasters and case studies through in-depth interviews with survivors of various disasters including the World Trade Center, restaurant and boat fires, hurricanes, and plane crashes. Coincidentally today there was this article finding, unsurprisingly, that business travelers in plane crashes stop for no one to get out, and those in exit rows have the best chances of getting out alive.

And what, Cow knows you are asking, does this have to do with bananas?

Only that alert reader Sandi sent Cow an article about the price of bananas. When bananas are selling in markets for 60 cents a pound, which price includes costs of harvesting them, packing them into sturdy boxes, shipping them and a profit for the grocery store, you must wonder. Especially if, like Cow, the cost of moooving your household furniture was recently estimated at $2.50 a pound.

(Cow trundling off into the sunset, wreathed with bananas, to sit in the exit row of the plane while re-reading Ferguson's book to see if maybe she missed the point).

Moo!

10 Comments:

Blogger From the Doghouse said...

Yes, we have no bananas ...

1:14 PM  
Blogger Webmaster said...

I suspect I'm not the only reader who'll equate losing my bananas with major disaster.

Crashes, indeed.

1:15 PM  
Blogger The Topiary Cow said...

Cow is always stunned and appreciative of the sprightly humor and intelligence demonstrated by her readers!

Thank you, Dog and Sandi.

(Cow peeling many cheap bananas and trying not to slip)

Moo!

1:55 PM  
Blogger Kevin Musgrove said...

Immediately after the late unpleasantness, while food rationing was still the order of the day, the first bananas finally arrived in our town and the townsfolk were seized in a frenzy.

Unfortunately, my grandfather had spent two weeks holed up in a banana grove in Burma under shot and shell and had vowed never ate another one. His attitude to the things rather took the gilt off the family gingerbread.

2:18 PM  
Blogger Gorilla Bananas said...

Being eaten by a predator is a major disaster and any hope that the predator slips on a banana skin will be in vain. Where I come from we eat the skin as well.

3:11 PM  
Blogger The Topiary Cow said...

Cow is truly saddened to think of Mr. Musgrove's bananas being tainted with such family history....

And, Cow is enjoying the visual of GB eating bananas, peel and all....

Gorillas do have their own original way of doing things!

Moo!

3:15 PM  
Blogger Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

I was going to suggest that the bananas were a subtle ply to imply that cow was peeling back the layers with educated observations.

7:51 PM  
Blogger scones with jam and cream said...

Dear Topiary, i can never bear reading stuff about the people who survive disasters. I just know I'd get trampled underfoot. Do you see yourself as a survivor? (I suppose bushes do tend to spring back.)Love scones xx

6:05 AM  
Blogger Baba Doodlius said...

I was thinking that maybe the book you were reading had appeal.

4:30 PM  
Blogger The Topiary Cow said...

Ultra, you have much more subtlety and nuance than this humble Cow.

Baba, Cow is in awe of your intellect and puns. Awwww, I tell you, awwww!

Scones, the book examined some of the automatic responses of people to emergencies: to do nothing, deny that there is, in fact, an emergency, and the possible biological basis for this.

For instance it found that on average people in the Twin Towers fire made an average of 4 phone calls each before they decided to go find the stairs to leave.

The book also discusses human "gathering" behavior as is seen on plane crashes, where people get their luggage from the overhead bins before evacuating down the chutes. This results in many injuries and many not getting out.

It was interesting to read because knowing these built-in tendencies you can possibly guard against them if it happens...

As for you getting trampled underfoot, dear Scones, Topiary is sure that will NEVER happen because your shoes are much too stylish for anyone to tread upon.

And yes, Topiary is fairly resilient. Comes with being a shrub.

Moo!

2:22 PM  

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