CONTEMPORARY NONSENSE
VATICAN CITY (AP) -
Pope Paul VI had kind words yesterday for
hairdressers who, he said, were in a position to render service by reason
of the "patience, kindness and courtesy," required by their profession.
The Pope made his remarks to 2,000 hairdressers meeting in Rome
on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of their patron saint, Peru–
vian mulatto friar St. Martin de Porres.
The Pope told them they ha\'e "abundant opportunities to help
many people recognize the goodness of God."
(The Rochester Democrat and Chrollicle,
July 4, 1972.) Contributed by
Charles Douglas, Rochester, N.Y.
Studies of imprinting in the laboratory have shown that the more
effort a duckling has to expend in following the imprinting object, the
more strongly it prefers that object in later testing. At first it would seem
that this is not the case in natural imprinting; young ducklings raised
by their mother have little difficu lty following her during the exodus
from the nest. Closer observation of many nests over several seasons
showed, however, that ducklings make a considerable effort to be near
their parent. They may suffer for such efforts, since they can be acciden–
tally stepped on, squeezed or scratched by the female adult. The combina–
tion of effort and punishment may actually strengthen imprinting. 'Work
in my laboratory showed that chicks given an electric shock while they
were following the imprinting object later showed stronger attachment to
the object than unshocked chicks did. It is reasonable to expect similar
results with ducklings.
(Scientific American,
August, 1972.)
CAPE TOWN,
South Africa - British playwright Donald Howarth
is to produce Shakespeare's "Othello" here later this month without
Othello the moor because he has been told he cannot put a black man
in an otherwise all-white cast.
Despite reconstructing the play without the original main character,
Howarth said his version does not differ drastically from Shakespeare's
original play.
He has brought in three new players to fill the gap left
by
Othello,
and said he tried to make the action more suitable to modern times.
(San Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1972.) Contributed by John Benson,
Carmel, California.
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