Carmen Has Left The Building

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35907483084480722852011-07-29T05:24:53.690+01:00Carmen Has Left The BuildingBut can be found at http://carmenego.wordpress.com/ so don't depairCarmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-46449694715384380132009-08-16T00:47:00.002+01:002009-08-16T00:49:13.727+01:00Gone to Wordpress

Hiya, you can still read all the following posts here if you like, but all my new ones are at my Wordpress blog, as I was having some technical difficulties with blogger.Carmen x

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-90743697405404888512009-07-29T16:02:00.000+01:002009-07-29T16:03:09.996+01:00Beware The Spinal Trap

Hello, I’m at work, right now so I’ll have to keep this short (and update links etc when I get in late tonight) but if you didn’t already know, the BCA (British Chiropractic Association) are suing Dr Simon Singh over an unedited version of the article below. A cache copy of the original article can be found here [link to follow soon, when I get home!] along with my zingy analysis here [once again

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-79041640076649618452009-07-28T18:35:00.003+01:002009-07-28T19:09:35.198+01:00Angry rant about stuff because it's wot "Teh Internets" are for, got it?

Urgh. I'm pretty angry about stuff right now. It's not really like me to get angry - generally I'm fairly easy-going (at least I like to think so) and I tend not to get riled up about petty stupidities.Today, for some reason, is different.Firstly, I met a very nice man yesterday, with whom I was flirting, but I had to leave quite sharpish to catch the last train home. Correspondence with a friend

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-66885341892741570922009-07-14T13:35:00.003+01:002009-07-14T13:46:38.926+01:00Peter Joyce (a.k.a. Freaky Pete): Rest In Peace

Today, I was informed that a dear friend of mine has died of a suspected overdose. It’s the sort of news that doesn’t exactly sink in properly immediately. When I was about 18, I was participating in an open mic night at The Black Sheep Bar in Croydon. A scruffy young gentleman wielding a saxophone approached me about halfway into my set and asked if he could play the next song with me. I’d never

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-14492659748409638632009-07-05T01:01:00.002+01:002009-07-05T01:27:49.656+01:00Croydon is a shit hole. I have anecdotal evidence.

Urgh.I've been posting a lot for the last couple of days as I've discovered I have about 15 readers of my little blog. It's very encouraging, and I thank you all for reading this.I went out clubbing this evening in Croydon.Before I continue, I'd like to say that not all of Croydon is a shit hole, just the bits that everyone tends to hang out in.Anyway, went to the Loop Bar for a Drum and Bass

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-63453942889418273972009-07-04T11:30:00.004+01:002009-07-04T12:20:52.524+01:00Rant on Homophobia

Morning all,This rant has been partly inspired by a blog post by the wonderful PZ Myers, but also because it's something very important to me. I have a few gay friends, not to enhance my SATC credentials - they are just friends of mine who happen to be gay - and it pisses me off when I read shite like this.I was raised a Catholic, in a deeply religious family. As a child, I used to vounteer to

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-85710050669574075002009-07-03T17:10:00.003+01:002009-07-03T17:13:21.070+01:00A hint to nerdy boys

http://bit.ly/LpfNa Are nerdy girls (like me) really this predictable? We must be, as I agree with pretty much everything she said. I’d just like to add one more though – TALK TO THE NERDY OBJECT OF YOUR AFFECTIONS If you don’t communicate at all, they will never know you care. It seems so obvious, and yet rarely happens. It doesn’t matter if it’s on a train, in a pub, queuing for the loos at

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-72663217984996050292009-07-02T22:52:00.006+01:002009-07-02T23:58:18.660+01:00Fringing is, like, SO July 2009

I love London Sceptics in the Pub - it’s like a collection of the greatest people in the world, but just in London . Some hairy, some pretty, some absolutely gorgeous, all wonderful. Wednesday 1st July saw yet another gathering of these fine fastidious folk for a “Troublemakers Fringe” in the Penderel’s Oak, championed by the voracity-inducing Vaughan Bell, the delectable Dr Petra Boynton, and

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-50455521891113430212009-06-23T18:57:00.007+01:002009-07-03T00:35:21.617+01:00The Inimitable Bruce Hood: Why we believe in the unbelievable

It's been a while since I posted as I've been busy getting around, as I do. For those that are interested, you can follow me on twitter.It was the twenty-second day of June, 2009, I think, when I left my amazing customer services job to head to The Penderel's Oak in sunny Holborn for the monthly event we lovingly refer to as "Sceptics In The Pub" (although for some reason, it's spelt "skeptics").

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-42007831959725101212009-06-12T09:41:00.006+01:002009-06-14T01:39:26.188+01:00Mile Hi Church

Today, I received an email from a lady wishing to use one of my songs as part of an inspirational video aimed at young adults. When I first read the email I was incredibly flattered - wow, someone wants to use my music to inspire young people! Then I saw what kind of organisation wanted to use it and I was less enthralled.Below is my reply. I'm not one to offend, so I've worded it as carefully as

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-32219487872750657232009-06-03T12:38:00.006+01:002009-07-03T00:36:23.634+01:00New Song - "It's Not Stalking, I'm Just Really Interested"

Click here to see a video of me playing with myself in my bedroom when my grandparents are at church!Hello All!Last night, I finally managed to get a decent accompaniment to a song I've been working on. It doesn't usually take me this long to write a song, but I recently discovered Tim Minchin, who's been doing the same sort of thing as me, but better, and on the piano. Initially I was dismayed,

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-57659400853133972612009-06-01T16:19:00.003+01:002009-06-01T16:22:15.485+01:00Chirporactic email

I'm feeling a little bit devil-may-care and have decided to ask www.thechiroblog.com if they can send me any evidence that they can treat migraines. I'm not expecting a serious response, but one can always hope.Good afternoon,I'm really interested in Chiropractic, as a sufferer of migraines, and was wondering if you could email me any studies to show its effectiveness in treating headaches and

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-76642796412657017792009-06-01T12:37:00.005+01:002009-06-01T15:58:40.340+01:00Homeopathy Kills

I'm usually quite an amiable person. If someone comes up to me with an idea that sounds like bullshit, I'll usually smile politely and say something like "That's very interesting, it's great that it works for you" and then continue about my day, thinking nothing of it. Occasionally though, these ideas have an impact on my life, sometimes through the ones that I love.Illnesses run in my family.

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-21593312073560832192009-05-25T02:13:00.005+01:002009-05-25T02:29:57.694+01:00Musings on feminism

Am I a feminist? If I earnt a lot of money, and I was in a relationship with someone whom I loved very dearly and they loved me and we agreed to be life partners in some kind of ritualised ceremony in which I'd wear an awesome big dress, would I be happy to support him if he wanted to quit his or her job to become a rock star? If I really loved him or her, and they already showed some promise,

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-14746773152833578312009-05-23T19:14:00.018+01:002009-05-25T01:38:33.615+01:00Part 2 - Edzard Ernst is a Professor of Complementary Medicine: And Sounds Like A Mysoginist (but isn't actually one)

At the start of the talk on the 20th May 2009, Professor Edzard Ernst gave us an anecdote about a homeopath he had encountered at a dinner party. As a side point, he added that homeopaths were "typically" women, but didn't really quantify this. As a woman, I was slightly taken aback, and I wondered if my chromosomes would make me susceptible to a bit of woo in the future."There was something that

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-24658995919597527082009-05-23T11:17:00.006+01:002009-05-24T00:37:47.973+01:00In Praise of James Rampton

I was down't pub, as I so often am, getting merry, and chatting up old friends, when the lead singer of Ten Foot Nun walked past me. He's an amiable chap. He said hello, and then stopped for a chat."Hello, how are you? I'm Carmen by the way, James' friend""Yeah I remember, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your gig... I'm Jon. We've actually met quite a few times""Oh that's alright, I actually

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-14505546924514077412009-05-21T12:33:00.011+01:002009-05-24T01:41:47.184+01:00Part 1 - Edzard Ernst is a Professor of Complementary Medicine: And quite a character

On Wednesday 20th May 2009, I attended another talk at the Penderel's Oak pub in Holborn, this time given by Professor Edzard Ernst. A fascinating man, not least because of his incredible moustache. I have always been envious of men with facial hair.Professor Ernst was introduced by my favourite soft-handed physicist, award winning broadcaster, and proponent of an awesome haircut – Simon Singh.

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3590748308448072285.post-43277238555435016042009-05-19T11:48:00.002+01:002009-05-21T20:08:07.688+01:00Simon Singh Has Very Soft Hands

Yesterday evening I attended a talk given by some eminent speakers regarding this. Simon Singh is currently being sued by the British Chiropractic Association because he loves Bill and Ted just as much as the rest of us (please note that this is an internet-cache copy of the offending article. The original article has since been removed from the Guardian website*). The exact phrase, I believe, is

Carmen D'Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17790888814013457929noreply@blogger.com1