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THE SCIENCE GALLERY has launched an exhibition called Memory Lab, which will invite people to take part in experiments during the month of March that will inform real scientific experiments.
Eight separate experiments will be presented to participants at Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin, with the aim of establishing why we retain some pieces of information and forget others. Functional memory, short-term memory as well as how – and why – we evolved memory in the first place will all be explored by researches based on feedback.
Organisers have told people to prepare for processing a “barrage” of information, including numbers, letters, faces and even smells.
Participants will be invited to record their earliest ever memory as Memory Lab seeks to create “the largest database of earliest memories in the world”.
The programme also includes a talk by former US Memory Champion and author of “Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything” Joshua Foer and a table quiz.
The experimentation begins at Science Gallery on March 11th and continues until 8 April 2011.
Are ya alright hun? I’ll txt ya later xx
@Flynn.: I find myself in agreement with this young man, nobody enjoys Christmas, they just pretend they do. I would like to see it become a purely secular holiday and cut out all of the buying of presents nonsense.
@Angela O’Riordan: sorry Angela, you are so wrong!
@Angela O’Riordan:
for me it is a secular holiday…or at least ill take the parts that i like from it and make it so. but i really like christmas…it’ll take a while but cant place your new account with the previous ones
@Angela O’Riordan: a secular holiday gives rise to more commercialism and less of what Christmas is about.
@Angela O’Riordan: It is a purely secular holiday, the ringing of cash tills has totally drowned out the church bells. All worship is conducted in the cathedrals of commerce, aka, shopping malls.
Sentimental guff is everywhere.
Damn all the money grabbers.
@Angela O’Riordan: Speak for yourself. I love Christmas with family and friends. Good food, great company and the craic when we’re all together is brilliant. You might not like Christmas but that’s just you. Miserable sod.
@Angela O’Riordan: Totally agree Angela.I gave up buying presents a number of years ago.Not everybody was happy with my unilateral decision.But on the other hand I continued to accept presents graciously ,making all the right responses and expressing my gratitude for the thought and consideration that went into buying me unwanted and unneeded presents.But I thought, who am I to deprive people of the opportunity of expressing their love and affection for me.I could have been a bore and mention that the true meaning of Christmas has been lost in this orgy of crass materialism. Yes I know you probably think that I show great strength of character in my reticence but come Stephen’s day I hope to return these presents, for cash, and put the money towards a good cause..me.All well that ends well. Can’t wait for next Christmas.
Fair play, finally an article that cuts through the corporate feeding trough that is xmas
@Frank Lee: So I’ll return the Playstation Pro, yeah?
@Frank Lee:
dont forget “Love Day”, its only around the corner
@Frank Lee:
He’s spot on – so commercialised (and Halloween, Paddy’s Day and Easter not far behind).
It’s nice to get presents for kids, but most adults in my family have agreed to make charity donations instead of giving each other presents – charities need the cash far more than I need more shit that I don’t want!
@Stephen Coveney:
Oh, I forgot Hallmark day.
@Frank Lee: or you won’t celebrate Christmas
Looks like someone could use a Christmas hug
Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve
@David Dickson: ps please don’t have children.
Seriously Barry. Your picture says it all. Cheer up mate. Not one iota of positivity in that Column. Why get yourself more stuped even by penning it. Also trying to bring everyone down with you. You seriously need to sit down and watch a Christmas Carol. Follow it up with Home Alone 1.. Merry Christmas Barry.
@The Viking: “it’s a wonderful life” wouldn’t even work for ol misery guts
@The Viking: a legend of an article, couldn’t agree more. A period of false and frenzied cheer.
@Misanthrope: Sure we might as well have a bit of cheer at some stage. Life’s too short to be grumpy
@Misanthrope: As a pretty staunch atheist myself, I found it less than amusing – if I work on the assumption he was trying to be satirical.
I’m not certain he was though, and atheism doesn’t need any more wannabe James Deans any more than the Church needs more Holy Joe’s.
@The Viking:
hope you meant Muppets Christmas Carol
Well, this fella is about zero craic.
Quite a caustic little rant, like something a moody teenager would put together. I think people like this secretly love Christmas, it gives them one more opportunity to have a good aul moan, and it lets them broadcast to others how much of a ‘unique’ individual they are. They’re not part of the mainstream, they’re too cool.
@O Swetenham: No, I’d say he doesn’t enjoy it. Probably because this time of year isn’t enjoyable for him. Why not take the man at his word?
I’ll do that. This article is filled with assumptions about other people, but when I make one about the author, I’m in the wrong. Go figure.
@O Swetenham:
Give it a rest you moaner
Ha! Have a wonderful Christmas Casper.
@O Swetenham:
Many happy returns xxx
…was… this satire?
@Gerard: I think somebody pissed into his cornflakes.
@David Dickson:
whats wrong with pissy cornflakes? extra nutrition
while i know this was meant in a satirical way dont try the disassociation technique
“We are all familiar with the myth of “spending time with your family”, an organisation so hostile that we move out as soon as we can afford to rent”
I like my family, i like christmas day with extended family. try replacing “we” with “I” in your sentence. (or I am instead of we are all )
”or who believes that wearing themed socks is an acceptable substitute for having a personality”
How dare you insult the Taoiseach like that .
@Ken Hayden:
i think he was aiming at justin. trying to start an international incident
@Ken Hayden: Hasn’t Gerry got rubber duck socks as well?
Don’t do Christmas either. Haven’t done in over 20 years. Still find it easier to reply “yes” when some one asks if I’m all set for it. Not Christian and don’t buy in to the consumerism
@Séa Graham: Some Christians don’t have Christmas either, there is no mention of Christmas in the Bible. It coincides with the winter solstice and is now-a-days just unbridled consumerism.
It’s the season of giving , of looking out for your elderly neighbors and helping the homeless and poor. Try thinking of someone else besides yourself.
If you were my son or daughter with that attitude I wouldn’t want you home for Christmas, you would ruin it for everyone else.
Completely agree with everything in this article.
People are going “this is obviously satire” but it really isn’t. This is how people feel.
@Shannon Mcg:
not me, i like christmas
@Stephen Coveney: well good for you then! I don’t recall asking if anyone actually likes christmas. I distinctly recall saying other people agree with the article, me being one.
I love Xmas. I love the pre Xmas beerin, the Xmas jumpers, the shopping, the carol services! Christmas day with family, food, prezzies and crap TV is just the best. Start your Xmas day with the Goal Mile after the kids have opened santa presents…….it’s all just such a happy time in the depths of winter. I’ve borrowed about €2K that I won’t have paid back until June but I don’t care!
Happy Xmas Eve Eve Eve Eve everyone!
I agree with a lot of what Barry says. Like it or not what he says is true. Xmas is only for kids . Nothing else about it appeals to me , except for Xmas music and lights. The rest is just consumerism and boring overall!!!!
@Boxer Alice:
everything about it for me has nothing to do with consumerism (although giving presents can be construed that way!! )
the fact is most people i know will wake up, be happy, exchange gifts, and then will play games for the day, tell funny stories of people that are no longer here and eat till we drop.
which part of that do you find boring or not appealing
@Boxer Alice: I thought it was refreshing. I think a lot of people would love to have a relaxing few days in.
Why do most people have such a problem with this man and his opinions on Xmas. He speaks how he feels and as I said earlier I agree with most of what he says. Each to their own. I have had some wonderful wonderful times when my children were young but Xmas is different now . It holds little interest for me. Overspending, over drinking and everyone expected to feeling wonderful about it all, as though it were compulsory, which its not!
Troll level- expert! Well done!
It’s alright ma, I’m only a militant atheist.
The anti-Santa.
@Niall Sullivan:
haha i cant get dougals expression out of my head. though i see nothing in his article complaining about religion? you seem to have seen the last two lines and inserted an extra part so you could complain? i might be missing something?
@Stephen Coveney: I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and see it as a satirical piece, but I don’t think it is. I think he’s serious, and tbh, a bore who tries too hard.
@Niall Sullivan:
oh ya, not inviting him over anyway. but fair play to him for putting that piece out there because there are loads of people that have no fondness of this time
@Niall Sullivan:
I have a pretty good feeling your a boring old shite yourself
Interesting Article Barry, happy Xmas to you and your family.
The comments here are disgusting, this is a guy writing about his experience of Xmas you may not like it but it’s just an article, remember every thing you write there is a person reading, put your egos to bed and be respectful to the author or don’t bother reading his stuff.
Don’t be naive. If you put anything in the public domain you can fully expect people to pass judgment on it. Besides, the author knows what he’s doing. An article like this is designed to garner negative reactions, an article about how wonderful Christmas is would not have got much again attention. It’s all about dem views and clicks.
@Casper: Disgusting? You have a weak stomach. Nothing said beyond a mild slagging (at worst).
He put himself out there, and got feedback. Is it compulsory people only agree with it and like it? And no, every time you write there isn’t a person reading, unless you publish it.
@O Swetenham: Well said, think of the AdSense Casper… THE AdSense!!!
Get a life you muppet .
How old are you now ?
I missed the bit at the bottom , he writes and edits a satire blog .
Bet he is much sought after for parties and other social gatherings.
Barry why can’t you be like everyone else and stop having an opinion backed up by facts? You’re ruining it for all the rest of us! :p
I think your view of Christmas would change rather rapidly if you had to spend every minute of it on your own.
Ba humbug! God you sound miserable! And god help the poor people you inflict yourself on at Christmas! And I’m an atheist!
@Deborah Behan: How do you know if someone’s an athiest? They’ll tell you without asking.
@JJ:
vegan…thats vegan.
@JJ: At least they don’t knock on your door or take over the local school to do it. ;)
What a nihilistic outlook that im sure extends beyond Christmas? like everything, It is what you make it. Merry Christmas Dude.
Won’t be inviting you to the Christmas party
Oh i love this article
Supported by Lidl
Looks like you are purposefully looking for the negative. Good luck to you Ebeneezer. Hope those three Ghosts visiting you don’t get the bejaysus scared out of them from being with you. Even the Grinch would tell you to either cheer up or shut up.
Loving Christmas and to hell with all your mood hovering nonsense. Go into a dark room, shit the door and leave the rest of us out to enjoy ourselves please
@Whingy McWhingy: What the door???
He’s okay he lives in the “Meadow of Honey”!!!!
Commercialism and greed are the keys now to Christmas. People would like it more if it went back to its roots of a spiritual nature, a time of peace and relaxation?
No, it has been kidnapped and hijacked by people who only want profits and tell people that happiness is caused by spending too much and that has become Christmas. Do what others do and try to out-do them at it?
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