Nominal Aphasia

I read in the newspaper the other day that Neil Diamond revealed after all these years that it was President John Kennedy's daughter who had inspired him to write his song "Sweet Caroline". I heard it on the radio this morning and recalled the story. In my musings, I then found myself trying to recall the daughter's name - Mary?, Betty?.

I put it down to sleep deprivation - working late last night to prepare a teaching presentation -, overall stress [don't ask!], and possibly age.

Now, what do they call that condition where you can't find the name of something?

Pink Balls and the Price of Beer

My journeys to and from work are rarely dull with my car radio as a companion, especially now as the days grow shorter (can you grow shorter?). Today there was a spokesperson for the MCC (or similar - other cricketing authorities are available) commenting on proposals to introduce pink cricket balls (apparently it is easier to see them coming, so there's something to ponder). He said that he could not envisage them being used in normal test matches in "any way, shape or form". I imagine that at least shape-wise we would be sticking with tradition.

A worthy collection of professionals and academics, backed by findings from the World Health Organisation, have recommended that increasing the relative cost of alcohol is an effective measure in reducing consumption. This has been established for a while and I will not comment on the research at this stage, but it was interesting to hear a recovering alcoholic saying on radio that price would not have deterred him, almost as though this single testament undermines the whole premise. These are complex issues and I would guess there are important interactions between levels of alcohol dependence and willingness to pay higher prices, notwithstanding the multiple psychosocial factors that impinge on this issue.

Pink gin, anyone?