Early last year I initiated dinners with people I remember from my old army unit: 21 Psych. It was interesting to catch up and hear what others had been up to since the '60s.
So I arranged another dinner tonight. I was able to get Peter Muir along this time so that was good. I tried to get Peter Ridgewell along as well but I understand he has been very ill. That reinforces my resolution to put on such dinners annually. Someone from the unit whom I remember with affection is John French, who is now deceased. So "do it now" is my resolve for catching up with people.
We were originally going to go to the Chinese restaurant next to the PA hospital at Buranda but they have just gone broke -- so I changed the venue to only a block away, at Zambreros of Buranda, a Mexican restaurant. Some of the ladies were a bit wary of Mexican chillies so I may go back to Chinese next year.
Old times were of course discussed and even controversial topics like IQ were aired. I mentioned the well established fact that American blacks are on average a whole standard deviation (15 points) below the white average on IQ and was rightly told that I could get into a lot of trouble these days by saying so. As it happens, however what I said is in fact the official position of the American Psychological Association. But what scholars can say among themselves may not pass in public of course.
The late Chris Brand was a sad example of that. Every serious student of ancient history knows that the brilliant civilization of ancient Greece was a pedophilic civilization. Chris, however, was unwise enough to mention that to one of the newspapers. Despite having tenure he was fired from his Edinburgh university job over it. There was such an uproar in the papers that the university didn't have much choice
Anyway, everybody enjoyed the dinner. Anne had quesadillas and I had a "classic bowl". I shouted the dinner but the total cost was only $88 so it was a small price to pay for good company.
The gathered company, men at the back, Rod Hardaker, Peter Hadgraft, myself and Peter Muir
Two larger photos here and here -- from the camera of Linda Muir, wife of Peter.
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