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Cockroaches, visas, and the Copenhagen wheel

I’ve discovered there’s something called the Madagascan Hissing cockroach. These are big mother-fuckers and there’s absolutely no way I’ll be letting Elizabeth adopt one of these as a pet. Fortunately they’re not found in New Zealand.

hissing_roaches
source: http://entomology.unl.edu/k12/croach/roachinfo/roachpage.html

We’ve begun the UK visa application process. There’s an online form that needs to be filled. At the top of the form it tells you that it will take about 30 minutes to complete. But one of the questions asks for a list all the countries you’ve visited in the last ten years including dates. This is not a 30 minute question for an academic.

A friend sent me this today and I want to share it. I think it’s a fabulous invention: The Copenhagen Wheel

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7 responses to “Cockroaches, visas, and the Copenhagen wheel”

  1. argentumvulgaris Avatar
    argentumvulgaris

    While I don’t know too much about ‘apps’, I am suspicious of anything that connects to a smartphone. Which is why when last week I needed a new cellphone, I refused to get a smartphone. Your smartphone knows too much about you, far too much.

    AV

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I kind of agree with you actually. I didn’t really like the idea of having the bike connected to my phone in order to use it but possibly for different reasons to you. My first concern is what if it’s raining?

      Reply
  2. Susie Avatar
    Susie

    What amazing looking cockroaches! They remind me a little of our useful native cockroaches with their horizontal segments.
    Your mention of the online form reminds me that I have had a lifetime of difficulty filling out forms. I find there are grey areas in life not suited to the black and white answers required in forms. How tedious though having to list all the countries etc unless of course you never travel.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I know what you mean about black and white answers on forms. The travel dates are more than tedious because who remembers the exact date of a trip made to France 8 years ago? Sure you can look up old passports but as we’ve discovered, they don’t always give you a stamp.

      Reply
  3. Steve Bloom Avatar
    Steve Bloom

    Too bad, lovely beasts, very adaptable-looking. But perhaps one of those giant cricket-looking things you featured recently? Might not even need a visa, although probably British Customs would be less than amused. Smuggling in some eggs could be the answer.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      The weta? I don’t think I could tolerate a weta in the house. Although they are interesting creatures and have been around since the dinosaurs.

      Reply
      1. Steve Bloom Avatar
        Steve Bloom

        That’s too bad. I was already picturing the DM hed: “UK Customs busts antipodean mathematician and accomplices in wetaback smuggling scam!” Oh wait, too many big words for them anyway. 🙂

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