Fittingly, the first 'Ferguson', according to Mark Twain, was one he met in Paris. Superfrenchie has been doing it to me again.

In my defence, I would like to point out that when I ask for photos from the Core Team, they usually oblige by dumping their camera contents on Skype. This is akin to weighing the admin down with a large and precarious stack of library books. Or that last move in Jenga before the whole thing comes tumbling down.

I get confused by the cryptic remarks, which occasionally assume a greater cultural literacy on my part than is called for….

A Photo: Or, What's the Half-Life of Marie Curie?

To begin with, I misunderstood. Superfrenchie said, 'I also have Pierre and Marie Curie in their current home, if you'd like that? ' I (mis)read this as, 'I have photos of the Curies' home.' My bad.

When I got around to loading the photos the Core Team had so generously shared, I became uncertain. Did Marie Curie really live in a Greek Revival temple? So I asked. The following conversation ensued.

Superfrenchie: Well, "house" as in, resting place, yes. (zombie)

The Pantheon is where the Great Men of France are buried.


Dmitri: ah (doh).

I see, so you went to pay your respects to Marie Curie?


Super: That's also where Jean Moulin's remains are, as well as many people (mostly men) from French history.

Paying my respects to her and others, yes.


Dmitri: I see.


Super: The latest "inmate" (sorry, I can't find the word right now) is Simone Weil, of legalisation of abortion fame. She got moved there along with her husband a few weeks back, IIRC. She wasn't there yet when I went.


Voltaire and Rousseau are there too, as well as some revolutionaries, and great resistants. And a lot of other people I would probably have heard of if I had listened in history class...


Dmitri: Aha, a Suzie Q Ferguson, this one! :D


Super: Sorry, Simone Veil with a V. The W is the other one.

Yay! Suzie Q for the win! :-D

Oh, and the Curies have a little something extra in their casket (coffin? what's the difference?) compared to other residents: a layer of lead. For the radiation.

Superfrenchie didn't have any more time for this drivelly chitchat, having to go out and do French work things, so she left me with this article which explains that Marie Curie's body and personal effects have a half-life of a millennium and a half.

So now you know something. (And so do I.)

Dmitri Gheorgheni

Superfrenchie

27.08.18 Front Page

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