Appropriated Agenda

old, but still funny.

christid — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:11:58 +0000

Best find in a long time…

christid — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:49:37 +0000

This site is delicious.

I would marry its creator on the sole basis of his sense of humour.

Yes, it’s that funny.

A Far Cry from Africa

christid — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:24:18 +0000

A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt
Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies
Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt.
Corpses are scattered through a paradise.
Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries:
‘Waste no compassion on these separate dead!’
Statistics justify and scholars seize
The salients of colonial policy,
What is that to the white child hacked in bed?
To savages, expendable as Jews?
Threshed out by beaters, the long rushes break
In a white dust of ibises whose cries
Have wheeled since civilization’s dawn
From the parched river or beast-teeming plain.
The violence of beast on beast is read
As natural law, but upright man
Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.
Delirious as these worried beasts, his wars
Dance to the tightened carcass of a drum,
While he calls courage still that native dread
Of the white peace contracted by the dead.
Again brutish necessity wipes its hands
Upon the napkins of a dirty cause, again
A waste of our compassion, as with Spain,
The gorilla wrestles with the superman.
I who am poisoned with the blood of both,
Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?
I who have cursed
The drunken officer of British rule, how choose
Between this Africa and the English tongue I love?
Betray them both, or give back what they give?
How can I face such slaughter and be cool?
How can I turn from Africa and live?

Intern:

christid — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:10:31 +0000

Definition of an intern:

deprive of freedom; “During WW II, Japanese were interned in camps in the West”
work as an intern; “The young doctor is interning at the Medical Center this year”
an advanced student or graduate in medicine gaining supervised practical experience (`houseman’ is a British term)

Which one of these is most true in our current economic climate?

Prepare for love m’ladies…

christid — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:55:00 +0000

His name is Paul Freeman, and yes – you are welcome.

Meaty Debate (from the formally-Reluctant Vegetarian)

christid — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:58:57 +0000

Rarely do I read an article that combines arguments about meat-eating/production and social media. Times Columnist Rod Liddle tells the tale of a British teacher who wanted to teach children where meat came from. I.e. real dead animals. So how did she do this? She brought a real lamb (Marcus) into the lives of the children, and when he got fat enough to be slaughtered– so that people could eat him — parents & children asked the teacher to abstain. She refused under the premise it would hinder the objective of educating children. Marcus was slaughtered and the facebook world was abuzz demanding for this teacher’s resignation. For “personal reasons” the teacher resigned.

This irritates me in a big way, Charman (hey, if the sheep gets a name, so should the headmistress) should not have been put under such pressure to quit her job nor have had reputation smeared (for what exactly? Teaching students? Oh the horror). People can choose to eat animals if they want to — it is their personal choice (wrapped up in social context and tradition, mind you) — but why deny the reality of food processing and the effects it has on animals, nature and people?

The other sad end to this tale is that Marcus’ slaughter is not a representation of what animals go through: He lived a happy life. If you really want to no longer claim ignorance about where you food comes from watch the film Earthlings on Youtube. Call it PETA propaganda if that pleases you, but at least the next time you order meat you will know the what the worst could have been for that particular animal, and knowing this is just being an informed citizen.

Hold on dear friends

christid — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:36:31 +0000

Courtney and I had an evening of food and conversation and we wondered onto the above topic. Apparently this was a British war time propaganda poster that never got to see the light of day. It’s recently made a resurgence in the design community and beyond. I think it applicable to all of us going through stress, so the next time you’re heart is a flutter and you are feeling uncertainty crawl about your stomach. Imagine the Queen reciting “Keep calm, and Carry on” in only the way she can. Thank you for sharing Courtney!

Respectable people: Jamie Oliver

christid — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:47:48 +0000

Jamie Oliver wins a TED prize for his battle against US obesity.

Best BBC Parody Ever

christid — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:07:00 +0000

I will never be able to watch a BBC clip again without thinking of this video.

Edit: Apparently I put in the wrong link… interesting, since I didn’t even watch the original link.

Sufjan Stevens

christid — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:14:47 +0000