Some fun links

This is news?

Lunch at work is such fun. Every day, anywhere from three to six of us sit and chat about whatever, but the conversation invariably comes back to food - what we're eating, how we made it, who grew what where, what we made for dinner last night, what we would bring to a pot luck if ever there was one to go to, our own food issues and food politics. It's, like, the most interesting topic in the world. Everyone has something to say about it. I'm going to bring up that article tomorrow.

I also recently read this. I just love how she spells the name of her tour. It's something Prince would do, and then some. She has out-Princed Prince. Something about that, and the accompanying photo, is so very compelling that I couldn't get the story out of my head. I would go to see this show. Somehow, though, I doubt that there's a stop on the way to One Great City!.

I do have an opportunity to see this lady. (!WARNING!: This link emits a terrible sound!) For free! Should I? I'd hardly call myself a fan, but it could be worth it, strictly from a spectacle point of view. I'm actually more interested in this book which analyses people's seeming adoration of her by a guy who just doesn't get the appeal, but wants to. I bring it up at every opportunity - and there are many - even though I've never read it. Sometimes it's enough to have heard the author interviewed, but usually not, so maybe I'd better read it. Anyway, whether I go or not depends on how far along I am on my thesis draft, due 'early next week': so, would Wednesday count?

Election Day

I wrote this before I went away so it's a little out of date but, since the election is tomorrow, it seems appropriate.
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I don't think anything happens for a reason. I think things just happen, whether we actively make them happen or otherwise, and we impose a plausible reason onto them so that we can understand life and make it meaningful. I don't mean this to be cynical - in fact, I think it's uplifting to think that there are no right answers waiting to be uncovered. This makes me feel powerful and small at once because I can build a path but the universe doesn't care where it goes one way or another. There's a name for this but I can't remember it.

I didn't have a whole lot going on at work today so I found myself searching Karl Rove on Wikipedia. This was because yesterday I had read an article about how Stephane Dion has been 'framed' by the Conservatives as a poor leader. It mentioned Rove and how his tactics from the 2004 US election are being employed in the current Canadian campaign. The article deeply bothered me. I know that politics can be nasty but this kind of professional manipulation backed by a thorough understanding and complete exploitation of human psychology is frightening. It's always bothered me how disengaged people can be from politics when I think how fundamentally important it is to know what you think and why and to vote accordingly, but when attack ads and branding play a more central role than policy, I don't blame people for not wanting to vote. Anyway, Karl Rove's is a substantial entry in Wikipedia with a variety of interesting links, one of which was to a Family Guy episode where he is portrayed. I didn't think anything of that.

Much later on I was collecting coins from my stash drawer to buy a coffee at the machine. I had a few US dimes and began to study one of them carefully. Coins are fascinating. The coin says 'E pluribus unum' on it, broken up to fit around the image. I'd never noticed it before. I looked up its meaning: out of many, one. There was also a link to an episode of Family Guy called 'E. Peterbus Unum' and I thought, I've read that before. It took me a minute to establish the links, but aren't they funny? Framing - Karl Rove - a dime - Family Guy - out of many, one.
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So I've thought about this for three or four weeks now and I haven't come up with a meaning, so let's say my stupid little link is meaningless. Maybe the whole election will be pointless. Anyway, I'll vote after work. The polling station doesn't open until 8:30.

Jetlag can be fun

Hi! I'm back now. I have been awake since 2:30am, reliving the past two weeks of holidays. There is so much I want to write about. I had intended to bring paper and pen with me and keep track of those little things that spark a blog entry, but I didn't, so I'm going to have to go by B's extensive photographic record - a pretty good supplement to my own unreliable memory. For now, how about some related tunes? I had an pm3 player with me but I didn't listen to any music at all, so this is all thanks to hotel television, clothing shops and two weddings. I have searched for the great hip hop band that we kept hearing but I can't find them as I have no idea what they are called or what any of their song titles are, so if you know of any hot Italian hip hop bands right now with really big hair, fill me in.

When did it get so damned dark in the morning?