Chapman's latest session

Words

It was as if...

...Mother Nature was openly mocking us.

As I drove home, I saw a dark grey cloud, in the shape of a mushroom. There were shafts of sunlight in the foreground, as if Madre was pulling out all the stops to get our attention.

How many people noticed, I wonder. How many people linked it to the fact that 65 years ago this month, the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima?

Chin-Scratching Dilemmas

What does it mean when my CEO insists I shave my face more often? I thought it was because it tickled when I kissed, but other factors could be in play.

Dr. Doom strikes back!

Nouriel Roubini taking tea with The Economist.

Walking the Amazon

Here's his blog.

Staying safe?

This cracked me up (please read the comments at the bottom as well). In the old days it was far simpler:

• Sit with your back to the wall so you can see who is coming towards you
• Sit well away from glass
• Dress down, don't look conspicuous; no strong aftershave either
• Don't chase the local women
• No bulging pockets
• Wear a shiny but shitty watch (you won't cry if you lose it, but it may have barter value)
• Recognize the local secret police (in Lebanon, it was grey slacks with a stripey white M&S shirt and shades; in China, it is a dark polo t-shirt, grey or black slacks and a blazer with shades, regardless of heat and lighting conditions; in the UK, it is someone who has seen too many episodes of 'Spooks')
• Switch cabs in busy places
• Don't use the hotel safe; hide valuables elsewhere (if you must bring them with you on the trip)
• After checking-in, have a reccie of the exits, and which ones are usually locked, etc
• Wear comfortable shoes, i.e. felony flyers. You may need to flee
• etc, etc
• Oh, and if you really want to stay safe? Don't go!

'Bush's Useful Idiots'

A great article in the LRB by the recently departed Tony Judt. OpenDemocracy have also published an excerpt from 'Ill Fares the Land'.

Professor Tony Judt, 1948-2010

Obits in The Independent, Guardian, The Telegraph and the NY Times.

Emily Dickinson

An interesting piece in The Economist.

Football in Africa

Photos from Jessica Hilltout.

Random photos from Kew today

Link of the day

From the Census of Marine Life.

Just two aspects of Brazil

The fight against poverty (in OD), a perspective on Bolsa Familia and unfortunately, the boom in sex tourism.

The West - successfully exporting child abusers WW since time immemorial.