There’s Hope in the air this morning, that is, if “hope” implies an end to suffering. The sun is brilliant, and it’s only -20C. Freakin’ balmy. Meanwhile, in Mauritius today it’s 28C (above zero) and the temperature of the aquamarine sea that licks its sandy shores is a bathlike 22C.
Some links from friends:
1) Zachary Houle send these suggestions for mid-winter reads:
“Hello, I’m Special: How Individuality Became The New Conformity” by Hal
Niedviecki. Non-fiction. Not for Ayn Rand fans. (or people who write blogs, apparently).
“The Safety of Objects” by A.M. Holmes. Short stories. Really odd, twisted short stories about suburbia life. Opening story is about a bored couple who sends their kids away to Florida on vacation with the grandparents so they can “experiment” with drugs.
2) Amanda Sage recommends a film written by a few of her friends:
The film: Against the Odds
Place: National Library/National Archives, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa
Date: Wednesday, January 26
Times: 6:00pm, 7:15pm, 8:30pm
Tickets are available at the door.
Against the Odds tells the unknown story of Polish concentration camp prisoners who refused to give up in the face of adversity. They smuggled medicine, hunted down Gestapo informers, prepared for armed uprisings, and sabotaged missiles when forced into slave labour in weapons factories.
3) Juergen Weichert builds electric bikes. A couple of weeks ago we spent an entire day in a bike repair shop disassembling and rebuilding my ancient (1989) hybrid bike. I never knew how fascinating ball bearings really are, or how prolonged exposure to solvents can induce euphoria.
“This article (chapter) begins with a discussion of ball bearings and continues with energy and self mobility:
“The bicycle is the perfect transducer to match man’s metabolic energy to the impedance of locomotion. Equipped with this tool, man outstrips the efficiency of not only all machines but all other animals as well. ” It is from Energy and Equity by Ivan Illich
Got cool link? Send it to me!
