signore superlatives

Since this summer, an Italian website has been hosting a year-long on-line vote to determine the most beautiful object in the world. Right now the front-runner is this exquisite minimalist fireplace. This competition is not strictly for best in design, however, but the winner will be representative of the best mankind can create--the fireplace is very nice but a little johnny-come-lately compared to a van Gogh or a Miro; I guess an object is not catagorically the smae as a work of art--and put in a time-capsule for prosperity. A diamond and a sleek coffee-maker are also in serious contention. Voters are also invited to send the website their messages to the future for inclusion in the time-capsule.

Mortimer I. Marker was a thinly veiled reference to Mortimer J. Adler

Claire and Rudi and Vanessa must be proud of Cliff Huxtable... So Obama won the Noble Peace Prize--and while I find it exciting despite countless unrecognized individuals that struggle quietly, the greater part of me wants this to turn out to be a joke. Since when were Nobles handed out for potential? Without mentioning his nomination was put in just weeks after the election when the Birthers were still trying to decide if Hawaii was part of the Union, Obama has little else going for him other than the potential to undo all the destructive policies of the previous regime. I am hopeful but Obama has not managed to accomplish that yet, nor restore America's relevance as a world-player. Is there now supposed to be a sophomoric Noble curse? It is a joke-honourarium like the cover of Time magazine for Man of the Year? I pray that he is able to live up that hope. It was ingracious of him to accept the prize, rather than respectfully turn it down. Even worse, Obama accepted it on behalf of all Americans--I am fairly certain that they won't rise to the occasion.

post cards from the edge

Just back from a gorgeous sabbatical, I plan to start posting again here, though I will dearly miss documenting my travels with H. Perhaps we should keep up with the journal-makers and start our little domestic blog or some such thing. During the long trip home, I was reminded just how sweet a place home is, and also how much fun it was to retrace an old beat with someone else. I might consider going back to all my old haunts. Ostensibly, travel is also seeing if something is worth the while to see again, though one rarely does that. Really. One should keep true to those rituals, like kissing a statue's foot or tossing a coin in a foutain that promise a return trip.

cessation

Since arriving in the States and especially after touring my pristine and smoke-free campus of my alma mater, I feel like an alien for smoking--like it is something as antiquated as belladonna or opium dens. One is generally shamed into not smoking in public areas, even for a lack of signage. I am sure people look at me and shake their heads, feeling sorry for the poor alchemist who has still not learned to give up the habit.

wanderlust

H, wanting to better document our adventures, has begun a second blog--Our Little Travel blog. Originally, PfRC (there's a climate control technician down the street whose developed their own corporate logo and initialism BHT, Berenger Haus Technik, as if it were some well-known consortium and I wonder if the Family Berenger refers to the business as 'BHT' around the house--you know, BHT) was started as a little travel blog when we trawled around France together. I like that it is our little travel blog now. Next on to Atlantis, Pangaea and Gonwanaland.

stay just the way you are...never change...wildcats 4ever

In anticipation of attending my 10 year college reunion, there is quite a clever little application that some people have been having quite a lot of fun with--yearbookyourself (sadly no more). Here is the Bundeskanzlerin Merkel had she attended an American high school. Before digital photography and the throw away chances to get things just right, this site exploits that rhetorical what-if.

rebuke and ridicule

Enjoying extrapolating my own news stories out of a double-quick-time crawl of headlines, I am not so sure what to make of the name-calling and bruised egoes. Apparently in response to Obama voicing his shared-assessment of a performance artist who interrupted a certainly reflexive and self-referential awards ceremony--the president called him a jack-ass, a member of congress called Obama a liar, though not in defense of the performance artist, and was dealt the first official rebuke of the congressional branch. Ever. There's something wanting about the punchline and the delivery, but it is certainly a counter-balance to the un-funny and incredible chrous of fear-mongering that accompanies the headlines. The spectre of socialized medicine, the public option has become so demonized, I wonder what demographic is polled in support of these claims. NHS is a sinister government ministry of euthanasia, so I understand. Public health care in France contributed to the death of Princess Diana. Now illegal immigrants can receive socialized health care... It's a slippery slope to marxism.

the Nagano Parabbit

If I am required to while away the Sunday practicing sophistry and not plagarizing terciary sources, I might as well try to sneak in a posting or two. Thanks for noticing... Apparently, one of the incoming units has stolen (appropriated) the Stone of Scone and adopted it as their mascot. I am not sure what the story is behind this but I imagine that the account above is not far off the mark. It has been resting outside this empty but rennovated building for some weeks now and makes about as much since as any lovable Olympic mascot or PSA-generated spokescreature, like Reddy Kilowatt or Regimental Goat.