Montreal, Québec

“What do you think went through this woman’s mind when she saw this on her way home from shopping? Did she say to herself, ‘Wow, what an indictment on consumer culture and the degree to which it is fueled by the military-industrial complex.’…What began as a form of activism rooted in a desire for more bike paths… eventually grew into an art project that, to a certain extent, continues today…” —Roadsworth (aka Peter Gibson), more here.

 Talented, innovative, well-spoken—visit Roadsworth’s website here...

Winnipeg, Canada

Stress—it’s everywhere, it seems. Unknowns trigger worry. Fear fosters misgivings. Anxiety runs rampant. Angst rules. A nervous disquietude seems to gnaw at all and sundry—so, what’s a person to do? From an internal Circle document I stumbled across on my hard drive today (compiled by a remarkable administrator who worked with us a decade ago and who used to fill spare moments making “pro-activity lists”) here are a few tips for “How to cope with stress”—after all, laughter is the best medicine, right?

1. Jam tiny marshmallows up your nose and try to sneeze them out.

2. Pop some popcorn without putting the lid on.

3. When someone says “Have a nice day” tell them you have other plans.

4. Stare at people through the tines of a fork and pretend they’re in jail.

5. Dance naked in front of your pets.

6. Drive to work in reverse.

7. Make a list of things you’ve already done.

8. Fill out your tax form in Roman numerals.

9. Lie on your back and eat celery, using your navel as a salt dipper…

Images: details from works by Theodore Gericault, Edvard Munch (The Scream), and Roy Lichtenstein.

…in Durban, South Africa (remember apartheid?). Though the road may seem long and winding at times, many of us still hope for an end to racism—in every corner of the global village.

…depends mostly on where you stand—a truism particularly telling when dealing with nuance or evaluating “shades of gray.” In this diagram, square ‘A’ is actually the same shade of gray as square ‘B’.

Hard to believe? Click on the image or see proof here.

Toronto, Canada

I’ve accepted an invitation to serve on the Design Advisory Board of Applied Arts magazine. Touted as “Canada’s Visual Communications Magazine,” Applied Arts is published six times a year and goes out to a readership of over 65,000. Since its launch in 1986 the magazine has become this country’s premier publication in our field.

Learn more about Applied Arts here.

The Gaza Strip

A headline in today’s New York Times states: “Few in U.S. See Jazeera’s Coverage of Gaza War.” In a conflict where Western news media have been largely prevented from reporting from Gaza because of restrictions imposed by the Israeli military, Al Jazeera suddenly has had a distinct advantage—it was already there with six reporters in Gaza (two working for Al Jazeera English and four working for the much larger and more popular Arabic version of the network). Well, a valuable alternate source for news and opinion (from an Arab point of view) is now readily available to anyone at aljazeera.net.

I am very bothered by what’s happening in Gaza. It’s somewhat predictable, very troubling, yet not inevitable that the oppressed become oppressors (just as abused children often but not always become child abusers themselves—if they are unable to break the chain of violence). As Israel’s war in Gaza intensifies, it’s also not surprising to see the increased frequency of shock-value comparisons drawn in the media and the blogosphere between the plight of Gaza’s Palestinians today and the horrors experienced by Polish Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and ensuing Holocaust nearly 70 years ago. (When) will we ever learn?

Political cartoons by Carlos Latuff. 

Winnipeg, Canada

It’s been a week since I picked up my new car, a silver Volvo C30 (replacing the trusty little black BMW 318ti* which has carried me safely for nearly 1/2 million kilometers since 1995). Designed by Montreal-born Simon Lamarre (with a nod to the 1970s P1800ES and 2001’s Safety Concept Car) this stylish Swedish hatch seems nimble, safe, and comfortable (good ergonomics, great leg-room, excellent seats) with relatively good fuel efficiency (I had hoped for a hybrid or turbo-diesel, but unfortunately car model and engine choices in Canada are more limited than in Europe).

Weather in Manitoba this week has offered its seasonal challenges and a suitable test for the new wheels—I’m happy to report successful starts on mornings as cold as -35 Celcius (I haven’t used the installed block heater yet) and good performance in sill-deep snow….

*As the old 318ti needs an expensive timing chain to keep it on the road, it’s up for sale at European Domestic Service Centre in Winnipeg (good parts for a song—the Recaro seats and alloy wheels would make nice retrofits for someone restoring an older 3-Series BMW). Interested? Contact me here.

Images: a 1971 Volvo P1800ES and the new C30 share similar posteriors, high shoulders, and glass hatches.

I don’t recall my exact age at the time, but I know I was very young when I first heard Æsop’s fable of the Wind & Sun from my pacifist father (a gentle but firm man who served as a conscientious objector during the Second World War). The simple tale offered a compelling allegory re: the “exercise of power” that has stuck with me throughout my life (and may also bear more literal responsibility for my ongoing interest in passive solar energy). The gist of the parable goes like this…

Once upon a time, high in the heavens, a dispute arose between the Wind and the Sun as to which was the more powerful of the two. The Wind (always a blow-hard) challenged the Sun to a contest that could resolve once and for all who was the stronger. Looking down, the two could see a lone Traveler making his way across the land—it was agreed that whichever would be the first to strip the man of his cloak should be accounted the victor.

The Wind began, and blew with all its might with blasts as cold and fierce as a Thracian storm; but (of course) the stronger and more furiously the Wind blew, the closer the Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, and the more tightly he grasped it with his hands. Finally, exhausted, the Wind gave up in despair.

Then the Sun (which had been hiding behind a cloud) came out and simply shone with warmth and brightness—in almost no time at all the Traveler felt the genial warmth, took off his cloak, and cast it on the ground.

Thus the Sun was declared the victor, and it has ever since been deemed that “persuasion is better than force”—and the sunshine of a kind and gentle manner is more efficacious than the force of blustering authority.

More tales at ‘The Æsop for Children’ with illustrations by Milo Winter, here.

Here’s freedom to him who would speak,
Here’s freedom to him who would write,
For there’s non(e) ever feared that the truth should be heard,
Save he who the truth would indict.  

—Robert Burns.

(image: a poster from Don’t Say You Didn’t Know)

Tel Aviv, Israel

(posters by the inimitable David Tartakover)