Toilets of Man
Beijing 2008
From Good Ol’ Nojjy Boy, evidence that China is not yet ready to host the Olympics:
The Average Indigenous Australian
We begin today with a news item from Australia, sent us from Amphibious: “Portrait of the average indigenous Australian“, by Chris Graham. The interesting bit is that there are definite similarities between the plight of Australian Aborigines and Canadian First Peoples. Given the genetic dissimilarity between the two groups, this speaks more about the nature of conquest, marginalization and colonialism. If you decapitate a society, strip from it is traditional strengths, its hierarchy, its strongest leaders, kill the flower of its youth, then push its members onto the most decrepit of lands, following up with generations of economic suppression, social stigma and a litany of dishonoured treaties, the result is universal: a beaten, disadvantaged people.
Canadian Aboriginals are bouncing back, though, and are among the fastest growing ethnic group in this country. I know that a handful of my students read this blog regularly, so to them I announce that on March 31st, we will have a special guest lecturer on Aboriginal health. For anyone else residing in the Ottawa area, you are more than welcome to attend.
In Other News…
Hispanic parents in Chicago are protesting that a state achievement test is only being offered in English, and not in Spanish. Naturally, this has riled up the domestic set who are claiming that it is incumbent upon the “immigrants” to learn the “American” language. Now, in many ways I am inclined to agree. However, I think it needs pointing out that, unlike Canada, the USA has no official language. In absence of that fairly important legal statement, the Hispanics have every right, ethically and legally, to demand service in their preferred language.
Well, the Daily Perv Link (TM) of late has expanded to include instances of human intimacies with, um, inanimate objects. Latest in this theme is this story of a man with a nail up his, um, penis. Yes, penis.
Meanwhile, the other Ray sends us this video of a shrimp armed with a sonic weapon. Yes, a shrimp armed with a sonic weapon.
Let’s close with further proof of China’s lack of readiness:
