Last year this basketball player named LeBron James sent shockwaves through his home city because he turned his back on the team who had nurtured and created him. He moved. He changed teams. He didn’t do it in a very classy way. Anyway, he’s probably the best basketballer going around – and he’s a Nike sponsored superstar.
That intro is necessary for you to understand why this mashup of Nike commercials where Michael Jordan gives LeBron some advice is pretty cool.
You know a letter addressed “To My Widow” is going to be a tear jerker – and this one didn’t fail to hit that mark. I’m as tough and manly as the next guy, but this letter from Captain Robert Scott, who was beaten to the South Pole by some guy from Norway and died on the way back, to his wife, smashed me in the guts.
Via: Letters of Note (there’s a full transcript there).
“I must write a little letter for the boy if time can be found to be read when he grows up — dearest that you know cherish no sentimental rubbish about remarriage — when the right man comes to help you in life you ought to be your happy self again — I hope I shall be a good memory certainly the end is nothing for you to be ashamed of and I like to think that the boy will have a good start in parentage of which he may be proud…
You see I am anxious for you and the boy’s future — make the boy interested in natural history if you can, it is better than games — they encourage it at some schools — I know you will keep him out in the open air — try and make him believe in a God, it is comforting.
Oh my dear my dear what dreams I have had of his future and yet oh my girl I know you will face it stoically — your portrait and the boy’s will be found in my breast and the one in the little red Morocco case given by Lady Baxter — There is a piece of the Union flag I put up at the South Pole in my private kit bag together with Amundsen’s black flag and other trifles — give a small piece of the Union flag to the King and a small piece to Queen Alexandra and keep the rest a poor trophy for you!”
His son became a famous natural scientist, and television host, and his wife did remarry. So it seems the letter paid off.
Scented candles have never really excited me. Until now.
Set the mood for your next breakfast shin dig with these…
From ThinkGeek.
What if Optimus Prime hit earth before the combustion engine was invented. He’d be a steam train of course.
This guy from Encline Designs makes custom Transformers and other toys. Pretty awesome.
I am contemplating making a regular feature of weird single serving blogs on Tumblr. This one features photos of Kim Jong Il looking at things.
It’s odd. And provides some sort of insight into the style of staged Public Relations shoots in North Korea. Somehow the idea that Kim Jong Il looks at things must provide some succor to his legions of loyal, browbeaten citizens. Everything about his reign is stage managed. Which means the oddness is intentional.
Badd make funny videos.
South Park said things become funny 27.5 years after the fact. Which means Hitler jokes are ok. Right?
I’m unsure. But you should check out Hipster Hitler and decide for yourself (it has some language).
Because making fun of hipster culture and genocidal dictators is the new black. Or something.
David Dunham at Christ and Pop Culture doesn’t think we should be laughing at this sort of stuff. And it does make me a little bit uncomfortable – but what say you? He doesn’t know what the target of the satire is. Hitler or Hipsters. I say, why can’t it be both. Here’s what the Christ and Pop Culture article identifies as the problem:
“Satire works great as a means to offering a critique, and I am of course quite satisfied to mock and belittle Hitler, whose disgusting acts warrant him no sympathy. Yet I can’t help but wonder what the creators of this comic are aiming to critique. Is it Hitler? Well kudos to them, but I am not sure how casting him as a trendy young bohemian does that.”
I think the answer might be that Hipsters aren’t really that cool. They eat food from trashcans.
This does sound a lot like the kind of thing one might cook up at the pub noticing the phonetic similarity.
These aren’t toys. Though they look like it. No. These are art.
This one is called “Leopard with Wilderbeest”
Apparently this is how springbucks “court”
This one is my favourite…
There are more at the sculptor (or knitter?), Jennifer Muskopf’s site.
Did that headline get your attention? Good.
I have an important announcement to make.
My blog is splitting up.
My serious side is divorcing my silly side.
This will hopefully result in less frequent posts here, and a reduction of lengthy boring stuff. You can find the serious stuff at a new domain, one I originally registered because I planned to make thousands of Venn Diagrams. Venn Theology – it’s exploring the overlap between things I’m passionate about – Christianity, Communication, and Culture.
It won’t be as boring as it sounds. Hopefully it’ll be thought provoking and engaging, I’m going to try to up the quality of posts, keeping it as useful as I can, and hopefully making a positive contribution to the broader church with my experience and/or expertise in the realm of marketing and public relations, and I’ll be putting together as many useful resources for ministry, and surviving bible college as I can.
For the next little while the content on Venn Theology will be some old stuff from around these parts refreshed and republished. You can subscribe to Venn Theology’s RSS feed here, and, if you haven’t already – the St. Eutychus feed here.
What this means for St. Eutychus is more of the same, but Cornetto style – no boring bits.
Dandelion and Driftwood is a great little cafe in suburban Hendra. It’s tucked away in a back street, next to an Italian restaurant. Offering a range of brewed coffee varieties, using two blends and two single origins, it’s a simply stunning cafe with a terrific aesthetic. Their website is still under construction, but their Facebook fan page is sensational.
Their design and fitout are immaculate and full of character – as is their coffee. Drinks instore come with a tasting card telling you about the coffee you’re drinking. The staff are dressed in bow ties and aprons. Very schmick.
If you go somewhere offering four beans in four Mazzer grinders you know you’re in for a treat I reckon. And it didn’t disappoint. I think Cup is marginally better, Robyn thought the buttery single origin Costa Rica was sensational, she reckons it was better than the coffee at Cup.
Apologies for the stagnation. My little sister is getting married tomorrow, and I’m preaching on Sunday. So expect it to continue for a couple of days.
I will try to find interesting things to say in the meantime.
Looking for the best coffee in Brisbane? Look no further than Cup, in Russell Street West End. It’s a grungy little warehouse/garage in a side street in West End. A hipster’s paradise (and there were plenty of them around). And the coffee is amazing. So good.
They boast an incredible machine. A Slayer. Which I’ve been excited about in the past (more than once). The Slayer was the first machine to allow changing of pressure during the pouring of a shot.
I discovered Cup a couple of months ago. And was suitably impressed. And Robyn and I checked it out yesterday after I dropped my machine in for a service (which means I’ll be checking out cafes for the next few days).
Cup’s house blend is a rich, sweet and earthy delight. It is so thick and goopy. Viciously viscous. As an espresso it goes straight to the back of your mouth and then explodes. It really is that good.
In milk it’s equally sensational. I had a flat white, Robyn a piccolo latte.
This is their current blend. Featuring a couple of beans I regularly roast and sell.
40% BRAZIL Daterra.
Nice balanced sweetness and body. This is the yellow bourbon varietal from a solid reliable farm.40% GUATEMALA El Injerto.
This is a mixed Cattura and Bourbon coffee from the award winning El Injerto farm. It is very clean and sweet with a nice lime acidity. Always cups up great.20% ETHIOPIA Yirgacheffe.
A new Yirgacheffe thats just arrived adds just a little acid to tie the others together.
Here are our coffees. iPhone style.
