“In the 1920s O G S Crawford invented aerial archaeology, one of many services this eccentric Marxist misanthrope performed for the study of antiquity.”
- Jonathan Meades: Link

Bloody Old Britain: O G S Crawford and the Archaeology of Modern Life

By Kitty Hauser

Granta Books, 286pp

Amazon: Link

“Future archaeologists will perhaps excavate the ruined factories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when the radiation effects of Atom bombs have died away.”
- O. G. S. Crawford, from Archaeology in the Field (1953)

O. G. S. Crawford @ Wikipedia: Link.

~ Karl Jones

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Rome: It’s beautiful and it’s not. Kinda like everything else in life.

“La prossima fermata è Roma Termini.”

I moved to Italy to live at the end of September last year. I lived in Brescia (a medium-sized city in Northern Italy) until March 1, when I moved to Siena.

(I am once again back in Brescia, but that’s a story I’m going to save for another day.)

I picked up some vocabulary during those first five months in Italy, but it wasn’t until I started attending an Italian class for immigrants in Siena that I really started learning the language.

Now, finally!, I understand much of what is being said either to me or around me. The language no longer sounds foreign or like pretty sounds flowing forth from people’s mouths. Although I’m more motivated to learn the language–because it finally seems like an achievable goal to converse fluently–the glossy veneer of the nonsensical musical sounds has dulled. I don’t know, there’s something about understanding when somebody complains about the weather (or conversely, the ease in which I can complain about it) that makes any language sound less romantic.

Shiny glossy veneers are so overrated. Don’t you think? I mean, a veneer is just a thin expensive sheet of wood (or metal) with layers upon layers of unusually toxic clear varnish. If it wasn’t for the common cheap material beneath (like pine or regular mild steel), the veneer would have nothing to attach itself to.

And I’ve always preferred the look of a dull, used or aged finish anyway…and now that I’ve exhausted my analogy I’m finished with this post.

But one more thing before I go to bed on this hot summer night: it is nice to know that you can simply listen to the conductor to know when your next stop is and not have the nervous wondering of whether you’ve missed it or have yet to arrive.

Arrivederci a dopo.

~Janelle Renée

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Natural Touch is a Non Governmental Organisation based in Calabar the Eastern part of Nigeria.The inspiration come from a point of observation of handicapped people and Children roaming the streets of some citites in Nigeria mostly in Calabar begging for alms.
Most of them at the end of the day retired to uncompleted buildings to pass the night,It was a very gory site when a reported case of ritual dehumanising killing of two of such people in a street close to my residence.These two were killed and some part of them remove for rituals activities or some other things not quite known to us.

So touched by such inhuman treament to people because of their inability to defend themselves or provide proper accomodation for themselves,and even a source of livelihood was traumatic,hence,my decision to get the NGO (NATURAL TOUCH) started,with the aim to provide food and shelter for the hanicapped.Make sure there is a future for them and security of life for them.

Upon our inception,we had limited our intention to mostly the young ones and average aged.Although we could not provide accomodation for them but we  provide the basic needs which is food for them atleast once a day.

It is our aim to increase the feeding arrangement to twice a day and also build a home for them.It is our aim to accomodate at least 2000-5000 handicapped people of difiers ages in the home,and Animals too.
With support from other Organisations/Individauls that are touched just as we are.We will establish a school or a handicraft centre for them to study and become independent of their own in future.
Suffice to say here that most of them roam the street with torn cloths and look unkept,We also provide clothing where necessary and affordable to them.
Based on our inability to sustain the financial burden,we are looking forward to Groups or Individuals with similar passion as we have towards uplifting the living standard of these hadicapped and also thinking of ensuring their future.

We are planning of building a home for them in Calabar to accomodate the handicapped and also recruit personnels to take care of their cooking and tranining.
We look forward to support  from passionate groups and individuals.
Thanks,
Dennis

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Technology for human needs:

• The Outquisition
• Engineers Without Borders
• MIT International Design Summit
• Free/Open Appropriate Technology
• Transition Towns
• Technology for Humanity

(...)
Read the rest of Technology for Humanity (735 words)

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The economy is more robust than the headlines suggest, according to Maya Fisher-French.

After Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa was buried in the capital Lusaka on Wednesday, the spotlight immediately shifted to succession campaigns.

Niren Tolsi speaks to the men and women who have been keeping KwaZulu-Natal’s monstrous blaze at bay.

Protests in Bangkok are dominated by the baleful influence of the former prime minister.

a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan

Ah Paris ’tis the city of love

    a beautiful place indeed.

Enjoy yourself and if you like

    have a pastry for me.

A croissant, pasty or a tart

    with cream, and fruit, and crust.

Such a delight with every bite 

    is sinful, and a must.

Have an espresso at a street cafe

   and watch the passersby

In thought, or talk, or steadfast walk

    so busy with their lives.

Enjoy a walk along the Seine

    or boat ride to the Louvre.

With easy access everywhere

    you can also ride the Tube.

Enjoy your trip to Paris

    have a glass of wine for me.

And over here I’ll taste it

    on my lips, just wait and see.

I taste a red, hardy and full

    it’s peppery and smooth.

Oh no it’s white, a crisp delight

   it’s flowery… oh no it’s bright.

Did you have two, or maybe three

   I’m so confused it must be me.

I taste a tart, and coffee too

    my senses don’t know what to do.

Enjoy your trip to Paris

    and I’ll be here with you

Or is it there, I just don’t know

    with you I’m split in two.

I don’t know what I’m doing

   and I don’t know what I see

All I know that I like you

    and you’ll have the best from me.

Enjoy your trip to Paris friend

    best wishes, bon voyage

I don’t know how to end this

   so I’ll just press the pause…

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Britain took an early lead in the Paralympics medal table on Sunday as South African Olympian Natalie du Toit starred.

Candidates seeking to become Japan's next prime minister have laid out their policies in a bid to win the support of members of their ruling party.

Swimming SA management and its Olympic team members have agreed to work together in the interest of the sport.

The Sharks beat the Blue Bulls 34-25 on Saturday in a Currie Cup match. Also victorious were the Eagles, Western Province and Griquas.

Forgive Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic if this US Open is one grand-slam event he would like to forget.