The Body Image Playlist

No commentary from me this time, enjoy (?) these poached thoughts on a theme.

"Pretty", Katie Makkai

"Wrinkled Ladies", Anita Renfroe

"TV advertising", Mitchell & Webb

Are you offended?

 I've had plenty of occasion to think about 'offence', largely because I have been on the internet once or twice. The most recent event to bring me back to the concept is the furore around this year's PROSH magazine. Drunk naked West Australian uni students hit the streets to sell racist hate-speech has got to be in the top 10 of headlines your average Vice-Chancellor would not want to have to deal with.

Authenticity: (Un)Real Travel

I'm planning the next trip back to ye olde motherland, and am thinking about all things travel-related. I find it hard to strike a balance between trying to visit as many countries as possible and spending longer stretches somewhere to "really get to know the place". A ridiculous sentiment, but one I cling to.

War and Peace - Russian Resurrection Film Festival

I have just come home from seeing the 1960s Mosfilm War and Peace, all seven or so hours of it, at Cinema Paradiso as part of the Russian Resurrection film festival. I went to see Two Days on Thursday and am planning on Siberia Mon Amour tomorrow, and was going to do a joint blog post of my foray into Russian cinema, but it would be impossible not to dedicate a post to the centrepiece of the festival. The film was made in several parts between 1961 and 1967 partly as a response to King Vidor's 1956 War and Peace. It is an exquisite spectacle, the most expensive Soviet film ever produced (hardly surprising, seeing as it is, in effect, four films).

Vivat academia! Vivant professores!

So, I graduated yesterday.

Made On The Left

I love markets. I love craft. It should only follow (rabbits and hats, people!) that I love craft markets.

S-M-R-T! Smart! or "End of an era"

I have made a crucial decision today and ordered a smartphone. I'm not entirely happy about the development.