(Micro)Nations Unto Themselves
Ever wanted to rule your own private kingdom?Some people have taken this literally, and declared, with various degrees of success, their own private nations and principalities. While most of these “micronations” have been regarded as little more than silly jokes or personal eccentricities, others have gone on to issue their own passports and print their own currencies. Some have even created real-life political controversy, such as the Principality of Sealand, which was founded on an abandoned oil platform. Others, like the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands, have tried to make social and political statements. Whatever their purpose or size, dozens of micronations have existed throughout our recent history. Visit here for an interview with the self-termed “micronation geographer” Simon Sellars, or check out the Wikipedia page for a comprehensive overview. After you are finished, you can even try to establish your own little kingdom.(The pictures above show Kevin Baugh, President of the Republic of Molossia (top-left); King Adam from the Sovereign Kingdom of Kemetia, shaking hands with his Minister of Security, Samuel Simpson-Crew (bottom-left); and King Nicholas, Chav Slayer, of the Copeman Empire (right).)
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‘If you monitor this camera system you very quickly learn to pick out the sharks amongst the shoals of fish”
The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plate commanded, he could be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time’.
Orwell’s dystopic totalitarian regime immortalised in ‘1984′ proves ever more prophetic as the UK continues to monitor the every movement of its citizens. According to a report published in 2008, the average Briton has 3,254 pieces of information recorded about them each week, through a variety of mediums including store Loyalty Cards, Mobile Phones & Public Transportation usage. Appearing up to 300 times per day on CCTV, Britons are the most surveilled people on earth. With more cameras in public spaces then anywhere else, a 2002 estimate suggested the figure lay around 4.2 million, Britons six years on one can only pessimistically ponder elder Brother’s ever curious eyes. Terrifying, invasive, & increasingly threatening to personal freedoms of expression & self-determination, central London’s electronic wandering pupil is pause for more then a passing glance we suspect.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/02/westminster-cctv-system-privacy
Filed Under Environment, Human Rights, Media & Society, Modern Life, Politics, Technology, Uncategorized
The crisis and I are friends on Facebook
Here is the deal: you come up with a slogan about the crisis and the french shop Collette puts it on a t-shirt.(And there are those who don’t believe that times of crisis are actually time of opportunities to the bright ones)
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Lego rules
Introducing the real president of Lego country, USA! The inauguration ceremony ’stands’ until the month of May; and you will be there.
Filed Under Art, Media & Society, Politics, Uncategorized
Marriage
“Growing up” is difficult no doubt. Closing chapters in books of your life along with its people and its indulgences to look to new joys and new experiences has many a friend and myself ransom and with cold feet many a time. Perhaps one of the worst of these growing transitions is “settling down“, “tying the knot”, “getting hitched” or the plenty other metaphors for the “big day”.
It is indeed a big step to go from single life to life with another and with the ever-rising number of divorces worldwide, it is understandably a life change many fear. However, it is perhaps better to deal with this fear sooner rather than later. After all, we could end up like the 107 year old Chinese Wang Guiying who has only just decided to start looking for her first husband. Read more
Filed Under History & traditions, Human Rights, Modern Life, Uncategorized
Beard, nails and Dostoyevsky
Most stuff in life that are good for you are good just as long as you don’t overdo them. Reading is an exception.
Reading seems to be good at any time, any age and even with any sort of company. And the more you do it, the better.
So it’s not a surprise to learn that the government of Divandarreh (a city in Kordestan Province, in Iran) is investing to make its citizens more keen on books. The unusual (and rather clever) thing, though, is that they aimed at barbershops and hair salons as the right place for their new libraries.
It would be a piece of news deserving all my praising, if it weren’t for that specific quote by the governor where he mentions that books will be chosen to “guide the Iranian younger generation’s tendencies”. Oh, well. You really cannot have everything!
Filed Under Art, Politics, Uncategorized
Toxic house wives on the run
As the recession worsens, a lot of rich men are finding their gold-digging wives are taking to their heels.
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