Vegetarian?

So, for a long while, I have been grappling with the fact that maybe I should be vegetarian. I read "Eating Animals" and "Animal Liberation", and naturally as a philosophy major, spent far too much time thinking about this. And then my new favourite website The Conversation threw this at me.
What to do? In all likelihood, further tiptoeing around the issue. Next on the reading list, "The Omivores Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.

Who doesn't love a battered book?

An article about the charm of battered books. Surely there's nothing like the smell (and promise) of a new book though?
Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Holden

This weekend marked the 60th anniversary of the publication of The Catcher in the Rye. To celebrate, here is an article about the origins of Holden Caulfield.
Enjoy.

What are intellectuals good for?

An interesting article on intellectuals, and the joy of stumbling across great writers. Continuing with the theme, another engaging article on Bernard-Henri Levi and French intellectual interventionism. Is France the only country in the world where les intellos are still held in such high regard?
Enjoy.

The Dictator

Sacha Baron Cohen's upcoming film The Dictator is apparently based on a novel written by Saddam Hussein. Helpfully, The Guardian has provided a brief guide to dictator lit. Has anyone even read these?
I have high hopes for the film!
Enjoy.

Fact or Fiction?

My goal this semester? To read one fiction and one non-fiction book a week.
Am I being overly optimistic?
Here is a great list to get me started on the non-fiction side...
As always, I love the debate surrounding inclusions and exclusions.
Enjoy.

Ummmm, awesome.

Awesome people reading.
That is all.

Annals of Commencement

The always entertaining David Sedaris.
The only problem I find with his writing is that I have read almost everything he's written. Please sir, may I have some more!
Enjoy.

Bloodlands

Here's a great review of Timonthy Snyder's book Bloodlands.
Surely, a unit on the history of twentieth century Europe next semester can justify this purchase?
Enjoy.

Surrender?

What a beautifully uplifting article from NPR about cultural consumption. What I immediately thought: I need to read some Ginsberg.
Enjoy.

Coffee is bad for your marriage?

...Lucky I'm not married. Indeed, The Guardian's Stuart Jefferies is right when he remarks "all in all, the debate reminds me of what Homer once said about alcohol in The Simpsons – that it was "the cause of and solution to all of our problems". Coffee is like that, only more so."
On a related note, does anyone know if it is possible to buy print copies of The Observer in Australia?

IQ.org

My friend has recently introduced me to Julian Assange's now defunct blog.
Interesting reading, its nice to see his opinions of things outside of the Wikileaks saga.
Enjoy.

Coffee coffee coffee

Sorry for my absence of late, having re-entered student life, I've been busy doing (mostly) interesting things. I just couldn't help but share this article with you about coffee.
I read it while sipping on my Obama blend brew from Campos coffee - now my local coffee source. Just like Mr Obama himself, it is indeed smooth and easy to drink.

Enjoy (with a cup of coffee).

Rapture

There is a long running joke I have with a girlfriend that when she becomes a neuroscientist and cures Alzheimer's (her ultimate goal), the ensuing fortune she will amass with allow me to cease work and pursue my creative endeavours while she foots the bill.

May I suggest she acquires this apartment for us/me to live in when this happens?

 She (or anyone else who's interested) can see the full shoot here. 

Yum

Yum.
I love the yellow of this skirt, and teemed with a grey t-shirt it is lovely and casual, but you could dress it up as well.

The Moral Animal

An interesting article from American Prospect magazine concerning BF Skinner, one of the most famous psychologists. Like the author Robert Wright, my at first ardent agreement with Skinners behaviourist theories on human behaviour have waxed and waned due to their reductionist conclusions - though I still admire what Wright refers to as his anti-intellectual intellectualism. As usual, the comments following the article make also make for interesting reading.
Enjoy.

Beanhunter

One thing I prioritise is good coffee - so I was delighted to discover the truly superb Bean Hunter...if you can find a better source of where to get the best coffee I would love to know! Reviews from multiple countries make me wish I had stumbled upon it during my somewhat extensive travels last year. In the case of this excellent website however, better late than never.
Enjoy.

I was born that way

I found this article about the reasons we are liberal or conservative interesting, although maybe more could have been said of those who are politically apathetic. Which kids were they in the playground? Did they suffer both ups and downs in their development that made them decide the path of least resistance was easiest? I admit to my own bias creeping in when when I was horrified at the suggestion that perhaps medicare contributes to increasingly conservative elderly populations. Either way, interesting reading.
Enjoy.

Hip Hip Gin Gin

I have recently become acquainted with the fantastic Hip Hip Gin Gin.
I love her cocktail recipe for a London Special - it is making me so nostalgic for for that great far away city. This is obviously someone who is my kind of fashionista - her post on Zara's seemingly perfect new pair of pumps has made me even more excited for the opening of Zara's flagship store in Sydney this Easter.  What do you think are the chances they will still be in stock?

She has also led me to another fantastic time wasting site, Fashion gone rogue.
Now I can look up all those editorials from Vogue I loved but didn't want to tear out of the magazine.
And some I haven't seen before.

Fantastic, no?

Um...awesome

Yet again the internet has provided me with a little piece of entertainment to waste my time (but is it really time wasting if I am enjoying myself so much?)
Enjoy.