The gentrification of dead philosophers

or greetings from Sydney!

Years of insouciance, or la vie en rose: animal rights, racism and sex kitten nostalgia

"Never with a vacuum cleaner", the subject of this post once said in response to an appliance magnate's request to dance on a yacht in St. Tropez. Needless to say, plenty of white late middle aged vacuum cleaner salesfolk in evidence at the exhibition opening, though the animals seem to have stayed away in solidarity with the immigrants. The human assures me he only braved the sea of pink because there was free champagne on offer, and promises -- promises -- that his lengthy stare at the sight below was one of pure bewilderment. I'll let you be the judge.

Greenwash

Time was when Nero fiddled while Rome burned -- a pursuit whose merits can be debated, perhaps, but rendered obsolete (in urban areas at least) by the advent of modern firefighting.
We do self-destruction differently here on the driest continent on earth. If you're going to go in for Oxbridge pastiches then you might as well do it properly -- no point watering the grass unless it's already raining!

Can vacuity be prosecuted as a war crime?

or someone please, please tell me this is an April Fool's joke!

I'm not sure what I was thinking, clicking during an unusually protracted bout of procrastination on this article about somebody called Miss Universe visiting Guantánamo Bay. A well-meaning protest attempt, perhaps, like the people they get to do anti-fur demonstrations at fashion shows, or former heart-throbs willing to place the rights of cute animals several pegs above those of immigrants?

It would appear not.

"We also met the military dogs, and they did a very nice demonstration of their skills. All the guys from the army were amazing with us."

Waterboarding is the hip new way to lose weight. You read it here first.