Saturday, October 29, 2005

"What does it mean to say religion is a cultural system? Geertz offers an answer to this question in a single, heavily packed sentence. Religion is:

(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.


Anthropologists, of course, are not obligated to be brief, clear and simple."

***

Power Ranger T-Rex Pet Costume - Dress your pet as the Red Dino Thunder Ranger. Erm.

Malaysia: Government supports plan to get non-Muslims to wear tudung - "THE Government has okayed a ruling by International Islamic University (IIU) which compels non-Muslim students to wear the tudung, saying the rule was not religious in nature."
Considering that a ruckus would be kicked up if Muslim students were compelled to wear a uniform with a hint of religious significance... I'm also thinking of the Red Cross vs Red Crescent controversy.

Piggy banks 'offend UK Muslims' - "British banks are banning piggy banks because they may offend some Muslims. Halifax and NatWest banks have led the move to scrap the time-honoured symbol of saving from being given to children or used in their advertising"

My Little Bird concatenates the following picture: Parody picture - "The LORD shall rejoice in his works"

Rome bans goldfish bowls, orders dog walking - "The city of Rome has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights activists say are cruel, and has made regular dog-walks mandatory in the Italian capital, the town’s council said on Tuesday."

***

Someone: Floyd's back on Arts Central!

Me: who is he?

Someone: some UK guy who does outdoor cooking... so it's like a cooking cum travel show...
and he's excessive with red wine

Me: oh that guy
he drinks some then pours into the food right
bastard.

Someone: haha
more like he says he has to add red wine
adds a lil
drinks a whole lot
adds more
and drinks more in celebration of whatever...
haha

***

Some people prescribed an anti-depressant drug have found an unexpected side effect: they have an orgasm when they yawn. The drug clomipramine usually elevates mood and boosts physical activity and appetite. However, the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry reports four patients on the drug had orgasms on yawning.

"There is a small subset of people who are affected this way," commented Dr. Martin Godfrey, a London GP who has prescribed the drug. "I understand they find this side effect quite pleasant."

One woman who took clomipramine told researchers it cured her depression but she wanted to go on taking it because of its peculiar properties. She found she could experience an orgasm even by deliberate yawning. And a man who had also taken the pills said he was "highly satisfied" with the drug's usefulness.

Around five per cent of clomipramine users report the side effect, though for most people the drug inhibits the ability to reach orgasm. The New Scientist says that the drug's users have been comparing notes on the Internet and speculating on its unusual consequences: people who experience it would presumably seek out the most boring person they could find at parties.