1. The NYTimes has a blog called Lens. It focuses on visual arts journalism. They usually do a round up everyday of photos - but have some interesting special reports.
Like this one focusing on currency. Naoki Tomasini has taken a lot of time photographing the integrate details of the bills so many of us use without ever stopping to really look at.
I remember being fascinated by the currency in Cambodia and Rwanda (they used dollars in Ecuador - boring!!) - it's so colorful and seeing how another country chooses to represent itself.
Photo 9 is cool of the Iranian rial.
2. NPR's The Picture Show is somewhat of the same idea.
Recently Claire O'Neill did a story on Marilyn Monroe in a series of photographs shot by Ed Feingersh in 1955. "Feingersh took a documentary approach, photographing Monroe doing everyday things"
The photos show a human side of this icon who has become so much of a sex symbol all these later. People tend to have a set image of Monroe - but we tend to forget she was human.
3. NYTimes word of the day: dogged. It is an adjective. Do you know what it means (no cheating!)?
I would have said insulted or put down.
It means: stubbornly unyielding.
4. Pete Wilson - who is slowly becoming one of my favorite bloggers - recently did a post on our worth. I responded to it on my other blog. But felt it was worth mentioning again. Maybe more so here for the idea of the worth we place on other people. I often times assign greater value to people attached to a cause/country/injustice I care about. We all do. But how does that relate back to how our Father sees each person He creates?
I don' think there is a hierarchy with God. I don't believe He loves me more (or less) than anyone else. I don't believe He loves President Obama any more (or less) than anyone else. It is not His love (or favor?) that allow one person to get further in life than someone else. Maybe it has more to do with obedience - I'll have to mull this over more... But what if we treated each person we met, each person we discussed, each person regardless of their relationship back to us - the same?
Could we ever truly see people that way?
5. In random news - parents in China cannot look at their children's mobile phones.
The Guardian ran a story a few weeks ago about how, "Parents in one Chinese city are to be prevented from snooping on their children's online activity and text messages."
Adults, including family members, are banned from searching through children's computers or phones under a new regional law passed in Chongqing, southwest China, state media reported today. The regulation outlaws snooping into their emails, text messages, web chats, and browser history. The regulation is designed to protect the rights of children, but is surprising given widespread concern in China about excessive internet use among young people and their access to unsuitable material.It is an interesting privacy debate for sure. How much privacy should a child be given? I tend towards the not very much end. I think privacy should be connected to trust - and chances are if your parents have a reason to be suspicious. you probably have something to hide...
Though what about journals or emails? Where is the line?
Just food for thought on your Monday...
6. And lastly, I got turned onto Katie Turner who is an amazing illustrator. Her journal is available at B&N. But she did a sketch using the opening words of Lolita - one of the best passages of literature ever written. If you have not read this book it's worth the read. Totally disturbing and wrong on so many levels, I have to admit I have never been so angered and yet intrigued by a novel. I had a hard time feeling sympathy for the little girl, though knew that nothing justifies what the main character chose to do.
