Is Target Really Better Than Walmart?

Both...

• don't allow labor unions
• contribute to urban sprawl
• have hideous architecture
• don't have Living Wage certification
• drastically alter small town economies

Issues specifically with Walmart include:

• employee-relations issues
• foreign product sourcing
• maltreatment of product suppliers (pitting them against each other, extreme capitalism - see PBS's Walmart documentary)
• bad environmental practices
• use of public subsidies
• their security policies
• running mom and pop stores out of business

Things I've had to Look Up for Class, pt. 3 vol. 1

• camera obscura and false consciousness: a Marxist idea from A German Ideology, "If in all ideology men and their circumstances appear upside-down as in a camera obscura, this phenomenon arises just as much from their historical life-process as the inversion of objects on the retina does from their physical life-process."


• "Twixters" - people who are extremely well educated yet live with their parents, unemployed, and have upwards of $100,000 in debt.


• thin description - Clifford Geertz, a sociologist I'm studying, says that there is a thin and thick description for any action, symbol, etc., in society. For example, a wink is when you close one of your eyes (thin description), however, a wink means so much more, like a private joke, a seductive gesture, hello, etc. (thick description).


• Elijah Anderson - Etiquette for getting Mugged: ethnographer who studied Philadelphia poor came up with the "rules" and "logic" to getting mugged: "Elijah Anderson argues that the stickup or the mugging has a certain pattern or logic to it. As long as each actor plays their part correctly, both parties are generally safe. Playing the part wrongly, on the other hand, can lead to a violent death." (Smart Library)


• luddites - The noun Luddite specifically refers to one of a group of early 19th century English workmen who were campaigning against the automation of the power loom. Under cover of night and generally masked, the workers often destroyed the equipment that had displaced them. Today the word broadly refers to anyone who is opposed to technological change or new working methods.The name Luddite is presumed to come from the leader of these angry workmen: Ned Ludd. (Cool Words)


• semiotic - the study of how meaning is constructed and understood based on the signs and symbols of a culture (Wikipedia)


• Snappers - A bar on 12 S 7th St in Columbia where the Grad Students like to go because everything is extremely cheap.
  
• Italo Calvino, If on a Winter Night a Traveler: a work of metafiction, or postmodern fiction, where the author is self-aware. The first paragraph: "You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell the others right away, "No, I don't want to watch TV!" Raise your voice--they won't hear you otherwise--"I'm reading! I don't want to be disturbed!" Maybe they haven't heard you, with all that racket; speak louder, yell; "I'm beginning to read Italo Calvino's new novel!" Or if you prefer, don't say anything; just hope they'll leave you alone." (read more...)


• John Fowles, the French Lieutenant's Woman - another example of postmodern literature where the author is self-aware. This one has three endings. In the film version, they include the making of the film as part of the story.


• James Joyce, Finnegan's Wake - according to Joyce, it took 15 years to write, it should take just as long to read. All part of the joining of the experience of writing with the experience of reading. Authorship is no longer strictly a performance piece, it tries to be a relationship.


• Helen Cixous - Academic who started publishing papers in a non-traditional format, including poems, journal entries, etc.


• Discovery Channel documentary on street preachers, filming at Mizzou: Brother Jed. (Whom my professor shoved into a fountain 19 years ago at U of Colorado-Boulder)


• New York Times article on putting Ads on your car for $800/month -- I can't find the article.

Last week I walked out of my 20th Century American Lit. class to meet the usual hubub at Speakers Circle, close by. Brother Jed and other traveling evangelists had been around campus since school started, and there are usually a bunch of crazies yelling at each other with 50-100 people watching.
However, today was different. A group called the Pastafarians, a group that has gained steam over the internet, were making a demonstration at Speakers Circle. The Pastafarians are followers of a parody religion that worships the Flying Spaghetti Monster (vengaza.org).
The whole thing started when the Kansas school board decided to teach Intelligent Design in their classrooms and an Oregon State student submitted a letter to the school board claiming that he believed that his view of the origin of the universe should be taught as well. His view was that the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the world and that Global Warming will decrease if there are more Pirates (Pastafarians) in the world.

Weird.

What I'm Cooking...pt. 1: Moussaka

This particular recipe is from Nigella Lawson's How to Eat. I love her. I chose Moussaka because it was under her "Cooking in Advance" section, which is useful for me, to reheat stuff before class. Otherwise, I eat frozen buffalo chicken. And that's a bad idea. Also, my mom has always liked Moussaka, although probably the Greek version over this one. The reason I love Nigella Lawson is not because her recipes are particularly amazing (although I do like them) but because she used to be a food writer for Vogue and The Spectator (UK). Here's the introduction to my Moussaka:

Turning back to Elizabeth David reminded me of the smoky, satiny wonderfulness of eggplant stews.
This is a Lebanese recipe, very different from the traditional Greek one of the same name. Boldly, strongly flavored, but mellow, the spices and seasoning dovetail into a perfect, aromatic whole. The recipe is adapted from a wonderful book of Lebanese home cooking by Nada Saleh, called, evocatively enough, Fragrance of the Earth.

Mmm...it makes me want to eat the page. Well, here's how it turned out:

Liberation de Fringues dans la Daurade

I want to get more into Disc Golf/Frisbee Golf. I got a Mizzou Campus course from my friend Andy Patton and I'm quite pleased with it. However, today I stumbled upon a wealth of disc golf knowlege while casually mentioning the topic to Greg Grimes. He knows everything. He pointed me to a couple resources to encourage my growing affection of Frolf.

Columbia Parks & Rec Disc Golf Website

Columbia Disc Golf Club - CDGC

And in St. Louis...

St. Louis Disc Golf - the River City Flyers

a list of StL courses

The Hipster Olympics