A China no Chad ou a globalização no hemisfério sul

Faya-Largeau, Chad, 1998

Photograph by George Steinmetz

"The trucks—big green flatbed diesels—are loaded to preposterous heights. Boxy steel shipping containers provide the sturdy foundation for huge burlap sacks containing prayer mats, sandals, blankets…and woven plastic bags labeled 'China Rice/Product of Libya.' Then—often 15 to 20 feet (4 to 6 meters) off the ground—rides an upper layer of passengers draped in robes and packed together as tight as the rice in the white sacks they sit upon."

Pieter Hugo, Corbis.
Mallam Gahdima Ahmadu com a hiena Jamis, Abuja, Nigéria

“Mallam pertence a uma companhia que viaja pelo norte da Nigéria com três hienas, duas pitões africanas e quatro macacos. Além de divertirem as populações, também vendem fetiches e medicamentos à base de ervas, muito procurados na Nigéria.”

Texto e foto: World Press Photo 2006

On talking ...

How much is communication of information the main purpose of speech? I can think of other reasons to speak:

1. We talk to signal loyalty, or disloyalty.

2. We talk to bond with others.

3. We talk because we are not very self-aware and we need an audience if we are to learn our own thoughts or make up our minds. Clark Durant points to Hamlet.

4. We talk so people may judge us, leading to efficient sorting.

5. We talk to see who will leave the room.

6. We talk because we are restless, nervous, or bored. Speech may relieve anxiety, or give the pretense of doing so.

(from Marginal Revolution)

tidy minds

You see, I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little emptyattic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fooltakes in all the lumber of every sort he comes across, so that the knowledgewhich might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up witha lot of other things, so that he has difficulty in laying his hands upon it.Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into hisbrain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doinghis work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfectorder. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls andcan distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for everyaddition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is ofthe highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing outthe useful ones.

-- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Study in Scarlet"

sure

Whoever has lived long enough to find out what life is, knows how deep a debt
of gratitude we owe to Adam, the first great benefactor of our race. He

brought death into the world.

-- Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"