Coats, sweaters, and hats!

Ok, so I'm watching a live outdoor concert over the web featuring Björk and Sigur Rós live from the Botanical Garden on Laugavegur, near the center of Reykjavik, Iceland. The Náttúra concert is an effort to build awareness of the destruction of Iceland's natrual landscape. The music, of course, is incredible. It's no secret that Björk and Sigur Rós are two of my absolute favorite acts. What surprises me is today, one week beyond the Summer Solstice, when everyone is sweating his or her balls off in the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, attendees of this concert a visibly wearing jackets. And sweaters. And scarves and hats. In, let me repeat, SUMMER. Part of me finds this very appealing. Part of me wonders how cold the winters must be. But, then, I guess they don't call it ICELAND for nothing. OK, I'm done being a rube. Click on the link up there and enjoy the music.

The best news stories I've read all day

"Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol"
Reported by Chris Ayres in The Times of London, June 14, 2008.

"Research says erect gay penises are bigger"
Reported by Hank Hyene in Salon, November 4, 1999.

Obviously, I should give some preference to the first article as it is indeed NEWS and not a nine-year-old finding linked as part of a LA Times round-up of the scientific aspects of homosexuality, particularly male homosexuality ("What does gay look like? Science keeps trying to figure that out", as reported by Regina Nuzzo, Special to the Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2008). Not to mention, bacteria that poop oil is some pretty damn good news. This is not, of course, to minimize the finding that gay men, on average, have bigger schlongs than straight men, as this is news that is obviously of great personal importance and relevance to me.

Why I'm voting for Obama

As much as the smart policy decisions, as much as the opportunity to make history, as much as the reshaping of America's image abroad, this small quote from Obama's speech claiming the Democratic Presidential nomination embodies why I think it is important that he be the person to represent The United States to the world:

What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon – that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.