We do what we must because we can

thailand
Originally uploaded by jslander

Edit 20080501: According to Jess, the photographer, the plastic cups of water in question in this post were provided for the comfort of the Buddha statues (see her comment). I'm leaving the original post as-is, but wanted to clarify this point up front. I misunderstood the photo as thoroughly as Click Cluck did. Which doesn't change my opinion about his asking her to edit it.

Original Post:

I was eating my sourdough pancakes this morning and browsing flickr when I ran across this photo by one of my contacts, jslander. It shows that some passer-by has left an empty beverage container in the hand of a seated Buddha statue.

What inspired me to blog it isn't the juxtaposition of someone's discarded plastic cup with the timeless serenity of the statue, or the quality of the photo itself.

What made this worth blogging about is that another flickr member (Click Cluck) stuck a note on this photo (view it on the original page by clicking the photo) instructing jslander to remove the cup using photoshop because it isn't respectful. And not just in a comment below the pic, but a note stuck smack dab in the middle of the photo itself.

Huh?

Saying that because it is now fairly easy to remove elements from photos, the photographer should feel obligated to do so if an element is politically incorrect made me boggle. And when I shared it with my Mister, he shared my embogglement.

My guess is that the story of some modern tourist type leaving a cup on the palm of the Buddha statue is exactly what jslander was shooting in the first place. Jslander has a good eye for composition and a well developed sense of irony. If she'd intended to take the photo of just the statue, I'm sure she'd've removed the cup in person. But as it is, it's funny in a tacky-irony kind of way, and it is a commentary on the person who left their trash there in the first place, and on the times we live in.

That said, the irony that Click Cluck was at the same time leaving his own mark on someone else's creation as he passed by seems somehow apt.

If humor is an important part of a delicious weekend breakfast, my recommended daily allowance has been met.

* * *

Aperture Science
We do what we must because we can
For the good of all of us
Except the ones who are dead

~Jonathan Coulton, Still Alive

I just couldn't resist...

One moment later...
Originally uploaded by Pockafwye

I just couldn't resist celebrating freedom of expression by adding a new twist to my regular shot of the billboard by the 52. Click on the image for the larger version, and the description of the "event".

"Yes, Virginia. There really is a Flying Spaghetti Monster."

In other news, the poor air quality alert is starting to pass, and we've warmed up to 23°F (-5°C), with expectations of reaching 32°F today. (0°C).

And for those of you following the LFG web comic, I got a serious chuckle out of today's page.

It's their way, or the highway...

It's their way, or the highway...
Originally uploaded by Pockafwye

This is a billboard next to Highway 52 in St. Paul, where the highway crosses the Mississippi river. I took this photo while stuck in traffic on the way in to work.

It reads:

One God
One human race
One Way to heaven
Read the Bible

The small text between the lines are the passage citations for each. My cell phone camera wasn't quite up to the task of catching those in focus.

It's a Clear Channel billboard. I wonder who sponsored the ad? I wonder if they have a preference as to which of the many versions of the Bible we are supposed to read? Knowing me, I've probably read the wrong one.

For the record, I value diversity in the world. So I can't agree with their message. Which is a bit of a tricky balance. Because valuing diversity means tolerance of their ways, even when those ways are intolerant (as long as those ways aren't violating anyone else's human rights). But it doesn't require me to celebrate intolerance. Only accept it. Which is, admittedly, still tricky.

But this sign does demonstrate two very important American values I certainly agree with:

Freedom of speech provides them the right to post such signs. (And me the right to write this post.)

Freedom of religion provides them the right to have such beliefs, while providing me with the right to disagree.

Bodhisattva in the Snow

Bodhisattva in the Snow
Originally uploaded by Pockafwye

Coffee break!

Beautiful sunny day out there today after snowing most of the day yesterday. Still chilly, 7°F (-14°C) according to NOAA, but the sun is sparkling on the snow and warming the kitties lying in the sunbeams indoors.

Worked until 9:30 last night, and will be working late again today to meet a deadline. Today should be the hardest day of the project, and then it should start to roll into the smooth but tedious phase.

Coffee's ready. Back to work. Sooner it's done, sooner I can goof off!