I believe that “Indian Giving” is sourced in a cultural misunderstanding between Indigenous and European societies. Indigenous societies were reciprocity based, so giving gifts should be reciprocated with a gift of like value to strengthen relationships, or increase honour (social standing). The Europeans were working in a patron-client system so a gift was seen as a way of purchasing access to power through a patron. The Europeans thought the Indigenous people were paying for access to power (like a tributary), so there’s no expectation of returning a like gift. The indigenous people thought they were entering into a mutual relationship, and when a like gift wasn’t returned that was seen as reneging, so they took back their ‘offer’.

Glad to have an anthropologist kick my ass.

First time I’ve seen the word ‘cryptofascist’ outside of Red Dwarf.

I couldn’t catch it either, but yeah, that’s rough. Definitely a step above “shut up”.

A reference to Habbakuk 3:11 in the Bible, which Jesus alludes to in his triumphal entrance into Jerusalem (see Luke 19:40). Habbakuk is prophesying against the people of God and saying they’ve become such a bunch of self-serving hypocrites that even the stones and timbers of their house (figurative or literal) cry out against them.

If you want more explanation, I’m happy to unpack it more, but that’s where it comes from.

As to why someone felt it made a good message for a rock wall? I don’t know. Often Christians interpret it as the stones are crying out in joy at Jesus’ arrival, but that misses the Habakkuk allusion, the political reality of Jesus’ conflict with the Jerusalem temple authorities, and the context in which “hosanna” historically gets used.

I’ve heard this story before, but never registered the date: December 25th, 1937. Having played in Boxing Day rugby matches, and considering holiday “sport” matches in general I’m going to make a couple reasonably informed guesses. 1) The goalie was drunk. Quite drunk. Everyone was drunk. 2) Everyone was still on the field … drinking, the goalie just didn’t realise they weren’t playing any more because he couldn’t see them.

… with FAS? FAS gives people eyes like that, doesn’t it? It looks like she has a pretty flat upper lip too. That might be part of the reason she looks … off. And obviously, that haircut is doing her no favours.

I discovered one lighter that no one will steal from me. They’ll give it back to me a week later when we run into each other. It’s a Toronto Maple Leafs lighter. I buy them whenever I see them now.

Hmm … Think it might depend if you want the largest instrument of people or destinations. Mandarin might add a large instrument of people, but it’s not going to be that useful outside of China … and there are more English speakers in China than in the rest of the world.

I’ve heard that if you already speak English, then French is the best global second language to get because you can get by in so many Spanish speaking countries with English.