At one Swedish library, you can borrow books—and a lesbian

A Swedish library, realizing that books are not the only things being judged by their covers, will give visitors a different opportunity this weekend—to borrow a Muslim, a lesbian, or a Dane.

The city library in Malmo, Sweden's third-largest city, will let curious visitors check out living people for a 45-minute chat in a project meant to tear down prejudices about different religions, nationalities, or professions. The project, called Living Library, was introduced at Denmark's Roskilde Festival in 2000, librarian Catharina Noren said. It has since been tried at a Copenhagen library as well as in Norway, Portugal, and Hungary.

The people available to be "borrowed" also include a journalist, a gypsy, a blind man, and an animal rights activist. They will be available Saturday and Sunday in conjunction with a Malmo city festival and are meant to give people "a new perspective on life," the library said in a statement. "There are prejudices about everything," Noren said. "This is about fighting those prejudices and promoting coexistence."

Borrowing a person will be free, and the library will also provide coffee at its cafe where the "living books" will answer questions about their lives, beliefs, or jobs. "It's supposed to be relaxed and human-to-human," Noren said.

Malmo, located on Sweden's southwestern coast, has one of Sweden's largest immigrant communities. It is also located just a narrow strait away from Denmark, and centuries of warfare between the countries has been replaced with a friendlier rivalry in recent decades. Still, both nationalities have several stereotypes about their neighbors. "Danish Radio called to ask what prejudice we have about Danes," Noren said. "They had some tough questions for me."

Interest in the project has been high, Noren said, although the library does not allow bookings—the human subjects will be checked out on a first-come, first-served basis. And it will not necessarily be people with prejudices who will take the opportunity. "It could be that you're about to belong to one of these categories yourself, such as someone losing their eyesight," Noren said. "Or it could be someone who just found out their child is a lesbian. But then there are people who just want to unload a lot of anger. These people [who get borrowed] are ready for anything to happen."

The "living books" are all from the Malmo area and were recruited via different organizations and associations. However, it wasn't possible to find suitable subjects from all desired professions. "We would have liked to have a police officer and maybe a meter maid," Noren said. (AP)

God's Playground (and, subsequently, where I plan on retiring)

Residents say they often see God soaking up the sun on his veranda, often slurping on a few My Thais, soothing the pangs of old-age. Since losing millions during a bout with online rummy, God's fallen on hard times. He's taken to trawling the beach with a metal detector. Other times, when his arthritic hands allow it, he sketches the serene landscape podering what the future holds for him. His presence on the foreshore, regretabbly, has since been curbed, as many took to accosting him about "life issues." There is apparently "nothing he hates more." Nevertheless, God always makes sure he hands out a few ice cream cones to the young tykes. Recently, I had a chance to talk to god. I mine the depths of God's mind in search of some words of wisdom. Amongst other things discussed, God mentioned his past-time of trail-farting in public and listening to trip hop.

EP: God, first, I apprecia....
God: Shit, that's my mobile let me get that, hold on, uhm what was it? Erik?
EP: No, but...
God: Please, shutup this is important I need to take this.
EP: Got it.
God: OK, so Erik, sorry 'bout that, that was my AIG officer, seems my mortgage has gone to shit... kikes.
EP: Right, where was I? Uhm, yes I was just wanting to talk to you a bit about how you're coping with life,?
God: Fine, the wife's deceased, kids moved out years back...uhm, I got a tight little maisonette down on 1st there- water front, what else you got...hit me.
EP: Any particular activities you pass the time with, now that your Cuban live-in maid has installed a parental internet filter?
God: I spend most of my evenings listening to trip hop, or acid jazz, ocassionally I open up a place in my schedule to trail-fart in the local public houses.
EP: Im listening, care to lucubrate?
God: Lucubrate? Kid, don't be coy, I dont know whtat the shit means. Listen: actually, I gotta go, I got a 2:30; could we rescheduled this...acutally, no, Id rather we just left it at that. (aside) I need a double sidecar.
EP: Gosh, I was thinking we might flesh out some...
God: Listen kid, I lied, I dont have a 2:30, and you have short arms.

And so with that, God, it turns out, is a cocksucker. He answered two questions, and he kicked sand in my face and attempted to push me over as I reached to tie my shoes. I gotta be honest: bit of a fuck.

The end of Ed

Story 1: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/education/01bible.html

(note: You will need a subscription to access the articles)

"When the school board in Odessa, the West Texas oil town, voted unanimously in April to add an elective Bible study course to the 2006 high school curriculum, some parents dropped to their knees in prayerful thanks that God ...The critics say it ignores evolution in favor of creationism and gives credence to dubious assertions that the Constitution is based on the Scriptures, and that "documented research through NASA" backs the biblical account of the sun standing still."

Story 2: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/education/02gym.html

Public Schools Begin to Offer Gym Classes Online

Posner on Pills

With no less than eight honorary degrees to his name, Richard Posner takes a stab at exposing America's pharmaceutical companies for what they really are: malevolent...for providing AIDS retrovirus drugs.


"Although heartless, I do not agree that African nations should receive anti-AIDS drugs on a subsidized basis. Drugs that reduce the severity of an infectious disease can actually foster the spread of the disease by making the disease less costly to people who contract it. Pending development of a vaccine (still not in sight), the only effective way of dealing with the African AIDS epidemic is adoption of safe sex. The AIDS drugs will retard that adoption by reducing the benefits."

site: http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/