I Dropped A Caterpillar

I dropped a caterpillar
Into a spider's web
When I was six years old.
It was horrific.

From that point on,
I deserved all the ill the world could throw at me.

By Jim. Taken from Objectify's comment in response to the Guardian's article 'Bold Gill sans sense'.

From Russia With

'Linking the price of gas
to the one of oil is

an anachronism,'
argued Mikhail Korchemkin

of East European
Gas Analysis. 'There is an

oversupply of inexpensive
gas in the world, and the market prices

of oil and of gas often move
in opposite directions.'

From Andrew, spotted half way down this article on the Russia Profile web site.

Staring At Not Out

Cleaning
Instructions to be undertaken
by trained personnel only

Opening Window
Remove mishandling
block with black
key provided.
Press button
marked Press
whilst pushing
window open

Cleaning Window
Press button
marked Press
and push window
open to arms
length, then
continue reversal
by pulling
window from the top
until window
engages
with restrictor.

Leaning out of the window is not necessary for this operation.

Noticed on the pane of the new office window. Window spotting enthusiasts will recognise the instructions as belonging to the ECON 75 T.S. Submitted by Alan Mitchell.

Poems from the Menu Bar #1

Illustrator/View

Preview overprint,
preview pixel, preview.
Proof setup, proof,
colors zoom in, zoom.

Out fit in window,
actual size. Hide edges,

hide artboard, hide,
page tiling show.

Slices lock, slices,
show template, show,
rulers hide bounding box,
show transparency grid.

Show text threads,
guides smart, guides.
Show grid, snap to grid,
snap to point new:

View edit, views.

The 'View' drop down menu from the Adobe Illustrator menu bar on my computer, but with punctuation forced upon it. Submitted by Gabriel Smy. See also Poems from the Menu Bar #2-4 and #5.

Called Out

LIFE IS VERY

SIMPLE REALLY
!!!!
BUT SOME OF

US HUMANS MAKE

A MESS OF IT
...
REMEMBER
AM JUST HERE

TO HAVE FUN
PARTEEEEEEE.

The Facebook status of fugitive Maxi Sopo, 21 June 09, shortly before he was arrested in Mexico having been traced through Facebook by US investigators. Submitted by Gabriel Smy.

Tick Tock

In Nineteen hundred and three
Benjamin Ginsberg,
–the founder of rooibos tea–

rode into the remote Cedarberg Mountains
in the Cape and found farmers
making a rough brew from a wild plant.

Using traditional tea curing
techniques he perfected
–this delicious tea–

now enjoyed round the world.
Today his family continues
–their unbroken rooibos tea–

tradition from Nineteen hundred and three.
Tick Tock tea is still made
to his original specifications.

Gentle and soothing, rooibos tea
is well known for its many health properties.
–Naturally caffeine free–

Tick Tock can be enjoyed by the whole family
at any time of day, or as the ideal
bedtime drink. And it is high

in antioxidants that can help protect
your immune system against free
radicals. Organically grown,

–Tick Tock rooibos tea–
is still harvested by hand and cured
naturally in the clear Cedarberg air.



From the side of a Tick Tock 80 tea bags box. Dashes have been added to accentuate the rhymes and phraseology more. Submitted by Amy.

Throwing Things

Once I know what beliefs and emotions
are behind my kids’ bad behavior,
it is a million times easier
to craft an effective response.

Why is Fiona
throwing things in
the grocery cart? Is
she bored? Craving my
attention? Remember that
often kids don’t know why they
are doing something, so just asking
them outright might not work. But I’ve learned
over time that when my kids are acting really big
(screaming, for example) they are often feeling very small.

From the blog Half Full: Science for Raising Happy Kids. Submitted by Marika Rose.

On The Shelf

Knowledge, Power and Educational Reform
Pedagogy, Symbolic Control and Identity
Education, Culture, Economy, Society

Sociological theory: A book of readings
Sex work: A risky business
Semiotics: The basics

Sixth-Form Colleges
Education for Sale
Born to Buy

Consumed
Branded
Trend

Book titles on my shelf. Submitted by Lucie Shuker.

At rest

A nonet

At rest. After much suffering, rest.
Sadly missed. In the midst of life
we are in death. Satisfied
when I awake with thy
likeness. Wife of the
above. Not gone
from love. Thy
will be
done.

I missed a trick yesterday. Having collected all those different length sentiments from gravestones in Histon Road Cemetery, the world was my oyster in terms of (smaller) poetic forms. Instead I banged out this free verse. So here's a nonet from the same material to make up for it. Submitted by Gabriel Smy.

In the Midst of Life We are in Death

In the midst of life we are in death.

Be ye faithful unto death, a crown awaits for you.
Satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.
Not lost but gone before.
Gone but not forgotten.
Thy will be done.

Not gone from memory
Not gone from love
But gone to his father's home above.

The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.
Thy will be done.

'Thy will be done' seems hard to say
When he we loved was called away.

Sadly missed.
She hath done what she could.

None knew thee but to love thee
Nor named thee but to praise.

After much suffering, rest. Peacefully
resting until the dawn breaks.
In the garden of memories we meet everyday.

Why do the robin and the butterfly
linger where you have lingered? Can they know
the knowledge, wit and charity that lie
here now and yet go with you where you go?

At rest. Wife of the above. Thy will be done.

A selection of sentiments from the gravestones in Histon Road Cemetery, Cambridge, UK. Submitted by Gabriel Smy.

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This is exactly what I saw visiting this page, using Safari 4 browser. Anyone else get the same problem? Submitted by Gabriel Smy.

Alan to Zoe

Alan, Alfie, Ami,
Benedict, Clementine, Eilidh.
Ethan,
Ewan,
Gemma, Georgia,
Huxley, Isaac, Joseph, Leah,
Liam, Macie, Marika.
Mateus, Matthew,
Muadh, Niuniu,
Pietro,
Risha, Seungji, Shilo.
Tamzin, Taslima, Tyan,
Yonatan.
Zoe.



My son has just started school. This list contains the first names of all his classmates (memorised from their pegs). He's having trouble remembering them. Submitted by Gabriel Smy.