Cleansing the Gum Wall
In 2015 a city decided it was time to clean up something that was attracting unwanted visitors. So a maintenance crew began the tedious work of removing more than one million pieces of gum—weighing more than a ton—stuck to the iconic “Gum Wall.” What began twenty years before, when patrons began sticking gum on the wall while waiting in line for the local theater, had turned into a popular tourist attraction. Unfortunately, the wall was also popular with the local rat population!
no-sex week
For several years, Yale University—an elite institution in the US—allowed students to engage in an annual 7-day sexual frenzy known as Sex Week at Yale. The week included “prominently featured titillating displays, [porn] film stars, and commercial sponsors of such material.” But a campus group called Undergraduates for a Better Yale College rose up and challenged Sex Week, declaring that…
today #24
Today . . .
I am the clay,
You, O Lord, are the Potter.
Today,
mold me,
make me,
shape me according to Your will.
I am the vessel,
use me, O God.
Use me for Your glory.
And when You have,
cleanse me, O God,
that I may be prepared
to be used again.
I empty myself out,
so that You can fill me up.
I am the clay,
You are the Potter;
make me,
mold me,
use…
cleansing
Every 12 years, millions of Hindus flock to Allahabad, India, to take a dip in the Ganges River. Scores get hurt as bathers rush to the water. The solution: purification by proxy. A popular Web site, webdunia.com, offers virtual cleansing. “Pilgrims” who want to avoid crowds, chaos, and travel costs can send a passport-size photo to the site, which then…
