not to be confused with manna

“Mana is the concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The concept is common to many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian.

In anthropological discourse, mana as a generalized concept has attained a significant amount of interest, often understood as a precursor to formal religion. It has commonly been interpreted as ‘the stuff of which magic is formed’, as well as the substance of which souls are made.

Modern fantasy fiction and computer and role-playing games have adopted mana as a term for magic points—an expendable resource out of which magic users form their magical spells.

Mana should not be confused with the Biblical manna (also spelled mana or mannah) which, according to the Bible (Exodus, chapter 16), provided sustenance for the Israelites. (…)”

via.

ernest cline’s planet of the monkeys

This probably already is widely known. I have come across Ernest Cline‘s via Dialogic this morning for the first time. Dance Monkey Dance, about which I’m not sure whether it is a visualization by somebody else on a slam-poem by Cline or created by Cline himself, is a magnificant example of how certain anthropologic knowledge in a non-dry and entertaining but well-elaborated and critical way can be mediated to the public.

Klicking through Cline’s bio I’m amazed by both, its digital structure simplicistically reproducing the narrative [form follows content] and the very cyberpunk exhibit that is presented over there.

forgotten flags

Forgotten Flags is an interactive documentary by Florian Thalhofer.

“Germany, summer 2006–a sea of black, red and gold. The 2006 Soccer World Cup changed the way Germans perceived their own country. What is left over half a year later? Florian Thalhofer and Juliane Henrich traveled 2562 km all over Germany to talk to people that still have a German flag outside their houses. They met astonishing ordinary people with all kinds of different German accents. (English subtitles by Anja Tachler and Wenzel Bilger.) The Korsakow-Film “Forgotten Flags” is presented by the Goethe-Institute as part of the Odysseus Project.”

This is not solely about nationalism reemerging in Germany–we learn a lot about the author’s identity here, I’d like to add to Adrian’s note by which I’ve come across the film.

Once you’re there, have a worthwhile look at Thalhofer’s other projects, too.

kyrill waters

Big wind outside tonight, category 2. Someone has put up an orkanblog. Storm warnings on the media all day, schools closed and traffic stands still. People are advised to stay in their houses on all channels and streets are totally empty.  

I didn’t know ‘Orkan’ translates to ‘hurricane’. An Orkan is the same phenomenon as taifuns and hurricanes are. As one can look up on the Saffir-Simpson Scale Orkan Kyrill is not so much of a problem regarding wind but regarding the water that is pressed into the land. The North Sea is just one hour drive away. 85% of Bremen’s town area would be flooded by river Weser without an Orkan two times a day by nature, if there wasn’t a complexe system of dikes.