Strangers #5: Kesia and Konrad

Strangers #5: Kesia and Konrad
Originally uploaded by Miss.Informed

Kasia and Konrad are architects from Poland. They were very kind and let me take their picture for my project 100strangers. They have been living in Edinburgh for a couple of years. They are both from Kracow. We had a lovely conversation about architecture and design and the importance of beautiful buildings in cities. I was attracted to Kasia’s green hat (which hides very striking black hair) and their air of love and relaxation. I’ve been committed to taking photos in black and white, but there was something about the green hat.

(I wrote this from memory, several days later, instead of the copious notes that I usually scribble. I hope that i haven't made any mistakes)

Uploaded by Miss.Informed on 10 Nov 08, 4.33PM GMT

Strangers #4

Strangers #4
Originally uploaded by Miss.Informed

Things must have been a bit slow at the recruitment office. They both waved as I walked past, peering into the window.

These two fine young men are Sammy and James. They agreed to be #4 for my
100 strangers project. They offered me a career in the army, which I had to decline. I made the mistake of telling them I was a teacher and they regaled me with stories of how they used to make their teachers' lives miserable. Holy terrors apparently. One of them removed the armrest on the teachers chair and glued thumbtacks along the base. Charming.

James is 18 and has been in the Army for eighteen months. He works in reconnaissance. He told me, "The army has been the making of me." He waiting to be deployed to Afghanistan. Sammy, in the infantry, has been on two tours of duty: Iraq and Afghanistan and is waiting to be redeployed in a couple of months.

They were a good laugh, the pair of them. I was brought back to the seriousness of their work at the end. Sammy, the guy on the left, referred to James as "just a baby"

I laughed and shot back, " At 22, you're a fine one to talk."

"Yeah, well at the end of the day I know I am doing a man's job."

Indeed. I may quibble with the politics that sends our troops over. But I have enormous respect for the folk that choose to serve their country. Stay safe boys.

Uploaded by Miss.Informed on 19 Oct 08, 5.34PM GMT.

100 Strangers: 3/100

100 Strangers: 3/100
Originally uploaded by Miss.Informed

went back to the market with my cousin and new flatmate. We sat behind the statue of King Edward the whoever and munched on a tasty brat sausage and we saw these two gentlemen.

I freely admit it; I eavesdropped. He was speaking with unusual intensity about international politics and globalisation. My curiosity was peaked and I asked him if he would be my next stranger for www.100strangers.com. We spent the next 25 minutes speaking with him and his more silent friend, Carlos (seated on the right).

This gentleman spoke with the evangelical zeal of a preacher. Except, he wasn't preaching hell-fire and redemption. He was passionately anti-capitalist, anti consumerism and socialist. His speech was punctuated by his friend, Carlos' nods of approval and agreement. He asked if I was American and I said no; i did tell him that my cousin had just lived in New York for a year. He told me that being in New York had depressed him, especially when he'd seen flats that had bars to keep people from stealing. "Americans," he said, "are living in spiritual poverty because of the American dream that makes them over consume."

His life has been one of roving: he had lived in New York, Toronto, Iran and on a kibbutz in the Golan Heights. He told us a story of hitch-hiking from Thunder Bay to New York in the middle of winter.

As I was taking this photo, he was telling a story to my cousin and flatmate. Apparently, he was in New York and about to pay for a room at the Waldorf Astoria. A security guard heard his accent and came up to him and asked him; " So Scotty, whaddya think of George Dubya Bush?"

At this point, he paused in his story and stood up to illustrate his point. Then he BOOMED out, in the middle of union street, right next to the international market: "I THINK GEORGE BUSH IS A MOTHER FUCKING WANKER" It was so loud that heads across the street swiveled towards us.

On cue, some young man walking down Union shouted back, "Fucking too right he's a wanker!"

I then realised I hadn't even asked his name. Everyone, please meet David.

Uploaded by Miss.Informed on 29 Sep 08, 11.40AM GMT.

100 Strangers: 2/100

100 Strangers: 2/100
Originally uploaded by Miss.Informed

Meet Ian. After a text from a friend reminding me that the international market was on today, I decided that I'd go with camera in tow.

Ian was eating a bag of some of the yummiest sugar-covered cashews which he promptly offered me as gave him my spiel about www.100strangers.com. He was game for a portrait almost immediately. Ian has the "gift of gab" and one of those blessed people who it's always easy to talk to. In fact, I think I might have managed to ask the friendliest person there!

Ian lives outside of Aberdeen, in Balmedie. If you're not from Aberdeenshire, that the place where Donald Trump wanted to put his controversial golf course. Ian seems to have a grudging respect for Donald Trump and wasn't too put out by the idea of golf course.

Originally, Ian comes from Sunderland, but has lived in Aberdeen for over 20 years and he went to university here. He trades in "commoditites", which I wish I got him to explain, 'cause I haven't a bloody clue what that means. He loves Aberdeen and the people. Ian told me that the best part of Aberdeen is Fittie, the little fishing village at the mouth of harbour.

We even had a connection! Apparently, Ian also knows my boss at the restaurant where I waitress. We chatted for a good bit and I met some of his friends. Once again, he was pretty keen on the black and white portrait, but I will post a couple of the outtakes later. Thanks Ian!

100 Strangers: Steph #1

100 Strangers: Steph #1
Originally uploaded by Miss.Informed
Meet Steph. She is my first stranger. I originally asked her friend to pose, but he declined. After a bit of a discussion, she said; "why not? " So thank you Steph, for being cool and posing for some crazy random.

I originally thought the makeup and piercings would make a pretty cool portrait, but she was convinced by me offering to shoot in b&w. I have a pic of her smiling which i'll post sometime...she liked this one the best.

Stef is in college studying art and design. She hopes to work in the music industry.
www.100strangers.com

Reductio ad hitlerum ( some latin pish meaning how to win an argument by playing really bloody dirty)

I've been teaching rhetorical strategies to my students. They wanted to know if there was any fool-proof way of winning an argument.

My reply was an emphatic "no", but in the back of my head, reductio ad hitlerum sprang into my mind. It's the dirtiest trick in the book: align your opponent with the Nazis or Hitler and you win, or appear to win, your argument.
"Vegetarianism saves grain that could legitimately feed the the world."
"Oh yeah? Hitler was a vegetarian."
Case closed.

It's a rhetorical device that is riddled with fallacies, to be sure. And, if you use it with someone more knowledgeable or smarter than you, you may find yourself looking like a right asshole. But it does have the lovely effect of stopping the argument in its tracks. Nobody wants to be a nazi.

I'm not a fan of reductio ad hitlerum. In some parts of the world, using it might even be a profound insult. But, I'll admit I have used it: it is of particular use in those conversations with belligerent know-it-alls who have no ability to listen to any perspective but their own.

I've started a blog. Clearly, you say. Why? Dunno, a few reasons really. One of them is because I'm an English teacher and I realised the other day that I don't write. I don't even know what this blog is going to be about. It might just be me reading it everyday. I might be ok with that. In any case, I've got shit to say. Hello world.