Acclaimed poet Busta Rhymes, the man who delivered the best verse on A Tribe Called Quest’s seminal album "The Low End Theory," once wrote that "My making it is a combination of grinding, grinding, grinding and being lucky enough to finally get a shot."
As another week draws to a close here at UF, I think we can all find something to relate and aspire to in that statement.
Just because we all have a lot going on doesn’t mean that we don’t have time for…
Darts and Laurels
As we covered in yesterday’s edition, Momcology and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer — two organizations centered on raising money and awareness for childhood cancer — held a bake sale on Turlington Plaza.
As upsetting as childhood cancer is, it is inspiring to see people not only make the best of a difficult situation, but turn it into an opportunity to educate and brighten the days of others. For being incredibly sweet and showing resolved in the face of adversity, Momcology and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer get a Laurel.
For those of you who enjoy cucumbers, we have some bad news.
You’re going to want to stay away from any dish peppered with cucumbers for a little while.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that salmonella-ridden cucumbers from Mexico have left two people dead and 341 sick.
The cucumbers, which were distributed by San Diego-based company Andrew & William Fresh Produce, have been recalled, but there is no way of being 100 percent sure about what has or has not made its way into the wild — the wild, of course, being our refrigerators and favorite restaurants.
It should be no surprise that salmonella gets a gross, bacteria-laced Dart for ruining cucumbers, a vegetable that should never be associated with sickness and death.
Terry Gilliam has done a tremendous amount for the arts over the course of his four-decade long career.
As a member of Monty Python, he provided iconic animations and timeless laughs; as a director, he brought the twisted tongue of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson to life with his adaptation of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and crafted dystopian epics with the likes of "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys."
So when Variety erroneously published a premature obituary of the man, it should be no surprise that many were upset.
However, Gilliam himself took it in stride.
Befitting of his usually absurdist approach to life, he responded to the obituary in a Facebook post reading, "I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING DEAD especially to those who have already bought tickets to the upcoming talks, but, Variety has announced my demise. Don’t believe their retraction and apology!"
Death is a scary, frightening prospect. For a man of Gilliam’s age — 74, if we’re counting — to dismiss it with a chuckle and a shrug is admirable, and there’s something to be said for it.
For being a good sport about his eventual date with his maker, Terry Gilliam gets a crassly animated, clip-art styled Laurel.
