Our Times: May 2006

Sounds Good

A dress from designer Alyce Santoro is made from recycled cassette tapes and other fibres, which becomes audible when combined with a minimally modified Walkman. The creation combines the concept of wind-activated prayers on Tibetan prayer flags with Santoro's love of sailing.

“As a kid I would imagine I could hear sound coming off the tape if the wind hit it the right way,” she said.

The Ghost That Lives

An Indian man believed dead by his family and fellow villagers caused panic when he “returned.” Fearing he'd come back as a ghost, villagers and family members ostracised him, forcing Mr Raghuvanshi to file a complaint with local police. The village council has demanded he prove he is not a ghost, but the form of proof remains unknown.

Difficult Decision

An Italian court has been given the responsibility of deciding whether Jesus Christ is fact or myth. Plaintiff Luigi Casciolli, a 70-year-old atheist, has filed a lawsuit against a 70-year-old priest, Enrico Righi, for deception and impersonation. However in Roman Catholic Italy, Casciolli admits, “it will take a miracle to win.” 

Act of God

New Orleans Mayor C Ray Gagin said in a recent public address that the hurricane that recently devasted his city was a sigh that "God is mad at America." Nagin, an African-American, also stated that God must be "upset at black America also."