buffoonbia university

this is an interesting article about Ahmadinejad (i can write it...i can't pronounce it...) speaking at Columbia University. According to the article the university president was rude to the speaker...that seems weird to me...but he really was an asshole...just watch:

into the system

I can't wait to see Sean Penn's directing of "into the wild"!

I loved the book. The story. And the ideas that the story of Christopher McCandless communicates. The ideas that many of us have, but few of us pursue. the idealistic concept of pure freedom. That it lives out there...somewhere...Chris looked for it...

These days' I'm finding freedom much more locally...right in my own neighborhood, and within the bay area...I'm finding it in some good books...one of which I just started. One I have already fallen in love with...

"Finding George Orwell in Burma" by Emma Larkin is a story about a writer trying to find what inspired and changed George Orwell to, without warning, pull up stakes from a stint he had in Burma with the Imperial Police Force and begin a career as a writer. A writer focussed on the struggle of the self within an oppressive system. Some people say that George Orwell wrote a trilogy of Burma when he penned Burmese Days, Animal Farm and 1984. Both telling of the country's history, and the uncanny ability to peer into it's future.

I just started reading the book but its timeliness with the Buddhist monks of Myanmar pushing for freedom is compelling. I salute their courage. I briefly saw a quote from a monk effectively saying, "this is our fight. Please let us stand tall." This is the courage that sends a chill down my spine and a tear down my cheek.

I somehow feel that if Christopher McCandless had such a struggle for freedom he would have said something similar. There are some amazing people in this world...

not buying "not buying it"

The aim of this blog was to address the issues covered in "not buying it". The author covered the issues so well, so thoroughly in a well-written manner that ...well...the job has been done....I love the book...check it out...literally...(unless you want to help the author out....then hit the 'barnes and noble'...getting all the contradictions here...)

not buying it

Reading a great book right now about an author and her boyfriend, and their year of taking a break from the consumer lifestyle...a year of not buying stuff...a year of 'not buying it'....

don't buy it! hit the library! great read...

slow down...you move too fast

man...where does the time go?

last night at a friend's birthday party i got to talking to two guys i didn't know. it's always fun meeting new people. I soon became to be known as 'mr. philosopher'...as we jumped from topic to topic...from 'the unabomber' to 'where is society is heading?'

it's amazing what range of topics you can discuss with strangers if you toss in humour and a little lite heartedness...

anyhow, one of the more shallow topics we discussed, but interesting nonetheless, was the speed of today's society...i later got into speed dating conversation with another movie loving fellow, but that's another story...

where are we rushing too?

and don't let anyone tell you different...speed is contagious....

I was in New York City for a fun little stint about a year ago. I was there as a tourist...as a relaxing tourist...

but i realized i was getting caught up in the fast walking, jay street crossing, new york speed...i got swept into the fast flowing currents of city life...i had to say to myself, "wow...slow down"...and i actually got out of the rip current, swam ashore and sat on the sidelines and let my heart beat slow down....and blood pressure drop...

i have to do that more these days as well...

now let me go...gotta run...

skilling on the loose?

lock your doors...hide you children...a threat is on the loose...

jeffrey skilling from Enron may be released early...

monopolize my time

I just played the game 'monopoly' for the first time in probably 25 years...and man it was fun! I forgotten how much fun that game is...it brought back a ton of memories from when I was a kid...

Buying properties, collecting rents...the unknown mysteries of the 'chance' and 'community chest' cards...the cheap, but mysterious 'tycoon' that is the monopoly logo...ahhhh, it was great...

is playing business in 'real life' supposed to be so much fun? Is that how Donald Trump sees the game of life...or does he actually identify with it?

The board game is great...the feel of the pieces...holding of the cards and money...i can't help but wonder how video games can compete...

For a long time, board games were seen as 'un cool'.

I remember playing 'risk' a lot in a high school (yes, I was a nerd) and had so much fun. I made a mad dash for the 'in crowd' my senior year and made it in long enough to have a look around. During a night of drinking beer (it was gross then) at 'the dike' that held back the eb and flow of the waters of the Everglades, I thought, "This is really boring. I wish I was playing risk..."

Maybe the 'un cool' feeling people had about board games was an effective marketing campaign by other growth industries, such as video games.

Board games are a minimal investment (i just bought monopoly for 11 bucks...) versus a video game system where you need the system, the games, the controllers, and of course the hi def flat panel tv...minimum for the 'bare bones system' will set you back ten times that amount...plus all that power you have to consume...

man...

video game suck......money and electricity that is...

fear this...

we, as Americans, have the idea that we are the "tough guy" on the block of international politics. Will we always believe this? Will it take a new Chinese bully to knock us off the top of the mountain? What will that do to Americans concept of themselves?

I was just sitting outside at a store eating lunch in the city and saw a guy walk by with an American flag on his t-shirt with the words, "fear this" beneath the flag. It didn't say:

“love this...”

or

“when you need help...”

but “fear this...”

As I watched him drive off in his oversized pick-up truck...I couldn't help but think maybe his shirt should say:

"pity this..."

P.S. But I was afraid to think it...was that wrong?