Penguin Feather

Life is but a walking shadow…

2009-01-15T19:51:00.003-05:00

Recently I encountered the Ark, which is an animated short film about a man and his struggle with the meaninglessness of life. It’s a rather great animated film if you as me and was what sparked these thoughts…

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
-William Shakespeare

An interpretation might be that life is meaningless, however the more we look at nature the more its reiterated that there is no inherent meaning designed into it, at least none that is put there for human beings. Which harks the old saying “it is what it is,” but that doesn't mean life is meaningless. A basketball game has no inherent meaning. Its just a game, but to the players, coaches, and fans it has an infinite variety of meanings.

As soon as you come to grips with the fact that you are a part of nature and not above it, you can accept that life is not there to provide meaning. Meaning will present itself. Modern society is not at a loss for meaning. Modern society is actually sick with meaning. That's why so many people complain about the news and the lack of straight reporting. We're always being fed someone else's idea of significance. The existential crisis gets much less critical when you find something you love to do and focus on it. Meaning then revolves around what you consider important and exists for each of us to find individually.

jump – The Ark Film & Website

Tainted Understanding

2009-01-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

There is an art of listening. To be able to really listen, one should abandon or put aside all prejudices, preformulations and daily activities... But unfortunately most of us listen through a screen of resistance. We are screened with prejudices, whether religious or spiritual, psychological or scientific; or with our daily worries, desires, and fears. And with these for a screen, we listen. Therefore, we listen really to our own noise, to our own sound, not to what is being said. It is extremely difficult to put aside our training, our prejudices, our inclination, our resistance, and reaching beyond the verbal expression, to listen so that we understand instantaneously. -Jiddu Krishnamurti

In order for one to practice the art of listening as it should be, one needs to take a step back from themselves. As no one shares the same conscience, it is futile to let your preconceived thoughts taint your understanding. All our experiences are unique and are in fact what builds individuality, but by listening to another through a screen of our accomplished prejudices, we lose the true meaning of what the other is saying in a mix of our interpretations.

Sitting here I am beginning to think this is less an art form and more a way of thought. Although, it's possible that the comprehension of this doctrine can be understood as a philosophy and its execution, an art form. However you look at it, listening is a product of perpetual understanding. One cannot be taught to think this way or that, just as one cannot be taught to appreciate the setting sun, it's a matter of understanding the beauty of what the situation possess. It is that of learned situations that makes this philosophy difficult to practice. We each step through life learning from different situations and thus building our psyche around what we like and dislike, and it is that, that makes the art of listening so hard. In order to really listen we need to, as I said, take a step back from ourselves, meaning we need to deconstruct of any learned preconceptions. From there we are able to really listen.

Jiddu Krishnamurti (May 11, 1895–February 17, 1986) was a well known writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: the purpose of meditation, human relationships, the nature of the mind, and how to enact positive change in global society.(viaWikipedia)

Moving Millions...

2008-11-06T00:16:00.002-05:00

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, its that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if Americas beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

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You might not like his politics but you have to admire his message.

Bigger Than Hip-Hop...

2008-11-06T00:00:00.002-05:00

There is no doubt that the presidential nomination for Barak Obama is historic for breaking racial boundaries but it is detrimental for people to hold this as the singular remarkable aspect. Lost in the praise for his color are the extraordinary feats that he as a person has been able to accomplish. Aside from being the first black president he is one of the first men to transcend all creed, color, and class, and inspire not only a nation but much of the world as well. His powerful voice has broken down walls of indifference, whether it be racial, political or social and centered on bringing all people together for a cause that has been somewhat lost in this country for many years: Hope and togetherness.

Our country may be the best in the world but it is far from perfect and Obama's message of hope has stirred a considerably apathetic country of white, black, yellow, brown, red, blue, green and best of all mixed people to become involved and concede the fact that change is necessary in order to advance our nation. He has done this through his endless approach of speaking bluntly to an American people, with all our diversity we must stand together and become a united people, because we all serve under the same American flag.

Barak Obama has imposed unanimity upon the divergent with his message of Hope, and I think that we, in talking about his success plainly as a racial triumph are doing not only him but people in general a disservice. He is bigger than Hip Hop as transcends any racial classification. It is amazing to me to become inspired by someone so different and become so familiar with someone so far. It has nothing to do with his color or mixture thereof but his overall message that makes me want to be a better person. In the times ahead we need someone to believe in, we need a reason to look forward to and a hope to hold on to.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." –Friedrich Nietzsche

A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

2008-04-01T23:31:00.002-04:00

Words to Live By

2008-03-19T14:31:00.007-04:00

The following are The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism taken from the book Interbeing by Thich Nhat Hanh. Take them in with care.

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.

2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialog, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness.

4. Do not avoid suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including personal contact, visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your hatred.

7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.

8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realize your ideal of compassion.

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.

13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realisation of the Way. (For brothers and sisters who are not monks and nuns:) Sexual expression should not take place without love and commitment. In sexual relations, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.

After reading this comes the inevitable thought; if these Precepts, however improbable, were understood by the worlds population, the world would become a more attractive, open and unique society than is presently so. It bothers me that people have become so close-minded that they fail to see any other opinion or view as valid. I would imagine that narrowmindedness is somewhat contagious in todays propagandiose society. It seems that people are to involved in the outcome of 24 to recognize that knowledge in this world, such as these fourteen Precepts, is not finite.

Now I must admit I am guilty for not allowing myself to follow these precepts, as I would imagine the same result for most people. However I feel that as long as I can recognize my faults I can work on making them better. These Fourteen Precepts are something I think everyone should at least take the time out to consider if not utilize.

Jump - The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism
Image Credit - David Lanham

No One Wants to be Alone

2008-03-13T16:15:00.002-04:00

"It's not good to be alone..." because life itself is nothing if lived unequaled. Aside from the procreative need for companionship, it is the compassion and acceptance we receive from others that allows us to thrive. Our interactions establish relationships and consequently form memories for times when we find ourselves alone. However, there are some things that might not be worth remembering as is such in this narrative called Space Alone by ilias sounas.

If the bond of friendship suddenly became intangible would you surrender your memories with the hopes to ease the pain?

Disgust...

2008-01-29T12:18:00.000-05:00

Maybe that is the key; to goof around, explore new things and not let society dictate what it is that you should be doing with your time. After all it is your time and while society has a way of shaping the world you see it can never tell you how to think.

Do You Know Where It Is?

2008-01-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

There is a great probability that you don't know where it is, have never been close and are never going to find the "edge", which in effect renders it a true statement. Some may be content in not knowing, for that is where their safety lies. However for some, and as it should be for all, this concept of the "edge" should be explored, built upon and extended. Being scared of and creating boundaries around ways in which your mind works is extremely detrimental as for the most part your imagination should be limitless.

Creationism | Evolution

2007-12-16T22:51:00.000-05:00

Man has long searched for an answer to the questions; who, what, why, when, how and where do we come from? Lines have been drawn in the sand to which people have inevitably chosen sides. Speaking subjectively there is no right answer and as much as I would like to persuade you in my direction I can't because it all comes down to the individual belief.

For a quite compelling take on this subject check out the videos, or for a unique side by side comparison checkout Duelity.

Do You Measure Up - Universcale

2007-11-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

"Without a meaningful, believable story that explains the world we actually live in, people have no idea how to think about the big picture. And without a big picture, we are very small people. A human without a cosmology is like a pebble lying near the top of a great mountain, in contact with its little indentation in the dirt and pebbles immediately surrounding it, but oblivious to its stupendous view." - The View from the Center of the Universe, 2006

In affect we are the pebble, and the mountain the universe. Our comfort lies in the tangibility of the world around us, what we can see, hear, feel; we can understand. When we lose these general sensations we become frightened at the aspect of the unknown. Devoid of any physical explanation, we as humans have assigned the concept of size in place of our insecurities. Thus allowing for a universal, relatable scale for comprehension.

Size for you and I, hopefully, is nothing new. However Nikon has take this concept and created the Universcale. Travel from the edge of the universe to the innards of an atom, all on the basic measurements that we can all comprehend.

Do You Measure Up - Universcale

What They Saved From the Fire

2007-10-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

With the onslaught of fires in California it seems only fitting to wonder what few possessions one would save for themselves. If the fire was quickly approaching and there was only enough time to gather a few items, what would they be? Family pictures, important documents, a college degree might be the first thing to cross your mind but what about actual material possessions like jewelery, books, clothes or maybe a toothbrush and a pillow. It seems a rather daunting task to have to decide between belongings one might cherish and the things one will actually need. Personally I would take my computer, my journal, the book my Grandfather wrote and my iPod.

In any event and in my opinion, no one really wants to be faced with such a choice. We build our lives around the items that we have gathered; family photos, art, music collection, and books. And when it comes down to discriminating between them in order to find the items that hold the most meaning, it most likely could be overwhelming.

Time.com has just created a photo essay documenting the possessions people have chosen to take with them in their time of displacement.

Link - What They Saved From the Fire

Thats Life

2007-10-22T23:05:00.001-04:00

Thats life... a continuation of thoughts and ideas constantly building upon one another to reveal and/or construct an individual aesthetic experience.

Doesn't that sound about right? How would you define life?

Whats the Worst Thing to Lose?

2007-10-15T23:28:00.001-04:00

I'm not one for admiring advertisements, however when I came across these I felt they would be fitting to share:

It was curiosity that killed the cat, which makes a good point as to why so many people seem to lose that mindset as they get further along in life. It might seem in ones best interest to lose that curiosity and go with the flow of things but honestly whats the fun in that; who really wants to stop discovering and asking questions? Now besides the obvious intent behind this series of ads, there is an underlying message that, I think, should be heralded. That being... Live curiously and always ask questions. Study different perspectives in order to evolve your own. And legitimize yourself by seeking your own path. Now I am not a professional philosopher (yet) but I do feel strongly about my observation.

Karma

2007-10-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

What Goes Around, Comes Around

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."

"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.

At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.

"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.

"Yes," the farmer replied proudly.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St.Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known. Throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said: What goes around comes around.

Link - Opey

Define Life Your Own Way

2007-10-07T10:54:00.000-04:00

Life: Explained

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

And the moral of this story is: ......... Know where you're going in life... you may already be there.

Link - Life: Explained

I Do Not Care

2007-10-07T10:40:00.001-04:00

I Don't Want to Tell You How to Think but Maybe You Should Consider This

2007-10-03T20:32:00.000-04:00

The following is an interesting story with an important moral, so please enjoy.

Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the student claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student agreed to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected.

I read the examination question: "SHOW HOW IT IS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE HEIGHT OF A TALL BUILDING WITH THE AID OF A BAROMETER." The student had answered, "Take the barometer to the top of the building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to the street, and then bring it up, measuring the length of the rope. The length of the rope is the height of the building."

The student really had a strong case for full credit since he had really answered the question completely and correctly! On the other hand, if full credit were given, it could well contribute to a high grade in his physics course and to certify competence in physics, but the answer did not confirm this. I suggested that the student have another try. I gave the student six minutes to answer the question with the warning that the answer should show some knowledge of physics.

At the end of five minutes, he had not written anything. I asked if he wished to give up, but he said he had many answers to this problem; he was just thinking of the best one. I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to please go on.

In the next minute, he dashed off his answer which read: "Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer, timing its fall with a stopwatch.Then, using the formula x=0.5*a*t^^2, calculate the height of the building." At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He conceded,and gave the student almost full credit.

While leaving my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had said that he had other answers to the problem, so I asked him what they were. "Well," said the student, "there are many ways of getting the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer. For example, you could take the barometer out on a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building,and by the use of simple proportion, determine the height of the building."

"Fine," I said, "and others?" "Yes," said the student, "there is a very basic measurement method you will like. In this method, you take the barometer and begin to walk up the stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer along the wall. You then count the number of marks, and this will give you the height of the building in barometer units." "A very direct method." "Of course. If you want a more sophisticated method, you can tie the barometer to the end of a string, swing it as a pendulum, and determine the value of g at the street level and at the top of the building. From the difference between the two values of g, the height of the building,in principle, can be calculated."

"On this same tact, you could take the barometer to the top of the building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to just above the street, and then swing it as a pendulum. You could then calculate the height of the building by the period of the precession". "Finally," he concluded, "there are many other ways of solving the problem. Probably the best," he said, "is to take the barometer to the basement and knock on the superintendent's door. When the superintendent answers, you speak to him as follows: 'Mr. Superintendent, here is a fine barometer. If you will tell me the height of the building, I will give you this barometer." At this point, I asked the student if he really did not know the conventional answer to this question. He admitted that he did, but said that he was fed up with high school and college instructors trying to teach him how to think. The student was Neils Bohr.

Link - Slashdot

Famous Last Words...

2007-10-02T10:49:00.000-04:00

Click on the image for a close up.

When Your Hero Falls...

2007-10-01T23:34:00.000-04:00

"When Ure Hero Falls"

when your hero falls from grace
all fairy tales r uncovered
myths exposed and pain magnified
the greatest pain discovered
u taught me 2 be strong
but im confused 2 c u so weak
u said never 2 give up
and it hurts 2 c u welcome defeat

when ure hero falls so do the stars
and so does the perception of tomorrow
without my hero there is only
me alone 2 deal with my sorrow
your heart ceases 2 work
and your soul is not happy at all
what r u expected 2 do
when ure only hero falls

The message in the poem is as simple as it was delivered; what do you do when your hero falls Most everyone has heard of the author but probably no one has ever experience anything he has had to say for the reason of general misconceptions. Many will describe his genre as delinquent. And some will say that his message is delivered in such as way that isn't worthy of attention. Regardless of where his recognition might be derived and what you think or how you feel great minds will prevail. I would like to introduce Tupac Shakur.

I never had a hero at least I didn't think I did, but as I look back I always admired my grandfather. Not because of his status, his awards, or his popularity but because he was the smartest man I ever knew and him being a rocket scientist had nothing to do with it. He told me one time that "philosophy is for the people that have nothing else to do," although that was my major reasoning behind my talks with him. I wanted his philosophy on life and to discover his perception on the world. However, our talks never evolved into that deep discussion I had wanted so badly. For that I blame myself for not being able to compose my thoughts well enough in order to ask him what I really wanted to know. In the end, I guess I could say that my hero did fall but I do not look at the future in disdain for I take what I had learned in the moments that we shared and I start to build myself again. Thank you Scott Crossfield.

Try, Try, Try Again

2007-09-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Have you ever failed at something? Ever wanted to give up? Chances are you have failed and I know that I've wanted to give up many times. But just think of how the world would be if all the important figures throughout history would have given up after their first failure. We wouldn't have many great things like Democracy or Google. So it isn't how many times you fail, it is how you pick yourself up. So let that resonate in your mind as you take a look at this list I have found of famous people and the trials they endured in order to reach their individual purpose.

This is just a snip of a larger list, that if you wish to see you will need to follow the link at the bottom.

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth."
Winston Churchill failed sixth grade. He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62. He later wrote, "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never, Never, Never, Never give up." (his capitals, mind you)
Socrates was called "an immoral corrupter of youth" and continued to corrupt even after a sentence of death was imposed on him. He drank the hemlock and died corrupting.
Sigmund Freud was booed from the podium when he first presented his ideas to the scientific community of Europe. He returned to his office and kept on writing.
Robert Sternberg received a C in his first college introductory-psychology class. His teacher commented that "there was a famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another." Three years later Sternberg graduated with honors from Stanford University with exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In 2002, he became President of the American Psychological Association.
Charles Darwin gave up a medical career and was told by his father, "You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching." In his autobiography, Darwin wrote, "I was considered by all my masters and my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect." Clearly, he evolved.
Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

Jump - They Did Not Give Up

"America Hater"

2007-09-22T23:46:00.000-04:00

"America Hater," the title of my post came from what my father called me earlier today. Let me start for the record that I do not hate America. In fact I am a huge supporter of Capitalism and to show my support I spend money frivolously. Seriously though, I do support my country and I would go to war if I was able to discover an honest reason not touted with political stink.

But on to my story... I asked my father if he was interested in what the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was going to talk about if and when he visits Columbia University. His rather unsurprising response sounded like this:

No, why would I want to hear what 'ak-ma-dina-nut-job' has to say. He wouldn't give us the same respect in his country, in fact he would probably have our nuts chopped off. America is a Saint compared to the rest of the world. Did you know he is responsible for more American deaths than Osama bin Laden? He is an evil person and only wants to be our friend long enough so that he can build a bomb and kill us all. No, I don't want to hear him talk and if you think he should be allowed then maybe we should invite bin Laden too and have a fucking tea party. Only a fool would trust an evil person like that. He denies the Holocaust and apparently he had something to do with the Iran hostage Crisis during the Carter years.

Being the fair and balanced Fox News disciple that he is, I remained unsurprised by the remarks, as I knew what I was getting into. I retorted in stressing the fact of making his own opinions about the matter versus one that is spoon fed to you by Bill O'Reily. Although apparently Bill O'Reily is off limits as it is God reincarnated and knows no wrong because after I pushing him to gather his own opinions he got mad, exclaiming Ahmadinejad as a liar and a murderer.

Again I stress the importance on forming an individual and subjective opinion about the matter rather than wholly accepting someone else view. It seems like, at that point, I was approaching borderline blasphemy which is not acceptable and with undeniable resistance he called me a "America Hater" for the simple fact that I didn't accept ~~his belief~~ the truth on the subject.

Let the record show that I am not a supporter for Ahmadinejad in anyway, but I am incessantly interested in what he has to say. Not from the stand point of idolization or anything, but to see what this person is about and how he can deny such travesties, which I think would be the point of a forum at Columbia. To question this guy to find out what he is really about so that we can each form our own opinion.

If you hate me like my father so be it, I just want everyone to form their own opinion individually without any "help" from others. Thanks.

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

2007-09-22T23:41:00.001-04:00

"To live in the hearts we leave behind is to never die"

We have one chance to make it work, to make it right, to make it worth while, to cherish, to love, to feel, to touch, to experience, to discover and one chance to live. I don't like to entertain the fact of our demise but our fate is guaranteed. What we do in between those flashes of light is what defines our very existence.

"What a Famous Thing to Say: 6 Quotable Lines and How to Use ‘Em"

2007-09-22T23:06:00.000-04:00

"I don't like quotes, tell me what you know." - Emerson

I know that many people like to use quotes, but most don't know the origin of their material. Neatorama has taking a few literary sayings the have reverberated through the years and managed to find the story behind the words.

Below is the list...

1. "Rule a large country as you’d cook a small fish" - Lao-Tzu, The Way of the Tao

2. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!" - Dante, The Inferno

3. "Now is the winter of our discontent." - William Shakespeare, first line of Richard III

4. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.

5. "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold." - William Butler Yeats, "The Second Coming"

6. "Never laugh at live dragons." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Make the Jump for the explanation - Neatorama

Art In Motion

2007-09-22T00:37:00.001-04:00

"The dominant idea about art in our culture, ever since the idea of 'art' itself arose in the eighteenth century, has been that it is superfluous -- an ornament or enhancement, pleasant enough but hardly necessary"

I feel that Art any form, is necessary. Artistic expression drives the world whether people can identify with that or not. Without such a thing this place would be rather stagnate, boring and even a little Orwellian. Art is more than just a picture on a wall, it is an expression of emotion, it is more than just a sculpture, it is reproduction of movement. Art is defined as "the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." This can be explored in many more avenues than a picture on a wall or a sculpture in a yard, anything and everything involving creativity can be seen as art or at least an art form. Let me say that art is necessary and often underestimated in its provocative nature. Art is all around and should not be generalized as it was classically as it is an integral part of our society. Learn to appreciate or at least accept it for what it is and you will be rewarded with a most unique view on life.

Political Cartoon: Ceasar and Bush

2007-09-18T09:21:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: Thanks to the commenter I have seen the light and realized that this quote could very well not be from Shakespeare. Read more at About.com

Expand Your Horizon

2007-09-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

Somebody who only reads newspapers and at best books of contemporary authors looks to me like an extremely near-sighted person who scorns eye glasses. He is completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of the times, since he never gets to see or hear anything else. And what a person thinks on his own without being stimulated by the thoughts and experiences of the other people is even in the best case rather paltry and monotonous. There are only a few enlightened people with a lucid mind and style and with good taste within a century. What has been preserved of their work belongs among the most precious possessions of mankind. We owe it to a few writers of antiquity (Plato, Aristotle, etc) that the people in the middle ages could slowly extricate themselves from the superstitions and ignorance that had darkened life for more than a millennium. Nothing is more needed to overcome the modernists snobbishness.

-Albert Einstein, 1954

For many of us, we are just another product of the system; generated and manipulated for the pecuniary needs of corporate America. We are a means to an end. The explosion in technology has perversely limited, not expanded, our exposure to new experiences. Increasingly, we get our news from sources that think as we already do. And with iPods, we hear what we already know; we program our own playlists. We are a nation of comfortable people. We don't seek to stimulate ourselves mentally outside of crossword puzzle in the back of People. We settle into our routine agendas, focusing only on what is familiar to us while we cast everything else into exile. The apparent gift and curse scenario that technology has given has allowed for an innumerable outlets to explore that offer endless areas for knowledge, art, self discovery, literature, news and anything else you could imagine but for most since there is no tag line or catchphrase to come out of it, it is just not worth the time. And as technology and mass media continue to constrict our minds, this quote, becomes inherently essential.

Map of Humanity

2007-09-17T22:25:00.000-04:00

Simple put it is a fictional map about the good and bad of the Human. Unfortunately you have to pay for it to see it in full, however I scrounged up a few close-ups.

Link - Map of Humanity

NOTATION AND THE ART OF READING

2007-09-16T23:19:00.000-04:00

Jumping through history, Karl Young explains how reading has constantly changed over time with his 1983 essay: Notation and the Art of Reading. Quite lengthy for a quick read but interesting nonetheless.

"For most people living in late 20th century North America, reading is a dreary task. Its main objective (even in fiction) has become the acquisition of data. Standardized orthography and usage have taken the fluidity and magic out of the language and encouraged silent reading. Reading is now something most people want to get out of the way as quickly as possible and speedreading is perceived as the ideal way to read. Since speedreading alters the order of words, makes some words disappear or pass in a blur, negates the timing of poetry, suppresses the sensations of inner and outer ear as well as the throat, tongue, and mouth, it takes the physicallity out of language and is completely incompatible with poetry. It is like ingesting a nutrient that you don't have to eat -- smelling, chewing, tasting, digesting are time consuming activities. Even people who don't know how to speedread approach reading as if they did, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible and trying to avoid its physical qualities as much as they can. People no longer memorize verse and recite it to each other or use it to give depth or breadth to their discourse. The closest most people come to this sort of social interaction is the discussion of popular novels, often as they relate to movies or tv programs, making the reading activity subservient to the video medium. According to many sources, dyslexia is increasing among young people and I imagine one of the major reasons for this is the ephemeralization of reading. A disproportionately large number of dyslexic students have I.Q.'s above average and I suspect their refusal to learn to read is, on a human if not a practical level, an intelligent response to current attitudes toward reading."

Read On - Notation and the Art of Reading

A Little Advice for You

2007-09-10T23:57:00.000-04:00

A heuristic is a "rule-of-thumb", advice that helps a human think and act more efficiently by directing thinking in an useful direction.

Some of these heuristics are age-old wisdom, bordering on cliche, but most are actually helpful.

If you want something done, do it yourself

Comment: Obviously true, and doing it is usually very good for your self esteem. A surprising amount of work can be done this way, and experts are not always necessary. However, there is a risk of becoming overworked if you try to do everything yourself - we all need other people after all.

Never procrastinate anything you can do right now

Comment: Very powerful. There are many things that can be fixed or solved with a minimum of effort, but are often pushed aside as unimportant. Unfortunately they won't go away, and in time the feelings of guilt for not having done them will make you even less likely of fixing the problems.

When you have several things you could be doing and don't know which to do: Just do any one of them!

Comments: If you cannot decide between two or more possibilities, then there is a good chance that the differences don't matter. However, most people begin to hesitate in this kind of situation (Fredkin's paradox). If you are conscious of this, you can just choose one choice randomly or according to some standard method.

Always assume that you will succeed

Comments: If you don't expect to succeed in an endeavor, then you will not do your best and will not notice possible solutions, while if you feel that you will eventually succeed you will concentrate all your power at the problem. Of course, there is no point in attempting what you cannot do, a certain amount of self-knowledge is always needed.

If you can't find a solution, change the rules.

Comment: Remember that there are no no-win scenarios.

If you cannot do anything about something, there is no point in worrying about it.

Comment: Worrying is stressful, and in most situations doesn't accomplish anything - it just wastes energy. Instead of worrying about things, either do something about them or find ways around the problem. One useful idea is to write down your worries on slips of paper, and then put them away in a box. Regularly, once a week or so, you open the box and see what you can do about the worries that are still relevant.

Do not rely on conscious decisions for speed - Just Do It

Comments: The conscious mind is surprisingly slow, conscious choices and actions are delayed for a significant time (a reflex acts within some tens of milliseconds, an unconscious reaction to external stimuli circa 100 milliseconds and a conscious choice several seconds). The duty of the conscious mind is usually to inhibit rather than start action, and if you become too conscious of what you are doing in a tense situation you will hesitate or slow down.

It is a good idea to learn to rely on your non-conscious mind, since our conscious mind is slow and has very low bandwidth while the other systems in our brains have a tremendous capacity and actually do most of the real work anyway.

Don't try to explain away your actions for yourself

Comment: While we often do things we do not want to explain our real motivations for before other people (out of fear of embarrassment, anger or loss of image), it is a bad idea to try to convince oneself that the motivation was anything different from what it was. It will only reduce your self-knowledge with deliberate misinformation, and it is often valuable to understand what motivations you have (even if you dislike them or would never admit them in public).

Listen to your intuition, but do not believe it unconditionally

Comments: Intuitive or emotional thinking, analogies, "gut feelings" or "flashes of inspiration" can sometimes give fantastic new insights or show problems from a new direction. Unfortunately such thinking isn't always reliable, and quite often completely wrong! Such insights should never be accepted because you admire their beauty or they are intuitive, only because they fit with reality.

Link - Mental Heuristics

Einstein was Smarter Than You

2007-09-10T00:17:00.000-04:00

Collected Quotes from Albert Einstein

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love."
"I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
"The only real valuable thing is intuition."
"A person starts to live when he can live outside himself."
"God is subtle but he is not malicious."
"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."
"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough."
"The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility."
"Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing."
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible."
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school."
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
"Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves."
"My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind."
"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever."
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."
"...one of the strongest motives that lead men to art and science is escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness, from the fetters of one's own ever-shifting desires. A finely tempered nature longs to escape from the personal life into the world of objective perception and thought."
"He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."
"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us _universe_, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." (Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton)

Link - Collected Quotes from Albert Einstein

Wisdom of the Heart

2007-09-07T09:28:00.000-04:00

"The Wisdom of the Heart"
from the 14th Dalai Lama
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1989)

1.Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
2.Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
3.Sleep is the best meditation.
4.Spend some time alone every day.
5.We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
6.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
7.We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
8.Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
9.If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
10.The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.

--------------------------------------------------------

After reading this, I have realized that when and if I am caught sleeping I can actually say that I was meditating. Seriously though, I feel that the ideas on this list should be inherently obvious to everyone. This is however not the case and where most people agree with these ideas, there are those few assholes that try to ruin it for the rest of us. And unfortunately for us, those people who actually need to read this, wont.

Link - Wisdom of the Heart

Who Knows Whats Next...

2007-09-06T22:07:00.000-04:00

While I am not a tree hugger, I do like the sight of nature and the beauty that it conceals. On the other hand I find that most people, the ones with the power, are too busy exploiting our environment long enough to sit down and enjoy what we have. So for those people please take a moment...

------------------------------------------------------------

Requiem:

The crucified planet Earth,
should it find a voice

and a sense of irony,
might now well say
of our abuse of it,
"Forgive them, Father,
They know not what they do."

The irony would be
that we know what
we are doing.

When the last living thing
has died on account of us,
how poetical it would be
if Earth could say,
in a voice floating up
perhaps
from the floor
of the Grand Canyon,
"It is done."
People did not like it here.

- Kurt Vonnegut

Video Link - ThreeLeggedLegs

DEAD MEN TELL NO SECRETS

2007-09-06T00:23:00.000-04:00

I was driving home from school the other day and I saw a bumper sticker that had a quote from Gandhi; "An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind." I thought for a second and the only thing that came to my mind was the Hammurabi Code, which goes along the lines of "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." This got me thinking, how would the world play out if we were to adopt one or the other. I didn't really make much of a case for Gandhi but I did make some points about the Hammurabi Code..

It wasn't a very long ride home so I didn't get that deep into the conversation with myself but I did think come up with a conclusion.

The Hammurabi Code extends a sense of equality that all can comprehend

Equality throughout the world would guarantee a better way of life and there should be no exception when it comes to criminality

Societies would be able to govern more effectively because citizens know the consequences of breaking the law and are therefor fearful to do so

I'm not an advocater of violence but it seems that a society installed with a sense of fear is much more palpable to handle

And lastly the most important... It is hard for blind people to commit crimes

When I become ruler of the world, this is your warning, this will be my policy. So be careful what you do.

Link - Hammurabi Code (full translated text)

Just a few thoughts on Tonight

2007-09-05T23:38:00.000-04:00

This is probably way off subject, but hey why not...

I'm not an expert on politics but I do follow them and tonight I watched the Republican debate while simultaneously text messaging my arguments to my father. I just had a few observations:

Romney isn't fit to be president. Anyone who proudly supports our war on terrorism but doesn't feel it is worthy enough for their children to serve shouldn't be near the White House.

Ron Paul has a point: The chief reason Al-Queda hates us revolves around the American presence in the Middle East and we should worry about the security of our nation first before securing another.

Brownback is full of blind patriotism. My country is too good to do anything wrong. He knows that things aren't going as planned but instead of admitting it he is compelled to hold out on the truth exclaiming that "honor" is more important.

As for my own opinions on the war, I feel that since we made a mess we should be responsible for cleaning it up. The aspect of pulling out, some people have brought up, but it hasn't been productive in my personal life and I don't think it would be anymore successful here either. However something needs to happen because America is getting restless.

Another thing I have been thinking about; what is going to stop these Talibamas from coming over here after we "secure" Iraq? Their cave, the last time I checked, wasn't located in Baghdad so a lot of good a secure Iraq will do us when we leave.

Anyway enough about that.

How do you know what is the right path to choose to get the result that you desire? You won't.

2007-09-03T22:04:00.000-04:00

Perusing the local Barnes & Noble I came across a quote by John Stewart; " Love what you do. Get good at it." I thought it fairly accurate when comparing it to the impending future which is my life. Delivered to the 2004 graduating class of William & Mary, Stewart emphasises that "if you see people in the real world making bricks out of straw and water, those people are not colonial re-enactors-they are poor." Hilarious as this is, you should remember that its all relative and its the truth. So love what you do and get good at it, or else the perils of the real world will catch up to you.

The following is a snip of the speech and the meaning probably holds more weight with younger people such as myself but still stands around our direction in life. There is no definite direction, nor a blueprint for success, it merely is what you make of it. Please read...

"But the unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective. The paths are infinite and the results uncertain. And it can be maddening to those that go here, especially here, because your strength has always been achievement. So if there's any real advice I can give you it's this.

College is something you complete. Life is something you experience. So don't worry about your grade, or the results or success. Success is defined in myriad ways, and you will find it, and people will no longer be grading you, but it will come from your own internal sense of decency which I imagine, after going through the program here, is quite strong...although I'm sure downloading illegal files.but, nah, that's a different story.

Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age. And let the chips fall where they may. And the last thing I want to address is the idea that somehow this new generation is not as prepared for the sacrifice and the tenacity that will be needed in the difficult times ahead. I have not found this generation to be cynical or apathetic or selfish. They are as strong and as decent as any people that I have met. And I will say this, on my way down here I stopped at Bethesda Naval, and when you talk to the young kids that are there that have just been back from Iraq and Afghanistan, you don't have the worry about the future that you hear from so many that are not a part of this generation but judging it from above."

Link - "Oops... We Broke The World"

Life is better when you do...

2007-08-30T16:44:00.001-04:00

Please click the pic and enjoy the disclosure of the Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun.

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else."
- Judy Garland

Link - Eight Principles

Enjoy Your Life

2007-08-29T15:43:00.000-04:00

A Psalm of Life

"Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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The older I get the more I realize that time waits for no one. I wish I could put everything on hold, step back to see whats wrong and fix the loose ends. I know it's no possible or even probable but it is a nice thought. So instead of worrying so much about the life I don't have, I try to focus and enjoy the life that I do. And I guess that is really what it is all about.

Link - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Are You A Product of Your Social Network

2007-08-28T23:33:00.000-04:00

The following list is based on observations of everyday life and the consequent social affects. Me being the loner that I am might have a difficult time relating to these ideas. However from what I have seen, many people are just a product of their environment. Individualism, nowadays, is seen as abstract and undesirable. No longer do you see great art or great minds honored in the headlines for their labor or deliberation but instead placed in section D4 next to the full-page ad about a cat and a cheezburger. The unique minds that once pushed for a better society and a greater understanding of the self have been cast away to the meager medium of print. And now we are left with "group-think" where the most intriguing discussion we can muster happens to be about Lindsay's new hair color. Enjoy the list...

Humans are complex social animals.
Technology doesn’t change us very fast.
Humans constantly search out ways to communicate more efficiently.
The primary use of the Internet is communication.
People play different roles in different parts of their life.
People tend to connect to those people they are similar to.
Who we are similar to depends upon our situation and goals.
Over-similarity can lead to group-think.
Unpredictable behavior emerges within groups over time.
People act differently in groups than they do individually.
The people we know greatly influence how we act.
People usually compare themselves to those in their social group, not society at large.
Humans aren’t always rational, but are usually self-interested.
When humans are uncertain, we rely on social connections to help us out.
We have biases that we aren’t conscious of.
Because life in not deterministic, we cannot always predict human behavior.

List Prepared By Bokardo

Fuck Those People.

2007-08-28T19:01:00.001-04:00

Another xkcd Classic:

Link - xkcd

Culture Yourself: Discover the New 7 Wonders

2007-08-28T12:07:00.000-04:00

If you haven't had the chance to go and you never think you will, here is your chance to experience something in a new way. No longer do you have to look at a static image on a page, here you can take a full 360 degree experiential view of the landscape that is the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Link - The New 7 Wonders of the World

Africa in Black and White

2007-08-28T00:06:00.000-04:00

As simple as it is beautiful. Life of another world I have never seen. Through the eyes I to not know but would trade the simple and the beautiful for the experience.
Gallery from Photographer - Nick Brandt

The Battle Inside

2007-08-27T23:16:00.000-04:00

Two Wolves

An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them...

“A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you and every other person, too.”

They thought about this for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather... “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied... “The one you feed.”

-------------------------------------

While this is a great bit of wisdom and as its first read, many would understand the moral as only is to strive for truth and compassion. Granted this is not a bad philosophy, however the societal differences between when this was conceived and present day should be taken into account.

If we were to look at this in the context of todays society, it should be seen that any individual who wholeheartedly concedes to this or that side will miss the point. One cannot be either/or but instead share qualities, if you will, from both wolves. If you are too kind and full of compassion you will most definitely be trumped by the next wolf in line. Although on the other end of the spectrum if you are consumed with hatred and anger, everyone will cast you into exile. Therefore the point I am trying to make is that to get ahead in this society you must have a hunger for more, an air arrogance as well as being truthful in order to allow for a successful life.

More Animated Alan Watts Philosophy

2007-08-26T18:26:00.001-04:00

Even more Animated Alan Watts philosophy for your viewing pleasure.

Madness

Zen

Link - Souljerky

Use it or Lose it

2007-08-24T23:17:00.000-04:00

Did you know that the only two countries in the world that allow for drug advertising are the United States and New Zealand? If not it was news to me as well and if you can't find that perfect pill on TV that solves your innate learning disability, please continue reading. The folks over at SharpBrains have compiled a handy little list entitled "The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains" and simple put is a list of lifestyle options that can better your learning ability and comprehension.

Learn what is the "It" in "Use It or Lose It". A basic understanding will serve you well to appreciate your brain's beauty as a living and constantly-developing dense forest with billions of neurons and synapses.
Take care of your nutrition. Did you know that the brain only weighs 2% of body mass but consumes over 20% of the oxygen and nutrients we intake? As a general rule, you don't need expensive ultra-sophisticated nutritional supplements, just make sure you don't stuff yourself with the "bad stuff".
Remember that the brain is part of the body. Things that exercise your body can also help sharpen your brain: physical exercise enhances neurogenesis.
Practice positive, future-oriented thoughts until they become your default mindset and you look forward to every new day in a constructive way. Stress and anxiety, no matter whether induced by external events or by your own thoughts, actually kills neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. You can think of chronic stress as the opposite of exercise: it prevents the creation of new neurons.
Thrive on Learning and Mental Challenges. The point of having a brain is precisely to learn and to adapt to challenging new environments. Once new neurons appear in your brain, where they stay in your brain and how long they survive depends on how you use them. "Use It or Lose It" does not mean "do crossword puzzle number 1,234,567". It means, "challenge your brain often with fundamentally new activities".

Check out the Remaining Five - The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains

My Mission

2007-08-22T14:10:00.001-04:00

I saw a man pursuing the horizon

I saw a man pursuing the horizon;
Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accosted the man.
"It is futile," I said,
"You can never — "

"You lie," he cried,
And ran on.

by Stephen Maria Crane

--------------------------------------------------

I know that I will never catch the horizon; like the man said it is futile. However the general purpose behind this site is to attain a greater knowledge and appreciation of life through the words and wisdom of others. By others I mean philosophers, historians, essayists, poets, and whoever else I feel has something venerable to say.

I don't know how probable it is to have a site like this become main stream but alas I will do my best. This site is dedicated to the readers who have an attention span longer than the stare of a Dramatic Hamster and who want to move past their cat asking if it Cann HAz ChZBugr. There is no doubt that those things have their qualities and do put a smile on my face but there is no substance and that is my goal or horizon I am working toward.

Animated Philosophy of Alan Watts

2007-08-22T01:15:00.000-04:00

New life brought to the immortal words of Alan Watts.

Life and Music

Prickles and Goo

Appling

Thanks to Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the efforts.

Link via Cold Hard Flash - Flash Animated Philosophy From South Park Creators

GO RIGHT!!!

2007-08-21T12:30:00.001-04:00

A snip from Voltaire's Candide:

"What is optimism?" said Cacambo
"Alas!" said Candide, "it is the madness of maintaining that everything is well when we are wretched."

Decisions, decisions. My wretched life always takes me to the left and indefinitely away from the fun. I would much rather take a quick right and enjoy a day out with some of my distant relatives but instead I am lured into the office by the promise of money and promotion. However all that awaits me is the overwhelming stink of deadlines and quotas accompanied by a powerful-strong Gorilla musk that engulfs my senses and reminds me of the freedom that a Gorilla must feel (not the ones in the cages of Gorilla World but those you see on Animal Planet). A freedom which I do not know as I am locked into a cycle of repetitivity and have discovered that I am no better or different from the Gorillas across from my building on the right. I am a cubical monkey and for the most part should feel honored to have the prestigious job title of staple jockey. Well sir, I will maintain that everything is well no longer. I have figured out the wretched ways of office life and now have better vision and plan on a better future.

The previous is just a satirical look at my world; endless cycle of work or the endless possiblities of life. The sway back and forth on which to pursue first never fails to make me wonder what if I didn't go to work today.

I found this picture over at Swissmiss under the title "Every morning I am tempted to go right..." And now I ask you the question, why not?

Link - "Every morning I am tempted to go right..."

Adam and Eve: Reprieved

2007-08-21T12:03:00.001-04:00

Not to be overzealous on the whole religion thing, but aren't greed and gluttony considered to be sinful?

Link - Wulffmorgenthaler

History of Religion

2007-08-21T01:39:00.000-04:00

Simply put this is an animated time line of Religion over the past 5,000 years. Whatever your preference, you have to admire the seemingly endless perspectives that have been established throughout human history. How do you think this map will look in the next 5,000 years? Will there be one unified belief or will religion continue to multiply into different facets?

So You Want To Be A Writer

2007-08-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

"if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else."

This is a snipet of a poem called "So You Want To Be A Writer" by Charles Bukowski about becoming a writer for the wrong reasons. Don't fall into the trap of money, fame, women and all the other luxuries of being successful. If you can't do it then you shouldn't try because the old saying is that "you can't put in what god left out."

Unfortunately I could qualify myself as an expert on this subject because I see myself doing some of the things in this poem that I shouldn't. I frequently rewrite and would ultimately like to see money from this venture, and women too.... Damn it, I am such a bastard, but oh well I still enjoy doing it.

Link - So You Want To Be A Writer

Read A Book

2007-08-19T11:01:00.001-04:00

Had you read a book you might have been able to figure some of these things out on your own.

Animated Illustrations of Leonardo da Vinci

2007-08-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind."

Break away from the monotony and experience the mind of Leonardo da Vinci with animated versions of his most famous illustrations.

Link - Animated Illustrations of Leonardo da Vinci

Experience Life

2007-08-13T23:20:00.000-04:00

I am at a loss for words as to describing this post. There isn't anything to read, nor lesson to learn. However there are plenty of pictures which can tell a story of their own.

I heard a saying once that "we can only see life through the spectrum of our own experiences" meaning, at least to me, that based on my perception of life what I see and feel may very well be different than that of your own.

Link - The Prettiest Images

At the End of the Earth

2007-08-13T13:50:00.002-04:00

"I decline to accept the end of man. It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last dingdong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking. I refuse to accept this. I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance."

Excerpt from William Faulkner's Nobel Piece Prize Speech

Painting by Vladimir Kush: At the End of the Earth

When Did We Forget Our Dreams?

2007-08-12T23:48:00.000-04:00

Link - xkcd

Advice to Young Men from an Old Man

2007-08-06T23:15:00.000-04:00

The following is a list for life, brought to you by an old man via Craigslist:

1. Don’t pick on the weak. It’s immoral. Don’t antagonize the strong without cause, its stupid.

2. Don’t hate women. It’s a waste of time

3. Invest in yourself. Material things come to those that have self actualized

4. Get in a fistfight, even if you are going to lose.

5. As a former Marine, take it from me. Don’t join the military, unless you want to risk getting your balls blown off to secure other people’s economic or political interests.

6. If something has a direct benefit to an individual or a class of people, and a theoretical, abstract, or amorphous benefit to everybody else, realize that the proponent’s intentions are to benefit the former, not the latter, no matter what bullshit they try to feed you.

7. Don’t be a Republican. They are self-dealing crooks with no sense of honor or patriotism to their fellow citizens. If you must be a Republican, don’t be a “conservative.” They are whining, bitching, complaining, simple-minded self-righteous idiots who think they’re perpetual victims. Listen to talk radio for a while, you’ll see what I mean.

8. Don’t take proffered advice without a critical analysis. 90% of all advice is intended to benefit the proponent, not the recipient. Actually, the number is probably closer to 97%, but I don’t want to come off as cynical.

9. You’ll spend your entire life listening to people tell you how much you owe them. You don’t owe the vast majority of people shit.

10. Don’t undermine your fellow young men. Mentor the young men that come after you. Society recognizes that you have the potential to be the most power force in society. It scares them. Society does not find young men sympathetic. They are afraid of you, both individually and collectively. Law enforcement’s primary purpose is to suppress you.

11. As a young man, you’re on your own. Society divides and conquers. Unlike women who have advocates looking out for them (NOW, Women’s Study Departments, government, non-profit organizations, political advocacy groups) almost no one is looking out for you.

12. Young men provide the genius and muscle by which our society thrives. Look at the Silicone Valley. By in large, it was not old men or women that created the revolution we live. Realize that society steals your contributions, secures it with our intellectual property laws, and then takes credit and the rewards where none is due.

13. Know that few people have your best interests at heart. Your mother does. Your father probably does (if he stuck around). Your siblings are on your side. Everybody else worries about themselves.

14. Don’t be afraid to tell people to “Fuck off” when need be. It is an important skill to acquire. As they say, speak your piece, even if your voice shakes.

15. Acquire empathy, good interpersonal skills, and confidence. Learn to read body language and non-verbal communication. Don’t just concentrate on your vocational or technical skills, or you’ll find your wife fucking somebody else.

16. Keep fit.

17. Don’t speak ill of your wife/girlfriend. Back her up against the world, even if she’s wrong. She should know that you have her back. When she needs your help, give it. She should know that you’ll take her part.

18. Don’t cheat on your wife/girlfriend. If you must cheat, don’t humiliate her. Don’t risk having your transgressions come back to her or her friends. Don’t do it where you live. Don’t do it with people in your social circle. Don’t shit in your own back yard.

19. If your girlfriend doesn’t make you feel good about yourself and bring joy to your life, fire her. That’s what girlfriends are for.

20. Don’t bother with “emotional affairs.” They are just a vehicle for women to flirt and have someone make them feel good about themselves. That’s the part of a relationship they want. For you it is a lot of work and investment in time. If they are having an emotional affair with you, they’re probably fucking someone else.

21. Becoming a woman’s friend and confidant is not going to get you into an intimate relationship. If you haven’t gotten the girl within a reasonably short period of time, chances are you won’t ever get her. She’ll end up confiding to you about the sexual adventures she’s having with someone else.

22. Have and nurture friendships with women.

23. Realize that love is a numbers game. Guys fall in love easily. You’re going to see some

girl and feel like you’ll die if you don’t get her. If she rejects you, move on to the next one. It’s her loss.

24. Don’t be an internet troll. Got out and live life. There is not a cadre of beautiful women advertising on Craigslist to have NSA sex with you. Beautiful women don’t need to advertise. The websites that advertise with attractive women’s photos and claims of loneliness are baloney. All they want is your money and your personal information so that they can market to you. The posts on Craigslist by young “women” seeking NSA sex, and asking for a picture are just a bunch of gay troll pic collectors. This is especially true if the post uses common gay lexicon like “hole” as in “fuck my hole” or seeks “masculine” men, or uses the word cock (except in the context of “Don’t send a cock shot.”) There are women on Craigslist. They are easily recognizable by their 2-5 paragraph postings. Most are in their 30’s or older.

25. When you become a man in full, know that people will get in your way. People who are attracted to you will somehow manage to step in your path. Gay guys will give you “the look.” Old people will somehow stumble in front of you at the worst time. Don’t get frustrated. Just step aside and go about your business. Know that these are passive aggressive methods to get you to acknowledge their existence.

26. Don’t gay bash. Don’t mentally or physically abuse people because of who they are, or how they present themselves. It’s none of your business to try to intimidate people into conformity.

27. If your gay, admit it to yourself, your parents, your friends and society at large. Be prepared to get harassed. See rule 14. If someone threatens you or assaults you, call the cops. Have them arrested. You have no obligation to self sacrifice because of who you are. As a gay person, you’ll have more social freedom than straight men. Use it to protect yourself. Be prepared to get out of Dodge if your orientation makes your life unbearable. Move to San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, or New Orleans. You’ll find a welcoming community there.

28. Don’t be a poser. Avoid being one of those dudes who puts a surfboard on top of their car, but never surfs, or a dude with a powder coated fixed gear bike and a messenger bag, but was never a messenger. Live the life. Earn your bona fides.

29. Don’t believe the crap about the patriarchy. More women are accepted and attend college. More degrees are awarded to women than men. Women outlive men. More men commit suicide. Men are twice as likely to be victims of violence, including murder. If you consider sexual assaults in prisons, twice as many men are raped as women (society thinks prison rape is funny). The streets are littered with homeless men, sprinkled with a few homeless women. Statically, women are happier than men. The myth that girls are being cheated by are educational system is belied by the fact that schools are bastions of femininity, mostly run by and taught by women. Girls outperform boys in school. It is the boys in school getting fucked over, and prescribed ritalin for being boys. Real wages for men are falling, while real wages for women are rising. Just because someone says something enough times, doesn’t make it true. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

30. Remember, 97% of all advice is worthless. Take what you can use, and trash the rest.

Check it Out - Advice to Young Men from an Old Man

What Is Intelligence, Anyway?

2007-08-06T23:03:00.000-04:00

What is intelligence, anyway? When I was in the army, I received the kind of aptitude test that all soldiers took and, against a normal of 100, scored 160. No one at the base had ever seen a figure like that, and for two hours they made a big fuss over me. (It didn't mean anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP - kitchen police - as my highest duty.)

All my life I've been registering scores like that, so that I have the complacent feeling that I'm highly intelligent, and I expect other people to think so too. Actually, though, don't such scores simply mean that I am very good at answering the type of academic questions that are considered worthy of answers by people who make up the intelligence tests - people with intellectual bents similar to mine?

For instance, I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not possibly have scored more than 80, by my estimate. I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than he was. Yet, when anything went wrong with my car I hastened to him with it, watched him anxiously as he explored its vitals, and listened to his pronouncements as though they were divine oracles - and he always fixed my car.

Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man devised questions for an intelligence test. Or suppose a carpenter did, or a farmer, or, indeed, almost anyone but an academician. By every one of those tests, I'd prove myself a moron, and I'd be a moron, too. In a world where I could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly. My intelligence, then, is not absolute but is a function of the society I live in and of the fact that a small subsection of that society has managed to foist itself on the rest as an arbiter of such matters.

Consider my auto-repair man, again. He had a habit of telling me jokes whenever he saw me. One time he raised his head from under the automobile hood to say: "Doc, a deaf-and-mute guy went into a hardware store to ask for some nails. He put two fingers together on the counter and made hammering motions with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He shook his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk brought him nails. He picked out the sizes he wanted, and left. Well, doc, the next guy who came in was a blind man. He wanted scissors. How do you suppose he asked for them?"

Indulgently, I lifted by right hand and made scissoring motions with my first two fingers. Whereupon my auto-repair man laughed raucously and said, "Why, you dumb jerk, He used his voice and asked for them." Then he said smugly, "I've been trying that on all my customers today." "Did you catch many?" I asked. "Quite a few," he said, "but I knew for sure I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you're so goddamned educated, doc, I knew you couldn't be very smart."

And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.
-Issac Asimov
Link

Indecision 2008

2007-08-06T22:24:00.000-04:00

Are you lost within the Indecision '08 campaign? I'm betting on a yes from you because these so called "debates" don't really have any more going on than friendly chatter. So enlighten yourself with a full on list of issues and where each candidate stands.

Check the Issues - Link

George Orwell on Modern Writing

2007-08-06T19:31:00.000-04:00

"Modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug...[thus] it can be taken as certain that the writer is not seeing a mental image of the objects he is naming; in other words he is not thinking."

Aptly named "Politics and the English Language;" George Orwell defines the essence of what writing has become and how it should be tamed. He explains that grammar and syntax come second to the meaning and are often unimportant if one's meaning is clear.

"What is above all needed is to let the meaning choose the word, and not the other way around. When you think of a concrete object, you think wordlessly, and then, if you want to describe the thing you have been visualizing you probably hunt about until you find the exact words that seem to fit it. When you think of something abstract you are more inclined to use words from the start, and unless you make a conscious effort to prevent it, the existing dialect will come rushing in and do the job for you, at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning."

Published in 1946, it seems somewhat difficult that I just recently heard about this and even more so that it is so spot on. Save yourself from the flowery and verbose rhetoric that happens to spill from the mouths of our Politicians and practice rhetorical heresy with a few simple rules:

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never us a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

In addition Orwell lends his knowledge to say that "a scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions:"

What am I trying to say?
What words will express it?
What images or idiom will make it clearer?
Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

Now I can only leave you with the hope that I have made a point. If not perhaps you will need further insight. - "Politics and the English Language"

UPDATE: If this wasn't helpful and you don't feel like reading the full essay that Orwell wrote, try this; Politics and the English Language explained by Calvin van Hoek

LIFE 101

2007-08-06T18:31:00.001-04:00

I used to be an expert on everything, but then I grew up. I now realize that there is nothing in elementary education that qualifies me to do anything more than read, write, and add. These teachers who assigned pointless reports about the different branches of government or those who made me show my every thought on a math calculation did nothing to expand my overall knowledge of LIFE. Granted I was taught how to be a machine and spit out knowledge like that guy on Jepordy but none of this has helped me excel in life. Now common sense goes a long way and with that I have not fallen into the pits of idiocy like certain people in my family but I have noticed that simple "life lessons" that could have been mentioned in my 12+ years of school.

And on that note we have Peter McWilliams with his ebook: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life In School -- But Didn't. He is more literate in his passions for life and what he should have able to learn in school...

After twelve (or more) years of schooling, we know how to figure the square root of an isosceles triangle (invaluable in daily life), but we might not know how to forgive ourselves and others.
We have dissected a frog, but perhaps have never explored the dynamics of human relationships.
We know who wrote "To be or not to be, that is the question," but we don't know the answer.
We know what pi is, but we're not sure who we are.
We may know how to diagram a sentence, but we may not know how to love ourselves.
That our educational system is not designed to teach us the "secrets of life" is no secret. In school, we learn how to do everything--except how to live.

Take a look at what he has to say you might even learn something: Link

Did you know?

2007-07-18T00:06:00.001-04:00

Chances are that you didn’t which can be seen as a problem. Most will see it as the blessing of technology while they overlook the errors of our impending ways. It can be seen that too much is invested in matters that truly don’t matter. Yes technology and without it I wouldn’t have the chance to reach out but how far does it go? How far should we reach? And what will our future look like…

“The camera changed the way we behaved”

2007-07-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

This is a short from Showtime's The American Life

The media, the movies, the paparazzi have all extended the realm of what is acceptable these days. These mediums come with great value and have provided us endless entertainment but to what expense. Has the camera, in its need to advance passed the last spectacle, changed the way we behave as a society?

However simple this video may be, the end concludes on a ripe point; that “the camera” or should I say the people behind the camera have an absolute yearning to deliver the next ~~best~~ outrageous thing.

Anyway it’s something to think about…. Check it out

What kind of Sleeper are You??

2007-07-17T23:22:00.001-04:00

An interesting study shows that you can tell a lot about people by the position in which they sleep. Professor Chris Idzikowski who is the director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service says that "we are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us. What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect."

· The Fetus: Those who curl up in the fetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.

This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position.

· Log (15%): Lying on your side with both arms down by your side. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

· The yearner (13%): People who sleep on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely ever to change it.

· Soldier (8%): Lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don't like a fuss, but set themselves and others high standards.

· Freefall (7%): Lying on your front with your hands around the pillow, and your head turned to one side. Often gregarious and brash people, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don't like criticism, or extreme situations.

· Starfish (5%): Lying on your back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don't like to be the center of attention.

To see the full article, make the Jump.