Greedy-Go-Round
(July 2006)
Fat bastard bandits, all over the globe;
Stealing from us all, the profits to be made.
But alas; they've left us the tip jar.
Now we eat from the shaker salt and pepper.
**Did ya ever wonder why there's such a gap between the haves and the have-nots?
And why it always seems there's fissures and cracks in our "democratic way"?
Our imperial minded "leaders" are running away with our foundations...
Peace
AM Son
5.31.2007
5.22.2007
Jasper Said You're A Fascist Pig!
Sometime last fall a movie by the name of 'Children of Men' was released to theaters. I'd not heard of this particular movie, and had no inkling of what it was all about. I was told by a friend that it was a lousy movie; that it was just some story about a girl and a baby and to not waste my time seeing it. Well, being that I'd no knowledge of the movie in the first place I figured "ok, not a problem...'
That was until this past winter when I began hearing rumblings from various sources about how glorious this film was. As I understood it at the time, it dealt with a future world population who had found itself suddenly infertile and unable to reproduce; all the while watching every nation around the world except Britain crumble down from the effects of terrorism, hunger, lack of social welfare programs, and general societal apathy. (gee, is Bush running this new world...??)
I thought to myself it sounded like a nice plot and atmosphere for a theatric story. It sounded like a lot of the fears I hold today, albeit fully fleshed out and amplified significantly. I guess we all may think of the future as a harmonic place of Utopian gardens and societal calm, but then deep within our souls we know there's a very real possibility our civilization as we know it could cave in unto itself in a hurry. These fears stem from many current trends, among them rampant capitalism, materialism, U.S led imperialism, political cronyism, lack of foresight, environmental ignorance, and overall social and familial apathy.
The film deals with a lot of these fears and portents, but in a very real and convincing way. It's not a 'Jetsons' type film at all, it does a quite remarkable job of depicting a modern dilapidated future. I'll leave the movie plot and details for you to decide upon, but overall this movie was an astute look at just what our future may hold.
Em and I rated this flick highly, as we were greatly pleased with the scope and result of the film.
8.5 out of 10
In addition to the actual film, the DVD has some pretty cool extra features. One in particular, titled "The Possibility of Hope" is a mini-documentary featuring interviews with current day philosophers, political activists, writers, pundits, and scholars. The discussion is of how our world may be headed for the ill-fated future the movie portrays. This feature was quite compelling and we were enthralled throughout. It's strange, this little feature kind of rounded out the actual movie as if it were an intended extension to an already beautifully crafted story. It just lent that extra bit of credence and palpability to the aura presented.
If you're into social or current affairs, then this movie is for you. We highly recommend!
Check www.childrenofmen.net for even more info.
Enjoy.
Peace
AM Son
That was until this past winter when I began hearing rumblings from various sources about how glorious this film was. As I understood it at the time, it dealt with a future world population who had found itself suddenly infertile and unable to reproduce; all the while watching every nation around the world except Britain crumble down from the effects of terrorism, hunger, lack of social welfare programs, and general societal apathy. (gee, is Bush running this new world...??)
I thought to myself it sounded like a nice plot and atmosphere for a theatric story. It sounded like a lot of the fears I hold today, albeit fully fleshed out and amplified significantly. I guess we all may think of the future as a harmonic place of Utopian gardens and societal calm, but then deep within our souls we know there's a very real possibility our civilization as we know it could cave in unto itself in a hurry. These fears stem from many current trends, among them rampant capitalism, materialism, U.S led imperialism, political cronyism, lack of foresight, environmental ignorance, and overall social and familial apathy.
The film deals with a lot of these fears and portents, but in a very real and convincing way. It's not a 'Jetsons' type film at all, it does a quite remarkable job of depicting a modern dilapidated future. I'll leave the movie plot and details for you to decide upon, but overall this movie was an astute look at just what our future may hold.
Em and I rated this flick highly, as we were greatly pleased with the scope and result of the film.
8.5 out of 10
In addition to the actual film, the DVD has some pretty cool extra features. One in particular, titled "The Possibility of Hope" is a mini-documentary featuring interviews with current day philosophers, political activists, writers, pundits, and scholars. The discussion is of how our world may be headed for the ill-fated future the movie portrays. This feature was quite compelling and we were enthralled throughout. It's strange, this little feature kind of rounded out the actual movie as if it were an intended extension to an already beautifully crafted story. It just lent that extra bit of credence and palpability to the aura presented.
If you're into social or current affairs, then this movie is for you. We highly recommend!
Check www.childrenofmen.net for even more info.
Enjoy.
Peace
AM Son
5.11.2007
How Do You Like Them Apples?
Will Hunting uttered that famous line in my favorite movie of all time, "Good Will Hunting". It's a great line, delivered with acerbic authority and wit, and I'm using it here today with the same biting force and exuberance... with one change necessary: I want to replace the word "them" with the word "green". For those of you that know the emotion and cadence Will uttered the line with, you can keep it similar and just add in the word "green".
How do you like green apples!?
Why?
Because Apple has announced it's going green! Yes, for all the naysayers, critics, and Apple curmudgeons out there, it is now not necessary to view Apple as the lowly environmentally unfriendly company. They're taking baby steps, I'll admit, but that's the way to improvement.
The thing that impressed me the most about the article was that they used the word "stakeholders". It's a word not seen too much in the discourse of big picture analysis, or when speaking of the interests of others when weighing economic or political concerns. The word stakeholder has a weighty definition, one that most people fail to consider when they hypothesize about cause and effect.
Stakeholder is defined as, "One who has a share or an interest, as in an enterprise" by Answers.com. In my humble opinion, this encompasses everyone and at all times when dealing with the environment and "being green". Don't we all have an interest or stake in the condition, control, use, misuse, and correction of the environment? Most times, corporations only consider "shareholders" and their own junta when deciding on their actions and expenditures- you know, the people with stock options and an economic interest in the proceedings.
It's refreshing to see an official press release from one of the biggest corporations in the world mention the little man- because we all matter when dealing with Mother Earth. No matter if you're an Apple fan or not, or if you even care if computers are made more environmentally friendly, you stand to benefit from a more stewardship-minded company.
Many years ago I read a book called, "Culture Jam". This is where I was first introduced to the ideas of caring for and considering the welfare of all "stakeholders". Basically, the idea being put forth was that if this world became more interested in the wellbeing of all "stakeholders" rather than only and always "shareholders", we'd all be better off. I liked this idea from the time I read it, and I try and live my life in that vein. It's again comforting to see an ideal like this being perpetuated in everyday life, for it's too easy to track and follow the daily acts of greed and pernicious vitriol on behalf of conglomerations.
So, good on ya Apple!! It's a start, and I hope (as a Mac owner) that it's a trend that will pick up great steam...
How do you like green apples!?
Why?
Because Apple has announced it's going green! Yes, for all the naysayers, critics, and Apple curmudgeons out there, it is now not necessary to view Apple as the lowly environmentally unfriendly company. They're taking baby steps, I'll admit, but that's the way to improvement.
The thing that impressed me the most about the article was that they used the word "stakeholders". It's a word not seen too much in the discourse of big picture analysis, or when speaking of the interests of others when weighing economic or political concerns. The word stakeholder has a weighty definition, one that most people fail to consider when they hypothesize about cause and effect.
Stakeholder is defined as, "One who has a share or an interest, as in an enterprise" by Answers.com. In my humble opinion, this encompasses everyone and at all times when dealing with the environment and "being green". Don't we all have an interest or stake in the condition, control, use, misuse, and correction of the environment? Most times, corporations only consider "shareholders" and their own junta when deciding on their actions and expenditures- you know, the people with stock options and an economic interest in the proceedings.
It's refreshing to see an official press release from one of the biggest corporations in the world mention the little man- because we all matter when dealing with Mother Earth. No matter if you're an Apple fan or not, or if you even care if computers are made more environmentally friendly, you stand to benefit from a more stewardship-minded company.
Many years ago I read a book called, "Culture Jam". This is where I was first introduced to the ideas of caring for and considering the welfare of all "stakeholders". Basically, the idea being put forth was that if this world became more interested in the wellbeing of all "stakeholders" rather than only and always "shareholders", we'd all be better off. I liked this idea from the time I read it, and I try and live my life in that vein. It's again comforting to see an ideal like this being perpetuated in everyday life, for it's too easy to track and follow the daily acts of greed and pernicious vitriol on behalf of conglomerations.
So, good on ya Apple!! It's a start, and I hope (as a Mac owner) that it's a trend that will pick up great steam...
5.02.2007
Pittsfield's Getting In The Mix
Although Biodiesel isn't exactly a perfect alternative fuel, it's a fuel that is filled (pardon the pun) with merit. Among the chief benefits of this alt. fuel is the fact that it removes our reliance on foreign energy sources. Because biodiesel can be made from crops produced in this country, or created from waste cooking oil, it is an energy source that mitigates our need for the Middle East.
I've mentioned and wrote about biodiesel previously, but today's thoughts are for a different reason. It turns out that Pittsfield is building a biodiesel plant. This may not come as a significant event to many of you, but to me it is not only significant but also a pleasant surprise.
When I think of forward thinking, progressive, bleeding edge communities; I rarely think of Pittsfield or The Berkshires. Those attributes and traits make me think of Northampton, the Pioneer Valley, ("The Happy Valley") or even way out to San Fran or the Pacific Northwest.
I think it's cool that Pittsfield will have this new plant. It's encouraging to me that maybe the concepts of environmental awareness, action, stewardship, and involvement are becoming more mainstream. That's what a biodiesel plant in Pittsfield means to me....
I've mentioned and wrote about biodiesel previously, but today's thoughts are for a different reason. It turns out that Pittsfield is building a biodiesel plant. This may not come as a significant event to many of you, but to me it is not only significant but also a pleasant surprise.
When I think of forward thinking, progressive, bleeding edge communities; I rarely think of Pittsfield or The Berkshires. Those attributes and traits make me think of Northampton, the Pioneer Valley, ("The Happy Valley") or even way out to San Fran or the Pacific Northwest.
I think it's cool that Pittsfield will have this new plant. It's encouraging to me that maybe the concepts of environmental awareness, action, stewardship, and involvement are becoming more mainstream. That's what a biodiesel plant in Pittsfield means to me....
4.12.2007
On the Donosaur
So it's been roughly a week now, and I thought I'd weigh in on the whole Imus charade. Everyone has their opinion of the situation, weather for, against, or indifferent. I'm somewhat of an amalgamation of all three, as there seems to be many ways to digest the currents of Imus' words.
To begin, Imus is an idiot for uttering that statement. Yes, he's utterly despicable in the sense that he not only thought he could get away with the words, not to mention that he thought it was "funny". Come on man, in the year 2007 you still think this shit is funny and acceptable??
I've no opinion of the man himself nor the radio show, as I've never paid too much attention to either. Because of that, I have an easier time keeping my views objective and free from bias. I'd like to think that I could be objective no matter who was on his end of the atrocity, but I'm just not so sure...
Either way, Imus, you were wrong. Your apology may soften the blow a bit, but it will never erase the words you let "slip" from your brain and mouth. How many times do minorities in this world (especially African Americans) have to deal with these specific situations, never mind the myriad of other ways they are disrespected each day? When will people learn?
Imus claims to be (and does seem to be) a decent guy. His charity work and seemingly good spirited nature won't cover for him here though. An individual can be the nicest, most compassionate person alive and still do horrible things. He may have just slipped up, but he still must pay the price. We as a people need to be more diligent about our mental filtering and what we say and portray- to a point...
...I also hold the opinion that this country (in particular) has become overly sensitive about words and opinions. To start off, we are all far too concerned with what everyone else thinks of us and what they have to say. This explains that "keeping up with the Jones' attitude" we all walk around with. It explains the way in which we are always watching our words so that we don't "hurt" someone. We're always trying to be politically correct. It's become a burden of sorts. Not to take the Donosaur off the hook , because there's no way to do that, but I'm just saying that we need to be less sensitive about what people think and say. Freedom of speech can take us so far... but then common courtesy and compassion must play the defining role.
In any regard, views and utterances like Don's should never be heard on public airwaves or at the expense of innocent listeners.
Chris Rock can tell "black" jokes and get away with it. You bet. Yes, there's a double standard in our society and yes it's kind of crappy. But, we need to get over it and realize that's how it is. We need to overcome the feeling of entitlement to always put to words our streams of consciousness. Sometimes it's better to keep those things bottled inside... especially if they're targeted at someone or created out of malice. We need to be better about not always finding humor at the expense of someone else....
No one is perfect, not even Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, or any of the women targeted by Imus' words. All of them harbor things they are not proud of, and I'm sure all of them have uttered words in the past that were not necessarily becoming of a tolerant person. I'm sure each has particular tendencies of dislike for a "group" or "population". We all have our moments of humiliation, failure, and those where we aren't proud of our actions. Heck, I do myself. But having stated that, it's still important to recognize when people have been wronged and how a community rises up to defend its brethren.
I also wish that things were not always looked at or perceived in a vacuum. How about that Duke lacrosse scandal? Were these two situations created equally? I doubt it. There didn't seem to be an uprising of disappointment and disgust when those men were treated with racism and disrespect. To be honest, that's where the community surrounding these men failed. Where are our defenders and our "Jessie Sharpton"? I'm in no way trying to equate these situations, because we all know that they are different. What I'm trying to say is that injustices happen every day, and the manner in which we deal with it is what separates the successful from the failures. Sound familiar Dr. King?
A favorite song of mine is called "Heroes" by John Gorka. The overriding principle of the song is about how dead heroes are better than alive heroes. Here's the opening lyric:
" They say that when it comes to choosing heroes
It's best to pick the ones who aren't around
If you choose among the living
You tend to have misgivings
When your hero lets you down
He might have a bad night in your town"
So, I say to all those who considere(d) Don Imus as your hero:
the bastard just let you down... big time.
Peace
AM Son
To begin, Imus is an idiot for uttering that statement. Yes, he's utterly despicable in the sense that he not only thought he could get away with the words, not to mention that he thought it was "funny". Come on man, in the year 2007 you still think this shit is funny and acceptable??
I've no opinion of the man himself nor the radio show, as I've never paid too much attention to either. Because of that, I have an easier time keeping my views objective and free from bias. I'd like to think that I could be objective no matter who was on his end of the atrocity, but I'm just not so sure...
Either way, Imus, you were wrong. Your apology may soften the blow a bit, but it will never erase the words you let "slip" from your brain and mouth. How many times do minorities in this world (especially African Americans) have to deal with these specific situations, never mind the myriad of other ways they are disrespected each day? When will people learn?
Imus claims to be (and does seem to be) a decent guy. His charity work and seemingly good spirited nature won't cover for him here though. An individual can be the nicest, most compassionate person alive and still do horrible things. He may have just slipped up, but he still must pay the price. We as a people need to be more diligent about our mental filtering and what we say and portray- to a point...
...I also hold the opinion that this country (in particular) has become overly sensitive about words and opinions. To start off, we are all far too concerned with what everyone else thinks of us and what they have to say. This explains that "keeping up with the Jones' attitude" we all walk around with. It explains the way in which we are always watching our words so that we don't "hurt" someone. We're always trying to be politically correct. It's become a burden of sorts. Not to take the Donosaur off the hook , because there's no way to do that, but I'm just saying that we need to be less sensitive about what people think and say. Freedom of speech can take us so far... but then common courtesy and compassion must play the defining role.
In any regard, views and utterances like Don's should never be heard on public airwaves or at the expense of innocent listeners.
Chris Rock can tell "black" jokes and get away with it. You bet. Yes, there's a double standard in our society and yes it's kind of crappy. But, we need to get over it and realize that's how it is. We need to overcome the feeling of entitlement to always put to words our streams of consciousness. Sometimes it's better to keep those things bottled inside... especially if they're targeted at someone or created out of malice. We need to be better about not always finding humor at the expense of someone else....
No one is perfect, not even Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, or any of the women targeted by Imus' words. All of them harbor things they are not proud of, and I'm sure all of them have uttered words in the past that were not necessarily becoming of a tolerant person. I'm sure each has particular tendencies of dislike for a "group" or "population". We all have our moments of humiliation, failure, and those where we aren't proud of our actions. Heck, I do myself. But having stated that, it's still important to recognize when people have been wronged and how a community rises up to defend its brethren.
I also wish that things were not always looked at or perceived in a vacuum. How about that Duke lacrosse scandal? Were these two situations created equally? I doubt it. There didn't seem to be an uprising of disappointment and disgust when those men were treated with racism and disrespect. To be honest, that's where the community surrounding these men failed. Where are our defenders and our "Jessie Sharpton"? I'm in no way trying to equate these situations, because we all know that they are different. What I'm trying to say is that injustices happen every day, and the manner in which we deal with it is what separates the successful from the failures. Sound familiar Dr. King?
A favorite song of mine is called "Heroes" by John Gorka. The overriding principle of the song is about how dead heroes are better than alive heroes. Here's the opening lyric:
" They say that when it comes to choosing heroes
It's best to pick the ones who aren't around
If you choose among the living
You tend to have misgivings
When your hero lets you down
He might have a bad night in your town"
So, I say to all those who considere(d) Don Imus as your hero:
the bastard just let you down... big time.
Peace
AM Son
4.06.2007
Nothing Much
As the oh so exciting title suggests, there's not too much new or exciting going on right now. My (our) crew came back to the golf course this week, which means golf season has officially begun. The course doesn't open for a few weeks, but since the guys are back and Matt and I are working full days again I consider golf "in season". Yes, even despite the Apr-ember type weather out there.
So the days are longer, I get less sleep, I fall asleep in my chair more often, I'm more sore and run down, I get dirtier, and I hear more dirty jokes.... than in recent months. Yes, the golf season has commenced... lol
Hopefully I'll still blog enough.
Peace
AM Son
So the days are longer, I get less sleep, I fall asleep in my chair more often, I'm more sore and run down, I get dirtier, and I hear more dirty jokes.... than in recent months. Yes, the golf season has commenced... lol
Hopefully I'll still blog enough.
Peace
AM Son
3.31.2007
Flying Glass Shrapnel In The Kitchen
The kitchen can be a scary place, a place of eerie missteps and hidden danger. That was the case on the evening of Friday March 30, 2007... where I became fodder for a Pyrex casserole dish.
Oh ok, I'll quit with the drama and hyperbole and just tell it how it was. The drama sets the scenario, but it really isn't as bad as my lead would have you believe.
Yesterday while making some (would be) scrumptious scalloped potatoes, the Pyrex dish I was cooking in exploded. Yep, it exploded, it blew up, it released energy as only an exothermic reaction can. And I don't mean it broke apart into a few large chunks of glass, nope, it literally exploded apart, covering the kitchen, dining room, and parts of the living room with all shapes and sizes of broken tempered glass. Quite literally, it was like a small bomb exploded in our apartment. There was water, potato sauce, glass, milk, and butter everywhere. It was a sight to see for sure.
Luckily, when this event unfolded, Emily was in the shower and Keegan was in another room. I too was turned with my back to the oven, which probably spared me of injury or at the very least being covered with all the "bomb ingredients". I don't know if I would have been injured if I'd been stirring the mix or even turned towards the oven, but I'm sure glad I was turned away.
I guess Pyrex shouldn't be used on a burner. I've used it on burners before, as have other people I know. My Mom doesn't use Pyrex on burners, and Google is split down the middle on people who do and those who do not. So, I don't know what the actual answers are... but I do know one thing:
I will never use Pyrex over direct heat ever again.
The cleanup took about an hour, and it was extremely tedious. From sweeping floors, vacuuming floors, cleaning counter tops, washing dishes, and throwing away dinner, it was an interesting experience.
We had to throw away the pork chops we were about to cook for fear that glass could be lodged into the meat...
The whole ordeal was actually a good pretext for ordering pizza!! Silver lining maybe, lol!?
So, the kitchen and dining rooms are spotless now.... and the Pyrex casserole dish is long long gone.
Another life learning experience.
Peace
AM Son
Oh ok, I'll quit with the drama and hyperbole and just tell it how it was. The drama sets the scenario, but it really isn't as bad as my lead would have you believe.
Yesterday while making some (would be) scrumptious scalloped potatoes, the Pyrex dish I was cooking in exploded. Yep, it exploded, it blew up, it released energy as only an exothermic reaction can. And I don't mean it broke apart into a few large chunks of glass, nope, it literally exploded apart, covering the kitchen, dining room, and parts of the living room with all shapes and sizes of broken tempered glass. Quite literally, it was like a small bomb exploded in our apartment. There was water, potato sauce, glass, milk, and butter everywhere. It was a sight to see for sure.
Luckily, when this event unfolded, Emily was in the shower and Keegan was in another room. I too was turned with my back to the oven, which probably spared me of injury or at the very least being covered with all the "bomb ingredients". I don't know if I would have been injured if I'd been stirring the mix or even turned towards the oven, but I'm sure glad I was turned away.
I guess Pyrex shouldn't be used on a burner. I've used it on burners before, as have other people I know. My Mom doesn't use Pyrex on burners, and Google is split down the middle on people who do and those who do not. So, I don't know what the actual answers are... but I do know one thing:
I will never use Pyrex over direct heat ever again.
The cleanup took about an hour, and it was extremely tedious. From sweeping floors, vacuuming floors, cleaning counter tops, washing dishes, and throwing away dinner, it was an interesting experience.
We had to throw away the pork chops we were about to cook for fear that glass could be lodged into the meat...
The whole ordeal was actually a good pretext for ordering pizza!! Silver lining maybe, lol!?
So, the kitchen and dining rooms are spotless now.... and the Pyrex casserole dish is long long gone.
Another life learning experience.
Peace
AM Son
3.26.2007
Bad Film, Good Film, Good Film
Saw 3 movies over the weekend (yeah we had the urge to veg in front of the tv), with varying results.
The first, an utterly bad example of stupid humor:
Borat. Enough said, right? Well, I went into the flick knowing what type of crap to expect, but really was blown away by it's foolish preschool humor and lack of respect for those on the butt end of the jokes. It simply wasn't funny. Like I said, I didn't go in expecting to be wowed, but did wish to find some humor. In the end, it was a waste of my time... oh well. lol I'll give this crap a 3 out of 10
Next was a very surprisingly good movie:
Stranger Than Fiction. Very strong script with better than average performances from the main characters. I was pleased, it was an engaging story with just enough mystery and drama to keep me interested. Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Dustin Hoffman were terrific. Emma Thompson was also very good, but my personal opinion is that an old man would have suited the movie more aptly. Either way, a very good experience was had watching this movie. I'll give it a 7.5 out of 10
The last movie we watched was:
Idiocracy. Another very solid and surprising movie. Didn't know a thing about it until I heard on a tech news show about it being an American satire. It's a comedy drenched in satire about how this society is slowly (or not so slowly) becoming dumbed down and controlled by mega corporations and celebrity. All of it is not only plausible but also comical in its pure irreverent take on our culture. Obviously goofy and far fetched in some of its portrayals, but nonetheless it is scary and maybe even ominous in its portent...
I liked it, I'll give it 7 out of 10
Overall, it was a good movie weekend... with one throw away title from the mix. I'm sure some of you'll disagree about my Borat musings, but any of you who know me probably aren't surprised anyhow, haha!
Take this all with a grain of NaCl, as always.
Peace
AM Son
The first, an utterly bad example of stupid humor:
Borat. Enough said, right? Well, I went into the flick knowing what type of crap to expect, but really was blown away by it's foolish preschool humor and lack of respect for those on the butt end of the jokes. It simply wasn't funny. Like I said, I didn't go in expecting to be wowed, but did wish to find some humor. In the end, it was a waste of my time... oh well. lol I'll give this crap a 3 out of 10
Next was a very surprisingly good movie:
Stranger Than Fiction. Very strong script with better than average performances from the main characters. I was pleased, it was an engaging story with just enough mystery and drama to keep me interested. Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Dustin Hoffman were terrific. Emma Thompson was also very good, but my personal opinion is that an old man would have suited the movie more aptly. Either way, a very good experience was had watching this movie. I'll give it a 7.5 out of 10
The last movie we watched was:
Idiocracy. Another very solid and surprising movie. Didn't know a thing about it until I heard on a tech news show about it being an American satire. It's a comedy drenched in satire about how this society is slowly (or not so slowly) becoming dumbed down and controlled by mega corporations and celebrity. All of it is not only plausible but also comical in its pure irreverent take on our culture. Obviously goofy and far fetched in some of its portrayals, but nonetheless it is scary and maybe even ominous in its portent...
I liked it, I'll give it 7 out of 10
Overall, it was a good movie weekend... with one throw away title from the mix. I'm sure some of you'll disagree about my Borat musings, but any of you who know me probably aren't surprised anyhow, haha!
Take this all with a grain of NaCl, as always.
Peace
AM Son
3.24.2007
Go, Go Al, Go Al Gore!!
So, in case you've been living under sedimentary rock lately... here's what the Pres.. err ex-vice pres has been up to recently:
Mr. Gore's been making the rounds, and he recently stopped by that institution we like to call congress (actually, The House Energy and Science Committees) where he had an agenda to deliver and act upon. I say good for you Mr. Gore. First the movie, and now post-movie action- I like your method Sir.
Here are some links to peruse:
Watch Gore go to town on our "elected officials":
[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWMVPTZEAEQ]
If interested, check part 2 and part 3 at youtube.
The Nation offers praise and awe to the man!
Grist tells it it like it is, and should be. Hooraybeer action!
(Pay particular attention to the last paragraph; an eloquent and effective summarization of the current political landscape and why Gore may just be the man to spearhead change- real change.)
Grist at it again, with Gore's 10 legislative recommendations!
Al Gore's official site...
Enjoy. And may the new season of spring usher in political, moral, ethical, and functional change in the way we as a united people approach the climate and climate change. It's time to be objective and leave the emotion and political and religious hogwash behind us.
Peace
AM Son
Mr. Gore's been making the rounds, and he recently stopped by that institution we like to call congress (actually, The House Energy and Science Committees) where he had an agenda to deliver and act upon. I say good for you Mr. Gore. First the movie, and now post-movie action- I like your method Sir.
Here are some links to peruse:
Watch Gore go to town on our "elected officials":
[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWMVPTZEAEQ]
If interested, check part 2 and part 3 at youtube.
The Nation offers praise and awe to the man!
Grist tells it it like it is, and should be. Hooray
(Pay particular attention to the last paragraph; an eloquent and effective summarization of the current political landscape and why Gore may just be the man to spearhead change- real change.)
Grist at it again, with Gore's 10 legislative recommendations!
Al Gore's official site...
Enjoy. And may the new season of spring usher in political, moral, ethical, and functional change in the way we as a united people approach the climate and climate change. It's time to be objective and leave the emotion and political and religious hogwash behind us.
Peace
AM Son
3.23.2007
Music Is Life
Anyone who knows me is aware that music is an important part of my life. I couldn't even envision myself being with a woman who also wasn't into music. That is one reason why Em and I are so good together... one of many!
But music is more than just something to pass the time or make a moment joyous, it's life. It's something that can make or break a moment, it can provide incentive or push, it can bring me to emotion and pain, and it can take me away from where I don't want to be or even take me back down to earth.
Although cliche, music really is the "soundtrack to my life". Notice I didn't say that "insert song/ album/ artist name here" provided the soundtrack of my life. That's because my mood, tastes, influences, needs, and desires are always changing- they're dynamic just like my life.
In a strange sort of way, music is the one thing in life that never has and never will let me down. All literal translations aside (because taken literally, that statement seems awful and lonely), music is the one thing, be it hobby or desire, that cannot let me down. It's here for me, no matter my mood or predicament. Music is only a click of a mouse or a snap of a cd case away... it's never too far and always too close... it's loud enough but never too loud... it's tempting, it's unnerving.... it's kitschy and dated, but always pertinent... it's sublime and surreal... it's unexplainable and understanding... music, it's perfect.... music...
it's life!
For your viewing pleasure, I've added a last.fm widget to the sidebar of the blog!
Go check out what I'm listening to, and what else is on my aural pallette!
Last.fm is a sweet music community site... go look!
Peace
AM Son
But music is more than just something to pass the time or make a moment joyous, it's life. It's something that can make or break a moment, it can provide incentive or push, it can bring me to emotion and pain, and it can take me away from where I don't want to be or even take me back down to earth.
Although cliche, music really is the "soundtrack to my life". Notice I didn't say that "insert song/ album/ artist name here" provided the soundtrack of my life. That's because my mood, tastes, influences, needs, and desires are always changing- they're dynamic just like my life.
In a strange sort of way, music is the one thing in life that never has and never will let me down. All literal translations aside (because taken literally, that statement seems awful and lonely), music is the one thing, be it hobby or desire, that cannot let me down. It's here for me, no matter my mood or predicament. Music is only a click of a mouse or a snap of a cd case away... it's never too far and always too close... it's loud enough but never too loud... it's tempting, it's unnerving.... it's kitschy and dated, but always pertinent... it's sublime and surreal... it's unexplainable and understanding... music, it's perfect.... music...
it's life!
For your viewing pleasure, I've added a last.fm widget to the sidebar of the blog!
Go check out what I'm listening to, and what else is on my aural pallette!
Last.fm is a sweet music community site... go look!
Peace
AM Son
3.22.2007
Where it takes me...
As you may or may not have noticed, I like to write with "..."
It makes what I write, the concepts and ideas which I'm trying to convey, seemingly more conversational. To me, it offers more of a flow to the writing... more of an open ended storyline and method to understanding.
Weather or not those goals are actually met is quite another thing... but it's how I write, and most definitely it's not going to change... it's my style... it's my signature... it's my method!
Ok, now that I've rambled and become the non sequitur that I portray in my writing... I'll head off into another unspecified direction!
I've been lazy of late. Even though the barrier to entry for writing a blog entry has been significantly mitigated (zippy laptop is more portable and accessible than old desktop pc), I can't seem to get myself motivated or inspired to write anything remotely interesting.
So... until a topic of any worthiness strikes me from out of the blue, you'll have to find solace in checking my slowly increasing gamerscore!
Enjoy...
P.S. Spring is upon us, which means golf will be becoming my "big brother" for the next several months. This may mean more of the same nothingness that I've been posting lately... or maybe it could mean more inspiration or indignation... who knows... we'll see.
Peace
AM Son
It makes what I write, the concepts and ideas which I'm trying to convey, seemingly more conversational. To me, it offers more of a flow to the writing... more of an open ended storyline and method to understanding.
Weather or not those goals are actually met is quite another thing... but it's how I write, and most definitely it's not going to change... it's my style... it's my signature... it's my method!
Ok, now that I've rambled and become the non sequitur that I portray in my writing... I'll head off into another unspecified direction!
I've been lazy of late. Even though the barrier to entry for writing a blog entry has been significantly mitigated (zippy laptop is more portable and accessible than old desktop pc), I can't seem to get myself motivated or inspired to write anything remotely interesting.
So... until a topic of any worthiness strikes me from out of the blue, you'll have to find solace in checking my slowly increasing gamerscore!
Enjoy...
P.S. Spring is upon us, which means golf will be becoming my "big brother" for the next several months. This may mean more of the same nothingness that I've been posting lately... or maybe it could mean more inspiration or indignation... who knows... we'll see.
Peace
AM Son
2.24.2007
We're in the family...
...the Apple family that is! Yep, we did it, we bought our first Mac! I won't expound on all the details and commentary at this moment, but I wanted to update all of you who may be looking for updates.
Soon I'll post some pics and an early look at the "switch". As of now though, it's a sweet sweet transition. It's been flawless and exciting, and we're both just floored with this new Macbook!
So, until I get some time to delve into the 'tails.... take care!
And go listen to the Gov'nas podcast already!
Peace
AM Son
Soon I'll post some pics and an early look at the "switch". As of now though, it's a sweet sweet transition. It's been flawless and exciting, and we're both just floored with this new Macbook!
So, until I get some time to delve into the 'tails.... take care!
And go listen to the Gov'nas podcast already!
Peace
AM Son
2.03.2007
The Governor Has A Podcast!
In case it flew under the radar of your attention, a really cool thing happened about two weeks ago at the Governors Office.
Deval Patrick announced that he was instituting a weekly podcast (downloadable audio file) each Friday on the Mass. Government's website. It's pretty cool, usually lasting about 5 or so minutes long, and covers all sorts of topics from updating the public to his personal life, assessing the current state of the commonwealth, introducing new programs and/ or roles within the government, asking for public support and input, or even just recapping a weeks worth of events in and around the state. It's a welcome outstretched hand from Governor Patrick, and may be a rosy sign of the way in which he plans to govern.
Ironically, this whole idea, and the fact that it was instituted so quickly after inauguration is in very stark contrast to the style and method of Mitt Romney. Check out this article from a few weeks back, it really lays out the drastic differences in approach from the two governing men. Personally, I like Deval's style better!
It's only been a short while that Mr. Patrick has been in office, but I really have taken a liking to him. Weather it's the verve and style in which he handles speaking roles, or the manner in which he's already taken a hands on approach to governing. It seems he realizes that you can't have the "good ol' boy" political style in this day and age, and to me, that's a very positive first step.
Oh, and fyi, I didn't vote for Patrick... (maybe some day Green Party) so there's no forgone affinity here, just an objective study of a "job well started".
Deval Patrick announced that he was instituting a weekly podcast (downloadable audio file) each Friday on the Mass. Government's website. It's pretty cool, usually lasting about 5 or so minutes long, and covers all sorts of topics from updating the public to his personal life, assessing the current state of the commonwealth, introducing new programs and/ or roles within the government, asking for public support and input, or even just recapping a weeks worth of events in and around the state. It's a welcome outstretched hand from Governor Patrick, and may be a rosy sign of the way in which he plans to govern.
Ironically, this whole idea, and the fact that it was instituted so quickly after inauguration is in very stark contrast to the style and method of Mitt Romney. Check out this article from a few weeks back, it really lays out the drastic differences in approach from the two governing men. Personally, I like Deval's style better!
It's only been a short while that Mr. Patrick has been in office, but I really have taken a liking to him. Weather it's the verve and style in which he handles speaking roles, or the manner in which he's already taken a hands on approach to governing. It seems he realizes that you can't have the "good ol' boy" political style in this day and age, and to me, that's a very positive first step.
Oh, and fyi, I didn't vote for Patrick... (maybe some day Green Party) so there's no forgone affinity here, just an objective study of a "job well started".
2.01.2007
Maybe I Just Don't Get It? Maybe I'm Naive and Oversimplistic?
I'm sure by now we all have been made somewhat aware of the recent "terror scare" in Boston. The reason I place quotes around the phrase is because I'm disgusted by it all. I'm not going to go into the details of what happened, that's easily obtained and digested, but what I will say is this: what sort of world are we actually living in today.
If what I see today is in fact this world, then I guess Osama, Sadam, The Devil, Bill Gates, Hip-Hop, Rock-n-Roll, The Catcher In The Rye, Television, Video Games, shopping malls, and/ or drugs; or whomever else is purportedly to blame for the ills of this world, have won. If Osama really does want to take over Western civilization, maybe this is it. Maybe what he started with 9/11 is finally coming to fruition... The United States of America is finally folding in unto itself.
All joking aside, I think this situation is an extremely unfortunate one. Yes, September 11th did happen, and it was and still is an astute example of the dark side of mankind. Yes, the world we currently live in is an ever growing restrictive and foreboding one. It's a tough world to live in at times, weather boarding a plane with shampoo, or even trying to decipher the nightly news reports and information constantly beamed into our lives.
It's unfortunate, plain and simple, for whatever reasons or causes.
Having said all that, I can't seem to shake my own sense of confusion and awe at what happened yesterday in Boston. For the record, I'm on the side of the "perpetrators" here. I just can't bring myself to incriminate two men who engaged in a guerrilla marketing campaign. I don't know all the facts, and I don't claim to, but I just don't see how and why we should spend all this time and energy in something that we know was harmless.
Yes, there are evil people out there, and yes there are people everyday who will try and deceive the general public in an attempt to harm them. Yes, we must be vigilant in our efforts to uphold our freedoms- as promised and forecasted long ago by Mr. Jefferson himself. But, we also need to temper that vigilance at times and take a step back to reveal the forest through those trees. We as a people need to be able to decipher clear and present danger from fear-mongering and doom and gloom attitudes.
Why do we immediately use the word "terror" for anything fearful or dangerous. It's fear mongering, it's attempting to instill that same fear that we all experienced on Sept. 11 into each uncomfortable situation that unfolds here in our country. These two lads are far from terrorists, they were simply doing a "marketing" job. Yeah, hind sight is perfect vision, I know that. But I also know that we can't always assume the worst of everyone we meet or see. Have we all morphed into xenophobes? Have we all incriminated each and every solitary person that isn't in our little "bubble"?
The aforementioned ability to separate the real fear from the hoax's is crucial to living in, working in, and continuing a society that truly is free- not just one that claims to be free or uses the term as a slogan to sell automobiles or Presidents. From what I see in this current situation, some people overreacted to an obvious attempt at solicitation.
There will be those that say, "well what about next time when a well placed bomb is hidden inside a run of the mill supermarket ad or other harmless looking facade". Yes, that's a true concern, and one that we will have to always endure. Ever since terrorists used commercial airliners to kill thousands of people, we need to scrutinize every and all methods of harm. However, we need not do so in a vacuum. Yes, easier said than done, I know. But where does freedom end and terror begin? Where is the point where we can live and not constantly be afraid?
Back to the specifics at hand:
Maybe the "terror hoax suspects" and their parent company (employer) Turner Broadcasting Co. should have alerted authorities to their plan. Maybe they should have used non-threatening devices (whatever that is). Maybe they should have not done it at all? Maybe they should have just sold a commercial to the NFL for the Super Bowl (at a cost of almost $3M mind you). Maybe, maybe, maybe...
Maybe we should all just live in personal bubbles? Maybe we should board up our houses, say goodbye to any sort of freedom, and communicate exclusively through the internet?
Man, where does it end? I don't know. I just don't know.
I understand that much of the city was shut down during this "scare". It would have been incredibly sad and unnecessary if someone had to get through traffic for a medical emergency and couldn't because of the blockages. But... (you knew that was coming right), who's to blame for that? Was it absolutely necessary to shut down 2 bridges and part of the Charles River over all of this? Why did 8 other cities not have a "terror scare" like we here did? Is it because we're acting uptight like typical East Coasters? Maybe we did the right thing, maybe I'm the one with his head up his ass. Maybe now, the terrorists won't hide bombs in signs that scream, "hey look at me, look at me". Maybe they'll have to resort to more mundane activities, like actually hiding bombs and placing them in areas where they aren't visible. Obviously, I do hope that no one ever plants a bomb ANYWHERE, I'm being sarcastic in my tone.
This whole world we live in now is a learning process. Not only are authorities learning how to discern harm from harmless, but we as citizens are also learning how to act in methods and manners that don't seem devious, harmful, spiteful, or "terroristic". Having said this, why don't we just give these guys and their employers a free pass. Lets all learn from this, and learn to be a little more scrupulous. Lets not be so concerned with finger pointing and always having to create good and evil. How about more gray?
One point of irony: as I sit here typing this, I'm listening to Neil Diamond's "America". Honestly, I didn't plan this out. I sure couldn't be this clever. It's ironic because one of the suspects in the Boston scare is a political refugee from Belarus, here in the U.S. seeking asylum. Interesting that a political refugee presumably seeking freedom of expression and freedom of thought, is arraigned and incriminated here in "the land of the free" for just those things he fled his home for....
Go freedom.
If what I see today is in fact this world, then I guess Osama, Sadam, The Devil, Bill Gates, Hip-Hop, Rock-n-Roll, The Catcher In The Rye, Television, Video Games, shopping malls, and/ or drugs; or whomever else is purportedly to blame for the ills of this world, have won. If Osama really does want to take over Western civilization, maybe this is it. Maybe what he started with 9/11 is finally coming to fruition... The United States of America is finally folding in unto itself.
All joking aside, I think this situation is an extremely unfortunate one. Yes, September 11th did happen, and it was and still is an astute example of the dark side of mankind. Yes, the world we currently live in is an ever growing restrictive and foreboding one. It's a tough world to live in at times, weather boarding a plane with shampoo, or even trying to decipher the nightly news reports and information constantly beamed into our lives.
It's unfortunate, plain and simple, for whatever reasons or causes.
Having said all that, I can't seem to shake my own sense of confusion and awe at what happened yesterday in Boston. For the record, I'm on the side of the "perpetrators" here. I just can't bring myself to incriminate two men who engaged in a guerrilla marketing campaign. I don't know all the facts, and I don't claim to, but I just don't see how and why we should spend all this time and energy in something that we know was harmless.
Yes, there are evil people out there, and yes there are people everyday who will try and deceive the general public in an attempt to harm them. Yes, we must be vigilant in our efforts to uphold our freedoms- as promised and forecasted long ago by Mr. Jefferson himself. But, we also need to temper that vigilance at times and take a step back to reveal the forest through those trees. We as a people need to be able to decipher clear and present danger from fear-mongering and doom and gloom attitudes.
Why do we immediately use the word "terror" for anything fearful or dangerous. It's fear mongering, it's attempting to instill that same fear that we all experienced on Sept. 11 into each uncomfortable situation that unfolds here in our country. These two lads are far from terrorists, they were simply doing a "marketing" job. Yeah, hind sight is perfect vision, I know that. But I also know that we can't always assume the worst of everyone we meet or see. Have we all morphed into xenophobes? Have we all incriminated each and every solitary person that isn't in our little "bubble"?
The aforementioned ability to separate the real fear from the hoax's is crucial to living in, working in, and continuing a society that truly is free- not just one that claims to be free or uses the term as a slogan to sell automobiles or Presidents. From what I see in this current situation, some people overreacted to an obvious attempt at solicitation.
There will be those that say, "well what about next time when a well placed bomb is hidden inside a run of the mill supermarket ad or other harmless looking facade". Yes, that's a true concern, and one that we will have to always endure. Ever since terrorists used commercial airliners to kill thousands of people, we need to scrutinize every and all methods of harm. However, we need not do so in a vacuum. Yes, easier said than done, I know. But where does freedom end and terror begin? Where is the point where we can live and not constantly be afraid?
Back to the specifics at hand:
Maybe the "terror hoax suspects" and their parent company (employer) Turner Broadcasting Co. should have alerted authorities to their plan. Maybe they should have used non-threatening devices (whatever that is). Maybe they should have not done it at all? Maybe they should have just sold a commercial to the NFL for the Super Bowl (at a cost of almost $3M mind you). Maybe, maybe, maybe...
Maybe we should all just live in personal bubbles? Maybe we should board up our houses, say goodbye to any sort of freedom, and communicate exclusively through the internet?
Man, where does it end? I don't know. I just don't know.
I understand that much of the city was shut down during this "scare". It would have been incredibly sad and unnecessary if someone had to get through traffic for a medical emergency and couldn't because of the blockages. But... (you knew that was coming right), who's to blame for that? Was it absolutely necessary to shut down 2 bridges and part of the Charles River over all of this? Why did 8 other cities not have a "terror scare" like we here did? Is it because we're acting uptight like typical East Coasters? Maybe we did the right thing, maybe I'm the one with his head up his ass. Maybe now, the terrorists won't hide bombs in signs that scream, "hey look at me, look at me". Maybe they'll have to resort to more mundane activities, like actually hiding bombs and placing them in areas where they aren't visible. Obviously, I do hope that no one ever plants a bomb ANYWHERE, I'm being sarcastic in my tone.
This whole world we live in now is a learning process. Not only are authorities learning how to discern harm from harmless, but we as citizens are also learning how to act in methods and manners that don't seem devious, harmful, spiteful, or "terroristic". Having said this, why don't we just give these guys and their employers a free pass. Lets all learn from this, and learn to be a little more scrupulous. Lets not be so concerned with finger pointing and always having to create good and evil. How about more gray?
One point of irony: as I sit here typing this, I'm listening to Neil Diamond's "America". Honestly, I didn't plan this out. I sure couldn't be this clever. It's ironic because one of the suspects in the Boston scare is a political refugee from Belarus, here in the U.S. seeking asylum. Interesting that a political refugee presumably seeking freedom of expression and freedom of thought, is arraigned and incriminated here in "the land of the free" for just those things he fled his home for....
Go freedom.
1.25.2007
Ex-patriots
I'm stealing a line from Guerra here... Matt, you've got prior use rights on this one, haha! So, yeah as we all know the Pats are now an ex.... as in they are no longer a team playing in the 2006/ 2007 season. The Colts beat 'em up pretty badly in the 2nd half of last Sunday's AFC Championship game, which the Colts won 38-34. Congratulations to the Colts, they were the better team for the duration of the game. Tony Dungy is a great coach, and seems like an even greater man. Seeing so, I think it's tough to ever root against a guy like that in life... never mind a football game. Peyton Manning is a great football player as well, and also follows in the classy, mature, good-sportsman mold. So, I hereby announce my intention to root for the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI!
I wish there were heartwarming side stories a la last years blog post... but there really isn't. There were no superhuman-almost-game-saving-100yard-tackles made by a certain Benjamin Watson this year. There were no really egregious officiating blunders like last year either. And lastly, there was no real reason that the Pats deserved to win that game, seeing as they played so lousy after the halftime festivities.
I do believe that if they had won the AFC this year, that the Pats could have and would have beaten the Bears in the super bowl. Obviously, we will never know if New England would have hoisted trophy number 4 or not... and for that and in that vein of mystery, I will end this post. It's too painful to articulate the feelings I have for this particular end to this particular season....
Good luck Colts, Go Peyton and Tony!
Peace
AM Son
I wish there were heartwarming side stories a la last years blog post... but there really isn't. There were no superhuman-almost-game-saving-100yard-tackles made by a certain Benjamin Watson this year. There were no really egregious officiating blunders like last year either. And lastly, there was no real reason that the Pats deserved to win that game, seeing as they played so lousy after the halftime festivities.
I do believe that if they had won the AFC this year, that the Pats could have and would have beaten the Bears in the super bowl. Obviously, we will never know if New England would have hoisted trophy number 4 or not... and for that and in that vein of mystery, I will end this post. It's too painful to articulate the feelings I have for this particular end to this particular season....
Good luck Colts, Go Peyton and Tony!
Peace
AM Son
1.16.2007
Still Deeply Waged
Reason For War
(September 2006)
Men don't fight with swords anymore,
but bombs work pretty well.
Things have gone so far;
gotten so out of control;
the reasons for war anymore;
we can never even tell.
Faith for the sake of faith,
is a tunnel.
And those words, utterances, and actions;
stemming from that faith;
are vehicles.
All leading to destruction.
Send a dove to the West,
only to wage bloody war in the East.
Get on the megaphone;
blare lies to the electorate,
while whispering the ruthless truth,
to those in your pockets.
Mother nature won't stand in your way,
the affluenza that affects you,
is piss an' vinegar,
to her sweet gentle breath;
that you make bitter with your lemon spirit.
Oh;
you're an evil evil man.
Walking in the house painted white.
An evil grin you wear,
it matches;
that snarky persona so fine.
Reason for war,
it can be anything at all.
It can be nothing too small...
The reasons for war anymore;
we can never even tell.
The days go by, the years add up, and the death toll from both American soldiers and Iraqi citizens rises ever higher. The more this sorry excuse for a war drags on, the more that people pack it away to the depths of their consciousness. It's become background noise, it's become mundane (no disrespect to soldiers and their families) because it seems there is no result. There has been escalating conflict, fighting, and death in Iraq, and more and more developing issues extenuating to U.S and Allied involvement. And all for what...? That's all I'm saying here.
This war is nothing but a method for the current U.S administration to extend their imperialism across the globe. It's a facade, from the "WMD's" to the "democracy for Iraq". It's a vehicle for our President and his cronies to attempt to control the middle east... so they can control the oil. War makes money, and when our Vice President has a stake in a company (Halliburton) that directly benefits from war, construction, oil, and destruction; then there's no other conclusion to draw.
So, I say: what are the reasons for war? Check out more about Halliburton for yourself: here and here.
(September 2006)
Men don't fight with swords anymore,
but bombs work pretty well.
Things have gone so far;
gotten so out of control;
the reasons for war anymore;
we can never even tell.
Faith for the sake of faith,
is a tunnel.
And those words, utterances, and actions;
stemming from that faith;
are vehicles.
All leading to destruction.
Send a dove to the West,
only to wage bloody war in the East.
Get on the megaphone;
blare lies to the electorate,
while whispering the ruthless truth,
to those in your pockets.
Mother nature won't stand in your way,
the affluenza that affects you,
is piss an' vinegar,
to her sweet gentle breath;
that you make bitter with your lemon spirit.
Oh;
you're an evil evil man.
Walking in the house painted white.
An evil grin you wear,
it matches;
that snarky persona so fine.
Reason for war,
it can be anything at all.
It can be nothing too small...
The reasons for war anymore;
we can never even tell.
The days go by, the years add up, and the death toll from both American soldiers and Iraqi citizens rises ever higher. The more this sorry excuse for a war drags on, the more that people pack it away to the depths of their consciousness. It's become background noise, it's become mundane (no disrespect to soldiers and their families) because it seems there is no result. There has been escalating conflict, fighting, and death in Iraq, and more and more developing issues extenuating to U.S and Allied involvement. And all for what...? That's all I'm saying here.
This war is nothing but a method for the current U.S administration to extend their imperialism across the globe. It's a facade, from the "WMD's" to the "democracy for Iraq". It's a vehicle for our President and his cronies to attempt to control the middle east... so they can control the oil. War makes money, and when our Vice President has a stake in a company (Halliburton) that directly benefits from war, construction, oil, and destruction; then there's no other conclusion to draw.
So, I say: what are the reasons for war? Check out more about Halliburton for yourself: here and here.
12.29.2006
(Re)birth of the cool
So Miles Davis had an album titled "Birth of the Cool" back in 1949. A great album indeed, it's definitely one of the great Jazz efforts from history. Now it's Jazz, so there's no particular storyline or lyrical set per se, but the title has always stuck with me and resonated with me in its seemingly defining of the advent of "cool". Cool is a dynamic term, always changing with economics, politics, fashion, sport, and religion. We all know the fad of the week, the flash in the pan, the trend of the moment... those movements or entities that are "cool" one moment only to fade to black the next. It's Disco, it's brightly colored jam shorts, it's socialism, it's Snow (of Informer fame), it's trucker hats, it's snap bracelets, and even the Atkins diet. Yeah, theres more fads of cool that I could mention but I believe those few illustrate my point. So, cool is fleeting right... well, kind of!
Cool can be a monolithic and lasting experience. Cool can be as solid as stone, cool can be unending. It's those nostalgic things and ideas that never seem to lose their cool... no pun intended, lol. Some examples of permanent cool could be computers, capitalism, religion in general, materialism, and food. This doesn't necessarily mean that all cool things are good things however, as materialism isn't always associated with a lasting and fulfilling lifestyle, but they are seemingly permanent in our present culture. Cool is a thing that has duel meaning, as I've stumbled through above....
So, where am I going with all of this? Well, to get to the point.... as a secret Santa gift this year, Tiff got me a deck of "Uno" cards and "Barrel of Monkeys". Yes, this secret Santa was intended to be a joke-type gift... but I semi-disagree with that notion. Ya see, the fact that one can still purchase "Barrel of Monkeys" is amazing to me. It's an established children's toy, a toy we've all played with, a toy all our parents certainly played with as kids. It's reaffirming and encouraging to know that the children of today still have the ability to play and learn the way generations ago were able to. Great to know I can still play uno with actual cards and with actual people, even though I know I can play it on the computer or over xbox live. It's nice, in todays hi-tech world of video games, iPods, computers, and television, that there's still a market for low-tech toys. This is where the idea of capitalism is seen as a permanent fixture in our world... it's "cool" will never wear off. If not economically viable, those barrels full of primates would merely solicit a laugh and a stare at the Smithsonian.
So Tiff, you may have succeeded in following the rules of getting a joke style gift for that secret Santa... it received a laugh for sure... but I feel comforted!! Thank you, you've restored my faith in entertainment... that all is not lost on today's youth... or us for that matter!!
Just the other day, Emily and I went to dinner at Chandlers Restaurant at the Yankee Candle flagship store. We were invited there by her cousins as a Christmas gift to us. What a nice thought!
Well, this was no ordinary dinner.... we were to be entertained as well on this evening. It was a murder mystery dinner theater! What the heck is that you ask!? Well, up until that night I had no clue either... check this link for more info!
Basically, you sign up for a mystery dinner for a certain night, and upon arriving you are seated and offered drinks as any other meal. After drinks are served the "in costume" actors of the murder mystery appear. This is to kind of introduce themselves and their characters to the dinner guests. They interact a little bit with the guests, and generally just break the ice for the evening.
We were then offered a few different choices for soup and dinner, and then offered another round of drinks. Upon this offer, we were told that for the next 45 minutes or so we would be entertained by the "play" and dinner would be served afterwards. Our theater presentation was entitled "You Can't Toy With Death". It basically involved nitwit toys on the Island of Nitwit Toys. They were each vying for the honor to be the toy selected to go into Santa's bag for Christmas. One of them is murdered, presumably because the others want a chance to be the selected toy.....
I won't go into too much detail about the plot of the play or the premise of the story. I will say this however- it was extremely enjoyable. Although a very long evening, extending upwards of 3.5 hours, it was pretty interesting and cool to have an experience like that. There's coffee and dessert while the show wraps up... you are given a sort of "program" for the event, which describes the setting and the characters... also leaving space for your guess as to who killed the dead person. You are asked to give reasons and clues as to why you think so, and at the end of the evening they give awards for correct answers as well as for utterly incorrect or outlandish answers. I'll say this, for anyone who likes "The Simpsons" or "Family Guy" for its adult rated humor, you'd enjoy these shows. They are filled to the brim with educated sarcasm and whit, mature themes, and obtuse jokes. It's cool, because there are many different levels to enjoy and be entertained by the show.
Overall, it was a really nice experience! Great to have a nice night with friends and family, and it was just so different from most things that we get to do that I'd love to do it again. If you've never been to Chandlers, it's worth a visit. Heck, if you've never been to the Yankee Candle mother store, you gotta get there in a hurry too!!
The production was put on by The Comical Mystery Tour. The cast were all local to the area, so it had a small town charm to it. It wasn't overly theatrical or pretentious either. Go check them out and see some media and pics for yourself.
Peace
AM Son
Cool can be a monolithic and lasting experience. Cool can be as solid as stone, cool can be unending. It's those nostalgic things and ideas that never seem to lose their cool... no pun intended, lol. Some examples of permanent cool could be computers, capitalism, religion in general, materialism, and food. This doesn't necessarily mean that all cool things are good things however, as materialism isn't always associated with a lasting and fulfilling lifestyle, but they are seemingly permanent in our present culture. Cool is a thing that has duel meaning, as I've stumbled through above....
So, where am I going with all of this? Well, to get to the point.... as a secret Santa gift this year, Tiff got me a deck of "Uno" cards and "Barrel of Monkeys". Yes, this secret Santa was intended to be a joke-type gift... but I semi-disagree with that notion. Ya see, the fact that one can still purchase "Barrel of Monkeys" is amazing to me. It's an established children's toy, a toy we've all played with, a toy all our parents certainly played with as kids. It's reaffirming and encouraging to know that the children of today still have the ability to play and learn the way generations ago were able to. Great to know I can still play uno with actual cards and with actual people, even though I know I can play it on the computer or over xbox live. It's nice, in todays hi-tech world of video games, iPods, computers, and television, that there's still a market for low-tech toys. This is where the idea of capitalism is seen as a permanent fixture in our world... it's "cool" will never wear off. If not economically viable, those barrels full of primates would merely solicit a laugh and a stare at the Smithsonian.
So Tiff, you may have succeeded in following the rules of getting a joke style gift for that secret Santa... it received a laugh for sure... but I feel comforted!! Thank you, you've restored my faith in entertainment... that all is not lost on today's youth... or us for that matter!!
Just the other day, Emily and I went to dinner at Chandlers Restaurant at the Yankee Candle flagship store. We were invited there by her cousins as a Christmas gift to us. What a nice thought!
Well, this was no ordinary dinner.... we were to be entertained as well on this evening. It was a murder mystery dinner theater! What the heck is that you ask!? Well, up until that night I had no clue either... check this link for more info!
Basically, you sign up for a mystery dinner for a certain night, and upon arriving you are seated and offered drinks as any other meal. After drinks are served the "in costume" actors of the murder mystery appear. This is to kind of introduce themselves and their characters to the dinner guests. They interact a little bit with the guests, and generally just break the ice for the evening.
We were then offered a few different choices for soup and dinner, and then offered another round of drinks. Upon this offer, we were told that for the next 45 minutes or so we would be entertained by the "play" and dinner would be served afterwards. Our theater presentation was entitled "You Can't Toy With Death". It basically involved nitwit toys on the Island of Nitwit Toys. They were each vying for the honor to be the toy selected to go into Santa's bag for Christmas. One of them is murdered, presumably because the others want a chance to be the selected toy.....
I won't go into too much detail about the plot of the play or the premise of the story. I will say this however- it was extremely enjoyable. Although a very long evening, extending upwards of 3.5 hours, it was pretty interesting and cool to have an experience like that. There's coffee and dessert while the show wraps up... you are given a sort of "program" for the event, which describes the setting and the characters... also leaving space for your guess as to who killed the dead person. You are asked to give reasons and clues as to why you think so, and at the end of the evening they give awards for correct answers as well as for utterly incorrect or outlandish answers. I'll say this, for anyone who likes "The Simpsons" or "Family Guy" for its adult rated humor, you'd enjoy these shows. They are filled to the brim with educated sarcasm and whit, mature themes, and obtuse jokes. It's cool, because there are many different levels to enjoy and be entertained by the show.
Overall, it was a really nice experience! Great to have a nice night with friends and family, and it was just so different from most things that we get to do that I'd love to do it again. If you've never been to Chandlers, it's worth a visit. Heck, if you've never been to the Yankee Candle mother store, you gotta get there in a hurry too!!
The production was put on by The Comical Mystery Tour. The cast were all local to the area, so it had a small town charm to it. It wasn't overly theatrical or pretentious either. Go check them out and see some media and pics for yourself.
Peace
AM Son
12.19.2006
It's a snowless & flat world...
Here we are, it's December 19, and I can see green grass. I see enough green grass during the months of April through October that come December I expect the grass to be hidden under a thick insulating blanket of white SNOW! I know I know, it's not technically winter yet... but Christmas is a few days away and we've yet to receive a measurable, lasting, significant snowfall. I'm depressed about this fact, and although it is not impairing my ability to enjoy each day, I do pine for a nice winter snowfall. Let's do some sort of snow-dance or some shit like that... as of now, it seems to be our one last hope before the 25th hits us.
So there's the snowless part...
Here's the flat world part....
I'm currently reading a book entitled, "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman. Chef and I are kind of treating this thing as assigned reading over these (snowless) winter months while we both have some free time to devote to a good book. It is in fact a good book- so far! As I write this, I am currently at around page 230 of this 600 page book, so I've yet to experience the majority of what Friedman is trying to accomplish. As of now, it's an extremely involved, detailed, and broad reaching attempt to explain how the global world is becoming more of an integral and real notion. This is where the "Flat World" idea comes in- the world is flat in the sense that average individuals have more and more ability to reach and influence the rest of the 6 billion inhabitants of this planet. If this concept seems esoteric or strange to comprehend, consider this:
just the other day, Time magazine released it's 2006 person of the year issue. In case this is unfamiliar to those out there, Time awarded this distinguishable award to.......... drumroll........
YOU! Yes, that's it, you are the person of the year. If interested, go read the article for a more concise and erudite explanation of the topic.
It's interesting to note the similarity of what the Time article and Friedman's book thus far are paralleling. Like I said, it's a 600 page book, so I cannot go into too much detail here, but I think it's pertinent in these global times to have a nice grasp on the workings of the current world. I'm no expert, heck I haven't even crossed the half-way point of the book, but so far it's an interesting, intriguing, and well thought out argument for why Christopher Columbus would eat his words (figuratively) if he were still alive!
For now, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season! Good luck traveling that clean blacktop this Christmas, and even better luck in the coming year. Hello '07!
Peace
AM Son
So there's the snowless part...
Here's the flat world part....
I'm currently reading a book entitled, "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman. Chef and I are kind of treating this thing as assigned reading over these (snowless) winter months while we both have some free time to devote to a good book. It is in fact a good book- so far! As I write this, I am currently at around page 230 of this 600 page book, so I've yet to experience the majority of what Friedman is trying to accomplish. As of now, it's an extremely involved, detailed, and broad reaching attempt to explain how the global world is becoming more of an integral and real notion. This is where the "Flat World" idea comes in- the world is flat in the sense that average individuals have more and more ability to reach and influence the rest of the 6 billion inhabitants of this planet. If this concept seems esoteric or strange to comprehend, consider this:
just the other day, Time magazine released it's 2006 person of the year issue. In case this is unfamiliar to those out there, Time awarded this distinguishable award to.......... drumroll........
YOU! Yes, that's it, you are the person of the year. If interested, go read the article for a more concise and erudite explanation of the topic.
It's interesting to note the similarity of what the Time article and Friedman's book thus far are paralleling. Like I said, it's a 600 page book, so I cannot go into too much detail here, but I think it's pertinent in these global times to have a nice grasp on the workings of the current world. I'm no expert, heck I haven't even crossed the half-way point of the book, but so far it's an interesting, intriguing, and well thought out argument for why Christopher Columbus would eat his words (figuratively) if he were still alive!
For now, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season! Good luck traveling that clean blacktop this Christmas, and even better luck in the coming year. Hello '07!
Peace
AM Son
11.30.2006
October & Everything After...
... yeah, so that's right, everything since "that day" has been altered forever. Now it's up to me, Emily, and all the crew to keep life as even-keeled as we can. It's important to sustain normalcy, as much as we can, if there is such a thing. Normal has an extreme meaning now, and I don't like the word, but it must suffice. There is no other way to describe this...
Which is why I've found it tough to bring myself to make a new post here. I just feel like I don't want to let "it" go... that I don't want "it" to be forgotten (which "it" hasn't), or for "it" to seem irrelevant at this point (which "it" is not). I want to go forth, but I want to do that in a manner which holds integrity for all involved- those close to me and those close to "it".
So, I write this post with a heavy and confused heart, but I must...
When is it going to get cold?? I mean, here we are on November 30th, and we've seen maybe 1 week of close to freezing temps. Where's the snow? Thanksgiving just didn't feel right with rain and drizzle and dampness and mugginess and... well... "it"...
As the Dire Straits proclaimed many years ago... "I want myMTV snow/ cold/ fall/ winter"
The election came and went, and well the Democrats proved they had enough collective lube within their party to squeeze out a win! I say this is a good thing, but we all know Dems and Reps are just two different piles of shit- right?
Just today, I read probably the best article I've ever read. Read it here.
Many of you know that I love to read the Valley Advocate, so it shall not come to anyone's surprise that this article came from it.
This guy seemed to crawl inside my mind, heart, and soul. He seemed to transform my thoughts, fears, and observations into ink on a paper. It's uncanny how much I agree with this article. It angered me, it motivated me (to write this at least), and it made me think. It's nice to be able to count on the Advocate, for it rarely lets me down. Yeah, it's probably me residing in an echochamber, but I'll submit to common voices if it makes me feel better about this world... wouldn't you?
The Celts stink (no link necessary), the Pats got a huge win in Chicago last week, and the Red Sox seem to want to give away their good players in order to move in and pay top-inflated-dollar for mediocrity.
Oh and lets not forget that the Pats are now playing on fake grass. Yeah, great for them, bad for grass guys. We better start job searching if this is how it's gonna go down.
Work has calmed down considerably- finally! Now I get to spend more time living life rather than aiding, abetting, and unwillingly kowtowing to the thieves and curmudgeons that make up country club life.
I've been running for the past few months. I try for 5 or 6 times per week of at least 25 minutes or so. I'm trying to curb the cyclic nature of my fitness and physique. It seems (as Chef would easily point out) that I lose 15lbs in the summer when working a ton, only to gain some or all of it back during the winter when I work less. So, I'm being proactive here, trying to stay active and kill the cycle. Plus, it's fun to be active. It's good to be running again- if you could call this thing I do running! haha
Well, I'll quit the freestyling here- as I'm sure I've rambled enough.
I'll try to update more often... stay with me!
Peace and ?uestlove
AM Son
Which is why I've found it tough to bring myself to make a new post here. I just feel like I don't want to let "it" go... that I don't want "it" to be forgotten (which "it" hasn't), or for "it" to seem irrelevant at this point (which "it" is not). I want to go forth, but I want to do that in a manner which holds integrity for all involved- those close to me and those close to "it".
So, I write this post with a heavy and confused heart, but I must...
When is it going to get cold?? I mean, here we are on November 30th, and we've seen maybe 1 week of close to freezing temps. Where's the snow? Thanksgiving just didn't feel right with rain and drizzle and dampness and mugginess and... well... "it"...
As the Dire Straits proclaimed many years ago... "I want my
The election came and went, and well the Democrats proved they had enough collective lube within their party to squeeze out a win! I say this is a good thing, but we all know Dems and Reps are just two different piles of shit- right?
Just today, I read probably the best article I've ever read. Read it here.
Many of you know that I love to read the Valley Advocate, so it shall not come to anyone's surprise that this article came from it.
This guy seemed to crawl inside my mind, heart, and soul. He seemed to transform my thoughts, fears, and observations into ink on a paper. It's uncanny how much I agree with this article. It angered me, it motivated me (to write this at least), and it made me think. It's nice to be able to count on the Advocate, for it rarely lets me down. Yeah, it's probably me residing in an echochamber, but I'll submit to common voices if it makes me feel better about this world... wouldn't you?
The Celts stink (no link necessary), the Pats got a huge win in Chicago last week, and the Red Sox seem to want to give away their good players in order to move in and pay top-inflated-dollar for mediocrity.
Oh and lets not forget that the Pats are now playing on fake grass. Yeah, great for them, bad for grass guys. We better start job searching if this is how it's gonna go down.
Work has calmed down considerably- finally! Now I get to spend more time living life rather than aiding, abetting, and unwillingly kowtowing to the thieves and curmudgeons that make up country club life.
I've been running for the past few months. I try for 5 or 6 times per week of at least 25 minutes or so. I'm trying to curb the cyclic nature of my fitness and physique. It seems (as Chef would easily point out) that I lose 15lbs in the summer when working a ton, only to gain some or all of it back during the winter when I work less. So, I'm being proactive here, trying to stay active and kill the cycle. Plus, it's fun to be active. It's good to be running again- if you could call this thing I do running! haha
Well, I'll quit the freestyling here- as I'm sure I've rambled enough.
I'll try to update more often... stay with me!
Peace and ?uestlove
AM Son
11.03.2006
Not ready...
D.P.B
3.14.85-10.22.06
Not ready to say goodbye... not ready to be with one less... not ready to do this again... not ready to see friends in pain... not ready to comfort a family... not ready for the conversation to end... not ready to dry these tears... not ready for a life to be lowered... not ready to see the open spot... not ready for the music to be silenced... not ready for a flameless candle... not ready to write for the past... not ready to be moving on... not ready to feel the guilt... not ready to pick up the pieces... not ready to explain the events... not ready to seek out the answers... not ready to imitate the traits... not ready to fill the void... not ready to miss the enrichment... not ready to weep like a baby... not ready to pay tribute... not ready to be here without... not ready to be remembering... not ready to be typing these words...not ready... not ready... not ready... and yet we must be ready.
Danny, you're missed... deeply. The genius of your being will live on in us forever. It was real man, you were a bright soul, you were all that we could ask for... please rest peacefully... I love you.
How 'bout them Cowboys!
AM Son
3.14.85-10.22.06
Not ready to say goodbye... not ready to be with one less... not ready to do this again... not ready to see friends in pain... not ready to comfort a family... not ready for the conversation to end... not ready to dry these tears... not ready for a life to be lowered... not ready to see the open spot... not ready for the music to be silenced... not ready for a flameless candle... not ready to write for the past... not ready to be moving on... not ready to feel the guilt... not ready to pick up the pieces... not ready to explain the events... not ready to seek out the answers... not ready to imitate the traits... not ready to fill the void... not ready to miss the enrichment... not ready to weep like a baby... not ready to pay tribute... not ready to be here without... not ready to be remembering... not ready to be typing these words...not ready... not ready... not ready... and yet we must be ready.
Danny, you're missed... deeply. The genius of your being will live on in us forever. It was real man, you were a bright soul, you were all that we could ask for... please rest peacefully... I love you.
How 'bout them Cowboys!
AM Son
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