A Voice in the Wilderness

The River Cottage Bread Handbook - My Review

2012-01-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

The River Cottage Bread Handbook is aptly named. It offers a quick, entertaining delivery of useful information on the essentials of bread making which has become a favorite pastime of mine.

As a reference book, it's not as wordy or philosophical like Peter Reinhart's, Brother Juniper's Bread book, one of my all-time favorites - but its not meant to be. It is a resource to be perused over and over again. It is not as detailed as Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread, and it doesn't need to be. That makes it even better because it is utilitarian; less is more. Even so, Daniel Stevens is anything but boring. His book is a witty and enjoyable read that can be taken up in a couple of sittings. But be forewarned; the information will take longer to settle in; it is a great guide for those who want to learn by doing. It is a hands-on learner's kind of book.

The 'How-to' build a back-yard read oven section is weak - mostly because this guy is a bread maker and not an oven builder. If you want a good reference book on bread ovens, try The Bread Builders.

This is a fine book to have in any bread maker's arsenal along with Peter Reinhart's bread books and Jim Lahey's My Bread plus a couple of others. Its a great little book well worth the fifteen bucks it is selling for online.

Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson - My Review

2011-12-12T10:28:00.012-07:00

I saw Walter Isaacson on the Charlie Rose Show, and bought the book with reservations since I had previously read his biography of Einstein where I found the author's concern with minutiae annoying and his writing style lack-luster at times. This didn't happen so much with Steve Jobs' Biography.

I recall Isaacson stating rather early in the book that he might be accused of writing something apologetic and perhaps maybe even stand accused of being under the spell of one of the most influential people in contemporary history's 'reality distortion machine.' The biography seemed fair enough, but I think it may have come too early. It is enjoyable and even has some enduring life lessons, but in the end, I think Walter Isaacson soft-peddled more than he needed to.

Consequently, I wonder how much of Jobs' biography is influenced by Walter Isaacson's world view and vice-versa.

Personally, I think Isaacson didn't reveal anything more than what was already floating in the ether about Steve Jobs, the man. Moreover, it seems the juiciest tidbits offered up by the author came in his varied interviews when he was touring the talk shows to hype the book. While my knowledge of Steve Jobs was next to nothing before I read the book, my perspective of him post-Isaacson, is that of a rather emotionally labile, petulant, brilliant man who was given to extremes of self consumption, willfulness that not only attested to his creative genius, but contributed to at least three life-changing disasters - one with the gravest consequences of all for him because it quite likely killed him.

Because only three significant disasters were written of by Issacson, it becomes a matter of reading between the lines. I am left with the feeling that the author purposefully gives his readership bones so that they can sort of build the final character according to their personal likes. To that end, this biography seems a bit skewed. That is why I give this book 3 stars out of a possible 5; it is likeable enough but seems lacking in substance.

I don't know how, or why other people read biographies, but my reasons focus on understanding people and how they influenced their respective worlds. As a result, I tend to look for examples "what-to-do's" and "what-not-to-do's" as I read. While I remain convinced that few if any biographies ever accomplish what they boldly set out to do; convey a complete, unbiased vetting of what makes up a person's life, it seems even harder to summarize a book - even less so, a life - in merely one sentence, but here goes; being bold and determined in your decisions is a double edged razor that has the potential to cut in your favor but it can also cost you your life.

In biographies, sometimes it's not what you say. It's how you say it. Additionally, sometimes it's about what you don't say or perhaps, that you elect not to say it. Finishing up with this book leaves me with those niggling questions. Unfortunately, I don't think I really know much more about Steve Jobs than I did in the past. I do know however, more about the history of Apple, and that was worth paying for.

Perhaps that is what Isaacson should have framed his book as; a history of Apple's rise, fall and rise again - rather than a biography about Steve Jobs. Apple was, after all, what defined Steve Jobs and is, in large part, what will reflect his legacy.

The Fred Factor - My Review

2011-11-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

This is a very short book whose premise is simple; be considerate and be willing to offer a helping hand without expecting anything more than feeling good about the fact that you want to be helpful.

Rather than telling you what this book is, I can tell you what it is not: this book isn't an epic tale; it isn't Faulkner or Hemingway; it isn't the recipe for curing all the world's ills; it certainly isn't a prescription on how to become a hero.

It is simply a collection of stories about admirable behaviors by garden-variety, every-day ordinary people who do simple yet extraordinary things.

Arguably, some of Mark Sanborn's stories are schmaltzy at times, and perhaps that is why some critics are prone to be dismissive of his message. I think it is a matter of how we view the world. Consequently, offering help without expectation of a tangible pay-off and how a person feels about being of service is simply reflective on a person's mindset. Optimists see it different from pessimists, and altruists see it different from their opposites. Despite whatever myriad antipodal interpretations of the world that could possibly exist, our perspectives help to define us as people. To be certain, there is an inherent reward to be had by each. It has to do with whether we are motivated intrinsically or extrinsically.

For people inclined to do something for others without any external rewards; this is book you will enjoy. For those of you who are expecting recognition payment or some other kind of remuneration; pass this one by.

Sanborn's story-telling carries in it a folksy, home-spun tone and it accomplishes its goal by pointing out that whether we decide to do something for someone has to do with who we are and where our philosophy about what is in it for us.

I have seen reviews of Fred Factor that, when they run in the negative, they do so because they consider that being a Fred-type person is little more than a set-up to be used and exploited. I do not share that conclusion; there is nothing wrong with being helpful or kind. This book really seems to be speaking to the notion that when people are motivated by intrinsic factors, they tend to be happier. This book is a touchstone and serves as a reminder for me that it costs nothing to be kind. Because of that, I am glad I read it.

On this anniversary of President' Kennedy's assassination, I am reminded of his January 20, 1961 inaugural address to the nation when he spoke the famous phrase, "...ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country..." and it strikes me how being of service was once considered as something to be admired. Even more compelling is how it seems to have gone out of vogue. How apropos to have finished reading this book and its underlying message today.

Just a Little - Leigh Nash

2011-10-26T00:00:00.022-06:00

I know I've, been gone, for a long, long while
I've been singing songs, when all I want, is to see you smile
About the time, I get there, I forget, why I'm gone

I wonder, why, just a little, I'm always wanting something more
Life is a riddle, I wish I had the answer for
Love breaks your heart, to teach you to be strong
I die, just a little, so I can live a little bit more

Why your eyes? You can't have rainbows, without rain
In the morning light, I'll be holding you, again
Don't forget, our music, won't disappear, because there's no end

I wonder, why, just a little, I'm always wanting something more
Life is a riddle, I wish I had the answer for
I break your heart, to teach you to be strong
I die, just a little, so I can live a little bit more

I will sing to you, when the road sings me to sleep
Maybe you stay with me, and I will give you songs, you can keep

I wonder, why, just a little, I'm always wanting something more
Life is a riddle, I wish I had the answer for
You break my heart, to teach me to be strong
I die, just a little, so I can live a little bit more

...why, just a little, I'm always wanting something more
Life is a riddle, I wish I had the answer for
Love breaks your heart, to teach you to be strong
I die, just a little, so I can live a little bit more

Happy Birthday Kristin ;O)
I love you more.

Somewhere Different Now - Girleyman

2011-10-05T17:46:00.001-06:00

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steven Paul Jobs

February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011

Stanford commencement speech, June 2005

Into the Wild- Jon Krakauer; My Review

2011-09-22T12:28:00.012-06:00

Jon Krakauer's book recounts the life and death of Christopher J. "Alex Supertramp" McCandless, a young man who lived his life and died as he followed the self-chosen a path of an aesthete.

Krakauer's exploration and retelling of how McCandless met his end is interesting and offers plenty of insight - albeit conjectured at some points throughout the rendition - as to how someone chooses to live, the commitment it takes to survive in such a quest and the deadly results when there is a lack of preparation to meet unforeseen challenges.

The author originally wrote about McCandless' death in Outside Magazine and decided to expand on what he wrote, ostensibly to gain a deeper perspective of McCandless; who he was, how he came to his decision to live and the ominous repercussions tied to his Alaska adventure.

I liked the book because it seemed to capture who Chris McCandless was. More than that, because the book is fraught with literary references culled from the writing of Thoreau, Muir, Stegner and Pasternak plus many more, it is a treasure trove for readers like me. Into the Wild is a quick, interesting exploration of real world consequences replete with literary references that explore the intellectual sojourns of various writers throughout history that have attempted to speak to Man's search for the meaning of life.

The story was compelling and it would make for great classroom exploration - especially at the high school level where young adults can relate to McCandless' struggle to assert his existence and challenge himself in ways that are at times foolhardy and yet somehow admirable because they are rites of passage. It is a fascinating study of risk-taking behavior - particularly among young men. While I have heard the term 'arrogance of youth' bandied, it seems more apropos to describe it as, the 'innocence of youth.'

If anything, there are powerful lessons to be gained in Krakauer's book for people of all ages. While this book serves as testimony to the Human spirit, the sanctity of life and the importance of each and every person's right to live - even if it means dying - according to our own design, it also serves as fair warning that the reason behind such stories has more to do with what not to do, or at least, the relevance of tapping into prior knowledge and becoming informed. Those who don't, will suffer the consequences because nature - and the world for that matter - is unforgiving of ignorance regardless of whether such ignorance is rooted in lack of knowledge or deliberate rejection of information based on hubris or idealized notions rooted in romanticized self-determination.

The reinforcing message is that we can all learn something. When we elect not to, we do so at our peril. It reminds me of Louis Pasteur's observation that, "Chance favors a prepared mind."

For those who dismiss McCandless as a hopeless romantic or an arrogant kid toying with danger, I can only wonder how they must view themselves and all the loopy things they did when they were young. The fact is we all have done many things that were flat out dangerous and somehow, we survived. Some of us were lucky enough to get through the days of our youth unscathed and Christopher Johnson McCandless didn't. Lest we all forget, in these days so peppered by judgment; McCandless life was lived on his own terms but he died on Nature's terms chiefly because he was ill equipped with the appropriate knowledge required to survive in the wild. In the end however, we all learn from our mistakes if we are lucky enough to survive them.

I am reminded of the lyrics from a Paul Simon song that went,

"Now I sit by my window
And I watch the cars
I fear I'll do some damage
One fine day
But I would not be convicted
By a jury of my peers
Still crazy after all these years"

Happy Birthday Matthew :O)

Sintel - super cool video by someone to watch for in the future.

2011-07-16T07:31:00.007-06:00

Sintel is an approximately fourteen minute short directed by a young man, Colin Levy. It is a thought provoking story filled with irony and a sense of continuity that makes me sad and yet fills me with hope. I suppose what is most touching to me is how people can come up with ideas for a story and then bring it all together through imagery and music.

Colin has been making short films since he was a kid. His blog states that he just got a 12 month residency position at PIXAR.

I think this guy is going to be someone whose work we will see on the big screen in the not-so-distant future.

If you want to follow this rising star's trajectory, bookmarking his blog might not be a bad idea. Following this link will also give you the opportunity to see some of his earlier work and it will give you a front seat to his upcoming video short called, "The Secret Number".

Cool Video - Bike Jumpers - Ahh Summertime

2011-07-14T08:13:00.002-06:00

Cool video - Fire Dancer

2011-07-12T07:28:00.004-06:00

Cool video - Breakdancers moving to a different tune

2011-07-10T07:25:00.004-06:00

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-04T07:31:00.003-06:00

ACE Leadership High School - The Horno Project

2011-07-01T06:45:00.070-06:00

I put together this digital montage for my students at ACE Leadership Charter High School. It details the story of our Evening Re-engagement Program's Horno Project. The word "Horno" is a Spanish word used to describe earth or clay ovens - once common throughout the Southwest among Native Americans and Spaniards for baking bread. Our project was part of a theme which covered green-friendly building practices that we studied throughout the Trimester and, part of an overall topic built upon throughout the year.

We used the Trimester-long project of building clay ovens as the vehicle to meet our Learning Objectives in Humanities, Math and Science. Serving as demonstrations of their understanding, student team-projects were to culminate in exhibitions at the Trimester's end. How we accomplished this was through a teaching regimen offered via the Buck Institute (BIE) called, Project Based Learning (thanks Tim Kubic).

Unfortunately, thoughtless acts perpetrated by vandals who jumped over the fence one night and destroyed the ovens nearly torpedoed the exhibitions.

Undaunted, the students decided to re-build their Hornos again, from scratch. Thus, destruction gave way to another learning opportunity for each student because they got to re-design and build even better clay ovens the second time around.

This video is a testimony to their spirit and resilience.

The quote about children, families, communities and the world is something my daughter, Kristin gave me when I told her I was going to be hired as a Math-Science teacher despite my never having taught before.

While none of the words I have incorporated into this video are part of ACE's mission statement, I believe they accurately reflect the mentality of our school regarding what we are doing and how we can be of service to Humanity.

I hope the music is not too melodramatic but it really does reflect how I feel about these students. I admire their decision to return to school, their commitment to get their High School diploma and their resolve in moving forward despite obvious intentions to derail their success by the fool who thought that by merely destroying their work he would break their will to learn.

"We Remember Them" was written by Elza Gilkyson for the Hurricane Katrina flood victims and this particular arrangement was written by Craig Hella Johnson director of the nationally acclaimed, Austin based choral group, Conspirare. The second song, "Chevaliers de Sangreal" was written by Hans Zimmer for, The DaVinci Code is classic Zimmer.

I hope you liked it.

J

A Teacher, An Apple and the Future

2011-06-23T10:15:00.006-06:00

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
Greek proverb

The school I work at is non-traditional in every imaginable way. Yet, despite its philosophically unconventional nature, the commitment to each student's advancement is proving itself successful - not only in creating but maintaining a sense of relevancy for what is being taught, and how it is retained by the students.

Rounding out it's first year, the school is comprised of two groups; day classes consisting solely of freshmen and evening classes, the non-traditional students whom I am employed to teach Math and Science.

ACE Leadership High School's primary academic trajectory is centered on the disciplines of Architecture, Construction and Engineering by way of a teaching approach known as, 'Project-Based Learning.' Our day students have a highly regimented schedule which makes sense. Developmentally, they share certain commonalities. Their issues tend to be age-related which lend themselves naturally to learning en masse, and can be taught as a collective. In contrast, the Evening Re-engagement Program's students come from all walks of life and vary in age from 16 to 24 years old.

Like the Day Program, our approach in with Evening Program students is to provide them with various projects inclusive of Learning Outcomes aimed at meeting specific, state-mandated competencies. In lieu of learning regimens which follow traditional didactic models for English, Math and Science - students receive exposure to each subject through guided learning experiences designed to integrate the three disciplines. Cross-curricular teaching is commonplace and provides for a deeper integration of knowledge because students are afforded the opportunity to appreciate their topic of study from different vantage points. Moreover, such an approach assures a personalized learning experience that lends itself to a core principle of differentiated instruction; we are more capable of meeting the students wherever they may be in their academic progression.

Each particular project does not only involve demonstrations of proficiency in order to meet state requirements. Learning-by-doing takes on a greater sense of relevance because it is practical and applied rather than presented, exercised and memorized which is how the "Three R's"have been traditionally taught since the inception of the industrial revolution when such teaching methods were invoked for practical reasons. Addition of the fourth "r" - relevance makes all the difference.

In the past few decades, the world has transitioned from hands-on work - where manual skills were requisites for the majority of the work force - to a more information-driven economy where the future work force is required to assimilate and process information far more critically than merely to rely on a specific skills set for job security. This is why preparing the students to think on their feet, adapt, quickly access information and be able to assimilate it is the final component of our teaching milieu; we call it developing Twenty-First Century skills.

At the unveiling of the second generation I-Pad, Apple's founder, Steve Jobs identified his company's phenomenal success as being due to its enduring commitment, "to be at the intersection of technology and liberal arts." In doing so he also emphasized high reliance on intuition as a cornerstone of Apple Corporation's means of staying ahead of the competition.

Here is what we are teaching at ACE Leadership High School;

learning how learn, how to process information,
knowing how to formulate driving questions,
how to develop global perspectives without forgetting the details along the way,
how to problem-solve collaboratively and,
how to hone intuitive skills that anticipate future projects, pitfalls, and client needs.

Developing such competencies fosters resiliency which not only makes for better students, future leaders and problem solvers, it creates well-informed, responsible citizens who can confidently face the complexities of an ever changing world.

Made to Stick - by Chip & Dan Heath - My review

2011-06-08T11:16:00.006-06:00

Made to Stick provides insight regarding why some ideas take hold while others do not. The authors Chip and Dan Heath use entertaining stories to demonstrate that effective communication changes people. The Heath brothers accomplish this by explaining how people think, how the reasons behind decisions are not always immediately evident and even counter intuitive.

Borrowing from successful advertising campaigns and teaching regimens, the Heaths cover some ingenious methods used by those who not only want to get their message across but, to make it stick.

It may be a stretch to classify this book in the category of meta-cognition. However, it does heavily deal with how people think and how yet others have capitalized on that knowledge to develop effective advertizing campaigns and successful educational endeavors. The worthiness of a book such as this has to do with the sway these techniques hold in recruiting change of thinking and more importantly, how easily they can be applied in other situations where change is the goal.

Don't let the length of this cursory review dissuade you from reading Made to Stick. It is a great book with many useful, practical insights.

Piano Guys - a creative undertaking

2011-06-05T18:50:00.002-06:00

If You Can Read This - The philosophy of Bumper Stickers - My Review

2011-06-03T01:18:00.000-06:00

While on my way to my favorite brick and mortar book store, I heard Jack Bowen's interview - on NPR last week - about his book, "If You Can Read This".

Bowen's commentary plays well with the subject matter of various bumper stickers and how thought provoking they can be. His delivery of background information, the logic behind the one-liner witticisms and how packed they are yield insight as to how their wording often jolts the reader stop and think. His methodical analysis offers a fascinating insight about what makes an interesting, compelling and effective message.

Bowen's relaxed delivery works well with the subject matter because so much of bumper-sticker logic can be emotionally loaded. I do wish however, that he would have written more than a few lines on the topic of gun control. It almost seemed as though he deliberately chose to avoid any commentary on the topic altogether.

The power of Flow - My Review

2011-05-17T11:16:00.007-06:00

Despite its sub-title, I did not buy this book as a "how-to" guide. Rather, I bought it to read more about what Carl Jung described back in the 1920's. Nine decades have passed and, judging from what "Flow" has to say about the topic, it seems little to no progress on the subject has been made regarding the study of intuition and, or synchronicity.

The premise of this book is that we can radically alter our lives by relying more consistently on intuition and remaining receptive to possibilities. The authors argue that nearly all events in our lives 'broadcast' themselves to us in advance of their actual occurrence and we can thus be prepared to either meet or capitalize on the challenges and presumably minimize or even avoid catastrophic events all together. Owing to its desultory layout, the name, "Flow" is a misnomer. It is loosely organized into three sections.

While the notion is appealing and there is something to be said regarding the value of intuition, the authors really offer no scientific methods by which to quantify their hypotheses. Instead, they dedicate the first third of the book relating what I can only describe as 'post-data,' consisting of anecdotal recitations by people who ascertained events that indeed happened to them presented signs which, in retrospect seemed to foreshadow or even forewarn of an upcoming event.

As a ground breaker, the authors offered a 'quiz' of sorts with the intent of piquing the reader's interest by laying out questions which determine the reader's potential to 'read' the signs as it were. Anyone with the highest score is said to be a 'flowmaster' - someone who has highly developed intuitive skills.

The next section of the book was dedicated to focusing the reader on how to become more intuitive by attenuating receptive qualities common to 'flowmasters.' The last portion of the book moved much in the same direction, and focusing on developing/maintaining mindfulness ostensibly to further enhance intuitive abilities.

I remain convinced that synchronicity is a very real phenomenon - and I do rely on intuition quite a bit. However, I came away from this book thoroughly unconvinced that the authors had any more of an inkling than any other garden-variety person, of how to tap into it. Their philosophy was nebulous at best. For example, at one point, in the beginning of the book, they were dismissive of religion. It was a bold stance which I somehow expected them to reinforce with research... or something. But that never happened. Instead, they went on to describe events that people clearly identified as intuition-related - explainable on? - the basis of their religious beliefs. I found my skepticism building with each subsequent story cited by the authors because their recurrent approach seemed to take on an air of begging the question - almost as though they would present some weird phenomenon and then ask, 'has this ever happened to you? - much like the flowmaster 'quiz' early on in the book.

As it progressed, it took on the tone reminiscent of Jeff Foxworthy's invocation, 'you may be a redneck if...' If it weren't for the fifteen bucks plus tax I dropped on this book, I probably would have laughed. but with every story, it seemed like the underlying theme was evolving on this 'scholarly' how-to book on refining intuition was simply a matter of substituting, 'redneck' with 'flowmaster.'

Some of the stories were believable but they became less so, and hokier until they just lost traction altogether. The one which lost me was a story of a woman who had a 'premonition' of sorts as she was waiting to undergo an abortion when all of a sudden, the thought of her young niece popped into her mind. Fast forward 13 years and that very niece was having an abortion and the preceding abortion experience prepared, or qualified the aunt (presumably a best-fit practice?) to help her niece go through the trying experience of having an abortion.

The authors cite numerous other stories which can also be explained as people searching for underlying meaning of events which may or may not be related. It seems like the need to explain something provides the perfect ground for retrofitting the past by causal analysis in a way that involves making the precursor events fit the 'resultant' incident.

In chemistry, there is a practice called stoichiometry where the end product is reverse synthesized and the parts can be determined by tracing a reverse chemical process. It is difficult to master but it can be done. This is what I thought the authors were setting out to do. They did nothing of the sort. Because their approach completely lacked any scientific methodology and because they rely so heavily on anecdotal references, the entire book comes off as a pastiche of the scientific method which they seem to be alluding to in their methodology.

Don't waste your time with this book. It is just modern-day snake-oil in print. It doesn't even deserve one star. The funny thing is, my intuition warned me about this book. Now, isn't that ironic?

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt - My Review

2011-03-13T12:00:00.002-06:00

I believe as we grow older, our lives become filled with memories; some joyous and and some regrets. One of my regrets is never having met Frank McCourt.

I read both Tis and Angela's Ashes when they very first came out and I recall how McCourt could tell a story that could make you laugh at one instant - and in the next - it could deliver such a melancholy moment filled with irony and pain. Teacher Man is McCourt's memoir which recounts the stories covering the years inclusive of repatriated young adulthood and his range of experiences - as an adult - up to the point just prior to his writing of Angela's Ashes when he retired from teaching in New York. I found his stories to be effective in that they did not paint him in some heroic light. He told stories that were touching without being schmaltzy.

I wish I had met him because he seemed like a decent Human Being - in my book, such a reference sits among the highest of compliments I could ever give someone. As I recently explained to a friend, the stars aligned recently that I was given an opportunity to tutor at-risk High School kids in Mathematics. They attend a local Charter, night-school whose aim is to utilize construction, engineering and architectural topics as the curriculum. As it turns out, I have had a modicum of success in getting through to these kids and I have been asked to assume more responsibilities since the teacher hired for the position didn't work out. Thus, at least for the short run, it looks like I am the night school Math teacher.

Feeling woefully under prepared, I decided to seek out books and materials that might help me to be of better service to my recently inherited clientele. McCourt's book is one of the few that seem to have found their way to me and I really do appreciate it. He has a way of pointing out that real teaching goes on when a connection is made and that makes sense to me because in some way or another, all the jobs I've ever had have been of the variety where some form or other of pedagogy was involved. I am not certain whether our brains have the ability to seek out information germane to our respective wants or current conditions but I found so much of what McCourt had to say as helpful and full of wisdom.

Regardless of whatever the case may be, all I have to say is. 'thank you' to the man. Again, I so wish I had met him and gotten to know him as a person. Regardless, I take comfort in having his written work not only as human interest stories but as personal communiques that this Human Being took the time to reach out across the time-space continuum for future beneficiaries of such a remarkable rendition of his ordinary yet heroic life.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art & Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer - My Review

2011-03-10T16:26:00.005-07:00

Unimpressive - This is a great example of how misleading a book title can be.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art & Science of Remembering Everything reads like a long magazine article - which is kind of where I found out about the book - The NY Times - last week. Having read the article, I was sufficiently impressed to get online and order the book. It arrived four days later and I couldn't wait to get started.

At the onset of Foer's book - which does have a snappy title - he was very clear this is not a 'how to' book but rather, it is an account of his one-year journey from being a journalist-spectator to becoming winner of the US Memory Championship. Maybe that's where I got off track. The NY Times article, detailed as it was, failed to mention that part. Its a critical detail - more than an oversight - in my estimation.

Foer has a decent writing style - again, like a magazine article. This book is written in the vein of Malcolm Gladwell's books and it does have information but not quite as polished or as jam packed. So far, hardly anything that wasn't already mentioned on the NY Times synopsis has been written and little has been added to what I already read so I am feeling just a little bit ripped off - the subtitle seems to imply that the book will talk about, "the art and science of remembering everything..."

For the sake of accuracy, it should read; "My year-long journey toward becoming the US Memory champion with a few interesting tidbits about memory thrown in for good measure."

I am going to be recommending the NY Times synopsis - penned by the author and - which turns out to be $14.00 + shipping cheaper - not to mention, the article is (ironically) more directed at hard examples of just how memory techniques can be applied. I suppose if there is anything redeeming about Foer's book is its extensive bibliography. Other than that, save your money and check this book out at your local library where you can also photocopy the bibliography because it will offer more detail germane to the topic.

I'd give this book a grade of "B+" for style and an overall grade of "D" because it was not at all what it was hyped to be.

The discontinuity between Foer's book title and its content are such that if I ever come across this writer's books again, I am going to be hard-pressed to trust him enough to plop down my hard-earned money because I will be less likely to fall for that trick twice.

Foer's synopsis on the NY Times deserves an "A" - moreover, since he failed to expand the book that's where the material should have stayed.

Meraviglioso

2011-03-09T20:21:00.003-07:00

Meraviglioso

E’ vero
credetemi e accaduto
di notte su di un ponte
guardando l’acqua scura
con la dannata voglia
di fare un tuffo giu uh
D’un tratto
qualcuno alle mie spalle
forse un angelo
vestito da passante
mi porto via dicendomi
Cosi ih:
Meraviglioso
ma come non ti accorgi
di quanto il mondo sia
meraviglioso
Meraviglioso
perfino il tuo dolore
potra guarire poi
meraviglioso
Ma guarda intorno a te
che doni ti hanno fatto:
ti hanno inventato
il mare eh!
Tu dici non ho niente
Ti sembra niente il sole!
La vita
l’amore
Meraviglioso
il bene di una donna
che ama solo te
meraviglioso
La luce di un mattino
l’abbraccio di un amico
il viso di un bambino
meraviglioso
meraviglioso…

(vocalizzato)

The night was over

but I was still feeling you

Life's taste

Wonderful

Wonderful...

mentre la canzone va

meraviglioso

il bene di una donna

che ama solo te

meraviglioso

La notte era finita

e ti sentivo ancora

l'amore della vita

Meraviglioso

Meraviglioso...

Wonderful

It's true

Believe me, it happened

one night, on a bridge

watching the dark water

with the damned desire

of making a dive

Suddenly

someone [was] behind me

maybe an angel

dressed as a passer-by

took me away telling me

this:

Wonderful

but how can you not realize

how much the world is

wonderful

even your pain

could go away then

wonderful

Look around you

the gifts they gave you:

they invented for you

the sea!

You say you don't have anything

Does the sun seem nothing to you!

Life

love

Wonderful

the affection of a woman

who only loves you

wonderful

The light of a morning

the hug of a friend

the face of a child

wonderful

wonderful...ah!…>La notte era finita

e ti sentivo ancora

Sapore della vita

Meraviglioso

Meraviglioso....while the song keeps playing

wonderful

the affection of a woman

who loves only you

wonderful

The night was over

but I was still feeling you

life's love

Wonderful

Wonderful..

Kitchen Confidential - by Anthony Bourdain - My Review

2011-02-08T10:37:00.012-07:00

My friend Tony purchased a house two years ago because the spacious kitchen had potential; plenty of counter space and a fireplace. Last year, I remodeled it and it is beautiful. The layout is like a command center where Tony can roll out appetizers and entrees while chatting it up with whoever he is cooking for as they belly up to the bar.

Now Tony isn't the warm and fuzzy type. His childhood was marked by tragedy and strife. While he's never talked about it, his mother died of Cancer when he was 12 years old. Her passing left his father, a New Jersey Italian who was enrolled in the school of education, at a small town southern Colorado community college with two boys and no family to rely on.

Much to his credit, Big Tony - Tony's 'Pops' finished up his degree and settled in Albuquerque where he taught, and eventually retired from Ernie Pyle Middle School - a predominantly Latino, under-privileged working class community. Raising the boys on a teacher's salary was tough but they made it. There were times when the gas got cut off and there was little to eat. However, to his credit, both of Big Tony's boys are successful in their own right. Tony has started up two charter schools with a focus on creating socially-conscious, community-oriented citizens and his little brother Ernie is a much loved High School Football coach in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Tony is a no-nonsense kind of guy. He is tough-as-nails but he also has a very gentle side - very affectionate with his kids and wife - and he loves to cook. I suspect this is where he gets to play that out. Food is love and this is how Tony shows it. It is a place where he can create delicious gifts of sustenance for his family and his friends. In Tony's kitchen, everyone is a welcome guest.

So, last year, during one of Tony's meal preparation adventures, I mentioned that I wanted to enroll in a cooking class. Tony retorted, "Don't be a pu**y, all you need is a sharp knife and a cookbook." Well, I never enrolled. I did get myself a good cookbook and I am progressing quite well. I'm no Tony but I am getting better every day.

This Christmas, Tony gave me, an autographed, boxed set of Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' and 'Medium Raw.' I must admit, I didn't really like Anthony Bourdain whenever I saw him on television because he presented as a bit of a food snob - someone I might not want to be around. Bourdain's, 'Kitchen Confidential' has proven otherwise.

What I find most compelling is that this is a book about a guy who works with his hands, it is the story of a craftsman and how he came to acquire the skills that all those who preceded him did - no different than the many other craftsmen who work with their hands have done regardless of their chosen field of expertise.

This is probably why the book worked for me; it has a decidedly Human side to it, it is not about perfect people living perfect lives. It is about making it through everyday struggles, dealing with the questioning and the despair. It is about overcoming hardship by never giving up and sometimes, through dumb luck that we reach a level of expertise and the sense of accomplishment when our trajectories finally do level out.

This is a book about developing a craft, building skills and earning respect through dedication and hard work. Yes, Anthony Bourdain is cocky, he is brash. But, he has earned it. Looking at him through the filter of the craftsman's perspective, I cannot help but admire him because - his delivery, albeit offensive to some - knowing who he is makes him easier to understand. He isn't an unqualified spectator, he is a doer.

Had I not received this book-set as a gift, I would have never picked it up and that was based on first impressions. Anyone who knows me knows I don't like bullies. That is why I dismissed Anthony Bourdain.

That is what disturbs me; now I am wondering about how many other books have is passed over, how many people or even professions have I elected to avoid on the basis for my ignorance? Just how many other potentially fulfilling experiences have I walked away from simply because I found them objectionable or off-putting - based on my lack of exposure - I will never know. I have friend John, who is a talented painter; his creations are so moving and real - why didn't I ever learn how to paint? Yet another friend of mine, Elaine, a retired professor is linguist - what a magnificent job and I never even knew what that work entailed - how could I have missed it?

I am certain of this reality, Anthony Bourdain has made me more cognizant that I ought not be so quick to dismiss what seems to be uninteresting at first blush. Curiously, this book makes me aware of all the things I passed up - things like learning how to cook and the many other things I never tried.

Since reading his book, I now watch his show on the Travel Channel - 'No Reservations' and am always amazed at the level of respect he has for people, their cultures and their cooking methods. He is the consummate guest - completely the opposite of what I imagined him to be. He definitely has the chops to speak from the perspective of a chef and his writing offers an insight to his abilities for food preparation because the craft of writing is every bit as intricate as the ability to cook. His mind-set and personal ethics come through quite clearly. His insights and advice are solid.

He is a guy I'd like to meet in person. He may have started out in a different place but he has paid his dues. He has done some living along the way - and part of living includes making mistakes which he does not try to sugar-coat. Consequently, his Humanity comes across in a way which is not disingenuous.

His story is a success and that he is able to tell it so articulately makes it even more engaging. He may as well be my friend Tony, his brother or their Pops, just another stand-up, tough, decent Human Being.

The Miracle of Mindfulness - by Thich Nhat Hanh - My Review

2011-01-26T11:21:00.003-07:00

There are few famous people whom I would like to meet but Thich Nhat Hanh is at the top of my list.

In addition to the many many tomes and lectures he has written on the topic of Buddhism, he has led numerous workshops to enlighten people about his path in life.

I have read a few other books of his and while Creating True Peace is my favorite, this book is great because Thich Nhat Hanh introduces - via anecdote and examples - tangible ways of becoming more mindful. As he points out, it is not difficult at all.

The real difficulty lies in our inability to realize just how blessed we all are. Moreover, our lack of awareness regarding the miracles that abound form the base upon which our personal chaos is built.

The Confession - by John Grisham - My Review

2011-01-20T15:30:00.036-07:00

***Please note: this review contains spoilers***

The subject matter of this disturbing book is the death penalty – more specifically, wrongful prosecution and the miscarriage of justice.

It is a story about a serial sex offender whose life is allegedly coming to an end because of an inoperable brain tumor. His confession, which could exonerate a young black man - erroneously accused, convicted and doomed to die in Huntsville, Texas - comes too late.

Here is what the book made me think about:

When we are young, it makes sense to see the world in rather absolute terms. Because our experiences are limited, we rely on quick, easy answers as a matter of survival. With the passage of time our life experiences teach us there are few issues that are either ’black’ or ‘white.'. Consequences are measured and decisions are weighted. The greater good is balanced against personal gain and self-preservation. Adult decision-making is a matter of pragmatism versus dogma and reality versus the ideal.

With age comes experience whose continual ebbs and flows slowly soften the boundaries between right and wrong. Our absolutist world segues into the realm where shades of gray predominate. The anticipation of youth molts into the reminiscence of maturity, a longing for a simpler time. Never is it so apparent than when we are facing times of crisis.

Intuitively, we understand that when facing calamity, we ought to slow down. Experience tells us trying times are when reason ought to prevail. Sadly, something about the Human condition prevents such rationality and reliance upon logic. Despite how irrational it may be, in a world that seems ever unwinding and deteriorating - especially in times of stress and deep emotional turmoil – the quickest, the most definitive - the most sought answer lies in simplicity. And, that is where our problems begin.

As a civilized society, our obvious remedy is to dole out justice through legally accepted venues. We have developed a legal system of codified laws prescribing punishment for breaking the law from the most mundane of offenses to the extreme. Understandably - with an eye focused on religion for guidance - we seek a means of how exactly to mete out that justice fairly, equitably and without prejudice. Taking of a Human life is a serious matter and arguments based on religiosity carry great sway over how we - as a society - deal with lethal Human transgressions via state-sanctioned execution.

Now, if the media is to be believed, violence is rampant in America. There is little doubt that they have a powerful influence over the collective consciousness of those who tune in for the news coverage. It seems like there is no limit on just how cruel - even vicious - Humans can behave toward one another. Now I am not solely accusing 'the media' of perpetrating mass hysteria. There is a need and there is a need to feed. This symbiosis plays itself out on a more practical concern. The Media's primary motivation for patronage is ratings driven and the ever present, bottom line dictates of supply & demand. America is enthralled with violence. We can't get enough of it. Indeed, crime does pay. We love the 'shock and awe.'

Couple the ratings-driven pimping of violence and the unlimited supply if politicians who pander to the American public by clamoring for law & order, inciting fear and it is no wonder that God-fearing Americans have become fluent in the double-speak of religion where they can simultaneously lament the murder of a fetus and fervently abide in their belief of the sanctity of Capital punishment all in one fell swoop.

Perhaps I am giving into my own reminiscences here but nowadays, there seems to be a great void in leadership both politically and in houses of worship. I am not only talking about American society. It is being played out all over the planet. Humanity throughout the world - owing to the maladies of emotionally driven responses, swathed in religiosity - account for the more predictable Human condition where vengeance and fear take precedence over rationality, compassion and forgiveness. We opt for the immediate - the dramatic.

Personally, I fail to draw any clear distinction between the Sarah Palins and the Muqtada al Sadrs of the world - well maybe Sarah is right - the difference comes down to lipstick ...more like lipschtick.

I am convinced that is precisely why Cable News and Faux news networks have become so popular: they focus on problems and offer sound-bite solutions. Like snacks, the messages being proffered for complex, difficult issues the solutions are filling, even tasty but completely lacking in nutritional value. Junk news is society’s junk food, its pre-processed agenda.

Grisham weaves a decent story that reveals less-than-honest ambitions and motivations of key players in the process of pursuing justice. Grisham’s character, Robbie Flak – the pugnacious defense attorney - sums it up very well when he says; “Death binds people in odd ways…”

The first killer in this story’s most immediate victims were Nichole Yarber, the seventeen year-old cheerleader he stalked and her classmate, Donté Drumm – the fall guy slated to die. The second story carries larger implications; society is the ultimate victim, and ironically, the perpetrator, the second killer.

I suppose the most disturbing part of this story is how, through legal processes and religious appropriation, something as sacred and high-minded as justice can be meted out so rationally and, with so much slight-of-hand. In order for society to move forward, it does so with a conventionality of thought and unquestioned respect for a process that everyone assumes is working flawlessly and free of the taint of personal agendas. This is a story about process rum amok. Despite America’s best efforts to assure fairness and lack of bias, meting out justice in such a routine manner - there are countless points along the way where rules can be bent, manipulated and ignored outright as a means of affecting the outcome.

The Confession explores the motivations of killers, how they differ individually and how they share a certain commonality. It is an exploration of how the individual offense touches off a cascade of events where posterity reveals, we collectively become killers. The characteristic ideal of blind justice is usurped through winks, blinks, nods and squints; it is anything but just.

Capital punishment is something I do not agree with for reasons philosophical, religious, spiritual, moral and even fiscal considerations. I understand that such a stance nowadays is unpopular because, contrary to exhaustive research, swift and terrible punishment is popularly perceived to be a powerful deterrent for would-be rapists and murderers.

Violence is infectious. It is self-perpetuating - its beginnings, imperceptible. However, once seeded, it lies in wait - like some inoculated virus until the right conditions to manifest itself. It wears many masks - some brutal and others cloaked in righteousness. But, let's not deceive ourselves; it is still violence.

Aristotle said, “Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everyone's power and that is not easy."

There is a time to be indignant and injustice is something to be indignant over. Robbie Flak is right to be angry just as society is right to be upset at the violence perpetrated upon the innocent. But, we can never forget that - with rare exception - society's monsters are often a product of their environment just as the self-righteous and the indignant are. People who feel powerless relish it wherever and whenever they happen upon it and its intoxicating effects are difficult to restrain, confine or relinquish. Perhaps that is the greatest reason we need to be reminded that we are all connected.

I agree with the Poet John Donne, "Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind..." [For Whom the Bell Tolls], and that is the lasting thought I can take away from this book which serves to remind the reader that extreme reactions, fueled by moments of passion where fear and anxiety are stoked by the desire for revenge - while regrettable, cannot be reversed

I am reminded of a cartoon series character named Pogo, created by Walt Kelly back in the seventies. Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” I think this is what Grisham is trying to get across in his story line.

I haven't read all of Grisham's books. He has touched upon the topic of the Death Penalty in two other books, “An Innocent Man” and “The Chamber.” The former actually chronicles a real-life miscarriage of justice and I have not read it yet. I have read the latter and I did like it, despite the ending.

Thus far, I have read seven Grisham books and for me, The Confession ranks in the top two.

Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - My Review

2011-01-11T12:19:00.003-07:00

It has been a long time since I have read anything this good. Hosseini is a marvelous story-teller. While his tale takes root in Afghanistan, it is a story that could bear fruit in any corner of the world.

There were times when Amir, the one who related his story was sympathetic. There were times when his behavior was reprehensible. And yet, in the greater context, completely understandable. At one point, Amir the child-writer was told that his story held a very special quality; it conveyed irony - something that many writers either never develop or spend a lifetime attempting to catch in the craft of writing.

I loved this story for many reasons - the most significant for me was Hosseini's reflection on Humanity and the fact that none of us is perfect; we live, we make mistakes along the way and how we choose to deal with our decisions has an irreversible impact not only on ourselves but upon others... and their many others, ad infinitum.

His message - elegantly simple - we are all interconnected and for that simple reason; there are far-reaching consequences - be they selfishness or unrelenting devotion - for everything we do.

While I would argue that this work's central premise is not necessarily Islam, it does nonetheless offer us vignettes that are invariably influenced by it and the cultural constraints it, like any other religion imposes on any given society. I am certain that is why this book has such a universal quality to it. That is why, I would recommend it, "... for you, a thousand times."

2010-08-16T12:38:00.011-06:00

Down Here Below
Abbey Lincoln
(August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010)

Down here below
The winds of change are blowing
Through the weary night.
I pray my soul will find me
Shining in the morning light,
Down here below.

Down here below,
It's not so easy just to 'be.'
Sometimes, I'm really all at sea.
You made me when the world was new -
And skies were blue.
And I am here because there's you.

They say I'll never see your face
And we're all banished from your grace,
The one(s) you fashioned with your hand,
And scattered all across the land.

But I am happy just to know
That you will go where I must go
For there are wounds and scars to show
Living here down here below

Down here below,
The setting sun is shining
On a melancholy moon.
I hear the distant thunder
And the crying of the Loon
Down here below.

I'm yours alone -
The only one to call my own -
The only one I've ever known.
Sometimes I see you
Standing there
Sometimes, I'm free.
And you are here - down here with me.

You made me just the way to be;
A Heart with feeling, eyes to see
A strong embrace, a simple hand,
A spirit free that says, "I can."

And I'm happy just to know
That you will go where I must go,
For you will send me this I know
Living here, down here below,
Living here, down here below,
Living here, down here below.

An I-Pad Painting

2010-08-16T08:19:00.008-06:00

This painter's easel is an I-Pad.

Turn the volume down a little - it's a little loud and make sure you watch it through all the way to the end because there is where you will see a beautiful time sequence for the painting's progression from beginning to end.

If It Be Your Will - Leonard Cohen

2010-07-22T17:57:00.001-06:00

If it be your will
that I speak no more -
and my voice be still,
as it was before.
I will speak no more.
I shall abide until
I am spoken for
if it be your will.

If it be your will
that a voice be true
from this broken hill
I will sing to you.
From this broken hill
all your praises they shall ring.
If it be your will
to let me sing.

From this broken hill
all your praises they shall ring.
If it be your will
to let me sing.

If it be your will.
If there is a choice
let the rivers fill,
let the hills rejoice.
Let your mercy spill
on all these burning hearts in hell.
If it be your will
to make us well.

And draw us near
and bind us tight.
All your children here
in their rags of light -
in our rags of light -
all dressed to kill.
And end this night
if it be your will.

If it be your will.

Vincent - Don McLean

2010-07-15T23:12:00.013-06:00

Vincent
by Don McLean

Starry, starry night
paint your palette blue and gray
look out on a summer's day
with eyes that know the
darkness in my soul.

Shadows on the hills
sketch the trees and the daffodils
catch the breeze and the winter chills
in colors on the snowy linen land.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
and, how you suffered for your sanity
and, how you tried to set them free.

They would not listen - they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

Starry, starry night
flaming flowers that brightly blaze
swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in
Vincent's eyes of China blue - colors changing hue
morning fields of amber grain - weathered faces lined in pain
are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
and, how you suffered for your sanity
and, how you tried to set them free.
They would not listen - they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

For they could not love you
but still your love was true
and when no hope was left in sight on that starry, starry night
you took your life as lovers often do.
But, I could have told you, Vincent
this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.

Starry, starry night
portraits hung in empty halls
frameless heads on nameless walls
with eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the stranger that you've met;
the ragged men in ragged clothes,
a silver thorn and a bloody rose,
lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

And now I think I know what you tried to say to me
and, how you suffered for your sanity
and, how you tried to set them free.

They would not listen - they're not listening still.
Perhaps they never will.

Meet the newest Family Member - Hoagie

2010-07-13T18:12:00.003-06:00

Well, this is Hoagie - at least that is what his name tag said. He came into my life last Saturday.

He is about 12 inches tall at the shoulder and he has a black nose and is pretty muscular. That is why I think he is most likely a cross between a Bicon Friese and either a poodle or a miniature Schnauzer.

His coat is very fine and downy soft. The reason why I think he may have some Schnauzer in him is because his personality does have a bit of an independent attitude and he is pretty active.

Thus far, he doesn't seem to have any bad habits other than his restlessness and established history of being a wanderer. I'm not worried about that however because he now has Poe and my property which was originally a horse facility is entirely fenced in and is secure enough to contain him.

I think this guy is used to taking mug shots...

Apparently, he likes to follow people home. He is a friendly little guy and, according to the lady who gave him to me, he has a problem with wanderlust. Her daughter picked him up in a Las Cruces animal shelter back in January of this year. As the story was related to me, Hogie was very ill. He was quite dehydrated and under weight, suffering from Distemper. His previous family spent a small fortune getting him back to health.

I got all this information about him the day his owner came to pick him up. While it was love at first sight for me, I did the right thing and called the owner listed on the name tag but I also mentioned to the lady that I would love to keep him if she ever felt like she wanted to part with him.

I got to spend some time with him for about an hour before Olivia came to pick him up. Sitting in my back yard at my table and typing away on my computer, Hogie sat on my lap. It was great having him - I could easily envision how he could be my muse. That is why I offered to take him off her hands.

She graciously declined but told me that she would relay my offer to her daughter who recently purchased a home in Belen and did not have her property fenced in order to keep Hogie safely.

Today, Olivia called me and, after Hogie's latest escape, she told me that her daughter was willing to yield ownership of this fine specimen to me. How could I refuse?

He is lovable and just happens to come from a home where the family owns pygmy goats. That is a huge plus because, I have three pet goats and a sheep. I think the stars were lined up for Hoagie and the goats and the sheep and Po, my black Lab and of course, me. I have no intention of changing his name and must admit, after finding out what his name means, I love the name.

For those of you who know me, please tell me, how could I ever change that name?

Welcome home Hogie.

The Broker - by John Grisham - My Review

2010-07-07T19:27:00.004-06:00

This is the first book written by John Grisham that I have ever read. I am now a fan. His writing style is easy to take in and his background information about Bologna, Italy has inspired me to want to visit that place. I particularly enjoyed his background story about the town.

While Grisham states that he knows little about spy work, his skill as a writer made the story compelling enough to be believable. That's what good story tellers do; they are convincing. Because of that, not only do I want to travel to Italy, I want to learn Italian. It is a beautiful language and is so similar to Spanish that I don't think it is going to be all that tough to learn.

Sì, intendo imparare l'italiano e definitivamente leggerò più libri scritti da John Grisham.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - by Ken Kesey - My Review

2010-07-01T22:16:00.007-06:00

"...one flew east,
one flew west,
and one flew over the cuckoo's nest."

I first read, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” when I was fourteen. I remember checking it out at the library and my only reason for picking it out was because I liked the name. The following year, Jack Nicholson starred as Randall Patrick McMurphy, the convict who decided to have himself placed in a psychiatric hospital in lieu of finishing out his prison sentence in a work camp. While no book can ever be matched by a movie, and Hollywood's rendition was not all that bad, it never came close to what Ken Kesey was able to accomplish with his prose.

McMurphy’s fateful decision to take on the ward tyrant Nurse Ratched - a twisted woman whose sinister control was unchallenged untl Randall McMurphy came along. McMurphy's arrival exposed Nurse Ratched's manipulative nature and her undermining the patients ability to improve their situation. This placed McMurphy and Ratched on a collision course.

At first blush, McMurphy appeared on the surface to be self-centered. However, he was soon forced to decide whether to secure his personal interests or sacrifice them for the greater good of his fellow inpatients.

Kesey had a powerful influence on my love for books and, while I typically never re-read a book, I decided to give this book another go after finishing Wallace Stegner's, “On Writing and Teaching Fiction.” Stegner is credited with having been a major influence on Ken Kesey who was a student of his at Stanford University where Kesey started his manuscript of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest.

In the thirty five years that have passed since I first read Cuckoo's nest, I am amazed at how much richer the story has become. At fourteen years old, I was particularly impressed by McMurphy's brash, devil-be-damned nature.

This time around, I was more affected by McMurphy's decision to take a stand. Because of that, the book was particularly disturbing. I suppose because with three and half of more decades of living under my belt, age has afforded me more opportunities to witness Man’s inhumanity to Man.

That said, I have seen far less McMurphy’s in my lifetime than I have seen people of the Nurse Ratched variety. McMurphys definitely seem to be waning in number. I have always had an abiding respect for the McMurphys of the world - more so now that I am older. They are becoming rarer by the day while the Ratched mentality seem to be ever on the rise. I may not like the Ratcheds of the world but I certainly do understand them.

This book continues to be on my short list of books to read if I was forced to be marooned on an abandoned island. I appreciate Kesey because of his ability to point out the intrinsic value of all Human Beings and moreover, his literary admonition that we ought never dismiss people on the basis of our pre-determined, prescriptive notions that tend to be overly dismissive simply because we are obsessed with status and social standing.

It reminds me of Mohadnas K. Ghandi’s observation that, “All humanity is one undivided and indivisible family, and each one of us is responsible for the misdeeds of all the others. I cannot detach myself from the wickedest soul."

The sooner we all realize we are all in it together – it meaning life – the less we will be inclined to diminish one another and basing such dismissal on arbitrary criteria that serve whatever personal or group interest to our own end.

Mexico - by James A. Michener - My Review

2010-06-24T21:15:00.007-06:00

I have never read any of Michener's books. I was also warned that Mexico is not one of his better books - not only by friends but from reviews I checked out here on Goodreads.

That said, I think this is a great book. Moreover, if this is one of his not-so-good reads then, I am definitely picking up "Alaska," "Texas," and "Hawaii."

Michener's depth of knowledge is incredible. I have never read anything like it. Since one of my degrees is History with an emphasis on border studies, I found this book completely engaging. It covers Mexican history from pre-columbian times to the early 1950's. To get that kind of historical perspective, you would have to read a history text like Meyer & Sherman's, "The Course of Mexican History."

One of the chief complaints regarding Michener's, "Mexico" was that there was a heavy emphasis on Bullfighting which was part of the main story. I do not particularly like anything relating to Bullfighting because the odds are stacked against the bull and regardless of how well he defends himself against the Matador and crew, his fate is sealed; he will die.

Regardless, I found the information interesting as it reflected much about the cultural perspectives of Mexico and yields a deeper contextual understanding of Latin American world view which often seems to get lost - especially nowadays as xenophobia abounds in the USA regarding Mexicans.

While Michener's scope of knowledge is staggering, I wish he had delved even farther back in history to yield a deeper understanding about bulls and their significance in pre-western culture. Nonetheless, it is beautifully written book. It reveals nuances of Mexican culture which I believe are absolutely essential for we as Norte Americanos to understand.

Why? Mexican's are the fastest growing population of American Citizens and their penchant for strong central government, their comparatively high religiosity and appreciation for strong - even dictatorial leaders will most definitely have bearing on future US Leaderships which they and their descendants will influence when they world view by plebiscite.

Example: Owing to Ronald Reagan's Amnesty program, there is no denying they helped to elect George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger into office because they shared political alignment and held loyalty to the Republican party. However, their shift in political allegiance has begun to move in the opposite direction owing to the increasing hostility toward Mexicans as isolationist sentiments are on the rise.

A New Gate

2010-06-15T00:00:00.007-06:00

I just hung these gates last Wednesday. I originally was going to make them with the tops arched in reverse so that the peak was at the top, centered between the gates. However, after flipping the top rails on a whim, I liked the way they looked.

I decided to stain the gates in a puritain pine finish. I finished out the jambs by mixing some walnut with maple in order to approximate the finish on the railroad ties which used to be the borders for an old rose bed. The jambs were necessary because the railroad ties were twisted and bent too much to accommodate the gates.

The oak railroad timbers were originally part of a landscaping feature where they were utilized as a border for a small rose garden. They are bent and weathered, so, I decided to plant them in the ground placing the most curved timber at the top, imparting an aged appearance. However, the gate's pronounced curvature, - the downward bend at the mid point of the top timber - is hardly noticeable. I decided I liked the way the timber looked overhanging the uprights so I didn't cut the excess that extends beyond the uprights.

My reason for deciding to invert the top rails of the gates is because the combo works well as gates and entry complement each other. The combination has a zen quality to it. Additionally, since I love reading so much, I decided to make the middle rail arched as well in order to make the gates look like a book, laid open.

Finally, the arched rails make the gate look like it is sagging - reminiscent of those famous doors at Santuario de Chimayo located in Northern New Mexico. Unfortunately, the gates of that ancient church remain fixed because they long ago lost their functionality.

I tried to capture that aesthetic appeal but wanted mine to be functional as well.

I elected no to put speakeasy windows in the gates because I really don't need them.

The wood is seasoned #2 pine which means the wood has some knots. Additionally, the panels are 3/4" solid pine as well. I still have not decided what to do about a gate handle. I think I am going to make my own out of wrought iron. I have a friend who tinkers around on his spare time doing blacksmith work. It is something I have always wanted to learn. I am thinking about something rustic.

I'll be posting more pictures of the next set of gates currently being fabricated, to be installed this week once my customer decides on the final finish.

On Writing and Teaching Fiction - by Wallace Stegner - My Review

2010-06-14T11:25:00.006-06:00

Wallace Stegner was a writer who hailed from the Western United States. He wrote novels, short stories and I came to know about him while watching Ken Burns' TV Series, "The National Parks" which aired on PBS earlier this year. Further research revealed he was a prolific writer and he wrote passionately about environmental preservation.

Educated in the Western US - receiving his Baccalaureate degree (University of Utah), to his Masters and PhD Degrees from Iowa where he also studied at the Iowa Writer's Workshop - he went on to teach at the University of Wisconsin, Harvard and Stanford University. His students included many famous American writers such as Edward Abbey, Thomas McGuane, Robert Stone, Ken Kesey, Gordon Lish, Ernest Gaines, and Larry McMurtry, Wallace Berry and the poet, N. Scott Momaday.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't offer so much background on Stegner but I believe knowing his background is important in setting the context for someone who had so much influence - not only on the environment but on contemporary American writing. I picked up several of his books and started "Crossing to Safety," "Beyond the Hundredth Meidian, "Angle of Repose," - which he won a Pulitzer prize for, "The Spectator Bird," - which he won a national Book award for, "Big Rock Candy Mountain," "Joe Hill," and "On teaching and Writing Fiction.

Stegner's style is easy and unpretentious and this particular book, "On Teaching and Writing Fiction" is one of the few books I will re-read in the future. While it is short, it is filled with useful pointers and advice for anyone who loves writing. At points throughout the book, I found myself lamenting the fact that he had passed away and that I would never get to meet him. And yet, his words still live on so, not all is lost for me. I suppose that elusive quality of immortality is something that I enjoy so much about writing.

There are so many quotable thoughts Stegner offers in this book that I was tempted to write in the margins. I thought better about the sacrilege and instead began to hand copy the salient points. That proved to be comical because I was actually copying whole paragraphs and even sentences so, I finally began marking pages with post-it notes. That's when I decided maye I ought to just resign myself to re-reading the book again. That is a rarity for me. But, Wallace Stegner is that good.

Of the many quotes I enjoyed, I managed to distill this gem from the bunch;

"...The Big Rock Candy Mountain. It is not a story in the modern vein. I choose it not because it reveals the world to our suddenly unsealed eyes, or because it demonstrates anything about the changing form of the short story, or because I think it is the best thing I ever wrote, but because it is simple and undevious and unambiguous. I know what experience it comes from, I know what's in it, I know why I wrote it, I know what I got out of writing it. As well as any story I might have picked, it can be used to substantiate my faith that fictionizing is an essential function of the mind and emotions - that reality is not fully reality until it has been fictionized."

I am half way through, "Beyond the Hundredth Meridian," and a quarter through "Crossing to Safety." Both are very different and yet, there is a thread of continuity through them both that is unmistakably Wallace Stegner. My life is richer for having met him - if only through the written word.

Death of Ivan Illych - Leo Tolstoy - My Review

2010-06-13T23:25:00.012-06:00

I have seldom read literature where authors can get into a person's head quite the way Leo Tolstoy does. I read, "The Death of Ivan Illych" with the ever present sense of dread. Even so, I could not put it down. I am amazed at the kind of detail Tolstoy delivered - even with such a short story.

I typically like longer novels but, "The Death of Ivan Illych" took only what was necessary to tell the story.

The great, Western American writer, Wallace Stegner, on discussing the craft of writing fiction stated that there are times when a writer may not have sufficient experience surrounding a topic. His advice was that such times call for improvisation.

Having read Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' "On Death and Dying,' I was impressed at how closely Tolstoy came to describing what Kübler-Ross discerned from her scientific research.

In the second half of the book, I couldn't help but think about my father who died nearly four years ago after his own three year long battle with Stomach Cancer. Ivan Illych conjured up difficult memories for me and, despite the pain, it was a touching reminder which caused me to contemplate the very real possibility that my Dad went through a similar experience as he dealt with his own mortality.

It is my understanding that Leo Tolstoy's own end of life story eerily reminisced what he wrote about 23 years before he actually died. I believe Ivan Illych turned out to be a gift - not only to the world - but to Tolstoy himself in that it afforded him an opportunity to explore the phenomena of Human Beings dealing with death. This lends support to my claim that what distinguishes great writers is their ability to tap into Humanity's collective consciousness.

In that way, Oscar Wilde had it right in his anti mimesis argument; Life really does imitate art. Moreover, the hallmark of great literature is that it offers something more than high-level entertainment. It dares to explore phenomena that are universal in nature, contextually accurate and even far ahead of the research only because the writers dare to imagine.

While it is a given that certain rules regarding mechanics, syntax, timing, voice and other issues of the craft associated with writing are essential, baseline requirements for effective communication, it is the art of applying scrutiny and inventiveness that impels gifted writers to do what they do best; they dare to imagine.

Injecting such nuance makes them capable of transcending both time and space. Such words, like launched arrows develop a trajectory independent of the archer - In Tolstoy's case, posterity has borne out the accuracy of his aim regarding the Human condition.

Semester One & Two of Spanish Love Songs

2010-06-10T21:50:00.001-06:00

Semester One of Spanish Love Song

Semester Two of Spanish Love Song

Like Water for Chocolate - My Review

2010-06-06T09:53:00.004-06:00

I'm not really certain what all the rage was about regarding this book.

Esquivel is a brilliant writer and she definitely has a great idea in the magical references she makes over Tita's supernatural effect on the world around her as she prepares meals. I am a big fan of magical realism and I love cooking so, when the book opened, I was drawn in in very quickly.

Digression:
The way I see it, the part of magical realism that works is when a story line carries a thread of believability. It is that ability to explain some phenomenon or event by extraordinary means. It is the ability to offer an alternative explanation for something which may or may not be true. It is the ability to tell a story and continue building on it to the point where the line between reality and fantasy are blurred. Laura Esquivel's story opened with a promising start but her character development fizzled into a world of the preposterous and therefore failed in its delivery.

Esquivel got the magical part down. However, where she fell short was on the realism.

The down side for me is that many of the characters are just plain unlikable. I hated Mama Elena for her selfish domineering nature, Rosario for her insipid nature, Pedro for his being a coward and Tita de la Garza for letting everything from family tradition to blind devotion to the spineless, confused Pedro dominate her life. On the one hand Tita has the ability to effect emotion over vast populations yet, despite such power, she has no power over her destiny.

Pedro is the jerk who didn't deserve to knock Tita's sexual socks off - not only because he 'settled' for her sister but because he he already had a lifetime liaison of sexual conveniences with Rosario that culminated in Esperanza's conception. In short, he got it all by default while good guys - like John who faithfully carried a torch for Tita the rest of his days - rounded out the story being another post-script entry under the category entitled, 'life's beautiful losers.'

Esquivel's magical realism sort of works but she seems to stray more toward magical thinking; a kind of storytelling so fantastic that it lays it self open to dismissal. While Esquivel's writing is reminiscent of Isabel Allende "Like Water for Chocolate" comes across as a pastiche of the genre. Esquivel is no Isabel Allende. I suppose it is because some of the events she describes are so over the top. How can someone knit a 3 hectare blanket?

If I could give half stars, this would be a 2 1/2 star rating. "Like water for Chocolate" didn't work for me because it just wasn't believable or perhaps I should say, it wasn't magical enough.

It was an entertaining story but it sure as hell wasn't uplifting.

Shop Class as Soul Craft - My Review

2010-06-04T00:00:00.001-06:00

I grew up in a working class family. Throughout my childhood, Dad always had me working at his side completing various project and side-jobs. He saw the beauty in his children being to work with their hands and believed it was the best hedge against starving to death. He had a strong work ethic and loved to tinker around his shop. He also drew great satisfaction in seeing a job come to completion and admired ingenuity over wealth. There was a certain beauty attached to something that came out of the creative process arising out of some tangible need called for by the task at hand.

While I protested all the way and failed to appreciate the process, I do recall the sense of accomplishment that came at the completion of whatever job we were doing. I have come to appreciate the wisdom of my Dad's' unrelenting insistence that I learned how to work with my hands.

Matt Crawford makes some excellent arguments for earning a living with your hands. Crawford is an academic but he hasn't forgotten where he came from. He was an electrician who worked his way through university. His education culminated with a PhD after completing his baccalaureate studies in the hard science of Physics.

To some, his decision to step down from the pinnacle of working in a high powered think tank in order to pursue his love of tinkering with motorcycle repair, was sheer folly.

I disagree.

Crawford experienced the sense of accomplishment and gratification associated with working with his hands. In this book, he honors people who earn a living by the sweat of their brow.

He makes a cogent argument that intelligence and vocation are not mutually exclusive. It is particularly impressive that he could be be so articulate in honoring the workers whose contributions are so necessary in any society. He doesn't dumb down the writing because he reflects what blue collar workers know; they are not dumb.

Unfortunately, social demands and value placed on 'brain powered' jobs tends to marginalize the people who are the back bone of this nation. It is no longer a commonplace notion that high merit should be placed on physical labor. The result for such convention is creation of a world where the predictable outcome is standardized and made ever more precise using measurable data, true craftsmanship and ingenuity are slowly being diminished in the interest of progress.

While I can proclaim my deep sense of satisfaction to be linked with creation, and working with my hands is an integral part of my life, I would be remiss if I did not add this caveat; we live in a mean world.

You see, banks don't give a damn about how good I feel about working with my hands. They tend to rank my credibility in the world according to whether I can pay my debts. That attendant value associated with work earned by sweat of the proverbial brow is substantially lower than say, work done by day traders, doctors, lawyers and actors.

I suppose the most frustrating issue for me is that - like most people who have traveled this road of subsistence versus the path lined with monetary success - is that it is tough to make a sour grapes argument. Plainly put; it sucks to be poor.

I want more and I want to enjoy a life where I am disencumbered enough to do what I really love and that is to be a writer. The upside is I have my dreams. The down side of it is that I have to pay my bills.

Dividing my time between what is necessary and what I desire is what life is all about. Meanwhile, I bust my butt every day in order to meet whatever demands I deemed important at some earlier time in life - important enough that I committed my name to dotted lines.

Undoubtedly, the sense of accomplishment I feel - whenever I create a piece of furniture, complete a remodel, build a beautiful door or gate or some stone structure like a fence or fireplace from scratch or even when I just figure out how to do something, that brings great satisfaction. Finding people who appreciate the same is becoming daily less common. Being a craftsman nowadays is tantamount to living a life of servitude and while I am not convinced that the future looks bright, I am nonetheless committed. I keep building and I keep paying my debts and I keep on dreaming of better days ahead.

Yes, working with my hands is a charmed life. Like it or not, I am committed and even if I could change things, I doubt that I would. Romantic inklings aside, here's hoping I don't end up living under a bridge any time soon.

Thanks Matt and Thanks Dad.

Which Side Are You On?

2010-05-30T18:24:00.027-06:00

Which Side Are You On?
by Florence Reece - Performed by Natalie Merchant

Come all you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell

Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?

My daddy was a miner
He's now in the air and sun
He'll be with you fellow workers
Until the battle's won

Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?

They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J. H. Claire

Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?

Oh workers can you stand it?
Oh tell me how you can
Will you be a lousy scab
Or will you be a man?

Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?

Don't scab for the bosses
Don't listen to their lies
Poor folks ain't got a chance
Unless they organize

Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?

As a form of self-abuse, I regularly frequent my local news networks' blogs. I am amazed at the ceaseless whining and anti-liberal invective there is to be found in such a venue. While I remain unconvinced that the people who post such vitriol do not represent prevailing sentiment, such disturbing commentary cannot and should not be ignored.

I often wonder what kind of people they must be after reading their consistently rude, xenophobic and downright nasty commentary. Can they be that hateful in person?

I recall a comment James Madison, our fourth American President wrote, in a letter to his old Princeton classmate, William Bradford on 24 January 1774 regarding persecution of Baptists in his home colony of Virginia, "I have squabbled and scolded, abused and ridiculed so long about it that I am without common patience."

To no avail, I have also used varying responses and never seem to have found the magic bullet either to change their way of thinking or to silence them for even a short while.

If the philosopher George Santayana was correct in his contention that we are doomed to repeat history if we are unaware of it, then it is a logical conclusion that the more time passes, the more things stay the same. It is evident - at least to me - that America, and perhaps all of Humanity - is plagued by a collective historical amnesia. It makes even more sense that the redundancy of errors continually repeat themselves from age to age with staggering consistency reflect why change is slow to come. The problems never change but the faces do.

As we live in a world of ever shrinking resources - as Thomas Malthus revealed - inevitable strains result and survival becomes paramount; "That the superior power of population it repressed, and the actual population kept equal to the means of subsistence, by misery and vice."

Disaster thinking takes precedence and the need to rationalize regarding exclusionary practices takes over.

Arguably, a conspiracy theorist could point out that powerful groups among us who engage in manipulation of the herd mentality by exploiting fear. There is no doubt that people react to pressure differently but, violence and justification for the same are common symptoms resultant of stress. Naturally, capacity to exploit frustration and fear ought never be discounted.

While the media's ostensible objective is to garner higher ratings and thus greater market share, it has determined that shock and awe sells. Perhaps such a distilled conclusion makes sense but what about the potential for certain groups who stand to gain the most from market share? Can it be summarily dismissed that part of Human Nature is to pursue agendas that are less than selfish?

Perhaps it is true that raising such questions makes me a cynic. However, I also believe there is truth in knowledge and my claim does not go without supporting evidence. Karl Marx identified religion as the, 'opiate for the masses.' I don't think he was that far off and would go so far as to claim that our new religion in America is anti-intellectualism, anti-immigration, anti-labor, anti-poverty and anti-change.

In America, 'Anti' is the new religion because it rationalizes prejudice, avarice, intolerance and violence. Our new altar is the media and our high priests are the inane talking heads who ceaselessly pursue market share. Manipulation is the intoxicating brew of choice and only requires titillation of the reptilian brain whose primary responsibility is either fight or flight.

"Which side Are You On," was a song written by a United Mine Worker union organizer's wife, Florence Reece in the 1931. It poignantly reflects the plight of mine workers in Harlan County, Virginia at that time and articulately argues for the value of collective bargaining. Natalie Merchant recently covered the song and that is why I have it here.

I find it interesting in that the song appeals to Humanity while also appealing to fear - there is strength in numbers. I am completely in favor of collective bargaining and this would be my example to the naysayers as to why unions need to exist. However, I also see that it is as much a manipulative device - coming in the form of entertainment to effect change - much like the media currently seems to be.

The Human Animal has the capacity to process information and thanks to such an ability, it is predisposed to group think. Appealing to deep-seated survival based on instinct is all that is necessary to cause otherwise rational, high-minded people to abandon the long ingrained sense of decency for baser, albeit cruder forms of communication aimed at self protection and sufficient reason to hurt, maim and even kill fellow Humans on the basis of our thrust for survival.

It is no wonder therefore that news blogs are so fraught with 'ANTI' commentary. People are scared and they are turning on each other - just as Malthus ominously predicted.

My advice is, if you ever want to see just how cruel and mean fellow Americans can be, visit your local news network blog because it provides a relatively anonymous means for people more akin to bathroom wall posts to share their paranoia, fear and hatred with little to no consequence of being called on about it. It is a great place to see the coupling of rational thought to reptilian synapses and their tie into the Human brain's Limbic system.

Let it serve as a sober reminder of just how far we - as a species - can degenerate when we are driven by fear.

John Irving's, "The Fourth Hand" - My Review

2010-05-29T18:35:00.004-06:00

This story, with all its unlikely characters and the attendant twists and turns, has John Irving's mark all over it. John Irving is with out a doubt, my favorite living American writer. It therefore comes as no surprise that I would find this book enjoyable.

For me, the characters are believable and their stories come together to reveal the intricacies that tie them all to one another. Patrick Wallingford is a sympathetic enough character in that his initial shallowness makes him someone whom I would like to see get his comeuppances. However, the accident which he had a hand in (pardon the pun) proves to be a point of embarkation where he realizes that such a devastating loss leads to immeasurable rewards.

I found the back story about the 'faux' news network to be particularly apropos because Irving was able to project an absurd sense of reality to an otherwise inane albeit acceptable genre of entertainment in American culture today; news.

Mary Shannahan's character was someone who I loved to hate - not so much because of her gender but because of her ceaseless, raw ambition which defies everything her television personality puts forward. It is a matter of image versus substance - the entire theme of this book - who we are as opposed to who we want people to believe that we are.

For anyone who feels jaded by what comes across as news nowadays, this is definitely a book for you. For those who fail to see the irony in news which really isn't; this may not be the book for you. Such critics of this story who point to the unbelievability of such a story as, "The Fourth Hand," are likely to pan it because, "The Fourth Hand" fails to follow a prescribed script more akin to what can be routinely found on any given cable news channel.

Ignore the naysayers and read the book. It is good and stands on its own.

As an aside, I'll definitely be picking up, "The English Patient," and "Stewart Little" - the two books Irving mentioned in this story.

I enjoy picking up on the ongoing side bar commentary he seems to offer to anyone who is paying enough attention to what he has to say - aside from the obvious story line in his other books. His delivery is subtle and unmistakably John Irving. I suppose this why I enjoy his writing so much.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - by Dee Brown - my review

2010-01-05T23:20:00.004-07:00

This book succinctly summarizes the plight of Americas' indigenous people. I found myself reading the history feeling as though I was pushed off a cliff. This sustained free-fall just never seemed to get better. This is not a 'feel good' book; it echos themes of betrayal, bigotry and avarice as Native Americans steadily were broken down and extinguished and their way of life was encroached upon - displaced by a budding nation's fantasy quest to fulfill its Euro-centric ideology of Manifest Destiny. The ideology that fueled justification for explosive westward territorial expansion to the Pacific coast.

The book is laid out as a chronicle and references interesting events in a time line which gives a sense of contextual reality as the tragic history which, if it were not true, would read like some fantastic tale of genocide. Unfortunately, the reality is weighted with historical evidence and this book serves as a telling synopsis of how Human Beings are capable of destroying entire cultures when greed and ambition are served by religious and social conventions bent to serve selfish gains.

My emotions raged from surprise to rage and, hopelessness to profound despair. Dee Brown, the librarian-turned-author has delivered a timeless piece of work which challenges any thinking person to question how history is being taught.

The book touches me on so many levels - things I can neither divulge in this writing and things I cannot even begin to explain. Nonetheless, it forces me to reckon with who I am as a member of Humanity and it compels me to carry a deeper understanding for what it means to be alive.

My ethnicity is that of a 'mestizo' (Sp) - mixed blood person's - heritage. I carry the mongrel mix of my European and middle eastern roots and my DNA also belies the heritage of America's native people. Consequently, the angst I feel is one which tugs at bittersweet sense of right and wrong, of destiny and direction; my ancestors walked this earth both as conquerors and as conquered.

What the book does for me is it re-acquaints me with how the world is never simply black and white. My sense of social justice and moreover the deep understanding that every Human Being has an intrinsic value are clouded with shades of gray. What disturbs me most however is how wholesale destruction of a people can be carried out by what I can only describe as God-fearing, decent Human Beings driven by wanton, self-serving interests. Even more appalling is just how far we, as a species are willing to go in order to justify avarice.

I highly recommend this book - not because of the repulsiveness of violence - but, because it serves as a touchstone for our collective consciousness. In a world where atrocities seem the rule rather than an exception to the Human experience, I believe this book serves our better interests because it acts as a mirror upon which we can reflect. Its sharp focus serves to dull the lines of distinction that we love to invoke in our need to set ourselves apart from our fellow Human Beings.

Such reflection leads to contemplation and cognition which, far and away, is far better than rationalization of the variety where we can diminish the value of anyone who happens to be different. The truest danger we all are at risk for is mistakenly believing that our differences are so great that the only explanation which will suffice is to deem one another inferior and thus not worthy of the full measure of respect that we all deserve - simply because we are members of the Human species.

One thread that I found particularly fascinating was the level of eloquence all of the chiefs quoted in their communication. If anything, it sheds light on a highly intelligent, cultured and elegant in their dialogue - quite different from the invocations of noble savages of James Fenimore Cooper or the bigoted rants of 'civilized' European descendants and Hollywood archetypes so prevalent in the movies of my childhood. These people weren't 'John Wayne' Indians.

Do yourself a favor and read what they had to say. Their words are brilliant and thoughtful.

Praise You in the Storm - Casting Crowns

2009-12-13T00:00:00.001-07:00

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,
G_d
that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away -
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say, 'amen,'
and it's still raining.
As the thunder rolls,
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you."
And as Your mercy falls,
I raise my hands and praise,
The G_d who gives - and takes away...

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands.
For You are who You are,
no matter where I am.
And every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand.
You never left my side
- and though my heart is torn -
I will praise You in this storm.

I remember when I stumbled in the wind.
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again.
My strength is almost gone.
How can I carry on
if I can't find You?
And as the thunder rolls,
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you."
And as Your mercy falls,
I raise my hands and praise,
The G_d who gives - and takes away...

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills.
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord - the maker of heaven and earth.
I lift my eyes onto the hills.
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord - the maker of heaven and earth.

Chorus:

President Obama's Nobel Peace Price Acceptance Speech

2009-12-10T07:34:00.008-07:00

Oslo, Norway - AP

"Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations — that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize — Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela — my accomplishments are slight. And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened of cynics. I cannot argue with those who find these men and women — some known, some obscure to all but those they help — to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars. One of these wars is winding down. The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by 43 other countries — including Norway — in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed. And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict — filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

These questions are not new. War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man. At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease — the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

Over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers, clerics and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war. The concept of a "just war" emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when it meets certain preconditions: if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the forced used is proportional; and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.

For most of history, this concept of just war was rarely observed. The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God. Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations — total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred. In the span of 30 years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent. And while it is hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations — an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this Prize — America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide and restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded. Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed. But there has been no Third World War. The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Commerce has stitched much of the world together. Billions have been lifted from poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

A decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats. The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe. Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations. The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts, the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies and failed states have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos. In today's wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sown, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed and children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations — acting individually or in concert — will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago: "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: It merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life's work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak, nothing passive, nothing naive in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaidas leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism — it is a recognition of history, the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the worlds sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions — not just treaties and declarations — that brought stability to a post-World War II world.

Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest — because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other people's children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another — that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldiers courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly irreconcilable truths — that war is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human folly. Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago. "Let us focus," he said, "on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions."

What might this evolution look like? What might these practical steps be?

To begin with, I believe that all nations — strong and weak alike — must adhere to standards that govern the use of force. I — like any head of state — reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards strengthens those who do, and isolates — and weakens — those who don't.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense. Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait — a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression

Furthermore, America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don't, our action can appear arbitrary, and undercut the legitimacy of future intervention — no matter how justified.

This becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self-defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor. More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war. Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later. That is why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America's commitment to global security will never waver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. This is true in Afghanistan. This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering. And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries — and other friends and allies — demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they have shown in Afghanistan. But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public. I understand why war is not popular. But I also know this: The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice. That is why NATO continues to be indispensable. That is why we must strengthen U.N. and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries. That is why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali — we honor them not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.

Let me make one final point about the use of force. Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it. The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant — the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior — for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something. Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure — and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them. In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear: All will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work toward disarmament. I am committed to upholding this treaty. It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy. And I am working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia's nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system. Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia. Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

The same principle applies to those who violate international law by brutalizing their own people. When there is genocide in Darfur, systematic rape in Congo or repression in Burma — there must be consequences. And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point — the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War. In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

And yet all too often, these words are ignored. In some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation's development. And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists — a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values.

I reject this choice. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please, choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests — nor the worlds — are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran. It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear to these movements that hope and history are on their side.

Let me also say this: The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach — and condemnation without discussion — can carry forward a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

In light of the Cultural Revolution's horrors, Nixon's meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable — and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty, and connected to open societies. Pope John Paul's engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa. Ronald Reagan's efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe. There is no simple formula here. But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement, pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights — it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want

It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine they need to survive. It does not exist where children cannot aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that is why helping farmers feed their own people — or nations educate their children and care for the sick — is not mere charity. It is also why the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action — it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All of these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more — and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination, an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are, to understand that we all basically want the same things, that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet, given the dizzying pace of globalization, and the cultural leveling of modernity, it should come as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish about their particular identities — their race, their tribe and, perhaps most powerfully, their religion. In some places, this fear has led to conflict. At times, it even feels like we are moving backwards. We see it in the Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden. We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

Most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan. These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded. But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war. For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint — no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or even a person of one's own faith. Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but the purpose of faith — for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature. We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil. Even those of us with the best intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The nonviolence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached — their faith in human progress — must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith — if we dismiss it as silly or naive, if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace — then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future. As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago: "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."

So let us reach for the world that ought to be — that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protester awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that — for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth."

Three Feet from Gold; by Lechter & Reid - my review

2009-11-12T04:45:00.020-07:00

Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid put together this allegory injecting it with advice for success. After interviewing a variety of high achievers, they created a story about a struggling, marketing wannabe. The young man's initial motivations and offensive actions metamorphose into a way of thinking, based in morality and shored up with exhortations from the elites that bring about significant changes in his life.

"Three Feet from Gold," is a feel-good remake of the book, "Think and Grow Rich" originally conceived by Napoleon Hill back at the turn of the century. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the book's initial publication in 1908, the Napoleon Hill Foundation commissioned, "Three Feet from Gold" in an effort to resurrect some old ideas using contemporary personalities. Like Hill, Lechter & Reid collected sage advice from high achieving contemporaries which they used as the basis for their pared-down rendition of "Think and Grow Rich."

Aside from its schmaltzy tone, it did offer some decent recommendations for success. Unfortunately, the story seems disingenuous and therefore, the advice loses impact. The problem has to do with a selfish young man whose personal attributes and bad behavior do little to create a sympathetic character. He is so seriously flawed that his capacity for change is dubious.

The storyline recounted how this selfish marketing executive's baneful life was turned around after he has a chance encounter with an affable, wise entrepreneur.

The story became even more unbelievable when it suggested that successful business people might inclined to show up-and-comers the keys to success. Like Napolean Hill who received his imprimatur from the business magnate, Andrew Carnegie, Greg received his pass from the wealthy entrepreneur whose jacket he returned. Greg's misperceived act of kindness is rewarded and he receives the old man's authorization to tap into the collective wisdom of his successful cronies.

It seems doubtful that any of the business tycoon would ever just allow someone so ethically compromised as the protagonist in this story to ever get close to them - especially considering that their core values are rooted in morality. To my recollection, one of their jewels of wisdom was the admonition to avoid any prolonged contact with negative personalities because because such people tend to be a drain on energy not to mention they present a negative contagion which promotes failure.

As an aside, the 'star chamber' scene about midway through the story was way over-the-top - and thus unconvincing if not just plain bulls@%t.

I evaluated this book on two levels; content and delivery.

The content was decent but, there wasn't anything revolutionary in the book. Compared to other guidebooks on success, this one followed the same pattern of the genre. This story's shortcoming was in its delivery - again, I believe it is because - the main character was unlikeable.

For me, the guy represented everything wrong with business today. The protagonist embodied all the negative stereotypical characteristics of the fools who recently plunged the entire world's economy into a recession. They may be brilliant and but they abused their talent.

I failed to see the value in promoting self-serving 'me-first' types as the kind of people deserving a hand-up from America's business elites. It may have had more appeal if the rich, old man had reached out to a working stiff who had personal integrity and a solid work ethic but simply lacked the connections and opportunity to move forward - a Horatio Alger type.

This book only glanced upon the value of contributing back to society.

My impression is there are a whole bunch of bull-shi##ers in business who are making a pile of cash simply doing nothing and it dismays me to witness such mentality tacitly accepted in this book. My observations from the news and in reading this book confirm my belief that we are living in a charlatan's guilded age where one actual piece of advice is "fake it 'til you make it' speaks volumes about the flawed personalities who take it upon themselves to be the mouthpiece for success in America these days.

It is no wonder we have obsessive personalities whose drive for success at all costs encourages pathological ambitions that serves personal interests at such a great cost to the worlds in which they move. Moreover, I remain convinced this book is reflective or a greater malaise in America today. It is rooted in the entire selection process and the criteria we - as a society - use to determine what kind of person is likely to succeed.

I do not claim to have any answers however, lots of zeroes in the bank account or having a title such as MBA or MD or JD is just part of the formula of success. The obsession with acquisitiveness has become the focal point for determining success. Until that changes, we are going to see pillaging by way of million-dollar bonuses as occurred in AIG, Lehman Brothers and Bank of America, or shysters like Bernie Madoff. It is all connected and it reflects something seriously wrong in the way we select for people to fill positions of prestige and responsibility.

Something is really wrong when deception is part of the prescribed paradigm. Ostensibly, the underlying rationalization is that it calls forth some cosmic power from the universe. I am willing to concede that there is a phenomenon in the universe which defies rational explanation - and maybe that makes me nuts but, I think that we still have not figured out a way to explain it rationally - my difficulty with this book is that it may well offer some practical advice but it fails in cultivating any sense of social responsibility. Philanthropy is mentioned at many points throughout the book but it echoes hollow since it really doesn't describe what motivates such powerful people to be philanthropic or how doing so can have any pay-off considering that their hoarding behavior is the number one goal in life.

"Three Feet from Gold" was a commendable effort for Lechter & Reid but, it didn't work for me. The requisite ethical component as a necessary determinant for success in life was barely touched upon and lacked any meaningful depth.

I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen

2009-11-10T07:48:00.007-07:00

I'm Your Man
by Leonard Cohen

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
and - if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
or - if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand -
I'm your man

If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
and - if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
or - if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can -
I'm your man

ah, the moons too bright
The chains too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep

ah, but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
or - I'd crawl to you baby
and - I'd fall at your feet
and - I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
and - I'd claw at your heart
and - I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please -
I'm your man

and - if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
and - if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
or - only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand -
I'm your man

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you that ask me to
and - if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you

Living a Life that Matters; by Harold Kushner - my review

2009-11-08T08:37:00.014-07:00

Living a Life that Matters uses the story of Jacob in The Book of Genesis as the background for discussion regarding why and how a person should live a life that matters.

Harold Kushner is a Rabbi so his logic carries a spiritual component. However, his writing is devoid of self righteousness. Using stories and references to popular culture he argues that integrity defines character. He tempers his words with sensitivity and understanding to explain that personal development is an ongoing process that involves commitment and courage to change.

His reflections on religious fanaticism and the perspectives of fundamentalists at the end of the book are thought provoking. He points out the patterns of collective behavior relative to age.

He wrote,

"Remember that Islam is less that 1,400 years old. When Judaism was 1,200 years old, it was converting the inhabitants of captured territories by force. When Christianity was 1,200 to 1,400 years old, it was graduating from the blood shed of the Crusades to the tortures of the Inquisition. It may be that a world religion has to go through an "adolescent" phase of believing that it has total truth (plausibly, as in so many adolescents, a cover for insecurity; why else would a world wide religious organization be so panicked at the thought of a roomful of heretics somewhere in its domain?) before it matters.

It is an aspect of terrorism and the Jihadist mentality that I never gave much thought to. It makes sense.

I adhere to the belief that knowledge is power. Rabbi Kushner's insight reinforces my conviction that violence rarely settles an issue once and for all. Perhaps it is time we reach out to Islam in tangible ways by reverting swords into plowshares and vitriol into dialogue. I find it impossible to believe that all Muslims are violent extremists.

There have to be more settled minds among the Islamic faithful whose spirituality is not shored up by willingness to resort to violence and terror. We need to be seeking out those religious leaders who have enough conviction in their religion that they are not obsessed with forced conversion. Such leaders won't be shaken when their core principles are subjected to scrutiny and they are less apt to resort to violence when their beliefs are challenged.

The Year of Magical Thinking - by Joan Didion - my review

2009-11-06T22:04:00.007-07:00

The definition of "Magical thinking is a clinical term used to describe a wide variety of nonscientific and sometimes irrational beliefs. These beliefs are generally centered on correlations between events."

Joan Didion's choice for this book's title is appropriate in that it reflects her mindset as she recounts her experience of year following her husband's death. The book is filled with numerous details surrounding the event itself and so many associations arising from it. Her chronicle is delivered in a dream-like stream of consciousness style of writing that convincingly evokes her sense of loss, her state of loss and her need to maintain some semblance of connection to the man with whom she spent four decades of her life.

It is a heart rending story that is equally melancholy as it is effective in conveying the lonely, meandering state Didion drudged through attempting to make sense of it all. It is a sad, honest depiction of how she coped with the loss.

Relying on her journalistic skills, she researched the many aspects surrounding death. The insights offered from literature to medical sources provide a unique learning experience while the story progresses.

If there is anything I find objectionable or perhaps unnecessary, it is the references to her elevated social status. Some details like name dropping or describing physical possessions almost sounded like advertising for certain clothing items or restaurants. I suppose however, such references to the 'good life' serve to illustrate that death is unfazed by our social position or net worth and - more importantly - we all suffer the same.

The materialistic references seemed to act as anchor points for the author. Perhaps this is more a demonstration of her attempt to use total recall as a means of not letting John's memory die. Nevertheless, it just seemed gratuitous and irrelevant in the overall scheme of her story. That is what caused me to rate the book 3 stars rather than 4 (out of a possible 5).

Because of her thoroughness of exploration, I was able to cull out many references which I intend to follow up on (eg "How We Die" by Sherwin Nuland).

This is my first experience reading Joan Didion and I like her craftsmanship."The Year of Magical Thinking," is informative and not at all contrived. It is a touching account. Joan Didion's style is relaxed, straight-forward and easy to read. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

My Invented Country; by Isabel Allende - my review

2009-11-02T14:16:00.005-07:00

My Invented Country offers an insider's perspective about Chile that is as intimate as it is real. I have read some of the criticisms about Allende's depiction of her homeland and I find them to be without merit. Her descriptions about the national character are quite touching and do not appear in the slightest to be done with any malevolence.

There were points in the book that brought out a chuckle while others - and there were many - caused me to laugh out loud. She has such a wonderful way of describing human nature without being hateful or malicious. The immediacy of her style conveys a sense of intimacy - it is reflective of the conversational style that is shared among friends. I am surprised her detractors missed that.

Her descriptions of the land, the collective mentality and their influence on her are compelling. She makes me want to visit Chile, partially to observe the nuances she points out and mostly because their culture seems fascinating. For me, there is a sense of familiarity with Chileans. Their perspectives are not so different from my own.

What I like most of all about Allende's writing is that she has a knack for drawing out the humorous. Her writing has an endearing quality that is is respectful and not at all caustic. The real reward comes when she discusses with a candor that is inviting and unguarded about how the country of Chile and its world-view have contributed to her abilities as a writer.

Toward the end of her book she references Milton Friedman and his influence (The Chicago School of thought) on the Totalitarianism of the Pinochet Regime. I must admit I was aware of the connection but it really hit home when I was reading Naomi Klein's book "Shock Doctrine."

While Klein does not delve deeply into the atrocities, she does touch upon the effects of Friedman and company had upon Chile and more importantly, their impact on America post 9/11.

I have always considered it ironic that Chile's 9/11 which marked the overthrow of Salvador Allende's elected government and the rise of Totalitarianism - clamping down on individual liberties in the name of security would also share similarly echoed sentiments during George W. Bush II's presidency and, under guidance of the same same Chicago School ideologue; Milton Friedman. Klein refers to the ideology as "Shock Doctrine" - Allende referred to it as, "savage capitalism."... Spooky.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that is easy to read but you have to be attentive because she has so much to say and her delivery is so entertaining that you can miss some real gems regarding her craft. The book may be about Chile but the real treat is how she shares her thoughts on her passion as a professional writer.

Milagro Beanfield War - my review

2009-10-31T00:00:00.002-06:00

Que Viva Snuffy Ledoux!

I read this book 35 years ago for the first time when I was fifteen years old. It remains one of my all time favorites. A friend recently pointed out that I was like Amarante Cordova. I always considered myself to be more of a Jose Mondragon. After re-reading Milagro Beanfield War, this timeless piece of literature ranks among the best stories I have ever read and, why I consider it such a great demonstration of artistry and craftsmanship.

Milagro Beanfield War is an enchanting story, told by a man who has a deep and abiding respect for the people he wrote about. His descriptions of the colorful characters and the beautiful landscapes reveal a man who is faithful to describing northern New Mexico Latino culture with clarity and sensitivity to all their quirky nuances.

Nichols reminds me why I love the northern part of the state so much. The rugged terrain is as breath-taking beautiful as its hard-scrabble inhabitants. I am convinced their vibrant culture and world view has been shaped by the land in which they live. Their ingenuity and tenacity are not as caricatured as you might be given to conclude according to Nichols' descriptions. Their bravado, sense of pride, chutzpah are not an exaggeration at all. Moreover, extraordinary things do happen up there and what is even more unusual is that is is not seen as anything out of the ordinary at all. Nichols does such a fantastic job of describing the terrain that he reminds me why I love Northern New Mexico - Taos in particular - so much.

Plainly put, this story is entertaining, comical and it sheds light on yet another group of Americans whose peculiarities spice up an already delicious story.

I felt a connection to all of the characters. However, if pressed to choose one, I believe my favorite would be the immortal Amarante Cordova who buys bullets for his antique .45 with food stamps.

Aside from Pacheco's huge, white pet pig that continually escapes and wreaks havoc in Milagro, the cast of characters include;

Joe Mondragon, the sawed-off banty rooster. The protagonist who unwittingly starts the war when he decides to irrigate his little bean field - of course the symbolism should not be wasted here as beans cause gas and Joe's little field caused a big stink.

Bernabe Montoya, the tired though politically astute sheriff whose comic-tragic life is measured by making mountains out of mole hills and mole hills out of mountains,

Seferino Pacheco, the illiterate old man who can nonchalantly critique Steinbeck, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Platero, Asturias, Garcia Lorca and Pablo Neruda but spends the lions' share of his time haplessly chasing down his wayward, errant pet pig,

Onofre Martinez, the one armed enigma who lost his arm to a fleet of butterflies and whose claim to shame is marked by having a son become a state police officer,

Charlie Bloom, the Harvard Lawyer cum honorary Chicano and publisher of a little news paper called 'The Voice of the People,'

A host of bad guys led by the evil, Ladd Devine III, an equally pugnacious, little white man whose size belies his ambitions, and

the women of Milagro who range from a pebble-tossing granny to loyal, devoted and equally nutty, delightfully powerful women.

These characters represent the tapestry of Milagros' comedic bravado and cloaked angst with its temperaments and dispositions.

I have read that some people do not like Nichols' depiction of the dominant culture and actually take exception to what has been described as the 'white man's burden.' Such detractors are really missing the point because the story is about a nostalgic look at a culture and way of life that is quickly waning. As a case in point, Onofre Martinez articulates the point quite eloquently (p 150)when someone makes an off handed comment about gringos;

"'Wait a minute!' Onofre Martinez stammered excitedly, emotionally placing his hand on Ray Gusdorf's shoulder, 'This is my neighbor, and he is a gringo, not even a little bit coyote [half-breed:]. But he's been in the valley as long as I remember, and I consider him to be of my people. And that white man over there told us these things about the dam and the conservancy and showed us the maps, I consider him of my people too, even though he is a lawyer, even though he speaks funny Anglo Spanish you can hardly understand. But I believe he at least tries to speak the truth,and a lawyer who does that should get a big gold medal to hang around his neck. I don't consider Nick Rael to be of my people because he works against my interests... So, I don't believe this is a brown against white question. This is a only one kind of people against another kind of people with different ideas. There are brown people and white people on both sides...People are people...The brown people and white people on our side are better people because they are on the correct side, that's all..."

While many of the antiheroes in this story happen to be Anglo and the protagonists are mostly Latinos, the story would not change if the protagonists happened to be a group of backwater whites who were facing similar circumstances. Consequently, I don't really understand why someone, anyone would get ruffled about a white author writing about bad white guys. Apparently, Lonesome Dove doesn't evoke the same sort of bristled criticisms and, for that reason, I find the attacks on John Nichols unwarranted.

John Nichols has created a masterpiece, attentively woven with its muted colors of incredulity, tempered fatalism and brilliant splashes of hope.

I sincerely hope his magnum opus is not discounted because he has the temerity to celebrate the true essence of what is unique about being an American; diversity.

Finally, If you like magical realism, this book is perfect for you.

ps: There's nothing wrong with being like Amarante Cordova - although I still consider myself more like Joe Mondragon. And, hey Tony! You are crazier that Pacheco's pig!

American Lion - My review

2009-10-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

I approached this book with some reservation because I was already aware of President Jackson's history regarding treatment of Native Americans and his stand on slavery. I did however come away with a few realizations - from a perspective that I had not previously known.

Jon Meacham detailed the changes that Jackson implemented regarding the Executive branch - his examples include;

1] Jackson's usage of the veto as a political tool coupled with his expansion of executive powers and establishment of the presidency as political force which did not exist prior to Jackson's tenure as President of the United States [POTUS],

2] being the first to completely replace his presidential cabinet thereby establishing that those members served at the pleasure of the president.

3] his introduction of legislation (Force Act) to affect change and to forecast his preparedness to act in the event someone intended to break up the union. In other words, threatening something extreme in order to get something generally perceived to be less benign.

4] his usage of executive branch to force policy change (Banks)

5] his usage of the media for fomenting his ideas and for advancing his agenda.

6] his reference to the voting populace as a mandate to implement his populist ideas - or perhaps, appealing to the masses in order to implement his agenda.

7] invoking the spoils system he was the first to dismiss federal office holders en masse.

Allowing for tempo-centric considerations regarding his bigotry, his fervent nationalism and passionate voice for the common (white) man, Meacham painted a fairly accurate picture of a man who, judged according to the prevailing sentiments of his times - and by people who shared a common Northern European heritage - he would have been a great man. His willful, obstinate, fiercely loyal nature served him well.

The Roman philosopher Herodotus said, "Soft lands breed soft men." Andrew Jackson is a good example for that axiom; he was, to be certain a tough man and the genteel world of the Washington of his time certainly proved to be a place where he could push his way around without much appreciable resistance. Perhaps the greatest nuance of his time was that he could get his way regardless of the opposition. It appears the opposition soon learned the value of having a medium (the printed press) in order to mount an effective opposition.

If any of this sounds at all familiar, I suspect it is because the author is looking back at the nineteenth century with his feet firmly planted in the 21st. Andrew Jackson's presidency seems to be quite familiar with the administration of President George W. Bush.

In short, it smacks of Rovian politics and, - to me - this is where Meacham fell short; he did not detail how such powerful nuanced re-interpretation of presidential power could have come from such an uneducated man. The constitutional law behind Jackson's vision is powerful and highly academic and yet, it seems he just had a great head for constitutional law. It makes me wonder whether it was in fact Martin VanBuren who was the brains behind the operation. We will never know from this book.

Unfortunately, the aberrant leanings president Jackson held, even during his time, were already proving to be distasteful in nineteenth century America. His deathbed statements regarding Heaven not being exclusively a realm for whites only indicates he was cognizant of the inherent injustice for slaves in the world he was living and preparing to leave shortly. Also, once the crisis of nullification had been averted the first time, President Jackson wrote about the potential role that slavery was certain to play in the future (six days before he would appoint an obscure country lawyer - Abraham Lincoln - to a low Federal Postal position in Illinois.)

Old Hickory predicted that slavery would eventually lead to a civil war. Unfortunately the president's prescient nature was accurate but he did not see himself as the instrument that would bring such an abomination to an end. While the book is an interesting read, I did not find it too cumbersome as others have alluded to. I also have a difficult time dismissing this account of his life as a 'white-wash' as other readers have contended. There are many accounts in the story which address the unfair treatment of Native Americans and his stand on slavery. For anyone to ignore that Andrew Jackson was an example of and a product of his time is to fall into the same tempo-centric trap that he fell into. Consequently, while slavery and Jackson's forbearance of long-standing treaties with the sovereign Indian nations were the order of his day - application of 2009 standards in retrospect are just as unmerited as the sins his modern-day critics are frowning upon.

To me there is a greater lesson to be garnered in looking back upon history; the wrongs can be reflected upon with an eye toward ensuring that such similar errors may be more easily understood and even avoided in the future. And, there are plenty of lessons to be learned. I could not help but notice the similarities of nationalism and invocation of populist themes in order to affect change as evidenced in our past presidential administration. It strikes me that the themes which resonated so strongly during the popular Jackson Administration were recently echoed by the Bush II reign as well. So too were the voices of opposition. This not to imply that bigotry exists towards at the same level today as in 19th century America however, there is no denying that similar shadows persist toward Latin American immigrants and Muslims in the paranoiac, post-9/11 America we live in today. The ultimate question in this or any democracy is whether majority rule trumps minority rights.

For my part, this was decent book and, while I would recommend it, it will not rank among the best books I have read. It is nonetheless, a pointed study about what happens when strong-minded personalities enter the office of president. It also demonstrates how fluid the description of the office can be and moreover, how mercurial personalities can effect the outcome of history - but, owing to contemporary experiences with our own presidencies of late, we already knew that.

A Prayer for Owen Meany - by John Irving - my review

2009-10-26T08:53:00.055-06:00

I've always had a tentative relationship with my religion. Like many, I take comfort in established, ritualized practices. On the other hand, I have a tough time with some of what I consider to be loopy mandates outlined by the Catholic Catechism.

One aspect about A Prayer for Owen Meany definitely touched on Faith; how I reconcile the difference between knowing that G_d exists; and believing that his word is what has been faithfully communicated through the Bible.

Couple that with my mistrust for 'the government' and my love for the Constitution and I have the perfect setting for an exploration of what happens when the two mix.

Owen Meany is a Christ-like figure - the reluctant messiah who, for whatever reason - is tapped to make the supreme sacrifice; he is to die. It causes me to ponder how Jesus must have felt as he knew what was going to happen and how he dealt with that impending eventuality of his demise for a 'greater good.'

And what of altruism? How can one reconcile voluntary termination of one's very life when to do so involves an act so selfless that it means termination of life as we know it to exist in this dimension. It begs the question, is altruism really voluntary at all and moreover, does it make any sense?

What about those left behind? John Wheelright's retrospective recounts the life of his enigmatic friend and the events that precipitated his death. He is preoccupied with whether the senseless act of violence that killed Owen could have been avoided - whether the collision course was one of divine providence or merely the product of a self-directed destiny. In the process, Johnny's story reveals the struggle between faith and reality; for Johnny it was one of knowing the end result and looking back; for Owen, it was one of knowing the end result and moving toward it. While both took a lifetime to complete, I am not sure who suffered more in the end.

If this is a parallel story of Jesus of Nazareth and there are/were other people with whom he shared his earthly existence then, their spin on the chain of events that led to his death and how they perceived it opens a whole new story. I can easily surmise that their personal interpretations might vary and the depth of their grief drives them to revisit the 'greatest story ever told' for the rest of their lives.

There are also many symbolic parallels throughout the story as well. For instance, Owen Meany's initials might be related to the letter Omega - as in the Christ's declaration of being the 'alpha and the omega.' His relationship to 'John' - might this be a reference to the beloved apostle alluded to in the New Testament? How about the Mary Magdalene, perhaps an alliterative parallel to Hester - 'the Molester'; maybe an allusion to the Scarlet Letter's Hester Prynne and the attendant consequences for having dared to love a man she could never have. How about her ability to evoke emotion and enjoy adulation of her fans. Yet despite her rock-star appeal, she was powerless to save the man she loved from with his date with destiny?

So many questions arise like;

1] Is it easier to bitch about my government when I really have problems with my G_d? Civil disobedience beats the shit out of apostasy right? My government can jail me however, according to Pascal's gambit regarding the existence of G_d; violating the treatises of my faith can doom me for eternity.

2] Is this why fundamentalists work so hard at setting a status quo in their ever-changing world?

3] What do you do when your messiah - whom you never realized to be your messiah - is now your messiah and he is gone? You no longer can see him in the flesh. Is this the point of embarkation for the trip we call 'faith'?

4] How about the irony involved in being killed by someone else whose practiced religion calls for your destruction - even if you are the messiah?

I think about mistrust of my government which also played a role in Owen's death, the zealots and the existence of evil.

Like John Wheelright, I am a religious outsider. The struggle with my faith, striving to make sense of the religion of my birth. I take in my countryman's sacrosanct professions of faith and come away unconvinced.

Among my fellow Christian believers, there is a sea of difference where one set of perspectives takes precedence over another. Those who currently hold sway doggedly embrace the notion of a vengeful G_d that endorses 'an eye for an eye.' By convention, these practitioners of faith invoke the notion of self reliance as their excuse for turning a blind eye to the plight of a poor. Since G_d only helps those who help themselves, poverty must be an indication that such individuals are sinners - abandoned by the creator and therefore - of no consequence. The G_d of Abraham - whose eye is on the sparrow - is unmoved at the growling stomach of starving child.

Only in America do we protect an impoverished unborn human's right to be born into a mean world where they are guaranteed denial of equal access to education, food and a decent quality of life. We abandon them to the mean streets of what so proudly we hail as the greatest country on earth only to hunt them down years later. They are perfect fodder for the alter of object lessons because we prosecute them and even execute them in far greater numbers than members of the middle and upper class. We conveniently deny along the way that offenses committed by the poor had anything to do with the crimes perpetrated by religious approbation of avarice, wholesale exclusion and pin-pointed bigotry. It does make me wonder just what a messiah might make of it all and that is another reason why Owen Meany's character moves me.

I freely admit my bias; I am a John Irving fan and this is the book that did it for me.

I know Irving thoroughly studied the work of Charles Dickens so his story-telling utilizes techniques invoking craftsmanship reminiscent of that prolific storyteller. Irving's writing skill is second to none. He delivers a thought provoking, haunting narrative that leaves me continually revisiting this story.

A Prayer for Owen Meany is a meaning-of-life book of the highest order. It doesn't give us answers. It gives us questions to ponder - something infinitely more valuable. It informs. It frustrates. It entertains. It evokes a broad range of emotions. It has the potential for commuting what seems at first blush a life so common into a glimpse of the divine. It is the story of one man's epiphany and his ongoing struggle to reconcile faith with reality. It is a book of revelation - all at once apocalyptic and painfully redemptive.

Any book that can communicate on so many different levels is a book that will stand the test of time. This is why I consider this story among the top three books penned by any living writer I have read to date.

This is only part of why I love Owen Meany and why, - like the opening line,

"I am doomed to remember a small boy with a wrecked voice..."

This is undoubtedly, my all time favorite book.

Happy Birthday Kristin. This book review is dedicated to you.

Life of Pi - my review

2009-10-23T06:00:00.004-06:00

**Please note: this review contains spoilers**

"Life of Pi" is the story of a 16 year old boy named Piscine Patel who shortened his name to "Pi" after suffering untold taunts by his peers who jeeringly mispronounced his name and called him 'pissing.'

Pi is the son of a zoo owner in India who decides to sell off his animals after becoming disenchanted with the current political situation in his home land. Many of the animals that have been sold are in transit by cargo ship which Pi and his family are on when the ship suddenly capsizes en route to Canada where the Patel family is moving. Pi is the only Human survivor. The ensuing story recounts two parallel stories recounting the tale of his survival during his 227 days lost at sea.

The longer story is about how he is accompanied by a Bengal tiger (named Richard Parker), a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a rat.

The shorter one is one of tragedy where he witnesses the murder of his mother. The conclusion is left to the reader to decide. The story involving the animals is highly detailed so it is difficult to discount, However, it is also so incredible that it is difficult to believe.

There is a difference between prevarication - the act of lying and confabulation - the act of making a story up as it is being told. While my experience has shown me that when people do not tell the truth and moreover, when they choose to tell a lie, the good ones tend to mix the truth with the lie. Thus when any semblance of the truth is presented, it tends to lend credence to the lie as well. As a result, I have found that when it is mixed together, when you buy the truth you also accept the lie.

Thinking about Pi, I am left to wonder whether the entire elaborate story is nothing more than his psychological attempt to erase the trauma of watching his mother murdered and cannibalized. Most people never been in a life and death situation which required them to consume another Human's flesh - and in Pi's case, his own mother's flesh. But I would consider it entirely logical that, it might be a terror of unimagined proportions to deal with such a reality while either at sea as Pi was or once he was rescued.

To that end, I find myself wanting to believe the first story but dreading the thought that the confabulation is Pi's attempt to explain something his consciousness has forced him to forget. This is a fascinating story that I never imagined could or would happen and I commend Yan Martel for doing such an artful job of telling it.

It is the kind of story that makes you want to keep reading and the second story only comes at the end so it hits you in the gut when you begin to imagine the possibility of it even being true. The second story's introduction so late in the book is a major shock and I think the first story could have easily been sufficient.

Ultimately, the conclusion is left for the reader to decide. Like it or not, the chosen conclusion will be the determinant as to whether the reader is an optimist or a pessimist, a pragmatist versus realist. Personally, I keep jumping back and forth. I'll probably have to read it all over again.

Never the less, having read the book to its conclusion, I am left wondering; is it prevarication or confabulation? I believe that is what good fiction should do so, I wouldn't change a thing.

On Killing - By Dave Grossman - my review

2009-10-21T11:03:00.007-06:00

This disturbing book explores the implications behind killing a Human Being. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman delves into historical documents and references various psychological treatises to develop an understand how and why people resolve actively taking of a life.

Contrary to what one might think, reference the topic matter of this book, "On Killing" is hardly anything about celebrating or justification to be sought when killing another Human Being. Rather, it intelligently deals with the implications and consequences for the taking of a life.

This is not a 'blood & guts' kind of book that glorifies killing. It is none the less fascinating because I don't think most people really think about what it means to take a life and have to live with the consequences once that has occurred.

As someone whose past vocation once called upon me to be prepared to take a life, I appreciate Grossman's thoughtful approach to such a difficult topic.

The Unforgiving Minute - By Craig M. Mullaney - my review

2009-10-18T21:26:00.008-06:00

When I saw the title of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. It is a line from my favorite poem entitled, "If" - written by the English poet, Rudyard Kipling.

Craig Mullaney offers an insightful, informative account of his years as a Westpoint Cadet, Rhodes Scholar, Infantry/Airborne Ranger and Soldier who served in Afghanistan.

His writing is engaging and has a talent as a story teller. His recounting of the events seems convincing and not at all contrived. I appreciate his humanity and thoughtful approach in his descriptions of what life was like in Afghanistan. Most of all, I appreciate that this book is not presented as some sort of recruitment tool for the US Army as it is not an indictment of the ongoing wars in the Middle East.

This book is not filled with blood and guts and the violence is not gratuitous by any means. It is my sincere desire that the policy makers, military strategists and politicians realize what a wealth of knowledge and wisdom there is to be gained from seeking counsel from citizen soldiers such as Craig Mullaney.

I loved his response when queried by an US Naval Academy cadet who pointedly asked him, "What do you think, sir that you would have done differently?" after hearing Mullaney's recounting the events that led to his first loss of a fellow Army Ranger who was under his command.

He said,

"The best thing we could have done for Afghanistan was to get out of our Humvees and drink more green chai. We should have focused less on finding the enemy. and more on finding our friends."

I take great comfort in knowing that the Army has dedicated, intelligent and conscientious Americans serving in its ranks.

Edgar Sawtelle - my review

2009-10-16T08:06:00.005-06:00

If you are looking for a pick-me-up DO NOT buy this book. I'm borrowing a Southpark line, "You killed Edgar you bastard!"

This book had the potential to be one of the best books ever and it turned out to be a total waste of time. For the first time in my life, I actually regret spending my hard-earned money on a book. I just want to know who the editor was and what the hell the publisher was thinking when s/he gave the green light for publication of this book.

Admittedly, there are some points in the story that are absolutely mesmerizing. I particularly liked the chapter entitled, 'Almondine'. The anthropomorphic descriptions were great but, in the end, difficult to believe. I love my dog Poe but I just do not see his deep philosophical thought processes behind those coffee colored eyes.

Also, the story about Henry's kindness could so easily have been a turning point. In short, he gets robbed, puts the kid and dogs up for a while and ends up with two expensive dogs for his troubles.

Unfortunately, the book is really a tragedy that has been marketed as a coming-of age-story. That's why I bought the book and that's why I felt ripped off. These are tough economic times so, I must admit, I was looking for a book about redemption. I wanted to read about a hero who overcame great odds and, if it included a little bit of magical realism then so be it. Disappointingly, the author tipped his toe in the water but never just jumped in any of the pools he dabbled in.

According to the jacket, there are breath-taking descriptions that are pervasive throughout the book. In reality, the book has a smattering of descriptions of the variety alluded to in the jacket. Who is the person that wrote such a specious jacket synopsis anyway? Probably the same kind of dolt who writes obituaries in some local rag.

There were several places where word usage was a bit pedantic and sentence structure clunked - so much so that I had to re-read quite a few sentences in order to get the gist of their meaning. At one point I wondered if Wroblewski's phrasing meant to mimic the sentence structure of a deaf person (however, since Edgar is mute and not deaf, I conclude his sentence structure would be like that of a hearing person - then again, I don't sign) but it didn't seem to happen with any regularity, The clunky wording just seemed to happen randomly.

I found the first two hundred pages a bit cumbersome at times and found myself pushing through in anticipation of what was yet to come. While the book did seem to pick up after the half-way point, it got better. Then it seemed to consume itself - much as the fire did at the end. There were too many loose ends to my liking. For instance, the notion that Claude got away with murder didn't set well with me. Yes, he did die in the fire but, how would the rest of his world ever really know to what extent was actually involved in his brother's demise?

I don't necessarily like books that end 'happy.' However, I don't like books that breach a topic and fail to address it either. For me, that is where this work falls. It is loose on the paranormal breaches. They titillate but in the end, they seem to be added for effect and no real purpose. I am still left scratching my head over the old man's ghost in the barn; he spoke with great technical detail to Edgar but remained silent and failed to come through with any advice when Edgar sought it.

I understand Wroblewski's (and many other authors for that matter)desire to establish his own, unique voice. I understand that he wants his work to stand out alone and not be dismissed simply as another story that echoes Shakespeare. I also understand his contention that the story of Edgar Sawtelle is one that preexisted Shakespeare's Hamlet and yet, there is something disingenuous about his claim as he seems to follow a Shakespearean formula with one difference - Wrobleswki's ending. Ironically, the work is kind of like the mysterious poison. Shakespeare is Wroblewski's poison to be handled delicately, used to achieve a selfish end, destructive by its very nature and capable of causing death even when it is disposed of.

It is still Shakespeare but different - somewhat akin to plucking off the flower from the stem and grafting another flower in its place. There is something oddly displeasing about putting a dandelion on a rose stem.

Reading Wroblewski is like going to a four star restaurant and having the chef deliberately sabotage the dessert by piling on a load of salt - ostensibly (in accordance with the author's attached interview responses in the back of the book) because he wants to shake his fist at the universe to declare that he is unique. Plainly put there are stories that are timeless and, there are stories that are not stories at all. The Sawtelle family started out as an uninteresting,simple family whose lives were carefully documented and then summarily dispensed of so that they would once again disappear into obscurity.

No lesson. Nothing. Well, maybe one; guys whose names include the letters 'g-a-r' are doomed to die by poisoning. How did Shakespeare say it? I'll paraphrase - something about strutting and fretting on the stage - a story told by an idiot, signifying nothing.

Doubtless, David Wroblewski has some definite skill in describing his subjects with enviable creativity however, With an ending like that, perhaps sticking to computer programming is better advised. Why tell such a beautiful story and then sabotage it with such a sloppy ending?

Why would anyone who had the potential to reach out to his audience squander such a golden opportunity? I have stated my reason for buying the book and now, I feel like the victim of a 'bait and switch' swindle.

The ending is as enigmatic as Claude's character and, because of that, I say, keep your day job Wroblewski. I'm going to have a tough time parting with my money to purchase any more of your books.

A Glass of Water - Jimmy Santiago Baca - my review

2009-10-11T21:09:00.008-06:00

I love Jimmy Santiago Baca's poetry so, when I was walking around the book store today and, "A Glass of Water" caught my attention, I sat down for a quick sip. It didn't take long for me to decide to buy the book. This is his first novel (according to the jacket) and it is incredible. It was so engaging that I read it entirely in one sitting - a 4 hour drink to be exact.

I won't give any spoilers so, my synopsis is deliberately brief. The story is about two brothers whose divergent paths re-converge at the story's end. This 215 page work attests to Baca's powerful story-telling abilities.

His prose is even more enjoyable as it echoes Baca's passion and accomplishment as a skilled poet. There are moments in the story where the writing is lyrical and rich in details - something only a poet can do.

The story line tangentially details the plight of undocumented Mexicans and, if I have any regrets, they would be that the underlying story - the bigotry that so many Americans harbor against Mexicans was not delved into more deeply. For my part, the story is great but I was left wanting to know more. There are parts of the story that could have been expanded and elaborated upon quite a bit more without making the book unnecessarily long (eg. the brothers' childhood relationship, ancillary characters such as the man with nickle-tipped boots, the land owner, Carmen and her work, the concentration camps).

The story deals with tension, strife, romance, angst, violence, revenge intrigue, regret, rage and forces of compromise. While the protagonists' character development were sufficient to carry the story, their development was more reflective of the title; drinks that only left me thirsty. I wanted to know more.

I am not sure what the title has to do with the story and, at least for this reader, a drink was not enough.

This book could easily work out to be part of a series because, there remains so much more to tell.

World Without End - Ken Folett - my review

2009-09-23T22:55:00.013-06:00

The end of my fortieth decade was celebrated by reading this book. I received World Without End as a gift from a friend who gave me the book after I mentioned to him that I had read Ken Folett's, Pillars of the Earth.

World Without End is significant to me because it is the last book I read before turning fifty. As it turns out, Scott and his wife, Toots celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on 5 September of this year. They were married just 11 days before I was born. There's your tidbit if useless information for the day. Haven't had enough yet? Read on. World Without End is Folett's sequel to his epic novel written some 13 years ago. I was not let down because, World Without End picks up some two hundred years after Pillars of the Earth with a smattering of the first book's descendants.

If you are the kind of reader who enjoys getting a little education tossed in as you are reading a good novel, then these two books are for you. If you like powerful characters and strong women then this is definitely a book for you. Like the first book, the story has sex, violence, religion, intrigue, politics, social justice and a little architecture thrown in for good measure. It also is a story rich with historical information about Europe during the time of the Black Death; the Bubonic Plague. It shines a light on the logic of the time and moreover, effectively illustrates how the world view, influenced by the Church and feudal Europe dictated the parameters or rather the constraints people were forced to deal with.

While the story line is not difficult to follow, it is just a little bit over 1,000 pages long. It isn't something I could knock out in a couple of days. It is interesting enough however that you will find yourself thinking about the characters and cannot wait to pick up the book again and get back into the story. There are a few villains in the mix - the kind of people who we all love to hate - most likely because their wickedness of character is timeless. I suppose that is the nature of personality flaws.

The heroes in the story's lives are chronicled over nearly five decades so, as a side note, the book turned out to have a special significance to me considering the time frame I was reading the story and, by the bye, fifty years doesn't seem all that long. That said, it is a fair amount of time for a story to play itself out.

I felt a deep emotional connection with the protagonists, Merthin Bridger - the carpenter and his sweetheart, Caris Wooler - the strong-willed woman whose sheer determination and love of Humanity never allowed her world to hold her back. In short, Caris is a woman that the universe could never put parenthesis around. I will not elaborate much further on the story because I don't want to deny you the pleasure of witnessing their character development. I will say however, I felt a little sad when I finally closed the book for the last time.

Folett's story-telling abilities are second to none and his attention to detail serve the story two-fold; believability with an educational process tossed in along the way.

The book could have not come out at a better time for me. I could relate to Caris and Merthin. Folett's message is that regardless of what one's lot in life may be, Life itself is precious. It is the only life we have so, we must persist regardless. He also illustrates the value of problem-solving, the beauty of life, the attendant nobility of living a life of service to others and, above all, doing the best with you have; despair is part of life but, that is no reason to give up. Sometimes, winners aren't winners after all.

I cannot exactly recall what Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence put it but, I will paraphrase him knowing that it captures the spirit in which it was intended. He said sometimes, the real heroes are not those who do extraordinary things like jumping on a grenade in order to save others. Heroism is a quality of character that is as simple as meeting life on its terms and doing what is expected with no hope for reward other than having the knowledge that what is being done is what needs to be done. It is doing ordinary things - like being a parent who is there for a child, every day. There is also something merited in those who are simply true to themselves (remember Polonius' advice in Hamlet?) It is a quality that seems to be shared by other characters in Follet's novel as well.

This is why I find Follett's writing satisfying on so many different levels. While the story is set in the 1300's, the lessons to be gained are contemporary - not because Folett is a writer looking back but because strife, greed, pride, and persistence are universal characteristics that exist throughout humanity as a whole. I am firmly convinced the reason we read novels and short stories is because, like dreams, they offer us a means of 'gaming-out' conflicts. They provide a safe environment for contemplation at a deeper level. They create a sense of connectedness - like so many oral traditions - where lessons are an integral part of the story-telling process.

Folett's story-telling abilities give his readers an opportunity to understand Human nature and insight as to why some people turn out the way they do. Sometimes evil and good are only relative. In my fifty years, I have come to realize that as well; the world is not simply black and white - it is only shades of gray. Moreover, faced with the circumstances life has to offer us, we have two choices; give up or keep trying. More often than not, the circumstances that are out of our immediate control will always exist. How we choose to deal with such constraints is entirely a matter of personal choice. Bad things are going to happen, how we choose to deal with them is what defines our personal character.

World Without End is a celebration of the Human spirit. What an apropos gift for me as I've rounded out my first half century of life. It is just what the doctor ordered and more importantly, just what I needed.

Thanks Doc

Little Man - Alan Jackson

2009-09-23T08:40:00.006-06:00

Little Man
Alan Jackson

I remember walk'in round the court square sidewalks
Lookin' in windows at things I couldn't want
There's Johnson's Hardware and Morgan's Jewelry
And the ol' Lee King's Apothecary
They ware the little man
The little man

I go back now and the stores are all empty
Except for an old coke sign from 1950
Boarded up like they never existed
Or renovated and called 'Historic Districts'
There goes the Little Man
There goes the Little Man

[Chorus]
Now the Court Square is just a set of streets
That the people go round but they seldom think
'Bout the Little Man that built this town
Before the big money shut em down
And killed the Little Man
Oh, the Little Man

He pumped your gas and he cleaned your glass
And one cold rainy night he fixed your flat
The new stores came where you 'do-it-yourself'
You buy a lotto ticket and food off the shelf
Forget about the Little Man
Forget about that Little Man

He hung on there for a few more years
But he couldn't sell Slurpees
And he wouldn't sell beer
Now the bank rents the station
To a man down the road
And they sell velvet Elvis and Second-hand clothes
There goes Little Man
There goes another Little Man

[Chorus]

Now the stores are lined up in a concrete strip
You can buy the world with just one trip
And save a penny cause it's 'Jumbo size'
They don't even realize
They're killin' the Little Man
Oh, the Little Man

It wasn't long when I was a child
An old black man came with his plow
He broke the ground where we grew our garden
Back before we'd all forgot about
the Little Man The Little Man
Long live the Little Man

God Bless the Little Man...

Sand Art

2009-09-22T08:55:00.007-06:00

Kseniya Simonova, a sand artist creates a series of vignettes which tell a story. This particular rendition is one which depicts the German occupation of Russia during World War II.

Simonova won the Ukraine's got Talent 2009 competition

She has other sand drawings on youtube - which you can see once this video plays out.

Enjoy

ps
Happy Birthday to my son Matthew - true to your namesake; a gift from God - may your life continue to be so blessed.

Happy birthday to my baby sister Praga who shares Matt's same birthday; Daddy said you were going to be alright!

Girl Mary - Petru Popescu

2009-09-14T00:00:00.002-06:00

Petru Popescu has done a great job giving us a look at what life was like at the time of Christ. His treatment of the Immaculate Conception is compelling as it not only tends to give credibility the virgin birth but it also explains how legends tend to surround events. Since his research and resources regarding Jewish life at the time is so intricately detailed, it does make his rendition of this incredible story believable.

The book is intriguing enough that I finished it in a day. I found the characters to be fascinating and particularly liked Joseph as he seems more believable as a man that Popescu has brought out of the shadows. Mary's character was also captivating for me but the transition from third person narrative to Mary's voice didn't seem to work out as well as I might have preferred - I thought the story was being told from the perspective of either the creator or perhaps an angel.

Regardless, I did savor what it might have been for Mary. I must note however, that I did gather a sense that Popescu's Romanian roots seemed to come through in his story telling. I cannot say for certain because I am not fluent in Romanian but there is something in his delivery that makes it delightful - kind of like the unmistakable flavor of an ethnic food exclusive to a particular society.

This one is a keeper.

Stand by me & One Love - Playing for change

2009-05-04T06:58:00.006-06:00

Playing for Change - explained

One Love - Bob Marley

Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell

2009-03-17T10:10:00.007-06:00

"Outliers: The story of success" is a book in which, Malcolm Gladwell makes some cogent arguments regarding hard work, being in the right place at the right time with a mixture of environmental determinants that all come together to create for extraordinary individual achievements. However, some of his arguments are less convincing than others.

I suppose it is true that it does in fact, "take a village" in concert with favorable milieu of environmental, social and economic conditions which encourage an individual to thrive.

The book's progression was fluid until the final pages when Gladwell injected his family's personal history and sort of clunked at the end with his closing remark; a self-focused query - arguably a personal representation for his books basic premise.

While Gladwell is no doubt, successful in his own right, to borrow from Lloyd Benson during his vice-presidential debate with Dan Quayle when he quipped, 'You are no John Kennedy [in this case, 'Malcolm Gladwell is no Bill Gates'] - maybe Gladwell was referring to the 10,000 hours??

The book seemed to stop when a certain predetermined number of pages had been written. Thus, its end seemed quick, abrupt and therefore, incomplete.

Considering what I just wrote about Gladwell, you might not think I'd be recommending it, I am. His work is entertaining and thought provoking enough for me that i have already picked up his book, 'The Tipping Point.' Gladwell is a good information gatherer so his work is as much entertaining for me as it is a resource for further examination.

I still maintain that so much is happening in our world that the people who can gather the information, make the appropriate connections and assimilate it all are the people who are indespensable because they are connecting the dots for the rest of us.

Happy 19th Birthday Lance Gilbert Kowalski

2009-03-13T21:19:00.009-06:00

This post is in memory of a kid I never met - a kid I came to know about through his mother, Justine Saylors who passed away last year. Lance died on 23 October 2003 - he was her world and the pain of living without him was too much to bear.

I wrote a couple of times in the past about Lance and Justine.

A friend of mine created a sculpture that was - coincidentally delivered to me the day Justine died. It was created the same year Lance was born (1990) and the first time I saw the sculpture was in 2006 shortly after I heard Justine's collection of music that she put together in memory of her son was featured in the Washington Post. The sculpture immediately reminded of Lance and Justine and I resolved to purchase it.

The sculpture consists of two rings, broken in two that appear - at least to me - to be the figures of two people embracing. What I see when I look at it is a mother and child embracing. Other people who have seen the sculpture see a symbolic relationship between the creator and Humanity.

Because it is such an abstract piece, it is open to interpretation. It sits in my back yard and will forever remind me of Lance and Justine.

The day I received the sculpture, I intended to e-mail Justine and that was when I received a comment to a previous post I made in homage to Lance. That is how I found out that Justine had died.

I wish she had seen it before she died. You can read my previous here for Lance and here for Justine.

Happy Birthday - in memory of Lance Gilbert Kowalski.

Religious Zealotry

2009-03-09T17:25:00.000-06:00

It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
Alfred Adler

A great deal of what passes for current Christianity consists in denouncing other people's vices and faults.
Henry H. Williams

Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.
Jacob M. Braude

American Prometheus - Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin

2009-03-08T16:03:00.039-06:00

'I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.' - J. Robert Oppenheimer; words he is said to have uttered when he witnessed the test atomic bomb detonation in the New Mexico desert at the Trinity nuclear explosion site on 16 July 1945 - this quote originally came from the Bhagavad Gita

Very interesting reading.

This is a compelling story of ambition, intrigue, jealousy and the attendant devastation visited upon J. Robert Oppenheimer ('JRO' aka 'Oppie') - whose direction and guidance brought about the most destructive weapon available to Humanity. Oppenheimer's contribution earned him the name, 'father of the Atomic Bomb.'

This book traces Oppenheimer's life, documenting a series of personal blunders and mistakes he made along the way. They ultimately proved to be as destructive for his career as the weapon of mass destruction he helped to create. It is a captivating story about the acrimony and alienation he cultivated among his rivals because of the Bomb project.

Oppenheimer was eloquent, quick-witted and brilliant in spotting critical nuance. He had a great capacity for assimilating information and creating a collaborative environment which encouraged others to reach greater intellectual accomplishments as a result. Despite his brilliance, he also had an intolerant streak for intellectual laziness. Recipients of his derisive, caustic responses perceived him as vainglorious and arrogant. While he engendered deep loyalties and profound respect from the majority of people he made contact with, his incisive criticisms created lifetime enemies as well. For at least two, their hatred for JRO became a life's ambition with total commitment to undermining and destroying his character.

"A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green" - Francis Bacon, Poem 'Of Revenge'

I never particularly liked Edward Teller - leader of the Hydrogen bomb development - I dislike him even more after reading this book. I recall hearing him lecture at the University of New Mexico back in the early eighties. By then, he was an old man and had come around to Oppie's thinking regarding Nuclear proliferation. His rhetoric had softened and he spoke more like a pacifist and not the war hawk of his earlier manhood. He was traveling the University circuit as a visiting lecturer so, I felt fortunate to sit in the lecture hall as he delivered his thoughts on the Nuclear Age.

As a student of history, I was aware of his involvement in Oppenheimer's fall from national grace. But, I was never cognizant of what lengths he went to in order to advance his own cause - developing the H-Bomb. It is evident the slight he felt when Oppie flatly rejected his efforts to develop a bomb 1000 times more powerful than those detonated in Japan never let Teller rest until his ego was assuaged - first with detonation of the H-bomb and finally - in contributing to Oppie's political demise by testifying against him.

Owing to philosophical differences with Teller, Oppenheimer opposed advancement of H-Bomb development - presciently fearing a nuclear arms race with the Russians would ensue. He called for transparency and world regulation of Nuclear Armaments as a means of avoiding wholesale destruction of life due to the indiscriminate destructive capacity of nuclear weaponry. He expressed serious doubts about the destructive power of such a weapon after having come to the realization that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were essentially strategic decisions made by President Truman who wished to effect an unconditional surrender from Japan before the Russians had an opportunity to become involved and thus, assert their influence over Japan, and the pacific Corridor's post-war fate. The Japanese were ready to meet the US' terms for unconditional surrender. Nonetheless, Truman ordered the Atomic bombing anyway.

Unfortunately, Teller's ambitions dovetailed with American businessman and politico, Lewis Strauss who - like Teller was a friend-turned-enemy after tangling with the eminent Scientist. Together, Edward and Lewis made Oppenheimer's character assassination their life's ambition. Though separate and apart from eachother, both colluded with the FBI's Director, J. Edgar Hoover and ultra Right-Wing war hawks to thwart Oppenheimer's influence over developing the nascent American Nuclear arms policy by precipitating cancellation of his security clearance.

They did so by questioning his political allegiance to America - a feat accomplished by inciting fear of Communism, using personal smear tactics and manipulating the legal process under the guise of national security.

Neither Teller nor Strauss however, came away unscathed for their acrimonious efforts. History set the record straight - within their lifetimes. Their underlying motives came to light and they suffered the same retribution brought about by their zeal to destroy Oppie. Teller became a pariah in the scientific community and Strauss' national career came to an end when his flagrant disregard for Oppenheimer's right to due process was exposed in relatively short order after the hearings concluded and the decision was made to pull Oppie's security clearance.

Like the bomb which Oppenheimer guided into creation, political antipathy reached a critical mass for destruction of his public persona at the height of the Red Scare. The books title is appropriate as it makes reference to the Greek mythological Titan, Prometheus who stole fire from the Gods and gave to Humanity. The price for his deed was to suffer eternal condemnation of being lashed to huge stone and having his liver completely eaten away by an great eagle. According to the story, Prometheus' cycle self replicates daily because his liver regenerates every night.

Symbolically, Oppie's fate was the same. He endured never-ceasing scrutiny. despite his innocence, the Liberal-thinking, socially conscious scientist's name was forever tied to Communism. His efforts to inject rationality into the debate for arms control never came to fruition. This intellectual giant who had unleashed nuclear power - the explosive core energy - of the sun to mankind was doomed to suffer the same metaphorical fate as the mythological Greek Titan, Prometheus. For J. Robert Oppenheimer, the albatross of communism was forever tied to him - and his personal character was cyclically destroyed and regained for the rest of his life because of the Republican war hawks.

This book was a fascinating character study of a man who was brought down by people who, being more politically astute never compared to the man in intellectual prowess.

My Mom has a Spanish saying that translates, "Even for the tallest pine, there is an axe." Oppie's story is a sober reminder of this. I suppose there is another important lesson to be learned:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou, poet

The story is worth re-visiting in light of the recently past administration of George W. Bush & Company which pushed the limits of executive power and used such tactics from the past to destroy political enemies during the 42nd president's tenure in office.

It is my hope that Oppenheimer's history serves as warning for future generations to recognize ambitions of ideologues who abuse position and power. That we remain vigilant for those who seek to settle vendettas invoking false appearances of patriotism and national security.

It is a lesson all of our great leaders such as President Obama can benefit from because it was lesson that Oppenheimer was forced to learn the hard way; regardless of how tempting, never deny a person - either by action or word - his dignity or respect.

Oppie himself felt that clearing his name had come, 'too little, too late,' posterity has nonetheless cleared Robert Oppenheimer of the communist smears attached to him during the McCarthy era.

This book's title of 'American Prometheus' is apropos for this brilliant, compassionate, forward-thinking and highly controversial historical figure.

On Fools and the Hypocricy of Self Righteousness

2009-03-01T20:32:00.015-07:00

Something to ponder - regardless of what corner of earth one may be in...

The injury we do and the one we suffer are not weighed in the same scales.

Aesop, Fables

The Shack - William P. Young

2009-02-21T21:31:00.035-07:00

"The Shack," came highly recommended by someone who assured me it was a 'transformational' book. So, I approached it with enthusiasm.

It isn't a bad story but it certainly will not rise above its contemporaries as one of the preeminent books of our time. Regardless, I am sure it 'speaks' to certain people who may find their lives in turmoil as they seek to make sense of suffering and pain. While the story offered potential insight as to the 'thinking' or mindset of a deity, I did not come away completely convinced with the book's overall message.

Even so, I was sufficiently impressed with the story line that I abandoned all other reading (I usually have five to seven books going at any given time) and devoted all my reading time to this one story.

Aside

One of my pastimes is to update my reading list - a recent obsession - at a website called, 'Goodreads.' One feature includes reader ratings on a scale ranging from one star to five stars.

Review

This book received a 2-star rating from me - not that it should mean anything to you - this is merely my arbitrary assessment of where the book ranks in relation to others I have read. In other words, it gets a "D" rating on an "A" through "F" scale.

Part of the low rating is because this variety of religious mythology attempts to color religiocentric beliefs with anthropomorphism. Its been done before. if this were a meal, I would describe it as under-prepared and overcooked - the religious equivalent of a fast food gourmet burger.

It seemed like the book's ultimate goal was to proselytize. Its global approach with descriptions invoking the Christian Trinity as the godhead as its central theme seemed a bit disingenuous because it made a grab for all of the world's great religions and lumped them all into the Christian description of the diety. William Young cast such a broad net that all this book lacked was a little new-age crystals to be tossed in the mix as a means of pandering to the subset of New Age spiritual seekers searching for the meaning of life as well.

I suppose this is what happens when one is, '...raised among a stone-age tribe by his missionary parents in the highlands of what was New Guinea." This revelation sits at the bottom of the book's back cover. Ahh G_d bless those 'fishers of men' who bring the word of salvation to ignorant 'uncivilized' people in the world. I suppose it explains the usage of the universal net; you catch more 'fish' that way. There is a certain arrogance about it when one group of people looks upon another and decides it is in the 'inferior' group's best interest to be changed.

It reminds me of Mohandas Gandhi's quote, "I like your Christ. I do not like his followers." I think he might have at least been referring in part to the 'bait and switch' conversion approach.

The book started off slow and a bit clumsy with token foreshadowing. However, the story was engaging and entertaining in exploring Humanity's relationship with the universal god most familiar to Christians.

It did so following a fantastic story line; a grieving man got to spend three days with G_d in the shack - apparently for dramatic effect - where the last evidence of his missing daughter bloody dress was discovered after her disappearance/abduction while on a camping trip some four years prior. The three-day encounter serves to lift what is referred to as a 'Great sadness' from the man who doesn't necessarily come to understand the 'why' behind Human suffering but he realizes the promise if faith as an afterlife is revealed because of the contact with Human representations of the creator of the universe.

The dialogue was engaging and thought-provoking. I found it to be enjoyable because it provided insights and perspectives I hadn't recently really given much thought to in quite some time. I looked forward to picking up the book because, while the book had obviously religious overtones, it was not immersed in scripture. Thus, its message seemed more fresh - less regimented.

Foreshadowing was clumsily weaved in the introduction thereby diminishing the story's profound and fantastic claim. The set-up was unnecessary and only served to detract from the body of work which easily stood on its own. It didn't require - at least in my opinion - any sort of preemptive discussion. I should have skipped it altogether.

While the book doesn't make any claims other than to offer that an unbelievable story awaits, it does have a definite agenda of religious conversion in mind. It became eminently clear at the end of the book in the post-script; where a hefty bit of promotion for the book followed with suggestions and offerings by way of websites created solely for discussion of the book itself, encouragement for advertising by word of mouth, blogging, offers for mass purchases of the book and encouragement for participation in discussion groups like "The Missy Project" etc. The author even offered his availability to be scheduled for paid public appearances ostensibly to discuss the book with the author - for a price - oh bother. All this to bring people into the Protestant fold of Christianity.

The entire post-script smacks of a marketing gimmickry and thus lost some credibility with me because of it. I cannot imaging C.S. Lewis subjecting his craft to such proselytizing, promotion and marketing. Like the television evangelism and the rise of mega-churches, this book smells of old fish in a new wrapper - like Rick Warren's much vaunted, 'Purpose Driven Life'.

To my way of thinking, this book is a call to action for believers to deliver the Christian message of salvation once the story has been told - not during, but after the story's completion- when the author's agenda is revealed in the post-script.

'The Shack' is a good enough read however, I think I would direct my fellow readers to forgo spending money the book and go to a local library to check it out instead. It certainly falls short in comparison to great spiritual thinkers like St. Augustine, or St. John of the Cross or contemporary writers like C.S. Lewis and Forrest Church.

Abraham Lincoln once said something like, "This is a great book for for those people who like this kind of book." That is a fair assessment for "The Shack" because it revisits some of the imponderables and basically preaches to the proverbial choir - the religious following of G_d the father, Son and Holy Spirit.

While I admire Young's faith and the creative effort that went into this convoluted yet simple story, it reminds me of a Protestant convert to Catholicism who eventually rose to the level of Cardinal, John Newman who said - regarding faith - nearly a century ago; "For those who have believe, no explanation is necessary - for those who do not, no explanation will suffice." I am paraphrasing here but I think the spirit of his words has been captured nonetheless.

I am not here to challenge anyone's faith. All I am saying is this book is not a keeper for me. Moreover, just because a book has G_d as the subject, doesn't necessarily make it a 'good' book (worthy of G_d).

If you must falter, be wise - Disturbia

2009-02-12T09:38:00.015-07:00

Disturbia
Rihanna

What's wrong with me?
Why do I feel like this?
I'm going crazy now...

No more gas - in the red; can't even get it started
Nothing heard - nothing said; can't even speak about it
On my life, on my head - don't wanna think about it
Feels like I'm going insane, yeah

It's a thief in the night to come and grab you
It can creep up inside you and consume you
A disease of the mind - it can control you
It's too close for comfort - oh

Put on your pretty lies - you're in the city of wonder
Ain't gonna play nice - watch out you might just go under
Better think twice - your train of thought will be altered
So if you must falter - be wise

Your mind's in disturbia - it's like the darkness is light
Disturbia - am I scaring you tonight?
Disturbia - ain't used to what you like?
Disturbia - disturbia

Faded pictures on the wall - it's like they talking to me
Disconnecting phone calls - the phone don't even ring
I gotta get out or figure this sh** out
It's too close for comfort - oh

It's a thief in the night to come and grab you
It can creep up inside you and consume you
A disease of the mind - it can control you
I feel like a monster - oh

Put on your pretty lies - you're in the city of wonder
Ain't gonna play nice - watch out you might just go under
Better think twice - your train of thought will be altered
So if you must falter - be wise

Your mind's in disturbia - it's like the darkness is light
Disturbia - am I scaring you tonight?
Disturbia - ain't used to what you like?
Disturbia - disturbia

Release me from this curse I'm in
Trying to maintain but I'm struggling
If you can't go-o-o
I think I'm gonna ah, ah, ah, ah

Put on your brake lights - you're in the city of wonder
Ain't gonna play nice - watch out you might just go under
Better think twice - your train of thought will be altered
So if you must falter - be wise

Disturbia - it's like the darkness is light
Disturbia - am I scaring you tonight?
Disturbia - ain't used to what you like?
Disturbia, disturbia...

An acoustic interpretation - performed by Alejandro Manzano of Boyce Avenue

Peace Train - Cat Stevens

2009-01-20T00:00:00.003-07:00

May today be the beginning of the greatest era in the history of America.

Peace Train
Cat Stevens

Now I've been happy lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately,
dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be,
some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately,
thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be,
something good has begun.

Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller
Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train.

Get your bags together,
go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer,
it soon will be with you.

Now come and join the living,
it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer,
soon it will all be true.

Now I've been crying lately,
thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating,
why can't we live in bliss?

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again.

Arlington - The Wailin Jennys

2008-12-23T07:16:00.004-07:00

Arlington lyrics

Where do you go little bird
When it snows, when it snows
When the world turns to sleep
Do you know, do you know
Is there something in the wind
Breathes a chill in your heart and life in your wings
Does it whisper 'start again'
Start again

Where is the sun in the night
Is it cold, is it cold
Does it feel left behind
All alone, all alone
Does it wander through the dark
Does it wait for the dawn, wish on a star
Does it stray very far
Very far

Where is your home restless wind
Is it there, is it here
Do you search for a place to belong
Search in vain, search in fear
Or is your spirit everywhere
Is your voice every tree
Your soul of the air
If there's no home is there no death
Is there no death

What a Wonderful World - Katie Melua, Eva Cassidy

2008-12-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

Proposition 8 - The Musical

2008-12-07T11:16:00.001-07:00

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Purpose of Life - Leo Rosten

2008-11-14T07:51:00.004-07:00

"I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all."

Leo Rosten

A Request to Comcast internet provider reference their Bias

2008-11-10T07:50:00.007-07:00

Out of frustration, I just sent the following e-mail to my internet provider, Comcast Communications.

I am tired of paying good money in order for them to be foisting their biased neo-con agenda on their subscribers. I think the e-mail is self-explanatory.

I remain convinced it will go nowhere.

Hopefully anyone who googles 'Comcast' along with those who regularly read my posts will be feeling the same and will take the time to contact Comcast in order to register their shared discontent.

It is only a hope of mine that Comcast will change but, I am resigned to the notion that this corporation is way too big to give a damn about a single customer's satisfaction - especially when such a subscriber is shouting the call from outside the moat.

To whom it may concern,

I find it particularly frustrating when I am viewing video news and am prevented from jumping onto another video such as a news clip because the buttons are disabled as I am forced to watch an advertisement. I pay enough money each month to be spared your forced-feeding of advertisements.

I also find the continued offerings of FOX - Faux news network 'stories.' I am sufficiently tired of the subtle aims at manipulating my thinking that I am looking elsewhere for an internet provider who is less inclined at using the 'fair & balanced' velvet hammer approach.

I am certain this e-mail will go nowhere but I can only hope. Perhaps if enough people like me voice their dissatisfaction and register the same with their pocketbooks, monoliths like Comcast will pay heed and do what they do best; provide good reliable internet access.

I have been repeatedly disappointed with the 'National Enquirer' styled teases and offerings which do nothing more than reveal an neo-conservative agenda.

Here's my advice; change your ways or you are going to lose market share. While you may not feel my individual loss, my prediction is you are going to feel the cumulative effect if you don't get with the times - be responsible and neutral or suffer the consequences.

Here's hoping you will pay heed and change your ways.

A faithfully paying customer,
Joe

A Tientas - Duncan Dhu

2008-11-08T09:53:00.012-07:00

A Tientas
Duncan Dhu

Pienso en otonos que ya fueron,
I think about autumns that are already gone
pienso en inviernos que volvieron,
I think about winters that have returned
sin ti… No es igual.
Without you ... Its not the same.

Busque en tus ojos mi destierro,
I searched in your eyes for my exile,
sigo tus pasos voy a tientas,
I followed your paces - I'm going to bullfights
di… A donde vas.
I asked, 'where are you going?"

Y quise llorar… Por ti y por mi,
And I wanted to cry ... for you and for me
un dia mas… Oh na, nara na.
Another day...

La luna esconde su mirada
The moon hides your gaze
y yo, yo quiero conquistarla,
and I, I want to conquer it
ya ves… Todo sigue igual.
and you see... Everything stays the same

Un llanto lento, un llanto amargo,
A lingering flood of tears, a bitter flood of tears
un llanto al fin desesperado
A flood of tears ending in desperation
y yo… no, no se llorar.
and I... don't, don't know how to cry.

Y quise sonar… Por ti y por mi,
And I wanted to dream.. for you and for me,
un dia mas… Oh na, nara na.
one more day..

Y no me asusta gritar, tu nombre en la obscuridad,
And and it does'nt frighten me to scream, your name in the darkness
en este exilio que, me has obligado a compartir.
in this exile which you've obliged me to share.

Es como un filo de navaja,
Its like the sharpened edge of a knife,
este camino que ahora sigo,
this road which I now travel,
amor… No volvere.
My love... I will not return.

Y quise llorar… Por ti y por mi,
And I wanted to cry ... for you and for me
un dia mas… Oh na, nara na.
Another day...

Barack Hussein Obama - 44th President of the United States of America

2008-11-04T20:45:00.012-07:00

Let Freedom RingCongratulations Mr. President

"...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring."

Martin Luther King - "I Have a Dream" Speech - March on Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963

Don't Forget to Vote

2008-11-03T22:03:00.010-07:00

Wave if you see me around Albuquerque tomorrow - I'll be driving from jobsite to jobsite.

God bless you President Obama
Your time has come

Baby got Book

2008-09-29T16:26:00.002-06:00

I like your Christ. I do not like his followers - Gandhi

Baby Can I Hold You - Tracy Chapman

2008-06-02T22:06:00.003-06:00

Sorry
Is all that you can't say
Years gone by and still
Words don't come easily
Like sorry like sorry

Forgive me
Is all that you can't say
Years gone by and still
Words don't come easily
Like forgive me, forgive me

But you can say baby
Baby can I hold you tonight
Maybe if I told you the right words
At the right time you'd be mine

I love you
Is all that you can't say
Years gone by and still
Words don't come easily