Saturday, December 29, 2007
I'm Going!
I received a phone call from my friend Scott and he told me that he was able to score me a ticket for the Seahawks playoff game on January 5th or 6th. I'm excited, yet scared. The last playoff game I went to my Grandfather died as the game itself expired. I'm really looking forward to this game. I have a gut feeling that we will be playing the Redskins, but we'll see how this Sunday pans out. Go Hawks!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
It's Official
I have attended 5 Seahawk games this year and they have won all 5 of them. I almost feel like a good luck charm for them. I always get looks from people because I shout my lungs out when we're on defense or when we score. I have a lead from a buddy of mine for the playoff game, but we'll see if I can afford it. The only reason that I had tickets for the games this year is because I bought all of them while I was still working. Regardless of whether I get playoff tickets or not...this season has been great. I don't know if we can compete with Dallas or New England, but the playoffs tend to always have a Cinderella story. Hopefully, Seahawks' fans won't be disappointed again this season. Go Hawks!
Monday, December 24, 2007
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
The Depths of One’s Soul
Poetry, despite being words of emotional expression, can also take the mind on a journey into the fantastic. Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, The Prophet, dives into the misperceptions of joy and sorrow. Almustafa, who has lived homeless in a fictional city, is preparing to leave its shores and never return. When the ship finally boards Orphalese, the townspeople gather around him to persuade him to stay. Almustafa, although ignored, was no ordinary man.
Almustafa is asked many questions while getting ready to board his ship ride home. Citizens ask him about love, marriage, death, children, knowledge, friendship, etc. When asked about love, Almustafa answers with brutal honesty and brilliance.
“For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning,” (Prophet, 11).
Almustafa explains to them that every one of life’s important lessons has a negative side that can be avoided, however, will help strengthen one’s soul. The common questions of the Orphalese people relate to the reader and allow them to easily identify themselves with the questions being asked of Almustafa.
The Prophet does not focus on character development, themes, or mind-blowing ideas. However, it does focus on the beauty of words, visions, and the capabilities of the human soul. The Prophet reaches into the essence of who we are as human beings. Each of the twenty-eight questions that are directed at him is asked by simple town people. It is only when Almustafa decides to leave, that they finally take notice of him. Despite ignoring him and passing him up on the streets, the people of Orphalese find it necessary to take advice from the very man they failed to acknowledge existed.
The advice that Almustafa gives the people of Orphalese is promising, yet very critical of their own lack of compassion towards him during his twelve year stay.
Gibran provides the name of only one other character. The character, Almitra, is also the first person to ask Almustafa to speak about love. There could be a possibility of a romantic link between the two, but this could never be accurately drawn or concluded. Before Almitra spoke, Almustafa was boarding the ship refusing to speak. It was only when she spoke to him that he decides to delay his departure to answer the many questions of the people of Orphalese. The choice to give hope to the people of Orphalese was not to be given without some criticism.
When asked about self-knowledge, Almustafa answers, “Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart’s knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams,” (The Prophet, 54). This particular passage is a direct criticism of the townspeople. It’s making reference to the fact that their hearts know their darkest secrets and that their own ears thirst to hear their own faults. This is a wonderful way in which Gibran disguises criticism in the form of self-help.
The beautiful short-story The Prophet encourages the reader to look into their own soul and to understand the meaning of their own lives.
“And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted,” (The Prophet, 75).
It is the beauty of each person’s life that Gibran tries to accurately depict. He gives hope in the form of self-realization and self-correction. The faults of society and the world are the faults of each person not finding and embracing what is truly beautiful in life. The Prophet, being the beautifully written masterpiece that it is, deserves serious consideration to be included in the Literatures of the Fantastic course.
Gibran, Khalil. The Prophet. New York: Alfred. A. Knopf, Inc., 1923
Poetry, despite being words of emotional expression, can also take the mind on a journey into the fantastic. Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, The Prophet, dives into the misperceptions of joy and sorrow. Almustafa, who has lived homeless in a fictional city, is preparing to leave its shores and never return. When the ship finally boards Orphalese, the townspeople gather around him to persuade him to stay. Almustafa, although ignored, was no ordinary man.
Almustafa is asked many questions while getting ready to board his ship ride home. Citizens ask him about love, marriage, death, children, knowledge, friendship, etc. When asked about love, Almustafa answers with brutal honesty and brilliance.
“For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning,” (Prophet, 11).
Almustafa explains to them that every one of life’s important lessons has a negative side that can be avoided, however, will help strengthen one’s soul. The common questions of the Orphalese people relate to the reader and allow them to easily identify themselves with the questions being asked of Almustafa.
The Prophet does not focus on character development, themes, or mind-blowing ideas. However, it does focus on the beauty of words, visions, and the capabilities of the human soul. The Prophet reaches into the essence of who we are as human beings. Each of the twenty-eight questions that are directed at him is asked by simple town people. It is only when Almustafa decides to leave, that they finally take notice of him. Despite ignoring him and passing him up on the streets, the people of Orphalese find it necessary to take advice from the very man they failed to acknowledge existed.
The advice that Almustafa gives the people of Orphalese is promising, yet very critical of their own lack of compassion towards him during his twelve year stay.
Gibran provides the name of only one other character. The character, Almitra, is also the first person to ask Almustafa to speak about love. There could be a possibility of a romantic link between the two, but this could never be accurately drawn or concluded. Before Almitra spoke, Almustafa was boarding the ship refusing to speak. It was only when she spoke to him that he decides to delay his departure to answer the many questions of the people of Orphalese. The choice to give hope to the people of Orphalese was not to be given without some criticism.
When asked about self-knowledge, Almustafa answers, “Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart’s knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams,” (The Prophet, 54). This particular passage is a direct criticism of the townspeople. It’s making reference to the fact that their hearts know their darkest secrets and that their own ears thirst to hear their own faults. This is a wonderful way in which Gibran disguises criticism in the form of self-help.
The beautiful short-story The Prophet encourages the reader to look into their own soul and to understand the meaning of their own lives.
“And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted,” (The Prophet, 75).
It is the beauty of each person’s life that Gibran tries to accurately depict. He gives hope in the form of self-realization and self-correction. The faults of society and the world are the faults of each person not finding and embracing what is truly beautiful in life. The Prophet, being the beautifully written masterpiece that it is, deserves serious consideration to be included in the Literatures of the Fantastic course.
Gibran, Khalil. The Prophet. New York: Alfred. A. Knopf, Inc., 1923
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Super Stoked
I have one HUGE paper to turn in on Monday and then the rest of my week is lining up to be one of the best yet. I'm going to, not one, but TWO TOOL shows this week! I'm going to the Everett show on Tuesday and I'm going with someone who has the same musical tastes as me, so that should be a great night. Then on Wednesday, I'm driving down to Portland to see TOOL again. I'll be meeting up some of my buddies from TOOLARMY and we'll have some fun before the show begins. I've seen Bob Dylan at this venue before so this should be pretty sweet! After that, I have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to prepare for my finals. On Sunday, my friends George and Trish are going with me to see the Seattle Seahawks clinch the division against the Arizona Cardinals. That's my prediction for the game. I've been to THREE games this year and the Seahawks have won all of them. If the Hawks win Sunday and then beat the Ravens on the 23rd...I will have finished the 2007 season going 5-0. That hasn't happened to me before in any sport. C'mon Hawks...let's shut up all of these critics of the NFC West and show them how we run things at home! I'm totally looking forward to this. Going to TOOL and then no more school. Spiral out.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Mice
I had a mouse that had the rolling rubber ball on the bottom. I got rid of it and bought a laser mouse. Ah, much better.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Seahawks...
The Seattle Seahawks have won 3 games in a row. Ironically, or not, Shaun Alexander has missed 3 straight games. Is there any coincidence to this? Probably not. The Seahawks are much better with Morris in the backfield. So long Alexander. Thank you for that monster year that you had...simply because it was a contract year for you. Go Hawks!!! 7-4 at this point and I've got tickets to the Cardinals and Ravens' games.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Pain
I've been injured a lot in my life so I'm no stranger when it comes to pain. However, I came home last night being bothered by my left achilles' tendon. I tried to walk down the stairs to get my morning papers and I could barely put weight on it. I took a muscle relaxer to hopefully allow me to walk the 1 mile to class. Another sad part is...it's only Monday. I have 4 more nights of this crap until the weekend. I work with really heavy loads and I do remember lifting more heavy boxes yesterday than usual. I also moved more packages than I usually do. They tell me to get over 1,000 scanned packages a night and I got 1,300 last night. That should get me some recognition at work. However, I'm afraid to tell them that I hurt. Maybe they'll give me light duty for one day. I just don't want the red tape attached to all the legal paperwork and the bureaucracy crap. Hope I feel better by 4pm. I'll go into work, regardless, but we'll see how well I feel later today. Spiral out.
Monday, October 29, 2007
What I Love About Seattle
Here is a list of things I love about the city of Seattle:
1. The smell of bum's urine
2. Starbucks every block and on every other corner
3. The lack of parking
4. I-5 during rush hour
5. I-5 before and after a Seahawks and Husky game
6. Bums sleeping by and peeing on my recycling/garbage bin
7. The crazy lady next to me and her inability to park a car straight
8. The middle finger
9. No Burger Kings
10. Headshops
11. Perfectly healthy people begging for money
1. The smell of bum's urine
2. Starbucks every block and on every other corner
3. The lack of parking
4. I-5 during rush hour
5. I-5 before and after a Seahawks and Husky game
6. Bums sleeping by and peeing on my recycling/garbage bin
7. The crazy lady next to me and her inability to park a car straight
8. The middle finger
9. No Burger Kings
10. Headshops
11. Perfectly healthy people begging for money
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Open Letter to Red Sox Fans
Roger Dorn once said, "cut through the crap Vaughn. I've only got one thing to say to you...". I'll leave the rest out because it doesn't apply here. However, the tone in which that was said does apply here. After feeling sorry for Boston Red Sox fans for so many years, I can finally say, "Shut the hell up!" I've hated the NY Yankees my entire life for the simple fact that they were always good. I know that isn't a valid reason to hate someone or something, but it's true. I enjoy struggle and watching the team adjust through difficult times. The Yankees are now going through this and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Now, I enjoyed watching the 2004 postseason and anyone who knows anything about baseball knows why I feel that way. It was great to watch. However, after that year I have started to hate Boston and their fans in the same manner that I hate Yankees and their fans. They are all pompous assholes that walk around all day with their noses in the air. Why? Have you guys forgotten the difficulties that you went through to get here? Enjoy the moment, don't rub it in our faces. I have no problem watching a team win a major event, but I do have a problem with their fans rubbing it in everyone's faces...especially mine. I have never had a team win it all. I've had the Mariners win 116 games in 2001 only to lose to the Yankees. I have been there when the Seattle Seahawks went to Super Bowl XL only to lose the game due to terrible calls and an East Coast atmosphere. I have never been able to run in the streets, partying with my fellow sports fans. This doesn't get to happen much around here in Seattle. To add to that misery, our beloved Seattle Supersonics appear to be heading out of town at the end of the season.
The point that I'm tying to make is this: if you win, win with class; if you lose, do so in a respectful manner. Sports is about change and struggle. That's why more men watch sports than soap operas. The drama is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I enjoy watching those types of games. I remember being emotionally hurt after watching Chris Webber call a timeout against North Carolina in the NCAA final; Seattle come up short against Green Bay in the playoffs; the Mariners toss their MLB's best record down the drain by losing to the Yankees, etc.
To the fans in Boston and New England: shut the hell up! You have a team that has finally figured out how to win games (spending a lot of $$$). You also had the Boston Celtics that won more championships than I could count during their existence. The New England Patriots are off to the best start ever this year and have been the team to beat since Drew Bledsoe injured himself and Tom Brady came in. Now, you have the Red Sox...2-time World Series champs. Win and celebrate with dignity. Don't come out to Seattle next year to drink loads of beer and taunt our fans who come to merely enjoy the game. Seattle has some of the best fans in the country and I'll say that until the day that I die. When the Red Sox are playing the Mariners...don't shout unnecessary things, don't taunt our fans that have never experienced what you have experienced, and don't rub winning in the faces of the loser.
If you do you'll put the Red Sox in the same boat as the Yankees...and you don't want that...believe me. So enjoy this win Boston, but if you don't do it respectfully prepare to face an abundance of hatred whereever you may play.
Now, I enjoyed watching the 2004 postseason and anyone who knows anything about baseball knows why I feel that way. It was great to watch. However, after that year I have started to hate Boston and their fans in the same manner that I hate Yankees and their fans. They are all pompous assholes that walk around all day with their noses in the air. Why? Have you guys forgotten the difficulties that you went through to get here? Enjoy the moment, don't rub it in our faces. I have no problem watching a team win a major event, but I do have a problem with their fans rubbing it in everyone's faces...especially mine. I have never had a team win it all. I've had the Mariners win 116 games in 2001 only to lose to the Yankees. I have been there when the Seattle Seahawks went to Super Bowl XL only to lose the game due to terrible calls and an East Coast atmosphere. I have never been able to run in the streets, partying with my fellow sports fans. This doesn't get to happen much around here in Seattle. To add to that misery, our beloved Seattle Supersonics appear to be heading out of town at the end of the season.
The point that I'm tying to make is this: if you win, win with class; if you lose, do so in a respectful manner. Sports is about change and struggle. That's why more men watch sports than soap operas. The drama is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I enjoy watching those types of games. I remember being emotionally hurt after watching Chris Webber call a timeout against North Carolina in the NCAA final; Seattle come up short against Green Bay in the playoffs; the Mariners toss their MLB's best record down the drain by losing to the Yankees, etc.
To the fans in Boston and New England: shut the hell up! You have a team that has finally figured out how to win games (spending a lot of $$$). You also had the Boston Celtics that won more championships than I could count during their existence. The New England Patriots are off to the best start ever this year and have been the team to beat since Drew Bledsoe injured himself and Tom Brady came in. Now, you have the Red Sox...2-time World Series champs. Win and celebrate with dignity. Don't come out to Seattle next year to drink loads of beer and taunt our fans who come to merely enjoy the game. Seattle has some of the best fans in the country and I'll say that until the day that I die. When the Red Sox are playing the Mariners...don't shout unnecessary things, don't taunt our fans that have never experienced what you have experienced, and don't rub winning in the faces of the loser.
If you do you'll put the Red Sox in the same boat as the Yankees...and you don't want that...believe me. So enjoy this win Boston, but if you don't do it respectfully prepare to face an abundance of hatred whereever you may play.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Question...
What is it about this new boot fad with women today? They look like moon boots with slaughtered animal fur on them. Just wondering. Spiral out.
After Two Years
Daniela and I agreed to end our two year relationship yesterday. I want to say that she is an amazing person with an exceptionally large heart. I hope that she succeeds in all that she pursues because she deserves nothing less. I'm glad that we decided to remain a part of each other's lives because we owe that to ourselves. There will be many things about her that I'll miss, but it was something that had to be done. I'll always love you Daniela and I want to thank you for giving me some of the best years of my life. Spiral out.
Monday, October 15, 2007
University of Washington
Well, well, well. Here I am. I finally have both of my feet on the ground in my first semester at UofW. Thus far, I have been reading non-stop. It's not bad, but it does cut into my personal time. I started my new job at UPS last Monday. On the 15th I will be officially loading trucks, etc. It may not seem like much, but it's a physical workout. I have missed physical labor for so long. I didn't mind working in an office, being confined to a chair for 8 hours a day. However, it does take a toll on your ability to stay in shape and get paid for something that doesn't require much brain activity. This is the perfect college job. They pay $3000 for my tuition ($1500 for two semesters), they loan me $2000 a year for up to 4 years (after 4 years of employment I only have to pay back the interest), I will have full medical benefits, complete dental and eye care, and the hours are perfect (5pm-10pm Monday-Friday).
I have everything that I'm going to need for the next 4 years of my life. That's right, I plan on getting a master's degree out of this. I've waited too long for this and there is no way that I'll go back to the work-force without all of my schooling done. I feel as though I have a decent grasp on the material, but it's the reading that is killing me. I get, roughly, 5 hours of sleep a night. I walk to Tully's (Starbuck's major competitor and a fair trade shop) each morning for a cup of joe. Didn't like coffee a few years ago, but that has changed.
I feel extremely old here and I can tell by the way that these kids talk. The majority of them don't seem immature, but when they open their mouths the difference becomes apparent. I'm taking three 5 credit courses right now: International Conflict, International Human Rights, and Fantasy Literature (not something I planned on taking, but does help me graduate). The reading is intense and I find it hard at times to devote adequate time to this.
I love the fact that I don't drive 75 miles each day (when I was at my old job of 4 years) and I don't miss getting road rage. I admit it, I get road rage pretty bad sometimes. I never flip someone off or scream at them. I merely honk my horn and think to myself, "I wish they would get genital herpes." You see? This isn't 1984 and there are no Thought Police.
I will post on here as much as I can. Hope all of you are doing well and I'd love to hear from you all. Until then...spiral out.
I have everything that I'm going to need for the next 4 years of my life. That's right, I plan on getting a master's degree out of this. I've waited too long for this and there is no way that I'll go back to the work-force without all of my schooling done. I feel as though I have a decent grasp on the material, but it's the reading that is killing me. I get, roughly, 5 hours of sleep a night. I walk to Tully's (Starbuck's major competitor and a fair trade shop) each morning for a cup of joe. Didn't like coffee a few years ago, but that has changed.
I feel extremely old here and I can tell by the way that these kids talk. The majority of them don't seem immature, but when they open their mouths the difference becomes apparent. I'm taking three 5 credit courses right now: International Conflict, International Human Rights, and Fantasy Literature (not something I planned on taking, but does help me graduate). The reading is intense and I find it hard at times to devote adequate time to this.
I love the fact that I don't drive 75 miles each day (when I was at my old job of 4 years) and I don't miss getting road rage. I admit it, I get road rage pretty bad sometimes. I never flip someone off or scream at them. I merely honk my horn and think to myself, "I wish they would get genital herpes." You see? This isn't 1984 and there are no Thought Police.
I will post on here as much as I can. Hope all of you are doing well and I'd love to hear from you all. Until then...spiral out.
The Seattle Seahawks
I feel that the Seattle Seahawks should trade Shaun Alexander for a cheaper, younger running back. The last two games he has amassed a total of 70 yards. The Seattle Seahawks will shoot themselves in the foot if they can't mix things up. A passing game is all they have right now and that won't be too efficient because the running game is too weak. Just a thought.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Music To Me
Here is a list of shows that I plan on attending before the year is up. You may look at this list and think, "Man, that's a lot of shows". Well, I know. I enjoy the atmosphere and I'll probably never be able to live this way ever again. I'm just living life to the fullest.
1. Nick Swardson @ Moore Theater Friday June 15th @ 7:30pm
2. An Evening with Roger Waters @ GM Place in Vancouver June 21st @ 8pm
3. Lewis Black @ Paramount Theater June 23rd @ 8pm
4. Bob Saget @ Moore Theater Friday June 29th @ 8pm
5. Les Claypool @ The Showbox July 3rd @ 8pm
6. The Moody Blues @ Chateau Ste Michelle July 7th @ 7pm
7. Deftones @ Wamu Theater @ Qwest Field July 8th @ 8pm
8. Deftones @ Commodore Ballroom July 12th @ 8pm
9. The Nightwatchman @ Doug Fir Lounge July 17th @ 9pm
10. The Nightwatchman @ Crocodile Cafe July 18th @ 10pm
11. An Evening with RUSH @ White River Amphitheater July 20th @ 8pm
12. Rise Against @ The Fenix Underground July 23rd @ 8pm
13. Jonny Lang @ Tulalip Amphitheater August 15th @ 8pm
14. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Rock the Bells @ McCovey Cove Parking Lot in San Francisco August 18th @ 12pm
15. Incubus (Download Festival) at The Gorge August 25th @ 2pm
16. BB King @ Tulalip Amphitheater September 16th @ 6pm
In between all of these dates are a few Mariners' games. I'll be having a busy summer and I'll be finishing it up just in time to start school in the fall. I won't live my life in a constrained manner. The Rage Against the Machine reunion show at Coachella earlier this summer defies what I do with my life...sometimes you only get one shot, I choose to take advantage of that situation. If Led Zeppelin ever had a reunion show...I'd be there...regardless of the location. Music is one of the few aspects of my life and it plays a huge role in who I am as a person. To list a few names of the groups/people I have seen live: Metallica, Deftones (4x), Rage Against the Machine (2x), TOOL (2x), Incubus (3x), Audioslave, A Perfect Circle, Wolfmother (2x), Manu Chao (2x), Beastie Boys, Stone Temple Pilots, Staind, Linkin Park (2x), etc. I love music and this is one of the many ways in which I enjoy it...live.
1. Nick Swardson @ Moore Theater Friday June 15th @ 7:30pm
2. An Evening with Roger Waters @ GM Place in Vancouver June 21st @ 8pm
3. Lewis Black @ Paramount Theater June 23rd @ 8pm
4. Bob Saget @ Moore Theater Friday June 29th @ 8pm
5. Les Claypool @ The Showbox July 3rd @ 8pm
6. The Moody Blues @ Chateau Ste Michelle July 7th @ 7pm
7. Deftones @ Wamu Theater @ Qwest Field July 8th @ 8pm
8. Deftones @ Commodore Ballroom July 12th @ 8pm
9. The Nightwatchman @ Doug Fir Lounge July 17th @ 9pm
10. The Nightwatchman @ Crocodile Cafe July 18th @ 10pm
11. An Evening with RUSH @ White River Amphitheater July 20th @ 8pm
12. Rise Against @ The Fenix Underground July 23rd @ 8pm
13. Jonny Lang @ Tulalip Amphitheater August 15th @ 8pm
14. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Rock the Bells @ McCovey Cove Parking Lot in San Francisco August 18th @ 12pm
15. Incubus (Download Festival) at The Gorge August 25th @ 2pm
16. BB King @ Tulalip Amphitheater September 16th @ 6pm
In between all of these dates are a few Mariners' games. I'll be having a busy summer and I'll be finishing it up just in time to start school in the fall. I won't live my life in a constrained manner. The Rage Against the Machine reunion show at Coachella earlier this summer defies what I do with my life...sometimes you only get one shot, I choose to take advantage of that situation. If Led Zeppelin ever had a reunion show...I'd be there...regardless of the location. Music is one of the few aspects of my life and it plays a huge role in who I am as a person. To list a few names of the groups/people I have seen live: Metallica, Deftones (4x), Rage Against the Machine (2x), TOOL (2x), Incubus (3x), Audioslave, A Perfect Circle, Wolfmother (2x), Manu Chao (2x), Beastie Boys, Stone Temple Pilots, Staind, Linkin Park (2x), etc. I love music and this is one of the many ways in which I enjoy it...live.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Trip To Los Angeles & Coachella
I left roughly one month ago on my recent trip to LA to see my brother and attend the Coachella Festival. My girlfriend Daniela was nice enough to drop me off on the night of Friday April 20th at the SeaTac Airport. To be honest with you, I hated to see her while I was leaving. It was truly hard to say goodbye to her and I must admit that I cried after looking at her for the last time. Sitting on the plane was the first time that I realized how crazy flying coach truly is. I always request a window seat so that I can look out of the window from time to time to see the lights of the city. I had to sit next to this guy who irritated me the entire trip. He kept making certain gestures everytime he looked at my reading material. I wasn't about to strangle anyone so I just proceeding in reading my "Foreign Policy" magazine.
When I landed in LA, I noticed how much warmer it felt and how dirty the air was. When I went down the ramp I made 3 phone calls. I called Phil to let him know that my plane had landed, Daniela to tell her how much I love her, and my Mom to let her know that I landed safely. I've been afraid of flying before...September 13th, 2001 to be exact. You can imagine how insane that flight was. However, unlike other people, I've changed. I'm no longer afraid of what lies ahead of me and what could possibly happen.
Spending time in LA with my brother was going to be great...for the most part. There were negatives and there were positives, but I'm satisfied with the entire trip. Rage Against the Machine reunion show was amazing and one of the things that I will always remember. Hanging out with my brother was awesome, but I would've loved to hang out with him more. I got to meet Tom Morello, walk through LA, eat interesting food, meet interesting people, and I got to come to the conclusion that I don't like LA as much as I thought I would. I love Washington and I love the respect it's citizens have for it. California residents, for the most part, could care less about the quality of living in their home state.
The camping trip was something to remember and something to learn a lesson by. I arrived around 12am on Thursday night and there was a one hour wait in line just to get into the campground (polo field). On the way in there, my shoulder strap broke on my duffel bag. Ouch! That bag was almost too heavy to carry with one arm, but I managed to get it up into the line. While waiting in line, I noticed that the guy in front of me had a tattoo of John Lennon. It was the famous picture of John on a NY rooftop wearing glasses and a sleeveless New York City shirt. I complimented him for having such an awesome inking. I've always considered getting inked, but I can't imagine having anything attached to my body for that long.
After checking in, I made my way over to my spot. I set up my tent in the warm California desert air and got to know a few of the other folks around me. The people I met that night, I never spoke to again during the next 3 days. I tried to go to sleep that night, but it was really hard. I, not surprisingly, was lonely and was feeling completely vulnerable. There was a massive party that night and it got so loud that sleeping wasn't possible at all. I did manage to get a few hours of sleep, but the morning heat came as a surprise. 6:15 in the morning...my tent reached sweatlodge temperatures. I was sweating profusely at 6:30am and I was forced to be up for the rest of the day. I didn't think this would be a problem until later that night.
The opening day performances started at 12:15 on Friday April 27th, 2007. I felt like heading in early to catch some of the performances, but I hesitated because of what other people were telling me. They told me that they wouldn't let anyone re-enter the venue after checking in and that it would get unbearably hot. Well, I was already burning up and I wanted to find a place to catch some shade and I heard of the shade tents inside. I finally got into the venue around 2pm Friday afternoon. I had no idea what was in store for me.
Just walking in I could see how huge this place was. I remember seeing the map on the Coachella website, but I never imagined to see this. They had 8 palm trees in the front and each of the trees had the concert poster of each year of Coachella dating all the way back to 1999 (when TOOL and Rage Against the Machine closed out the festival). I noticed how much this festival has grown over the years. After mindlessly walking around for a few hours I noticed fast the number of people increased. It went from walking around at the Puyallup Fair to walking through WalMart during the Christmas season. I've never shopped at WalMart, but I can imagine what it's like.
I managed to catch the Silversun Pickups, the Comedians of Comedy, some Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, and Interpol. I didn't stay to see Bjork because I was cold and extremely tired. After it was all said and done...I was walking around in the 100 degree sun for over 10 hours. I managed to get back to my tent and I headed over to the showering facilities. To be honest with you, I was surprised how nice these things were. I did have one minor setback. Every two shower stalls had ONE drain and I happened to get into the one with drain. The guy next to me managed to urinate in his stall and I noticed the yellow stream coming towards my feet...which were right near the drain. I stepped out of the stall long enough for this to pass and I didn't go back into the stall until the guy had left. That was gross, but I wasn't feeling good enough to let that bother me. I had two more days of brutal sun to battle. After the shower I plopped my head down on my pillow and fell fast asleep at around 11pm.
At 6:25 I was woken by the steaming heat that had woken me up the morning previous. At that point in time, I felt as if my shower never happened. I was soaking wet from head to toe and I immediately flew out of my tent. I walked back over to the showering facility and took another shower...a cold one. After that, I headed back to my tent and proceeded with applying the sun screen that my brother's girlfriend Nikki loaned me. That little bottle proved to be a life-saver. There were some people who were cherry red already because they failed to put on sun screen. I'm just glad that it wasn't me. However, I managed to wear my sandals the day before and I noticed that I had 3 or 4 blisters on my right foot. I promised myself that I would wear shoes from that point on.
Some people can wear open-toed shoes...I can't. I feel much more comfortable in shoes and socks.
I managed to catch The Nightwatchman, Ghostface Killah, Arcade Fire, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That day went by really fast and I never noticed much of what was going on. The main reason for me being there was only 22 short hours away...or so I thought. That night...helicopters and screaming woke me up.
That was pretty intense and I never saw myself in the middle of something like this. I finally went back to bed and woke up around 6:30 (for the LAST time) covered in sweat. The day I had been longing for...had arrived.
Sunday was one of the longest days of my life. For one, I was dying to see Rage. Two, I was tired, dehydrated, and sick of the heat. Oh, how I longed for a Washington spring rain. I managed to meet two very cool guys from Vermont, of all places. Ken and Lucas. I told them that their names were easy to memorize because the Seahawks had a player named Ken Lucas. They found that humorous. We started talking because they were camping right next to me and they had on TOOL shirts and Boston Red Sox caps. Immediately I knew that we had two things in common. We spent all of day talking about music, religion, politics, and more music. These guys were cool and I'm glad to have met them.
I don't remember much of Sunday...except for Rage. I remember standing fairly close to the stage and I heard something that I've never heard before. Mind you, this was well before Rage was set to go on. I heard a group called Manu Chao...completely breathtaking in a musical sense. The lead singer, Manu Chao, is Latin fellow from Paris. He has other bandmembers from all of the points on the globe. Their sound was completely awesome and I fell in love with a type of music that I've never listened to. Their performance set the tone for Rage...in fact they were on right before Rage. If you ever get a chance to, listen to their stuff. Awesome.
The Rage show was everything I expected and imagined that it would be. I would have liked to see them in a much more intimate venue, but it was their reunion show...it was HUGE. As soon as Morello's guitar took off, so did my emotions. I forgot where I was and who I was for roughly 2 hours. It was almost like being high, but without the THC. Zach's political rant towards the Bush Administration during an extended version of "Wake Up" was surprising. I knew that they would say something, but nothing to that extreme. Their entire set was awesome and I never thought twice about how much money I paid for this entire trip...it was worth every penny.
I reached my tent before most people and waited around for Ken & Lucas to arrive. As soon as they did, they hit the sack and promised to keep in touch with me. I told the two other guys next to me that I would give them a ride into town so that they wouldn't be rushed in the morning. They thought that my offer was a great idea and agreed to take me up on it. I was already packed at that point and I was hearing of 3-4 hour wait...just to GET OUT of the parking lot! I didn't care because I was NOT going to pack up my stuff in the sweltering heat Monday morning. I needed to get to my brother's and sleep. I got to the car and waited for the guys to show up. I was in line in the parking lot and I wasn't going anywhere, so waiting wasn't that hard. As soon as the line started moving...I got worried. Where were those guys? The show got out at 12:30 and it was almost 3am at that point. I decided that I would never see them again and I made up my mind to leave. I felt really bad, but oh well.
The drive home was okay because the roads were open and I was flying all the way back. It was 5am when I reached LA and I called Phil to give me a few directions back to his place. He gave me good directions and I was at his place and in bed by 6am. I took a shower that night and slept until noon.
Nikki and I hung out the next day. We had breakfast at restaurant where they filmed "American Graffiti." It was good food and I was still riding on high from the Rage show. She then took me to her nail place...and she talked me into getting a pedicure. That was a bad idea. I'm not blaming her at all, but the lady doing my feet neglected to notice the 4 blisters on my right foot. She grinded those things down to the point of pain and horror. I tell you, most people just pop their blisters...she managed to grind them completely off. I didn't know what to do because I've never had a pedicure and I thought that she knew what she was doing. Wrong!
After that was done, we went back to drop off my rental car. That we smoothly and easier than I had expected.
Phil and I had a TOOL show to go to before I would be leaving. We managed to pack up my things before the show and give Nikki cab fare for her ride home. Apparently, she won't take a metro bus (which would have only costed $2.50) and decided to take the cab which cost $38 just to take her a few miles. I don't know...which figure looks more appealing to you?
The TOOL show was awesome. Phil and I had front row seats in the lower bowl area and we also had aisle seats. Man, I'm good at getting great seats. The TOOL show was every song I wanted to hear and the lasers were beyond amazing. The security guys were being real uptight about people taking pictures and video clips of the show and threatened to take Phil & I's phone if we didn't put them away. I still got some great shots and clips. After the show, Phil drove me to LAX and dropped me off around 1:30 am or so. I got teary eyed just trying to say good-bye to my brother, but I knew he needed to get home and get some sleep. I realized that the check-in stands didn't open until 4 am. I managed to walk around all of LAX with my huge bags just to find a place to lay down. As soon as I was on the plane I got really tired. I was scheduled to arrive in Seattle around 9 am. I told my boss that I would arrive at work at 1pm. This was going to be done with absolutely NO SLEEP. That was a rough afternoon.
All in all, this trip was great and I don' t regret anything I did. I would've liked to go out with my brother more, but that didn't happen. I love my brother and I support everything that he does...well almost everything. This was a great trip that I will never forget...never.
When I landed in LA, I noticed how much warmer it felt and how dirty the air was. When I went down the ramp I made 3 phone calls. I called Phil to let him know that my plane had landed, Daniela to tell her how much I love her, and my Mom to let her know that I landed safely. I've been afraid of flying before...September 13th, 2001 to be exact. You can imagine how insane that flight was. However, unlike other people, I've changed. I'm no longer afraid of what lies ahead of me and what could possibly happen.
Spending time in LA with my brother was going to be great...for the most part. There were negatives and there were positives, but I'm satisfied with the entire trip. Rage Against the Machine reunion show was amazing and one of the things that I will always remember. Hanging out with my brother was awesome, but I would've loved to hang out with him more. I got to meet Tom Morello, walk through LA, eat interesting food, meet interesting people, and I got to come to the conclusion that I don't like LA as much as I thought I would. I love Washington and I love the respect it's citizens have for it. California residents, for the most part, could care less about the quality of living in their home state.
The camping trip was something to remember and something to learn a lesson by. I arrived around 12am on Thursday night and there was a one hour wait in line just to get into the campground (polo field). On the way in there, my shoulder strap broke on my duffel bag. Ouch! That bag was almost too heavy to carry with one arm, but I managed to get it up into the line. While waiting in line, I noticed that the guy in front of me had a tattoo of John Lennon. It was the famous picture of John on a NY rooftop wearing glasses and a sleeveless New York City shirt. I complimented him for having such an awesome inking. I've always considered getting inked, but I can't imagine having anything attached to my body for that long.
After checking in, I made my way over to my spot. I set up my tent in the warm California desert air and got to know a few of the other folks around me. The people I met that night, I never spoke to again during the next 3 days. I tried to go to sleep that night, but it was really hard. I, not surprisingly, was lonely and was feeling completely vulnerable. There was a massive party that night and it got so loud that sleeping wasn't possible at all. I did manage to get a few hours of sleep, but the morning heat came as a surprise. 6:15 in the morning...my tent reached sweatlodge temperatures. I was sweating profusely at 6:30am and I was forced to be up for the rest of the day. I didn't think this would be a problem until later that night.
The opening day performances started at 12:15 on Friday April 27th, 2007. I felt like heading in early to catch some of the performances, but I hesitated because of what other people were telling me. They told me that they wouldn't let anyone re-enter the venue after checking in and that it would get unbearably hot. Well, I was already burning up and I wanted to find a place to catch some shade and I heard of the shade tents inside. I finally got into the venue around 2pm Friday afternoon. I had no idea what was in store for me.
Just walking in I could see how huge this place was. I remember seeing the map on the Coachella website, but I never imagined to see this. They had 8 palm trees in the front and each of the trees had the concert poster of each year of Coachella dating all the way back to 1999 (when TOOL and Rage Against the Machine closed out the festival). I noticed how much this festival has grown over the years. After mindlessly walking around for a few hours I noticed fast the number of people increased. It went from walking around at the Puyallup Fair to walking through WalMart during the Christmas season. I've never shopped at WalMart, but I can imagine what it's like.
I managed to catch the Silversun Pickups, the Comedians of Comedy, some Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, and Interpol. I didn't stay to see Bjork because I was cold and extremely tired. After it was all said and done...I was walking around in the 100 degree sun for over 10 hours. I managed to get back to my tent and I headed over to the showering facilities. To be honest with you, I was surprised how nice these things were. I did have one minor setback. Every two shower stalls had ONE drain and I happened to get into the one with drain. The guy next to me managed to urinate in his stall and I noticed the yellow stream coming towards my feet...which were right near the drain. I stepped out of the stall long enough for this to pass and I didn't go back into the stall until the guy had left. That was gross, but I wasn't feeling good enough to let that bother me. I had two more days of brutal sun to battle. After the shower I plopped my head down on my pillow and fell fast asleep at around 11pm.
At 6:25 I was woken by the steaming heat that had woken me up the morning previous. At that point in time, I felt as if my shower never happened. I was soaking wet from head to toe and I immediately flew out of my tent. I walked back over to the showering facility and took another shower...a cold one. After that, I headed back to my tent and proceeded with applying the sun screen that my brother's girlfriend Nikki loaned me. That little bottle proved to be a life-saver. There were some people who were cherry red already because they failed to put on sun screen. I'm just glad that it wasn't me. However, I managed to wear my sandals the day before and I noticed that I had 3 or 4 blisters on my right foot. I promised myself that I would wear shoes from that point on.
Some people can wear open-toed shoes...I can't. I feel much more comfortable in shoes and socks.
I managed to catch The Nightwatchman, Ghostface Killah, Arcade Fire, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That day went by really fast and I never noticed much of what was going on. The main reason for me being there was only 22 short hours away...or so I thought. That night...helicopters and screaming woke me up.
That was pretty intense and I never saw myself in the middle of something like this. I finally went back to bed and woke up around 6:30 (for the LAST time) covered in sweat. The day I had been longing for...had arrived.
Sunday was one of the longest days of my life. For one, I was dying to see Rage. Two, I was tired, dehydrated, and sick of the heat. Oh, how I longed for a Washington spring rain. I managed to meet two very cool guys from Vermont, of all places. Ken and Lucas. I told them that their names were easy to memorize because the Seahawks had a player named Ken Lucas. They found that humorous. We started talking because they were camping right next to me and they had on TOOL shirts and Boston Red Sox caps. Immediately I knew that we had two things in common. We spent all of day talking about music, religion, politics, and more music. These guys were cool and I'm glad to have met them.
I don't remember much of Sunday...except for Rage. I remember standing fairly close to the stage and I heard something that I've never heard before. Mind you, this was well before Rage was set to go on. I heard a group called Manu Chao...completely breathtaking in a musical sense. The lead singer, Manu Chao, is Latin fellow from Paris. He has other bandmembers from all of the points on the globe. Their sound was completely awesome and I fell in love with a type of music that I've never listened to. Their performance set the tone for Rage...in fact they were on right before Rage. If you ever get a chance to, listen to their stuff. Awesome.
The Rage show was everything I expected and imagined that it would be. I would have liked to see them in a much more intimate venue, but it was their reunion show...it was HUGE. As soon as Morello's guitar took off, so did my emotions. I forgot where I was and who I was for roughly 2 hours. It was almost like being high, but without the THC. Zach's political rant towards the Bush Administration during an extended version of "Wake Up" was surprising. I knew that they would say something, but nothing to that extreme. Their entire set was awesome and I never thought twice about how much money I paid for this entire trip...it was worth every penny.
I reached my tent before most people and waited around for Ken & Lucas to arrive. As soon as they did, they hit the sack and promised to keep in touch with me. I told the two other guys next to me that I would give them a ride into town so that they wouldn't be rushed in the morning. They thought that my offer was a great idea and agreed to take me up on it. I was already packed at that point and I was hearing of 3-4 hour wait...just to GET OUT of the parking lot! I didn't care because I was NOT going to pack up my stuff in the sweltering heat Monday morning. I needed to get to my brother's and sleep. I got to the car and waited for the guys to show up. I was in line in the parking lot and I wasn't going anywhere, so waiting wasn't that hard. As soon as the line started moving...I got worried. Where were those guys? The show got out at 12:30 and it was almost 3am at that point. I decided that I would never see them again and I made up my mind to leave. I felt really bad, but oh well.
The drive home was okay because the roads were open and I was flying all the way back. It was 5am when I reached LA and I called Phil to give me a few directions back to his place. He gave me good directions and I was at his place and in bed by 6am. I took a shower that night and slept until noon.
Nikki and I hung out the next day. We had breakfast at restaurant where they filmed "American Graffiti." It was good food and I was still riding on high from the Rage show. She then took me to her nail place...and she talked me into getting a pedicure. That was a bad idea. I'm not blaming her at all, but the lady doing my feet neglected to notice the 4 blisters on my right foot. She grinded those things down to the point of pain and horror. I tell you, most people just pop their blisters...she managed to grind them completely off. I didn't know what to do because I've never had a pedicure and I thought that she knew what she was doing. Wrong!
After that was done, we went back to drop off my rental car. That we smoothly and easier than I had expected.
Phil and I had a TOOL show to go to before I would be leaving. We managed to pack up my things before the show and give Nikki cab fare for her ride home. Apparently, she won't take a metro bus (which would have only costed $2.50) and decided to take the cab which cost $38 just to take her a few miles. I don't know...which figure looks more appealing to you?
The TOOL show was awesome. Phil and I had front row seats in the lower bowl area and we also had aisle seats. Man, I'm good at getting great seats. The TOOL show was every song I wanted to hear and the lasers were beyond amazing. The security guys were being real uptight about people taking pictures and video clips of the show and threatened to take Phil & I's phone if we didn't put them away. I still got some great shots and clips. After the show, Phil drove me to LAX and dropped me off around 1:30 am or so. I got teary eyed just trying to say good-bye to my brother, but I knew he needed to get home and get some sleep. I realized that the check-in stands didn't open until 4 am. I managed to walk around all of LAX with my huge bags just to find a place to lay down. As soon as I was on the plane I got really tired. I was scheduled to arrive in Seattle around 9 am. I told my boss that I would arrive at work at 1pm. This was going to be done with absolutely NO SLEEP. That was a rough afternoon.
All in all, this trip was great and I don' t regret anything I did. I would've liked to go out with my brother more, but that didn't happen. I love my brother and I support everything that he does...well almost everything. This was a great trip that I will never forget...never.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Construction Workers
This is a blog that I wish strikes a nerve with someone. I have grown sick and tired of having my daily drives delayed by the constant road construction. Have you ever taken a glance at the construction workers while waiting in front of that worthless excuse for a life...the sign holder? I've seen 5 or 6 workers all standing around in a circle watching one guy...one...dig a hole or shovel some dirt. This is your tax dollars hard at work. If you can't do the simple job you've been assigned to do...get another job. There are plenty of other people who will work twice as hard as you and get the job done. Maybe then, we'll have fixed roads and less construction to deal with. That's it...I'm done.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Movie Review: "Jesus Camp"
Okay, let me start off by saying how much I truly love watching documentaries. This movie was no exception. I loved it. Now, I will attempt to explain as to why I loved it and why I believe that this movie is extremely important for most of the world to watch. There were parts of this movie that took me out of my comfort zone and made me realize how truly crazy Evangelical Christians are. Let me rephrase that: it made me realize how truly insane any fundamentalist religion is. The concept of the movie was that the Christian faith was basing its survival on this current generation of children. Okay, that sounds all gravy and potatoes to me, but there was a very unnerving catch. They were "brainwashing" these children into this belief and shaping their view of reality before their young minds could even decipher what reality really was. One cannot take an intellectual stance on any subject without fully understanding both sides of an argument. I used the term "brainwashing" because the female pastor in this movie used that as an acceptable term to use towards their unorthodox methods. Most Evangelical Christian families homeschool their children. 75% of all homeschooled children are Evangelical Christians...this is absolutely out of control. I understand that we should allow people to raise their children in the manner in which they see fit, but this is completely mindblowing. The typical problems with homeschooling children are: lack of social skills, bias teaching methods, one-sided opinions, the students are only as smart as their parents, and they do not meet a lot of the standards that the American educational system sets out for our children. I understand that our public education system is showing a lot of vulnerability right now, but it's nothing a few strict guidelines and expectations couldn't fix. Have any of you actually known a homeschooled child? To me, they seem a little off and detached from reality.
In the movie, there were parents who were telling their children that global warming was a huge conspiracy and that creationism is the "only way" and that it defeats all scientific evidence and or research. I'm sorry, but if you were in court trying to prove your innocence...the judge/jury won't be persuaded by beliefs or opinions. Of course not, no. The only thing that proves ones case...is evidence. Plain and simple. I'm friends with Evangelical Christians and I'm related to some as well. From a realistic point of view, the entire creationism theory is a shot in the dark. It was only created to give Christians something to grasp on to besides not debating evolution. Let's face the facts. Evangelical Christians are uncomfortable about debating or discussing their own beliefs and they are unable to look at things from the alternative perspective.
The movie also showed these children, yes children, giving political arguments against abortion. Okay, I'll agree that abortion isn't a pretty sight, but it is a woman's choice. The only reason that abortion and stem cells are passionate subjects for Evangelical Christians is because they respect life. Okay, that makes logical sense. However, name one person (other than Christians) that doesn't appreciate life or respect the decision to live. War is an ugly thing, but the Christians don't seem to have a problem with it. The death penalty is an ugly thing, but the Christians don't have a problem with that either. They only have passion for something with the "potential" of life. I'm sorry, but they believe that life begins at conception. This argument cannot be supported based on what we now know and understand. Life begins, in my opinion, as soon as a child takes it's first breath outside of its mother's womb...and...gets a live birth certificate. If no live birth certificate exists, it wasn't a life. It had the "potential" to live, but it didn't become a living, breathing human being.
Let's take the Evangelical Christian point of view and make the assessment that life begins at conception. Okay, conception occurs when a man's sperm meets a woman's ovum. This creation maintains the status of a blastocyst. It consists of 200 different types of cells which are called pluripotent cells. This blastocyst has the "potential" for becoming an embryo, but isn't an embryo yet. During this point, Evangelical Christians believe that our soul is created. I argue, along with Sam Harris and many other scientists, that a blastocyst has the ability to duplicate itself...thus creating a "twin" cell or the possibility to become a set of twin embryos. Now when this happens, does this one "created" soul also divide itself into another soul? If your answer is yes, then I can argue that you believe that souls can duplicate themselves in the same manner as blastocysts. We as humans can research and study these blastocysts. In doing so, we have concluded that stem cells have amazing potential for healing terrible illnesses and have shown ample evidence regardless of what religious organizations say. There has always been a clash between those who are intellectuals and those who think that the Bible is all they need to know in this world. I respond to that with great criticism. Any religious belief, regardless of its origin, isn't stable enough to be the cornerstone for any civilization. Religious views or morals are fine, but only if they are within the realm of tolerance.
In "Jesus Camp", the ways in which the Evangelical Christians taught their children was beyond comprehension. Taking thousands of years worth of scientific knowledge/research and discrediting it with beliefs and assumptions that cannot and will never be proven is only hurting these children. Children should be raised to understand both sides of the debate, not just one specific side. This is one of the main reasons why intellectuals and Evangelical Christians, Fundamentalist Muslims, etc. will never be able to have a productive debate. They use religion as an excuse to close themselves out from the rest of the world. They claim that anything that challenges their beliefs or places restrictions on their powers are creations of the "devil". How is an individual supposed to expand their ability to think or to become an intellectual if religion has prevented the ability to do so?
I was an Evangelical Christian for roughly 2 years from ages 21 and 23. In church, I felt like an outcast. I always asked too many questions, listened to the wrong music, viewed women as something other than a "weaker sex", and never fully accepted that things were as they were according to the Bible. I respect a person's opinion and choice to choose a religion to follow, but I will never let their narrow-minded points-of-view or opinions shape the way that I choose to live. Religious individuals and I will be fine just as long as their power doesn't affect my life. However, when it does come to that point, I will fight to the teeth to prevent them from obtaining any more power and/or control.
Evangelical Christians claim that "this land" was founded by "Christian men". I, however, oppose that viewpoint. What they did, in reality, was steal the Natives' land, used Africans as slaves for the simple purpose of possessing an economic advantage over other countries, injected the original inhabitants with their "loving" faith, and created what we now know as the status quo. This country was "founded" by the Native people who appreciated the land in which they lived on, created their own religious beliefs, and never belittled any other person by placing them on to reservations. This country was "founded" by "decent Christian men" only because many of these people fail to recognize or acknowledge the evil atrocities of our past. Evangelical Christians are a huge problem in this country.
In the movie, there were parents who were telling their children that global warming was a huge conspiracy and that creationism is the "only way" and that it defeats all scientific evidence and or research. I'm sorry, but if you were in court trying to prove your innocence...the judge/jury won't be persuaded by beliefs or opinions. Of course not, no. The only thing that proves ones case...is evidence. Plain and simple. I'm friends with Evangelical Christians and I'm related to some as well. From a realistic point of view, the entire creationism theory is a shot in the dark. It was only created to give Christians something to grasp on to besides not debating evolution. Let's face the facts. Evangelical Christians are uncomfortable about debating or discussing their own beliefs and they are unable to look at things from the alternative perspective.
The movie also showed these children, yes children, giving political arguments against abortion. Okay, I'll agree that abortion isn't a pretty sight, but it is a woman's choice. The only reason that abortion and stem cells are passionate subjects for Evangelical Christians is because they respect life. Okay, that makes logical sense. However, name one person (other than Christians) that doesn't appreciate life or respect the decision to live. War is an ugly thing, but the Christians don't seem to have a problem with it. The death penalty is an ugly thing, but the Christians don't have a problem with that either. They only have passion for something with the "potential" of life. I'm sorry, but they believe that life begins at conception. This argument cannot be supported based on what we now know and understand. Life begins, in my opinion, as soon as a child takes it's first breath outside of its mother's womb...and...gets a live birth certificate. If no live birth certificate exists, it wasn't a life. It had the "potential" to live, but it didn't become a living, breathing human being.
Let's take the Evangelical Christian point of view and make the assessment that life begins at conception. Okay, conception occurs when a man's sperm meets a woman's ovum. This creation maintains the status of a blastocyst. It consists of 200 different types of cells which are called pluripotent cells. This blastocyst has the "potential" for becoming an embryo, but isn't an embryo yet. During this point, Evangelical Christians believe that our soul is created. I argue, along with Sam Harris and many other scientists, that a blastocyst has the ability to duplicate itself...thus creating a "twin" cell or the possibility to become a set of twin embryos. Now when this happens, does this one "created" soul also divide itself into another soul? If your answer is yes, then I can argue that you believe that souls can duplicate themselves in the same manner as blastocysts. We as humans can research and study these blastocysts. In doing so, we have concluded that stem cells have amazing potential for healing terrible illnesses and have shown ample evidence regardless of what religious organizations say. There has always been a clash between those who are intellectuals and those who think that the Bible is all they need to know in this world. I respond to that with great criticism. Any religious belief, regardless of its origin, isn't stable enough to be the cornerstone for any civilization. Religious views or morals are fine, but only if they are within the realm of tolerance.
In "Jesus Camp", the ways in which the Evangelical Christians taught their children was beyond comprehension. Taking thousands of years worth of scientific knowledge/research and discrediting it with beliefs and assumptions that cannot and will never be proven is only hurting these children. Children should be raised to understand both sides of the debate, not just one specific side. This is one of the main reasons why intellectuals and Evangelical Christians, Fundamentalist Muslims, etc. will never be able to have a productive debate. They use religion as an excuse to close themselves out from the rest of the world. They claim that anything that challenges their beliefs or places restrictions on their powers are creations of the "devil". How is an individual supposed to expand their ability to think or to become an intellectual if religion has prevented the ability to do so?
I was an Evangelical Christian for roughly 2 years from ages 21 and 23. In church, I felt like an outcast. I always asked too many questions, listened to the wrong music, viewed women as something other than a "weaker sex", and never fully accepted that things were as they were according to the Bible. I respect a person's opinion and choice to choose a religion to follow, but I will never let their narrow-minded points-of-view or opinions shape the way that I choose to live. Religious individuals and I will be fine just as long as their power doesn't affect my life. However, when it does come to that point, I will fight to the teeth to prevent them from obtaining any more power and/or control.
Evangelical Christians claim that "this land" was founded by "Christian men". I, however, oppose that viewpoint. What they did, in reality, was steal the Natives' land, used Africans as slaves for the simple purpose of possessing an economic advantage over other countries, injected the original inhabitants with their "loving" faith, and created what we now know as the status quo. This country was "founded" by the Native people who appreciated the land in which they lived on, created their own religious beliefs, and never belittled any other person by placing them on to reservations. This country was "founded" by "decent Christian men" only because many of these people fail to recognize or acknowledge the evil atrocities of our past. Evangelical Christians are a huge problem in this country.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Uninsured Motorists
I'm not an insensitive person. Believe me, I'm really not. However, there comes a point where I have to draw a line. That particular line is responsibility. I happen to know a few really decent people. They obey the law, don't cause harm to others, etc. However, these few individuals don't have auto insurance. I can understand how unfair society can be at times and that those who prosper are the only ones who reaps its rewards. This can be quite true, but yet, so far from the actual truth. The truth of the matter is that everyone has responsibility. Whether you are highly educated or a high school dropout, everyone has some level of responsibility. I can see where someone has to work to make ends meet, but I dare ask a few questions. Just to make ends meet does not require that much of an income. If your rent is too high, move to one that is more to your financial liking. Maybe you smoke...quit smoking. It has been proven that the average smoker spends well over $2,500 a year on cigarettes alone. Not to also rule out the fact that your medical problems will add up as you age and continue to smoke. Maybe you eat out once in awhile. Learn to cook. Eating out is a LUXURY, it is not a necessity. Besides, cooking at home is much healthier and is a lot cheaper. Other needs (not wants) include: drinking, cable, HUGE televisions, DVDs, music, fancy cars, etc. These things are not necessary to exist in this world, therefore are not something that demands your attention financially. Auto insurance, at least in the state of Washington, is a law. A law enacted by elected officials by tax paying citizens. With that in mind, the roads are funded by tax payers who have enacted and voted for these laws. If one is to operate an automobile, they better be able to legally provide a driver's license and proof of auto insurance. If you use the roads to drive on, you have to abide by all laws enacted by our elected officials. Therefore, driving on tax payer supported roads (federal, state, county, and city) without auto insurance is a crime. If you can't afford auto insurance, you can't afford to drive. If you need to get to work, you can take a bus. It might require that you swallow some pride, but you would be abiding by the law. Our current legal system does not enforce this law in the manner that they should. For example, when I got my new car (when I was 19), I drove to school in an insured vehicle without current tabs. Keep in mind that I was getting my new car insured and licensed that day and so the new car was unable to be used. I was pulled over for expired tabs (this I don't argue and is therefore completely my fault), but I also didn't have proof of auto insurance. My ticket, after it was all said and done, was over $700. I decided to take it to the municipal court because I did have auto insurance, but I didn't have proof of it in the car with me at the time. I went to the court and provided proof that I have auto insurance and the judge dropped that charge, but I was still responsible for the expired tabs portion. I paid this. In today's legal system, if you get caught without auto insurance and you really DON'T have auto insurance, you get a $700 ticket. That's it. Now if the average uninsured driver only gets caught once every two years or 3 years, they only have to pay $700 each time. How much do insured drivers have to pay over that course of time? Roughly $100 a month. That's a total of $2,400 or $3,600 total compared to $700. Just by looking at that, I would choose to take the $700 option. However, I care about the wellbeing of society. Therefore I support the current laws of our state by abiding by the laws. If I get into an auto accident which is my fault (which hasn't happened yet), I have the insurance that will make the situation more just for both parties. I may have caused the other party pain and suffering, but my auto insurance will try to accomodate them. What happens when an uninsured party gets into an accident? The person with insurance will have to cover the entire accident and might even end up paying a deductible for making a claim and their insurance rates might actually go up. The uninsured motorist will only have to deal with a $700 ticket from our legal system and that's all. Now, is that fair? The uninsured motorist doesn't have to pay for the time spent on arranging a claim, filing paperwork, taking time off of work, dealing with insurance hassles, etc. None. The only thing that they will be out of is a car (if it was damaged beyond properly operating) and the $700 ticket which most end up not paying. That means the unpaid $700 goes to collections and the taxpayers having to cover the debt to the legal system. What does this tell us? Our legal system MUST hold people more responsible for insuring themselves and covering their debt to society and other private institutions. Instead of giving them a $700 ticket, why not make it $5,000? Why not $10,000? Why not tossing them in jail for 6 months? Is this too mean? Our legal system must hold its citizens more responsible for their actions. I understand that the auto insurance industry LOVES this idea, but the bottom line is that our law abiding citizens are constantly being heckled by people who do not and refuse to follow the law. We need to focus on this point and put effort into enacting stricter laws. Our legal system is failing if our people are failing each other.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Return Of "Rage"
As many of the music loving world know, Rage Against the Machine is reuniting for one show April 29th at the Coachella Festival in Indio, CA. I will make every attempt to see this because, as far as I or anyone else knows, this will only be a one-time gig. Rage Against the Machine was the jolting force for my getting interested in politics and foreign affairs. This event, which is going to cost me $250, will be a monumental affair. When I do get a ticket, I will hopefully be accompanied by one or more of my closest friends. I hope that we will camp at the festival, which will run me another $45 for the 4 nights that we're there. Also appearing will be The Roots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ghostface Killah, Pharoah Monch, Willie Nelson, Sonic Youth, and Rage Against the Machine. I hope to keep you all posted on this as time progresses. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, but I have a pre-sale password to get tickets for Thursday.
Friday, January 19, 2007
American "Idle"
Let's face reality...a lot of people watch American Idol...a lot of people. To be accurate, roughly 37.5 million people watched the season debut. Let's look at this from my point of view because, well...this is my blog! HA! American Idol recently had an article written about them in the new Newsweek. It covers certain "hopefuls" who have tried out time and time again. A few of them have actually auditioned every single year since it began 6 years ago. Now, of course, they haven't made much of an impact because they're still trying! If these feebleminded individuals actually put that sort of effort into college or a job for 6 years...they could be making some serious money and or be in a great position of seniority. The dream or fantasy of being famous occurs to most all people, but many of them (like myself) realize that those dreams will never become a reality. True, some people have actually overcome the odds to become famous, but that percentage is not the encouraging number many claim it is. The reality of the people who continually try to become famous year in and year out is depressing. Most of them probably still live with their parents' basement/garage or haven't made up their mind on what they want to do with their life. Okay, sure. We've all been in that place before, but we didn't put our limited effort into something that would never make up for it. We placed our effort into something less desirable, but more realistic. The fact of the matter is, if you aren't making the world better with your life then your life is meaningless. You may mean a lot to some people (family, friends, etc.), but by delaying your actual potential...you're making the world a less progressive place for everyone. Imagine if Albert Einstein or anyone working for the Manhattan Project decided to chase a wild and crazy dream of losing their sense of respect to become "famous". In this world, sometimes respect is all one has. American Idol, in my opinion, is making this country more unintelligent and more egocentrical. Shame on the marketing individuals that put entertainment over education. Shame on people who are willing to sell their soul for something that will never fully make them whole. This world needs people who are willing to make a difference by making sacrifices, not chasing stupid dreams by selling themselves out. And that's the final word.
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