K'Naan America feat. Mos Def
7 years ago
Nov 29, 2006
Nov 28, 2006
Why do I exist?
I must say.. today I touched on a lot of subjects at work.
The one above is one of the questions that turbate me. And many others. Probably it's the most asked question, the one that differenciate human from animal. Well some people don't ask themselves and some others have found their way to answer it, and on the latter I was interested, I am interested.Why today and no other day? I was reading this article about secondlife.com, basically the website where you live a second life, a virtual one. This woman, one of the user is making millions developing properties in the virtual world.
Strangely enough, you can change the virtual money in real $.
I completely understand why people pay for a cool character, a different house, because it looks cool and it takes a long time and destirity to create one.
However despite the debate was about if Us should tax the gains, I think that secondlife creates wealth from nothing ( well our obsessions!). Generally wealth is only transferred from one place to another, here is created from nowhere.
Then another question, what has changed in the human mind? Why people now are more willing to make more effort to interact in a virtual life than they ever were in the real one? I'm sure people could unleash their fetishes, they can fulfill their secret life in it, but I think most of all they can be free to choose who they are, where they come from, which sex they want to be, which life they conduct, how many hours they watch of porn every day and what they want to achieve.
Why would we give up our free time to do that? Because we are free to be who we wanted withouth the limits imposed on you on your birth.
The trend I think came to life with the Tamagochi, feeding the little pet, we evolved into the Sim, and I don't deny myself not sleeping to make my Sim sleep.
So, is our ideal life, sitting in front a pc playing the virtual life we wanted? And this can also become more addictive as you will be able to smell and touch through a pc. So if more and more people prefer to live a different life. Why do we exist? Why do I exist? So I searched on google, expecting to find, obviously not an answer but different views, opinions.
Uhm, my research on the internet was not in depth at all, however I was quite shocked to find out that the easiest explanation is because God created us.
I found this http://www.allaboutworldview.org/why-do-we-exist-faq.htm
"Why do we exist" is a reflective question that has been pondered for millennia. Many have attempted to answer this question in the past. Some make an entirely unsubstantiated claim we exist because of random occurrences and that there is no purpose to life. They must accept on faith alone that this is the case, where as a theistic view is embedded in evidence.
Many popular books and seminars will tell us to look within ourselves to discover why we exist. This self-centered philosophy, propagated by many New-age philosophers, neglects to account for the notion that we did not create ourselves. Were that the case, we could not find the truth of our origins within ourselves. You cannot solve the mystery of the existence of a synthetic object if you are not familiar with it; the object cannot tell you the purpose of its existence. Only the creator of the object can describe its creation. Oftentimes a creator will provide a handbook to tell us why his or her creation exists.
Our Creator has given us a handbook for life that explains our origins and purpose. The Creator of life has given us the Bible, which is composed of law, historical information, poetry, prophecy, and divinely inspired letters that explain our role in the universe. The Apostle Paul writes:
"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Colossians 1:16).
Errrrrrrrrrrr....
But finding this website was incredible.. The guide for atheist parents to help explain their kids how to approach the question.
I mean????? more of the above absurdities here http://www.eclipse.co.uk/thoughts/exist.htm
The one above is one of the questions that turbate me. And many others. Probably it's the most asked question, the one that differenciate human from animal. Well some people don't ask themselves and some others have found their way to answer it, and on the latter I was interested, I am interested.Why today and no other day? I was reading this article about secondlife.com, basically the website where you live a second life, a virtual one. This woman, one of the user is making millions developing properties in the virtual world.
Strangely enough, you can change the virtual money in real $.
I completely understand why people pay for a cool character, a different house, because it looks cool and it takes a long time and destirity to create one.
However despite the debate was about if Us should tax the gains, I think that secondlife creates wealth from nothing ( well our obsessions!). Generally wealth is only transferred from one place to another, here is created from nowhere.
Then another question, what has changed in the human mind? Why people now are more willing to make more effort to interact in a virtual life than they ever were in the real one? I'm sure people could unleash their fetishes, they can fulfill their secret life in it, but I think most of all they can be free to choose who they are, where they come from, which sex they want to be, which life they conduct, how many hours they watch of porn every day and what they want to achieve.
Why would we give up our free time to do that? Because we are free to be who we wanted withouth the limits imposed on you on your birth.
The trend I think came to life with the Tamagochi, feeding the little pet, we evolved into the Sim, and I don't deny myself not sleeping to make my Sim sleep.
So, is our ideal life, sitting in front a pc playing the virtual life we wanted? And this can also become more addictive as you will be able to smell and touch through a pc. So if more and more people prefer to live a different life. Why do we exist? Why do I exist? So I searched on google, expecting to find, obviously not an answer but different views, opinions.
Uhm, my research on the internet was not in depth at all, however I was quite shocked to find out that the easiest explanation is because God created us.
I found this http://www.allaboutworldview.org/why-do-we-exist-faq.htm
"Why do we exist" is a reflective question that has been pondered for millennia. Many have attempted to answer this question in the past. Some make an entirely unsubstantiated claim we exist because of random occurrences and that there is no purpose to life. They must accept on faith alone that this is the case, where as a theistic view is embedded in evidence.
Many popular books and seminars will tell us to look within ourselves to discover why we exist. This self-centered philosophy, propagated by many New-age philosophers, neglects to account for the notion that we did not create ourselves. Were that the case, we could not find the truth of our origins within ourselves. You cannot solve the mystery of the existence of a synthetic object if you are not familiar with it; the object cannot tell you the purpose of its existence. Only the creator of the object can describe its creation. Oftentimes a creator will provide a handbook to tell us why his or her creation exists.
Our Creator has given us a handbook for life that explains our origins and purpose. The Creator of life has given us the Bible, which is composed of law, historical information, poetry, prophecy, and divinely inspired letters that explain our role in the universe. The Apostle Paul writes:
"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Colossians 1:16).
Errrrrrrrrrrr....
But finding this website was incredible.. The guide for atheist parents to help explain their kids how to approach the question.
Leibniz said there are two types of statements - those which are necessarily true and those which are not necessarily true.
Necessarily true:
"All bachelors are unmarried."
Not necessarily true:
"My wife is reading a book downstairs."
Likewise there are two types of questions (Leibniz did not say this):
Necessarily foolish:
Why aren't cats dogs? (or the famous 'Why isn't a woman more like a man?' - My Fair Lady)
Not necessarily foolish:
Where are my socks?
(Actually, my wife would think this is necessarily foolish. Where my socks are is not her business - oops! it might be foolish.)
"Why do we exist?" is in the 'necessarily foolish' category. Remember the old dictum: "Ask a silly question and get a silly answer."
I mean????? more of the above absurdities here http://www.eclipse.co.uk/thoughts/exist.htm
Ministry goes from sexiest to greenest
A boy secretly swaps a environmentally unfriendly lightbulb for an energy efficient one in Eric Prydz's latest music video Eric Prydz's music video featuring a sexy aerobics workout had Tony Blair falling off his rowing machine but the characters in his latest film look more like they deserve an ASBO. The black and white video starts with a gang of school children on a London estate picking up bricks and breaking into flats. But the youths turn out to be green vigilantes, who go into houses to change ordinary light bulbs to energy efficient ones. Their energy saving antics also include turning appliances off stand-by and putting bricks in toilet cisterns so less water is used. It ends with the message: 'You don't need an education to save the planet.' The track, called 'Proper Education', is a remix of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall while the video focuses on climate change and the issues around global warming. It is the Swedish dance producer's follow up to his Number 1 hit 'Call On Me', which was voted 'Sexiest Video Of All Time' in a series of polls. It is also the first time Pink Floyd have ever cleared a sample of their work. Prydz said: 'There was a lot of anticipation around this video and I was really keen to do something a bit different. 'Pink Floyd would always use their videos to get a message across and I really wanted to carry on this spirit. I'd been reading so much in the press about climate change and global warming recently and felt it would be great to try and empower people to do something about it. It's not making a grand statement. 'It's just simply saying everyone can do a little and it will make a difference. 'It would be great to have another hit. 'Even more so if it means we're getting the video's message across to as many people as possible.' Climate change campaigners Global Cool (www.global-cool.com), who were consulted for the video are now working with Prydz and Ministry of Sound to make the release of 'Proper Education' carbon neutral. Ministry of Sound Recordings marketing director, Iain Hagger, said: 'Everyone involved felt it would be great to show young people what they could do help alter the global warming situation."
Trade protectionism
The FX relevant comments from Paulson are that he is against trade protectionism (not surprising). This is somewhat in response to increased protectionist leanings of Congress under Democratic control. Legislation may be introduced in H1 2007, according to some Senators/House representatives, but until anything concrete is devised there are no FX implications. Overall, protectionist policies should be negative for the USD as any measures that inhibit capital flows is bad for a large debtor nation.
Tsy's Paulson: Can't Allow Protectionism To Stifle Growth
LONDON (Dow Jones)--U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Tuesday said the U.S. should embrace trade liberalization, arguing that open trade promotes growth and better living standards for the majority of people.
Paulson, in prepared remarks to be delivered before business leaders, said the Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress following this month's elections hasn't altered the U.S. government's commitment to a successful Doha round agreement to lower trade barriers.
He said the U.S. should resist protectionism, which would "stifle" growth, resulting in fewer American jobs over the long term.
"We must not, in the name of a few jobs today, eliminate many more jobs and higher incomes in the future," Paulson said.
Paulson said protectionist sentiment appears to be rising around the globe, despite robust global economic growth. He said the U.S. should resist trade protectionism.
"We cannot allow protectionist elements to stifle our growth, limit our opportunities, and dictate the terms of our engagement with the world," Paulson said.
09:20 28Nov2006 RTRS-U.S. TREASURY'S PAULSON SAYS TRADE PROTECTIONISM ON RISE DESPITE STRONG GLOBAL PROSPERITY
YIELDING TO PROTECTIONISM WOULD SEND "A TERRIBLE SIGNAL" TO POORER NATIONSU.S. ELECTION OUTCOME DOES NOT AFFECT U.S. COMMITMENT TO SUCCESSFUL DOHA TALKS MORE OPEN TRADE IN MANUFACTURING, SERVICES JUST AS IMPORTANT AS AGRICULTURAL TRADE
By Glenn Somerville
LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Tuesday trade protectionism was on the rise despite strong global prosperity and warned it was a potentially dangerous trend.
"We cannot allow protectionist elements to stifle our growth, limit our opportunities, and dictate the terms of our engagement with the world," Paulson said in prepared remarks for delivery to the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference.
"Giving in to protectionist sentiment would send a terrible signal," Paulson said during a joint appearance with British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.
The U.S. Treasury chief, who was in London on a quick one-day stop, said that developed nations must beware of sending a signal that they were unwilling to help poorer countries develop their economies.
Paulson, who recently authored a joint appeal with Brown to restart the Doha round of free-trade talks, said achieving a successful outcome remained the United States' top trade priority.
He said U.S. elections earlier this month which resulted in Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Senate made no difference to the U.S. commitment toward reopening the Doha trade talks.
The Doha talks broke down in July, primarily due to differences over farm trade.
Paulson said while reducing agricultural subsidies was important, it was just as vital to find ways to boost trade in manufacturing and services.
Paulson said countries that opened their borders to trade almost invariably achieved increased prosperity.
"Despite the known benefits of trade, the protectionist sentiment that is rising in our two nations and elsewhere around the world is predicated on a false assumption that trade harms our economies," Paulson said.
Nov 25, 2006
I want one of those.
Damien Hirst collection. With my usual companion of art mischief I went to the opening at the Serpentine. It must be said, we generally go on the first night to watch the people and sip wine and to eavesdrop ( not eardrop as I usually say) at the totties.. We find that hilarious, but I must say the room was packed with interesting new ideas , from collections of painted skulls to a man body lyiing on ice, to bleeding huge pieces of flesh ..
This was impressive, the first time I saw somebody reproduce glass with paint so perfectly
This was impressive, the first time I saw somebody reproduce glass with paint so perfectly
Then I left my heart there, with the numbered Banksy pieces.. 50 numbered prints, I want one, despite I know that it will be a successful financial investment, the initial outlay is a bit steep, and while lots of pieces were available last night, most of them if not all will have gone by now.. sigh!
Nov 24, 2006
Thanksgiving...
And... not sure if it's reassuring, intimidating, scary or what... , said "I thought I was crazy but after I met you guys I feel perfectly normal " which said by the addiction to the Thanksgiving celebration, a man that lived 23 years on the Death Row.
 Why do we eat Turkey for Thanksgiving? Although juicy and tender butterball turkeys are the main cuisine of today's Thanksgiving celebrations, these birds were NOT the most popular centerpieces on the first Thanksgiving tables. In 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving, they were gobbling up many more foods than just turkey. Since lobster, goose, duck, seal, eel, and cod were plentiful during this time, these foods were most likely the main courses of this first feast. Deer meat and wild fowl are the only two items that historians know for sure were menu of this autumn celebration. So how did the turkey become the main mascot of modern-day Thanksgiving if we don't know for certain that turkeys were at this first feast? One story tells of how Queen Elizabeth of 16th century England was chowing down on roast goose during a harvest festival. When news was delivered to her that the Spanish Armada had sunk on it way to attack her beloved England, the queen was so pleased that she order a second goose to celebrate the great news. Thus, the goose became the favorite bird at harvest time in England. When the Pilgrims arrived in America from England, roasted turkey replaced roasted goose as the main cuisine because wild turkeys were more abundant and easier to find than geese. Turkey Trivia:
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Nov 20, 2006
What do you really believe?
Do you think what you think you think ? Well, how could you not? Your beliefs might be right and they might be wrong, but surely you must at least know what they are? Think again.
Being mistaken about our own true beliefs is common and self-delusion is sometimes necessary.
As TS Elliot wrote, 'Humankind cannot bear very much reality". However none of us would like to think we are serial reality dodgers. Indeed, although we commonly find ourselves hiding from the truth, we often also choose to confront it even if we know it will make life more difficult to us. Few things hurt more than realising you have been living a lie.
Ok.. 30 questions. You either agree or disagree to the statement.
Ready? go?
1. there are no objective moral standards; moral judgements are merely an expression of the values of a particular culture.
2. The right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant in any effort to save life.
3. There exists an all-powerful, loving and good God.
4. There are no objective truths about matter of fact; truth is always relative to particular cultures and individuals
5. The environment should not be damaged unnecessarily in the pursuit of human ends. 6. So long as they do not harm others, individuals should be free to pursue their own ends.
7. Voluntary euthanasia should remain illegal.
8. Would War II was a just war.
9. Having made a choice, it is always possible that one might have chosen otherwise.
10. Homosexuality is wrong because it is unnatural.
11. It is not always right to judge individuals solely on their merits.
12. Severe brain damage can rob a person of all consciousness and self hood.
13. It is quite reasonable to believe in the existence of a thing without even the possibility of evidence for its existence.
14. Judgements about works of art are purely matters of taste.
15. The Government should not permit the sale of health treatments that have not been tested for efficacy and safety.
16. Acts of genocide stand as a testament to man's ability to do great evil.
17. Governments should be allowed to increase taxes sharply to save lives in the developing world.
18. To allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly when one could easily prevent it is morally reprehensible.
19. The Holocaust is a historical reality that took place more or less as the history books report.
20. People should not travel by car if they can walk, cycle or take a train instead.
21. The possession of drugs for personal use should be decriminalised.
22. Individuals have sole rights over their own bodies.
23. It is always wrong to take another person's life.
24. The future is fixed; how one's life unfolds is a matter of destiny.
25. Proper sanitation and medicines are generally good for a society.
26. In certain circumstances it might be desiderable to discriminate positively in favour of a person as recompense for harms done to him/her in the past.
27 On bodily death, a person continues to exists in a non-physical form
28. Atheism is a faith just like any other, because it is not possible to prove the non-existence of God.
29.
Michelangelo is one of history's finest artists.
30. Alternative and complementary medicines are as valuable as mainstream medicine.
Compare your answers to the ones below. Only if both your answer match you look at number of the tension on the right.
Being mistaken about our own true beliefs is common and self-delusion is sometimes necessary.
As TS Elliot wrote, 'Humankind cannot bear very much reality". However none of us would like to think we are serial reality dodgers. Indeed, although we commonly find ourselves hiding from the truth, we often also choose to confront it even if we know it will make life more difficult to us. Few things hurt more than realising you have been living a lie.
Ok.. 30 questions. You either agree or disagree to the statement.
Ready? go?
1. there are no objective moral standards; moral judgements are merely an expression of the values of a particular culture.
2. The right to life is so fundamental that financial considerations are irrelevant in any effort to save life.
3. There exists an all-powerful, loving and good God.
4. There are no objective truths about matter of fact; truth is always relative to particular cultures and individuals
5. The environment should not be damaged unnecessarily in the pursuit of human ends. 6. So long as they do not harm others, individuals should be free to pursue their own ends.
7. Voluntary euthanasia should remain illegal.
8. Would War II was a just war.
9. Having made a choice, it is always possible that one might have chosen otherwise.
10. Homosexuality is wrong because it is unnatural.
11. It is not always right to judge individuals solely on their merits.
12. Severe brain damage can rob a person of all consciousness and self hood.
13. It is quite reasonable to believe in the existence of a thing without even the possibility of evidence for its existence.
14. Judgements about works of art are purely matters of taste.
15. The Government should not permit the sale of health treatments that have not been tested for efficacy and safety.
16. Acts of genocide stand as a testament to man's ability to do great evil.
17. Governments should be allowed to increase taxes sharply to save lives in the developing world.
18. To allow an innocent child to suffer needlessly when one could easily prevent it is morally reprehensible.
19. The Holocaust is a historical reality that took place more or less as the history books report.
20. People should not travel by car if they can walk, cycle or take a train instead.
21. The possession of drugs for personal use should be decriminalised.
22. Individuals have sole rights over their own bodies.
23. It is always wrong to take another person's life.
24. The future is fixed; how one's life unfolds is a matter of destiny.
25. Proper sanitation and medicines are generally good for a society.
26. In certain circumstances it might be desiderable to discriminate positively in favour of a person as recompense for harms done to him/her in the past.
27 On bodily death, a person continues to exists in a non-physical form
28. Atheism is a faith just like any other, because it is not possible to prove the non-existence of God.
29.
Michelangelo is one of history's finest artists.
30. Alternative and complementary medicines are as valuable as mainstream medicine.
Compare your answers to the ones below. Only if both your answer match you look at number of the tension on the right.
Q1 agree & Q16 agree = tension 1
Q2 agree & Q17 disagree = tension 2
Q3 agree & Q18 agree = tension 3
Q4 agree & Q19 agree = tension 4
Q5 agree & Q20 disagree = tension 5
Q6 agree & Q21 disagree = tension 6
Q7 agree & Q22 agree = tension 7
Q8 agree & Q23 agree = tension 8
Q9 agree & Q24 agree = tension 9
Q10 agree & Q25 agree = tension 10
Q11 agree & Q26 disagree = tension 11
Q12 agree & Q27 agree = tension 12
Q13 disagree & Q28 agree = tension 13
Q14 agree & Q29 agree = tension 14
Q15 agree & Q30 agree = tension 15
Siobhan in London
What was supposed to be a walk around London transformed in a food and alcohol feast.
We started with cheese that later on baked with white wine, to the food court in Covent Garden, to the oldest wine bar in London,
to watching skaters in the South Bank.
I also made my piece of art splodging.
Then the new Bond movie. 007 my ass.. He almost died twice, the only kit in the car was an advanced first aid kit. And sorry ... even I have a better mobile than that. And despite I appreciate the months of gym to get that body, the new Bond is hardly hot. Rating 0
Nov 18, 2006
Nov 17, 2006
It's time for sharing also the Internet
FON is the largest WiFi community in the world. Our members share their wireless Internet access at home and, in return, enjoy free WiFi wherever they find another Fonero’s Access Point.
-- from en.fon.com
Oh sweet Fonera, Merry me A couple of weeks ago I came by fon.com which is a large WiFi community on the net. The ideaology behind their community is very appealing and immedialy ordered a La Fonera (their sweet little wireless router). Back then the price is extremely reasonable 29euro+shipping.
Dimensions like 9x2.5x7cm it fits in everywhere.
The router comes with two SIDs such that you can split the network into two parts - a personal for you and your family, and a public for all the other Foneros. You can control more or less everything via a webinterface and you can even monitor who's using it directly via the Fon homepage.
So what is the idea with this community? Boiled down to one sentence it could be:
+"iIf you share you internet connection with me, I share mine with you." -i
You can share your Wifi on two levels.
1. fully open for others - then you are a Linus.
2. people need to pay for using your internet - then you are a Bill.
(I love those names :-) )
If you are a Linus, then you will have full access to all fonero's Wifi for free all over the world which is nice if you travel a lot and dont want to waste money on internet cafe's. If you on the other hand want to earn some fast money and dont think that you will use internet in other places, then you should be a Bill. A Bill has to pay for internet access when using other Fonero's Wifi, but you will then also earn something (hopefully) by letting others use your net.
I will probably start out by being a Linus since I dont mind sharing and would love to have the free internet when on the road. If it, on the other hand, takes too much of my internet connection, then I will probably turn into an evil Bill and make some money of it. But we'll see.
You can see a map of where you can find Foneros in the world here
A question for you...
Imagine that you were on the treshold of a fairytale, sometimes billions of years ago when everything was created . And you were able to choose whether you wanted to be born to a life on this planet at some point. You wouldn't know when you were going to be born, nor how long you'd live for, but at any event it wouldn't be more than a few years. All you'd know was that, if you chose to come into the world at some point, you'd also have to leave it again one day and go away from everything. This might cause you a good deal of grief, as lots of people think that life in the great fairytale is so wonderful that the mere thought of it ending can bring tears to their eyes. Things can be so nice that it's terribly painful to think that at some point the days will run out.
Will you turn down the all offer? If you knew that something tasted fantastically good, would you still refuse a nibble if the piece you were being offered only weighed a milligramme?
From the Genius of Jostein Gaarder in his latest book: The orange girl.
Nov 15, 2006
Back from Milan
Oh well...
Positive highlights:
I met a friend haven't seen in ages, probably somebody that will fit the community, you'd like her, the daughter of Pina, remember Gina & Pina's adventure.... And she blogs too www.r-esistere.blogspot.com
I bought a new pair of shoes.
I read the last book of Jostein Gaardner : The orange Girl. I cried.. . weeped ( is it written like that.. I don't really think so!)
The rest, uhm it was cr@p.
Exactly can I know what's fucking wrong with travellers and their obsession with mobiles, blackberries and alike.
In the journey from the gate to the plane, is it realistic that every single individual is shouting telling the entire story of his trip ( his is appropriate as the ratio woman to men is 1 to 50 ) while frantically running his fingers up and down the side of the CraCKberry.. ( if only it could crack in their a$$).
So fuking annoying... and the earpiece???
Positive highlights:
I met a friend haven't seen in ages, probably somebody that will fit the community, you'd like her, the daughter of Pina, remember Gina & Pina's adventure.... And she blogs too www.r-esistere.blogspot.com
I bought a new pair of shoes.
I read the last book of Jostein Gaardner : The orange Girl. I cried.. . weeped ( is it written like that.. I don't really think so!)
The rest, uhm it was cr@p.
Exactly can I know what's fucking wrong with travellers and their obsession with mobiles, blackberries and alike.
In the journey from the gate to the plane, is it realistic that every single individual is shouting telling the entire story of his trip ( his is appropriate as the ratio woman to men is 1 to 50 ) while frantically running his fingers up and down the side of the CraCKberry.. ( if only it could crack in their a$$).
So fuking annoying... and the earpiece???
Nov 11, 2006
Interesting Observation
If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the
Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of
2,112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000
Soldiers.
The firearm death rate in Washington D.C. Is 80.6 per 100,000 for the
same period.
That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in
the U.S. Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in
the nation, than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion: The U.S. Should pull out of Washington.
Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of
2,112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000
Soldiers.
The firearm death rate in Washington D.C. Is 80.6 per 100,000 for the
same period.
That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in
the U.S. Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in
the nation, than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion: The U.S. Should pull out of Washington.
Nov 10, 2006
It doesn't matter how much I try
My life is stuck in a loop.
Yes it took forever to take a decision 2 years ago and well I'm now stack with the results without consolation.
**Note to self**
If you really need to ask lots of people before you come up with a decision, remember it's not the right one for you and it might change your perception of life forever.
Probably the best sentence I ever heard in my life is:
"Sometimes you shouldn't try something because it could be so good that you can't do without it"
Since the night I assembled the pomegrate made from Foppa Pedretti in that lost house in Alba, I'm being living in a curse made by myself. You will want to live in a community of people, all in one building. Probably that's my destiny.
You can't rewind, no... only when you are at Uni in a crazy night with your uttermost soulmates, you can think you can rewind your life, rewind your decisions, in real life, in the grown up world, you can't.
The person that invented the sentence is no longer with us and I won't be able to ask anymore oh I'd like to meet you again, as you are gone, nonetheless you have to continue to live.
It could be, after all, that we live in a Matrix, totally possible, I'm a believer of it.
Oh well... back to square one, again & again, hope probably not for me but for my mum, [because indoubtouly after a few moments of turbation, my friends will know], that I'll continue to have the strenght to reassemble and restart.
Still have to clarify with myself why, but why is problably one of the question I'll never answer. Funny that all the questions start for why.
It's late I should go to sleep as in 3 1/2 hours need to get up & it'll be sooner that I forsee.
Yes it took forever to take a decision 2 years ago and well I'm now stack with the results without consolation.
**Note to self**
If you really need to ask lots of people before you come up with a decision, remember it's not the right one for you and it might change your perception of life forever.
Probably the best sentence I ever heard in my life is:
"Sometimes you shouldn't try something because it could be so good that you can't do without it"
Since the night I assembled the pomegrate made from Foppa Pedretti in that lost house in Alba, I'm being living in a curse made by myself. You will want to live in a community of people, all in one building. Probably that's my destiny.
You can't rewind, no... only when you are at Uni in a crazy night with your uttermost soulmates, you can think you can rewind your life, rewind your decisions, in real life, in the grown up world, you can't.
The person that invented the sentence is no longer with us and I won't be able to ask anymore oh I'd like to meet you again, as you are gone, nonetheless you have to continue to live.
It could be, after all, that we live in a Matrix, totally possible, I'm a believer of it.
Oh well... back to square one, again & again, hope probably not for me but for my mum, [because indoubtouly after a few moments of turbation, my friends will know], that I'll continue to have the strenght to reassemble and restart.
Still have to clarify with myself why, but why is problably one of the question I'll never answer. Funny that all the questions start for why.
It's late I should go to sleep as in 3 1/2 hours need to get up & it'll be sooner that I forsee.
Nov 9, 2006
From Brazil with Attitude
Cansei de Ser Sexy - Off the Hook
Unknown a year ago, São Paulo's Cansei de Ser Sexy have become one of the world's hottest new indie bands. Peter Culshaw offers 10 reasons why
1 The band's name. Cansei de Ser Sexy means "Tired of Being Sexy", and must be one of the best ever.
2 Their charismatic lead singer, christened Luisa Matsuita, glories in the stage name Lovefoxxx (love those three "x"s) and is a half-Japanese 22-year-old from São Paulo who loves to stage-dive into the audience at any opportunity. Despite the outrageous front, there's a slight vulnerability there too – as with all great pop stars.
3 They inhabit a fertile territory somewhere between the DIY subversiveness of punk, the retro-electro of Kraftwerk and the girl-gang mentality of All Saints or the Spice Girls (the band consists of five girls and a male drummer, producer Adriano Cintra).
4 Whereas most indie groups (especially in the world of "emo") and most female singer-songwriters have a tendency to moan endlessly, CSS are a life-affirming, whinge-free zone. When most bands and performers get on stage what they are projecting is: "Please love me – I'm really likeable and cool." But, like all the best artists, CSS give the impression that they don't give a damn what you think.
5 They represent something hopeful for pop music. A few years ago, new young bands from places outside Europe and the US tended to be copyists, doing usually second-rate rock or hip-hop, whereas they way CSS have packaged their influences is a breath of fresh air and genuinely original.
6 One test of a great band (Nirvana, Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Culture Club spring to mind) is that when you first see them you think, "I cannot believe I've just seen what I've seen." That was the way I felt when I saw them in a small club in São Paulo. Their debut album, while hugely pleasurable, does not quite capture the spontaneous wild rush of their live shows – but they're touring the UK right now.
7 Very few major bands are actually sexy (U2, Coldplay? I think not). CSS, despite the name, are – and with their own unconventional style, rather than the rather desperate, manufactured sexiness of a Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears.
8 The way they mangle the English language with their Brazilian accents is charming. Everyone can sing along: "You're so talented I'm in love / Let's make love and listen to death from above."
9 They are very modern in that, like British bands such as Arctic Monkeys, they built a significant fan base on websites like Tramavirtual and MySpace before releasing a record. The group also take on modern celebrity mania in songs such as Meeting Paris Hilton, which, like many of their creations, has a perfectly formed, insidiously catchy chorus worthy of a Tamla Motown single (except, being modern, the lyrics are along the lines of "The bitch said 'Yeah' ").
10 They are clever without being self-consciously experimental, and enjoyably obnoxious with an impeccable pop sensibility. They are, frankly, unstoppable.
CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy) are currently on tour in the UK.
www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy
Unknown a year ago, São Paulo's Cansei de Ser Sexy have become one of the world's hottest new indie bands. Peter Culshaw offers 10 reasons why
1 The band's name. Cansei de Ser Sexy means "Tired of Being Sexy", and must be one of the best ever.
2 Their charismatic lead singer, christened Luisa Matsuita, glories in the stage name Lovefoxxx (love those three "x"s) and is a half-Japanese 22-year-old from São Paulo who loves to stage-dive into the audience at any opportunity. Despite the outrageous front, there's a slight vulnerability there too – as with all great pop stars.
3 They inhabit a fertile territory somewhere between the DIY subversiveness of punk, the retro-electro of Kraftwerk and the girl-gang mentality of All Saints or the Spice Girls (the band consists of five girls and a male drummer, producer Adriano Cintra).
4 Whereas most indie groups (especially in the world of "emo") and most female singer-songwriters have a tendency to moan endlessly, CSS are a life-affirming, whinge-free zone. When most bands and performers get on stage what they are projecting is: "Please love me – I'm really likeable and cool." But, like all the best artists, CSS give the impression that they don't give a damn what you think.
5 They represent something hopeful for pop music. A few years ago, new young bands from places outside Europe and the US tended to be copyists, doing usually second-rate rock or hip-hop, whereas they way CSS have packaged their influences is a breath of fresh air and genuinely original.
6 One test of a great band (Nirvana, Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Culture Club spring to mind) is that when you first see them you think, "I cannot believe I've just seen what I've seen." That was the way I felt when I saw them in a small club in São Paulo. Their debut album, while hugely pleasurable, does not quite capture the spontaneous wild rush of their live shows – but they're touring the UK right now.
7 Very few major bands are actually sexy (U2, Coldplay? I think not). CSS, despite the name, are – and with their own unconventional style, rather than the rather desperate, manufactured sexiness of a Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears.
8 The way they mangle the English language with their Brazilian accents is charming. Everyone can sing along: "You're so talented I'm in love / Let's make love and listen to death from above."
9 They are very modern in that, like British bands such as Arctic Monkeys, they built a significant fan base on websites like Tramavirtual and MySpace before releasing a record. The group also take on modern celebrity mania in songs such as Meeting Paris Hilton, which, like many of their creations, has a perfectly formed, insidiously catchy chorus worthy of a Tamla Motown single (except, being modern, the lyrics are along the lines of "The bitch said 'Yeah' ").
10 They are clever without being self-consciously experimental, and enjoyably obnoxious with an impeccable pop sensibility. They are, frankly, unstoppable.
CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy) are currently on tour in the UK.
www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy
Nov 8, 2006
The week in which I'll find myself...
Will I or will I get even more confused.
We'll see..
In the meantime I discovered how to pause Pacman, so when I play at work ( & thanks Google for it.. that's the only game not blocked!) and the phone ring I can pause my game..
Mind you, still can't record the scores.. so if ever managed to go on the list, it'll be frustrating..
Anyhow...
How many hours should a day have to be able to fit everything in?
And then I get invited to this... an old friend.
Anybody fancies Paris ??
Which blog personality are you?
The Daily Grinder
I love blogging because it's like therapy. I can write about anything and everything that happens to me - from the food I ate to what I was doing when I heard the latest 'breaking news'. Being able to communicate with my friends (online and/or real life) through my blog is important to me.
Nov 5, 2006
Tattoo
As I'm only 3.6kg away from having my tattoo, I was considering something like this.The symbol of my controversial sign.
Sxg.. will you draw your version of it. I'd like 2 women and something sexier than the picture.
Add Pierced Nipples to the List of Things You Can’t Bring On Planes
A female passenger traveling through the Pittsburgh airport found out the hard way that her choice of personal ornamentation was not allowed to fly the friendly skies. She was forced to remove the offending nipple enhancements in a ladies restroom before being allowed through security. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought of holding up a plane and diverting it to some foreign land merely by flashing my breasts. Ah, the power of the nipple
Nov 2, 2006
Angkor Wat
The world's largest religious monument
A completely realised microcosm of the Hindu universe, culminating in the five peaks of Mount MeruArchitectural masterpiece in fine proportions and rich in detail; the apogee of classiacal Khmer construction.
Angor Wat the "the city that became a pagoda" was not only the grandest and most sublime of the Khmer temples, but also a city in its own right. It was built in the 12th century and it's dedicated to Vishnu.
Happyness really does not exists
Somebody really has a remote control for my life.
As today work wasn't as shit as usual, as I actually found somebody in the world which happen to be less diplomatic than me... well 2 events which have a remarkable low probability, together with actually smiling at work... well somebody had to punish me.
Left work early only to find out that my mum is ill again and we gonna go through the saga pain bollox and the rest again and again, she won't make it here for Xmas, so flight, weekend to Paris that she so wanted and all the rest are not gonna happen anymore.
But that wasn't enough because some fucker also decided to steal the seat of my bike.. so had also to walk around half London and 3 bike shops to find the right size tube and a seat.
I'll will keep posting now some more picty about Cambodia, so if that bores you I don't care, this is my blog, my shit life and posting pictures might have some calming effect on me ( seriously doubt it, because probably blogger won't even let me upload them)
As today work wasn't as shit as usual, as I actually found somebody in the world which happen to be less diplomatic than me... well 2 events which have a remarkable low probability, together with actually smiling at work... well somebody had to punish me.
Left work early only to find out that my mum is ill again and we gonna go through the saga pain bollox and the rest again and again, she won't make it here for Xmas, so flight, weekend to Paris that she so wanted and all the rest are not gonna happen anymore.
But that wasn't enough because some fucker also decided to steal the seat of my bike.. so had also to walk around half London and 3 bike shops to find the right size tube and a seat.
I'll will keep posting now some more picty about Cambodia, so if that bores you I don't care, this is my blog, my shit life and posting pictures might have some calming effect on me ( seriously doubt it, because probably blogger won't even let me upload them)
Nov 1, 2006
Day 2: Temples & Fishing Village
The history of Angkor begins in the 9th century, when the Young King Jayavarman II declared himself the supreme sovereign and established his capital in the Kulen Mountains.
Well and now you can go over it in a balloon!!
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