I am still working through my thoughts after watching Rev. Wrights comments. There is a lot wrapped in his comments. Some of it is easily dismissable as ridiculous (US intentionally spread AIDS to kill off African Americans) while other parts, although not presented in a constructive manner, hold more water (African American culture is not deficient, its different).
Until I get some perspective on his comments though, here is an interesting take by Dick Morris on what Obama should do now - regardless of what was said or has happened in the past. While Dick Morris is not someone with whom I would align my moral compass, I do think he has a rare ability to see past partisan BS and analyze a situation with great clarity. I understand what Pres. Clinton saw in him. I would like to warn however that, although a great deal of this article seems right on, the whole part about justifying Hiroshima and Nagasaki should just be ignored for it is a bunch of kaka (is that a word?).
April 30, 2008
April 29, 2008
A US Monk's Footprint is Twice World Average
According to a report published today on Science Daily,
"...in the United States, even people with the lowest energy usage account for, on average, more than double the global per-capita carbon emission."
This is distressing to say the least. But when you find out the reasons why even homeless people and monks are subject to an emissions floor below which "their" emissions cannot go, it makes you realize just how important of a point Al Gore was making in his revamped presentation on global warming which I posted here earlier this month.
Here is an important moment in the article...
"While it may seem surprising that even people whose lifestyles don't appear extravagant--the homeless, monks, children--are responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, one major factor is the array of government services that are available to everyone in the United States. These basic services--including police, roads, libraries, the court system and the military--were allocated equally to everyone in the country in this study."
This should remind us that changing the light bulbs is not enough. That we have to become engaged in the decisions that get made for us. For example, the more we can become a city of public transportation (light rail, etc.) the less our cities will need to build roads and the fewer cars will be on the road producing noxious gasses. So supporting bills that lead to more public transportation will reduce everyone's average footprint! Our individual deeds are valuable, but our corporate deeds will play an essential role in determining whether or not we can make any significant inroads into addressing this challenge.
Two Superdelegates... Update
This is just an update to let whoever reads this know that I received a personal email back from one of the two superdelegates! I could be wrong but my guess is that it is not a set form response as he addressed some specifics of my email. Its just nice to know that I was in direct communication with a superdelegate and that my voice was heard, acknowledged, and even appreciated!
National Mango Day!
Apparently, some day recently, although I can't say which, it was National Mango Day here in Mali. The BBC has a visually accurate portrayal of life in Mali as it pertains to the business of mangoes. Check it out here if you are interested.
(Dime dropped by returned Peace Corps volunteer Lindsay Bonanno)
Two Superdelegates Want Your Opinion
Here are two students who belong to College Democrats of America and have been (un)fortunate enough to be granted with, as they put it, "superpowers." They are indeed superdelegates. And they actually want your opinion as to who they should support.
No doubt this format of communication as well as their own demographic will most likely heavily favor them to eventually support Obama but if you want to have your voice heard by people who are less concerned about personal political considerations and more concerned about having the voice of the people heard, you can contact them and let them know what you think.
(Thievery reference - found on Huffington Post)
On Liberal Becoming a Bad Word
I have noticed over the last 5-7 years how much 'liberal' has become a bad word. An insult even. I have to admit that even I have shied away from it in the last couple of years when I describe my political views, opting instead for the as of yet relatively untainted title of "progressive."
There are definately aspects to this title that I think accurately describe my views. After all, I am most interested in seeing society in a state of constant re-evaluation and progress, always working toward what Barack Obama recently described as "a more perfect union."
However, in forsaking the term liberal I worry that we might forsake the values that are inherent within it. I have been listening to Sunday sermons from Seattle's University Unitarian Church lately. The head minister at UUC is a profoundly thoughtful man by the name of Reverend Jon Luopa. In an excellent sermon from last Sunday he brought to the attention of his listeners that the translation of the hebrew liberal means magnanimus. This caused me to reflect (something a public leader should do) more on the subject. Should I be embarrassed of the title liberal? Is not magnanimity a value that I proudly aspire towards? A value that I hold dearly?
Now labels are just labels and all too often they artificially disect us into conflicting parties, create false dichotomies, or paint us into boxes in which no individual could exclusively reside. But I am not entirely against labels because they help describe and allow us to make some initial, although superficial, determinations. They provide a starting point.
Unfortunately, I think liberals/progressives have been far too willing to allow others to define the terms by which we identify ourselves. I think magnanimity is not something from which I should shy away.
There are definately aspects to this title that I think accurately describe my views. After all, I am most interested in seeing society in a state of constant re-evaluation and progress, always working toward what Barack Obama recently described as "a more perfect union."
However, in forsaking the term liberal I worry that we might forsake the values that are inherent within it. I have been listening to Sunday sermons from Seattle's University Unitarian Church lately. The head minister at UUC is a profoundly thoughtful man by the name of Reverend Jon Luopa. In an excellent sermon from last Sunday he brought to the attention of his listeners that the translation of the hebrew liberal means magnanimus. This caused me to reflect (something a public leader should do) more on the subject. Should I be embarrassed of the title liberal? Is not magnanimity a value that I proudly aspire towards? A value that I hold dearly?
Now labels are just labels and all too often they artificially disect us into conflicting parties, create false dichotomies, or paint us into boxes in which no individual could exclusively reside. But I am not entirely against labels because they help describe and allow us to make some initial, although superficial, determinations. They provide a starting point.
Unfortunately, I think liberals/progressives have been far too willing to allow others to define the terms by which we identify ourselves. I think magnanimity is not something from which I should shy away.
Scalia: Torture is not 'Cruel and Unusual' Punishment
From Think Progress yesterday:
Last night, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia granted his first broad-based television interview, to Lesley Stahl on CBS’s 60 Minutes. There he explained that the torture of detainees does not violate the 8th Amendment’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment” because, according to Scalia, torture is not used as punishment:
STAHL: If someone’s in custody, as in Abu Ghraib, and they are brutalized, by a law enforcement person — if you listen to the expression “cruel and unusual punishment,” doesn’t that apply?
SCALIA: No. To the contrary. You think — Has anybody ever referred to torture as punishment? I don’t think so.
STAHL: Well I think if you’re in custody, and you have a policeman who’s taken you into custody–
SCALIA: And you say he’s punishing you? What’s he punishing you for? … When he’s hurting you in order to get information from you, you wouldn’t say he’s punishing you. What is he punishing you for?
This is remarkable. I would like to begin by stating the obvious fact that I am not a lawyer nor do I have exhaustive knowledge of what rights are granted to someone under the Geneva Conventions.
I would argue, however, that there does seem to me to be a clear link between torture and punishment. If someone is torturing you, they are punishing you for not divulging information that the torturer is after. I have never held witness to an interigation, but my guess is that suspected tororists would not be tortured if from the moment they were captured they provided valuable information to their captors. So regardless of whether someone's right to remain silent under incarceration is protected in instences of suspected terrorism, it does seem to me irrefutable that torture is a form of punishment.
Whether or not that punishment should be considered 'cruel and unusual' when dealing with a suspected terrorist seems open to debate at least from the standpoint of logic. But it seems utterly illogical to conclude that torture is not a form of punishment.
Note: I would just like to state for the record that I do personally beleive that torture constitutes 'cruel and unusual' punishment.
April 28, 2008
Radiohead: Brought to you by Prince
Prince provides a pretty good take on Radiohead's "Creep" at the Coachella Music Festival. I am not always a fan of Prince's music but you can't deny that he knows how to play the guitar. Now if we could only find out who was responsible for the Blair-Witch-Project-esque camera work... and shamelessly yelled "epic!!!" at the end...
(Theivery reference - Video found on Matthew Yglesias's blog)
April 27, 2008
An Artist is Born
This is a painting that Mariel brought home from school after she accidentally took part in an art class. I think it rivals Rembrandt. But maybe I am biased.
So Happy Together...
While I don't expect McCain to select Mike Huckabee to be his running mate, it is interesting how much these two look like a President and Vice-President.
Obama and the High Road
In another sign that Obama is going to take the high road approach this time around in Indiana and North Carolina, CNN's political ticker is reporting that when Obama was confronted yesterday on the subject of why he doesn't always hit back (a political strategy that sits in direct opposition to that of the Clintons) he stated...
He went on to say...
Now I am not so naive as to think that these comments are completely disconnected from political strategy, and I recognize that when politicians talk about fighting for the needs of the American people that that is a carefully crafted talking point, but nonetheless his is a strategy that I would like to see more politicians adopt.
“One of the things that I learned in the school yard was: the folks that are talking tough all the time, they’re not always that tough. If you’re really tough, you’re not always looking to try to start a fight. If you’re really tough, sometimes you just walk away. If you’re really tough, you just save it for when you really need it.”
He went on to say...
“I’m not interested in fighting people just for the sake of scoring political points. If I’m going to fight somebody it’s going to be fighting over the American people and what they need.”
Now I am not so naive as to think that these comments are completely disconnected from political strategy, and I recognize that when politicians talk about fighting for the needs of the American people that that is a carefully crafted talking point, but nonetheless his is a strategy that I would like to see more politicians adopt.
Happy Birthday!
Happy belated birthday to my brother Josh. As I posted on his facebook wall, I am ever appreciative of the fact that every April 25th he reminds me that I have four more years before I am "that" old. Thanks for always keeping me young.
Today's Letter is "E"
I have not posted a letter of the day in a few days now. This was for one simple reason. E was much more difficult to find than I had anticipated. This was eventually found on the 5 minute walk to Mariel's school.
April 26, 2008
Free Rice!
If you have a little time to kill and want to do some good and have fun improving your vocabulary check out FreeRice.com. This online vocab game gives you SAT-style vocabulary words along with a selection of possible synonyms. For every word you guess correctly the site donates 20 grains of rice to the US World Food Program.
That may not seem like a lot but according to Wikipedia there are approximately 1,000 grains of rice in one serving. So if you get 50 correct answers you have fed someone for one meal. 150 correct answers and you have fed someone for a day.
How long would that take? It took me 6 minutes to get 25 correct answers. And my vocabulary leaves a lot to be desired. So lets assume the average person could get 25 correct answers in 5 minutes. If you spent 10 minutes a day playing you could feed a person three meals in less than a week! Just for playing a fun game!
UPDATE: I guess my math skills also leave a lot to be desired. If we assume 25 correct answers in 5 minutes, than we could also probably assume 50 correct answers in 10 minutes. This would mean 1 meal per 10 minutes. Which of course means that you could feed one person for a whole day in 3 days not six days. And you could feed two people for a day after 6 days!
That may not seem like a lot but according to Wikipedia there are approximately 1,000 grains of rice in one serving. So if you get 50 correct answers you have fed someone for one meal. 150 correct answers and you have fed someone for a day.
How long would that take? It took me 6 minutes to get 25 correct answers. And my vocabulary leaves a lot to be desired. So lets assume the average person could get 25 correct answers in 5 minutes. If you spent 10 minutes a day playing you could feed a person three meals in less than a week! Just for playing a fun game!
UPDATE: I guess my math skills also leave a lot to be desired. If we assume 25 correct answers in 5 minutes, than we could also probably assume 50 correct answers in 10 minutes. This would mean 1 meal per 10 minutes. Which of course means that you could feed one person for a whole day in 3 days not six days. And you could feed two people for a day after 6 days!
Letting Hillary Lose
This is why I love Andrew Sullivan. I firmly believe that the reason the Clinton's were so politically successful in the 90's is because they perform exceptionally well under attack. They do a great job of playing stoic victims who are willing to stick up for themselves and fight back. And we loved them for it. I still do love that about them when they are being attacked by those who are more interested in scoring political points than in engaging in a constructive and informative debate on areas of disagreement.
What has turned me off the Clinton's this time around has been the fact that while they still at times are on the receiving end of some of these attacks, the majority of the attacks aimed at scoring political points (i.e. ones that are not based around differences in policy or approach) are not coming from Obama or his campaign. Yet her retaliatory attacks seem almost exclusively reserved for Obama. Its analogous to brother 1 hitting brother 2 and brother 2 turning and hitting brother 3. This has the effect of changing the dynamic of the engagement and in the process Clinton goes from justified victim to unjustified aggressor.
Throughout this campaign, when Obama has remained above the fray, he has been rewarded by the voters. But when he has engaged in her form of political warfare then she has effectively regained the position of victim - a position of strength for the Clintons as they have demonstrated time and time again. This is exactly the approach Obama engaged in in Pennsylvania and it didn't work.
Today I think I see what may be Obama's recognition of this mistake. There has been a lot of talk about the damage that Sen. Clinton is inflicting on the Democratic party and its chances of success in November. It would be an easy opportunity for Obama to nod in agreement without pursuing it to hard. But I see that he is taking the high road on this issue when I read in the Washington Post this statement by Obama...
Because the numbers favor him so heavily, the best thing Obama can do right now is focus on McCain and begin the long process of reconciliation. He can speak to the his base and speak to the constituent groups who have eluded him thus far without worrying to much about earning their vote immediately. Many have suggested that he needs to land a knockout punch. I couldn't disagree more. That will only alienate those who we need to vote Democratic in November. The process of reconciliation will be long and he needs to begin now. The best way to do that is to let Hillary beat herself.
What has turned me off the Clinton's this time around has been the fact that while they still at times are on the receiving end of some of these attacks, the majority of the attacks aimed at scoring political points (i.e. ones that are not based around differences in policy or approach) are not coming from Obama or his campaign. Yet her retaliatory attacks seem almost exclusively reserved for Obama. Its analogous to brother 1 hitting brother 2 and brother 2 turning and hitting brother 3. This has the effect of changing the dynamic of the engagement and in the process Clinton goes from justified victim to unjustified aggressor.
Throughout this campaign, when Obama has remained above the fray, he has been rewarded by the voters. But when he has engaged in her form of political warfare then she has effectively regained the position of victim - a position of strength for the Clintons as they have demonstrated time and time again. This is exactly the approach Obama engaged in in Pennsylvania and it didn't work.
Today I think I see what may be Obama's recognition of this mistake. There has been a lot of talk about the damage that Sen. Clinton is inflicting on the Democratic party and its chances of success in November. It would be an easy opportunity for Obama to nod in agreement without pursuing it to hard. But I see that he is taking the high road on this issue when I read in the Washington Post this statement by Obama...
"I never believe in irreparable breaches. I'm a big believer in reconciliation and redemption," Obama told reporters in Indianapolis. "So, look, this has been a fierce contest. I've said repeatedly: Come August, there will be a whole lot of people standing on a stage with a lot of balloons and confetti raining down on the Democratic nominee, and people are going to be excited about taking on John McCain in November."
Because the numbers favor him so heavily, the best thing Obama can do right now is focus on McCain and begin the long process of reconciliation. He can speak to the his base and speak to the constituent groups who have eluded him thus far without worrying to much about earning their vote immediately. Many have suggested that he needs to land a knockout punch. I couldn't disagree more. That will only alienate those who we need to vote Democratic in November. The process of reconciliation will be long and he needs to begin now. The best way to do that is to let Hillary beat herself.
Fast: Day 5
This is a sad day in my fast. I wasn't forced to quit, but it was convincingly suggested that I bring my fast to a close.
For the last couple of days I have noticed that my eyes were becoming a bit yellow around the irises. While I didn't like the way it looked, I attributed it to the fast and since it was a short fast I figured I could just ride it out.
However, last night Mariel and I were attending a social event at her director's house when one of our friends from the Embassy noticed how yellow my eyes were. He said he thought it really didn't look good but that I should go have his wife, who is a registered nurse, check it out. We went over to her so she could take a look and she said that it looked like I was suffering from Jaundice. She asked me what I thought might have caused it and I of course mentioned that I had been fasting for the last 5 days. She immediately gave me the look of "Why in the world would you be doing that?" After which she asked me, "Why in the world are you doing that?" I tried to explain to her what my reasons were but its difficult to do so without sounding hippie or new-age so I just told her there were many reasons. Anyway, she said that she recommended that I stop fasting immediately. I pondered it for the next hour or so but ultimately I decided that it wasn't worth liver failure to fast.
I do, however, remain determined to fast again but think it won't be until I am back in the states and can do so with all the proper ingredients - I was using sugar in the place of grade B maple syrup and when the store was out of lime juice I decided to use mango juice. So for those that were enjoying reading about my adventures, I apologize. I do believe in enduring a certain amount of discomfort for a worthy goal, but I think to recklessly and needlessly put one's health at risk is disrespectful of the wonderful gift of health that I have been given.
The 5 days during which I did fast were great, however, and I am glad I did it. Last night I broke fast with an olive which I took to be symbolic of the peace that I was making with my body (although it was not attached to the branch).
I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my short-lived and unfortunately truncated journey. Please feel free to share your thoughts on what you read during these last few days.
For the last couple of days I have noticed that my eyes were becoming a bit yellow around the irises. While I didn't like the way it looked, I attributed it to the fast and since it was a short fast I figured I could just ride it out.
However, last night Mariel and I were attending a social event at her director's house when one of our friends from the Embassy noticed how yellow my eyes were. He said he thought it really didn't look good but that I should go have his wife, who is a registered nurse, check it out. We went over to her so she could take a look and she said that it looked like I was suffering from Jaundice. She asked me what I thought might have caused it and I of course mentioned that I had been fasting for the last 5 days. She immediately gave me the look of "Why in the world would you be doing that?" After which she asked me, "Why in the world are you doing that?" I tried to explain to her what my reasons were but its difficult to do so without sounding hippie or new-age so I just told her there were many reasons. Anyway, she said that she recommended that I stop fasting immediately. I pondered it for the next hour or so but ultimately I decided that it wasn't worth liver failure to fast.
I do, however, remain determined to fast again but think it won't be until I am back in the states and can do so with all the proper ingredients - I was using sugar in the place of grade B maple syrup and when the store was out of lime juice I decided to use mango juice. So for those that were enjoying reading about my adventures, I apologize. I do believe in enduring a certain amount of discomfort for a worthy goal, but I think to recklessly and needlessly put one's health at risk is disrespectful of the wonderful gift of health that I have been given.
The 5 days during which I did fast were great, however, and I am glad I did it. Last night I broke fast with an olive which I took to be symbolic of the peace that I was making with my body (although it was not attached to the branch).
I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my short-lived and unfortunately truncated journey. Please feel free to share your thoughts on what you read during these last few days.
April 25, 2008
A New Level Of Audacity
As of Tuesday, the Clinton campaign has been trying to make the case that the pledged delegate count should not carry as much weight as the popular vote when superdelegates are facing the difficult choice of who to throw their support behind. But at the same time the ground work for an even more audacious claim is being laid. According to yesterday's National Journal Online, Geoff Garin, Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, recently told the Washington Post...
Now, it is important to realize what Garin means by "some numerical metric." He is, of course, referring to that little thing that we use as the fundamental basis of our democracy known as voting. He is in essence saying that regardless of the outcome of the pledged delegate count and, yes, even the popular vote, that the remaining undecided superdelegates should make their decision as to who to support based upon who has "proven themselves to be the best candidate."
If this argument were carried out to its logical conclusion, one could easily ask, Why even vote at all? Why not have candidates campaign for over a year and then have around 800 party insiders decide who has proven themselves.
I find it immensely ironic that the reason Clinton claims she is pressing so hard for Florida and Michigan to be counted into the total popular vote count is that to not include them would disenfranchise voters. But isn't the statement above made by her chief strategist suggest that they believe such numeric metrics shouldn't mean anything?
This is truly a new level of audacity.
"We don't think this is just going to be about some numerical metric. When we get to those days after June 3rd, we think the real choice is who's proven themselves to be the best candidate."
Now, it is important to realize what Garin means by "some numerical metric." He is, of course, referring to that little thing that we use as the fundamental basis of our democracy known as voting. He is in essence saying that regardless of the outcome of the pledged delegate count and, yes, even the popular vote, that the remaining undecided superdelegates should make their decision as to who to support based upon who has "proven themselves to be the best candidate."
If this argument were carried out to its logical conclusion, one could easily ask, Why even vote at all? Why not have candidates campaign for over a year and then have around 800 party insiders decide who has proven themselves.
I find it immensely ironic that the reason Clinton claims she is pressing so hard for Florida and Michigan to be counted into the total popular vote count is that to not include them would disenfranchise voters. But isn't the statement above made by her chief strategist suggest that they believe such numeric metrics shouldn't mean anything?
This is truly a new level of audacity.
Amusing African Anecdotes
Here are some pictures that a fellow Peace Corps volunteer passed on to me. Some of this stuff I have seen personally, others its not too hard to imagine seeing it... but only in Africa!
This is even more old school than a boombox on the shoulder (And, yes, that is a car battery on his head).
What? This isn't what your waterheater looks like?
Get it? Get it? Haha.
I guess you just hope that your injury doesn't require immediate care.
This is very normal actually.
Not exactly well thought out was it?
This is quite the special.
Typical Malian thought process.
This is even more old school than a boombox on the shoulder (And, yes, that is a car battery on his head).
What? This isn't what your waterheater looks like?
Get it? Get it? Haha.
I guess you just hope that your injury doesn't require immediate care. 
This is very normal actually.
Not exactly well thought out was it?
This is quite the special.
Typical Malian thought process.
April 24, 2008
Fast: Day 4
Today is the best I have felt so far. I think it takes a few days for your body to adjust to and accept not eating. There were very few hunger pangs, no abdominal cramping, and more sustained levels of energy throughout the day. I did get tired earlier than I normally would if I wasn’t fasting but I think that is to be expected. It feels good to know that I am over half way through now. On Saturday, one of my Peace Corps friends is finishing up her service so tomorrow there is a group of us going out to a nice Lebanese restaurant to do tapas. This will most likely be a difficult experience. Intuitively, when I am by myself and there is no food around, I do just fine. It’s always the most difficult when those around me are eating really good food. So we will see how I deal with that tomorrow.
I guess I don’t have as much to write about today because overall it is the day that has felt the most normal. Maybe I’ll have more to write about after dinner tomorrow.
I guess I don’t have as much to write about today because overall it is the day that has felt the most normal. Maybe I’ll have more to write about after dinner tomorrow.
PA Primary Final Result: Obama is the Democratic Nominee
Seems counter intuitive doesn't it? But watch as TPM's Greg Sargent demonstrates how difficult it would be for Hillary to catch up in either the pledged delegate count OR the popular vote.
I'm sold.
I'm sold.
Food crisis: Africa's problem becomes our problem
- Generally Food Secure - green- Moderately Food Insecure - yellow
- Highly Food Insecure - orange
- Extremely Food Insecure - red
In response to the food crisis that has exploded over the news waves over the last few days and in response to rumors of a sub-sahelian "food crisis", here is an excerpt from an email I received from Peace Corps Associate Director in charge of the Natural Resource Management sector. This is through the Malian prism...
"[Experts] confirmed that Mali is in a better position relative to other countries in Sub-Sahelian West Africa regarding food security (especially Senegal, Mauritania, Niger,...). they said the thing to watch is the price of rice relative to coarse grains (millet, sorghum)- people prefer rice becasue it is easier to prepare, but will shift to millet if the price of rice is too high. Currently rice is at 400 CFA per kilo, and the shift to coarse grains hasn't happened. Another strategy you will see people apply to cope with rising rice costs include reducing meat and vegetables in the sauce before they start cutting meals. Another strategy is that people will start using millet flour and processed millet in lieu of wheat and rice products. People will also start to cut back on educational, clothing, and health expenditures if food costs rise. There have been demonstrations about food prices planned in Bamako, but nobody is showing up to protest, so that is a sign that urban-dwellers here are not worried yet.
Mali has implemented an unofficial ban on exports, to ensure that Mali's poor will have access to the grain they need in case of a regional shortage (avoiding exportation of grain to our neighbors who need it more becasue their own stocks are depleted. The experts in the room yesterday were not in favor of this ban- they said that it won't prohibit cross-border trade, but it will lower the price Malian farmers receive for their grains, and it will increase the price the purchasers pay in countries where they need it most. The midddle-man profits more for taking the risk of violating the ban.
One of the great unknowns is how farmers will react during the hungry season- they will have to make a decision to hold on to their grain stocks or sell them. If the rains come early and people are feeling secure, they are more likely to put more grains on the market - making them available for people who have exhausted their own stores. However, if market prices for grains are really low and people are feeling uncertain about next year's potential harvest, they will be more conservative in the amount of grain they choose to sell. This will make it harder for hungry people to get the grain they need. If prices on the local market are low, but they can get higher prices from cross-border "unofficial" trade, they might prefer to do that."
And for all us Americans that assume these are Africa's problems and they are truly sad but what can we do? Well now it is our problem too. Both Costco and Sam's club are rationing rice sales. That is right. IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, we are rationing our food. Now obviously our situation is not as desperate as many other countries but we have been blessed with a warning that does not immediately put our livelihood in jeopardy. Let this lesson remind us that America is not immune to the problems of 'rest of the world.'
Wellness By Design
The Atlantic Monthly Online has a really cool narrated slideshow on how architecture and use of space and shape can create a more comfortable place for people to get better while they are in the hospital. I think I might be an architect in my next life.
Circle of Friends
This is an interesting graphic representation of my circle of friends on Facebook and who knows who. If you look at the large cluster ranging from the names in green on the lower left-hand side all the way up to the names in purple on the upper right-hand side, they are almost exclusively Peace Corps friends with the few exceptions being people who live in Mali who are not Peace Corps volunteers or people who have come to visit me in Mali and therefor know many of my Peace Corps friends (Mariel's sister, Micah, etc.).
The small cluster of friends at the bottom of the circle are friends from high school.
The remaining friends are friends from college, Softchoice (where I used to work before Peace Corps) and other places.
It is visually fascinating to me to see how much Peace Corps is part of my life and makes me realize that it will most likely be a 'club' that I am always a part of.
This wheel is not entirely representative of all my friends as many of my best friends aren't even on Facebook, but it is interesting nonetheless.
To see the picture in greater detail, just click on it!
April 23, 2008
Fast: Day 3
For the most part today was a good day. I felt like I was doing well at work (AISB), had a reasonable amount of energy and hunger wasn't getting to me too much. But around the time work got out my energy began to flag and I really just wanted to take a nap. Of course I didnt and just got distracted doing other things.
I am happy that I was able to think about food less today, though. I really focused on my goal from yesterday and it made the not eating easier. At lunch, I tried to remain focused on people's conversations and be more engaged in them. Yesterday, I pretty much just stared at people's food probably making a few people uncomfortable.
There were several things that I was able to focus on today that I think often times I ignore. Not that these things were incredibly important, but it did have a similar effect to going on a walk in the woods. When you reemerge you have a sense of having escaped just momentarily. Not to be too cheesy but here are somethings I noticed.
Touch - The rough spot on the top of my Nalgene bottle;
See - The wires that criss-cross overhead on the walk to Mariel's school;
Smell - The lamination that permeates all the school classrooms;
Hear - A truck that drove by the school during lunch.
I know a lot of these are trivial and can be easily dismissed as things we see, hear, or touch every day. But it can be almost meditative if you focus on it instead of just see it. Normally we experience these things in passing so it feels different to concentrate on them. These were the good parts of the day.
But there were some bad parts too that I think needed to be equally felt and expressed. Today I had some of the worst lower abdominal cramps I think I have ever had. I think I have been over doing the cayenne pepper in my juice drinks in attempt to restore some degree of flavor in my diet. The cayenne pepper is added of course to strip my insides of mucus build up but I think the amount I was adding led to the stripping of my intestines in their entirety. The pain would come and go but when it was present I was not fun to be around. I began chugging some water which an hour later seemed to help. Needless to say, there will not be cayenne pepper in my drink anymore as I think my intestines have had enough. Live and learn.
That's it for today. One more day down, one less day left to go.
I am happy that I was able to think about food less today, though. I really focused on my goal from yesterday and it made the not eating easier. At lunch, I tried to remain focused on people's conversations and be more engaged in them. Yesterday, I pretty much just stared at people's food probably making a few people uncomfortable.
There were several things that I was able to focus on today that I think often times I ignore. Not that these things were incredibly important, but it did have a similar effect to going on a walk in the woods. When you reemerge you have a sense of having escaped just momentarily. Not to be too cheesy but here are somethings I noticed.
Touch - The rough spot on the top of my Nalgene bottle;
See - The wires that criss-cross overhead on the walk to Mariel's school;
Smell - The lamination that permeates all the school classrooms;
Hear - A truck that drove by the school during lunch.
I know a lot of these are trivial and can be easily dismissed as things we see, hear, or touch every day. But it can be almost meditative if you focus on it instead of just see it. Normally we experience these things in passing so it feels different to concentrate on them. These were the good parts of the day.
But there were some bad parts too that I think needed to be equally felt and expressed. Today I had some of the worst lower abdominal cramps I think I have ever had. I think I have been over doing the cayenne pepper in my juice drinks in attempt to restore some degree of flavor in my diet. The cayenne pepper is added of course to strip my insides of mucus build up but I think the amount I was adding led to the stripping of my intestines in their entirety. The pain would come and go but when it was present I was not fun to be around. I began chugging some water which an hour later seemed to help. Needless to say, there will not be cayenne pepper in my drink anymore as I think my intestines have had enough. Live and learn.
That's it for today. One more day down, one less day left to go.
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