I have been finding myself getting into a lot of fights with my jewish friends recently over the current conflict in Gaza. One of my dearest friends went as far as to say that I was abandoning israel. I can honestly say that no words have stung me so deeply (outside those involved in affairs of the heart) since I was teased as a child. I do not think she was that out of line, being that I can easily imagine how what I said could have been taken out of context.
My main issue is this: I hate those stupid qassam rocket counter applications on facebook. I see it as a trivialization of a humanitarian disaster. Over a thousand people have been killed in Gaza, many of them innocent civilians. Personally I don't give a damn about the militants that have been killed, in fact while I hate to see people die as a general rule, these guys probably deserve it. Counting the qassams is effectively trying to say that the suffering being inflicted upon us is equivalent to the people in gaza, that we are victims to. We are not the victims here, and saying that we are is an insult to everyone's intelligence. Israel is a military superpower that can kick anyone's ass 5 times over. The Palestinian people are the victims here. However, the Palestinians being the victims does not make Israel the antagonist. That is a role that clearly goes to hamas, an organization that has absolutely no care for the welfare of the people they supposedly defend, and in fact uses them as human shields so that a) the israel wont attack, and b) when they do the civilian death toll is nauseatingly high.
My objection with Israel than is not that they are acting as the bad guys, but it is that they are not acting as the smart guys. While I understand that a military action is necessary, an offensive of this magnitude is overboard. At the end of the day, I do not see how this military action will further the goals of peace. Israel's overpowering military has effectively dumbed the nation down on both a strategic and tactical level. When engaging in a military operation, it is important for the actor to set out an objective with a known path for accomplishing it. The strategy of bombing an area till they stop shooting at us is about as clumsy as one can get. I understand that there is a need for the occassional missile strike to take out a rocket site as it is fired, but israel is going far beyond that. What ever happened to the era of heroic raids by commandos infiltrating in burkas taking out a top militant target in the dead of night and the 007 style assassinations of terrorist leaders that made Mosad one of the most feared intelligence organizations on the planet? Bringing back these types of operations would result in far fewer civilian casualties. This would be of significant importance for reducing future recruitment efforts by terrorist groups, improve international perceptions of israel, and most importantly would be saving innocent lives. Isnt that what the good guys are supposed to do?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
an aged cliche
They say with age comes wisdom, well while I am getting age (no laughing from the people older than me... and while 24 aint a grandpa it means i aint a kid anymore) I seem to be lacking in gaining wisdom. However, aside from a decrepit (I jest) body, I seem to be shifting in my priorities in life. Nothing grand or anything, but I have been feeling an overwhelming urge to create. I am not sure what creates this drive, it could be a subconscious understanding of my own mortality (which I consciously deny) or as equally likely , it could be a desire to see what can come from my mind. Regardless of what it actually is, I can safely say that my artistic biological clock is ticking. I have tried to use my crappy writing (this) or crappy poetry (which you will NEVER see) as an outlet for this, however it seems that that has not quite been enough. So tomorrow I am going out to waste $250 to buy a used Sony A100 SLR which thankfully interfaces quite nicely with my dad's old Minolta Autofocus lenses and will tr my hand at amatur photography.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Peace corps ++
Hi all,
As I attempt to continue my commitment to my digital writing rag, i struggle to find things to write about because im guessing most people would be bored to tears by me writing about my thesis (and if you arent you should come and finish it for me). Anyways, I just booked my peace corps interview for next week, and I am a little nervous about it. I will have to do an update about how it goes when it happens. I am guessing that this is the first mention I have made of me joining the peace corps so i should probably back up and start from the beginning.
At some point last year, I had the fortune to become both dissillusioned in my future as a phycisist and insired by the ongoing primaries. The former resulted from the realization of two things; one being that if i continued down the road I was on, I would live a fairly stable and content life, something that bored me to tears, and second and possibly more important, that at the end of thge day, I am just not good at physics. Now some out there might argue that I have no faith in myself and that I cant be that bad if I made it out of Reed's program, but I respond to them, there are some people who are awesome at street basketball who have no shot at the NBA. I am one of those (but with physics, I really suck something fierce at basketball). The latter of the above mentioned catagory had more to do with the general tone of the election as opposed to my all around effection for President Elect Barack Obama. Hearing Senators John McCain (whom i still admire), Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama (thats a lot of capitilization) talk about service to the nation really struck a chord in me, and inspired me to go out and join the corps. Anyways, school was really busy, and I was retty involved with the election, so I was tied up for quite a few months. Anyhow, in October I picked up the pace. I will give a more detailed piece on my motivations in the near future. But anywhoo that is that
As I attempt to continue my commitment to my digital writing rag, i struggle to find things to write about because im guessing most people would be bored to tears by me writing about my thesis (and if you arent you should come and finish it for me). Anyways, I just booked my peace corps interview for next week, and I am a little nervous about it. I will have to do an update about how it goes when it happens. I am guessing that this is the first mention I have made of me joining the peace corps so i should probably back up and start from the beginning.
At some point last year, I had the fortune to become both dissillusioned in my future as a phycisist and insired by the ongoing primaries. The former resulted from the realization of two things; one being that if i continued down the road I was on, I would live a fairly stable and content life, something that bored me to tears, and second and possibly more important, that at the end of thge day, I am just not good at physics. Now some out there might argue that I have no faith in myself and that I cant be that bad if I made it out of Reed's program, but I respond to them, there are some people who are awesome at street basketball who have no shot at the NBA. I am one of those (but with physics, I really suck something fierce at basketball). The latter of the above mentioned catagory had more to do with the general tone of the election as opposed to my all around effection for President Elect Barack Obama. Hearing Senators John McCain (whom i still admire), Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama (thats a lot of capitilization) talk about service to the nation really struck a chord in me, and inspired me to go out and join the corps. Anyways, school was really busy, and I was retty involved with the election, so I was tied up for quite a few months. Anyhow, in October I picked up the pace. I will give a more detailed piece on my motivations in the near future. But anywhoo that is that
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Let us move on
I admit it, I dropped off the face of the planet. There are two reasons for this, one bad and one less bad:
1. I am convinced no one actually reads this so it doesnt reaaally matter if I update this or not
2. I have been swamped with thesis, schoolwork, TAing, and moving
That said, I apologize to all of my imaginary readers and I am now going to try my best to remain diligent. In the event that anyone out there does look at this on occassion, please leave me a comment once in a while, it really would make my day.
Anyhow, with the election over, it seems somewhat foolish for me to continue to write about politics, but I would like to talk a little bit about my trip to Nevada waaaay after the fact. However, instead of doing one big update, I am going to give a few stories (but not all at once) over the next few days to get me back into the blogging mood.
Our trip started with us leaving vancouver redonculously early in the morning, having been given a ride to the airport by my wonderful mother. The moment we set down we were put on active duty right away registering people at the University of (Northern?) Las Vegas [UNLV] campus. It just so happens that that day was a giant hoobaskank concert put together by some branch of the democratic party (it turns out there are like a gagillian different branches, the DNC, the campaign for change, the Nevada democratic party, the young democrats (or something like that) and so on). The most interesting event of note was that the event was quickly invaded by ACORN registrars who were overly agressive in their voter registration efforts. For example, when I told them that I was out of state and could not in Nevada, they told me that I could change my registration to Nevada, even though that would be highly illegal. I was later told by Roger, the youth boss of the nevada campaign for change to be very skeptical of ACORN registrars (this was 2 weeks before the ACORN scandal broke out).
After the event, we went to watch the Palin/Biden debate at a hookah bar/schwarma place. For the most part people where pretty damn flabergasted to hear the media say that the debate was a 'draw' considering that biden layed down some intellectual whoop ass. After that the girls went to the guest cabin we were staying in, while I went to work on data entry and making voter reg (registration) packages for the next day.
1. I am convinced no one actually reads this so it doesnt reaaally matter if I update this or not
2. I have been swamped with thesis, schoolwork, TAing, and moving
That said, I apologize to all of my imaginary readers and I am now going to try my best to remain diligent. In the event that anyone out there does look at this on occassion, please leave me a comment once in a while, it really would make my day.
Anyhow, with the election over, it seems somewhat foolish for me to continue to write about politics, but I would like to talk a little bit about my trip to Nevada waaaay after the fact. However, instead of doing one big update, I am going to give a few stories (but not all at once) over the next few days to get me back into the blogging mood.
Our trip started with us leaving vancouver redonculously early in the morning, having been given a ride to the airport by my wonderful mother. The moment we set down we were put on active duty right away registering people at the University of (Northern?) Las Vegas [UNLV] campus. It just so happens that that day was a giant hoobaskank concert put together by some branch of the democratic party (it turns out there are like a gagillian different branches, the DNC, the campaign for change, the Nevada democratic party, the young democrats (or something like that) and so on). The most interesting event of note was that the event was quickly invaded by ACORN registrars who were overly agressive in their voter registration efforts. For example, when I told them that I was out of state and could not in Nevada, they told me that I could change my registration to Nevada, even though that would be highly illegal. I was later told by Roger, the youth boss of the nevada campaign for change to be very skeptical of ACORN registrars (this was 2 weeks before the ACORN scandal broke out).
After the event, we went to watch the Palin/Biden debate at a hookah bar/schwarma place. For the most part people where pretty damn flabergasted to hear the media say that the debate was a 'draw' considering that biden layed down some intellectual whoop ass. After that the girls went to the guest cabin we were staying in, while I went to work on data entry and making voter reg (registration) packages for the next day.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Boom De Yada
I promise ill do the Nevada thing next... but heres one more little present (I cant get this out of my head and i hope i curse you all with it as well)
Friday, October 10, 2008
An Apology for Our Insensitivity
So I am back from Nevada and the trip was amazing. I will give a massive update on the weekend as i procrastinate thesis work. Until then, let me tide you over with a Quest (Reed college newspaper) written by your truly (and an anonymous contributor) back in '06. This piece originates from a small scandle that was centered around me and the others at the Cool Ass Shirt Kollective after my vision of creating 'Gay Zombies Love Man Meat' shirts was realized. While there was a direct response to the criticisms made by Oren Elrad the president of CASK, I thought that the attacks on the shirt had a valid point, and below is my apology.
We at the Cool Ass Shirt Kollective [CASK] would like to extend a formal apology for any offense that our most recent shirt might have caused you. Upon further consideration, the slogan written upon said shirt, "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," was indeed insensitive and did not adequately consider the complex issues that surround depictions of this group in our modern world. Future shirts will be suitably altered to reflect our error, but for now we would like to use the rest of the space provided to convey to you all that the CASK understands the unique challenges that you, the Zombies, face today.
While most people can go through their lives confident that they will be treated fairly and as equals in academia and in the workplace, Zombies cannot. And though none of the members of CASK can count themselves amongst the ranks of the walking dead, we understand how difficult it must be to be a Zombie in day to day life. Though none of us have ever had to face down the indignity of being repeatedly shot by a 12-gauge double-barreled Remington shotgun with a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger, (Available exclusively from S-Mart for 109.95: Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart) while trying to enter the grocery store, you can rest assured that whenever someone unloads buckshot into you, your bullet holes will wound our spirits just as they do your decaying flesh. Sure, we can all take for granted that we can nod our heads in agreement without worry of one of our eyes falling out, but nonetheless we understand your dilemma and will always be there to lend an eyepatch or pair of sunglasses, whichever better matches the mangled rags you're wearing. And we'd be fools to think that the dietary restrictions some of Jewish or Vegan members abide by could even hold a candle to the difficulties of finding a steady supply of tender human flesh. And perhaps more trivially, we can understand how frustrating it must be to shop for a deodorant that adequately masks the overpowering stench of death. We suggest "Ocean Surf," or for the ladies amongst you, "Lilac Breeze," although we remind you that your unique aroma is as God, your thesis advisor, or whatever Voodoo curse or genetically engineered plague made you and that you should bear it with pride.
It is all too easy to focus on the struggles Zombies face while ignoring the lessons that we can learn from them. When we first penned "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," we intended it as an Unlife-affirming reminder of one of the passions of the Zombie community. It is clear from the furor that has resulted that this slogan, though certainly true, failed to convey the flexibility and open-mindedness of the shambling dead. Most people will go through life shackled with the ability to love only one type of meat, cruelly prevented by their instincts and cultural traditions from exploring the pleasures that the other type might provide. Zombies, on the other hand, have broken free of the bonds of gender and have embraced a pan-cannibalistic world view that treats ALL humans as equally savory. And so while it is true that "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," to ignore their love of Woman-Meat does a great disservice to their enlightened culture of equality. Perhaps a better shirt would have borne the slogan "All Zombies Love All Meat," but alas, hindsight is always 20-20.
When asked about the shirt, recently made thesis zombie, Michael Salk responded, tersely, “Braaaaaaains [sic]” showing obvious offence at the lack of intellectual credit attributed to those of the `differently living', and the living-centric, over-rationalized discourse of hegemonic phallogo-materialism.
We at CASK dream of future where such misunderstandings never happen and humans and Zombies can live in peaceful coexistence. And though our present society has yet to cast away its prejudices like the medieval relics that they are, you can always count on us to think of you not as unholy, disgusting monsters but rather as unholy, disgusting friends. So the next time you're swarming out of a small town graveyard or being shipped to Iraq so we can get out before the midterm elections, think of us at CASK and know that we're on your side. True, as you lamented, "PC" may be dead at Reed. We can only hope that our words will pave the way to a Reed College where death is seen as just another way of living.
We at the Cool Ass Shirt Kollective [CASK] would like to extend a formal apology for any offense that our most recent shirt might have caused you. Upon further consideration, the slogan written upon said shirt, "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," was indeed insensitive and did not adequately consider the complex issues that surround depictions of this group in our modern world. Future shirts will be suitably altered to reflect our error, but for now we would like to use the rest of the space provided to convey to you all that the CASK understands the unique challenges that you, the Zombies, face today.
While most people can go through their lives confident that they will be treated fairly and as equals in academia and in the workplace, Zombies cannot. And though none of the members of CASK can count themselves amongst the ranks of the walking dead, we understand how difficult it must be to be a Zombie in day to day life. Though none of us have ever had to face down the indignity of being repeatedly shot by a 12-gauge double-barreled Remington shotgun with a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger, (Available exclusively from S-Mart for 109.95: Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart) while trying to enter the grocery store, you can rest assured that whenever someone unloads buckshot into you, your bullet holes will wound our spirits just as they do your decaying flesh. Sure, we can all take for granted that we can nod our heads in agreement without worry of one of our eyes falling out, but nonetheless we understand your dilemma and will always be there to lend an eyepatch or pair of sunglasses, whichever better matches the mangled rags you're wearing. And we'd be fools to think that the dietary restrictions some of Jewish or Vegan members abide by could even hold a candle to the difficulties of finding a steady supply of tender human flesh. And perhaps more trivially, we can understand how frustrating it must be to shop for a deodorant that adequately masks the overpowering stench of death. We suggest "Ocean Surf," or for the ladies amongst you, "Lilac Breeze," although we remind you that your unique aroma is as God, your thesis advisor, or whatever Voodoo curse or genetically engineered plague made you and that you should bear it with pride.
It is all too easy to focus on the struggles Zombies face while ignoring the lessons that we can learn from them. When we first penned "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," we intended it as an Unlife-affirming reminder of one of the passions of the Zombie community. It is clear from the furor that has resulted that this slogan, though certainly true, failed to convey the flexibility and open-mindedness of the shambling dead. Most people will go through life shackled with the ability to love only one type of meat, cruelly prevented by their instincts and cultural traditions from exploring the pleasures that the other type might provide. Zombies, on the other hand, have broken free of the bonds of gender and have embraced a pan-cannibalistic world view that treats ALL humans as equally savory. And so while it is true that "Gay Zombies Love Man-Meat," to ignore their love of Woman-Meat does a great disservice to their enlightened culture of equality. Perhaps a better shirt would have borne the slogan "All Zombies Love All Meat," but alas, hindsight is always 20-20.
When asked about the shirt, recently made thesis zombie, Michael Salk responded, tersely, “Braaaaaaains [sic]” showing obvious offence at the lack of intellectual credit attributed to those of the `differently living', and the living-centric, over-rationalized discourse of hegemonic phallogo-materialism.
We at CASK dream of future where such misunderstandings never happen and humans and Zombies can live in peaceful coexistence. And though our present society has yet to cast away its prejudices like the medieval relics that they are, you can always count on us to think of you not as unholy, disgusting monsters but rather as unholy, disgusting friends. So the next time you're swarming out of a small town graveyard or being shipped to Iraq so we can get out before the midterm elections, think of us at CASK and know that we're on your side. True, as you lamented, "PC" may be dead at Reed. We can only hope that our words will pave the way to a Reed College where death is seen as just another way of living.
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