Scott's Blog

From, Stuff White People Like:

“The number one reason why white people like not having a TV is so that they can tell you that they don’t have a TV…though these people often fill their time by talking with other friends who don’t watch TV about how they don’t watch TV, looking at leaves, cooking, reading books about left wing politics, and going to concerts/protests/poetry slams.”

I was at a BBQ last night listening to a friend relate how she’s just finished watching every episode of Lost, Grey’s Anatomy and is working her way through the 1st season of Heroes. But then finished up her enthusiam for Heroes (which I share) by mentioning that she doesn’t own a TV (I gave her props, “Oh that’s great…me either!”)…so how does she consume her favorite media? She watches it all on her laptop (via iTunes).

A-ha! How fantastic is it to have technology provide us with an ability to continue to claim not owning a television but still reap all the benefits of keeping up on your favorite shows?! Brilliant. Only drawback? It’s a small screen…so I rig my lappy up to a projector…that way it’s still not technically a TV and I retain my non-TV-owning bragging rights.

The Greek Stoic Epictetus wrote, “Do you know that old age, disease, and death must overcome us, no matter what we are doing? What do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you? If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken, begin on that now.”

In Buddhism, the term “Samvega” means, a sense of urgency or passion for spiritual or life practice coming from knowing the preciousness of life and the constant nearness of death.

With a powerful sense of Samvega, I’ve decided to join the Obama campaign. I’ve always followed politics closely, but I’ve never been inspired to get involved with a political candidate before. While I write this, there are over 700 wildfires burning in Northern California because of Continue reading →

“Going Postal” has never been so well illustrated than in the recent “Insane Office Worker” video that’s making the rounds on YouTube. I found the official explanation for the event in a Russian newspaper and translated it using Google translator, viewable here. The video depicts an ad sales rep in a Russian yellow pages office. According to the article, he was sent over the edge when his colleague made a comment about him not receiving his sales commission and joked that he would now have to spend his vacation in the less-than-enticing Krym (Russia) instead of in Thailand. The article goes on to say that Continue reading →

Did anyone notice, about four years ago, how quickly McCain changed his tone after a consistent straight-talkin’, anti-bush platform? My Dad asked the question while we were hiking recently, “What blackmail do they have on McCain that got him to change his tone so quick?” Perhaps McCain, as this photo suggests, just has a big ol’ crush on The Decider.

Regardless, I’m hoping that America won’t make the mistake of electing a guy who whistles when he talks like McCain does. And also this guy.

When Barack & Hillary announced their candidacy, I watched their respective speeches on the web and within seconds felt myself able to trust Barack Obama, and somewhat repulsed by Hillary. In the media, I believe what they refer to as her ‘likability’ is actually how lined up as an authentic human being she is. As a Clinton, she’s a master politician, able to switch and slide like her husband. But unlike Bubba, there’s some way in which she doesn’t seem to enjoy it like he does. You trust his slick-willy act, don’t you? It feels like the real him. With Hillary it feels like a means to an end. Like she’s putting something on, and we pick up on it. I felt it immediately when I saw her intent-to-run speech, here.

I’ve been reading Malcolm Gladwell’s second book, Blink, which describes the feats our subconcious is capable of in assessing situations and quickly making decisions. Turns out our subconcious is considerably adept at picking up on vocal intonation, facial expression, posture and other telltale signs of a human being’s wholeness and integrity. Continue reading →