Word of the Day

catenary

Dalai Lama on peace and mayhem - ahem

Dalai Lama quote via http://www.gunthorp.com/QUOTES.HTM

"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun."

-The Dalai Lama

Comments?

Four, Five Americans ...

Last weekend in the EPL (English Premier League), Reading faced Fulham, with four American soccer players on the top league, perhaps in the world of football.

Goalkeeper Marcus Hahneman faced Kasey Keller, two Americans, two from the state of Washington. With a goal and an assist from American national Brian McBride, Fulham prevailed with two US field players and a goalkeeper.

With three more on the pitch that weekend - James, Howard, and Friedel, joined Hahneman and Keller - That weekend no less than five USA goalkeepers played in the EPL. Is this progress?

Should we invade England, to enforce a more globally representative selection of U.S. players?

Sorting Days

Winter mornings we sit watching rain fall into the pond. We read poetry, The Book of Hours by Rilke, written about 100 years ago. These poems are in a book that Susan sent us for Christmas. The original poems were recently translated by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows.

While we sit reading our children are busy protecting, building, wiring, shipping, creating, traveling. They move through their days at a pace often set by others. They must contemplate in motion. We slowly sort throughts, books our saved papers, old photos.

... - Diane Wyland Carle (2006)

Hormones & Wall Street

We have pilloried women over the years for their 'womanly ways' when it comes to thinking and doing business.

Now we find, in the April 15th Chicago Tribune article by Joshua Boak and Robert Mitchum, Hormones May Be Markets Master, that science is answering puzzlings by economic observers on the volatile and sometimes irrational market movements with hormonal theories. That is, its' the high levels of testosterone in the morning that account.

Hmmmm. Do I sense an onrush of various lawsuits? Or, a new movement of a differing type?

Nigerian Update ...

News that a Seattle film crew were 'losts' and out of contact, has been encouraging with stories today that contact has been made. (Sandy Cioffi, fulltime faculty at Seattle Central Community Colleges currently on sabatical, is the independent project's director.)

This Seattle Times article fills in alot of the unknowns, but more questions remain... about the documentary film project, "Sweet Crude", the nature of live, politics, and government in Nigeria.

Looking deeper still, it is inherent upon the citizenery (us) to consider the international policies of our national government, our leading global corporations, and their impact on the lives of others, realizing that ultimately the impact falls on us.

Do you believe we should follow our own philosophies abroad? How about our own laws - of environment, workers and peoples rights?

Resources (courtesy of the Seattle Times): the archive story; the film's website was in a 'hold' mode as of 3 pm Tuesday. Producer Tammi Simms, and crew members Cliff Worsham, Sean Porter, along with Joel Bisina, a peace mediator and founder of Niger Delta Professionals for Development in Warri.

April 15

Tuesday! A day of infamy heard around the world - or, at least, Seattle hopes coffee magnate Howard Schultz, perturbed that he not be named among the 6,000 powerful people in the world.
Is it merely a ploy to save his public relations arse? Or, has his love of the game awakened enough, and at the right time, to pull back the travesty that is Clay Bennett-led Oklahoma ownership group?
Seattle Times Headline shocks like a Starbucks triple shot!

Newspapers 101, 100, 99, ...

With the announcement that the Seattle Times prepares to lay off 160 people, comes further evidence that the changes in traditional approaches to media are under siege.

After Murdoch purchased the Wall Street Journal, with the Chicago Tribune owning the Los Angeles Times, and myriad other examples over recent years, journalism as we once new it faces huge challenges that emanate from the bottom-line but affect the quality of news coverage - breadth, depth, as well as other essential and non-essential qualities to a feely informed society.

This editorial in yesterday's Times' opinion section ...
Asking "If we're so irrelevant, why are you reading?", Ryan Blethen affirms the position that papers like his hold in vibrant communities.

And, this podcast put up by the Times' editorial staff to discuss the issues.

All part of their series, The Democracy Papers.

Dalai Lama visit highlights controversy

With the Seattle visit of the political leader of Tibet, the contesting viewpoints of Olympic host China, and many of its people, appear to clash with common viewpoint of spiritual tenets of buddhist philosophy - and some little discussed perspectives on past Tibetan practices.

The Seattle Times lead article, partnered with an interview with musician Dave Matthews who was invited to lead the conversation. Much in the news has been the clamour for political viewpoint positioning during the traditional run of the Olympic torch in Europe and in San Francisco, the latter its only North American continent appearance.

It brings up discussion of philosophical idealism of the Olympic movement, and the traditional political posturing of the host nations countered by any who oppose their popular views and, official practices.

Thoughts?

Immigrants Issues - Humanitarian Deporation

Today's article looks into a growing humanitarian crisis South of the border where Mexico's lack of doing anything for their population, while greatly benefiting from the funds sent back home by families who migrate North, create problems when US Immigration officials deport illegal immigrants to their border towns.

Across the border, 'a humanaitarian crisis' is brewing by Seattle Times reporter, Lornet Turnbull in one in a series, looks at differing panes of glass through to this looming issue.
(Archives of Times' stories here.)

Your thoughts?