December 2011
1 post
merry christmas, all you people i used to know
(from http://www.asofterworld.com)
April 2011
2 posts
Greg Mortenson's side of the '60 Minutes'...
“CBS News ‘60 Minutes’ on Friday alleged that Bozeman philanthropist Greg Mortenson fabricated some of the most dramatic and inspiring stories in his bestselling book ‘Three Cups of Tea’ and one year spent more money promoting his book than building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mortenson, 53, founder and executive director of the Central Asia Institute,...
Mind Training and the Habits of Happiness
Buddhism has resided on the periphery of my mind for some years now. Yet lately, for many reasons, I have brought it into a more central focus. I still feel like an infant, and I could in no way carry on an intelligent conversation about Buddhism and its history or tenants yet. But there is something about it that I cannot get away from. Over the last few years, there have been brief moments...
March 2011
6 posts
What's Behind Low Investment?
This post by John Taylor is getting a lot of attention, because it does show a striking correlation between investment and unemployment: John Taylor But when Taylor leaps from that correlation to saying that what we need for economic recovery is to “lighten up on the anti-business sentiment coming out of Washington,” I wonder what is going on in his head. I mean, Taylor presents another...
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Historic Return to Haiti...
This is truly an historic day, not only for Haiti, but also for the United States, whose goverment ousted Aristide from power twice. The Bush administration had no qualms about intervening and disrupting the democratic process of our sister nation in 2004. Though they initially denied direct involvement with the coup, they later admitted having a hand in his removal. Big surprise. Everyone knew...
Plastic Wrapped, Single Serve Bananas!
via dailymail.co.uk Apparently, Del Monte is promoting this as a “green” alternative, taking advantage of the marketability of the term “Green” because they put the banana in the bag while it is still green and let it ripen in the bag. Just when you thought capitalists couldn’t get any more evil or dumb… I predict plastic wrapped trees that convert oxygen...
Right-wing Colorado Newspaper Supports Wisconsin...
“In this view, $500,000 isn’t nearly enough taxpayer cash to retain government-funded bankers, but $48,000 (the average teacher salary in Wisconsin) is too much to pay educators. In this view, the government is “there to serve the banks,” as the new chairman of Congress’ Financial Services Committee said, but police and firefighters are expected to serve the population, even as those police...
Ampling Alp
I can’t get tired of this song, and the music video is just icing on the cake. “Stick up for yourself son! No mind what anybody else does..”
The real mocking bird
Lyre bird of Southern Australia mimics other birds, camera shutters, and chainsaws…
February 2011
4 posts
On Wisconsin: The View from Pakistan
“The point is that no self-respecting human being likes to be bullied, whether in Tripoli or in Madison. And in America, less urgently than in Libya but urgently enough, it’s high time we reclaimed an honest and legitimately popular politics.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ethan-casey/on-wisconsin-the-view-fro_b_826337.html
On Wisconsin: The View from Pakistan:...
“One of the stock lines I use in my public speaking around the U.S., when I’m trying to interest Americans in Pakistan and/or Haiti, goes something like this: ‘I grew up in an all-white town in Wisconsin. When I tell childhood stories, my wife says it sounds like Lake Wobegon. If you go from small-town Wisconsin to Haiti at age 16, as I did, you never go all the way back.’ I say...
What Does Egypt Mean for Pakistan?
“My starting point is that, in what I’ve been reading, Western writers are starting to speculate – ominously and/or hopefully, depending on their loyalties – on the wider implications of Egypt for the Arab world. Even factoring in the Western public’s fuzziness on the distinction between Arabs and Muslims, it’s striking to me that few seem to be wondering, in this context, about...
Ironic Points of Lights
Defenseless under the night Our world in stupor lies; Yet, dotted everywhere, Ironic points of light Flash out wherever the Just Exchange their messages: May I, composed like them Of Eros and of dust, Beleaguered by the same Negation and despair, Show an affirming flame.
January 2011
4 posts
Remembering Haiti 1 year after the quake. Support...
Today marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti that killed a quarter of a million people and maimed scores of others. I am in the process of making a documentary with musician and editor, Michael Bringardner, from the footage I captured during my three week trip there last summer. Read more about the project and help raise awareness about one of our oldest and closest neighbors...
Is America Any Different from Pakistan?...
“The analogy in America is to the right wing’s systematic encroachment on all public discourse, appropriation of all patriotic symbols and words (including “tea party”), and brazen aggression in accusing others of playing politics with a tragedy, when that is exactly what they themselves are doing. Those of us who instantly noted the Tucson attack’s political context were correct in doing...
My Haiti documentary and other projects
Hello Friends, It’s been a while since I’ve sent out any updates, but rest assured I’ve been anything but idle. As some of you know, I am now working for Seattle based author, Ethan Casey, with whom I traveled to Haiti last summer. In addition to assisting him with his travel schedule and other various administrative duties, we are collaborating on a number of projects...
Giffords, Taseer, the real America; good Muslims...
Hello Friends, It’s been a while since I’ve sent out any updates, but rest assured I’ve been anything but idle. As some of you know, I am now working for Seattle based author, Ethan Casey, with whom I traveled to Haiti last summer. In addition to assisting him with his travel schedule and other various administrative duties, we are collaborating on a number of projects together. ...
December 2010
4 posts
A Brief History of Internet Rights
Digital rights, civil and human rights, and the Internet have been a topic of debate and discussion for at least the last ten years now. The resurgent conversation around what a ‘bill of rights’ for communications on the Internet should look like, is, of course, surging again this week as Wikileaks and ‘cyberwar’ has been in the news. Some influential commentators like Jeff Jarvis are...
Pakistan and Islam
Challenging Adversity A Conversation about Pakistan, Haiti, What They Have to do with Each Other, and Why It Matters One of the many projects I have been working on this Fall has been organizing a small symposium on Haiti and Pakistan called, “Challenging Adversity.” The idea came about because of my recent trip to Haiti and the work I’ve been doing here in the US to change our cultural...
On Obama's Tax "Compromise"
Good to hear the president is so willing to compromise. I think he is reasonable, his reasoning rational, and his arguments are sound. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his opponents. At every turn, as you know, they have pulled out all the stops in order to stop any and everything President Obama has tried to do. So, ultimately, what the President’s compromise will translate as is...
On Obama's "Compromise"
Good to hear the president is so willing to compromise. I think he is reasonable, his reasoning rational, and his arguments are sound. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his opponents. At every turn, as you know, they have pulled out all the stops in order to stop any and everything President Obama has tried to do. So, ultimately, what the President’s compromise will translate as is...
November 2010
1 post
Candidates Want Haiti Election Annulled Over Fraud
via theepochtimes.com http://bit.ly/gJGI6E
October 2010
5 posts
BP Knew about Cement Flaws Before Spill, Panel...
News allert from NYT: ————— Forwarded message ————— From: “NYTimes.com News Alert” <nytdirect@nytimes.com> Date: Oct 28, 2010 10:48 AM Subject: News Alert: Firms Knew of Cement Flaws Before Spill, Panel Says To: <benjaminowen@gmail.com>Breaking News Alert The New York Times Thu, October 28, 2010 —...
Muslims in America: Time for a Movement?
http://bit.ly/c10XFe Ethan Casey’s latest article is a must read for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. “The ugly truth is that Muslims are the people against whom, in today’s America, it’s considered not only okay but, somehow, even laudable to be bigoted. But it’s not okay. As my late grandmother would have put it, that’s just plain wrong. What’s dismaying to me, as an American, is...
Julian Assange: Giving Power (Information) to the...
The founding fathers of the United States of America thought that the role of government was to serve the people - to be responsible to the people. The entire experiment they started called “democracy” was an attempt to establish a political system that would ensure the government would be continually accountable to its people. Thomas Jefferson said that, “Information is the...
Top Companies Aid Chamber of Commerce in Swaying...
Prudential Financial sent in a $2 million donation last year as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a national advertising campaign to weaken the historic rewrite of the nation’s financial regulations. Dow Chemical delivered $1.7 million to the chamber last year as the group took a leading role in aggressively fighting proposed new rules that would impose tighter security...
Blame the Losers!
Great email I just got from Lawrence Lessig: “Someday, history will record the craziness in the idea that the most important new political movement in the 21st century (so far)—the Tea Party—was inspired by the rage of a cable news reporter. On February 19, 2009, Rick Santelli of CNBC launched into a rant on the floor of Chicago Mercantile Exchange, about the “losers” who...
September 2010
3 posts
Bj@rn's Poem
I’m back in Seattle, and I need to post an update about the trip. But there just has not been any time! I’ve been back for two weeks now, and between traveling to Boston for the PIH Thomas J. White Symposium and starting classes, I have had no time to reflect. So until I do (weekends!), here’s a poem from a friend of mine that I truly enjoyed: BP’s pulling out of the...
Made it to Cange
Well, I’m into my second week in Haiti, and I’ve finally found a computer and enough time to write. Each day here has been filled with more amazing people and incredible experiences than I ever hoped, despite the fact that everything moves a bit slower here in “Haitian time.” Landing in Port-au-Prince, we flew over Cité Soleil - one of Haiti’s worst slums - and piles...
Ethan's Haiti article
Our trip is going exceptionally well - better than I ever could have planned or imagined even. We are back in Port-au-Prince after traveling to Le Cayes on the Southern coast, which was lush and green and unspeakably beautiful. In just one week we have met with over a dozen people, including agronomists, lawyers, founders of several incredible non-profits, the vice president of Haiti’s...
December 2009
1 post
The Power of Touch
It’s been a LONG time since I’ve posted anything on here. Just saw that my buddy Sam Julean is following me now. What’s up Sam? So I’m back in school and writing more now and I’ve decided to start writing on here. Since only Sam is following me this is more for my personal edification than anythings else, but I work better with deadlines so this will help me to stay...
March 2009
2 posts
Where I go
So I’m tempted to start this post off with the oh so cliché question, “Why do relationships (or girls) have to be so complicated?” But of course I know it’s because people are complicated. Why is it then that I everybody feels that it’s always the other person who complicates things. At the moment, these are my thoughts. What has seemed to be a simple scenario has...
February 2009
7 posts
With God On Our Side →
With God On Our Side by Bob Dylan. Listen here:
For The Edification of Others
So an aquaintence of mine wrote this note on facebook and I felt the need to respond, as did a woman named Erinn Murray. With no hope of changing her mind, simply as a mental excercise for the edification of myself and anyone who might read, I engaged in a debate with this woman. Reasoning like this is why W was able to “lead” our country into the ground for an entire two terms....
Everything's Happenin' So Fast
http://tinysong.com/25LT
Tinseltown is coming like a giant bleeding heart, and I’m so mad, well these kids try to be funny man. Well I don’t think it’s happened much, so we must destroy your art, and you’ll be glad that you stopped sinning, and stopped caring about trying to do new things are a dream that every single person has, and it’s not real. well I...
Grooveshark -- Listen to Free Music →
Grooveshark is basically Pandora, iTunes, and Napster all wrapped up into one big beautiful Mecca for anyone who loves music. There’s nothing like it.
