'Tis too much proved -- that with devotion's visage and pious actions we do sugar o'er the devil himself.
Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act III Scene i
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
From the most confusing movie ever, the Never Ending Story
Confronted by their true selves, most men run away screaming!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Has the Dream been Deferred?, IV (or, the issue of Opportunity)
The Hollywood ideal, an NPR report I heard declared, that the American dream is having money, a big house, a family, and pretty much everything we want, is true. At least for the old-school foreign movie directors that came and got rich. Even the actors portraying a person in pursuit of that dream, be it achieving it or failing to get it, get paid millions of dollars to play the part. Why can't the rest of us get that?
Honestly, I'm not sure it is real.
Again, the ideal of opportunity came thanks to how conceited this country was (is). Promises to foreigners--shoot, also given to evicted Oklahoma farmers to head into California--presented a white lie. Were there jobs in California? Yes. Was it the type of job they marketed? Kind of. Were the workers going to get the benefits promised? No.
The same for modern advertisement. Is the situation in the U.S. better than any given third world country? Yes. Are there more jobs here than there? Yes. Is the pay higher? Yes. Can anyone get those jobs? No.
Recently, I applied for and was given an internship position. The organization is pretty bureaucratic--and it had never been as apparent as now. "You know so-and-so?" I was asked. I answered with a smile, "Yes, I'm related to so-and-so." My boss then declared, "That contact was a pretty big reason why you are here."
I was taken aback. I have not spoken to this particular distant relative in a long time, and it made me wonder if I would have been able to get the internship without that relationship--even if my skills would have been greater.
There are so many jobs out there that require previous experience it is almost impossible to get that experience. Confused? So am I.
Truth is, opportunity does not knock once anymore. Well it does, but only to certain people.
Statistically (statistics are very depressing, by the way), women still get paid less than men do, even if the position is the same and the output is greater. Racial discrimination still exists . . . but I'm not going to get into that right now.
The problem isn't that the job market is licking its wounds, although that certainly hurts prospects. No, even when a bear economy was the last thing in Wall Street's mind an inequality has existed. I dare say that in times of apparent plenty is when the gap between social classes widens.
The solution? Don't make me laugh.
The only solution is straight socialism--at least the concept. Put it into effect . . . and that doesn't work either.
So what are we to do? Endure. And stop lying. Stop trying to bring more opportunists and needy people to this "land of plenty" when the "plenty" is not for everyone. It's only offered to the elite. The rest of us are never good enough.
Maybe we can learn something from the Ivy League schools: they do not offer merit-based scholarships anymore. All scholarships are need based.
This is all very confusing.
Honestly, I'm not sure it is real.
Again, the ideal of opportunity came thanks to how conceited this country was (is). Promises to foreigners--shoot, also given to evicted Oklahoma farmers to head into California--presented a white lie. Were there jobs in California? Yes. Was it the type of job they marketed? Kind of. Were the workers going to get the benefits promised? No.
The same for modern advertisement. Is the situation in the U.S. better than any given third world country? Yes. Are there more jobs here than there? Yes. Is the pay higher? Yes. Can anyone get those jobs? No.
Recently, I applied for and was given an internship position. The organization is pretty bureaucratic--and it had never been as apparent as now. "You know so-and-so?" I was asked. I answered with a smile, "Yes, I'm related to so-and-so." My boss then declared, "That contact was a pretty big reason why you are here."
I was taken aback. I have not spoken to this particular distant relative in a long time, and it made me wonder if I would have been able to get the internship without that relationship--even if my skills would have been greater.
There are so many jobs out there that require previous experience it is almost impossible to get that experience. Confused? So am I.
Truth is, opportunity does not knock once anymore. Well it does, but only to certain people.
Statistically (statistics are very depressing, by the way), women still get paid less than men do, even if the position is the same and the output is greater. Racial discrimination still exists . . . but I'm not going to get into that right now.
The problem isn't that the job market is licking its wounds, although that certainly hurts prospects. No, even when a bear economy was the last thing in Wall Street's mind an inequality has existed. I dare say that in times of apparent plenty is when the gap between social classes widens.
The solution? Don't make me laugh.
The only solution is straight socialism--at least the concept. Put it into effect . . . and that doesn't work either.
So what are we to do? Endure. And stop lying. Stop trying to bring more opportunists and needy people to this "land of plenty" when the "plenty" is not for everyone. It's only offered to the elite. The rest of us are never good enough.
Maybe we can learn something from the Ivy League schools: they do not offer merit-based scholarships anymore. All scholarships are need based.
This is all very confusing.
(Last day) On the Job
214.5 hours, seven weeks, two articles and a cover story later, it is my last day at my summer internship.
It has been great: I've learned how much work it takes to push out a monthly magazine, I've seen a cover photo shoot, and I've interviewed two people for a total of 3 hours worth of interview time. I've attended countless luncheons (they had a luncheon for pretty much anything vaguely worth celebrating) and two emergency management meetings.
It was nothing I expected and everything I needed.
Still, the fact that I just now, on my last day, discovered the kitchen and the pantry, does put a damper on things.
It has been great: I've learned how much work it takes to push out a monthly magazine, I've seen a cover photo shoot, and I've interviewed two people for a total of 3 hours worth of interview time. I've attended countless luncheons (they had a luncheon for pretty much anything vaguely worth celebrating) and two emergency management meetings.
It was nothing I expected and everything I needed.
Still, the fact that I just now, on my last day, discovered the kitchen and the pantry, does put a damper on things.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
From the French Pre-Revolution Revolutionary Monk François Fénelon's pen (say that five times fast!)
If the riches of the Indies, or the crowns of all the kingdoms of Europe, were laid at my feet in exchange for my love of reading, I would spurn them all.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
From the Unbelievably Colossal Heart of Mother Teresa, II
"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved."
Have I made anyone smile today?
Have I made anyone smile today?
Friday, July 13, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Astro"nut"
I've always been a bit of a star nerd. . . don't hate. I find the night sky inspiring, and it always leaves me awe-struck. Click on them to see them bigger.
Good Ol' Scorpius, seen from West Texas, in Possum Kingdom Lake, the year before the forest fire burnt half of the park to the ground.
This is picture is one of the best from my early days. Here, we see the Milky Way Galaxy, in a manner I didn't believe was possible with a Canon 20D.
Good Ol' Scorpius, seen from West Texas, in Possum Kingdom Lake, the year before the forest fire burnt half of the park to the ground.
This is picture is one of the best from my early days. Here, we see the Milky Way Galaxy, in a manner I didn't believe was possible with a Canon 20D.
En casa de mis abuelitos. . .
I have always loved going to my grandparents' house.
I am blessed to have all four grandparents alive, and two great-grandmothers alive as well. Actually, not more than eight years ago I still had four great-grandparents alive, and was fortunate enough to have met them.
However, it has been rare to have both sets of grandparents within reasonable distance at the same time.
When I was still in Guatemala, my mom's side of the family was the one we saw a whole lot. The last couple months, my grandparents would come have sabbath lunch with my family every sabbath. My grandma would make her amazing manjar de leche, and boy, it was the highlight of my sabbath.
When I moved to the US, it was my dad's side of the family that we saw more often. Very often on Sabbaths we go eat to their place, and my grandma makes the very best cornbread this side of the galaxy (even some Unionites privileged enough to have tried it say it's the best--and we're in Corn Nation itself!).
Still, it's not the cooking that makes my grandparents special--that's the bonus.
Back in Guatemala, my brother and I (the only ones old enough to thoroughly enjoy them spoiling us) would relish every chance we got at staying over. My grandma, whom we call "Yaya," on top of her food, would buy us anything we wanted--much to the chagrin of my parents. She also made the trip from Guatemala to the States multiple times just for us. My grandpa, "Tata," has the best jokes I've ever heard, also made the trip to see us a couple of times, would always be watching the coolest shows on TV, and it is largely because of him that I follow all the sports I do, from Formula 1 to Tennis to Football (real football) and American Football to basketball to. . .
Here in the States, my grandpa, "Chuski," is a pretty cool person also. He might be pushing the age envelope a bit but seems as if no one told him he's supposed to be old. He still goes on long bike rides in his specialized bikes, rides a motorcycle, and occasionally races someone with his BMW from stop light to stop light. Hehehe
My grandma, "Abuelita," is full with wisdom. I've never received bad advice from her, and I've never seen anyone study their Bible more than her. And, she makes the best cornbread. . .Recently, someone asked her whether it was sweeter being a mom or a grandmother, and she replied that they are two different things but being a grandmother is sweeter.
Sweetest of all, I think, is being a grandson.
I am blessed to have all four grandparents alive, and two great-grandmothers alive as well. Actually, not more than eight years ago I still had four great-grandparents alive, and was fortunate enough to have met them.
However, it has been rare to have both sets of grandparents within reasonable distance at the same time.
When I was still in Guatemala, my mom's side of the family was the one we saw a whole lot. The last couple months, my grandparents would come have sabbath lunch with my family every sabbath. My grandma would make her amazing manjar de leche, and boy, it was the highlight of my sabbath.
When I moved to the US, it was my dad's side of the family that we saw more often. Very often on Sabbaths we go eat to their place, and my grandma makes the very best cornbread this side of the galaxy (even some Unionites privileged enough to have tried it say it's the best--and we're in Corn Nation itself!).
Still, it's not the cooking that makes my grandparents special--that's the bonus.
Back in Guatemala, my brother and I (the only ones old enough to thoroughly enjoy them spoiling us) would relish every chance we got at staying over. My grandma, whom we call "Yaya," on top of her food, would buy us anything we wanted--much to the chagrin of my parents. She also made the trip from Guatemala to the States multiple times just for us. My grandpa, "Tata," has the best jokes I've ever heard, also made the trip to see us a couple of times, would always be watching the coolest shows on TV, and it is largely because of him that I follow all the sports I do, from Formula 1 to Tennis to Football (real football) and American Football to basketball to. . .
Here in the States, my grandpa, "Chuski," is a pretty cool person also. He might be pushing the age envelope a bit but seems as if no one told him he's supposed to be old. He still goes on long bike rides in his specialized bikes, rides a motorcycle, and occasionally races someone with his BMW from stop light to stop light. Hehehe
My grandma, "Abuelita," is full with wisdom. I've never received bad advice from her, and I've never seen anyone study their Bible more than her. And, she makes the best cornbread. . .Recently, someone asked her whether it was sweeter being a mom or a grandmother, and she replied that they are two different things but being a grandmother is sweeter.
Sweetest of all, I think, is being a grandson.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
From the Drunk albeit Genius Imagination of Shakespeare, II
Care I for the limb, the thews, the stature, bulk and big assemblance of a man? Give me his spirit.
-Henry IV, part 2
-Henry IV, part 2
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