Mayan Pyramids

Another of Crichton's adventures took him to Uxmal, Mexico, where he climbed the Pyramid of the Magician. The pyramid was built near the end of the Classical Mayan period, which is around 950 AD. It has 90 steps at 60 degree angles, making them very steep, and difficult to climb. Crichton remarks in the book that the rising sun illuminating the pale buildings of the ancient city was an ethereal sight. Among the ruins of the Pyramid of the Magician is the House of the Governor, House of the Turtles, and the House of the Pigeons. The pyramid stands 125 feet tall. The House of Turtles is named for a row of turtles on its front, and the House of Pigeons is named because its roof could have been a dovecote. Crichton reflects that even though the structures have names, no one really knows what they were called, or what when on in them. He then goes forth to say that the closer we look at history the less coherent it becomes. He says in his book that "The internal psychological pressure to make up a story, to explain the ruins before one's eyes, is powerful indeed." He is implacable because he wants to know what when on, but he never really can. He makes the analogy that "The Dark Ages weren't dark; it is hard to be sure what the Middle Ages stood in the middle of; and that the Renaissance is as much a birth as a rebirth. Crichton thinks that history books and tour guides beguile people into thinking they know more than they really do.

Wild Animals in Rwanda

Rwanda is one of the many places Crichton visits in his inspired memoir, Travels. Wether due to caprice, or ennui, Crichton decides to go on a wild animal safari in order to catch an ephemeral glimpse of the ever rare, mountain gorilla. The mountain gorilla is said to be the rarest of all apes, with only about 600 left in the mountainous region near Mgahinga in Rwanda. Crichton recalls that seeing a huge, salient mountain ape in its natural habitat was his greatest wildlife experience. In Swahili the mountain gorilla is called "Sokwe." Most grow up to six feet tall, and weigh in at about 300 to 425 pounds. The average lifespan is 40 years. They are vegetarians that live in dense forest, and whose only predator are humans. Crichton reflects in the book that he thought no other animal had the cachet of the mountain gorilla. He remembers the awe he felt, as only one mountain gorilla exists for every ten million humans.

Is Torture Moral?

Another political issue I have been following recently is that of torture. Torture is the intentional infliction of extreme physical suffering on some non-consenting and defenseless person. A U.N. symposium on torture in 1984 identified four reasons for torture, namely: (1) to obtain a confession; (2) to obtain information; (3) to punish; (4) to coerce the sufferer or others to act in certain ways. Supporters of torture say that in the case that vital information can be gleaned from a terrorist that would save American lives, then torture is moral. Critics of torture excoriate the supporters, saying it should never be used and is a greater evil than killing. George Bush and Dick Cheney's actions regarding torture were seen as transgressions of "moral law" (Bush and Cheney both authorized the use of torture by the CIA for Al-qaida detainees). Obama saw to it to eradicate torture as soon as he stepped into office. My view however is that in certain situations, torture is moral, and should be legal. Think of it this way, killing, and causing excruciating pain to someone can both be moral actions. When a police officer uses his gun to kill and save a life, he is applauded, not castigated. When doctors cut off limps and cause excruciating pain to save lives, they are also applauded. So then when can torture be moral? When thousand of Americans lives are at risk and a terrorist who has vital information that can save those lives won't speak. Thus, torture isn't immoral or moral, but the nature of the circumstances can be.

"White Noise"

A great book I read recently is "White Noise" by Don DeLillo. It won the National Book Award in 1985 and was in TIME magazine's list of 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. It was mainly about the contemporary, plugged in milieu that we live in, and humans' fear of death. The protagonist in the story is Jack Gladney, a professor who teaches Hitler Studies. The book has numerous vignettes to portray the society we live in. One is about a chemical plant near Gladney's home accidentally releasing a cloud of gas that may be poisonous. Another is about Gladney's wife, who takes drugs to remove her fear of death. DeLillo's saturnine view of technology for the most part predicted the future. "White Noise" was written before the explosion of the internet, and before Prozac existed, both of which DeLillo alluded to in the book. All in all, White noise was enlightening, and it belongs on the "To-read" list of anyone intrested in modern society.

College

When people ask me what college I want to go to after telling me about how they want to go to X University because they know it's "right" for them, I usually give a laconic "I don't know." Some people are amazed I don't know where I would like to attend and coin it as disinterest in college, but I am amazed at how some people do know where they would like to spend the next four years of their lives. To me, it seems as a lot of my friends want go to a certain school over another school for jejune reasons. When I ask why they want to go to a certain school many of them resort to the standard, hackneyed response of, "it just felt right when I visited." My parent's say I'm aloof from the issue of where I want go, but in reality I think about it everyday. I'm not looking for specialized programs or anything like that, so in truth most colleges look the same to me when I visit. I could see myself going to any of them. At this point, where I attend college will probably be a capricious decision.

Obama's Nobel

An issue that interests me and that I have followed closely since it began is Obama's reception of the legendary Noble Peace Prize. Obama's reception of the Nobel is causing politicians to have qualms concerning the "danger" of the prize. Some politicians feel that it will be a political "lead weight" for Obama, and other feel it was undesearved political bunkum. However, what those politicans don't understand is that the Nobel is not always awarded for a destination reached, but also for the herculean efforts of setting things on the right path, which is exactly what Obama is doing. Supporters of Obama's reception of the Nobel say he won it partly for not continuing the malevolent torture policies of George Bush and Dick Cheney. Conservative talk show media has taken a rather splenetic stand against Obama's reception of the Nobel, all for the wrong reasons, in my opinon. While Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize may remain a contested issue, I believe that Obamas reception of the Nobel is a Lilliputian matter compared to some of the biggest issues that face our country today, like healthcare, and Afghanistan.

I believe that aliens built the pyramids. (seriously) 

I believe that Google has all the answers.

I believe that you are the master of your own destiny.

The Red Wheelbarrow
 
by William Carlos Williams

so much depends

upon  a red wheel barrow  glazed with rain water  beside the white chickens.

I like this poem because after reading it, you can vividly imagine what the Red Wheelbarrow looks like. These two sentences invoke

real images in your mind. I not only see the red wheelbarrow, but the white chickens too, and the farm and pastoral land that probably 

surrounds them. 

I think Williams is trying to say that people don't truly understand poetry. Perhaps he is saying that poetry is more important and plays a bigger, better role in our lives than the news does.

What Is Success?

I'm 53 years old living in Oregon. My rustic mansion is spacious and beautiful, situated on 20 acres of lush green, pastoral land. Inside my house the biggest room is the library. I cherish this room more than any other, because in my spare time when I am not being a lawyer, I love to read. My library has towering bookshelves and rows upon rows of books, fantasy and non-fiction alike. In my garage, I have a sporty mustang, and a Kawasaki racing motorcycle. On weekends I go out on tracks with it, and sometimes use it in place of my car. There is no better feeling than going 60 miles per hour down the highway on a motorcycle with the wind screaming by you. My job provides me with enough money so I never have to worry about running out of money. Besides riding my motorcycle on weekends, I go down into california and hang out with my buddies, watch movies, and go to clubs. My wife usually comes with me, but sometimes has a girl's night out. Success. I'm 53 years old doing whatever makes me happy in life. That, is the definition of success. 

Its green top is scratched and worn from all the piles of clothes and papers my mom has put on it for storage. It is not meant for storage, but meant to play tennis on. However, as it provides a large surface area my mom has designated it as her personal storage place. On one side of the net lie piles of clothes and on the other side, lie boxes of papers. Its form is bent and one day, I hope to clear its top and reuse it. 

I think that the upcoming inauguration is one of the most pivotal moments in American History. For the first time ever a black man is becoming the president in the United States. Not only is this a great stride for black Americans but a symbol that anyone in America who, given a fair opportunity,  can do anything, and become anything they want. Also, I am cautious as to exalt Obama, because he has so much to live up to. People think he is the next best thing, but if he somehow fails America, like Bush, Americans will be crushed. 

When I had a not-so-great secret I was keeping for a friend, I did lose some sleep thinking about it. I was conflicted with thoughts as to weather or not I should tell someone my friend's secret for his own good. It had a tiring effect on me because I was constantly thinking about what I should do. 

So far I find the Scarlet Letter is confusing, and hard to read. When we talk about the book in class I enjoy the themes, symbolism and story-line. I think that I don't get alot out of the book because I read it just to get it done. Maybe when I'm older and have more free time, then I will be able to truly sit down and appreciate the Scarlet Letter.  

My New Year's resolution is to stop procrastinating. I'd like to stop putting of work until the last minute and stop waiting until the day before to cram for tests. I think my grades will improve vastly if  I stop the usual trend of  my procrastinating. But, I'll probably end up procrastinating and put of my New Year's resolution until next year.