Sunday, August 20, 2006
Japanese BBQ
I had dinner at a friend's house last night... and he has a Kamado and it is awesome! As a food geek, these things are like the ultimate toy on my wishlist! They are so well insulated, and they can be used screaming ot, or at low low temperatures, depending on what you're doing. My friend did a slow-roasted brisket (6 hrs) with one (small) batch of charcoal. So cool! And they're really pretty, too...
Thursday, August 03, 2006
'The Way to Peace'
My Friend Steve wrote the following:
Dear friends,
I find myself deeply troubled and disappointed as I consider the global situation, as I'm sure many of you do. However dark these times may seem, I do believe there is hope. I wrote the following as an expression of the frustration and despair I feel, and the hope and faith I find growing amidst that dispair. I encourage any of you who find hope, truth, love, compassion, or anything else of redeeming value in these words to pass this on to as many people as you can.
Many blessings and much love,
Steve
As violence continues in the Middle East and around the world, it is easy to do any number of things. One can despair, deny, ignore, rejoice, laugh, cry. Whatever of these one may do when violent conflict arises, it is safe to say that most people take sides, urgent to be on the "right" side, instantly becoming entrenched in polarized conflict with the "other" side. Some people do it because their life depends upon being on the side of their neighbors. In the United States, where those of us not personally serving overseas are a relatively safe distance from the conflict, there is more room for debate about which side is the "right" side. No matter which side a person takes, the process of taking a side in violent conflict is nothing more than rationalization. If the history of violence among human beings has taught us anything, it's that any action, no matter how much suffering it brings to the world, can be rationalized. I will not deny that it brings me great frustration that few people seem to understand how this works. Not that they can't apply this principle to whatever "other" side they believe they are fighting against. It's always easy to see the faults in one's enemy's rationalization for violent action when we are stuck in our own polarized positions. When we look at our own rationalizations for our own positions, however, we always find a convenient "but"- and as a good friend once told me, "but" is a very stinky word. Look at all the "buts" in this war on terror. Of course we want peace...but they hate America...but they hate freedom...but they're trying to wipe out Israel...but they're EVIL! And of course, the "other" side has just as many stinky buts as "our" side does.
Many people I have interacted with are pacifists, I suppose I can include myself here. One could say I take the side of peace, and refuse to take any other side in violent conflict. Because I want peace I refuse to take sides. That is because each side always blames the other for the violence, and therefore neither side takes responsibility for creating peace. Hezbollah says "we will stop killing Israelis when they get out of palistine." Israel says "we will stop killing Lebanese civilians when Hezbollah stops killing Israeli civilians." Or as I like to call it, the "well they started it!" rationalization. Yet, there is danger in taking the side of peace. Anyone seriously interested in peace would do well to be cautious of making an enemy out of those that engage in violence. Simply thinking of another human being as one's enemy is violence on a very subtle, yet powerful level. It is very easy to become self-righteous for those who take the side of peace, and self-righteousness can lead to further rationalizations for violence- and why would anyone who desires to see a more peaceful world choose to bring more violence in to it?
I recently watched a documentary about the Weather Underground. In case you don't know, the Weathermen (later when they were forced into hiding, the Weather Underground) were a militant splinter group off the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) during the 1960s. Their stated goal was the overthrow of the American Government "by any means necessary." Their opposition to the United States Government was based upon the fact that the Government used violence and oppression against the people in Viet Nam, as well as poor and black people in the United States. They wanted a more peaceful and just world- something I believe most people desire. Their belief was that anyone not with their revolutionary cause was an enemy and a potential target of aggression. They carried out many bombings intended to destroy symbols of oppression without killing anyone (the Capitol Building, the Pentagon, Police Stations, etc.) However, as their war continued, a few members of the group decided to up the ante and target human beings. They planned the bombing of a policeman's ball which, had the bomb they were building not exploded prematurely and killed three members of the Weathermen, could have killed hundreds of people. It is astonishing how easily people can justify violence in the name of peace. Even so, as I watched the documentary I found myself empathizing with the cause of The Weathermen, defending their actions, and rationalizing my defense of their actions. It took me some effort to step back and observe what was happening within my own mind- which made me appreciate just how seductive violence can be.
So how do we find the peace so many of us desperately desire? I believe that if those uf us who want peace understand how there are no sides; if we understand how there is no "us" and "them" no matter who we believe the us and them to be; if we understand how we create our own enemies- then we will be better prepared to bring lasting peace to the world. In order to do that, we each must understand how we do take sides; how our mind is conditioned by the world we live in to react to certain conditions in a way that puts us on one side or another in conflict situations in ways that seem to defy our wills. We were taught to live in forced dichotomies and we can un-learn it! We must work to let go of our polarized positions- let go of the idea that our polarized positions put us on the "right" or "good" sides different issues- if we want to know peace. Peace is not some end goal to be reached someday- that's just procrastination. Peace is something we can bring to the here and now. We must embrace truly unconditional and equinaminous love in order to dispel the hate that fuels violence. It all starts with awareness, and that's where I'm at. I'm simply aware of the violent, partial, judgemental patterns that lie within my own mind. As I develop that awareness and cultivate love and compassion, I have faith that these patterns will fall from my being of their own accord.
Now, while I believe that understanding the self and learning to embody peace is the only an individual can bring lasting peace to the world (and I believe there are infinite paths to that understanding), I also believe that violence is necessary. Violence is a teacher. Violence teaches us that violence is undesireable. It also teaches us, however slowly it seems to do so, that violence only begets more violence. Just as a drunk needs to drink as long as he needs to drink in order to learn that he doesn't want to drink anymore, the human race will continue to engage in violent behavior until it decides- one person at a time- that it has had enough and chooses to abstain from violence. We will either do that, or we will be at war until the end of our species as surely as an unreformed alcoholic will drink until the day he dies. The choice is yours to make.
Dear friends,
I find myself deeply troubled and disappointed as I consider the global situation, as I'm sure many of you do. However dark these times may seem, I do believe there is hope. I wrote the following as an expression of the frustration and despair I feel, and the hope and faith I find growing amidst that dispair. I encourage any of you who find hope, truth, love, compassion, or anything else of redeeming value in these words to pass this on to as many people as you can.
Many blessings and much love,
Steve
As violence continues in the Middle East and around the world, it is easy to do any number of things. One can despair, deny, ignore, rejoice, laugh, cry. Whatever of these one may do when violent conflict arises, it is safe to say that most people take sides, urgent to be on the "right" side, instantly becoming entrenched in polarized conflict with the "other" side. Some people do it because their life depends upon being on the side of their neighbors. In the United States, where those of us not personally serving overseas are a relatively safe distance from the conflict, there is more room for debate about which side is the "right" side. No matter which side a person takes, the process of taking a side in violent conflict is nothing more than rationalization. If the history of violence among human beings has taught us anything, it's that any action, no matter how much suffering it brings to the world, can be rationalized. I will not deny that it brings me great frustration that few people seem to understand how this works. Not that they can't apply this principle to whatever "other" side they believe they are fighting against. It's always easy to see the faults in one's enemy's rationalization for violent action when we are stuck in our own polarized positions. When we look at our own rationalizations for our own positions, however, we always find a convenient "but"- and as a good friend once told me, "but" is a very stinky word. Look at all the "buts" in this war on terror. Of course we want peace...but they hate America...but they hate freedom...but they're trying to wipe out Israel...but they're EVIL! And of course, the "other" side has just as many stinky buts as "our" side does.
Many people I have interacted with are pacifists, I suppose I can include myself here. One could say I take the side of peace, and refuse to take any other side in violent conflict. Because I want peace I refuse to take sides. That is because each side always blames the other for the violence, and therefore neither side takes responsibility for creating peace. Hezbollah says "we will stop killing Israelis when they get out of palistine." Israel says "we will stop killing Lebanese civilians when Hezbollah stops killing Israeli civilians." Or as I like to call it, the "well they started it!" rationalization. Yet, there is danger in taking the side of peace. Anyone seriously interested in peace would do well to be cautious of making an enemy out of those that engage in violence. Simply thinking of another human being as one's enemy is violence on a very subtle, yet powerful level. It is very easy to become self-righteous for those who take the side of peace, and self-righteousness can lead to further rationalizations for violence- and why would anyone who desires to see a more peaceful world choose to bring more violence in to it?
I recently watched a documentary about the Weather Underground. In case you don't know, the Weathermen (later when they were forced into hiding, the Weather Underground) were a militant splinter group off the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) during the 1960s. Their stated goal was the overthrow of the American Government "by any means necessary." Their opposition to the United States Government was based upon the fact that the Government used violence and oppression against the people in Viet Nam, as well as poor and black people in the United States. They wanted a more peaceful and just world- something I believe most people desire. Their belief was that anyone not with their revolutionary cause was an enemy and a potential target of aggression. They carried out many bombings intended to destroy symbols of oppression without killing anyone (the Capitol Building, the Pentagon, Police Stations, etc.) However, as their war continued, a few members of the group decided to up the ante and target human beings. They planned the bombing of a policeman's ball which, had the bomb they were building not exploded prematurely and killed three members of the Weathermen, could have killed hundreds of people. It is astonishing how easily people can justify violence in the name of peace. Even so, as I watched the documentary I found myself empathizing with the cause of The Weathermen, defending their actions, and rationalizing my defense of their actions. It took me some effort to step back and observe what was happening within my own mind- which made me appreciate just how seductive violence can be.
So how do we find the peace so many of us desperately desire? I believe that if those uf us who want peace understand how there are no sides; if we understand how there is no "us" and "them" no matter who we believe the us and them to be; if we understand how we create our own enemies- then we will be better prepared to bring lasting peace to the world. In order to do that, we each must understand how we do take sides; how our mind is conditioned by the world we live in to react to certain conditions in a way that puts us on one side or another in conflict situations in ways that seem to defy our wills. We were taught to live in forced dichotomies and we can un-learn it! We must work to let go of our polarized positions- let go of the idea that our polarized positions put us on the "right" or "good" sides different issues- if we want to know peace. Peace is not some end goal to be reached someday- that's just procrastination. Peace is something we can bring to the here and now. We must embrace truly unconditional and equinaminous love in order to dispel the hate that fuels violence. It all starts with awareness, and that's where I'm at. I'm simply aware of the violent, partial, judgemental patterns that lie within my own mind. As I develop that awareness and cultivate love and compassion, I have faith that these patterns will fall from my being of their own accord.
Now, while I believe that understanding the self and learning to embody peace is the only an individual can bring lasting peace to the world (and I believe there are infinite paths to that understanding), I also believe that violence is necessary. Violence is a teacher. Violence teaches us that violence is undesireable. It also teaches us, however slowly it seems to do so, that violence only begets more violence. Just as a drunk needs to drink as long as he needs to drink in order to learn that he doesn't want to drink anymore, the human race will continue to engage in violent behavior until it decides- one person at a time- that it has had enough and chooses to abstain from violence. We will either do that, or we will be at war until the end of our species as surely as an unreformed alcoholic will drink until the day he dies. The choice is yours to make.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
html zone
As some of you may or may not know, I have been doing a website for a dear friend of mine in Mendo county who's trying to start a quiet B&B. At her request, it's pretty low tech and not all that flashy, but it gets the info accross. Some of the formatting still needs to be fixed (pictures squished together, etc) but it's up and running. As she picked out picky fonts and I did a quick job of getting it up and going, be sure to view it with Firefox for the full effect. Much improvement to follow.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Flickr genious
I have to admit that whoever the people are that are behind the scenes at Flickr, and that actually make the funtioning of the site possible, are friggin' brilliant. While the Flickr site is down they are holding a contest. A contest! Instead of the stupid - we're sorry we can't help you blurb, they have put up two big dots. And if you print them out, color them in, take a picture of them, and post them on Flickr, you could win a pro account with them. So basically, as a Flickr usuer, I could potentially spend the time that the site is down calmly humming a little tune and coloring (and trying to stay in the lines), instead of fuming and stomping around. All in the hopes of obtaining something that's not really gonna cost Flickr a penny. So they promote their site, apease their fans, and give me a sense that they're gonna give me something all because they got too much data to store in their data centers. Amazing. Again.Who comes up with that idea?
Mice and Taxidermy
When I moved to San Francisco, I heard a rumor that there was a store that you could go to that, among other things, had stuffed mice in various outfits. Yes, mice. Today I recieved an email that was forwarded to me by my boss that was an announcement to participate in a mouse taxidermy class. I live in a crazy city. Here's more info. Have fun.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
disturbing thought of the day
what have we come to when you are the last car to pull up to a four-way stop sign, and none of the other cars are going because they're all on their phones?
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Amelia
My cousin, Amelia, has a new website and has published her sketchbook. I have seen her sketchbook (as of early 2006 anyway), and some of her artwork. She is truly talented in many, many arenas. Great to see someone doing something with the talent that they have.
Battle of the Jeeps
I, as many of you know, drive a beaten up 1990 Jeep Cherokee (white). The trials and tribulations of owning such a vehicle are a completely different story, and my car could have it's own blog and keep it updated more regularly than I am updating this one. Anyway - today I stopped at the store on the way home from work to get dinner supplies, and I pulled into a parking spot right next to a brand - new Jeep Liberty (silly looking underpowered Japp wannabes. but anyway). Due to the fact that my car has a huge hole in the muffler, just pulling in to the spot next to it (and the was ample door opening space!) set its car alarm off. Like crazy. I got out and walked in to the store, did my shopping, etc., and sure enough when I started my car to leave, the alarm started right back up again. Oh Joy.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Mystery Flower
I have no idea what this flower is, but it grows wild around my cabin in Mendocino. Its leaves looks orchid-like, but that's about it. And after these flowers are done, they make bright cobalt blue seed pods that look like single grapes. It's very cool.
High School Memories
I just found out that the high school that I went to in Japan no longer exists. And even worse, they joined together my old school and our rival school (ironically, their marching band is in the Rose Bowl every year...) into one mega-religous high school. In the same building(s). I don't know whether to seel sad, angry, or even if I should feel anything at all...
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
My mom sent me this...
...email entitled: How to tell when you're using too much baby powder
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Question for Foster Farms
OK. Why is is that any food you see on the shelf in the supermarket (and I'm talking big scary Safeway here) has to list every minute ingredient, as well as whether or not they process nuts and other allergens on the premises on packages, and yet on packages of meat they don't? Literally - I picked up a package of chicken that said '100% natural Chicken and natural florvings' on the front in big yellow letters. And yet there was not list of ingredients printed with the Nutrition Panel on the back. Very very scary. And this isn't Purdue or Butterball or some really evil mass-producer, this is a company trying to get into the more mainstream market with an all-natural edge. It looked like a package of chicken thighs to me. How was I to know? Scary.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Confession of the day
Long though I have been famous for liking odd food combinations - my current obsession is... it's almost too much....Stash Double Spice Chai Tea with French Vanilla Coffeemate in it. Gross, I know, but so so so good....It's particularly great at 3 in the aftrenoon when things get just quiet enough in the office that I think I might go insane....
Friday, April 28, 2006
Egg Heads
As I have a tendency to do things back asswards, I am now going through my files and documents in preperation for my new computer - which I happen to have already bought. Anyway - I found this picture - it circulated a couple of years ago in the mass email circuit, but is still damn funny.
**On second thought it makes absolutely no sense to anyone who wasn't around/has forgetten the whole Cabbage Patch phenomena.
**Thanks to the grandparents who waite in line for mine!
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Hal
And yesterday I bought a new computer... that's right, I walked into a store with a healthy bank account balance, and walked out with a much lighter wallet, and a surprisingly not-too-heavy box. I named my new computer Hal, as the minute I turned it on, it started talking to me, and then it took my picture. I feel like I am finally in the future. I do mourn for my old computer which is 6 years old and sitting next to my new one...mostly I mourn when I'm not too busy playing with my new one ;) Had I not bought this maachine, I would never have known that one needs a computer with aa built-in camer AND a remote....I am totally stoked.
My Princess
I recently - OK last week, I've been busy... - I purchased my first in what I hope to be a collection of vintage kitchen appliances. Yes, it hurts me that much that I don't work in a kitchen anymore.... Anyway - I got this beaty off of Craig's list, and I can't believe the great shape that it is in...My Dormeyer Princess.
Friday, April 07, 2006
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