Friday, October 31, 2008

lucky man

As my awareness continues to increase it's becoming ever more clear to me how truly sweet, genuinely kind, and naturally heart-centered my parents are. I'm a very lucky man.

wait... isn't this...? huh...?


Evangelical Christians "praying for the markets" in NYC yesterday. While intellectually I understand their intent here, and I do believe that intention and focused thought can accomplish some pretty nifty things (so why not move the markets, right?), there is something very disconcerting about this particular choice of venue. I mean, isn't this the symbol of the runaway greed that got us in this mess in the first place? It's going to take me a day or two to wrap my mind around this one. Definitely a Hmmmr.
via wonkette

Thursday, October 30, 2008

c'mon california

Don’t let other young people grow up to be afraid to be who they are because of the discrimination and prejudice they might face. Let them see a future that the generation before them couldn’t even dream of — a future as full and equal citizens of the greatest democracy on earth.

- Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, ACLU

Californians: I've had the good fortune of visiting your beautiful state many times. For me, your home is a place where the magnificent light of freedom shines brighter than any place I've ever known. I implore you to vote to ensure the human rights of your fellow citizens remain intact. Discrimination, prejudice, and denying others their human rights are all such last century concepts.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

quotable quote

The way I see it, is we right now stand on the threshold of a new era---and we can stride into this new era with confidence and maturity, knowing we have put forth the best and the brightest to stand as our representative and our face to the world. In this new age, there is no place for small minded bigotry, devious politics or crippling religions---there can only be an assurance that what we do we do for the betterment of the society, ours and the worlds---or we can slip back into the small minded, hateful, superstitious, warring and dangerous isolationist attitude that we've been living in since the dark ages.

This is our time, these are our wings---and we can't let these people that believe they are on some kind of holy crusade to rape, pillage and plunder the earth, the people and what is left of our dignity.

It's time for the light of dawn after this long dark night...

-chaserblue on huffingtonpost.com

wow. a kindred spirit. very eloquently expressed.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

on a lighter note

"Ohhh! HERE are the nucular codes!" Center of desk.

flash flood economics

At this very moment there are mothers all over this planet wondering if they are going to be able to feed their child next week. Now that things have turned ugly, trickle down economics has turned into flash flood economics. The paycheck-to-paycheck people are vulnerable, but more heartbreaking are those who will have no paycheck at all because of the economic contraction.

I'm not sure who shares the most blame for the economic crisis currently churning around us. It seems that short-sighted politicians who deregulated banking and high finance to the point where greed was not being monitored and kept in check have a huge part of the blame. Another big chunk of the blame can be assigned to the CEOs of the banking industry who -- blinded by greed and unfettered by regulatory oversight -- allowed their underlings to take irrational risk in order to increase what seems like their already ridiculous overcompensation.

Whomever you are, if you in any way hold responsibility for this, I truly hope you can't sleep at night thinking of all the babies that are going to be going hungry because of your actions. Shame on you.

Monday, October 13, 2008

dow on viagra


Wall Street stormed back after its worst week ever and staged the biggest single-day stock rally since the Great Depression on Monday, catapulting the Dow Jones industrials to a 936-point gain and finally offering relief from eight consecutive days of stock market carnage
- Associated Press

Excellent news!

say what?!


Today Honduran President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya proposed legalizing the drug trade (en espaƱol). Quite a bold and interesting proposal from the president of a country struggling with a severe drug trade-related crime problem (on the mainland, mind you, not here in the islands). Could it be that he realizes that a poor country like Honduras will never be able effectively fight the drug lords and their abundance of narcodollars?
So, instead of chasing and killing drug traffickers we can invest those resources in education and training so that consumption and vice are controlled and lowered in this society.
- Mel Zelaya

Hmmm. This has "can of worms" written all over it, but perhaps Zelaya thinks that legalizing the multi-billion dollar trade could assist a country like Honduras in rising out of poverty. It's not like the "war on drugs" (and the hundreds of billions the US and the EU have spent on it) has worked. Definitely interesting times we live in.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

you go, Hill!

Make no mistake about it. We've done it before and we will do it again. America will once again rise from the ashes of the Bushes.

- Hillary Clinton, 10/12/08

It can't happen fast enough. I want the real U.S. back (the one I used to admire: Ronald Reagan's "the shining city upon a hill"). I hope the first thing the next U.S. President does is make the use of torture by Americans illegal again. That would be but the beginning of the reassembly of a once admirable country.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

spotting a turtle


Yesterday I took a mental health break and went scuba diving. Our first dive was at Morat Wall, which undoubtedly deserves its reputation as one of the best dives in the Caribbean. Our second dive was off the north shore of Barbaretta Island. Ten minutes into the dive I spotted a sea turtle swimming along the reef. It was truly one of those special moments that lets you know not everything is upside down in the world.

"spread the word"


Thursday evening, as Winnie and I were setting up the beach for the Tribal Beach Party, I asked her rhetorically, "Winnie, we're going to make it through this, right?" I was referring to the flood of bad news the past few weeks regarding the world's financial markets and the resulting economic contraction. Winnie didn't miss a beat, immediately replying, "Oh yeah! We're going to make it! Spread the word!" Her optimism and enthusiasm made my heart and my soul smile. Winnie is the head cook for Paya Bay's food service. Photo Credit: Robert Fullerton.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

quotable quote

Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.
- Richard Bach

photo of the day


An interesting view of the Paya Bay's seaside restaurant. Hidden from view from this angle is a half-moon beach located between the bluff the building sits on and the hills in the background.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

quotable quote

Life without love is like a tree without blossom and fruit.
-Kahlil Gibran