Food for Thought:

"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Everyday sends their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort" ~ Sydney Smith

What's your talent?
Don't tell me you don't have one, because very few people in this world are totally talentless (yet they still manage to make it big in Hollywood. Imagine that!)
So now think about the thing that drives you, the thing that makes you feel as if you are floating above all matters and engaging in what you were meant to do.
I'm not talking Green Peace or Doctor's Without Borders (but hey, if that's " your thing", more power to ya)
I'm talking about much simpler things that you do, which bring you joy and a sense of purpose.
It can be sports, or writing, painting, photography, reading and analysing the classics. Do you have enough courage to give it your finest attempt?
Or do you sulk in your room at night wondering what could have been?
Do you give your attempts every ounce of strength and every breath inside? Or do you attempt things half-heartedly because deep inside you think that if you "fail" at this, the failure wasn't because of YOU, but rather because "you weren't really trying"?
Do you really think all the greats that are KNOWN, are really the best at what they do out of the whole world population?
Maybe they are the chosen few, blessed with the special alignment of circumstances that allows them to be exposed to the world as such.
If you are one of the most talented painters in the world, and you attempt your craft in obscurity. You are afraid for others to see your work. You hide your masterpieces in the attic. Or paint over the same canvas over again because the thought of other criticizing your work with their undeserving gaze paralyzes you with anger.
Maybe the progress of humanity has been stagnated because millions of geniuses haven't had the courage to share with the world their gifts.
So many people are afraid of failing that they would rather succumb into mediocrity.

"Fear has it uses, but cowardice has none"

"Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear" ~ Albert Camus

I'm not sure how I feel about this quote. On first glance it makes sense: fear based respect IS despicable. It's cowardly. Both for the bully that imposes himself onto the masses and for the mindless heard that are subdued by lack of courage.

On second thought: Can you really have RESPECT based on fear? I think not. I think you have the illusion of respect. But true respect is something more noble, something sublime th

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at cannot be bribed by oppressive means.

There are two types of leaders: those that lead from fear and those who lead by respect. The first have breakdown the morale of their subjects, and like slaves, hostages or abuse spouses they will submit to orders without questioning.
The second lead by example, by holding a higher standard, by offering protection, security, wisdom and comfort to their subjects.

Going back to the original quote: "Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear"
Is it despicable for the tyrant that intimidates his subjects into complacency? or despicable for the subjects to accept, yield and oblige to this treatment all in the name of "respect?

Food for Thought

"The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them" ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I read a study a long time ago which measured levels of happiness in very different socio-cultural settings: The survey interviewed the top earnest in Forbes' lists and also some of the poorest people in the slums of India. Surprisingly enough, the slum dwellers had a higher level of happiness than the richest, most successful people in the world.

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At the time this was completely shocking to me. How could the richest people in the world not be the happiest? How could be ridden by difficulties and disease find any level of happiness?
I've thought about this for a long time and the only thing that I could think of were the variables:

• What did the richest figures have to give up in order to achieve their level of success?
• What kind of voids can "purchasable" items fill? and for how long?
• What kind of bonds do adversity forge that could overcome physical and emotional distress?
• If happiness is so independent of financial and recognized success, Why does our society put so much effort, so many tears, sacrificed so many missed moments in order to reach a certain point of success?
• Even if you reach a higher level of achievement and personal wealth, Is it ever enough?
• Do people ,then, stop trying with so much effort and determination to posses material things or peer recognition and focus their energy into nobler causes?
• Is this "quasi-socialist" approach really the answer?
• Is being a non-comformist the fuel that drives progress, or the flame that ignites unhapiness and despair?

Safe Air Travel

I recently took a three hour plane trip across the East coast with South West Airlines and question the safety of the trip. Nope, not what you are thinking.

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I'm talking health and safety precautions in midst of the Swine Flu Pandemic.

I was both shocked and delighted that the incoming flight was quickly cleared at the terminal and not even 5 minutes later a departing flight was boarding.

Fantastic from a timing perspective. But a little scary when you think that virtually no time at all was spent cleaning hard surfaces of trash, debris and bodily fluids that could potentially spread the disease.

When you think about a two hundred people in cramped quarters, breathing the same recycled, stuffy air, snotty children wiping their noses on the chairs hoping to lull themselves out of the misery of air travel.

ahhh, let's not forget the teeny stainless steel lavatory with ten other passengers awaiting. Are they practicing proper hand washing prior to exiting? Or spreading germs for others to catch?

Yes. I am a bit of hypochondriac. I tend to obsess about germs and things like that. I visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website periodically "just to stay afloat"
I know it's not "normal"
Prior to my flight, I briefly considered wearing a mask to protect myself. But I know I can't let my irrational fears get the best of me. Or else my quality of life would be limited.
Besides, what are the chances I would get sick, anyway?
But as I lay here basking in the misery of the second day of a Flu I caught on vacation, I can't help but wonder if airlines are taking sufficient measures to ensure that passenger safety.
I'm not talking "extreme disinfection measures" I don't want everything radiated with UV light, Lysol or alcohol (although one can dream)
Nor am I suggesting we take measures such as the Japanese (A friend of mine who recently traveled there told me that prior to exiting the plane, every passenger was scanned with a thermal device and those that registered higher than normal temperatures were quickly quarantined)
What I am suggesting is that air support staff at least makes an effort to lightly clean the plane before boarding a new heard.
It seems like we have become complacent and desensitized of the H1N1 matter; if not physically, at least mentally. It seems like the pandemic has becomes one of those things that "only other people" have to worry about...

Former Vice President "in trouble" for keeping CIA secret

It sounds absolutely absurd that headlines are ladden with the latest news of former vice president Dick Cheney being investigating for not informing congress about a top secret CIA operation.

• Isn't the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) supposed to have secrets?
• Isn't that the agency that's supposed to actually have American spies working to protect our interests?
• Isn't the whole point of a spy to work undercover and not divulge details of their operations?

People are just too high on their sense of entitlement: "But I have the right to know what the CIA is up to", "Freedom of... (whatever)", "Everyone should vote on every move the CIA makes"
Can't take the whiners anymore.
I don't want to hear it.
You are one of the protected, and don't you forget it.
Treasure the oblivion in which you live.
Praise the Lord for even being able to to voice your "discontent" with the system without retaliation; and give thanks every breathing hour that you are lucky enough to live in such an amazing country.
As far as I am concerned, if you are going to just sit there, in the comfort of your suburban spread and bitch and moan about your "right to know" IF YOUR DISCOMFORT with the system is too great, just move.
Move to another country. The grass is always greener, they say.
Take your clan and make up your own tribe, somewhere where you can make your own rules and people will cooperate and follow you as their loving leader.
Move! ~ and come back a few month later. When the shiny newness of ex-pat life has worn and your melancholy consumes you...because your never knew how good you had it here.

Bike Laws

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This county is very loving and giving when it comes to bicyclist's rights. There's a new law that is supposed to protect bicyclist by requiring that cars stay 4 feet away from all bicyclist.
All the roads have bike paths on the side to accommodate the affluent bicyclists in their quest to conquer their hobbies safely.
It has even been encouraged in some boards, for cyclists to ride CLOSER to the car lanes and away from the curb in order to "force cars into the next lane" I kid you not!
The self indulgent, worthless pricks are not happy enough to have their own lane, they need to force vehicles onto oncoming traffic.
And, no. If you are one to take a leisurely stroll by the beach or use your bike for your daily commute, I am not speaking to you.
All my disparaging comments and hatred are geared toward the "Lance Armstrong" wannabes that bike in herds of 20, choosing to neither obey the law and bike in their lane or

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govern themselves by traffic laws and behave accordingly.
You know who you are: you spent $1,750 on your decked out bike, your clothes make you look like a schizophrenic Cirque du Soleil cast member, not because your Tour Sponsors have offered you money to show their logos, but because you and your Starbucks crew think it makes you look pro.
You don't ride in an obnoxiously large group because there's safety in numbers, but because the "riders club" bonds you to like minded schmucks. You take all over the roads, cut people off, chose to disobey all traffic laws and continue to put yourself and the rest of the world at risk. But it's OK because you have a trendy aerodynamic helmet that costs more than a member of the working class makes in a month so...carry on.
So you are probably thinking: Cry me a river! You complain about the width of th

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e bike lane while most people in other countries complain about unpaved roads or basic needs.
Yes, I am aware that my complaint is.....TRIVIAL. But I chose to voice my opinion because I am tired of laws that protect those that feel entitled, those that have no respect for others and pride themselves in showing no courtesy or common sense.
I complain because your yuppie hobby infringes on my rights. I complain because I can.

Talk Less, Say More

Talk less, Say more. Seems like sensible advice. But in this era of Facebook, blogger and

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Tweeter, does this really happen?

If you've done any research at all on blogging, you know the golden rules to starting a successful blog:

1. Pick a topic
2. Know your target audience

I have chosen on this particular endeavor to break both rules repeatedly.
I am certainly not social enough to bother with the nuances of Faceboook, nor do I consider myself important enough to Tweet.

So this soliloquy is my most gregarious atempt at "social networking"
I speak here, not with an audience in mind, nor with a topic in mind. I pour random thoughts here as if this was my Diary. Not the kind with the cute lock and adorable key that my brothers were always trying to pry open, but with an open book that I publish to the world.
Not with the hopes to read and recognized but this catharsis is cheaper than therapy.
With web logs readily available, the condition of anonymity so treasured in personal journals has been traded in for the comfort of knowing that words posted will be forever immortal in the world wide web.

The topic will be whatever crosses my mind at the time ~ Inquietudes, if you will.

And the audience may not exist other than people attempting to kill the boredom that devours them.

But I am fine with that as well, because when boredom comes my way, I will read their Blogger posts as well.