Happy Reading (Non-Fiction)

In a previous post, I wrote about trying my hand at reading 52 books in a year. Well, I'm definitely in the throes of preparing for this ardous task, and if you're interested perchance here's a list of the non-fiction ones... There's a pretty good mix here, with some biographies, political science, history, philosophy, and current social theory. Sorry, I didn't include a link to amazon, maybe I'll do it for the fiction ones. If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to see what you've got. Happy Reading.

102 Minutes: Inside Story of the Twin Towers

Alphabet Versus the Goddess, The

American Dream

America's Constitution

Assata

Autobiography of Mark Twain, The

Blink

Chosen, The

Collapse

Color Complex, The

Company of Strangers, The

Culture and Propserity

Devil's on the Deep Blue Sea

Everything Bad is Good for You

Eyeing the Flash

Fabric of the Cosmos, The

Fire Next Time, The

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Hero of A Thousand Faces

History of Western Philosphy, The

Hot House, The

In Praise of Slowness

Lonely Crowd, The

March of Folly, The

Metaphysical Club, The

Moral Politics

Nation of Rebels

On Paradise Drive

People's History of the US

Perfectly Legal

Power, Politics and Culture

Race Matters

Reveries of the Solitary Walker

Right Nation, The

Roaring Nineties, The

Secrets of the Sideshows

Selections from the Prison Notebook

Snobbery

Sociopath Next Door, The

Souls of Black Folk

Survivor, The

Walden

Was Bill Cosby Right

When Work Disappears

Working Poor, The

You Got Nothing Coming

Random Tidings

• If you go to the pacific northwest, and don't eat salmon everyday, then you lost. The trees up here are absolutely gorgeous and slightly make up for the cross-country flight to get out here.
• There is a very unpleasant article out that talks about the reality of the college entrance process. The article (from this months Atlantic Monthly - The one with A.Q. Khan on the cover), is made even more unsettling becasue my beloved alma mater is name checked negatively (along with Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Tulane, USC, Boston College, and some other schools). Its part of a multi-article system that looks at our countries committment to college education and the reality of the competitive process that schools go to get wealthy kids (does hyper-capitalism ever sleep in this country, damn!). The transition from grants to loans is part of the story, but the evolution of the enrollment process is really a must read. Check it out if you can. The whole article isn't available online (unfortunately), but it describes the process of financial-aid leveraging in which universities who recognize the power that aid packages can have in the selection process, admit low-income students but make the financial aid packages so unappealing, that prospectives have no choice but to pass. From the article, "At its worst enrollment management employs a host of ugly tactics to deter low-income students and to extract as much money as possible from each entering class." The strategy is designed to save more slots for wealthy, high-scoring students by effectively offering them tuition discounts.
• As Hurricane Wilma starts to make land fall, I start to wonder. Why would you live in Florida? I hope that some of you saw this fool in the ocean two hours before landfall. Classic.

...you saved me

i guess its guess who's back part 2. seriously, i thought i was done blogging until my co-con saved me (definition at the end of post)... I guess I had just lost the desire; when i started writing it was because i wanted a vehicle to express myself. Somehow, it became a chore, and I
unfortunately violated several of the most revered rules in the blogosophere (telling people you know about your blog, etc. etc.).

Because of the type of person I am, i didn't want to feel like i was doing something just to do it, then all of a sudden my co-contributor energized me. I felt like John Locke on Lost when Jack pushed the button for him. So hopefully, I'm back for the first time, and ready to get my post on. Headed to Portland on Sunday, maybe I'll catch up with some trailblazers.

What I'm listening to: Sly Johnson - Is it Because I'm Black (like, the reason i got skipped over at qdoba's yesterday).

"you saved me" - the current context of the phrase comes from gambling with my cousins. I come from a family of gamblers, and we play tonk. When somebody hits you, and you have to stay in the game another round, another player in the game might say, "you saved me"

...Oh, But He Was Not Done

"Are you guilty or innocent," the judge asked Hussein and the others.

"I'm not guilty," Hussein said. "Innocent" said each of his co-defendants.


I would add my own emphasis but it ain't even necessary...

He Said It

When asked by tribunal today to identify himself, Saddam Hussein replied: "If you're an Iraqi, you know me."

For better or worse, that's gangsta

A Rainy Day...

Or 8 of them. It rained for 8 straight days here but on the 9th day, the storm that just seemed to hover over only the tri-state area, cleared out for the weekend. I've never seen that much continuous rain, meaning everytime I went outside there was at least consistent drizzle.

I'm generally a fan of rain actually. I like: how it cools the air; the smell; the sound; how it dims outside (im nocturnal and light averse); and how cats who possess the weak umbrellas struggle when theirs gets all inverted and bends inside-out - highest of comedy. Of course, I can laugh because I happen to own the best and strongest umbrella with the most space-efficient and lock down infrastructure. Yes, big words for the Riverside (VA tidewater area) umbrella - or any umbrella in general - given to me by someone I have yet to meet, but I swear by it.

I will admit though, when you are predominantly in "work clothes," and spend at least half of your travel time walking, rain isn't such a great thing - especially on islands (big and small), where the rain will move horizontally 25% of the time.

Here is something to add to your time-killers (i think that's a good name for a band) for those reserved to their dwellings during times of downpour. You've probably seen the generic version of this, but putting this face on it makes it THAT much better...just snap that head back a few times:

http://www.planetdan.net/pics/misc/georgie.htm

And on a slightly related note, check this out. Apparently, 2% (amazingly) applies to more than milk:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/10/13/BL2005101300885.html

Guess Who's Bizzack?

Four score and seven years ago, I (almost we) used to make postings to this blog. Given that I specifically know the limitations faced by the co-con in being able to publish ("publish" ha), it's definitely the fault of I. I guess even a non-writer can have writer's block.

I doubt my absence has truly bothered anyone considering I either struggle for content or brevity, though truth be told I almost accomplished both in a task for work today - maybe a sign of things to come. Conveniently, my blog-disappearance coincided with the birth of blogs from supposed loyal/occasional readers. That isn't to say that I (but indeed, maybe we) inspired folks to do such...or on second thought...maybe my lack of quality made folks say "hey, I can provide something better than that." (I know one of those said new bloggers would be all over me for self-deprication. "Whatever.")

Computers and life have been taking their toll on my eyes, which got me to thinking about how much of a rip-off eye care is. Problem is...if you want to see, you must buy it. So how about a list of things that personally seem way over-priced. You probably have bought some of this ish and have also been caught up in the hype:

1. Eyeglass frames - Come on, $50 for a frame!!! For some thin pieces of metal or plastic. How much do they cost to make - probably a G-Unit member. Purely taking advantage of a need...
2. U.S. President - I'm sure we could find something else to put a majority of that campaign spending towards. Wait, hold up...I may reconsider this one given that the man heading the worst contemporary presidency was just re-elected. To that point, maybe more marketing to correct such "inefficiencies" may one day prove beneficial. Am I suggesting objective voting for the best man - or least of the worsts - instead of (blindly?) along party lines??? I've never been very optimistic about the majority of people looking objectively at their deep allegiances, but then I watched Andrew Sullivan this past weekend on "Real Time With Bill Maher."
3. LASIK Surgery - (Theme) Thousands of dollars for a procedure that takes all of 2 seconds per eye. The machines are sunk costs...give us a break!
4. Manhattan Movie Theatres - $10.50/$10.75 for a movie - all of the time. They should be handing out the DVD of the movie as you walk out the door.
5. Washington Redskins Season Tickets - Ignoring this year, given the overall product in the past decade combined with the highest average ticket price in the Not For Long league, is like the anti-me - it don't mix. (Note to self: I still buy the ish without being caught up in the hype. Crazy.)

The Flipside: Things for which I feel so good about giving money:

1. Quizno's Classic Italian Sub
2. Quizno's Chicken Cabo Sub
3. Quizno's Classic Italian Sub (yes, it's that good)
4. Quizno's Angus Double Steak & Cheese Sub
5. Quizno's Classic Italian Sub (no really, it is)

Seriously folks, I question the judgment of people who do not like a Quizno's Sub. I am being absolutely serious. When I buy a Quizno's Sub, I always want more. If you were to ask me what are my favorite things to eat, and I were to be truly honest with myself, the Quizno's Classic Italian Sub would be in my top 5. The Generalist and I just had a detailed discussion about this very topic and the thing is, the sub doesn't include anything that you couldn't put on a sandwich yourself. But when they proportion that mug out, coupled with the Red Wine Vinaigrette, and top it off with the Toasty Flatbread - the sandwich is incredible. It is soooo hard for me to order anything other than the Classic Italian but there are so many other subs that taste terrific as well. I do not comprehend how someone could not find a Quizno's sub that they didn't like. Is it apparent I cannot stress this enough?

The capper? The subs start at $2.99. I could buy like 1,337,792,642.14 Quizno's Subs for the price of one U.S. President!!! You make the call...

one of...

One of the reasons, why I really like my job is that I get to hear some fantastic discussions. This weekend, I participated in a seminar by a well-respected community organizing group on the role of the government. It was almost like coursework on the economic history on the united states (i should reallly go back to school). We looked at taxation, economic development, the effects of federal and state de-investment in local communities and some other stuff (someone i know would kill me right now for not using parallel structure in this list). All obtuse policy stuff, but primarily aimed at deconstrucitng the myth of the American Business Model, and its impacts to the robustness of the American economy:

1. Unfetterred self-interest
2. Market Fundamentalism
   
3. The minimal role of the state
   
4. Low Taxes

Now I'm no Communist (hell, I was a business management major in college), but its very interesting theory. If I've successfully piqued your interest, check out Culture and Propserity by John Kay.

I also got to hear from some Katrina's survivors, both older women (one of whom kissed me on the cheek, and told me that I was highly favored, which I thought was interesting) who described their experiences in New Orleans. Talk about an awakening.