1 February 2003 (Saturday)

the Columbia

Amen to this. This, too.

Work hard at what you love, do it well, contribute something to the evolution of humanity and our understanding of our place in the universe. I've tried to live by this creed, but I've never succeeded to the extent that those seven astronauts did. They knew the risks; they took them anyway. And for some reason that's a great comfort right now.

Keep shining, wherever you are.

posted by enjelani @ 03:56 PM PST [ link ]

28 January 2003 (Tuesday)

come on an' get in da boat, fish fish

In case any of you were wondering what my dear brother Emmett is like: he is Strong Bad.

In particular, I recommend:

some kinda robot
Would you like to join forces?

techno
Don't forget to download it.

superhero name
Who spilled coffee all over the plans for my death ray?

duck pond
I mean it's like I'm right there.

lures & jigs
We've got a keg...of worms...

new hands
Click on the last word when it's done.

japanese cartoon
You gotta have blue hair.

[addendum, 1 February: how could I forget guitar?]

And oh, poor brianrietta.

posted by enjelani @ 01:23 PM PST [ link ]

26 January 2003 (Sunday)

the world is my onion

Human beings instinctively live in concentric circles, I think: self, family, friends, ethnicity/culture, nation, civilization, planet. We are tribal creatures. Our loyalties begin with the immediate and the familiar, then radiate outward. Tragedy and heroism arise when the circles' boundaries are switched or disturbed: when nation must be held above family, for example, or above self. It doesn't feel natural, so when it does happen we all watch with pained admiration -- or horror.

So should we try to transcend these habits? Break out of our little onion? War is a result of our willingness to adhere to the model, holding our inner circles more dear than the outer ones; the life of an Iraqi soldier is more dispensable to me than the life of an American soldier, which is in turn more dispensable than Soren's. But how else are we to relate to each other? Are we capable of holding unknown strangers sacred in our hearts? Should we even want to?

I'm going to get off the computer any minute now.

posted by enjelani @ 02:58 PM PST [ link ]