Update

Hello all you crazy cats out there.
I'm sure you missed me. Unless of course you actually see me. I've been busy. Seems taking three classes during summer school and working on an internship was exactly what I thought it would be and no less. But alas, I can do just about anything for a couple of weeks, and in a couple of weeks at least some of that will be over. I'll have one fewer class to take in the fall too, which will be nice.

We won't mention the other things I've been up to, save to say it hasn't been all work and no play. That would make a dull boy.

Some things have come up though, so I'll invite your thoughts on the matters.

1) In an Ode Magazine article "The Case of the Alphabet" (June 2007) they cited research (kind of bothers me when they mention there is research but don't actually say what the research is... guess that's why I'd buy the book they are hocking) anyway... they cited research that said that readers, specifically whole cultures that read, are more violent than those that do not. There were historical references, the highlights being: Religions of The Book, vs. oral traditions, Sparta v. Athens, Middle Ages v. Reformation (the turning point of course the printing press), and the coincidence of the advent of television and the civil rights movement. Mixed up in the argument is not only the prevalence of war and peace but also the presence of equality of the sexes in minimally literate societies. The scientific argument is that the brain is much more passive watching television than reading a book: alpha and theta vs. beta brain waves. I've heard these arguments before, tying historical periods and literacy to war and peace (but also sensual cultures to be prone to takeover), but the division where male=war and female=peace seems to be a bit of a jump. Brings up new questions about all those fights caused by video games huh? And what about graphic novels?

2) I'm not really "up" on the gaming world. Some of my friends are, so I asked them about the virtual world Second Life. They thought it was kind of weird too. I'll link to it here, but not as an endorsement. Someone will have to explain what it is beyond a tremendous waste of time AND money. If the numbers are true, in a 24 hour period $1.7 million was traded on the site...so people could buy and sell virtual land and virtual products. My take on it is that the ones profiting are the ones that built the site, and therefore own the land, which can be expanded at a total profit to them. This isn't Manhattan, this is Houston... where when land prices go up we just start commuting... or in virtual world don't go to work. Yet there seems to be a contingent of librarians out there that think this is a great tool for advancing libraries. Which I don't get either. So we'll chalk this one up to a what-the-hell-are-people-thinking-???? category and move on.

3) Insha'Allah. If God wills. It seems a noble thing "thy will be done." At the end of the day that might be the only prayer worth praying. Except if you can change God's mind. For better or for worse... it's been done before. Insha'Allah. It takes a lot of faith perhaps, but it could also be an excuse for procrastination.