I respect the rights of NFL players and their decision to protest during the National Anthem. A couple years ago, there was a wave of police brutality leading to many unnecessary deaths. NFL players have national attention and a platform for change- they should use it!
The worst part of it is how everybody is misconstruing what the NFL players are protesting for. The players want police brutality to be dealt with. The NFL, press, and certain politicians go on about how the protesting NFL players are disrespecting the flag and our country and our military- but the protesters are simply trying to bring about necessary change.
I haven't seen news of police brutality so much recently- maybe the country is on edge and so people are being nicer to one another, or maybe it's just Trump perpetually stealing the headlines.
Thursday, November 9, 2017
What's going on?
I haven't been on here for a while, obviously. But my stats say I get hundreds of views a month, thousands since my last post.
Who are you?
Real people, or just some bots? If you're real, drop me a line and tell me what you want to see.
If you're a bot, GTFO.
Who are you?
Real people, or just some bots? If you're real, drop me a line and tell me what you want to see.
If you're a bot, GTFO.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Dear Mr. President Elect Donald Trump
Dear Mr. Trump,
Congratulations on
your victory in the elections. The past year and a half has been a whirlwind of
election, in unprecedented fashion. You fought a good fight, played the right
cards, and were quite brilliant on twitter. Your following is fierce and one
that caught many Americans unaware. Many are scared, unsure of what is going
to happen next. And therefore I am writing to you today. I know we need change,
but we need good change.
My passion is healthcare, so while I use Obamacare as an example,
this applies to everything; Planned Parenthood, various government agencies
(though you could combine the DEA and the ATF), our various relationships with
different countries. Please don’t repeal Obamacare as one of your first acts; It’s
not everything we need, but repealing it would not only have severe economic
consequences, it would also have awful implications for millions of Americans.
Maybe make it a goal to repeal Obamacare, but you need to make a
better plan first. Spend some time learning what you can, and make good
decisions. You have a very long time to make your mark, so don’t blow it in the
beginning. There are more than 300 million people in this country, and you have
to make it as good as you can, for everybody. A formidable job, and I hope you’re
up for it.
Please though, focus on the people that need help most- the sick,
the poor, the uneducated, the discriminated against, the neglected. Fix crooked
politics, get the money where it should be. Finally enact significant election
reform! As you set forth upon thus epic journey remember that you are doing
this for America, and remember their cornerstones of the democracy that we love
so much; freedom, equality, happiness.
You ran an excellent campaign, which may mean you’re very good at
listening to what people have to say and then acting on it effectively. In this
regard, I say- surround yourself with a variety of people from all over the
political and social spectrum.
Immerse yourself in this job that will be your job for the next
four years. You will be the most powerful person in the world in just a couple
months’ time. Some people are scared, but I believe you can do good.
Please prove me right.
Sincerely,
Yaniv Rait
P.S. I would love to talk more healthcare reform if you’re ever
interested!
Friday, August 5, 2016
Sports- Olympics edition
I love sports, so it only makes sense that I love the Olympics. And I do! It's a fortnight of the worlds best athletes facing off against each other in all kinds of events.
And it's Olympics time!
But- I do have my issues with the Olympics, especially this year. And instead of just getting complaining, I'm going to offer a solution as well.
Why we shouldn't be having Rio 2016:
Zika Virus- Brazil is in South America, which is the epicenter of the Zika outbreak. Recently, Zika got a lot of press because of an outbreak. It's kind of dropped out of the news cycle with the elections, but it's still a problem. With the Olympics, millions of people are going to Brazil to watch the games. People will get infected. They will unknowingly take their infections home with them. Then they will get bitten by another mosquito, or have sex, and more people will get the virus. Zika would have probably proliferated to other mosquito-friendly areas eventually, but the Olympics will expedite the process significantly. Heck, it may just mean that somebody finds a cure sooner. But it's still a public health nightmare.My solution: cancel the games. I love them, but it should be done. And this isn't even considering the quality of the water for long-distance swimming/sailing/rowing, or all of the protesters and widespread poverty.
Olympics in general- Every four years, we have the games, which I really enjoy watching. It's everything around the games that's the issue. First of all, I bet the IOC is just as corrupt as FIFA. Second, it costs SO much to organize the Olympics. First there's the whole application and selection process. Then, the build starts. The host needs to build tons of housing, stadiums, and surrounding infrastructure, all for just a couple weeks of frenzy. Yes, it brings in tourists, and can create jobs. But it almost always leaves the country worse off, with unused stadiums and in incredible amounts of debt. My solution: Have the (summer) games in Greece, every time. They originated in Greece. Greece already has some infrastructure from Athens 2004. But with an initial investment, they would then have the influx of money every four years, and they really need it because last time I checked, they were in serious economic trouble. Instead of building so much excess, leave the Olympics in their country of origin and lets build together.
And it's Olympics time!
But- I do have my issues with the Olympics, especially this year. And instead of just getting complaining, I'm going to offer a solution as well.
Why we shouldn't be having Rio 2016:
Zika Virus- Brazil is in South America, which is the epicenter of the Zika outbreak. Recently, Zika got a lot of press because of an outbreak. It's kind of dropped out of the news cycle with the elections, but it's still a problem. With the Olympics, millions of people are going to Brazil to watch the games. People will get infected. They will unknowingly take their infections home with them. Then they will get bitten by another mosquito, or have sex, and more people will get the virus. Zika would have probably proliferated to other mosquito-friendly areas eventually, but the Olympics will expedite the process significantly. Heck, it may just mean that somebody finds a cure sooner. But it's still a public health nightmare.My solution: cancel the games. I love them, but it should be done. And this isn't even considering the quality of the water for long-distance swimming/sailing/rowing, or all of the protesters and widespread poverty.
Olympics in general- Every four years, we have the games, which I really enjoy watching. It's everything around the games that's the issue. First of all, I bet the IOC is just as corrupt as FIFA. Second, it costs SO much to organize the Olympics. First there's the whole application and selection process. Then, the build starts. The host needs to build tons of housing, stadiums, and surrounding infrastructure, all for just a couple weeks of frenzy. Yes, it brings in tourists, and can create jobs. But it almost always leaves the country worse off, with unused stadiums and in incredible amounts of debt. My solution: Have the (summer) games in Greece, every time. They originated in Greece. Greece already has some infrastructure from Athens 2004. But with an initial investment, they would then have the influx of money every four years, and they really need it because last time I checked, they were in serious economic trouble. Instead of building so much excess, leave the Olympics in their country of origin and lets build together.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Dear Senator Sanders,
I'm disappointed in you for endorsing Hillary and dropping out of the race.
I know you would have lost in the convention, but I think you owed it to your supporters to take the fight to Philadelphia. You may have even hurt the Democrats' chance this November.
Your campaign started small. but sparked an uproar and a movement. I'm young- last presidential election campaign I was a freshman/sophomore in college. The one before that, high school. This is the first time I've experienced an election where I've payed attention in the primaries, and I'm also more learned. You made this election exciting, and gave me hope. I wrote to you last summer, looking for a job. And it seems like this primary cycle was unlike anything in a long time, on both the republican and the democratic sides of the aisle. Now, a liberatarian is polling above 10% !!
I #feltthebern and I was super disheartened by your move. Maybe you made some deals. There was a ton of pressure on you. But what's the worst that happens if you don't endorse Hillary until after the convention? Let the people vote. Let your supporters make some noise. They're passionate about what you represent, but now the convention is just a show. You said you were taking the fight to the convention, but the fight is over.
Ultimately, I think this move will hurt the Democrats. A large portion of Bernie supporters were anti-Establishment, and I think this move plays more into the hands of the establishment. With no momentum change at all, you dropped out. If you had gone through to the convention, I think your supporters would have accepted the result and moved on to support Hillary. Instead, they will feel cheated and I could see them move to Trump. Oh, Trump.
Anyways, I'm not one to hold a grudge, so I'll get over it. I am interested to see what you do next. But I also thought more of you, and your movement. Oh well.
Sincerely,
Yaniv Rait
I know you would have lost in the convention, but I think you owed it to your supporters to take the fight to Philadelphia. You may have even hurt the Democrats' chance this November.
Your campaign started small. but sparked an uproar and a movement. I'm young- last presidential election campaign I was a freshman/sophomore in college. The one before that, high school. This is the first time I've experienced an election where I've payed attention in the primaries, and I'm also more learned. You made this election exciting, and gave me hope. I wrote to you last summer, looking for a job. And it seems like this primary cycle was unlike anything in a long time, on both the republican and the democratic sides of the aisle. Now, a liberatarian is polling above 10% !!
I #feltthebern and I was super disheartened by your move. Maybe you made some deals. There was a ton of pressure on you. But what's the worst that happens if you don't endorse Hillary until after the convention? Let the people vote. Let your supporters make some noise. They're passionate about what you represent, but now the convention is just a show. You said you were taking the fight to the convention, but the fight is over.
Ultimately, I think this move will hurt the Democrats. A large portion of Bernie supporters were anti-Establishment, and I think this move plays more into the hands of the establishment. With no momentum change at all, you dropped out. If you had gone through to the convention, I think your supporters would have accepted the result and moved on to support Hillary. Instead, they will feel cheated and I could see them move to Trump. Oh, Trump.
Anyways, I'm not one to hold a grudge, so I'll get over it. I am interested to see what you do next. But I also thought more of you, and your movement. Oh well.
Sincerely,
Yaniv Rait
Pokemon GO
It's a fad that's sweeping the nation, and it's pretty crazy to think about. I saw around 30-40 people standing in a park, all on their phones, waiting for the Pokemon they lured. It was kind of apocalyptic.
Maybe Nintendo intended for this to be a social thing, with people battling their Pokemon and meeting new people. And maybe it will become that as people get better Pokemon and the app gets updated with new features. But that park I walked past was eerie, creepy and silent.
Kudos to Nintendo for actually getting people out of their house- Pokémon Go apparently improves mental health! Nintendo had like a 33% stock increase the day after the release. And hey- it's just a form of entertainment, like reading a book or watching a TV show. Who am I to tell people how to spend their time...
But it's just a game, and I have this feeling that in a few months a lot of people are going to regret all the extra time they spent glued to their phone from Pokémon Go.
I can't even get Pokemon Go, I have a Windows phone.
The struggle is real.
Maybe Nintendo intended for this to be a social thing, with people battling their Pokemon and meeting new people. And maybe it will become that as people get better Pokemon and the app gets updated with new features. But that park I walked past was eerie, creepy and silent.
Kudos to Nintendo for actually getting people out of their house- Pokémon Go apparently improves mental health! Nintendo had like a 33% stock increase the day after the release. And hey- it's just a form of entertainment, like reading a book or watching a TV show. Who am I to tell people how to spend their time...
But it's just a game, and I have this feeling that in a few months a lot of people are going to regret all the extra time they spent glued to their phone from Pokémon Go.
I can't even get Pokemon Go, I have a Windows phone.
The struggle is real.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
politics
Election 2016
I'll save the GOP for next week, but I have been doing a lot of reading and watching the campaigns so far, and I do have a lot to say. I think there's a TON to consider in every election, so I'll try and break it down. There are all kinds of aspects that need to be considered and it's very early in the process, and a lot is going to change in the next month or two. But so far, there are two democratic candidates, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and a host of GOP candidates that pose problems to them. There is a chance of an independent candidate, but for now we should focus on what we know.
So with that, I will dive into the candidates.
Hillary Clinton
In many ways, I think she is the better candidate. I trust her foreign relations more, and believe in her ability to work with congress. Furthermore, I think she would definitely win in the primary. These are three very strong positives and this alone gives me faith in the Democratic party. However, she is not perfect. A large portion of our country does not trust her, and this is a problem. When it comes down to it, I would definitely support her in the general election, but I like Bernie more.
Bernie Sanders
He's pretty old, and that is something that worries me. However, if he is elected, and he manages to stay in good health, I think he has the potential to do amazing things for our country. Voting reform is one example- most presidents promise it, but after they're elected they have no reason to actually fix the system. This issue is critical to his view, democratic socialism, and because of that I think he would attack voting reform, institutional racism, wall street fraud, all things which really bring down the quality of our nation.
Democratic socialism is an interesting concept. The government system stays the same, but the economy flips upside down, or at least takes a hard turn. Taxes would be raised, but not by much, for most people. And with higher taxes, we would get better services: health care, higher education, veteran care, etc. Bernie has a very progressive agenda. It's crazy that he's a serious candidate while calling for "political revolution" at the same time. If he wins, it could be a roller coaster of a ride. I really think democratic socialism could be a great thing- it could slingshot the U.S. forward- but we must proceed with caution.
My biggest concern is that even though I think that Bernie could beat Donald Trump, I fear most other Republicans would beat Bernie. But if Bernie picks up momentum, and the GOP somehow doesn't unify around a candidate soon enough, I would be enthralled for a Bernie vs Trump faceoff, and though terrified of a Trump victory, I would be esctatic with a win for the ol' Jew.
I'll save the GOP for next week, but I have been doing a lot of reading and watching the campaigns so far, and I do have a lot to say. I think there's a TON to consider in every election, so I'll try and break it down. There are all kinds of aspects that need to be considered and it's very early in the process, and a lot is going to change in the next month or two. But so far, there are two democratic candidates, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and a host of GOP candidates that pose problems to them. There is a chance of an independent candidate, but for now we should focus on what we know.
So with that, I will dive into the candidates.
Hillary Clinton
In many ways, I think she is the better candidate. I trust her foreign relations more, and believe in her ability to work with congress. Furthermore, I think she would definitely win in the primary. These are three very strong positives and this alone gives me faith in the Democratic party. However, she is not perfect. A large portion of our country does not trust her, and this is a problem. When it comes down to it, I would definitely support her in the general election, but I like Bernie more.
Bernie Sanders
He's pretty old, and that is something that worries me. However, if he is elected, and he manages to stay in good health, I think he has the potential to do amazing things for our country. Voting reform is one example- most presidents promise it, but after they're elected they have no reason to actually fix the system. This issue is critical to his view, democratic socialism, and because of that I think he would attack voting reform, institutional racism, wall street fraud, all things which really bring down the quality of our nation.
Democratic socialism is an interesting concept. The government system stays the same, but the economy flips upside down, or at least takes a hard turn. Taxes would be raised, but not by much, for most people. And with higher taxes, we would get better services: health care, higher education, veteran care, etc. Bernie has a very progressive agenda. It's crazy that he's a serious candidate while calling for "political revolution" at the same time. If he wins, it could be a roller coaster of a ride. I really think democratic socialism could be a great thing- it could slingshot the U.S. forward- but we must proceed with caution.
My biggest concern is that even though I think that Bernie could beat Donald Trump, I fear most other Republicans would beat Bernie. But if Bernie picks up momentum, and the GOP somehow doesn't unify around a candidate soon enough, I would be enthralled for a Bernie vs Trump faceoff, and though terrified of a Trump victory, I would be esctatic with a win for the ol' Jew.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
sports
As a Seahawks fan, I had the most incredible finish to my playoff game last week. The Vikings kicker missed his chip-shot field goal to win the game, and the seahawks won. As a seahawks fan, I also experienced the same thing last super bowl, just from the Vikings perspective, with The Interception. I feel your pain, vikes, but COME ON SEAHAWKSSSSSS!!!
It must be crazy to live in L.A.. You had no football team, and all of a sudden next year you have one. If you've had a proxy-team while living in LA, do you convert? That's a big life decision! Not good for the Seahawks though, such a huge market means more money flowing into the team. I guess the salary cap reduces the effect to a certain degree...
I also need to give a big shout out to my boy Ken Griffey Jr for his induction to the baseball hall of fame. Though I am to young to have fully enjoyed your career, I did get to see the end of your first stint with the mariners and you paved the way for the Mariners I grew up loving. Thanks for everything, kid.
It must be crazy to live in L.A.. You had no football team, and all of a sudden next year you have one. If you've had a proxy-team while living in LA, do you convert? That's a big life decision! Not good for the Seahawks though, such a huge market means more money flowing into the team. I guess the salary cap reduces the effect to a certain degree...
I also need to give a big shout out to my boy Ken Griffey Jr for his induction to the baseball hall of fame. Though I am to young to have fully enjoyed your career, I did get to see the end of your first stint with the mariners and you paved the way for the Mariners I grew up loving. Thanks for everything, kid.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Star Wars episode 7
Now that the new Star Wars is out, the question becomes what order to watch the series in.
Is it 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 7?
How about 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3?
Or 7, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3?
No. The correct order is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Anyone who disagrees can come and fight me. I think people who thought 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3 was the correct order just say so because they had the prequels ruined by the most famous misquotation in history, "Luke, I am your father" and they feel threatened by people having the full Anakin story. He's more than an evil body in a black cyborg outfit. He's driven by the desire to be a good father. It adds so much more emotional complexion to the story.
May the force be with you.
Is it 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 7?
How about 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3?
Or 7, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3?
No. The correct order is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Anyone who disagrees can come and fight me. I think people who thought 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3 was the correct order just say so because they had the prequels ruined by the most famous misquotation in history, "Luke, I am your father" and they feel threatened by people having the full Anakin story. He's more than an evil body in a black cyborg outfit. He's driven by the desire to be a good father. It adds so much more emotional complexion to the story.
May the force be with you.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
why do they call the presidential debates debates?
They ask specific candidates specific questions, and don't really allow much back-and-forth. Its more of a big group interview.
Let them give introduction statements on the important question- why they would be the best president- and then allow them to argue back and forth. It would be so much more interesting that way.
That bring said, I've watched all of around 30 minutes of debate in my life, all earlier today.
Let them give introduction statements on the important question- why they would be the best president- and then allow them to argue back and forth. It would be so much more interesting that way.
That bring said, I've watched all of around 30 minutes of debate in my life, all earlier today.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Terrorism
It's hard to know what to say sometimes.
A week ago, the world played witness to a terrible tragedy as ISIS carried out a coordinated terrorist attack in several locations in Paris- a soccer game, cafés, a concert. No need to summarize, everyone knows what happened.
I was at my aunt and uncles after a long week at work, and took a nap. I woke up, opened twitter on my phone, and saw all kinds of news stations posting about a terror attack in Paris. It was oddly reminiscent of this past January, when I was in Guatemala with my dad, and we got to the hotel after a long day only to learn about the Charlie Hebdo attack. I scrolled down through my twitter feed, moving back in time, essentially recounting what was happening in a backwards fashion. Within an hour, my Facebook feed was full of posts, hashtags, and profile pictures overlaid with the French flag. It was a larger show of sympathy on Facebook than for any event I've experienced.
The next few days I checked in on the events frequently. It brought me back to the Boston Marathon bombing- the chaos in the beginning, then the realization of what had happened, and the "retaliation." It did seem from pretty early on that it had been the doing of ISIS, and already, the #1 mastermind behind the attack has been compromised. I'm sure for a lot of people, the attacks are now filed away in "past happenings". But even though it's been a week now, the acts of terror are still present on my mind. Cedric, a close friend I met in Nepal, lives in Paris and I wrote to him yesterday, He said every day he has to walk by one of the attacked cafés. I can't even imagine how that must feel.
I'm not here to write out against ISIS. When they were teeny tiny, I had an idea that we should give them the benefit of the doubt- maybe they would lead to positive change in the turbulent middle east. However, that inking of an idea left me long ago as I read about their transgressions- destroying historical sites, massacring people... so many bad things. Anybody who is on a different page than me, who thinks that ISIS has good intentions in mind, please tell me why. I can't understand how their support grows. Thankfully, I think most people feel like I do. I'm also not going to write that the US needs to send troops into Syria. I don't know what's going on there, and I don't claim to be a IR mastermind. I don't know how to proceed, so I won't pretend I do.
What I do want to reflect on is the social media reaction that occurred in the past week, following the initial sympathy.
For some reason, within a few days of the attack, people were complaining about how people reacted on social media. They said our attention was improperly aimed. They talked about a bombing in Beirut a day before that got no attention. They complained that people only thought about others living in high-income countries instead of those living in desolation- those who we need to worry about. To them, I say "shut up, stop complaining." Yes, the people of Lebanon undoubtedly suffer far more than citizens of Paris. They endure far more; it's a different order of magnitude. But that all being said, I do believe that people should a) not tell people what to post on Facebook and b) Be respectful of all of the suffering of people affected by the tragedy.
I'm not saying we should only focus on tragedies in high-income countries. I'm also not saying we should never post about any tragedies, or post about all tragedies. Honestly, posting things on Facebook have such minimal influence on anything, that I kind of feel foolish writing this post. But it makes me sad that people are attacking posts which show unification and sympathy to those affected. Our posts weren't discounting the tragedy of Beirut, but could you imagine what the FB feed would look like if every time anything bad happened people posted? Our news feeds would be saturated with depressing news. And we have normal news stations that.
More than anything else, our reaction was a showing of solidarity, of unity, of humanity. Why take that away from us? The terror attacks shocked us, showing us that even when we think we're safe, doing fun things, there can always be surprises. To me, the outpouring of sympathy was incredible, and showed everyone that we are strong together.
I just wanted to finish with a few links to some powerful things I've read. Change may not happen from us sitting on our computers, reading, but it can change how we think, and that can lead to tangible impact down the road.
From Molly, a friend, a great piece she wrote on her blog:
https://mollyrothschild.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/frustration/
From the Dalai Lama- though I agree that prayers won't lead to tangible change and humans need to act, I do see the symbolism of prayer and think it's important in bringing people together:
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/dalai-lama-stop-praying-for-paris-humans-created-this-problem-and-humans-must-solve-it/#.VkulY6jtRgY.facebook
And some information on ISIS, for those who don't know a lot about it:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/isis-wants-us-to-invade-7-facts-revealed-by-their-magazine/
#PrayforParis
#PrayforBeirut
#PrayforMali
#PrayforHumanity
#PrayforPlanetEarth
A week ago, the world played witness to a terrible tragedy as ISIS carried out a coordinated terrorist attack in several locations in Paris- a soccer game, cafés, a concert. No need to summarize, everyone knows what happened.
I was at my aunt and uncles after a long week at work, and took a nap. I woke up, opened twitter on my phone, and saw all kinds of news stations posting about a terror attack in Paris. It was oddly reminiscent of this past January, when I was in Guatemala with my dad, and we got to the hotel after a long day only to learn about the Charlie Hebdo attack. I scrolled down through my twitter feed, moving back in time, essentially recounting what was happening in a backwards fashion. Within an hour, my Facebook feed was full of posts, hashtags, and profile pictures overlaid with the French flag. It was a larger show of sympathy on Facebook than for any event I've experienced.
The next few days I checked in on the events frequently. It brought me back to the Boston Marathon bombing- the chaos in the beginning, then the realization of what had happened, and the "retaliation." It did seem from pretty early on that it had been the doing of ISIS, and already, the #1 mastermind behind the attack has been compromised. I'm sure for a lot of people, the attacks are now filed away in "past happenings". But even though it's been a week now, the acts of terror are still present on my mind. Cedric, a close friend I met in Nepal, lives in Paris and I wrote to him yesterday, He said every day he has to walk by one of the attacked cafés. I can't even imagine how that must feel.
I'm not here to write out against ISIS. When they were teeny tiny, I had an idea that we should give them the benefit of the doubt- maybe they would lead to positive change in the turbulent middle east. However, that inking of an idea left me long ago as I read about their transgressions- destroying historical sites, massacring people... so many bad things. Anybody who is on a different page than me, who thinks that ISIS has good intentions in mind, please tell me why. I can't understand how their support grows. Thankfully, I think most people feel like I do. I'm also not going to write that the US needs to send troops into Syria. I don't know what's going on there, and I don't claim to be a IR mastermind. I don't know how to proceed, so I won't pretend I do.
What I do want to reflect on is the social media reaction that occurred in the past week, following the initial sympathy.
For some reason, within a few days of the attack, people were complaining about how people reacted on social media. They said our attention was improperly aimed. They talked about a bombing in Beirut a day before that got no attention. They complained that people only thought about others living in high-income countries instead of those living in desolation- those who we need to worry about. To them, I say "shut up, stop complaining." Yes, the people of Lebanon undoubtedly suffer far more than citizens of Paris. They endure far more; it's a different order of magnitude. But that all being said, I do believe that people should a) not tell people what to post on Facebook and b) Be respectful of all of the suffering of people affected by the tragedy.
I'm not saying we should only focus on tragedies in high-income countries. I'm also not saying we should never post about any tragedies, or post about all tragedies. Honestly, posting things on Facebook have such minimal influence on anything, that I kind of feel foolish writing this post. But it makes me sad that people are attacking posts which show unification and sympathy to those affected. Our posts weren't discounting the tragedy of Beirut, but could you imagine what the FB feed would look like if every time anything bad happened people posted? Our news feeds would be saturated with depressing news. And we have normal news stations that.
More than anything else, our reaction was a showing of solidarity, of unity, of humanity. Why take that away from us? The terror attacks shocked us, showing us that even when we think we're safe, doing fun things, there can always be surprises. To me, the outpouring of sympathy was incredible, and showed everyone that we are strong together.
I just wanted to finish with a few links to some powerful things I've read. Change may not happen from us sitting on our computers, reading, but it can change how we think, and that can lead to tangible impact down the road.
From Molly, a friend, a great piece she wrote on her blog:
https://mollyrothschild.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/frustration/
From the Dalai Lama- though I agree that prayers won't lead to tangible change and humans need to act, I do see the symbolism of prayer and think it's important in bringing people together:
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/dalai-lama-stop-praying-for-paris-humans-created-this-problem-and-humans-must-solve-it/#.VkulY6jtRgY.facebook
And some information on ISIS, for those who don't know a lot about it:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/isis-wants-us-to-invade-7-facts-revealed-by-their-magazine/
#PrayforParis
#PrayforBeirut
#PrayforMali
#PrayforHumanity
#PrayforPlanetEarth
Thursday, November 19, 2015
so what will I be doing?
"I guess today marks the first day of the rest of my life.
I woke up at 6:27, three minutes before my alarm went off. I lay in bed for several minutes, before realizing that I was already falling behind schedule. Got up, showered, shaved, got all dressed up, and off I went. To Harvard square on the red line, and then to Mt. Auburn Hospital on foot.
I think it hit me when I walked into the hospital. The smell of hospital filled my nose- antiseptic, disinfectant. I've spent a decent amount of time in hospitals, luckily almost all as a volunteer not a patient, "
I wrote this a month ago today, on my first day at Mt. Auburn. The past month has been so hectic that I haven't even completed this post, but I think the one month mark is symbolic and thus works well as a check-in point.
So let me pick up where I left off, with a major correction. I am not really working in a hospital. I have a non-clinical job. In fact, my office is not at the hospital but in fact at a leased out space around a mile away.
I'm an Epic Analyst. Epic is an electronic health record system, widely used in the US. I'll be working on ASAP, the Emergency Department app, which is awesome because I love the ER.
Right now, Mt. Auburn Hospital has a ton of unconnected health record systems, which means lots of delays as doctors wait for patient records and papers to be filed. In 18 months, we have the go-live with epic. Target date is May 2017. It's a long time from now, but there's a lot to do. In essence, I have to (be a part of a team which will) design the ASAP interface, decide what different users have access to, set workflows, etc. When the go-live dust has settled, almost every department in Mt. Auburn hospital (and the associated physician network) will have epic software, leading to much more streamlined care.
I'm in Wisconsin right now, on trip 2 of 3, where I actually learn the system. And I have to get certified before February, because that's when we really get started. But I already passed the test and project for class #1.
It's an awesome job. Very conceptual in nature but leads to a physical project in the end. It's a huge project- the hospital is sinking upwards of $100 million into the implementation, and with great power comes great responsibility. I may be a cog in the wheel of implementation, but I'm still very excited.
More to come.
I woke up at 6:27, three minutes before my alarm went off. I lay in bed for several minutes, before realizing that I was already falling behind schedule. Got up, showered, shaved, got all dressed up, and off I went. To Harvard square on the red line, and then to Mt. Auburn Hospital on foot.
I think it hit me when I walked into the hospital. The smell of hospital filled my nose- antiseptic, disinfectant. I've spent a decent amount of time in hospitals, luckily almost all as a volunteer not a patient, "
I wrote this a month ago today, on my first day at Mt. Auburn. The past month has been so hectic that I haven't even completed this post, but I think the one month mark is symbolic and thus works well as a check-in point.
So let me pick up where I left off, with a major correction. I am not really working in a hospital. I have a non-clinical job. In fact, my office is not at the hospital but in fact at a leased out space around a mile away.
I'm an Epic Analyst. Epic is an electronic health record system, widely used in the US. I'll be working on ASAP, the Emergency Department app, which is awesome because I love the ER.
Right now, Mt. Auburn Hospital has a ton of unconnected health record systems, which means lots of delays as doctors wait for patient records and papers to be filed. In 18 months, we have the go-live with epic. Target date is May 2017. It's a long time from now, but there's a lot to do. In essence, I have to (be a part of a team which will) design the ASAP interface, decide what different users have access to, set workflows, etc. When the go-live dust has settled, almost every department in Mt. Auburn hospital (and the associated physician network) will have epic software, leading to much more streamlined care.
I'm in Wisconsin right now, on trip 2 of 3, where I actually learn the system. And I have to get certified before February, because that's when we really get started. But I already passed the test and project for class #1.
It's an awesome job. Very conceptual in nature but leads to a physical project in the end. It's a huge project- the hospital is sinking upwards of $100 million into the implementation, and with great power comes great responsibility. I may be a cog in the wheel of implementation, but I'm still very excited.
More to come.
share me!
Blogspot is pretty cool in that I can see how many people are reading my posts. It was definitely a lot more when I was in Nepal, but that makes sense. I was doing awesome stuff there, now I'm just another young professional, doing my job.
But still, there are a lot of people who do read this blog. Its usually a)on weekends and b) when there's some facebook action going on. I only posted about this blog on Facebook once, but occasionally somebody likes my post, or comments on it, and when that happens there's a spike in viewership.
Anyways, I'm probably not going to keep updating this blog much if I don't get viewership. It's fun to write and all, but I don't like talking to walls. If you like my posts, share me on FB! If my posts make you laugh, share me on FB! If you think my posts lead you to deep thought and self reflection, share me on FB! People make such a big deal about every little thing they do on Facebook, but it's as easy as clicking a button. Isn't it worth it, if you show a single person this blog, and they really enjoy it?
And if you go to my FB and share it from that original FB post, who knows, maybe you'll be the person who set off the most massive Facebook trend ever! What is there to lose?
But still, there are a lot of people who do read this blog. Its usually a)on weekends and b) when there's some facebook action going on. I only posted about this blog on Facebook once, but occasionally somebody likes my post, or comments on it, and when that happens there's a spike in viewership.
Anyways, I'm probably not going to keep updating this blog much if I don't get viewership. It's fun to write and all, but I don't like talking to walls. If you like my posts, share me on FB! If my posts make you laugh, share me on FB! If you think my posts lead you to deep thought and self reflection, share me on FB! People make such a big deal about every little thing they do on Facebook, but it's as easy as clicking a button. Isn't it worth it, if you show a single person this blog, and they really enjoy it?
And if you go to my FB and share it from that original FB post, who knows, maybe you'll be the person who set off the most massive Facebook trend ever! What is there to lose?
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
free money!
(for me)
But actually. It's not that I NEED the money, but free money is always nice, and it's even better when it's free for me and good for you.
Want a job? Already have a job but want another one on the side? Sign up for Varsity Tutors! It's easy to get a job (if you are at all a competent teacher), it pays amazing ($20+/hr from the beginning) and you get to be a tutor (online or in person)- it's even a good deed! And best of all, if you use this link : https://www.varsitytutors.com/tutoring-jobs?r=2zEUCg then I get $100! then you can refer people and get $$$ too (and of course tutor people). The job can be busy if you want it, but I've literally tutored three people in the past 18 months, and not only do they not care that I don't tutor, but they make it super easy for me to start tutoring again. Sign up, how can it hurt?
Want to buy some stock? Use Robinhood! It's an app which lets you buy and sell stocks with no trading free, that's right, $00.00! And sign up at the link : http://join.robinhood.com/yanivr so we each get a free share of stock!
Sign up for the dollar shave club! It's cheap, makes your life easier, and is also quite entertaining. And the razors are superb, if I may say so myself. And they have hilarious weekly "bathroom reading" notes they send out. And they have all kinds of other bathroom fun stuff as well. Use this promo URL: http://shaved.by/cVaIu and I get $5 off next time I get my razors shipped to me! That's a free month of Razors! Wowzers! Don't get so excited that you forget to use my promo URL though...
That is all. I'm no salesman, I'm just trying to make everyone a little better off.
But actually. It's not that I NEED the money, but free money is always nice, and it's even better when it's free for me and good for you.
Want a job? Already have a job but want another one on the side? Sign up for Varsity Tutors! It's easy to get a job (if you are at all a competent teacher), it pays amazing ($20+/hr from the beginning) and you get to be a tutor (online or in person)- it's even a good deed! And best of all, if you use this link : https://www.varsitytutors.com/tutoring-jobs?r=2zEUCg then I get $100! then you can refer people and get $$$ too (and of course tutor people). The job can be busy if you want it, but I've literally tutored three people in the past 18 months, and not only do they not care that I don't tutor, but they make it super easy for me to start tutoring again. Sign up, how can it hurt?
Want to buy some stock? Use Robinhood! It's an app which lets you buy and sell stocks with no trading free, that's right, $00.00! And sign up at the link : http://join.robinhood.com/yanivr so we each get a free share of stock!
Sign up for the dollar shave club! It's cheap, makes your life easier, and is also quite entertaining. And the razors are superb, if I may say so myself. And they have hilarious weekly "bathroom reading" notes they send out. And they have all kinds of other bathroom fun stuff as well. Use this promo URL: http://shaved.by/cVaIu and I get $5 off next time I get my razors shipped to me! That's a free month of Razors! Wowzers! Don't get so excited that you forget to use my promo URL though...
That is all. I'm no salesman, I'm just trying to make everyone a little better off.
Monday, November 9, 2015
entertainment
Books, movies, TV shows.
Three entirely separate categories, yet three things so similar. They are all works of art which, in exchange for our time, give us endless pleasure.
The same can be said of museum exhibits, video games, music, and many other things.
Each form of entertainment has its own audience, a group of people who lets their entertainment form(s) define their life, to a certain degree. These entertainments distract us from our daily activities and enjoy the stimulation provided. People routinely set time aside for consuming these forms of entertainment.
But what do we gain from these sources of entertainment? Not much, really. They lead to very little tangible gain. It's important to stretch your horizons, but is it really worth it to watch every episode of Friends? Probably not. We spend countless hours, days, years of our lives talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones and the newest Star Wars, playing FIFA and finding new music. I think that we use entertainment as a way to connect with the people around you. But it doesn't really seem like the most effective use of our time.
I'm not hating on entertainment at all. I love it. Even this blog is entertainment (I hope). I'm certainly not arguing against entertainment.
Three entirely separate categories, yet three things so similar. They are all works of art which, in exchange for our time, give us endless pleasure.
The same can be said of museum exhibits, video games, music, and many other things.
Each form of entertainment has its own audience, a group of people who lets their entertainment form(s) define their life, to a certain degree. These entertainments distract us from our daily activities and enjoy the stimulation provided. People routinely set time aside for consuming these forms of entertainment.
But what do we gain from these sources of entertainment? Not much, really. They lead to very little tangible gain. It's important to stretch your horizons, but is it really worth it to watch every episode of Friends? Probably not. We spend countless hours, days, years of our lives talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones and the newest Star Wars, playing FIFA and finding new music. I think that we use entertainment as a way to connect with the people around you. But it doesn't really seem like the most effective use of our time.
I'm not hating on entertainment at all. I love it. Even this blog is entertainment (I hope). I'm certainly not arguing against entertainment.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Reflection
Six months ago, a devastating earthquake hit Nepal. Since then, so much has changed. I think not only about their lives, but mine as well. And though for now our paths have diverged, they will meet again.
It's easy to get caught up in ones life, and I say this now before really getting into working 40 hours and a ''professional'' job. But though things settle down and become easy for some, it's important to remember that it's not so easy for everyone.
It's easy to get caught up in ones life, and I say this now before really getting into working 40 hours and a ''professional'' job. But though things settle down and become easy for some, it's important to remember that it's not so easy for everyone.
Be thankful for what you have, and always strive to make the world a better place.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
The Middle East Conflict
As I write this post, my news feed on Facebook is blowing up with posts about what's happening on the streets of Jerusalem right now. Seemingly random stabbing attacks are happening daily, perpetrated by both Jews and Arabs. It's terrible- a couple days ago I watched a video of an Arab man driving into a bus stop full of Israelis, then get out and start hacking them with an axe. It was one of the most terrible things I've ever seen.
Mahmud, one of my best friends, is an Arab-Israeli who I went to school with in Israel. He now lives in Boston, and I saw him the other day. We talked about this conflict, how we envision it easily developing into a military assault if nothing changes, how this happens every few years, and how painful and scary it is. This is my number one point about the middle east conflict. It causes so much damage- to buildings, to people, and to peoples minds. It's a lose-lose every time things boil over. It makes me so sad reading about innocent mothers and children getting slaughtered. And the violence only leads to more violence.
I can't just complain and offer no opinion, so I'll try and explain my thoughts.
Israel was given to the Jewish people by the mandate in 1948. It was in light of the Holocaust and WWII, when 6 million Jews were killed. But looking back at Jews over history, they have often been ostracized, forced to move, killed, exiled, and I don't know why. So in my opinion, giving the Jewish people a state was a very sensible thing to do, and to do it in a place they (we) hold valuable (because of Jerusalem) makes sense. It's a pity that it's one of the most sought land pieces in the world.
So since the Jews have been given Israel, there has been tension between them and the Palestinian people, who were living on the land pre-mandate.
And obviously, tensions rise and fall. And there are super radical people and people who just want to get along and people who just want safety. And while a lot of the time there isn't a massive problem with internal Israeli security, it as boils over far to frequently. So how do we move forwards?
I think the first thing to do is step back and see what both sides want, and we work forwards from there. From the Israeli perspective, they want a Jewish state. I also think this shows a reason they feel threatened- the birth rate is much higher in Arab-Israeli families than Jewish-Israeli families, meaning that in the future, maybe 20, maybe 50 years from now, there will be an Arab-Israeli majority and Jews will no longer have their Jewish state.
What to Palestinians want? That's a good question, and I'm not the best person to answer it, but I expect it's land, equality, and Jerusalem.
Because of this, I strongly believe that the only solution is a 2-state solution. This way, Jews get a Jewish state and Palestinians get equality, not having to live oppressed in a Jewish state. I also firmly believe that if the world decided to make Jerusalem an international holy city, kind of like the Vatican, it would really reduce violence because then nobody could claim ownership. Would this work? Who knows? But what I do know is that what is currently happening is not working.
We have to focus on the loss of life, the tragedy of war, the damages we all suffer. Instead, we look at the crazy perpetrators and their extreme perspectives. I am not a fan of Netanyahu, and with him in charge I don't see any real developments taking place. It's awful. But just because he's in charge doesn't mean nothing good will happen.
I worked at Ultimate Peace, a camp of Jewish and Arab Israelis, playing ultimate peace together, learning values and camaraderie. These children then take lessons back to their communities, and try and spread positive vibes. This is what we should do. We should be working on the ground, with people, children, to open their minds to what could happen if we all got along.
Mahmud, one of my best friends, is an Arab-Israeli who I went to school with in Israel. He now lives in Boston, and I saw him the other day. We talked about this conflict, how we envision it easily developing into a military assault if nothing changes, how this happens every few years, and how painful and scary it is. This is my number one point about the middle east conflict. It causes so much damage- to buildings, to people, and to peoples minds. It's a lose-lose every time things boil over. It makes me so sad reading about innocent mothers and children getting slaughtered. And the violence only leads to more violence.
I can't just complain and offer no opinion, so I'll try and explain my thoughts.
Israel was given to the Jewish people by the mandate in 1948. It was in light of the Holocaust and WWII, when 6 million Jews were killed. But looking back at Jews over history, they have often been ostracized, forced to move, killed, exiled, and I don't know why. So in my opinion, giving the Jewish people a state was a very sensible thing to do, and to do it in a place they (we) hold valuable (because of Jerusalem) makes sense. It's a pity that it's one of the most sought land pieces in the world.
So since the Jews have been given Israel, there has been tension between them and the Palestinian people, who were living on the land pre-mandate.
And obviously, tensions rise and fall. And there are super radical people and people who just want to get along and people who just want safety. And while a lot of the time there isn't a massive problem with internal Israeli security, it as boils over far to frequently. So how do we move forwards?
I think the first thing to do is step back and see what both sides want, and we work forwards from there. From the Israeli perspective, they want a Jewish state. I also think this shows a reason they feel threatened- the birth rate is much higher in Arab-Israeli families than Jewish-Israeli families, meaning that in the future, maybe 20, maybe 50 years from now, there will be an Arab-Israeli majority and Jews will no longer have their Jewish state.
What to Palestinians want? That's a good question, and I'm not the best person to answer it, but I expect it's land, equality, and Jerusalem.
Because of this, I strongly believe that the only solution is a 2-state solution. This way, Jews get a Jewish state and Palestinians get equality, not having to live oppressed in a Jewish state. I also firmly believe that if the world decided to make Jerusalem an international holy city, kind of like the Vatican, it would really reduce violence because then nobody could claim ownership. Would this work? Who knows? But what I do know is that what is currently happening is not working.
We have to focus on the loss of life, the tragedy of war, the damages we all suffer. Instead, we look at the crazy perpetrators and their extreme perspectives. I am not a fan of Netanyahu, and with him in charge I don't see any real developments taking place. It's awful. But just because he's in charge doesn't mean nothing good will happen.
I worked at Ultimate Peace, a camp of Jewish and Arab Israelis, playing ultimate peace together, learning values and camaraderie. These children then take lessons back to their communities, and try and spread positive vibes. This is what we should do. We should be working on the ground, with people, children, to open their minds to what could happen if we all got along.
Friday, October 9, 2015
sports
I love sports. Honestly, they're such a big part of my life. I played soccer, basketball and baseball from a young age. I dropped basketball but played soccer and baseball through high school, travelling with my varsity teams and serving as captain of the baseball team. I was captain of my intramural team throughout college in sports ranging from soccer to football, dodgeball to volleyball.
I wrote one of my Tufts application essays on sports, how they make me tick. And though I don't participate in sports so much more I still watch a lot of sports and I play fantasy football. Freshman fall I took a class on sports and culture. Three years later in my final semester at Tufts, I took a class on sports as performance.
What is it about sports?
-One of my earliest relics is a Ken Griffey Jr. shirt I got in a promotion at my first mariners game. It used to go down to my ankles but now it's a shirt.
-My first year cheering for a team was the year the Mariners won 116 games, 2001. I promise I wasn't a bandwagon jumper (see case in point below), it was just the first year I really was old enough to read the sports section.
-Mariners now have the MLB's longest playoff drought, 14 years, since 2001.
-Probably the main reason that I'm not a big fan of basketball (other than that I don't have the finesse needed to be a great shooter) is that when I was young the NBA stole the SuperSonics from Seattle.
-One of my best friends, Jacob, got me interested in Tottenham Hotspur when they were 8 games into the season and had only 2 points- two ties and six losses. "Eight games in and less points than a triangle." Since then they've sent me on an emotional roller coaster. COYS
-Seahawks have been crazy for the past few years.
-I've always enjoyed the football atmosphere on Sundays. Now that fantasy is a thing, it's only gotten better.
Some other things about me and sports:
If I could only watch one sport on TV, sitting on a desert island, it would be soccer.
If I could only watch one sport on TV, wherever else, it would be football.
If I could only watch one sport at a venue, it would be baseball.
My favorite sports to play are soccer, baseball, volleyball, then other stuff
I've run 2 half marathons including the lowest one on earth
I really want to do an ironman in my life
I don't know what it is about sports, but I really do love them.
I think a large part of it is our innate desire to win. Even if there is no logical reason, if we see two people playing a game we want to join in, thinking we can beat them. Professional sports magnifies this desire and commercializes it. I don't know how good it is, but I'm not complaining.
There's probably going to be a lot of Sport on this blog. Just letting you know.
I wrote one of my Tufts application essays on sports, how they make me tick. And though I don't participate in sports so much more I still watch a lot of sports and I play fantasy football. Freshman fall I took a class on sports and culture. Three years later in my final semester at Tufts, I took a class on sports as performance.
What is it about sports?
-One of my earliest relics is a Ken Griffey Jr. shirt I got in a promotion at my first mariners game. It used to go down to my ankles but now it's a shirt.
-My first year cheering for a team was the year the Mariners won 116 games, 2001. I promise I wasn't a bandwagon jumper (see case in point below), it was just the first year I really was old enough to read the sports section.
-Mariners now have the MLB's longest playoff drought, 14 years, since 2001.
-Probably the main reason that I'm not a big fan of basketball (other than that I don't have the finesse needed to be a great shooter) is that when I was young the NBA stole the SuperSonics from Seattle.
-One of my best friends, Jacob, got me interested in Tottenham Hotspur when they were 8 games into the season and had only 2 points- two ties and six losses. "Eight games in and less points than a triangle." Since then they've sent me on an emotional roller coaster. COYS
-Seahawks have been crazy for the past few years.
-I've always enjoyed the football atmosphere on Sundays. Now that fantasy is a thing, it's only gotten better.
Some other things about me and sports:
If I could only watch one sport on TV, sitting on a desert island, it would be soccer.
If I could only watch one sport on TV, wherever else, it would be football.
If I could only watch one sport at a venue, it would be baseball.
My favorite sports to play are soccer, baseball, volleyball, then other stuff
I've run 2 half marathons including the lowest one on earth
I really want to do an ironman in my life
I don't know what it is about sports, but I really do love them.
I think a large part of it is our innate desire to win. Even if there is no logical reason, if we see two people playing a game we want to join in, thinking we can beat them. Professional sports magnifies this desire and commercializes it. I don't know how good it is, but I'm not complaining.
There's probably going to be a lot of Sport on this blog. Just letting you know.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
politics
Politics are something that everybody talks about. I figure I should just talk about politics now in the beginning and get it out of the way. A lot of what I say here is based on the infographic shown on the bottom of the page, and the Shock Doctrine, a book I am reading by Naomi Klein. The book is about how American economists, politicians and businessmen have enforced strict globalization and capitalism on a multitude of nations in dire times, manipulated economies for their own benefit, and in doing so caused untold damage. It's pretty crazy and only now am I getting to the part on internal changes started during the Bush Jr. era. It really has me thinking about the power of government.
Back to politics.
Lets first think the core role of politics in our society. Politics is the process through which our government is run. Politics is a process which is carried out by politicians, people who citizens elect, to make decisions in the government. Politicians make decisions every day which affect us both directly and directly.
I am a registered Democrat, but in a more ideal society would probably lean to the right, because Republicans tend to be more conservative. The government (I talk about the US government) costs a lot of money right now, but that being said, it does a lot of really good things too. If the money being funneled through the government maximizes the benefit of its citizens, I would say it is doing its job, and the US is doing a good job right now. But it could be doing a better job.
When people talk about politics today, they predominantly speak about what the politicians are saying and how they are acting. They talk about upcoming elections and past debates, what candidates say or the new attack ad. It makes me sad, because the government should be working together to help the people, and how can they be working together if they are constantly attacking each other. People are focusing on the politicians instead of on the functionality of the government.
Government is the entity responsible for taking in money from taxpayers and other sources and using these funds to ensure society its best outcome. Nowadays there are a lot of responsibilities for the government. They are responsible for:
-maintaining infrastructure
-paying for healthcare
-caring for the homeless
-maintaining equality and justice
-assuring safety from internal and external threats
-dealing with other nations
-creating and maintaining economic rules and regulations
I'll probably go in depth about these topics at other times, but that's not for today. It's a huge scope of responsibility, and a very complicated one. And we want our government to be trustworthy, transparent, secure, responsive, and we should have extremely high expectations for what comes out of our government. The government today doesn't cover all the bases fully, but it's also extremely strung out in some places. While I was working in the Statehouse I really understood how budgets are set, and there isn't enough money going to places that need it.
I wish that we lived in a society where the government didn't have to interfere with our social lives, but it does, because people disagree about fundamental issues such as religion and science. In my ideal society, government would honestly probably be run by computers, looking at economic data of people and corporations and taking what is needed, and then using that money to maintain their societies. In my ideal society there would be no borders. In my ideal society the government would be minimal in size unless unemployment rose, in which case it would be prepared to offer jobs. Obviously this ideal society is not going to come around any time soon, but it doesn't hurt to dream.
As to whether I think the government would be better off socialistic versus capitalistic, I think a balance is needed. Capitalistic measures are needed to ensure that the economy develops, in order to keep up with other very quickly developing nations. But I also think that socialistic measures should be taken, in that the government should have oversight of programs in many areas including healthcare and education. I wish that politicians were not allowed to meddle in business, but this is unfortunately not the case.
When I think of politics, I think about a massive ship on an endless ocean. The ship is our nation, and there are plenty of other ships around too, each a different nation. Where are the ships going? I can't really tell you, but they are all going in the same general direction. The ships can help each other out or crash into each other, or do nothing. Is it a race? Not necessarily. But not only are there different ships on the ocean, but each ship has people on board, and this raises all kinds of other points. Who is in charge of the ship? what is the well being of the passengers on the ship? are they happy? How much energy should be spent keeping the people happy, and how much on moving the ship forward? Is it better to race ahead, or to help the stragglers?
One last note is that right now, I think the government is doing way too little in some areas (homelessness) and way too much in others (international occupation) and that although it is important to look out for international economic interests, internal stability is far more important.
a little taste of ice cream
When I started this blog I thought it was going to be full of stories from working in an ice cream store (JP licks). That part of my life is pretty much done, and though I haven't been posting daily stories from work, I could have been. It's been amazing far, and I'm sad it's ending. So much for unlimited free samples. Too many favorite flavors. The coworkers are awesome, and customers are always fun. Here are some of the best stories:
- I'm kind of a barista now! Not certified, but I know how to make all the drinks and make a frothy foam. Burned myself a few times though
- The stoned guy that asked me why I was giving him his ice cream (because you ordered it)
- Making mistakes with the orders and having to keep the problematic ice creams
- The drunk guy who passed out on the table
- my "modern" latte art
- free red sox game (brought a friend for free too) after working there for two days
- working in a kosher store, meeting the rabbi, and hearing lots of hebrew
- helping people decide which ice cream they want is always entertaining
- making up fake ice cream flavors
- DIPPING CONES!!!!
everybody is happy when they walk into an ice cream store. it's a social phenomenon.
i don't think my next job will be like that...
- I'm kind of a barista now! Not certified, but I know how to make all the drinks and make a frothy foam. Burned myself a few times though
- The stoned guy that asked me why I was giving him his ice cream (because you ordered it)
- Making mistakes with the orders and having to keep the problematic ice creams
- The drunk guy who passed out on the table
- my "modern" latte art
- free red sox game (brought a friend for free too) after working there for two days
- working in a kosher store, meeting the rabbi, and hearing lots of hebrew
- helping people decide which ice cream they want is always entertaining
- making up fake ice cream flavors
- DIPPING CONES!!!!
everybody is happy when they walk into an ice cream store. it's a social phenomenon.
i don't think my next job will be like that...
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
First Blog Post
So this is my first blog post of my new blog. When I went to Nepal, I wanted to be able to keep my friends and family in the loop while not spending too much time connecting virtually, so I kept a blog. My thinking was that I could post things once and let everybody read the post. I also didn't want to crowd everybody news feed with stories that only interested a select few.
I really enjoyed writing the blog though, much more than expected. I looked forward to having the chance to write something every day, and in the end I had way more people following me than I could have ever expected. I'm not one who likes excessive attention, but I do like to share things if people are interested.
And when I left Nepal and came home, I had this realization that without a blog, I really didn't have an avenue to share stories without, once again, cramming my friends news feeds. It's interesting to think that Facebook, a social network, has the capability to end "friendships" as much as begin them, as some people really hate when people post obsessively. Frankly, annoys me as well. So I thought about starting another blog, and now, that's what I've done.
What will be the content of this blog? My daily adventures. I may not be in Nepal, digging through rubble or building new schools, but that doesn't mean I have nothing fun to write about. Some possible topics:
-Life working at an ice cream store.
-The job hunt.
-"Couch Surfing"
-Fantasy Football Obsession
-and much, much more.
This blog isn't going to be about anything specific. More so, it's going to be my space, which I can share with all of you. I won't be posting daily, but I will try and update regularly. I'm going to complain about mundane things, draw humor from things most of you may not find funny, and probably make comments of questionable integrity. If you have a problem, tell me. I'll fight you, or we can make peace. I prefer peaceful measures.
I also want to keep most posts short because people these days, myself included, don't have the time, or the attention span, to read anything long.
But I do want to finish this post with a little anecdote from my trip back after Nepal. Funny story in my opinion, but I have a weird sense of humor. When this story happened was the first time I realized I may want to keep a blog to share my life a little more.
I had just gotten off the flight in Israel, where I was going to kick it for a few days before coming back to Boston. I got to the baggage claim fast, but of course my suitcase was lost so I was there until the end. At one point, a lady bends over to get her bag. The bag is too heavy, and she struggles to lift it, and next thing I know, she's getting dragged across the floor. First I think it's because she is just stubbornly holding on to her bag, but I quickly realize that her purse, slung around her shoulders, is caught on another suitcase which is sitting on the carousel, making its way around. And because the carousel is full, instead of the bag staying still, the lady moves. The lady ended up getting dragged around 5 feet, pulled by a bag on a baggage claim carousel. It could have ended badly, but it didn't.
See, not even that funny. I promise, things will get better.
That's it.
I really enjoyed writing the blog though, much more than expected. I looked forward to having the chance to write something every day, and in the end I had way more people following me than I could have ever expected. I'm not one who likes excessive attention, but I do like to share things if people are interested.
And when I left Nepal and came home, I had this realization that without a blog, I really didn't have an avenue to share stories without, once again, cramming my friends news feeds. It's interesting to think that Facebook, a social network, has the capability to end "friendships" as much as begin them, as some people really hate when people post obsessively. Frankly, annoys me as well. So I thought about starting another blog, and now, that's what I've done.
What will be the content of this blog? My daily adventures. I may not be in Nepal, digging through rubble or building new schools, but that doesn't mean I have nothing fun to write about. Some possible topics:
-Life working at an ice cream store.
-The job hunt.
-"Couch Surfing"
-Fantasy Football Obsession
-and much, much more.
This blog isn't going to be about anything specific. More so, it's going to be my space, which I can share with all of you. I won't be posting daily, but I will try and update regularly. I'm going to complain about mundane things, draw humor from things most of you may not find funny, and probably make comments of questionable integrity. If you have a problem, tell me. I'll fight you, or we can make peace. I prefer peaceful measures.
I also want to keep most posts short because people these days, myself included, don't have the time, or the attention span, to read anything long.
But I do want to finish this post with a little anecdote from my trip back after Nepal. Funny story in my opinion, but I have a weird sense of humor. When this story happened was the first time I realized I may want to keep a blog to share my life a little more.
I had just gotten off the flight in Israel, where I was going to kick it for a few days before coming back to Boston. I got to the baggage claim fast, but of course my suitcase was lost so I was there until the end. At one point, a lady bends over to get her bag. The bag is too heavy, and she struggles to lift it, and next thing I know, she's getting dragged across the floor. First I think it's because she is just stubbornly holding on to her bag, but I quickly realize that her purse, slung around her shoulders, is caught on another suitcase which is sitting on the carousel, making its way around. And because the carousel is full, instead of the bag staying still, the lady moves. The lady ended up getting dragged around 5 feet, pulled by a bag on a baggage claim carousel. It could have ended badly, but it didn't.
See, not even that funny. I promise, things will get better.
That's it.
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