Culture – The Global Citizen

Santa Claus, Ded Moroz, Christianity and the Solstice

It is 2:48 AM on December 24th – the morning of Christmas Eve. To mark the cultural and religious highlight of the entire year across the Western world I thought I should post something about the holiday.

My focus is the mythical figure known as Santa Claus in the West, Ded Moroz in the East, Father Christmas, Father Frost, Wizard of Winter and the many other forms and names he takes across the world. I learned that there were so many names for this wizard that it reminded me of a quote from everyone’s favorite wizard Gandalf the Grey.

Santa Claus, Ded Moroz, Christianity and the Solstice full post

(1333 words, 3 images, estimated 5:20 mins reading time)

Playboy in Vietnam!

Today I was invited to the official opening of Playboy in Vietnam!

Ok, it isn’t that special because I’d still have to pay. But this still makes me wonder how I got on the mailing list! The e-mail they used isn’t one that is really ‘out there’ so I’m thinking they paid for a database of the e-mails of foreigners who live (or have lived) in Vietnam. I haven’t lived there in over ten years so I’m not sure their money was well spent!

Playboy in Vietnam: http://www.playboylifestyle.vn

Playboy in Vietnam! full post

(454 words, 1 image, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

The Interview movie

Just finished watching The Interview as as usual for this blog I won’t be rehashing the same themes splashed all over current news.

In short I did laugh at a few parts but on the overall found it just the same old crude high school humor fart joke type of movie that Hollywood continues to spew out. Say something about boners, maybe even show a boner, try to be even raunchier than the previous movies, yes, this is American exceptionalism at its best.

The Interview movie full post

(459 words, 2 images, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

The difficulty with truth in public – Ferguson

Another very long dry spell with no posts! The reason is simply that I now have two kids instead of one. With one kid you’re still afforded a modicum of free time, yet with two, the concept of 100% individual free time no longer exists.

Today I read an article in the New Yorker regarding the nomination of Samantha Power. As usual when seeking public office she had to disavow things she had said in the past which would hurt her chances of getting nominated. This really struck a chord with me as a fine example of how we really cannot express our true thoughts and opinions in public space, especially in a world where everything is increasingly being recorded. The pressure to conform, to self filter and to keep quiet has become great even for those not seeking public office.

The difficulty with truth in public – Ferguson full post

(990 words, estimated 3:58 mins reading time)

Proof of Human Evolution

It has occurred to me that the proof for human evolution is right in front of our eyes.

Literally.

One of my favorite places to think is in the sauna at my gym. The endorphins from the exercise have saturated my brain so I’m naturally high, and the heat makes me quickly relax as the sweat pours out of me. It is at this transition between a hard, intensive workout and deep relaxation that wonderful insights will often present themselves.

Proof of Human Evolution full post

(744 words, 2 images, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)