tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59296774234081259342024-03-14T01:19:14.485-07:00DigressionA blog about books.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-51353729139413525122012-03-31T15:01:00.000-07:002012-03-31T15:01:20.857-07:00End The Fed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b> </b><br />
<b>(2009)</b><br />
<b>Ron Paul</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
Finished Reading: 03.2012<br />
<br />
"The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, provides the nation with a safe, flexible and stable monetary and financial system." - <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/">www.federalreserve.gov</a><br />
<br />
Not really. Ron Paul would beg to differ, and he does in this heated demand to abolish the federal agency which supervises the nation's money supply and banking industry. Though a topic few politicians are interested in discussing, let alone <i>we the people</i> with cash in hand, Congressman Paul continues to bring this national security issue to light, seeking a serious economic debate as to whether the Fed should stay or go.<br />
<br />
Arguing that a central bank is not necessary, and in fact is "dishonest, immoral, and unconstitutional." Paul recommends a more diversified system without a single government backed entity that unwisely interferes with the free market and removes much of the responsibility and risk from the individual investor and redistributes the mistakes to everyone, all the while increasing inflation and devaluing the currency. Frequently descibing their frequent "printing money out of thin air," he advocates a monetary policy based on real commodities (such as gold) rather than the amount of ink that happens to be in the printing press or digital transaction records, which by the way, is money that doesn't ever need to be printed!<br />
<br />
The more money the Federal Reserve prints, all of which isn't backed by gold, silver, or anything real, the less each dollar is worth. I could print money on my printer at home, but good luck buying bread with it as the government has not granted "legal tender" status on my pretty printed pictures, even if I did find someone who was willing to accept it. Both pieces of paper are otherwise worth the same.<br />
<br />
The Fed doesn't seem to have plans to slow down the devaluation of our currency anytime soon, as the larger the machine gets the more fuel it needs to burn. But Ron Paul hopes to put the brakes on the Fed as a central issue in his bid for the white house in 2012 as it has been throughout his long political career. Unfortunately, rather than advocating change for a policy that doesn't work, most Americans are content to hope it works better tomorrow than it has for the last 99 years.<br />
<br />
For more information: <a href="http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/end-the-fed/" target="_blank">Ron Paul 2012</a>Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-74535338260074109192012-03-12T15:23:00.001-07:002012-03-12T15:23:06.765-07:00Currency Wars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>The Making of the Next Global Crisis</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>(2011)</b><br />
<b>James Rickards</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 03.2012<br />
<br />
While not as well known as the World Wars, James Rickards sheds light on the very real and very serious Currency Wars - the <i>third</i> of which is underway. For a long time the dollar has been the supreme uncontested leader of the economic markets. Other <i>lesser</i> currencies were subject to its whims. Now lead by the euro, the yuan and possibly the ruble, a slow siege is underway against the mighty dollar. Though the outcome is unknown, Rickards gives a few plausible expectations.<br />
<br />
He begins by recounting a war games exercise he participated in a few years ago with high level government and military officials at the Pentagon. The object of the game, as always, was to play out possible war scenarios in one form or another, and learn something useful that can be implemented in real future combat. This particular war games exercise was different for its use of economic warfare which includes the potential destruction of financial markets and currencies by foreign powers.<br />
<br />
Rickards, an investor / banker, tried to open the eyes of the government brains and military muscles to show that what could really happen is far beyond what anyone in Washington imagines, let alone has made plans for, and he came away from the exercise convinced that <i>they still don't get it. </i>American overconfidence in its great strength, cunning, and exceptionalism could leave it in a vulnerable position when a different kind of bomb is dropped in this or another <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currency_war" target="_blank">currency war</a>.<br />
<br />
Explaining the weapons of devaluation, quantitative easing, exchange rates, and others arrows in the economic quiver, Rickards takes a look at the previous currency wars this past century and the more peaceful times before. He forms a reasonable explanation of what we face today as countries battle to establish the lowest exchange rate for their currency, some fighting with gold while most battle with paper. In the age globalization, this is a war fought in every country, in every city, in every wallet. Money is now fully global, despite the remaining distinct currencies, and should it suffer a lethal blow few will stand unscathed.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-78437135125245036842012-03-10T22:13:00.004-08:002012-03-12T14:40:49.335-07:00The Case For Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>A Minority Report of the U.S. Gold Commission</b><b><br /></b><br />
<b>(1982)</b><br />
<b>Ron Paul</b><br />
<b>Lewis Lehrman</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 02.2012<br />
<br />
Written only a decade after the U.S. went completely off the gold standard in the early 1970's, the plunge into the deep end of full bodied fiat money was fresh in the minds of the authors. The hard money crowd was still dripping wet and pissed. Interestingly, thirty subsequent years have passed and our economic picture has not improved on the whole.<br />
<br />
The authors describe in great detail the history of the economic system of the United States, including various high and low moments, and warn against the present spin away from a gold standard and the imminent economic destruction we might come to expect. Simply stated, money backed by gold has real value because gold has real value. Money not backed by gold is only worth what the people in charge say it's worth, and that's not very comforting.<br />
<br />
There have been various dark moments in history when a sovereign nation, such as our own, neglects to back its currency with gold for one reason or another. This was once the exception rather than the rule, though its occurrence has been maddeningly reoccurring. The point of view taken by the authors is only the minority opinion, then as it is now, but history will play out and opinions will no longer matter.<br />
<br />
Economic destruction follows the debasement of currency after a short period of popular improvement, as has happened to the dollar and other currencies before. The Civil War and the Great Depression are two notable nodes in our national timeline which may not have been such sticks in the mud if policy decisions had been made differently in regards to the currency. Following that war and then that depression, there were periods in which gold shown a little brighter than they had before or after, and our nation was better for it. The authors warn that we are yet again in an economic tailspin that is in part caused by official disinterest in gold which could be cured, at least in part, by a new gold standard in one form or another.<br />
<br />
We've seen many changes since this book was first published, but Ron Paul, who has run for president three times, has the same message because our problem are the same. Sadly no one seemed to be listening then as they are not listening now. Today, only gold is <i>"good as gold."</i>Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-75061023092634360182012-02-25T21:58:00.001-08:002012-02-25T22:01:38.252-08:00Unbroken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption</b><br />
<b><br />
<b>(2010)</b><br />
<b>Laura Hillenbrand</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 02.2012</b><br />
<b>Read on the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook/379003208?cm_mmc=Google-_-Nook%20-%20Sitelinks%20-%20Exact-_-Nook-_-nook" target="_blank">Nook</a><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
As if clinging to a deflating rubber raft for a month with two other grown men, after crashing a plane into the middle of shark infested waters in the Pacific Ocean (near enemy territory) isn't bad enough, how about mentioning that there's nothing to eat, nothing to drink and no way to move the raft in a sensible direction?<br />
<br />
Louie Zamperini was born to cause trouble but learned to run his way out of it, escaping childhood scrapes and difficulties, growing up to be a dedicated runner and moving as fast as he could. He ran faster than almost anyone and found himself running all the way to the finish line at the 1936 Olympics hosted by Adolph Hitler. It would have been a great story if it ended there. A triumphant rise from a dusty childhood to shining Olympic gold!<br />
<br />
Well we can't have that, ending the book in a reasonable place! Golly, we've got to go after Hitler. With the onset of war Louie was reinvented as a bomber crewman, flipping a switch of destruction, dropping bombs on the enemies of his country. Inevitably, he and his flying comrades fell victim to similar firepower from their Japanese counterparts in the Pacific theater, and the great runner who had gotten out of great trouble, found himself on a little yellow pin prick of a raft in the great blue expanse of infinity. He couldn't run away from the Japanese pilots who shot up his plane with hundreds of little sun punched holes, or the circling dark shadowy sharks.<br />
<br />
The surviving airmen clung to life aboard their ill-equipped floatation device, striving only to live. Their amazing resilience and the epic tale of their survival is only half the story - <b>literally only half the story.</b> I thought this would be a nice place to say it's over! Maybe Louie and his buddies get picked up by a search and rescue helicopter after a month fighting sea sharks. Yeah! And there would be great patriotic music blaring through my mind as he goes home to kiss his mother and shake hands with a Senator or even the President. No, of course not.<br />
<br />
I could not believe where the story turned next, a direction I won't say, because the constant surprise at every turn is astonishing! Surprise is an integral component to the workings of this story. You really have to experience it. Sometimes I can tell where a story is going, but I enjoy it despite the predictability because it's a good story and well told. This was completely unpredictable <i>and</i> as good a story of survival, over and over, as as has ever been told.<br />
<br />
A final note to all sharks: stop tormenting poor floating humans and just eat them already! It will be a better outcome for you because we won't write bad things about you in our books.<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-90636485082736275112012-01-11T22:22:00.000-08:002012-01-11T22:22:54.275-08:00Shattered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>Struck Down, But Not Destroyed</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />(2010)</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Frank Pastore </span><br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 12.2011<br />
<br />
A successful Major League Baseball pitcher in the 1980's, Frank Pastore tells of his ascent to glorious riches and fame with the Cincinnati Reds and his subsequent identity failure following an accident involving a baseball and his right elbow. The dreams that defined his life were shattered in less than a second. Picking up the pieces, he finds out who he really is. He no longer can define himself solely as a baseball player. Pastore gives his life to Jesus and begins a new journey driven by faith in someone greater than himself. Baseball is now just along for the ride. As the years go by, Christianity is nothing like he thought it would be and his new identity in Christ brings difficulties and challenges, but grace as well.<br />
<br />
As a baseball story, Frank Pastore's is not unique. Many players get injured and end their careers just as they think they're getting to where they want to be. Many make the big leagues after a difficult childhood and struggle with their new found fame and the excess of money that is the payoff. Pastore does a great job describing his life before and after the pitching mound.<br />
<br />
Though very well written and engaging, and quite humorous throughout, I did not enjoy the censored language. "F---!" for example. If you don't want to publish curse words, that's fine (this <i>is</i> published by Focus On The Family, so I would expect nothing else), but I would prefer a more imaginative approach to the words that <i>are</i> used. Use a creative word that you <i>can</i> publish, rather than censoring the dirty mouths of baseball players with dashed lines.<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-19865425429174695732012-01-02T15:36:00.000-08:002012-01-02T15:36:10.661-08:00Liberty Defined<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<b>50 Essential Issues That Affect Our Freedom</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />(2011)</span><br />
<b>Ron Paul</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 12.2011<br />
<br />
Ron Paul is the cure for apathetic non-partisan Independents. I appreciate that this collection of issues identifies many different topics which are now served on the table of American politics. Unfortunately, some of these topics had been swept under the table only to be rediscovered here. Listed in alphabetical order, Ron Paul succinctly states his opinion on each and moves on to the next in a sort of primer for fidgety open minds.<br />
<br />
A few of these issues are the standard talking points that were boring in the last election cycle, and are still boring this time around because the Democrats and Republicans never really come to any new conclusions: Abortion, education, gun control, and taxes. And more! Other topics are specifically <i>Ron Paulisms</i>, those topics that no one else dares talk about but which Congressman Paul likes to frequently remind us about as issues that need to be discussed rather than blindly accepted: Austrian Economics, Empire, Foreign Aid, and Monetary Policy.<br />
<br />
Maintaining Libertarian principles throughout, Ron Paul defends Liberty from the point of view that the rights of the individual are foremost and the government, whatever its form, has no right to take away those individual rights. Since governments should stay out of most issues, they should also leave their opinions and their money out of most issues. "...Governments have nothing to pass out, since they produce nothing.
Anytime government provides a benefit, it must first steal it from
someone else who is producing it, thus violating the rights of the
individual."<br />
<br />
Essentially, denying the rights of one person to help another person is decreasing the freedom of both. The first person has lost his freedom to choose who to help, and the second person has possibly lost his freedom to rise above the monopoly provided by a certain type of help. "Foreign
aid can best be described as taking money from the poor in a rich
country and giving it to the rich and powerful in a poor country." <br />
<br />
Progressives would of course disagree because they, "hold that any law or regulation that is created in the name of something like civil rights <i>is in itself the very essence of those rights</i>," according to Paul Krugman in this article by <a href="http://wallstreetpit.com/87786-krugman-takes-on-the-austrians-and-ron-paul" target="_blank">William L. Anderson</a>. Whereas Libertarians desire fewer laws so that individuals can make their own choices, including poor choices, progressives desire more laws so that no one is allowed to make a poor choice - which could bring us all down. Ron Paul and other Libertarians offer that our national inclination towards legislating <i>everything</i> needs reconsideration. Anderson quotes Frederic Bastiat as saying, "Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the
distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every
time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists
conclude that we object to its being done at all."<br />
<br />
My agreement with Ron Paul's ideas is fairly universal, but of course we can't agree on everything so I enjoyed this book. There are a few of these issues that I find to be secondary at best and are not worth an argument over whether or not they are true, but provide food for thought. Mainstream Republicans should consider whether their undying party allegiance should entertain some healthy deviations and give Congressman Paul another look. He draws support from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and a wide range of preconceived notions that make for strange bedfellows.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-34728117660964829402011-11-30T20:33:00.000-08:002011-11-30T20:33:57.555-08:00The Revolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>A Manifesto</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />(2008)</span><br />
<b>Ron Paul</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 11.2011<br />
<br />
Though a Libertarian hiding in a divergent Republican party, Ron Paul isn't out to fool anyone. The Texas Representative boldly lays out his policy in this <i>Manifesto</i>, published during his second presidential run in 2008. If Ron Paul is nothing else, he is consistent and he is clear. He advocates colorful sweeping change in a political landscape where politicians are only looking to pick out a new shade of beige for the upcoming 2012 elections. <br />
<br />
One of Paul's primary platforms is a significant change to U.S. foreign policy. He calls for a non-interventionist strategy where we just leave other countries alone, allowing them to carry out their own business. Our military would stay home and protect America while we save money, lives, and avoid unwanted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowback_%28intelligence%29" target="_blank">blowback</a> and the increasing international hatred that boils across the seas. Paul compares today's politicians with those in the past, concluding that our nation is headed into unnecessary interventionism and away from the original intent of our Founding Fathers. He ties our recent foreign policy actions to our other national problems, particularly the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recession_of_2008" target="_blank">economic catastrophe</a> that he predicted and we now find ourselves wallowing in. <br />
<br />
Additionally, Ron Paul touches on the Constitution, economics, personal freedom, and money. These are all important talking points in the election season and each brings fodder for further discussion as I now move away from reviewing the content of the book itself, and delve into broader thoughts...<br />
<br />
Most political followers see a big asterisk next to anything Ron Paul says, indicating that he is so far outside the box of American ideals that no one on the left or right takes his strategy ideas seriously. This is amazing that someone could be so ignored. I wonder how the radical agenda of a potential President Ron Paul would pan out? Could he accomplish his stated agenda with a typical Congress of regular partisan Democrats and Republicans? <br />
<br />
If the government <i>were</i> to get it's big grubby hands out of the cookie jars, what would happen to the neglected crumbs? Would private enterprise, charity organizations and small <i>local</i> governments, as Paul proposes, pick up and run with the programs that the Federal Government leaves behind? Entirely idealistic, I know, but I'd like to see less forced taxation and more voluntary charitable contribution. But I do believe that the depravity of man is real and we will selfishly hoard for our own. The old question was, "Should this or that be done?" But my new question is, "Should government be the one to do it?" <br />
<br />
Libertarianism, which I am just beginning to research, is an interesting blend of conservative and liberal thought, with a focus on liberty. <i>Freedom</i> is the catchy word floating around these days, but <i>liberty</i> seems to be similar and not as well understood. I like one definition that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty" target="_blank">liberty</a> is "not...the absence of interference in one's actions, but as non-dependence... (which) means being in a state of non-dependence from another's arbitrary will."<br />
<br />
Extreme policy proposals seem like a waste of time on the surface, when
every day the general disagreement is about minuscule details or trivial differences. But radical thoughts
can bring about moderate change at a time when a new shade of beige is the only color proposed. If nothing else, a potential President Ron Paul would be like nothing we've ever seen.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-59669889314774854412011-11-09T21:11:00.001-08:002011-11-29T20:26:29.350-08:00Bossypants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>(2011)</b><br />
<b>Tina Fey</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 11.2011<br />
<br />
Tina Fey is a funny female comedian because she doesn't care that you don't like funny female comedians. Starting on the Chicago improv circuit, she moved on to star in <i>Saturday Night Live</i> in New York, create the hit NBC television comedy <i>30 Rock</i>, and then try to convince anyone who would listen that two Sarah Palins are better than one, but maybe not better than none.<br />
<br />
<i>The </i><i>Rules of Improvisation</i>, as related by Tina Fey, can be applicable to everyday conversations, even if she didn't intend this. You don't have to be an actor to utilize improve. At the very least, improvisation makes conversation more interesting, and goes something like this: Agree with the person you're speaking with; add to what they're saying to deepen the dialog; make statements rather than ask questions; and go with your mistakes. You never know where mistakes will lead you.<br />
<br />
It's nice to know that someone is the showbiz has a strong father figure. Tina loves and fears her father and credits him with her having turned out halfway decent. "That's Don Fey," says everyone as he walks by. Everyone knows who he is and admires him. Don Fey dresses well and looks good. Don Fey did this. Don Fey did that. <br />
<br />
My favorite of Tina Fey's characters is Jack Donaghy on <i>30 Rock</i>. "(She) liked the idea of writing Alec Baldwin as a powerful conservative, having him articulate passionately the opposite of everything he believed in real life."<br />
<br />
Sometimes the reasons for a joke are just as funny as the joke itself. There's a lot of that in here. <br />
<br />
<br />Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-68322821122324606492011-03-11T20:04:00.000-08:002011-03-11T20:04:31.514-08:00Above Portland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AmqzgrhC2Ew/TXRWTMLSweI/AAAAAAAAAg0/CjkRdiPjXXg/s1600/above-portland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AmqzgrhC2Ew/TXRWTMLSweI/AAAAAAAAAg0/CjkRdiPjXXg/s400/above-portland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<b>(2010) </b><br />
<b>Bruce Forster</b><br />
<b>Chet Orloff</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 03.2010 <br />
<br />
PORTLAND - AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE! From the clear blue sky! A view straight down from the heavens! Bask in the glorious sunlight reflecting gallantly from boxy glass towers and shimmering gray rivers! Question the absence of clouds! Embrace the urbanity! Look for your house!<br />
<br />
To be elevated above the concrete, brick and storefront at grade to the lofty arms of thinning stratosphere, is pretty exciting. Aerial views are the mix of map and elevation. We look down again at the small blocks from where we hover, and are left breathless to learn of historical and contemporary urbanity, nature, and a desperate search for our own apartment building in the huddled masses below. <br />
<br />
This is mostly a picture book containing descriptions, history and commentary. The focus revolves around downtown Portland (since that's where there are things to see), but snapshots of the outlying areas are pleasant as well. The images are clear and beautiful.<br />
<br />
There are a number of historical aerial photos, mostly from mid-century, that display the change that has occurred between then and now. One in particular struck me. As we know, Portland and Vancouver are two large cities divided by the great Columbia River. Many stunning views from both are laid out in this book. But I learned here that there was once a city in between (gasp!) No, this city was not in the river itself (not originally anyway), nor is it the lost city of Atlantis. What is now a swampy golf course and race track was once the city of Vanport - epically destroyed in a 1948 flood. I had never heard of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanport_City,_Oregon">Vanport</a>, so I looked it up to learn more. It was a military town constructed during the second world war. The city grew quickly and became the second largest in the state (after adjacent Portland). Five years later it was gone; a small number were killed in the flood and the rest displaced to the surrounding neighborhoods (racial tensions included).<br />
<br />
Portland boasts a few instances of pioneering public policy - decisions that shape the city of today. A few decades ago an Urban Growth Boundary was established to help stop the spread of sprawl around the periphery of the city and to protect natural areas and farm lands. While this helped shape the edge of the city, another decision to redirect federal highway funds from a automotive freeway expansion instead to the building of the first line of the MAX light rail train, has shaped the center of the city and the diversity of our transportation modes. The sprawl has an end, and old neighborhoods are intact.<br />
<br />
The city marches slowly forward - though it seems like a slow crawl from the air.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-66639333893885354692010-12-31T15:45:00.001-08:002011-01-01T11:26:38.489-08:00A Christmas Carol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/TR9_166ZK1I/AAAAAAAAAck/BtZE2-3CZFE/s1600/christmascarol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/TR9_166ZK1I/AAAAAAAAAck/BtZE2-3CZFE/s200/christmascarol.jpg" width="121" /></a></div><b>(1843)</b><br />
<b>Charles Dickens</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 12.2010<br />
Read on the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?r=1&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Nook%20-%20Sitelinks%20-%20Exact&utm_term=nook&cm_mmc=Google-_-Nook%20-%20Sitelinks%20-%20Exact-_-Nook-_-nook&cm_mmca1=76608d71-92a1-88a9-aa69-00000fe36855">Nook</a><br />
<br />
The classic story of mean old Scrooge and his hum-bug outlook on the merriment of Christmas. I've seen various film adaptations of course, and find that I knew many of the lines - which is awkward. <i>A Muppet Christmas Carol</i>, <i>Mickey's Christmas Carol</i>, etc. Without <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf">Statler and Waldorf</a> or Scrooge McDuck, however, the real story is decidedly less comical and a little heavy on "grim," but that is as it should be.<br />
<br />
Once again Dickens does not disappoint with his great descriptions of London and the colorful people who inhabit the cold, snow-covered bubonic streets. I noticed a few particularly fine longs lists of food, as well. No story is complete without a long list of fabulous foods. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>A Christmas Carol</i> is a very short work, just long enough to fully realize the depravity of Scrooge and allow him to make a turn-around before the ghosts get him. If it were any lengthier, I fear the story could not be completed in one Christmas Eve night and Scrooge might have the misfortune of enduring a few dozen more ghosts rather than only the famous Three: Past, Present and Future. (The Ghost of Past-Participle was luckily never written in). <br />
<br />
In the end, Scrooge is of course redeemed and becomes the sort of guy I'd like to have for an uncle: he's got loads of cash, he likes to buy dinner for everyone, and thinks he can fly with ghosts. Sounds like a party.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-21838063087451251712010-08-13T21:57:00.000-07:002010-08-13T21:57:36.472-07:00Ina May's Guide to Childbirth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/TEaJb106JfI/AAAAAAAAAWY/m9WUp0cPIS0/s1600/ina+may.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/TEaJb106JfI/AAAAAAAAAWY/m9WUp0cPIS0/s320/ina+may.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>(2003) </b><br />
<b>Ina May Gaskin</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 07.2010<br />
<br />
Ever wonder what it's like to give birth? As a man, I have no idea, but I found this collection of birth stories to be incredibly useful and encouraging - and is nothing like you think you know unless you've done it. Often birth finds itself between the restrictive limits of medical recommendation and what is truly possible. This book chronicles what many women have to say about the story of their baby's birth. This isn't just speculation, averages, statistics or norms - these are the actual stories of incredible natural births, something that is often overlooked as possible.<br />
<br />
Ina May is a midwife at a rural birthing center in Tennessee. Along with her fellow midwives, she delivers dozens (hundreds?) of natural births each year, and they all seem to come into the world differently. Women flock to this birthing mecca, seeking a counter-cultural environment of peace and harmony - allowing what is natural to take place without much intervention.<br />
<br />
Some women have had different experiences with previous labors and seek the natural alternative on The Farm. Dissatisfied with the cold assembly line nature of the typical hospital, these women believe that nature has provided for the female body to embrace the labor process and help them birth a baby without the help of increasingly overused technology. Some things are not improved by the constant push of industry. The typical birth experience is certainly different than a typical life saving emergency, though you wouldn't know it by the way they are similarly handled. <br />
<br />
While a home birth or natural birthing center experience isn't for everyone, books like this open our eyes to what else is out there. There is more to birth than the television hospital variety that ranges from pristine babies emerging from behind a sheet (already disconnected from the placenta, fat and chubby) to screaming horrors - women on their backs, strapped to the table, babies being extracted rather than born. As seen here, birth can happen quietly. The first breath of a human in the presence of people who really care, should be noteworthy not strange.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-17730804564953172942010-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:002010-06-01T08:00:09.023-07:00Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idyAfOW6I/AAAAAAAAATg/foIwGFVxoAc/s1600/harrygoblet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idyAfOW6I/AAAAAAAAATg/foIwGFVxoAc/s320/harrygoblet.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2000)</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">J.K. Rowling</span><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 05.2010<br />
<br />
This fourth episode of the Harry Potter saga feels superior to its predecessors in writing and plot. Having firmly established the characters of Hogwarts and the typical rhythms of the magical world in the first three books, the author seems now to expand the Harry Potter universe exponentially in many interesting directions beyond just Hogwarts and Harry's friends, bringing real villains into the light.<br />
<br />
Rather than competing in the typical quidditch season, select students find themselves at the center of attention, competing for the TriWizard Cup. The national sport of the flying broom wielders is cast aside for an entire year, just for three days or so of watching their classmates compete at some exciting challenges. Why can't the witches and wizards keep up their favorite sport in between these events? If quidditch play is resumed next year, all the teams will be rusty from lack of practice. Maybe they have a spell for overcoming sitting on your bum all year?<br />
<br />
The character of Mad-Eye Moody is particularly riveting, as he is more than an adequate replacement for the often vacant post of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Having experience with overcoming the dark arts himself, he is able to teach the students what they actually need to know. Too bad he doesn't end up quite right at the conclusion, but I hope he will return for some dark arts butt-kicking. Dumbledore seems to be gearing up for a stand against Voldemort and would be mad not to enlist the help of Moody.<br />
<br />
There were so many things happening in this book that I can't even begin to comment on them all. Definitely the best Harry Potter book so far...Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-34473463757621063862010-05-26T18:48:00.000-07:002010-05-26T18:50:25.776-07:00Mothering Magazine's Having a Baby, Naturally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S_uMKaeAPXI/AAAAAAAAAVg/1Y5fFao8yus/s1600/motheringmagazine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S_uMKaeAPXI/AAAAAAAAAVg/1Y5fFao8yus/s200/motheringmagazine.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><b>The Mothering Magazine's Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth</b><br />
<br />
<b><b><b>(2003) </b><br />
<b>Peggy O'Mara</b><br />
<br />
</b></b>Finished Reading: 05.2010<b><b></b></b><br />
<b><b></b></b><br />
There are a lot of parenting and pregnancy books out there, but I have found this one<b><b> </b></b>to be the most <i>useful</i> so far. The information is presented in an easy to follow way, straight and unfiltered. The things you <i>need to know</i> - it's all in here (with a lean towards natural birth, but the hospital setting is well described as well). All the considerations and options are brought up, starting in the first trimester and working all the way through birth and afterwards. The book deals with how a woman feels emotionally and physically, what she needs nutritionally, and what is actually happening with her body at each stage of development. Although dads can benefit from the whole book by understanding what their wife is going through, there is a special section for men that gives advice on ways to help women most effectively.<br />
<br />
I was particularly interested to know what I should expect during the actual birth and how a home birth differs from a hospital birth - in detail. While every birth is different of course, everything is well explained and diagrammed. The various stages of labor, the medications some women take or do not take, the surgical procedures that one could have or not have done and plenty of other interesting stuff. Clearly, giving birth in a hospital is nothing like giving birth at home. It's like comparing a microwavable dinner which comes packaged in a compartmentalized plastic tray to the experience of roasting meat over an open fire that you have hunted and caught yourself. Both methods give you a meal but that is where the similarities end.<br />
<br />
Overly mystical and spiritual books on pregnancy and parenting don't interest me, so I skip over the sidebars in this one that recommend <i>birth shrines, soul days, and introspective list making</i>, but luckily these things and excerpts of short poetry are relegated to the sidebars and so you can easily choose whether or not to pay attention. If you're into that sort of thing its here, but you won't be inundated with it like with some books. However, the sidebars do contain some useful herbal remedies for various maladies as well as stretching and yoga exercises.<br />
<br />
Whether a couple is still considering whether or not to have a natural birth or if they have already committed to that path, this book is a fantastic guide to the seemingly unknown path that lies ahead.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-62415284930414481962010-05-11T22:00:00.000-07:002010-05-11T22:00:00.421-07:00The Screwtape Letters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idJJMflEI/AAAAAAAAATc/YLlqt5s2zIk/s1600/Thescrewtapeletters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idJJMflEI/AAAAAAAAATc/YLlqt5s2zIk/s320/Thescrewtapeletters.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1942)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
C.S. Lewis</span><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 05.2010<br />
<br />
This is written in a very creative format as a series of letters from one high ranking demon to a younger demon who is in training as a tormentor. (Or is the first <i>lower</i> ranked since Lewis describes Hell as using an upside-down system of <i>lowerarchy</i> rather than a hierarchy?) However organized, Screwtape is an experienced demon writing to Wormwood his inexperienced inflicter-in-training, imparting important knowledge to guide his young nephew at his task.<br />
<br />
In the <i>Screwtape Letters</i> we see a human life from a demon's point of view, but don't get to know the particulars in any real detail, as we only read the responses to Wormwood's submitted progress reports to headquarters and so see a life lived third hand. This Hell-centric view of humanity reveals that there is a lot more going on than what we see, hear and think. Beyond each individual man, Lewis reveals a demon assigned to meticulous spiritual harassment, and beyond that is the whole realm of organized demon bureaucracy - each with assignments, reports and even celebratory banquet feasts to consume their conquests. The whole system is very muddy and dreary.<br />
<br />
These demons attempt to draw man away from God (their Enemy) and their instructions and intentions are meant as the opposite to the Gospel, as Lewis shows us the other side of things. There is however, confusion as to the best way to achieve the intended results, as Wormwood is interested in tempting his man towards incredible evil, and the elder Screwtape is only interested in his pupil's success in turning his man away from their Enemy. Temptations come in many shapes.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-39917369495702330132010-05-08T15:10:00.000-07:002010-05-08T15:10:01.811-07:00Pride and Predjudice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idGj_HMNI/AAAAAAAAATY/vGOEkARoA-o/s1600/pride-prejudice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S9idGj_HMNI/AAAAAAAAATY/vGOEkARoA-o/s320/pride-prejudice.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1813)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Jane Austen</span><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 05.2010<br />
<br />
This most ancient of texts (1813!) is rather enjoyable for its captivating character development and as a compelling study of human behavior. Jane Austen escorts us through the life of an English country family with five daughters. Each member of the household is remarkably different from the others and it is a wonder they get on at all. <br />
<br />
The times were very different two centuries years ago, when gentlemen of a certain social standing owned large estates and held honorable titles. Their days were passed visiting acquaintances, playing cards and sitting with the women, who knitted or sang and talked. Awkward silences were the norm. Every once and awhile a man of particular initiative might ask an eligible young woman, with whom he had spent the afternoon in the aforementioned awkward silence, to walk with him in the garden and, taking her hand, would ask for that very hand in marriage. Beautiful, well manicured gardens were made for moments such as these - it would seem.<br />
<br />
Mr. Bennett, a country gentleman unlucky to have no male heir, lives in a comfortable house with the six women who are his wife and daughters, avoiding his cousins and neighbors who would someday inherit his estate. He finds comfort in observing the constant silliness of his family. His wife is absolutely ridiculous and frivolous in every way, and their youngest daughter Lydia is much the same. The oldest daughters, Jane and Elizabeth are the only sensible female creatures around, as the other two, Mary and Kitty are caught up in too many books and too many parties, respectively. The Bennett's ineffectual parenting has developed a troop of daughters ranging from too sensible to senseless and all unmarried.<br />
<br />
I enjoy Mr. Bennett's subtle observation and the amusement he finds with his family and the visitors to Hertfordshire. He quietly recognizes the ridiculousness in most of them, which brings him a chuckle, and does not find serious people to be all too useful. He has a few witty lines for his wife and daughters, and after his youngest, Lydia, finds herself in some romantic trouble, tells his other daughters that they are now under a stricter watch. "And you are never to stir out of doors, till you can prove, that you have spent ten minutes of every day in a rational manner." <br />
<br />
Elizabeth, much like her father and admittedly his favorite, shares his propensity for witty, thoughtful remarks. While dancing solemnly with Mr. Darcy she says, "We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the eclat of a proverb."<br />
<br />
<i>Pride and Prejudice </i>finds its structure in the socialization pattern outlined above, and its substance in the relationship that blossoms between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy; he being a very rich, very eligible, and seemingly very disagreeable and prideful man. I don't understand Elizabeth's change of heart from hating Mr. Darcy to loving him. Their actions towards one another change from hateful resentment and prejudice to affectionate desire, but why? The change occurs over time, as Elizabeth gets to know Darcy's character more realistically, but I don't know how she ever gave him the chance in the first place.<br />
<br />
Secondary to the major plot line is the dynamic duo of pompous Mr. Collins and his benefactress: the spectacle that is Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I could watch their condescending, haughty banter for many more chapters than we are given. These two co-exist nicely and share a common desire to be heard, respected and talk over anyone else who has an opinion. Very much the opposite are the characters of Mr. Bennett and his daughter Elizabeth, and I can only imagine the chuckle Mr. Bennett would have upon receiving the glory of Lady Catherine's presence should she come to visit, which he seemed always to avoid.<br />
<br />
Being an old European story, I can't help comparing Austen's work to another old story or two. Though written later in the same century, which is quite enough time to separate any two things, the works of Leo Tolstoy allow for an interesting comparison between an English female author and a male Russian. Though Tolstoy was born about a decade after Austen <i>died</i>, I want to think some comparisons can be made between these giants of 19th Century literature, as <i>War and Peace</i> is to have taken place about the same time.<br />
<br />
This being the only work of Austen I have read thus far, but being passingly familiar with her other works, I notice <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> lacks a the certain male-vision of the world evident in <a href="http://digressionbooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/war-and-peace.html">War and Peace</a> and <a href="http://digressionbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/anna-karenina.html">Anna Karenina</a>. The setting is entirely domestic and from the female perspective (which is to be expected from a female author of this time). Soldiers are seen only at balls and parties, gardens and large tracts of green land are kept up by an army of unseen laborers, and gentlemen in general appear out of nowhere in carriages, drive up the front lane to call for supper, and disappear as quickly as they came to places unnamed and with business unknown. What do men do all day when they are not with the ladies?<br />
<br />
While Austen's world is interesting in itself, and allows for a great deal of character and behavioral development within a very tight circle of habits oblivious to the outside world, Tolstoy presents a much more detailed and broader view of life and of course takes four or five times more pages to accomplish it. Politics, important cultural issues of the day, and a proper description of war are all missing from Austen's idyllic tale, but it is all appropriate as told from the point of view of the beautiful Elizabeth Bennett, and so we can turn to Tolstoy for the other side of things and enjoy Austen for what it is - just one important piece to the full understanding of 19th Century Britain.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-59298615162164114022010-05-05T11:14:00.000-07:002010-05-05T11:17:42.307-07:00The Eco-Nomical Baby Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S-GpnEcInkI/AAAAAAAAATs/ERYC2OTBxR0/s1600/baby-guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S-GpnEcInkI/AAAAAAAAATs/ERYC2OTBxR0/s200/baby-guide.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet</b><br />
<br />
<b>(2010)</b><br />
<b>Joy Hatch</b><br />
<b>Rebecca Kelley</b><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 05.2010<br />
<br />
Besides the cute owl on the cover, this book contains some great ideas and methods for raising a child in an environmentally friendly way. Greener living doesn't always mean more expensive - even with a baby. With a little effort in doing things a little differently, parents can be satisfied with some level of a greener beginning for their child's life. Options are presented for the significant purchases of baby furniture, diapers, food and more. The pros and cons are detailed to promote informed choice and hopefully convince the parents that they don't need all the baby gear that is marketed to the American consumer. Some things can be found second-hand, more earth-friendly options are available, and with many things - we can do without. The parents are at liberty to decide which things work best for their family, as even the two authors diverge on what works best for them. This book is important for all adults who think of themselves as some sort of <i>green parent, </i>and maybe those who don't should check it out to see why. You may simply change your light bulbs to compact fluorescent and separate the recycling, you might live in a car-free urban situation, or possibly you believe in a one-child, no meat-eating lifestyle or find yourself somewhere in between. <br />
<br />
Mixing humor with practicality, the authors have put together an extensive and easy to read guide to prepare you for the new baby. It was easy to skip over some sections which were completely non-applicable to my anticipated situation - such as bottle feeding tips and the best childcare options for working parents. Helpful diagrams are included, such as how to change a diaper and the cost comparison of various types of cloth diapers to disposables, alongside the environmental impacts. <br />
<br />
The authors stress the first, and often forgotten of the Three R's - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduce_%28waste%29">Reduce</a>. Parents can save a lot of money by purchasing less stuff, and they do a good job of explaining why all that extra baby stuff isn't necessary. Far from an dictatorial Eco-manifesto on the best way to raise children, the <i>Eco-nomical Baby Guide </i>describes a range of options available for both the <i>Extraordinarily Green</i> and the <i>Jaded Green</i> parent. The book ends with <i>Ten Simple Things You Can Do for the Planet Right Now (and Four Difficult Ones)</i>, challenging readers to see where their commitment to green parenting lies and to set goals for the future and their children's future.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-36024427298456182222010-04-28T13:35:00.000-07:002010-04-28T13:35:16.083-07:00Kids<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S80xXAunKCI/AAAAAAAAAS8/3sqxJIjpqeo/s1600/kids-meredith-small.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462076194472536098" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S80xXAunKCI/AAAAAAAAAS8/3sqxJIjpqeo/s320/kids-meredith-small.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 213px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Raise Our Children</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
<br />
(2001)</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Meredith F. Small</span><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 04.2010<br />
<br />
This book is the second part to <a href="http://digressionbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/our-babies-ourselves.html">Our Babies, Ourselves</a> which covered the first year of human life. <i>Kids</i> picks up from age one, commenting on the next half dozen years, a period of serious development, learning and growing.<br />
<br />
While American parents obsess about whether or not their child is in the right learning environment, whether she is maximizing her learning potential for her age, and whether or not she has the right toys which are needed to mold the intellect - most cultures simply let their children learn by observation and then give them something useful to do. While education is important, the author points out that our preoccupation with excessive education at an early age - preschool enrollment and constant chattering with our babies will not necessarily make them smarter. They will learn when their bodies are biologically ready to learn, and not before. Eventually children will speak and read, and the important thing is to encourage the joy of learning.<br />
<br />
One chapter that I found to be particularly interesting was the one about gender differences, while the speculative chapters on the evolutionary history of, and reasons why we have a childhood I could have done without. Humans <i>have</i> a childhood while other animals do not, it is pointed out. Many animals are ready to run around on their own soon after birth while some are born helpless but grow quickly into mature adults before too long. This is interesting to note, but doesn't really help with making parenting decisions. <br />
<br />
As far as gender goes, children don't know the biological difference between boys and girls for their first few years and so those pink dresses are not really reinforcing anything except their parents acquiescence to cultural norms. While pink dresses don't really hurt anything (except my sense of style), the author thinks our Western culture over does it a bit with established differences between adult male and female dress, hair, makeup and overall perception. Distinguishing gender is of course useful, as it makes it easier to know who to pursue when looking for a mate, but if we all wore brown and did our hair the same way, relationships could become awkward. Since children are not ready for all that, why force them into gender specific activities or to wear gender specific colors? <br />
<br />
Similar to <i>Our Babies Ourselves</i>, this books shows we need to ask ourselves why we raise our children the way we do, and decide whether some of our parenting persuasions can be left behind in favor of a parenting style that is primarily beneficial for the child rather than simply a convenience for the parent. There is more than one way to raise a child.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-16695820401450508532010-04-26T15:16:00.000-07:002010-04-26T15:16:47.956-07:00Anna Karenina<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S6mlcQOss5I/AAAAAAAAAOY/T5oLM68kL8Q/s1600/anna-karenina.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452070728720233362" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S6mlcQOss5I/AAAAAAAAAOY/T5oLM68kL8Q/s320/anna-karenina.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 208px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1877)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Leo Tolstoy</span><br />
<br />
Finished Reading: 04.2010<br />
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Tolstoy presents a wide landscape of characters and sets them divinely into these 870 pages. <i>Anna Karenina</i> along with the epic <a href="http://digressionbooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/war-and-peace.html"><i>War and Peace</i></a> reveals Tolstoy to be the master of describing regular people who do normal everyday things, simply living their lives and taking way too many pages to do it. We see both the grand ball at some magnificent estate where the young ladies are blushing for attention, ready to dance; as well as the open country and the farms where men hunt wild birds from the tall muddy grasses, surrounded by barking dogs.<br />
<br />
Some characters are more at home in the elegant world of culture, and others feel most comfortable outdoors under the sun, although all find themselves adapting to new situations. The descriptions are rich and all personalities, thoughts, and intentions are finely related. Scenes are drawn with a finely sharpened pencil. We see the dew as it clings to the grass under a quickly rising sun, hear a distant herd of lowing cattle, and observe a clever observation - the "dilated nostrils" of a horse said to be "transparent as a bats wing." Along with the beautiful descriptions of nature, the interaction between characters is positively enjoyable.<br />
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While this book isn't really about anything in particular, that is, there is no particular quest or highly sought achievement, there are certainly prevalent themes. It is foremost a book about love, relationships, and marriage - quite broad, imprecise topics. The tales of various lovers are unfolded, and many of these associations cross paths. One relationship between timid admirers gathers momentum and blossoms, while another relationship between a weary pair fizzles out. Men are often looking around at the fine young women of society, and women wonder if they can trust any man, including their own husbands. Some couples have what it takes to make a successful marriage, and some do not. The scales are tipping in a precarious balance with the difference often being a little less forgiveness, communication or reconciliation than will keep a relationship steady. <br />
<br />
Anna Arkadyevna Karenina is a troubled lover who at first is the very center of Russian society, calmly elegant as in the eye of the storm. She is torn between her husband (Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin) whom she does not love but with whom she shares a young son, and her lover (Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky) a younger man with whom she falls in love. Anna and Vronsky run away and are shunned by proper Russian society. Anna endures a painful change from respected woman above suspicion, talented in the consolation of other troubled women, to a disrespectful and selfish adulteress caught in a difficult tension between two men and the opposite sides of society they represent - official and outcast. Anna finds herself in a void, unable to receive love from either man, though they both claim her. Proper female virtue turns on its head for the whims of forbidden love and tragedy.<br />
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Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin is a quiet man who prefers to keep others at arms distance, wanting much but having no real direction or life goals. He is a nobleman farmer who goes to great trouble with the best way to farm his land because it is easier than talking to people at parties or looking for a wife. He is unlucky in love and lacks the determination to remedy his heartache, but thanks to a lucky though impulsive decision, he finds a wife and begins a family. Not really knowing anything about family life, he fumbles through and keeps his heart in the right place, trying to love his wife Kitty. He rises from the gloom of bachelorhood to the happiness of excited love, and though it isn't always easy Levin makes a good life for himself.<br />
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"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." The novel begins with this line and reveals the primary theme of the book as the increasing happiness of one family and the decreasing happiness of some others. <br />
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The paths of these two central characters are on an inverse course throughout the book. As profiled above, Anna starts off as the center of Russian society, elegantly respected, a caring mother. Over time she becomes more and more self-centered, disrespected, and ceases to care for either of her children, one from each man. She is swindled by lust and crushed by her break from society. She becomes impulsive and confused, finding it difficult to make decisions and blames Vronsky and everyone else for her misfortunes. Anna is boldly defiant of any wrong on her part and does not seek answers beyond herself until the very end, choosing an unconventional method of conflict resolution.<br />
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Conversely, Levin begins detached and confused. He doesn't really know what he wants but after he marries Kitty he begins to find a comfortable place in proper society, participates in local politics, commerce and discussion; and gains a strong self-respect. He becomes a fuller person and even seeks truth beyond himself, finding solace in religion. His struggle with God allows him to love other people and a significant difference in the Levin's relationship is that their attempts to communicate and understand one another draw them closer, whereas Anna and Vronsky lack the ability to communicate and thus push further apart in their own selfishness. <br />
<br />
Besides this compelling pair of opposites (Anna and Levin) who barely meet face to face but share a common extended family and a segment of society, I enjoyed Tolstoy's use of character conversations to create an interesting dialogue of the political and societal issues of late 19th Century Russia. The people of the day were interested in the best way to farm land, the importance of new farming machinery, the status of former serfs now working as low-wage laborers, the accepted status of an adulterous married woman, the importance of contributing to another man's foreign war, the favored styles of art, and even the best way to make jam - with water or without.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-65726756274795987882010-04-19T14:25:00.000-07:002010-04-19T17:42:30.900-07:00Our Babies, Ourselves<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S8k-iEcit_I/AAAAAAAAASs/aSnfGYalRpM/s1600/ourbabies.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460964778193369074" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S8k-iEcit_I/AAAAAAAAASs/aSnfGYalRpM/s320/ourbabies.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; width: 208px;" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1998)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meredith F. Small</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 04.2010<br /><br />This book reveals the obvious but disregarded fact that babies are brought up differently in the various cultures around the world. Care for human babies contrasts with that of any other animal, and American parents raise their children differently than African, Asian or European parents. Parents of our decade make different choices than the previous generation - and we all do things that make even our own peers wonder why we don't parent like they do. No one really seems to know what works best, but everyone has an opinion and these judgements are passed on from one generation to the next with small adjustments along the way.<br /><br />Ethnopediatrics is the study of how human culture shapes parenting styles in various cultures and over time, and seeks to bring together the disassembled global information on <i>good parenting</i>. As an invention of Western culture ethnopediatrics admits that Western culture is not necessarily the best standard for raising a child, nor is there any other one way that works by default for all parents. All cultures are studied to evaluate whether or not a particular culture has something to offer our own. To study outside of one's own culture is always eye opening, but to look at the <span style="font-style: italic;">cultural values of parenting</span> particularly reveals the possible cracks in our own culture. I think the author takes an objective anthropological view, and after presenting numerous facts, one must consider whether the norm of American culture is really unrivaled.<br /><br />The author asks us to think about why we do what we do while raising children. Our American culture has developed norms that are followed without hesitation, but we don't consider the ramifications for our actions. Choices are made, for example, between breastfeeding or bottle use, the scheduling of sleep, and how to deal with excessive crying. Every culture in the world is different and every culture raises their children differently, but "...there are other, equally valid ways to grow up."<br /><br />The way we raise our children reflects what is important to us. Generally, Americans want their children to fully experience childhood and not to worry about being an adult until they are old enough and ready enough, while independence and intelligence are highly valued. High levels of competitive learning are encouraged early on, and maintaining <span style="font-style: italic;">normal</span> growth is a priority. We submit to the latest technology and the authority of pediatricians and scientists, assuming everything old needs to be made new and that change is never unhealthy. Other cultures value dependence and hard work from an early age. Children are expected to help the family get done what needs to be done, and idle time for play is seldom found among these children. There is no concept of <i>normal</i> and competition for intelligence among infants is ridiculous because survival is of primary importance.<br /><br />While I'm not getting into the details of these difference for this post, it is clear from the book that there <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> significant differences, and I would encourage investigation. It is not simply the <span style="font-style: italic;">third-world</span> countries that maintain such divergent parenting styles from Americans, but other industrialized nations (such as Japan and the European nations) seek different goals for their children's growth. The author maintains that American culture is veering the furthest away from what is biologically imperative for healthy infant development. While our society enjoys unparalleled technological advancement which makes our <span style="font-style: italic;">adult</span> lives easier, faster, more accurate and more comfortable; all babies are born into our world as they always have been. Upon entering the world, if born into a highly technological, independence-accentuating culture, the baby is faced with incredible stress and a situation completely opposite what is naturally necessary for infant development.<br /><br />For me, this is one of those books that really opened my eyes to something new. Usually when I read non-fiction, I feel I know a little bit about the subject before beginning. After reading, my knowledge has been widened or enhanced, but reading about parenting is a new frontier. I don't know the first thing about parenting, except the cultural norms that I overhear. I don't know how to change a diaper, and I rarely hold a baby. There are no small children in my family or among close friends, so the only place to learn is by reading books - the quintessential American parenting experience. In most cultures, children are everywhere, spending time with all ages of adults and it would be strange to make it to your late 20's without knowing the first thing about parenting! This book focuses on sleeping, crying and eating - the only things a newborn really knows how to do. Having read this book, I feel substantially enlightened on these basics.<br /><br />But my enlightenment is not just that of a non-parent becoming a parent and picking up a few new skills to deal with children. This has been an enlightenment on what is not quite right with American parenting. American culture seems very strange when compared to the rest of the world, and I feel strange for always questioning my culture (not only in matters of parenting), but the more I study and learn about what is <i>normal</i>, the stranger it seems. Many of the choices parents make are purely cultural and have no biological or medical reasoning. Very often an un-American approach to parenting, though controversial, seems very intelligent and appropriate and is often best for the baby. A baby is not an accessory or a deficit in the life of a parent. A baby is a valued, wholly dependant asset.<br /><br />Particularly disturbing is the trend of foreign relief workers instilling a Western style on parenting values for cultures that are vastly different from our own - simply because we think our way is the best and everyone in the world ought to be doing it. (The Crusades, anyone?) Bottle feeding, social taboos and other new exports are destroying the once-healthy mother-baby relationship and contributing to the upheaval of entire third-world nations. New diseases and higher birthrates and thus more deaths are the results of our interventions, though well-intended.<br /><br />While I see many things that American parents are doing wrong, we are doing many things right and other cultures have their problems as well. But the ability to consider the merits of another culture and decide for yourself what is best for your baby, without blindly following your own cultural norms, is essential to an educated and proper upbringing of any child. I hope to never fall into a choice justified only by, "that's just what you do."Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-29854139001741537512010-03-27T22:37:00.000-07:002010-04-02T22:38:29.558-07:00The Passive Solar House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S7bUQ1_H9WI/AAAAAAAAAPs/cEykxX4uo1U/s1600/passivesolar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S7bUQ1_H9WI/AAAAAAAAAPs/cEykxX4uo1U/s200/passivesolar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455781384440771938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Complete Guild to Heating and Cooling Your Home</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />(2006)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">James Kachadorian</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 03.2010<br /><br />The Passive Slab system, developed by Kachadorian in the 1970's, includes a poured concrete slab over standard concrete masonry units. The voids in the CMU's (which are placed side by side, on their sides) are used for air circulation and the movement of heat into the home. With the help of a small fan for air movement, the resident of a passive solar house can enjoy a moderate temperature year round without the use of a active heat source! The light from the sun comes in through the windows, and the heat is trapped because the home is constructed tightly with minimal leakage. Window coverings can help keep the heat from escaping through the glazing at night.<br /><br />Kachadorian is writing from his experience building homes in the Northeast, in places like Vermont and Connecticut, and based on most of the examples given, assumes we are going to build our solar house in a very cold climate. His houses seem to be built out in the middle of nowhere, but this doesn't affect the design at all, and a solar house can be built in the city or anywhere - in a cold or mild climate. In areas with fewer days of sunshine, it is still beneficial to collect the solar rays that <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> fall on the site, though it may not be enough to eliminate back-up power.<br /><br />He includes very detailed instructions on how to calculate the sizes of windows, slabs, and to see how much energy will be gained and lost throughout the day. This method varies some from other <span style="font-style: italic;">Passive House</span> designs, which concentrate rigorously but simply on maintaining a tight envelope with proper air exchange, rather than a fancy slab and operable window coverings. Importantly, whatever type of house is being designed, the architect should consider the location of the sun, and use that ball of gas burning billions of miles away for as much free heat as he can get from it. Keep that electric heater off!Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-62522787416553052122010-03-15T22:44:00.000-07:002010-03-15T22:44:44.394-07:00Green Building Fundamentals<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S58Wghy-C-I/AAAAAAAAAOI/huoh15h_ot4/s1600-h/greenbuilding"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 179px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S58Wghy-C-I/AAAAAAAAAOI/huoh15h_ot4/s400/greenbuilding" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449098822225365986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying Fundamental Sustainable Construction Practices and the LEED Green Building Rating System<br /><br />(2010)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Michael Montoya</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 03.2010<br /><br />LEED sounds really cool, but I have been unfortunate in my lack of involvement and influence by this green building standard. Though I have been in the architectural field for a number of years, I have not had the opportunity to work directly with anyone who is really interested in building a LEED building, nor have I worked with a LEED building in anyway. So I picked up this book to do a little research and hopefully learn something.<br /><br />I found this to be a very significant guide to green building, and not intimidating at all. In addition to general, practical information, this book includes a section on preparing for the LEED accreditation exam. Various green building practices and methods are described in clear, concise detail, serving as a good introduction to the uninitiated and as a valuable brush-up for those who are familiar with this sort of environmental stewardship (me), but have not committed it fully to heart. The overtly LEED portion of the publication appears only at the end, so someone wanting to gain knowledge in general sustainable building practices who isn't preparing to take the test will find this text accessible.<br /><br />Major green building fundamentals addressed include site development, managing water runoff, energy efficiency, renewable resources, and indoor air quality to name a few. Each building fundamental is presented clearly and the possibilities are explained with examples of project implementation.<br /><br />Upon completion of this book, my interest in becoming a LEED accredited professional has increased, more than my skeptical inclinations previously allowed. The process is now clearer. I feel the greatest benefit of LEED is in the accreditation of individuals responsible for the designing and building of structures, providing structured access to knowledge, technology and common sense that can be used in every project - whether the project achieves LEED certification or not. I am still skeptical of the value in actually assigning these points to particular projects by adhering to a checklist of green accomplishments, but I have yet to experience that first-hand.<br /><br />There is nothing worse than trying to learn something by pasting bits of knowledge together from many sources, only hoping that you have found the relevant pieces and have them in place before the glue drys. This publication, while not containing all knowledge on the subject, brings together much of what we need to know.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-35815118988090638642010-03-12T22:03:00.000-08:002010-03-12T22:06:05.835-08:00Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S5srQsMKANI/AAAAAAAAAN4/da1S05_Wgs4/s1600-h/Azkaban"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S5srQsMKANI/AAAAAAAAAN4/da1S05_Wgs4/s320/Azkaban" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447995739974795474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1999)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">J.K. Rowling</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 02.2010<br /><br />Sigh. I really don't know what to write about Harry Potter anymore. This book is <span style="font-style: italic;">very</span> good, just as the others are very good. Each one might actually be getting better, but there isn't anything very deep to comment on, though I was thoroughly entertained. You might even call the book gripping, really. I could comment on the characters, but we know the main ones pretty well by now, and I don't have much more to say about an old rat that turns into a greasy little man, a black dog that turns into your uncle, or a deer that stares annoyingly at you from across a lake - except, cool. Very cool. You get 'em Harry.<br /><br />I like secret underground tunnels and mysterious treasure maps with disappearing ink. The <a href="http://www.wbshop.com/Harry-Potter-Marauders-Map/HPNBMAPMA,default,pd.html?affiliate=froogle&src=FRGL">Marauder's Map</a> is like <a href="http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html#dc=latb">Google Latitude</a>, except on parchment. It took the muggles ten years to figure that one out for themselves. The big question now, leading up to the next book, is who will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Of course, you knew that would be an issue. Now if only I could gaze at the Marauder's Map to see him approaching...Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-77496782582069249972010-02-15T22:35:00.000-08:002010-02-15T22:35:31.799-08:00I Am America (And So Can You!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S3JbeWZiGmI/AAAAAAAAANw/ZhTRBwpPFMU/s1600-h/colbert"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S3JbeWZiGmI/AAAAAAAAANw/ZhTRBwpPFMU/s320/colbert" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436508277156485730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2007)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Stephen Colbert</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 01.2010<br /><br />Nation, Stephen Colbert is of course absolutely absurd. But that is why we love him. He is the face of televised conservative stereotypes, a self-centered hedonist , and the epitome of over-abundant nationalism. I'm a little surprised that the Stars and Stripes are missing from the cover of this hilarious book. Perhaps Colbert is a little too much <span style="font-style: italic;">America</span>, but that is why he is funny, so three likenesses of his face on the covers works as well as a flag. Appropriately, if the character Colbert could become a book, he has become so in this bespectacled binding. Complete with red page edges that scream for you to pick it up off the shelf, an attached red book mark proclaiming "First Edition" to lure people who are impressed by bright things, and a silver seal of literary excellence to proclaim its very legitimacy, <span style="font-style: italic;">I Am America (And So Can You)</span> begs to be judged by its cover. There are at least a half a dozen other interesting things to be said about the front and back cover, as well as the dust jacket fold-ins, but let's not get carried away.<br /><br />I can't imagine this book makes any sense if you are unfamiliar with the Comedy Central late night show, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert_%28character%29"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Colbert Report.</span></a> The only thing to know is that Stephen Colbert is as conservative as they come, as Republican as anyone can possibly be, and the greatest ongoing satirical act this side of Kim Jong Il. He doesn't break character. Though we know his <span style="font-style: italic;">character</span> isn't who he <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> is, I don't think anyone knows who Stephen Colbert really is. Do we want to know? I think he must be America.<br /><br />This whole situation reminds me of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Truman Show</span>, the 1998 film where Jim Carrey plays a man who thinks he is living a normal life but is actually the subject of an elaborate television show in which he is the main character. The whole world watches him everyday, and he has no idea. Stephen Colbert is the opposite. He definitely has an idea that the world is watching him everyday, as he is the main character of an elaborate political television show that portrays him as a man living a normal conservative life. Yes, we are all watching him, but we think Colbert is a real person. A real Republican. A real American. He even ran for President of the United States in 2008, though he didn't get very far.<br /><br />Another thing I wonder about is what <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> conservatives think of the Colbert Report. For myself, I feel I have a healthy mix of conservative and liberal values, so it is probably my liberal side that finds him so funny. I think he is acting this way to make fun of conservatives, of course. But apparently not everyone realizes this is <a href="http://www.northcoastblog.com/2009/05/04/do-conservatives-really-think-that-stephen-colbert-is-conservative/">comedy</a>, which is also pretty funny. But back to the book.<br /><br />Hopefully, Colbert forces us to consider our own political beliefs (as long as they are his beliefs). While reading his chapters, which range from Religion and Race to Animals and Old People, you will find that at times you are laughing (when you are feeling particularly liberal) and at other times you are reading in earnest, nodding in agreement and forgetting to laugh (as a wave of serious conservatism hits you). If you are reading and not laughing, you are drowning in the conservative side of your brain. Which is exactly what I think the real Stephen Colbert is trying to do. Drown us all in humorous absurdity.<br /><br />"Multi-Grain."Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-26503265016580753402010-01-30T16:32:00.000-08:002010-01-30T16:33:04.623-08:00Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S1VTrwdsOwI/AAAAAAAAANg/6J_Kg4Zp2zA/s1600-h/harry+potter"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S1VTrwdsOwI/AAAAAAAAANg/6J_Kg4Zp2zA/s320/harry+potter" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428336937073916674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1998)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />J.K. Rowling</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 01.2010<br /><br />Let me take a moment to reflect on Moaning Myrtle and Nearly Headless Nick, two ghosts who roam around Hogwarts (independently), interacting with the students. I figure they might not get much reflection for themselves these days. (Not sure how ghosts actually work). What is more appropriate and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashboard_Confessional">Emo</a> than a dead teenage girl haunting a certain toilet stall in the second floor lavatory of a dank old school, crying her eyes out, sobbing and moaning simply because she is a ghost? Talk about stage fright. She probably had skin problems, and that stall is probably covered in boy-band stickers. And then there is Sir Nicholas de Mimsey-Porpington, who died many centuries ago but escaped total separation of his head from his body due to an unfortunately dull axe incident, coming so close to being headless but now remaining nearly so. Very tragic. Let us not aspire to his fate.<br /><br />I don't blame the young witches at Hogwarts for staying away from Myrtle's stall, but she is a lot better to unexpectedly run into during a mad dash for a quick tinkle between Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts than if you were about to drop your trousers and hear Nearly Headless Nick floating over from the next urinal, droning on about proper blade sharpening techniques. I don't think we cry in the bathroom enough.<br /><br />Speaking of which, I wonder how the owls get on? After flying from London to Swindon, back to Hogwarts, back to London, and on to other places where the mail must be delivered, the owls have to return to their wee wooden cages in the dorms, with tired wings and what... some hay to sleep on?. Does Harry really keep Hedwig in a cage all night until he needs to send another message to ... oh wait, he doesn't have any other friends. Poor Hedwig. And does Errol just languish in his prison for weeks on end? We know teenage boys don't want to talk to their mother's very often, but this sounds like cruel slavery to me. I hope there is some sort of magic chamber that we don't know about, where owls can relax and shoots some billiards while off-duty. Maybe read the latest <a href="http://twitter.com/">hoots</a> or drink a brew. Of course, sparrows would probably deliver <span style="font-style: italic;">their</span> messages, which is another issue for the unions.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929677423408125934.post-73397053247264294812010-01-23T14:38:00.000-08:002010-01-23T14:38:10.786-08:00Green Metropolis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S1t2x3ArOOI/AAAAAAAAANo/TTkw6_cKE8c/s1600-h/Green+Metropolis"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_P4LUVRQDYEk/S1t2x3ArOOI/AAAAAAAAANo/TTkw6_cKE8c/s320/Green+Metropolis" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430064374677715170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are Keys to Sustainability<br /><br />(2009)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />David Owen</span><br /><br />Finished Reading: 01.2010<br /><br />Most people consider large cities to be the very opposite of an environmentally friendly living situation. When we look at a large city, such as New York City, we see a point source for heavy power and fuel usage and no real concentration of nature for miles. The city is not seen as an environmental goal, but this author argues otherwise, claiming that we are looking at environmentalism all wrong.<br /><br />Sure, New York City uses more energy than any other city in the country, but it also has a <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> larger population than anywhere else, and per person actually consumes <span style="font-style: italic;">less</span> energy as each resident of the city has a smaller footprint and uses much less energy than their friends who live in the suburbs. In New York City the population is densely stacked on top of one another, and side by side, and the neighborhoods are set up so that everything one needs for work, entertainment, consumption and living is nearby. Cities are made for people.<br /><br />The suburbs however, while giving the illusion of a peaceful replication of nature, are doing more harm than good. To live in the suburbs is to live in your car. Where there is more land to spread out homes are generally larger, which means more large appliances and more energy consumption, and a higher use of fertilizers and non-natural cleaners to keep things going. To escape the suburbs and get closer to nature is to perpetuate the suburbs, moving further and further away from the cities but really just bringing a strained out version of the city with you. If suddenly you found yourself without your car, way out there away from things, you would be out of options. Owen says that more nature is destroyed by the low-density development <span style="font-style: italic;">around</span> New York City than by the city center itself. We just don't usually think of it that way.<br /><br />Of course, the reason the suburbs are so popular is that they give us what we want. More room more independence, and more privacy. This can be achieved by the use of an automobile. The primary stated and unstated goal of drivers and municipalities in every region of the country is to increase traffic flow and get commuters to their destination as quickly as possible, that is, make driving more comfortable and quicker. The author's opinion on this, with the environment in mind, is that we should make driving as difficult, expensive and inconvenient as possible in order to encourage drivers to switch to public transportation, which will probably require people to reconsider some larger aspect of their lives than gas mileage, such as <span style="font-style: italic;">where</span> they live and <span style="font-style: italic;">where</span> they work. Most people would rather make their current living situation as environmentally friendly as possible rather than changing the basic premise of <span style="font-style: italic;">how</span> they live their lives. Who can blame them?<br /><br />There is a fascinating concept explored in this book about the difference between making cars more efficient and smaller, and getting them off the road all together (not an option for most people). The reasoning goes that we should not be interested in getting people out of cars for the benefit of public transportation, but rather that we need to get people out of cars period - and whatever you do to get around is up to you, whether walking, bicycling, or by public transportation. It is not the car itself that is the greatest concern, but rather the lifestyle it allows and perpetuates. With the automobile we can spread ourselves far and wide, thinly coating civilization over large expanses of land, and the further we go the more we rely on the automobile for the simplest tasks. The author, and he is not alone in this, points out that this way of life may get increasingly difficult in coming years if the cost of cheap, personal transportation increases to more than we are willing to pay. It is not sustainable, so while not change while you have the choice?<br /><br />I have to admit I feel pretty good about a doom and gloom book like this because it reflects my own thoughts on cities and agrees with the choices I am making every day. But we can always improve. David Owen doesn't have a lot to say about Portland (a few quick statistical mentions) because we are not really the <span style="font-style: italic;">Green Metropolis</span> that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Portlanders</span> think they are. Most of the east side of the Willamette river is low density suburbs, and you don't have to go very far in the other directions before you find yourself in a place dependant on automobiles. There are some areas with higher density, but very few people can really get by without a car. Even if they could, they chose not to mostly because of which part of the city they choose to live in.<br /><br />I would like to see Portland grow to be more dense. In 2010 we have almost 600,000 people within the city limits and that is sure to increase rapidly if the last decade is any indication. Of course there are probably a couple of million people in the "Portland Metropolitan Area," but really, most of those people are not close enough to the dense parts of the city to go without a car. We have the Urban Growth Boundary that disallows most unabated sprawl, and we have transit corridors in the form of light rail and streetcars which are ripe for new denser development. Downtown needs to seep over to the east side, trickling down the already growing mixed-used corridors of Hawthorne, Belmont, Alberta, Etc. Downtown itself is home to far too many empty lots, parking lots and single story dry cleaners. As more people move to the region, we need to make places for them closer to the center of the city, not build more homes out on the frontier fringe.<br /><br />Owen notices that Americans love little cute things, like the Smart car or the Mini Cooper, but we can't seem to just leave them alone in their smallness - we want to make them just a little bit bigger or add on a little more power. I recently read that Mini Cooper is now developing an <a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/autos/1001/gallery.mini_countryman/index.html?hpt=T2">SUV</a> of all things, just inches longer than their previous model which was just inches longer than the original Mini. As if a smaller SUV is really what we need.<br /><br />I also recently read about the new <a href="http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=4165">Apple</a> store which opened in New York City. It is basically a one-story pristine glass box, where the computers are on display. There is a basement for the clutter of things that are actually for sale. Architecturally, it is gorgeous. Though it is modern, clean, and seems pretty green, Owen would deride it for excessive glass (which means excessive heating, as no glass is as insulating as any standard insulated wall), ultra low density (one story, one use), and unnecessary disposable materials (the glass stair treads on the breath-taking spiral stair, which leads down to the basement, have to be replaced often from scuffs and wear). Kind of makes you think about things differently. On the other hand, we do need parks and open space, so the Apple store is like a new park to browse through, in between the towers. There are some nice trees across the street which can be clearly seen through the glass.<br /><br />Can we change the world? Should we try? We are usually content to change the little things in our lives (like recycling and driving more fuel-efficient cars - which are important) but the author argues that these little things just maintain our life as it is, making us feel good about ourselves and masks the true costs to the environment. Can I change the world by social engineering, in my practice of architecture? Probably not. I cannot change the way people live or change what they want. We cannot build a bunch of towers which contain smaller apartments if no one wants to live in them. What we can do is to make the city a better place to live, and start actually caring about the environment and thinking about how our actions affect the Earth and the other bazillion people who live on it. I need to do my best and not give up on the big ideas, and hopefully you will do that same.Paul Kurthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220986321718095371noreply@blogger.com0