1.24.2012

Some Wise Words

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you hoped for.
- Epicurus
I saw this posted up in the office of a friend today.  It's really helped me stay grounded and optimistic.  Sometimes words catch me by surprise. They're scratch marks on a paper or ink on a screen, but woven in  just the right way, they can be beautiful, inspiring, hurtful, powerful, heartfelt and genuine.
 

RIo Hondo + Los Angeles River Bike Path


1.22.2012

Einstein: Human+Genius



Arioso from Cantata, Johann Sebastian Bach

Einstein. It is synonymous to genius, encompassing one man's life of perpetual curiosity and creativity. But if one were to comment on J. Edgar Hoover's secret campaign against Einstein, one would be as incredulous as Sam Papich, FBI's former liaison officer, "Einstein? Albert Einstein? Why would we ever have a file on him?" (Jerome xx)
How could we not know? Why did Hoover hide it from even within his own FBI? What was so threatening about the wild-haired professor? These questions unravel another life of Einstein we did not know, both grave and light-hearted, but paving the path to Einstein's unintended legacy.


This is the thesis of my website entry to the History Day competition.  The 2009 theme was "The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies." It was one of the best experiences of my high school career. I obsessed over this contest for days, tweaking css styles, adding paragraphs and videos.  I labored over this project, but it was very satisfying seeing the little symbols of code become an image, an mp3 embedded file.  It was, in a word, awesome.   


And it's up again! Human/Genius: The Face(s) of Einstein




There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.     -Albert Einstein

1.17.2012

Stuff Bicyclists Like - Spoke Cards

For my first assignment in my cultural anthropology course, I have to write a 4 page commentary on the website Stuff White People Like.  I've taken a quick look at it, enough to satisfy my happiness that this is not going to be a boring, dry assignment, which is great.  Another part of the assignment is to write a "stuff my people like" entry.  I immediately thought of bicyclists.

I protested getting a driver's license as long as I could, but my parents practically shoved me into the DMV when I turned 20.  So now I drive, begrudgingly, with a permit and I'm in no hurry to take the test. Well, maybe in a bit of a hurry. I really want to drive up north to MontaƱa de Oro or San Simeon.  But anyway, the reason I detest automobiles is because I am first a bicyclist.

The reasons are multiple and varied.  Inexpensive, environmentally friendly, fun and cool. I love bicycles.  I've been riding since I was in the 3rd grade. So yeah, I'm part of the community.  That's not to say I'm an expert though.  Just like with any society, a group is filled with many perspectiveS and that's a capital S in bold because that's the way my Anthro Professor wrote it.  The S means to be aware of oversimplification at the risk of stereotypes.  A group has many individuals, each with their own perspective and belief.

That's a long-winded explanation of this post...

So, stuff bicyclists like. Spoke Cards!

Food Not Bombs
I'm not sure whether they have any specific function.  I've heard some people say that certain spoke cards represent the group rides one has been on. This particular one was made by a pretty cool guy named Woody, who volunteers at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. It definitely has a humanistic/political message. I also think some spoke cards just look cool and have an aesthetic appeal.

What are your thoughts?

Final Round

Thank you everyone for voting for my blog post "A Walk Up the Mountain" here at Urban Postcard. 

I'm a finalist in the 5.11 Tactical Adventure Contest!

You can vote for my blog post by clicking on the "share" link located on the far left side at the 511 News Blog

Thanks again everyone! I really hope you like my post.