Archive for the ‘The World’ Category
The Bridge
(photo from El Frito under a Creative Commons License)
Recently I watched this HBO documentary called “The Bridge” about the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The bridge is said to be one of the most popular suicide locations in the US and even in the world.
They say about 2% of people who try to commit suicide off of the bridge actually end up living. I guess they were able to land feet first and somehow deflect some of the impact on their body.
Survivors were asked what went through their mind after jumping before they hit the water. Almost all of them said it was at that moment after jumping that they realized all of their problems in life were solvable. Well, except for the problem of having just jumped off the bridge.
Life has it’s ups and downs, good days and bad days. We can’t control the hand we are dealt; we can only control how we play our cards. It’s the down moments that makes the good moments so wonderful. No matter what problems may be going on in my life, I try to think, “Is this fixable?” Fortunately for me, most the time the answer is yes. It helps me not take most things too personally. I don’t spend much energy worrying about the traffic on the freeway, or people who don’t like me for whatever reason, or politicians doing what they’re doing.
Just being able to wake up every day is a blessing. Every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity and I’m extremely excited to see what comes next.
The Most Amazing Video Game Trailers I’ve Ever Seen
For the game Deus Ex: Human Revolution as seen on Singularity Hub. They describe it as:
It’s sixteen years in the future, 2027, and the world is in love with human augmentation. Synthetic limbs, improved brains, and all forms of integrated technology are on the market, but they come with a hefty price tag: chemical addiction, poverty, and possible enslavement.
The video trailer at the top is simply incredible. This needs to be a movie ASAP.
The original trailer for the video game is below:
An Idea Worth Spreading
The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered
“Man…. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
from here: http://www.ted.com/profiles/836155
The American Political System In a Nutshell
http://bit.ly/kTcvwp by Glenn Greenwald
Are The Cartels Turning Civilians Into Gladiators?
http://bit.ly/jexpOw via the Houston Chronicle.
Seriously, WTF?
What Did It Feel Like to Be Inside the Towers on 9/11 (via Quora)
http://b.qr.ae/k3bwNn via Quora
Pretty powerful stuff to read.
The War in Mexico
The drug war in Mexico is spiraling out of control. It’s such a shame considering how wonderful of a country Mexico is. I’ve only been once, Christmas 2009, and I really enjoyed my time going down to San Luis Potosí and Cerritos visiting where my fiancée grew up. But the violence since then has skyrocketed. The cartels are fighting a full blown war, complete with grenades and tanks, terrorizing many previously prosperous and peaceful communities.
It’s hard for Mexico to control the violence and stop the cartels when an endless supply of cash and guns are flowing into the country from the US. I’m not sure if legalization would work, but at this point it’s insane not to even try it. Our politicians don’t want to go anywhere near the topic for fear that they’d lose in the next elections. It’s time more people started speaking up.
Unfortunately, the only way anybody in the States will take notice is when the violence escalates on our side of the border.
Why I’m (Still) Not Worried About My Cell Phone Hurting My Brain
Via Discover Magazine: http://bit.ly/jxDug7
Where We Stand In The Universe
Incredible to think about how large the universe (or multiverse) actually is.
Found via Reddit.
Think Something Can’t Be Done?
“I confess that, in 1901, I said to my brother Orville that men would not fly for 50 years. Two years later, we ourselves were making flights. This demonstration of my inability as a prophet gave me such a shock that I have ever since distrusted myself and have refrained from all prediction.”
-— Wilbur Wright Speech at Aero-Club de France, 1908
Via KK.org
Why Wikileaks Matters
If you don’t think Wikileaks is important or fighting for our freedoms, take an hour and watch this video. It’s probably one of the most important hours you can spend.
