nelson mandela's speech: i am prepared to die.

i hadn't ever read this until today. but it's... well, read it. you'll see.

granted it was a different time and a different issue, but people just don't give speeches like this anymore. what the hell has happened?

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you know people talk about racism and bigotry, and i know it's there and it exists, but this... this rapes my brain. i just don't know how to deal with that.

http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=981Read more... )

"Exxon also set an annual profit record by earning $40.61 billion last year - or nearly $1,300 per second in 2007. That exceeded its previous record of $39.5 billion in 2006."

from here.

"The big three carriers in Washington, Regence BlueShield, Premera Blue Cross and Group Health Cooperative saw profits increase from $11 million in 2002 to $243 ( Read more... )

so in light of the global food crisis, the US has pledged $200 million dollars to help feed those who are suffering. which is great. except that the food crisis will continue to get worse and have effects lasting years. meanehile we spend $341.4 million per day to occupy iraq. i guess that money is marked off as more important. this is fucking ( Read more... )

apparently this is supposed to be a feel good book. i don't know, i haven't read it. but the idea as i understand it is that as society progresses and grows more interconnected that people will automatically move towards relationships that are mutually beneficial. and i suppose i can agree with that in theory. that's the direction that i would ( Read more... )

so the fountain has arrived on hd-dvd. anyone want to have a viewing party at my place? i started watching a bit of it with michael and austin the other night, but they left and i turned it off. i want to watch it again, but i want to see it with someone(s). it is just so freaking good. i'm really glad i didn't see it in theatres because i know i ( Read more... )

so i'm thinking tattoos again. i've never stopped wanting more; it's been three years since my last one and i'm really feeling the itch. they're expensive, which is a concern, but the most important aspect is the meaning. i know lots of people who are covered in tattoos that have no meaning for them personally. they look cool and that's it. and if ( Read more... )

Americans complain bitterly whenever they have to pay more for something than they think they should (translation, any price that interferes with their buying something else they want). A sense of entitlement pervades American society. Only someone who believes in the Easter Bunny could doubt that oil companies and oil-producing nations try to keep ( Read more... )

in further thinking on my entry last night, i want to comment a bit on organized religion. i don't care for it. i know that's blunt, but it's how i feel. i do believe that some of the bible or the quran or buddhist texts or whatever have some merit to them. jesus' words, his exact teachings, i think contain a lot of truth. i think, with his limited ( Read more... )