The week that the Iraq War began was spring break. I went back to New York for a few days and took the train into Manhattan with some friends for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. I knew there would be a lot of people out in the streets so I wore an old tee-shirt and [...]
Twelve Roses
Three weeks ago, while having a few pints at the pub, a friend blurted out, ‘I should totally set you up with my mom.’ ‘Huh?’ ‘You guys have a lot in common’ Blank stares from the rest of the table. ‘Errr, never mind that came out wrong.’ A week passes and it’s my friend’s [...]
How Do You Wear Your Politics?
I was advised not to discuss politics when visiting Liberia. Let old wounds heal, they said.
The Iraq War: A Trilogy
I vaguely remember the first time the U.S. invaded Iraq. We called it Desert Storm or the Gulf War then. It may be my earliest memory of nationalism. I was nine and recall the lunch ladies at my school handing out ribbons to the kids to support the troops. I didn’t think much of it [...]
The Paradox of World Cup Excitement and Supporting Brazilian Social Movements
In a few hours Brazil will kick-off against Croatia to officially begin the 2014 World Cup. The host nation, Brazil, has won the Cup—humanity’s largest sporting event—a record five times and is the favorite again this year. Children play football in the streets, banks close before big matches and retired players get elected to public [...]
Why Are People So Damn Excited About Bitcoin?
This week a new app—QuickCoin—created a way for anyone to send and receive Bitcoin via their Facebook account. In my excitement I added some bitcoin to my Facebook wallet and posted a message on my wall that I would send some Bitcoin to anyone who asked. Within a few hours I had sent a thousand [...]
I Love Monsanto
A satirical counter argument to last week’s post: Monsanto: A Beginner’s Guide to the World’s Most Dangerous Corporation
Monsanto: A Beginner’s Guide To The World’s Most Dangerous Corporation (M24)
Today, 400 protests in over 50 nations will join a grassroots effort called March Against Monsanto. But who is Monsanto and why should you know about them? You may not think you’re familiar with Monsanto, but you probably eat Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) created by them every day. Monsanto created the first GMO in 1985 [...]