Just finished reading Tony Blair’s speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council delivered last Tuesday. Interesting read. Help me to understand his position on Iraq and the Middle East. Gave me some food for thought.
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Business Week Online is all abuzz about Burt Bees. This homegrown, eco-friendly company has been selling their simple all natural products for years. Staying true to their brand, the trends eventually caught up with them. Now Burt Bees has shifted from selling at craft fairs and speciality markets to mainstream. Their website still projects a homegrown feel while still offering cool interactive features.
Several trends have converged in the new Tribewanted timeshare. Appealing to the strong drive for social connecting this timeshare is about joining a tribe, a community. At the same time, this offers an eco-friendly vacation, and there’s opportunity for public service. Looks interesting, similar in some ways to the popularity of mission trips for adults. In many churches adults forgo the yearly vacation to go to some remote region and help build a school, houses, and/or set up medical clinics. (Some adult missions include The Bridge, Experience Mission, Missions to Mexico)
If you want to join the tribe, you better sign up! Only 5,000 slots. Thanks to Iconoculture for the Tribewanted tip.
Jeremy is on St. George’s isalnd but I think his mind is marooned even further away.
Finally, I’ve heard some thoughtful analysis of the situation in the Middle East. If you have a moment, listen to Tom Friedman’s interview on Fresh Air yesterday. Highly recommended!
Like the war in Iraq, it seems this war in Israel divides people all around the world. Reading the Iraqi bloggers on Global Voices Online, I found bloggers who believe this war must continue until Syria and Iran are also broken whereas other who feel Israel needs a stunning defeat to break their aggressive tendencies. Just like the Iraq situation, I read various opinions and see points by both sides. I am painfully aware of the de-personalization of humans on both sides, and yet what is the resolve? Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy believed that war is the natural state of man and that peace is a rhythm that must be created and maintained. Unfortunately, our world does little to even seek out this rhythm. Many of the voices I hear in Iraq and the Middle east often speak with war in the voice even when they advocate peace.
Violent spirits cannot bring peace. The pattern of peace is the cross. The true peacemaker doesn’t throw words like knives but lays down his life. But that’s another topic.
William F. Buckley, the founder of National Review and a fundamental mentor of modern conservatism, suggests in a recent CBS interview that George Bush does not really operate from a consistent conservative ideology. I’ve followed Buckley for years, observing his fascinating style of rhetoric (true rhetoric–not the cheap emotion mudslinging we see on news talk shows), and his interesting approach to societal issues. Most people who hate conservatism might do well to read a little Buckley to find out if it is really conservatism they hate or something else. Anyway, some folks might enjoying reading this interview.
Lisa Goldman continues to provide interesting comments, links and information on the Middle East conflict. She also provides content for Global Voices Online. This is a great clearing for what bloggers are saying about various issues around the world. I ran across this interesting piece on Iranian bloggers commenting the current Israel-Lebanon war.
I just posted a new, long essay over at Floydville:
Five weeks and two days ago, I received the priceless gift of Izaak’s kidney. Each week my body grows a little stronger, and I feel a little better. Soon I will be back to full strength. Every morning and evening, I record my blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, and temperature. At different times through the day, I take a variety of medications.
Watch out for the pirate lawyers!
