August 2011
39 posts
“…love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”
—Jack Layton’s final public words, in a letter to the people of Canada authored two days prior to his death. (via shortformblog)
The Poem
The poem began thus:
(The poem thus began:
“The poem began thus:
‘Thus, the poem began:
“Thus began the poem.
”’”)‘Thus, the poem began:
“Thus began the poem.”’
Thus the poem began:
“In the life of a man, his time is but a moment, his being an incessant flux, his senses a dim rushlight, his body a prey of worms, his soul an unquiet eddy, his fortune dark, and his fame doubtful. In short, all that is of the body is as coursing waters, all that is of the soul as dreams and vapours; life a warfare, a brief sojourning in an alien land; and after repute, oblivion. Where, then, can man find the power to guide and guard his steps? In one thing and one alone: Philosophy. To be a philosopher is to keep unsullied and unscathed the divine spirit within him, so that it may transcend all pleasure and all pain, take nothing in hand without purpose and nothing falsely or with dissimulation, depend not on another’s actions or inactions, accept each and every dispensation as coming from the same Source as itself - and last and chief, wait with a good grace for death, as no more than a simple dissolving of the elements whereof each living thing is composed. If those elements themselves take no harm from their ceaseless forming and re-forming, why look with mistrust upon the change and dissolution of the whole? It is but Nature’s way; and in the ways of Nature there is no evil to be found.”
—Marcus Aurelius (via joycesu)
Project to create San Francisco documentary series gives back to supporters →
examiner.com
SF Examiner:
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten so excited just encountering a poster in the Mission, but the 7 Squared Project was so aligned with my values that I had to learn more about it and do what I could to help. I think readers will agree with me, once they view the earnest and creative vision that two San Francisco filmmakers are pursuing, along with a group of 14 local nonprofits and businesses to fund a mini-documentary series.
There’s still three days left to be a part of this project and claim a perk. I highly recommend it!
Just the Facts: S&P's $2 Trillion Mistake →
go.usa.gov
The U.S. Treasury’s response to the S&P downgrade.
Key line: “In a document provided to Treasury on Friday afternoon, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) presented a judgment about the credit rating of the U.S. that was based on a $2 trillion mistake. After Treasury pointed out this error – a basic math error of significant consequence – S&P still chose to proceed with their flawed judgment by simply changing their principal rationale for their credit rating decision from an economic one to a political one.”
