cooper dot se.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Winter, Spring.

2008-05-27T22:05:00.003-05:00

We're all over the map here in Chicago. I wore a sweater to work last week, sat on the warm beach for three hours on Sunday, then froze through a Cubs win tonight at Wrigley. The weather here in Chicago never ceases to amaze me. We'll be back to 70 within 48 hours apparently.

I was reading about the dot-com boom and bust today for some reason. My thoughts: there is never any "new economy". This got me thinking about basic business and economic principles. They don't change and they can't change. They can be manifested in different ways, but even I-of-no-business-classes-ever know that you can't produce nothing and suddenly be worth $97 million.

I think something kind of like this was in the Bible. Something like there is nothing new under the sun. It'll happen again.

I continue to not be able to put this thing down, despite being able to solve it in no more than eight minutes or so.

Ummm....yeah there's a little semi-stream-of-conscious-with-a-few-links-thrown-in for you. Until next time.

Bernstein and Gershwin

2008-03-06T22:02:00.002-06:00

I am no right wing nut job, nor am I a commie-leftist-michael-savage-could-fill-in-the-blank-better liberal, but if there's one thing that's true, it's that I think the United States is a great country.

No, not necessarily the best. No, not divinely ordained as the best, but a great country.

Every time I hear one of my peers talk about how much they wish they didn't live here or so eloquently state that "America sucks", I often want to stop and ask them what it is that makes them feel this way.

No, I am not a fan of either war that is going on. Yes, I am well aware of some of the sordid history of this country. Yes, I think the military-industrial complex is a bit frightening. No, I don't believe all the stories of American exceptionalism.

I do think that my generation often overlooks some of the great things about America.

Yes, I think Italy/Sweden/France/Germany/Scanda-who-via/Japan/Australia/South America are incredible places with incredible cultures and history. I happen to be fortunate enough to have seen some of these places and I think they are wonderful, vibrant places with much to be learned from. That's why I've traveled and will travel—to remember that I'm part of the larger world and the way I do things isn't the one right way.

It does just sadden me sometimes that many Americans my age have no idea some of the great cultural accomplishments here. Each morning at work I still marvel at the skyscrapers of Chicago that were created in the aftermath of a great disaster. I still can barely believe television and computers are real.

But for me lately I have been learning more about some of the artistic achievements in this country. In fact, the more that I hear of George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein my mind is just boggled by the creative energy they exhibit and the way their music fits into western traditions but is also so American at the same time.

Watching the New York Philharmonic play the music of George Gershwin (see below), a Russian-Jewish-American, in Pyongyang, North Korea last week and seeing the way that even the most controlled people in the world reacted to this music really made me proud to be an American.

Fine, call me cheesy, but at least I am proud of where I live on some level.

On Voting and Public Transportation

2008-02-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

Super Tuesday, the following Saturday and Maine today have provided some fun election fare. Everyone is talking about the election, even at the Valentine's Day party I went to last night.

In fact, on the way home from work on Tuesday on the train I sort of had an interesting thought. I wonder how long our generation's new interest in politics will last. Will this be a sea change where people our age actually pay attention to politics and vote, or is this all driven by Barack Obama's charisma?

I sort of think it's like riding the train to work actually. Very few people rode the train to work 15 and 20 years ago. Just this morning I heard a woman on the train sitting down (I was standing because it was so crowded) talking about how much the Ravenswood neighborhood has changed and gotten younger and how almost no one got on at that stop before. The CTA also has had its ridership increase tremendously in the last 10 years or so. A lot of people in the city are thinking, "Geez, why didn't we take the train before? It's fast and easy."

I almost think that's what voting could become like for our generation. "Geez, why didn't we vote and get involved before? It's interesting, easy and important." It makes me think of the T-shirt that my friend Stephen was wearing last night. It remains to be seen if our generation takes on a newfound civic duty, or just gets excited for one election.

My thought for the day.

Super 72 Hours

2008-02-02T14:25:00.001-06:00

Why yes, I have taken a wee bit too long to update here. It's certainly not for lack of things I have been thinking about. In fact, after a lackluster week of work, mercifully saved by a productive and happy Friday, I have been quite excited for this weekend and leading up to Tuesday.

Last night I went to see my younger brother Lucas play at the California Clipper, a truly original Chicago bar. He was playing with Susie Gomez and her Multiple Cats, he being the drummer "cat". I strongly recommend this bar if you want a little slice of authentic Chicago. It's been open for around 70 years and is hip enough without being the least bit pretentious.

Lucas is quite the multi-faceted and talented musician. I also had the privilege of seeing him at Smoke Daddy on Sunday evening. However, this was his acoustic guitar singer/songwriter stuff. You can see video of this and some of his jazz trio as well on his Youtube channel or check out his website.

This blog is not a music, live music or Chicago bar blog. It's a Cooper blog, so I am going to turn to Sunday. There is a little something going on in my home state that you may have heard about. I am excited for the Super Bowl if only because it means we will either see one of the biggest upsets ever should the Giants win, or the conclusion to one of the greatest seasons ever should the Patriots win. Personally, having lived in a little town in Massachusetts as a child, I am greatly hoping for the latter.

The Patriots are a difficult subject though. They are playing some of the most incredible, smart-guy football out there, but there is the lingering suspicion that much of it only came about because of cheating. There have been some interesting stories about the Patriots leading up to both the AFC Championship as well as the Super Bowl.

For a good piece on Tom Brady and why the Pats losing would be as memorable or more than them winning, I thought this piece by Chuck Klosterman was well-written. It also makes you realize that most American males would gladly trade places with Tom Brady if given the chance.

Above I made reference to how the Patriots are a thinking-man's football team. I really believe this, with this article I read yesterday only strengthening my feelings about this subject. In fact, I would love to be an Ernie Adams kind of person. He seems to have some varied interests, enjoys reading about many kinds of subjects, particularly great people, and has seen some astounding success. The article does leave you with the lingering suspicion that this is the guy who could read the other team's signals as they came up on the monitor. Either way, this guy seems to have an incredible mind and has applied it to football of all subjects. This piece is some real journalism on ESPN, which is fairly shocking considering the paltry offerings of Page 2, including this, this and this. Blegh.

Not long after the Super Bowl festivities have ended will I be turning my attention to Super Tuesday, which I think should be a national holiday. I mean, IA, NH, NV, SC and FL were fun enough, be we're talking 22 (!?) primaries in one day! This is a political junkie's dream come true. Obama's post-Edwards momentum is pretty remarkable. As this Washington Post article points out and I have been thinking for some time, I think the more people see of Obama the more they want to vote for him. He needs to see as many people as he can between now and Tuesday when the polls close. It should be a lot of fun watching returns on Tuesday.

All right, so this post was a little rambly. I hope you enjoyed it. I will write again soon. Have a super 72 hours!

Some things for a Saturday

2008-01-12T15:20:00.000-06:00

Just got back from walking to Uptown Bikes at Leland and Broadway. I carried by busted bike all the way, though it really wasn't that far. Moving around on this chilly but sunny day feels nice. I will have a fully rehabbed bike by Tuesday!

Today I have been listening to 'Watch My Feet' by 'Dude N Nem'. This song isn't even really totally my style, but it is infectious, has a cool video and is from Chicago. I also have some Caribou on, currently the song 'Yeti'. I haven't even watched that video, but it's a free place to hear the song.

I realize that it's only January 12, but I can feel the beginning of the beginning of the hints of the beginning of spring in the air. I left work at around quarter to five yesterday and not only was the sky still blue, it was a light-ish blue. The thought of more sunlight each day is not only comforting, but sustaining.

There's still so much on my mind, I don't know how to share. So instead I will try and come back in a few days with thoughts on all kinds of things.

Broadway and Leland (click to see the larger map and hit street view):

View Larger Map

typography.

2007-12-02T22:36:00.000-06:00

I have become very fascinated with typography. It is one of the most subtle, nuanced and beautiful forms of art out there. In fact, it is one of the most ubiquitous forms of art out there as well.

I told a friend of mine about a font called Gotham . He is an extremely talented graphic designer with a huge interest in typography. Within weeks of me showing him, he was already pointing out a few examples, including Starbucks' main signage as well as some of the first words on the Netflix website.

Suddenly I cannot escape typography. However, I also cannot escape my job, though I have begun wondering about this.

I think I just might write more here. Good night and keep your eyes out for the typography all around you.

I Need to Do This.

2006-09-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

Blog, that is. I am now settling down in the wonderful city of Chicago, Illinois, "joining the real world," and getting a feel for what life is like after college. I think there is the temptation to want to relive life as it was in college and miss all the great things that life after school has to offer.

It might surprise you to learn that I am living only one block south of the building I lived in as a freshman at North Park University. However, I only really feel the above-mentioned temptation when I am around campus. And believe me, even living one block away from campus is a whole different world. It is really great living in the same neighborhood that I grew to love in college, but to experience it not as a student, but rather as an adult. I still have all my favorite grocery stores and restaurants right at my fingertips.

I don't really know why I am writing this because I don't know who is even going to read it. I do think that I have missed out by not documenting as much of my life on here as I would like to. And I am going to need some help as I begin this post-college life. I don't know what I'm trying to say. I just felt like I needed to make a new post.

Peace.

I am definitely a nerd.

2006-09-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so I have been wanting to update for a while on how different my life is now. For now, I will just post the results of this awesome quiz that I took. I am definitely a nerd and I hope to continue to attain this. You should do this quiz also.

I will be posting a real update soon. Peace.

Pure Nerd
95 % Nerd, 13% Geek, 39% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on nerdiness

You scored higher than 99% on geekosity

You scored higher than 99% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

yikes!

2006-08-24T12:44:00.000-05:00

It has taken me far too long to get back on here and post. I apologize to anyone (probably no one) who has been checking back in anticipation. I most assuredly have an explanation for why it has taken me so long to get back here.

My sister Kelly was married on Saturday, August 5, 2006. It was a really fun and special day. There was a lot of planning leading up to it and lots of cleanup and take down and all that. It was a really great day, but it is nice that it is over because the summer ended also and everyone is moving onto the next thing. Kelly and Greg moved to Georgia so Greg can get a Master's degree in Classical Languages!

As for me, I have moved back to Chicago after a hot and wonderful summer at home in Arizona. I will most likely be signing a lease on a classic huuuuuge Chicago apartment tomorrow and am in that insane transition mode where I don't yet have a job and have just graduated from school and am debating how high to aim as I search for a job.

I know I should aim high, but I also need to start earning some money. Perhaps I will stop over with an hourly job like being a server at Tre Kronor, Chicago and North Park's own Swedish restaurant.

This entry is not that insightful, but I have had so much on my mind and life hasn't felt totally normal since the summer, and even then there was always wedding stuff going on. It hopefully will soon and I will finally have a job and can start making a life. Here's hoping I live a significant one and don't fall so easily into a meaningless existence. It happens.

Farewell for now friends.

On Apocalyptic Musings

2006-07-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

Dear friends, I would like to share with you today, one of the perils of a curious mind such as my own. It has to do with imagining apocalyptic situations. What, exactly, is an apocalyptic situation? From Merriam Webster, apocalyptic is defined as "forecasting the ultimate destiny of the world." How is it that I seem to find mmyself involved in such a lofty proposition?

Each of the last few times that I have returned home to Tucson from school, I always find myself with time on my hands. Often, I use this time to read about subjects of interest. This usually involves current events, different countries of the world, some literature, and plenty of history. Quite often, I find these all coming together in my mind to create many apocalyptic situations.

You want examples, do you? Well, two years ago, I had just finished my sophomore year of college and I was getting excited and ready for a trip to South Korea. I spent hours and hours reading books about the history of Korea, the war, the division, the current economic "miracle" in the south and then went and saw it on my own. Often, as I read through page after page about this sadly-divided nation, I kept imagining how one day, hostilities would cease, two separate flags would become one, two governments one, and two people divided for so long would be one nation. Capitalism would take care of the poor northerners plight.

And it seemed reasonable. But each day I would think again about the sad status quo and I would hang my head, yet still hope for the best.

Last Christmas break, when I started using this blog more often, my attention shifted to the terrible situation in Iraq. I could read the writing on the wall and watched as, each day, the situation grew more and more dire. I was amazed that I could learn about what was going on by reading blogs that Iraqis had written. See my "Blogs I Read" section to find some of them. Again, the more I read about Iraq and its history and status quo, the more I would keep imagining how great it will be one day. How one day I will fly there to meet some of my online friends, will sit in the sunshine on the sidewalk and smoke hookah, discussing the horrors of the past and the beauty of the present. But alas, each day the news tried to keep me from imagining this.

Other times, like the Christmas right before I went to Sweden, I turned my attention to Europe and the world as a whole, imagining everyone working together, using sustainable, non-polluting energy, not wasting away the earth, not exploiting each other, and everyone doing their part to help everyone else have a better standard of living without a cost to the environment. Often my apocalyptic thoughts would be accompanied by futily wishing certain things in the past hadn't happened, such as the horrors of war, especially the horror in Iraq since 2003 and the sad division of Korea in 1953.

This summer, I have some of these thoughts mixed in, especially as I try to imagine myself as part of the world, now that I have graduated from college and am trying to figure out where I fit in.

However, because of the amount of time I have had on my hands this summer, I have used some of my thinking on more trivial matters, namely, my beloved Chicago Cubs. Often, I would find myself dwelling on events in the past, such as how the Cubs have only won the World Series twice, in 1907 and 1908, and how they lost it in 1906, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938 and 1945, despite my wishes that the past could change. By the way, they have not been back since 1945, despite a close call in 2003. So yes, I go over events in the past, wishing they could change, but I also look forward to the future, when the Cubs will win the World Series and the entire city of Chicago will disintegrate from happiness and the Cubs become the team against whom all others are measured.

I can keep imagining. The funny thing however, is that given the current state of the World, including the Korean peninsula, the 2006 Cubs season, the capitalist system currently in place, the country of Iraq and the Middle East as a whole, I don't think any of my apocalyptic musings are any more likely to happen than any others. That is the sad part, but then again, if I only were to dwell on things that just might happen in my lifetime, these thoughts would not be apocalyptic musings, and it does not take much of an imagination for those, does it?

Here's to the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, to Iraq, Lebanon and Israel living in peace, to Indonesians designing automobiles and Americans making clothing, to Koreans meeting their long-lost brothers and sisters, and to the world living at peace.

Currently Reading
When Chicago Ruled Baseball: The Cubs-White Sox World Series of 1906
By Bernard A. Weisberger
see related

Oh the (minor) Joys of Summer

2006-07-17T20:54:00.000-05:00

Greetings. I write now as it is about 10 minutes to 7 o'clock in the evening. What have I done today? Oh, not much, I just walked/ran the dogs for about an hour in the 105 degree heat and then decided to mow the lawn and trim the Ash tree in our backyard for the first time in probably over two years. This involved the following:
-Trimming tons of branches with the super powerful loppers.
-Using a chainsaw, one of the greatest inventions in all of human history. Did I mention that it was created by a Swede?
-Climbing a ladder and the tree as high as 20 feet perhaps.
-Firing up the leaf blower to clean everything off the grass.

It feels cool to take a chainsaw to a 2-inch or so thick branch and watch it fall about ten feet to the ground. And finishing everything just feels so good when it is something as visible as half of the branches of a tree coming out.

So, now that I have shared enough of my boring-to-you day, I will be heading up to my housesitting house soon. This is such a beautiful, totally Arizona style house, complete with flat screen hdtv, a pool, king sized bed and one of those cool showers that is part of the room, instead of having a curtain. It's pretty underbar.

That's really enough now. And that book I was reading last post at least changed the way I think about the news and about history, and it may well have changed my life, but I don't know yet. Maybe I'll know that if or when I ever find a !@#$ job!!

Peace and love!

This is What Blogs Are for, Right?

2006-07-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

Greetings friends and loved ones. I am writing a new entry in the midst of a completely uneventful summer. It looks like my lack of planning in the lead up to graduation is coming back to haunt me. But I'm not here to whine about my summer. I'm going to rant a little. That is what blogs are for, right?

Driving home from Phoenix the other day, I had some sports radio on. An idiot-sounding radio host was talking about the World Cup and how he thought that Italy paid of Zidane to do the headbutt. This is not the part that made me angry though. He then started talking about how Americans just don't get soccer and never will. He said that his children can play it or whatever but he will always hand them a baseball bat and glove.

Then he proceeded to talk about how soccer was so stupid and the only reason it was popular was because any kid in any poor country can always kick around a ball. Our sports were clearly superior because you supposedly have to have money to play baseball, hockey or football.

Forget about the fact that Domincans are some of the best ballplayers in the world and that they play with sticks and stones. Or that eskimo kids have probably been playing some form of hockey for centuries. Clearly we shouldn't play soccer; that should be relegated to the poor of the world. We are far too better than that.

This kind of talk angers me so much. Guys like this just continue to feed the stereotype that people for the United States are arrogant, do not care about the rest of the world, and think that money is more important than things like tradition and family. This makes me so angry, but it also makes me happy that I can try and stand out in society by actually caring about the world around me.

GAHH!!KL!J!H!!!!!?!!

This book is in the process of changing my life:

Currently Reading
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
By John Perkins
see related

Back with a vengeance?

2006-07-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

So I am back for the first time since February. Insane, I know. I was inspired by the birth of a new blog from a good friend Sarah Bradford. Her blog is over here and she is going to be doing some pretty amazing things in NYC with Teach for America.

So, while I was gone....I went to NY for spring break, I went to several Cubs games and had my hopes for the season dashed sometime in the middle of May, but most of all, I graduated from college!

What exciting, life-altering event happens next?

....errr...ummm....well, I am home for the summer and am delivering pizzas to save some money. This is not exactly the summer I was envisioning or hoping for, but hopefully being able to save some money will help make the fall that I envision and hope for more of a reality.

This fall would involve Chicago and an apartment with some friends. I will keep you updated.

This Week a Tipping Point.

2006-02-11T19:43:00.000-06:00

Greetings friends and loved ones. I am writing because, every now and then, I get a sense that a certain point in time has come and gone, as opposed to the usual "I cannot believe it is already...." This week I suddenly feel like we are rounding the bend on Winter. Spring break is just weeks away and the Chicago Cubs pitchers and catchers are reporting in just days.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=chc

This also means that I am graduating from college soon, without much of an idea of what comes after that. Any ideas?

I am writing also because this semester is proving very interesting. On many levels. I am taking Quantum Mechanics, Differential Equations, Scientific Computing and Tools, Physics Literature and Swedish Seminar. All of these classes are requiring a large amount of work, mostly in the form of reading. In fact, after I finish this entry I will probably resume with this book.

While last time I meandered about Linux, this time I will go on about Quantum for a little. It is taking me a little longer to get into this class than the computer class, but today I read an entire chapter out of this book and it is starting to really blow my mind. The philosophical implications are shocking.

Before the 19th century, scietists began thinking that humankind had the world roughly figured out, but we soon realized that it was not true at all. Quantum blows out of the water the way that we have been taught to think of the world. I wish I could go into it more, but I'm still getting it all straight myself. Between this and the book that I was reading about Chaos Theory, I am starting to realize how shockingly complex the world is. I think it has called me to humility.

I love to think that I have this world figured out, or at least my part of the world. I already know from reading the news that the world is not an easy place to understand and that I will not ever understand how and why certain things happen and people do different things. It has been interesting this semester to be getting more into looking at the physical world as well, and not just the world that human beings have made, but the world that God has created. Quantum Mechanics, fractals and Chaos have kept me in my place.

Currently Reading
Understanding Quantum Physics: A User's Manual, Vol. 1
By Michael A. Morrison
see related

Winter is back....And I am still indecisive

2006-02-04T22:16:00.001-06:00

Winter finally decided to return to the Chicago area today. Thoughts are returning to indoor activities. I cannot make up my mind.

I could go to the Steppenwolf and see After the Quake, a play adapted from a book of short stories by one of my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami.

Or I could go to the Old Town School of Folk Music and see an amazing jazz trio The Bad Plus. They are only playing once and the play is only playing until the 19th. What to do, what to do?

Oh that these are the things with which I occupy my mind. No, it's not the only thing, trust me. I am shocked and amazed at what is happening with this cartoon controversy (embassies burned!? Seriously?). I really do not know what to make of it, except that this is a telling example of just how different Western and Islamic cultures are. Anyone who thought they were closer than ever before, what with hopes for a domino effect of democracy and capitalism in Iraq and the Middle East, can forget about that idea.

My mind has also been occupied with computers lately. I am currently enrolled in a class in which we are learning how to use Linux and Python. I am still getting my shell scripts straight with my bashrcs and xinits. Ah, don't ask, this stuff is crazy, I agree with you.

I am a geek. Looking for a job. Not about to get married.

Peace and Love.

Currently Reading
Linux in a Nutshell (Linux in a Nutshell)
By Ellen Siever, Aaron Weber, Stephen Figgins, Robert Love, Arnold Robbins
see related

Do You Want a Revolution?

2006-01-26T12:39:00.000-06:00

Both Canada and Palestine have gone to the polls this week, both elections with implications for the United States and both elections I was following. In fact, I was surprised that the American media did not follow the Canadian elections a bit more. I did read a really good piece by a Canadian who claimed that the seemingly uneventful election in Canada this week was actually the beginning of a dismantlement of Canada's political status quo. It will be interesting to see just how much the Canadians like their more conservative government. Canadians reading this, I appreciate any and all input.

As far as Palestinians voting Hamas into power, I do think that there is some cause for concern. Any political party with a military wing that is bent on the destruction of their neighbor is some cause for concern, especially when they are winning an election in a possible landslide. Here is my take however:

I do think Israel and the US should be concerned about Hamas' rise to power and influence in Palestine. I think it is encouraging that the elections went off with no violence and were declared free and fair. I also think that the goal with any radical group like Hamas should be to move it into the political mainstream. While they may be making wild claims about destroying Israel and raising the Islamic flag above Jerusalem, what is going to happen when one of their constituents calls up to report that his trash hasn't been collected? Perhaps mundane things like trash collection and infrastructure will serve to moderate Hamas.

I won't even touch on Google and China. I am pretty freaked out that they are doing what they are, especially since I have always sworn by gmail. I thought this piece was a good summary of the implications of Google's decision. What a world we live in that jumping in to an enormous emerging market is more important than being able to blog your political thoughts, like I am right here.

Oh and if you're not too freaked out, I can send you a gmail invite anyway....what a world.

Currently Reading
Chaos: Making a New Science
By James Gleick
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Journalism, North Park, Iraq....Life

2006-01-14T02:03:00.000-06:00

First and foremost, my heart goes out to Jill Carroll, an incredible journalist and friend to many here in the blogosphere. Baghdad Treasure has some great posts about what an amazing woman she is. I have been praying for her safety and I know and trust that everyone else is as well. It is really sad to have a name and a face put with the terrible headlines coming out of Iraq, something that happens to Iraqis probably every week. I am so sad about the suffering there. It is good to see that Eid has been a fairly happy time though. That article made me happy.

I have returned to North Park University, home away from home. Or is it now my home?

I usually do think of North Park and Chicago as home, even though my parents are still living in Arizona. Here is our pretty house in Tucson with a sunset behind it.

Now it is time to get back to work, though not until Tuesday. Lots of time to relax and be with friends. This time is also making me realize that I am beginning my last semester in college. This prompts thoughts about my future.

I had the conversation with my parents about what I am going to do after I graduate. I don't really know. I do know that I am ready to be a part of the world and not just part of the North Park bubble. I am ready to be an adult and not an immature college student. But what to do?

I am interested in journalism so today I requested some information about the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State. Something very encouraging about this program is that they realize that not everyone who wants to get a master's degree in journalism will have studied it during their undergraduate education so they offer two programs. One is for those who did journalism for undergrad, and one is for those who didn't, like me. I could go here quite inexpensively since I am still technically a resident of Arizona. I just need to begin thinking about the GRE....

Blessings to all and back to Dostoevsky for me. What do you think of the new look?

Currently Reading
The Idiot (Vintage Classics)
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
see related

Vietnam, Now.

2006-01-08T19:18:00.000-06:00

I am reading this book right now, an interesting look at modern day Vietnam by a reporter who was there during the war and has now been living in Hanoi for four years. It is encouraging to see the ways that the country is moving towards more prosperity and (economic) openness. Vietnam provides a great example of my personal struggle with capitalism.

While I hate the capitalist idea that wealth is to be carefully guarded and used in only the most efficient and profitable way based on "the market," I cannot get around the fact that it has also transformed many parts of East Asia, especially Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and most parts of China (and Taiwan).

As far as Vietnam is concerned, the author notes that after the American War (as the Vietnamese call the conflict that lasted from 1965-1975) Vietnam's descent into poverty made them a net importer of rice. Decades later and because of the free market reforms, they are today the second-largest rice exporter in the world. This along with the fact that standards of living are rising all over the country and the average young person's future is now determined more by how hard they work rather than how high up their connections with the Communist Party are.

At the same time, urban unemployment is growing and one can argue that much of Vietnam's culture is being brushed aside in order for multinational companies to do business. This is just a brief look at the conflict I feel about capitalism.

This post, in a way, goes back to my previous post about Iraqi businesses. I think that all along too much faith has been put in the free market to rebuild and "fix" Iraq after years of authoritarian rule. I also think that it is important to note that the Vietnamese were international pariahs before deciding, on their own, that they would begin the process of "doi moi" (renovation) and open up their country for business. Iraq, on the other hand, had the free market forced on them, along with the chaos that came along.

Do you feel any kind of conflict with Capitalism?

Currently Reading
Vietnam, Now: A Reporter Returns
By David Lamb
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Chicago Olympics and Iraqi Businesses....Happy New Year!

2006-01-03T17:25:00.000-06:00

I am still sitting at home and therefore have had time to peruse the news. I have also been reading over the blogosphere and in particular, bloghdad, a word I saw today describing Iraqi blogs that I like and think I will put into use in the future.

But first, something a little closer to home. I was reading earlier today about how Chicago is strongly considering bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games. This is very exciting to me. This writer's vision for the games, though written back in July, was particularly inspiring and made me want to stick around the city for years to come. As if I didn't want to already....!

The other topic of interest for me today, as always, is Iraq. The Christian Science Monitor, a paper have a great deal of respect for, has this interesting piece about small businesses in Iraq. I bring this up because it reminded me of an article I read by Naomi Klein early last year.

She was making the point that the Coalition Provisional Authority was putting too much faith in the free market to rebuild Iraq. The Monitor article references Article 39 which, according to the Monitor, gives "foreign companies unfettered access to Iraq, effectively freezing many local companies out of the rebuilding effort."

Did the CPA really think it would be that easy? While I am a liberal in the traditional sense of the word, I think that it was unbelievably arrogant and naive to assume that Iraqis would take this standing up. I believe that free markets must be introduced gradually. Even the United States is not a completely free market.

It may well have been this over-liberalization of the market in Iraq that spurred the insurgency. How many workers must have been laid off in the streamlining process of free market business? It is extremely likely that many laid-off workers found a warm welcome from many insurgent groups.

So where to go now? Well, that's partly why I have this blog, to discuss events and how they are changing the world and how we as human beings should respond. I welcome any ideas. I still think security is obviously the most important point to work on. That's a pretty easy answer though.

Peace to all.

arizona, my own alternate universe.

2005-12-30T14:49:00.000-06:00

greetings any and all readers. this post comes to you from my parent's master bedroom in lovely oro valley, arizona. it is always somewhat odd to come home to warm, sunny tucson (we live just north of the city), a city in a part of america that whose geography is said to be quite similar to many parts of the middle east including palestine, israel and I imagine even jordan and iraq as well. it is weird to be here not only the weather but also the way of life.

by the end of last semester I was used to living on meager portions of ramen, saltines and the occasional blast of grease and joy in the form of pizza, not to mention once or twice a day hookah and coffee.

so now I am back, not working and am dreaming of what comes after graduation. for now I want to find a job in chicago, seattle, LA, maybe phoenix and maybe tucson. I don't know though. thank the Lord I get to go back to sweden this summer though. joy oh joy.

so after a morning run in the blazing sun, dodging cacti and construction, I have now showered and dressed and will keep reading and sudoking. blessings and thanks for reading, if you are....

and I've finished my interview!

2005-12-10T21:14:00.000-06:00

so yesterday, december 9th, I had my day-long interview with teach for america. it was downtown in this beautiful building. ibm donated space for the interview and the boardroom that we were in had a great view of the loop.

the other students I was with were quite nice. we began the day with a sample five-mintue teaching lesson that we each had to prepare. I decided to go first to get it out of the way. I taught everyone the three trigonometric functions, sine, cosine and tangent. it went pretty well. I was glad to have that over with and as the day progressed, more and more relief came over me.

after some lunch at chipotle, I had the last thing, the one-on-one interview, which was good, but sort of weird. to be perfectly honest, I have no idea whether or not I will be accepted. I sort of think that I will be surprised either way.

one thing that I do know is that I really and truly believe in the mission of teach for america: decreasing the huge educational gap in the united states of america. I really do think that I am exactly the kind of person for whom they are looking and I just hope that that really came across yesterday!

I'm going to update this more. really.

the war at home.

2005-12-01T12:58:00.000-06:00

things are heating up. no, I am not talking about the weather. in fact, as I type this there are about 2 inches (6cm) of snow falling here in chicago.

I'm talking about the debate about the war in iraq. I believe the united states has entered an extremely crucial point in the public debate about the war and the course of the war itself. it began a few weeks ago with the call by democratic senator john murtha for the united states to immediately withdraw its troops.

this is no ordinary call. this man served in vietnam and was a huge supporter of the war before. here on campus at north park university, it is becoming increasingly more rare to find people who really want the united states in iraq.

my wish is that we could be more educated about the situation. no one, and I mean no one, talks about the war anymore. I never see it on cnn, I barely read about it in the newspaper (american and british) and few people on campus talk about it. if only I could come visit and see for myself....

if we only knew.

2005-09-29T08:39:00.000-05:00

this post is going to be about iraq, something I devote a lot of thought to, but I have yet to really digest much in the form of writing, be it in a journal or on an online weblog.

my post is dedicated to my fellow americans, but also to iraqis. I mainly fear that there is a tremendous misunderstanding of the iraq war in the united states on both sides of the aisle. I fear the both liberals and conservatives do not undestand what is at stake and do not understand the kind of battle for power and supremacy that is taking place in iraq.

to the conservatives of america, do you have any idea the scope and the scale of the iraqi insurgency? how many photographs have you seen of someone loading a mortar rocket?

how many photographs of blown up bradley fighting vehicles have we seen on the evening news?

not so many. do you understand the danger that american soldiers face? perhaps. do you understand the even greater danger that iraqi civilians face? perhaps. when was the last time we saw someone lying in a hospital in the united states because his arms were just blown off in an explosion?

to the liberals of america I would actually ask just about the same questions. while I have a complex opinion about war and military force that is always changing, I do think that many liberals underestimate just how intense the battle for power is in iraq. leaving is just going to create more chaos and let the militias rule even more. from my comfortable viewpoint over here in america, it seems to me that what is happening in iraq right now is a power grab. pure and simple....

this militia, that militia. this amount of money for a kidnapping, that amount for a car bomb. the problem is like the chicken and the egg though. because american presence is supposedly needed in order to fight off "the terrorists," but the very presence of american forces is what gives many of the insurgents fuel for recruiting more people to jihad.

the heartbreak is just everywhere. families here in america who are saddened by the loss of their sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. countless families in iraq losing their own sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. I just don't know what to say about it. I really don't.

should america stay or go? how long is long enough? would america leaving help all the iraqis work together since the "foreign occupier" would be gone? or would it make things worse? sometimes I think the american military is able to protect certain parts of the country, but other times I think that it is nothing more than another part of the huge power grab going on in iraq, and that since america has a military presence in saudi arabia and bombed afghanistan and supports israel, they are especially good for killing. am I on the right track? I really don't know.

just please pray for iraq.

a little less serious this time around.

2005-09-23T11:06:00.000-05:00

hey everyone. I am enjoying this blogger thing. there are so many people writing about so many different and interesting things. tell me about any interesting blogs that you read.

does anyone know if there is a way to "subscribe" to different blogs and read them all in one place?

I am going to try to write an article for my school's newspaper about a class that I am in. my first time ever trying to write for the paper.

so, for something less serious, I must tell you all about sudoku. it's a fun puzzle that has to do with numbers, but there is no math involved. it's pretty addicting.

have to start somewhere.

2005-09-17T01:27:00.000-05:00

so writing and blogging and whatever it is that you want to call is something that I say that I want to do and do a good job of it. I even talk about possibly someday becoming a journalist or something.

in some respects, this is not entirely a tall order. I am a smart, curious, conversationalist kind of person. it wouldn't be entirely difficult for me to talk to people about things and put it into the form of an article or essay or anything like that.

on the other hand, I sometimes wonder about how realistic it is for me to dream of doing something like that. I am a physics major at a small, liberal arts school. I am not exactly the kind of student that columbia school of journalism is looking for. I do love reading but haven't done much writing, and I certainly don't know as much about either as an english major would, something I said I would never become back in my senior year in high school.

so where to begin? maybe with this blog, and then hopefully moving on to the north park press. who knows where after that? I am starting to really think it is the kind of thing that I would love to do though. peace and love.

as long as grass grows.

2005-09-01T15:49:00.000-05:00

I don't completely know what the title of this entry is supposed to mean. I am amazed, astounded and shocked at the news this week. twin tragedies. unspeakable grief.

I wish I had something amazing and/or poignant to say about these, but I am just shocked at the state of our world. I can't understand it.

....why do I sometimes get the feeling that I had a role to play in the unspeakable horrors of this world? maybe I do in some cosmic and spiritual way. I do not know....

well all right.

2005-06-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

okej, I have managed to find a few readers out there! and they are both somehow connected to sweden or norway. nice. it is strange to be back, I must say. I find that I am still not completely re-americanized though. an example of this? I decided that I would much rather walk up to the library (maybe 3km, just over a mile) in the 90-degree (35C) heat instead of drive. and that's what I did, systembolaget bag to carry my books and all. nice.

I have also finally gotten a job, so that is helping me get readjusted to home. I will be working with kids this summer, which should be quite interesting. I think that I will be able to learn quite a bit from these kids this summer. I hope that I can do a good job and everything. okej, here's a picture from when I went to the ice hotel at the end of the semester. amazing. hejdå for now.

click here to see it.

back in the u s of a.

2005-05-31T12:25:00.000-05:00

hello friends. whoever is reading this. I am no longer in sweden. it is a sad time in my life, that my time in sweden is now done. well, it's really not that sad because I am home now and I have time to do things like be with my family and subscribe to the financial times. nice.

I am still learning about this world of blogging. I sometimes wonder if it is already too late in the game, that this has gotten so far off the ground so quickly that all the good ones have ben made. and why should anyone really take the time to read what I have to say?

well, maybe it will be interesting, that's possible. I am sorry that I never shared any mind-blowing cultural observations. maybe I will this summer, since I am still readjusting to the culture that is tucson, arizona and the united states of america.

another entry. where are the readers?

2005-03-12T07:26:00.000-06:00

hej no one. I continue to write here, despite any semblance of an audience. maybe someone will find this page when they browse through blogs via the "next blog" button in the top right corner of all the blogs. I do realize that my page is just a template. maybe it could be a little more creative.

take a look a look at this page.

china is simply the story of this century. the 20th belonged to the us, but the 21st century will be the chinese century. they can make 9 BILLION socks every year! do you realize that that is 1.5 socks for every human being on planet earth! wow.

simply amazing. I am an nyt nerd and proud of it. the question is, what will I do with it all?

better there than here?

2005-03-09T14:23:00.000-06:00

hey, this is the blog that no one reads. I still don't know if this will change, but we shall see. I have somewhat of an interest in the situation on the korean peninsula. I find it an extremely fascinating and frightening situation. I also find it interesting that the star in the template of this blog looks strikingly similar to the star in the DPRK's flag. moving on....

I have read the book the aquariums of pyongyang which is about a north korean who spent ten years in the gulag. he later escaped to china and eventually made it to south korea. he now works as a reporter. I highly recommend the book. today I found this article about another extremely fascinating north korean defector story. I am just constantly wondering what is going to happen with china and north korea, among other hot spots.

hejdåa för nu.

the beginning of the end.

2005-03-07T02:59:00.000-06:00

dear world,

this is the second time that I have typed this entry. this is the first official entry on my new blog though. it is entitled cooper.se, because I am spending this semester in sweden. I don't really think that anyone will ever read this blog, unless I go out into the painful world of self-promotion, trying to get people to read what I have to say. why should they even do that?

imagine if I were updating this page on a powerbook computer via wi-fi in some hip cafe in seattle, san fancisco, chicago or new york city. how cool would I be then? I do hope to one day talk about important things like the eu lifting the arms embargo on china and whether or not that might destabalize the region, or how I think that flooding iran with american money and ideas would solve our problems there. that is all for now.