BIANCA REGINA: Virtual Socializing

1 - YouTube.

I like YouTube. It's fun! I don't use it much, though. I went through a phase of watching everything they had by Sasha Baron Cohen, but haven't used it for a while

2 - MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I don't use any of them and therefore can't really comment. I have little time or interest in virtual socializing. My time is taken up by actual socializing, and like I said before, because of my job, I have no interest in revealing anything very personal about myself. I have a website for my practice, but that's it. Who knows, maybe that's going to change one day, but for now, the world of virtual socializing holds little interest for me.

3 - Wikipedia.

Does it scare me that unqualified people create their own versions of reality? It doesn't. Because it's the same thing that qualified people do - and usually in a less open and fluid way. A book or even an encyclopedia will reflect its creator's subjective view of the world, too. Sure there is the danger of manipulation, but all in all, I think that there is more good than harm to be found in Wikipedia.

4 - Blogging.

I used to have my own blog. It was fun for a while, but I always found it difficult to find a "voice" that was neither too personal nor too boring. In the end, it seemed strange to have people who know me read about stuff that I might as well tell them myself. I don't believe that the internet as a whole needs my voice, so really, I was writing for myself. For which I have now returned to my diary.
I have conflicted feelings about blogging and its purpose. Sometimes it seems like talking aloud into a room full of people you don't know. Or that room might be empty! I like writing on this blog - it doesn't attract an audience, but I enjoy reading the other author's answers, and I like coming up with answerds.
Sometimes, I feel that blogging is self-serving, done to make yourself feel important. And I have found that when I blogged, on occasion, I - almost without noticing that I was doing it - edited the content for maximum impact. For example, when asked about absurd situations on this blog, I was tempted to write about a situation that really wasn't suitable - but would have been entertaining. Which I then deleted. Maybe it's just me, but I think that blogging tempts you to present yourself as more daring/exciting/entertaining than you really are. Which I don't like.
On the other hand, though, I follow a lot of blogs daily, all of them by women, most of them self-employed... so maybe I live vicariously through the self-disclosure and -presentation of others who are a little bit like me. In summary, for now, I'm a consumer, not a creator of blogs. I could see myself having a blog that's not about me but about some topic one day. Who knows!

5 - On the general state of the internet.

Yes, all in all, the internet is a very positive, good thing. I am know for referring to it for almost everything: shopping, travelling, entertainment... My life would be a lot emptier without it.

EDUARDO INFANTE: Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?
Finding Nemo’s final scene, within the final titles, seems hilarious to me. And yet, I found it rather deep, too. Here you have these fishbowl fish who dream of making it to the ocean. When they finally do, they’re floating in the sea, they look to one another, and finally, one of them asks something like: “and, uh, what’s next?” Hilarious, yet deep. A very funny scene that has even served me as a starting point in a conference I taught last year in Venezuela.

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?
It just happened a couple of weeks ago, while visiting Memo, one of my best friends, and as we were reminiscing some of our adventures. We do have quite many of them, as Memo is my friend since I was 11 years old! OK, Memo and I had a few beers in this encounter. But it was not due to alcohol that we laugh ourselves off. It was more because of the special ties that bound us together, and all those good and bad times we've lived as one.

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?
When I was traveling in Up With People, we went to a town in Sweden to which we arrived early in the evening. Considering it was Winter time, “early in the evening” pretty much meant 4 o’clock.

Anyway, in this one town, which name I cannot remember at the moment, I was hosted by a guy in his late twenties who lived by himself in a four floor building. His flat was in the third floor, I think. (As a matter of fact, I think I was reading with FQOF’s blogger Andreas that time. I’m not quite sure, though)

My (our) host brother picked us up at the pick up place and then drove us home for that night. We pulled our luggage out of his car and headed to the apartment, to which we went immediately. For some reason, I was not able to carry all of my luggage at once, and had to come back to my host brother’s car for it. And so I did. No problem whatsoever up until this part of the story. The bizarre situation came afterwards.

As I picked that second piece of luggage, I went up to my “home” for the next few days walking up the stairs until this guy’s flat. I opened the door and crashed at the nearest couch, once having placed my remaining piece of luggage on the floor. As I’m sitting on this sofa, a big athletic, Swedish-looking, guy comes out of what seemed to be the kitchen. He stares at me and starts saying something in Swedish. I obviously don’t understand a word of what he’s saying, and reply something back in English.

The guy looks confused, and upset at the same time. He answers back in Swedish, with a louder tone this time, though. And I sort of realize that he is mad as hell. When he’s coming after me, as if he were about to kick me out of this apartment, I mention that I’m in an Up With People cast, and that this guy – to whom I’ll call Mathias – is hosting me for a couple nights at this, his apartment. All of a sudden, those final words crack his serious mood up, and he starts laughing hysterically. It so happened that the big muscle, Magnus, lived in the floor below Mathias. For some reason, his door was opened when I happened to miss Mathias flat by one floor. No wonder why Magnus, the muscle man, was staring at me when I crashed at his couch with a “what the heck is going on!” face.

He was kind enough to walk me up the stairs and report the funny situation to Mathias, though. Mathias, Andreas (if it was you who I was rooming with, A), and myself had a blast laughing at the situation for a good half hour afterwards.

To this day, I still don’t understand what’s up with that Swedish custom on not locking the door of your home…

4. How would you describe your sense of humor and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humor?
I would describe myself as a happy and adaptable person. Most times, my jokes go across in a very good way. I tried to joke twice with a professor of Boston, in a seminar I’m taking, and she did not get my jokes, though. But the fear of rejection has never stopped me from joking, or smiling here or there.

There are different kinds of people, and so there are different kinds of humor styles. We just cannot blame it on anything or anybody. It’s actually fantastic, if you ask me, that we have all these styles and senses of humor. How boring it would be if the world were otherwise.

5. Is humour powerful?
Hell yes. Humor is the most powerful, and healing, abilities human kind has developed. An ability that puts us on the edge when we master it, to the point that we can get a good laugh at ourselves once we realize how small and insignificant we are in the universe.

EDUARDO INFANTE: Virtual Socializing

1. YOUTUBE. People are entertaining one another, getting attention through horrible actions, and finding new found celebrity for their talents, all in a matter of minutes on the web. What you think about this medium for adults? What about for kids? Do the positives outweigh the negatives?

I really like YouTube. I love the fact that I can get access to a scene or two of an old-time favorite show, that brings me back to my childhood years, and I don’t have to pay for it. I like the fact that I can navigate through YouTube and am able to choose what I want to watch, unlike traditional TV broadcasting that, in some way, forces you to watch the programs they want you to watch. I like the freedom YouTube gives to individuals. I also like the possibility of posting whatever personal video or editing work that people have. I’m not that much of a poster in YouTube but I am more of a YouTube watcher. Even though I have a YouTube account, I’ve only posted two videos in more than two years. The average time I spend watching You Tube is not that much, either. But I can honestly say that I’ve been entertained with YouTube videos, while watching them with my friends, quite often.

All in all, I believe YouTube is reflecting what people’s wants and needs nowadays are. If this resource is criticized for the violence it shows, I honestly believe that there far worse things out there, some of them broadcasted through satellite TV, so I do believe the pros of having it outweigh the cons. Will I think the same way when my children start surfing the web all by themselves in a few years from now? I will probably not. But I’m also very aware that the Internet, YouTube included, is something I cannot deny it’s out there, with its implicated goods and evils.


2) MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn. These are great spaces for social, academic and professional networking. So are these websites good or bad for us? Do you have a story to share where your privacy was invaded before you had a chance to react? Does it matter that complete strangers can learn so much about you?

You will only find so much information on people in these networking sites as the individuals providing their information want. Perhaps, it’s a little risky for some people when they’re not aware of the magnitude of these sites, and on how easy it is to access to certain personal information. If something, I’d work more on providing enough info to potential MySpace, FaceBook, Linkedin, HiFive, or any other networking portal, so that potential users are totally aware on the implications of the use of these resources. In Mexico, my country, the police has found the presence of kidnapping mobs that use these type of pages in order to scramble and investigate potential “clients” and their families, based on the data, pictures, contact info, and so on that people are providing in a public manner. So yes, sometimes I’m a little fearful on posting a picture of my kids, or the place where I work, or my friends in Facebook.

Like Rick, I really don’t like MySpace, so I don’t use it. I have a Linkedin account, but hardly keep track on my contacts there. HiFive was a service that began getting popular in Mexico, but I stopped using it since it did not have an easy-to-use interface. So I guess I’m stucked in Facebook, which I may access once or twice a week. I kind of stopped adding applications and I mainly use it as a way to stay connected. I’ve found it very useful a tool to stay in touch with my students (current or former), as well as with some high school friends, or my foreign buddies, or those friends of mine living abroad.


3) Wikipedia. Does it scare you that “unqualified people” (whatever that means) are creating their own version of reality for others to follow, or do you think society is perfecting its information retention through open free market data sharing (much like the concept of a free market economy)?

Not really, it does not scare me to know that Wikipedia posters are “unqualified people”. The way life is these days, I find it appealing to know that there is a site in which I’ll find a quick answer to my questions. I pretty aware that basically anybody can edit the information provided in Wikipedia but I also appreciate that “somebody else” has already taken the time to write about and post something that I was in need to knowing about. Of course, if it’s an academic issue that I’m trying to solve, or something that requires more profound research, chances that I’ll stick with the information from Wikipedia only are very limited. But if I’m writing something for my blog, and I need some quick data on something, Wikipedia might as well be the perfect solution to my questions.

If the true problem we are trying to address here is misinformation, I don’t think that Wikipedia is doing much more damage misinforming society than what CNN, FOX, or Televisa (in Mexico) is doing. Honestly.


4) Blogging. When you blog, are you worried about piracy, or idea stealing? Or do you think it’s worth the risk to have the exposure and be able to share information freely and allow, say, scientists from around the world tackle the fight against some disease with real time online communication (you know, Scientific Journals on steroids!)?

The thing I’m the most worried about blogging is not piracy, or personal information sharing. What I’m worried the most is, in fact, my lack of writing. I’ve made it a personal commitment to post something on my blog at least every other day. Unfortunately, as you’ve witnessed it in this very blog, sometimes it becomes difficult not to find the time to actually write. You’ll see, in my ideal world, I’d love to spend an hour blogging (either reading posts from somebody else of writing posts of my own) with zero distractions around, and a total focus on that very activity. I’m starting to believe that I’m an idealist if I think this is going to happen in any given day in my regular life.

So I guess I have to work slightly more on becoming more organized in my personal time management, so that there’s always some room left to blog at the end of the day. What’s the reason why I blog? I guess I do it as a selfish act, through which I allow myself to give a second look at some things (some of them important, some of them not) that happen in my life. Will anyone else be interested, or have the time, to read what I post? I’m not sure. Perhaps not. But as soon as blogging continues to be stimulating to my soul, I’ll continue doing it, even if sometimes I cannot quite keep up to the deadlines this activity requires.


5) On the general state of the internet. Is it positive for our youth? In the middle of the 20th century, rock and roll was apparently poisoning the minds of our youth. In the 1980’s, television was frying our kids brains. Is the internet nothing more than this generation’s temptation that really isn’t as bad as people make it? Or, is it accelerating certain behaviors and/or awareness of the “real world” at too fast a rate for their level of maturity?

I think the Internet is a positive thing, as long as it does not become the main source of information on certain issues such as drugs, sex, or values for young children. As a parent, I’m very aware of the responsibility I have to teach my kids through example, and to be in continuous communication with them. I think sometimes we fail to realize how important this role is, and then blame the Internet for filling a hole in the lives of children and teenagers. But the hole was there, to begin with. If it ever showed up, it’s not because the Internet caused it, but because we stopped doing certain things that allowed it to exist, to begin with.

I cannot imagine my life without the Internet. As I’m spending a week of training, secluded in a hotel in which the access to Internet is rather limited, I’m getting the chills every time, like right now, that I can get connected, read my e-mails, keep track of my fantasy teams (it’s post-season time in the fantasy football world these days), and instant message for a few minutes, if something.

BIANCA REGINA: Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?

I find a lot of scenes from the Pixar movie The Incredibles very funny. My daughter, the husband and me have watched that movie many, many times - the funniest scene is probably the one where Mr. Incredible comes home and accidentally ruins his car. Shaun the Sheep is also very funny, I think.

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?

I went away for the weekend with the husband (just got back today). We stayed at a hotel which - like all hotels - had TV. We don't have a TV at home, so it's a bit of a treat for us to watch some when we're away. Commercials, too. I love commercials! There was one commercial about a pill that supposedly helps you when you're constipated. It featured lots of happy customers who just seemed so satisfied about the fact that they could poop again.... we were in stitches. You had to be there, I guess.

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?

I remember lots of funny conversations that I experienced. It would be tedious to re-tell them here, but when I think of fun times, I think of fun conversations. Often with one particular girlfriend of mine, and with my younger brother. He's a great person to laugh with.

4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour?

I like irony and word-play. I sometimes have a hard time with people who don't understand irony, and I myself have been stung by it sometimes, too - when what was meant to be funny turned out to be painful.
Why is there so much variation? Because people are as different as their sense of humour is. It's to do with the time an culture you live in, too - I once read a collection of Japanese jokes that were in no way funny to me. A similar experience was seeing an exhibition of cartoons by Lyonel Feininger. They were from around 1900 and I didn't really understand any of them.

5. Is humour powerful?

Yes. Where would we be without it?

RICK VON FELDT: Virtual Socializing

Ramak – thank you for bringing up this topic. How appropriate as we near the first round of our 10 authors topics. 

I was reminded of the impact of the internet this last week as I talked to a potential business partner. She could very well be reading this sentence right now. You see, before our business discussion, she Googled me. And found out about my past on Tsunami’s. And she also found these links. The discussion was about a role in learning and writing. This blog probably gave her insight as to who I was. And it may also have given her good and bad impressions of my writing. But this new virtual technology is here to stay and is changing our society faster than I think we can even imagine.

1. YOUTUBE. People are entertaining one another, getting attention through horrible actions, and finding new found celebrity for their talents, all in a matter of minutes on the web. What you think about this medium for adults? What about for kids? Do the positives outweigh the negatives?

YouTube is a medium. Visual sharing is the phenomena. What YouTube is doing is simply taking the “visual generation” to the next level. When we were kids, we would make “mix tapes” on cassettes. We would call in to radio stations. But there was little for taking creativity and sharing it so broadly, so quickly. I have a friend from where I worked. Her husband is a tech by day – but by night, loves messing around with video. He has worked with his two young sons, and they are “shooting” little movies and posting them on YouTube. It think it is fantastic. It is taking new generations – and giving them whole new outlets for creativity and performance art.
A couple of notes. Ramak, the video you had on is more of a product of FOX NEWS who would actually show such a thing on their television station. Shame on them. But the story about the new Journey singer I think is a great one. I am a Journey fan – and I loved listening to the new version of “Faithfully”

The next part of this whole equation with YouTube is just now manifesting itself as Phones and Cameras add in video. As that continues to happen – and bandwith increases with 3G – these mediums will make us a “video snippet” generation.

I am trying to live it. While on vacation this summer with my niece, I shot video everyday. I still haven’t gotten all the tech down to transfer from HiDef to YouTube – but soon I will. It will be on YouTube. And Haley will be the hit at her school.

2) MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn. These are great spaces for social, academic and professional networking. So are these websites good or bad for us? Do you have a story to share where your privacy was invaded before you had a chance to react? Does it matter that complete strangers can learn so much about you?

They are absolutely fantastic. I have seen living proof over and over the value of social networking sites. I am a part of alumni groups from 25 years ago that would hardly talk to each other if not for these sites. The pre-cursor were “list servers.” Then came “groups” like Yahoo Groups. These social networking sites like Facebook are the next thing.

But Ramak, each of these three sites are very different in my mind. I don’t like MySpace, which is akin to chaos and the wild wild west. It is a younger crowd – and without much control. Linked in is for the far older – and while I think it has some merit, I have yet to see much benefit from many people on its value. FACEBOOK on the other hand I think is amazing – and is changing culture. Just this week, I am helping to migrate my high school class from a Yahoo Group account to Facebook. I am connecting up with individuals from highschool, 28 years ago, that even then, I hardly had much contact with. Twenty-Eight years later, we are different people. What will it mean? What good will come from it? Who knows.

But the social networking sites are making our new lonely ways of living less lonely in the world. On a Saturday night, if I have not “dates” with friends, I can go to a restaurant, open my laptop, and be instantly virtually connected with a dozen friends. It is amazing.

And it is only the beginning. Future trends involving Twittering, live video and Skyping and other technologies will continue to impact the younger society.

3) Wikipedia. Does it scare you that “unqualified people” (whatever that means) are creating their own version of reality for others to follow, or do you think society is perfecting its information retention through open free market data sharing (much like the concept of a free market economy)?

I like that Wikipedia is helping to organize the world. It makes answer easier to find. When I Google something, if I see a Wikipedia page, I go there first. It does present an interesting question on who and what will get paid to “research” in the future. What I like though is that if you are interested in one single topic, and want to “participate” intellectually in that topic, you can do so.

I will give you an example. I am a big fan of Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower” series. I try to reread the whole series every ten years. But in between, I will get rusty on the details. There is the beginning of a DARK TOWER WIKIPEDIA PAGE on the series. It is not through yet. And it could give me a way with other passionate readers to help contribute to the information. But I also often wonder who had time to write these things?

What is think is wonderful is that this was set up not for profit. It is created by the world, and grows with ideas thanks to two innovative inventors.

4) Blogging. Hey, I’m doing it right now. And, I have to admit, it’s my very first time. A very cool experience (thanks Rick!). When you blog, are you worried about piracy, or idea stealing? Or do you think it’s worth the risk to have the exposure and be able to share information freely and allow, say, scientists from around the world tackle the fight against some disease with real time online communication (you know, Scientific Journals on steroids!)?

ANSWER: I have been a blogger now off and on for 8 years. It is a marvelous thing. From year to year, I get confused on whether the blogging is a) for me b). a creative outlet for my thoughts or c). a way to interact with others. I think it changes, but can suit all three albeit at different times.

I wanted to experiment with this blog to see if ten people could discipline themselves to write interesting things each week. I didn’t know if it would be interesting. Would writers be motivated to want to share? Or did they all say yes because I asked them.

One of the challenges today is that we have information overload. There is just so much more reading in the world then there used to be. I am not sure if we have enough time in the world to read blogs. So – if people don’t read them, then is it enough to just write.

One of the questions I ask a new blogger is, “If nobody reads your blog – will you still write – for you?”

Having said that, I know that blogs are evolving. And there are very smart places where people can get real information that is pertinent to their lives. Mine writing has been more for joy. I hope to move to this newer more relative format in the coming year.

5) On the general state of the internet. Is it positive for our youth? In the middle of the 20th century, rock and roll was apparently poisoning the minds of our youth. In the 1980’s, television was frying our kids brains. Is the internet nothing more than this generation’s temptation that really isn’t as bad as people make it? Or, is it accelerating certain behaviors and/or awareness of the “real world” at too fast a rate for their level of maturity?

ANSWER: I think it would be hard to find few people under 60 who think that the internet is a postitive thing – not only for youth by for the world. I can honestly say my life is so much more enjoyable with the internet. I can live bigger – better and faster because of it.

On the flip side, it might make me live a more solitude life. It might make us more sedentary.

I probably worry a little more about mobile phone technology – and due to the current limitations, the kind of communicators it is making us. Instead of talking, young people are “twittering” – a concept of short phrases (or grunts) to describe a “where” or a “what.” That will translate downstream in to our communication styles.

I suppose the generations past might also say the same thing about how we write letters over the internet today. It was not uncommon for a person to thoughtfully sit down and write a letter of several pages. It would be filled with beautiful words of description. It was artwork. Today, I know few people who write a page on email, if they even write emails at all.

Another item that is being impacted is the "put it out there" attitude of the new generations. There is much more of a "I am who I am" attitude, and therefore, people are less fearful about what they say about themselves for others to see. Older generations are much more used to editing themselves. Because we grew up with perfection as a principle in writing and socializing. This is changing with new generations.  It will cause some problems. But it may also be more liberating as well.

But overall, it is a good thing. I live by the internet. I choose hotels and vacation destinations based upon my ability to stay on the internet. I love it. I love living in the middle of progressive technology

RICK VON FELDT: Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?

I find myself humorous not funny. I think that is why I don’t remember funny things. I remember in school that there were kids who could recite entire scenes from Monty Python. They would talk themselves into laughing fits by must repeating the lines. I didn’t laugh at the lines. I laughed at them laughing at the lines.

What is funny, so to speak, is that I ended up starring in three comedies on stage, written by comedy writer Neil Simon. But on stage, it was my “comic timing” that made people laugh. But it was subtle human comedy – at the predicaments of life. Not fart comedy. Or “three stooges” comedy which I despise.

If I want to laugh a little, I turn on Will and Grace. I think the character of Karen and her delivery of humor is just brilliant. And the lines out of all of the characters are smart and dead pan delivered.

When I was a kid, I think I laughed a lot more! I would laugh out loud at The Lucy Show. I couldn’t wait for Monday nights. And I absolutely loved Tim Conway and the whole crew of the Carol Burnett show. While writing this, I took a moment to go over to YouTube and look at a few moments of the humor: THE CAROL BURNET SHOW. It still makes me smile . Probably the last time I just remember laughing outloud was when I watched the television series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” It is a fantastic comedy.

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?

I am stumped. I don’t really laugh out loud. I honestly cannot remember this happening. Does that make me a sad person?

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?

I recently wrote in my blog about going to a high school dance. Or so it felt like it. That was absurd. I dreaded going to it. I smiled during the middle of it. And laughed at it later.

4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour?

Peter, great question. Just having to answer the questions above really makes me wonder. As odd or potentially snobbish as this is going to sound, I believe that intelligence has much to do with our own style of humor. We see elements of life differently based upon our ability to understand them. And this then creates various levels of what is humorous to us.

It is interesting that I don’t laugh very much. But if find life humorous. And I actually like it when I can make people smile humorously. But not snort out loud laughter. I also wonder if living alone makes me laugh less?

5. Is humour powerful?

According to the doctors. But I am not sure we laugh as much as a society any more. In America, there used to be a lot of comedy on television. But now, it is all about crime scene investigation, scary things like demons and vampires and super human beings. I wonder if that says something about the psyche of the American people. Or perhaps the times we are in.

ANDREAS EKSTROM: Virtual Socializing

1. What about YouTube? I love YouTube! It's just better than television in every way. Some things can still get better from a technical standpoint, but that happens as we speak. As with everything on the internet – parental advice and guidance is necessary, of course. But that is no different with YouTube than with Google.

2. What about Facebook and those guys? I use Facebook exclusively to stay in touch with a well defined group of friends: people I have met through Up With People. For that, it is a great tool. I might have to reconsider my policy though – a lot of ”addings” are coming my way, and I feel a bit hostile each time I ignore someone. Plus, so many things actually happen on Facebook, invitations, planning... Yes. I might have to reconsider. As far as outing my private self, yes, that is something I always take into consideration. I am probably not very generous with very private matters, compared to some.

3. What about Wikipedia? As a journalist, I am VERY careful when I use Wikipedia. I am often downright suspicious. In ”real” encyclopedias, some things may be wrong. But they are never wrong on purpose. Wikipedia is full of ”facts” that people contribute for kicks. One example that might entertain you: I interviewed English talk show legend Michael Parkinson a few weeks ago. It said on Wikipedia that he was a ”keen beekeeper”, and I asked him about that. He laughed, and said ”yeah, that's on Wikipedia, isn't it?”. I wrote that in the interview, that is available here, in Swedish of course – and within hours, the beekeeping was removed from the Michael Parkinson article. This shows a great deal about both strengths and weaknesses in a wiki system.

4. What about blogging? I am a big fan. For fun, for networking, for learning. And to have a place to dispose the amount of text I produce every day. I am a write-o-maniac.

5. What about internet as a whole? It is indeed a change going faster than any changes mankind has experienced before. It's worth analysis and care, but it's there, and there is no going back in that sense. But the changes, long term? As a Chinese partyman said in the seventies about the impact of the French revolution – it's to soon to tell!

WEEK 10: VIRTUAL SOCIALIZING

FIVE QUESTIONS ON: VIRTUAL SOCIALIZING
THIS WEEK’S AUTHOR: Ramak Siadatan


My friend, and former boss, Rick mentioned that he was interested in my “youthful perspective.” I have since learned that there are at least a couple of you no more than two or three years older than me. This tells me youthful isn’t a reference to my age, but my state of mind. And Rick, I’ll take that as a compliment! For this week, I wanted to find something youthful to discuss.

Well, I think I’ve got a good one here. Virtual socializing. It’s all the rage! In fact, we’re doing it right now. Because of Rick, I am sharing my personal thoughts and views of myself, my past, life, the world, laughing, crying... all with 9 people I have never met. Pretty remarkable right?
I can find anything I want to buy. I can locate old friends. I can read about great new discoveries happening across the world moments after they happen. I can probably see videos of elephants chasing deer in the Amazon. And, as we know, I can also find out very personal information about people who don’t want me to see it. I can encourage other people to do stupid, dangerous and illegal things just for my own amusement. I can research a prospective employee without them ever knowing. I can tell complete falsehoods and convince possibly thousands or even millions of people to believe me. All from the comforts of my own home, my car, an airport, a coffee stand or at the top of a mountain. Two sides to every coin, right?

That is what I am hoping you will all explore with me this week. The good, the bad and the ugly of virtual socializing and information sharing. We’ll tackle YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, Wikipedia and even Blogging. Sound like fun? Here we go!

1) YouTube.
Here’s something fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pShf2VuAu_Q&feature=related.
Here’s something horrifying (and you don’t need to watch more than a minute or so, really): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPjWG6wAfQQ&feature=related.
Here’s something inspiring: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nnNji6s3ck.

People are entertaining one another, getting attention through horrible actions, and finding new found celebrity for their talents, all in a matter of minutes on the web. What you think about this medium for adults? What about for kids? Do the positives outweigh the negatives?

2) MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn. These are great spaces for social, academic and professional networking. You can catch up with friends you haven’t seen in fifteen years, talk homework, help a friend find a job and share pictures of your life. I’ve done all of these things. I also know that if I’m going on vacation, and don’t want anyone to know, there is still the chance that one of my friends will leave a comment on my page saying “have fun in Hawaii!” Or if I’m not even a member of Facebook, one of my friends can send another one of my friends a comment saying, “Hey, give Ramak a call. Here’s his phone number.”

So are these websites good or bad for us? Do you have a story to share where your privacy was invaded before you had a chance to react? Does it matter that complete strangers can learn so much about you?

3) Wikipedia. Great encyclopedia, right? Get answers to any question. In fact, a friend of mine encouraged her fifth grade students to go there to research facts for their science fair projects. Here’s what Wikipedia says about itself:

“Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world; anyone can edit it... Visitors do not need specialized qualifications to contribute, since their primary role is to write articles that cover existing knowledge.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About

Does it scare you that “unqualified people” (whatever that means) are creating their own version of reality for others to follow, or do you think society is perfecting its information retention through open free market data sharing (much like the concept of a free market economy)?

4) Blogging. Hey, I’m doing it right now. And, I have to admit, it’s my very first time. A very cool experience (thanks Rick!). When you blog, are you worried about piracy, or idea stealing? Or do you think it’s worth the risk to have the exposure and be able to share information freely and allow, say, scientists from around the world tackle the fight against some disease with real time online communication (you know, Scientific Journals on steroids!)?

5) On the general state of the internet. Is it positive for our youth? In the middle of the 20th century, rock and roll was apparently poisoning the minds of our youth. In the 1980’s, television was frying our kids brains. Is the internet nothing more than this generation’s temptation that really isn’t as bad as people make it? Or, is it accelerating certain behaviors and/or awareness of the “real world” at too fast a rate for their level of maturity?

Discuss! :-)

RAMAK SIADATAN - Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?

You know, Peter, you are not making my life easy here! Not only was I considering a similar subject for my week of questions, the irony is that I can’t even answer this!! J

I think Jennifer mentioned this as well, but to me funny is all about timing. What I thought was funny as a kid, may not be funny now. Likewise, I laugh at things now that never made me laugh before. A lot of it is about context, for sure.

So, then, how do I answer this question? With what is funny to me now? Or what made me laugh the hardest in the moment? Or perhaps it’s what I think would be sustained funny? You know, funny then and STILL funny now!

Let’s talk TV...here is a sampling of sitcoms, variety shows and cartoons that I think will always be funny to me – and they cover decades of TV and span all types of comedy: Three’s Company, The Cosby Show, Perfect Strangers, Seinfeld, Boy Meets World, the Carol Burnett Show, Abbott and Costello, Married with Children, Bugs Bunny, Cheers, Fawlty Towers, Golden Girls, Family Ties, How I Met Your Mother, Mad About You, Mork and Mindy, Soap, Taxi, The Muppet Show, I Love Lucy

Try any of them and you will learn TONS about me and my personality.

After I wrote this list, I went online to make sure I didn’t forget anything...you can do the same here:

http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Television/Programs/Comedy/Sitcoms/

And since I’ve talked about TV, the scene I’ll pick is from a movie. Ben Stiller stars in one of my favorite “stupid-funny” movies...you know, the ones that are so utterly ridiculous in plot, acting and lines you can’t help but laugh? I’m talking about movies that might star Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler or Chris Farley. But a lot of those movies are just bad to me. Some make me laugh. And a few, like The Three Amigos, are like classics to me.

So back to Ben Stiller. I’ve already grown tired of him, but ten years ago he put out a movie that became an instant classic stupid-funny movie.... Zoolander. Here’s the prep for the scene you’re about to watch. Stiller is a male supermodel, which means he is stereotypically unintelligent (well, just plain dumb), totally self absorbed and completely unaware of anything beyond the extreme superficial. In this scene, he and his male modeling friends are going out to help Stiller deal with his depression and it, of course, leads to a montage involving playful fighting, slow motion moves, and yes, Wham singing in the background:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMdXHQb9JE0


2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?

Well, I laughed pretty hard when I rewatched the clip I just posted. Does that tell you anything? I love laughing. I am always looking for an opportunity to find the humor in something, and if I’m not the one doing the laughing I am trying to make someone else laugh. I have squirted milk out my nose, choked on my food, woken up with sore ab muscles, you name it. And it happens so often I can’t remember the last time.

Accidental comedy makes me laugh the hardest. There was one time I was sitting in a training class at work. I had just been hired and was in this class with 14 other new hires. We eventually realized the weird squeaking noise we kept hearing was the result of someone in the room tapping their foot against the metal leg of the chair. But the tone of that squeak and the complete unawareness by the person that she was the one making the sound eventually left us all in an uproar. You know...that kind of laughter that is silent, tears are streaming, you’re convulsing and the last thing you need is for your instructor to ask you a direct question. But he did. And I lost it. We all lost it. It was totally harmless, everyone was laughing, but there was no good reason for it. I love those moments.


3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?

Here’s one. My wife and I flew to Toronto for my cousin’s wedding. We weren’t married at the time. When we got there, we had no idea what was in store for us. Rather than sit back, take in some sights, go to the wedding, toast, laugh and drink, we found ourselves in an entirely different situation. We were calming down arguing family members, shopping for tea cups at IKEA for the wedding reception, decorating the wedding site, putting out chairs and tables at the reception site, cutting the cake and serving it to 200 people, spray painting tree branches in the snow that were stolen by all of our parents, and yes, making the drive to the Emergency Room due to a freak ping pong accident that left the 55 year old brother-in-law of the groom clinically dead for about 30 seconds (he’s fine now). Absurd? Yes. Funny? Oh yeah. Did we think it was funny then? I did. My wife didn’t. Now? We can’t stop telling the story. Simply outrageous, and I wouldn’t change my family for anything in the world.


4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour?

I love irony, sarcasm, slapstick, witty, romantic, goofy, silly, dry, dark, all of it. I think I am just so grateful to be alive and thankful that I am healthy and capable as a human being, that I’m perpetually in a good mood. So my sense of humor is pretty loose. There it is...I’m loose when it comes to funny. (Insert joke here!)


5. Is humour powerful?

Only if the other person agrees. ;)

JENNIFER RABOLD: Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?

I think it depends on my mood, because I’ve watched some films and laughed so hard I peed my pants, then watched them years later and thought, “I laughed at that?” I don’t know why I find it so funny, but Raising Arizona gets me every time. Oh, here’s another one… I made my husband watch it with me on one of our first dates, just to gauge his reaction… So I Married an Axe-Murderer… don’t miss it. Fargo… I think I most enjoy black comedy when it comes to films.

I love reading books that make me laugh out loud. Tom Robbins’ early stuff, like Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, will do that to you. John Irving’s early stuff too, like The World According to Garp… Irving mixes the absurd with utter tragedy to great effect, I think. My kids and I love laughing at the Minnie and Moo series of easy readers. You won’t be able to help yourself with Minnie and Moo Go to Paris or Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon. I loved the Ramona books for the same reason… I still remember the “dawnzer” episode of Ramona the Pest from when I was eight.

Sitcoms… I loved Seinfeld, just like you Andy. It defined my generation and our humor. Anyone in their 20’s when Seinfeld was on the air knows exactly what you’re talking about when you say “soup nazi” or “sponge-worthy.”

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?

I love to laugh and fortunately come from a family which also loves to laugh. We play games all the time, cheat, and laugh about it. We tell the same stories, year after year, and laugh again. Here’s just a little example from my family just last weekend that was actually captured on video and posted on You Tube (Caroline is my mother, responding to a photo given to her by my little sister, Lindsey). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8TYtGRJlt8

I’m a big fan of Saturday Night Live, and I must say that I laughed pretty darn hard at Tina Fey’s impersonations of Sarah Palin.

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?

It was my first year teaching high school, and I had one particular student in my class, BJ, who had no filters… every thought that came into his head came out of his mouth. So there I was, attempting to teach Lord of the Flies or something, and BJ, who had evidently just come from health class, announced to the class, “Did you know that the closest physiological experience to orgasm is a sneeze?” Dead silence. I thought humor might be the only way to respond. I replied, “Well, pass me the pepper” and went on with my lesson, as the kids’ jaws dropped. Evidently, one of the students repeated the conversation to his mother, who ended up complaining to my department chair, so I got a “talking to” about appropriateness. But honestly, I still think it’s the only appropriate response, and I think I gained a little of the kids’ respect by not getting flustered.

4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour?

I do not like physical comedy. It has never appealed to me. I do enjoy black comedy… I think it appeals to my intellect. I enjoy self-effacing humor, like Obama and McCain roasting each other at the Alfred E. Smith dinner (many versions on You Tube)… wish they had conducted the entire campaign that way.

5. Is humour powerful?

I think humor is what gets us through tense times. And it’s a great way to negotiate issues in relationships, like when I was frustrated with my husband for not dealing with his dirty dishes and asked, “Are your dishwashing muscles broken?” One of the best ways to deal with grief is through laughter, as those left behind sit around and tell funny stories and laugh and cry at the same time. I remember the story of my grandfather who, when he was asked by the paramedics on his way to the hospital if he had any allergies, adamantly insisted that he was allergic to onions (I think they meant drug allergies). My grandmother leaned over and said to her dying husband, “They’re not taking you out to lunch, George.” Shakespeare was the master… all of his tragedies have comedic characters and moments. I think he knew that in order to most deeply feel the tragedy, it has to be juxtaposed with comedy.

JENNIFER RABOLD: Your Relationship with Food

How would you describe your diet? How do you feel about it? Do you think you need to change it in any way, and if so, how and why? If you feel you need to change it, but haven't yet, what is standing in your way of making the change?

My diet is very healthy in the summer, pretty healthy in the winter. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, many grown right in my back yard. I never eat fast food, don’t eat junk food, rarely eat processed food. I’m kindof a food snob, honestly. I eat a salad for lunch each day in the summer, switch to homemade soup in the winter. But I tend to crave carbs when the days are shorter. I definitely could do more fruits and veggies in the winter.

I do drink two cups of coffee and/or tea each day, which I know I’d have a problem giving up. I went caffeine-free for a few years while I was pregnant or nursing, so I know I can do it, but my schedule these days is such that I really depend on the pick-me-up at certain times. I also have a real weakness for chocolate, but I do try to be moderate. I’d like to give up a little meat in my diet, maybe go meat-free two meals a week. It’s just hard with kids and a husband who really enjoy their meat. And this isn’t part of the question, but it’s certainly related – exercise! That’s my biggest weakness. Finding the time is always the challenge for me.

How do you (and/or your family) eat? (At home/ out/ take-out/ around a table/ standing at the counter/ together/ at different times/ on the go/ et cetera?) How do you feel about this? Again, do you feel the need for change?

I am very fortunate that my husband makes us all a mean omelet every morning for breakfast, which we eat together. On weekends, we eat lunch together. And most evenings, we eat dinner around the dining room table. It’s gotten a little harder to do that because of my seven-year-old’s swim team schedule, but we do our best. It’s such an important time in our family, and I think it will only be more important as our kids get older. We eat out a lot less than we used to, but I do enjoy trying new gourmet foods at a good restaurant. We often take our kids with us when we do go out, so they’re pretty used to behaving appropriately, which is so nice!

Where do you shop for your food? How do your food-shopping habits reflect your values?

I do most of my shopping at a regional chain grocery store. But I try hard to stay on the edges of the store – the produce, dairy, bakery, and meat and fish sections – and stay away from processed foods. I buy selected organic fruits and vegetables (generally ones that tend to be grown with and/or absorb pesticides the most, like strawberries and grapes) and milk and yogurt. I buy our eggs from our neighbors down the street, who raise very happy chickens which wander around eating bugs all day – much healthier, and I am buying a share of a crop at a local farm next year, an example of “community-supported agriculture,” which is a new trend as folks try to eat more locally grown produce (and support local farmers). It’s meat that I feel I need to make a change on – organic is so expensive, but I know that it’s a lot healthier, without the antibiotics and hormones.

What does your country/ state/ region do to influence how and what people eat? Does this need to change, in your opinion?

The article goes into great depth about how the U.S. has gone wrong in their agricultural policies, so I’m not going to perseverate on this. I’m fortunate that I have options, because of where I live and the socio-economic bracket I’m in. It’s expensive to eat healthily in America and cheap and easy to eat badly. And that’s a result of the U.S. government’s policies. We have reached a point where the consequences of these policies – for health care, the environment, national security, and the economy – are more negative than positive.

What one thing can you do to:a) wean yourself off an oil-based diet and onto sun-based foods?b) improve your eating habits and thus your health?c) encourage others to do the same?

I think everyone misinterpreted question 5a, which means I didn’t write it very well. The oil I had in mind was petroleum, not olive oil! J Oil is the basis for synthetic fertilizers, which have to be used because farmers use unsustainable agricultural practices. Oil is also the basis for transporting food long distances. For the past 50 years, it has actually been cheaper to import and transport, for example, tomatoes from Mexico to Cape Cod than to grow them and buy them right here on Cape Cod. In order to wean yourself off an “oil-based diet,” you’d have to buy local, buy organic, grow your own. I try to do that as much as possible. I grow a big vegetable and herb garden every summer (ask for my secret to great tomatoes!), try to cook using fruits and vegetables that are in season, and I try to make my food-shopping habits more sun-based (see question 3 above).

How to encourage others to do the same? Well, this is attempt #1! And I’d encourage you to look into community supported agriculture, as a way to support local farmers and eat more locally. They’re easy to find online.

My New Year’s resolution this year: cut down meat intake, rotate my crops in my garden more, and exercise more!

RAMAK SIADATAN: Your Relationship With Food

1. How would you describe your diet? How do you feel about it? Do you think you need to change it in any way, and if so, how and why? If you feel you need to change it, but haven't yet, what is standing in your way of making the change?

My diet is an interesting blend of "old world" and "new world." The Persian culture I have grown up in is centered around social gatherings, food, and, of course, tea. :) So from the old world I still eat regular amounts of rice, kabob (beef, chicken, lamb, etc), various meat/herb stews, feta cheese, pita bread, nuts, fruit and tea. From the new world, here in California, I eat regular amounts of everything else! That includes eating out at Italian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, sushi, pizza, burgers, fast food, etc. It also includes cooking a great deal at home... again, chicken, ground beef, steak, turkey, sandwiches, fruits and veggies, cheddar cheese, juices, clear sodas, beer, wine, you name it.

I have a steady dose of protein, carbs, vegetables, fruit, dairy. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner (though I used to skip breakfast for years out of laziness or lack of time). My portions are average for American diets, probably large for European or certain Asian diets. For the most part, I am happy with my diet. I would like to cut back on some of the processed foods, but as others have mentioned time and convenience play a huge role there. We usually don't eat out for dinner more than once, maybe twice a week, so we are cooking at home a lot...this is usually going to be healthier.

So from a health standpoint, I feel pretty good about my diet. In terms of impact on the environment, while we are not completely organic, we do avoid certain fish that aren't being raised/caught "properly" and make other small decisions like that. In general, I think I wouldn't change much about my diet at this point.

2. How do you (and/or your family) eat? (At home/ out/ take-out/ around a table/ standing at the counter/ together/ at different times/ on the go/ et cetera?) How do you feel about this? Again, do you feel the need for change?

Well, I already touched on this one a little. Breakfast - always home made/store bought. Lunch - always home made for my wife, and usually home made for me (though I occasionally give in once or twice every couple of weeks for a fast food item). Dinner - home made usually 5 or 6 nights a week. I make my wife's breakfast and lunch, and she usually eats those at work. I eat both of those meals seated at the kitchen island at home, since I normally work from home. We are trying to get up early enough to have breakfast together, and so far that's working about once a week. :) We eat dinner either at the dinner table, or on the couch with tv trays so that we can watch television. Since she has about a 45 minute commute, we usually end up with 4 or 5 hours together at night. The first hour is spent working out, so that means tv time and dinner will often go together to make the most of our time.

We would like to be more leisurely and relaxed when we eat, but all things considered I think we do a pretty good job.

3. Where do you shop for your food? How do your food-shopping habits reflect your values?

Large chain grocery store - Safeway. That's where most of it comes from. We are substitute shoppers, meaning we'll take the alternative at a discount in lieu of a favored brand. However, our juice is 100% juice, our bread is 100% whole wheat, our fish is wild, etc. As long as it fits within those and other parameters, we don't care about brand name. We also shop for bulk / pantry items at Costco, a North American wholesale wharehouse store that sells in bulk at deep discounts.

Where we shop definitely reflects who we are. We try to shop within a budget, being flexible about brand names while maintaining certain standards as it relates to the quality of the food we consume. Mostly we are making sure the food we eat is healthy for our own bodies while trying to avoid food that is blatantly and inexcusably damaging to the animals or fields or people involved in the preparation of the food. So, we try to temper sensitivity to the outside world with concern for our own health while being mindful of our budget. That's probably us in a nutshell! (But I don't eat nutshells.)

4. What does your country/ state/ region do to influence how and what people eat? Does this need to change, in your opinion?

California is crazy. Sometimes that's good. Sometimes that's bad. I like to think that for every 100 stupid ideas we have in California, we have two or three incredible ones that might change the world. Take that for what it is, but it is where I live.

It is important to note for this question that my wife graduated with an animal science degree, and has spent several years studying, researching and doing field work in areas related to the raising of different animals for food consumption. Also, her family has spent generations in California's agricultural heartland, and while her family hasn't had a farm for decades, they are all very much interested in the livelihood of California's ag industry.

That being said, the animals raised for food are not in nearly the dire straights that you hear on tv, read in print, or see popping up as Propositions on the voter ballots. When it comes to cows, for example, you have to remember that these are expensive animals and the livelihood of their owners' financial situations. Many of the people accused of mistreating animals wouldn't dream of actually doing so as it would directly impact their own economic situations. Now, there are obviously other cases of poorly treated animals, unhealthy living conditions, etc and these need to be dealt with aggressively.

As for the crops being raised in California, you would be surprised at the various regulations involved in maintaining healthy and environmentally protective crops. Again, we work hard in this state to do things the right way, and the jittery few that raise unnecessary concerns ultimately just cost taxpayers money in fighting a war that has already been won. Obviously, there is still work to do, but the focus sometimes isn't on the right things.

I think the answer for our state, and other states, continues to be in the research universities around the world. They are the ones constantly working to help us raise better crops and healthier animals in more environmentally friendly and nutritionally advantageous ways. We really should be asking ourselves what we can do to continue to fund such work.

5. What one thing can you do to:a) wean yourself off an oil-based diet and onto sun-based foods?b) improve your eating habits and thus your health?c) encourage others to do the same?

a) I like oil. I really do. Try having a Persian stew without oil. Totally dry, doesn't taste very good. And food should be enjoyed. We have been given many gifts as human beings, and the ability to taste and appreciate food is one of them. So I say, give oil a chance! LOL (this in no way is meant to disparage the sun, without whom I wouldn't be so tan)

b) Improving my eating habits.... consistency. That's the one word. Go to the store regularly, plan out your meals weekly, look for the right combination of taste and health. But do it every day, every time. That's how you change your eating habits to be what you want. Then again, that's also how you improve your exercise routine, your work regiment, just about anything in your life.

c) Educating others....talk. Just keep sharing and chatting. Adults are usually set in their ways. The best you can do is raise awareness and over time, many will make adjustments while others will never get there. The best you can do is just keeping talking about it.

ANDREAS EKSTROM - Funny

1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why? That is just impossible. I find a lot of things funny. To mention one thing, here's an absolute favorite from Seinfeld. Every little line, every move, is just so bleedin' perfect...



2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh? I can't remember. I rarely laugh that much. It might have been at the movies when I saw ”Burn after reading” a few weeks ago. (See it! It's the most fun I've had with a movie in a long, long time.)

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards? I am not sure. I really can't think of anything like ”there I was with my foot in the whipped cream and my hands stuck inside a dead moose”, you know, those stories...

4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour? I laugh at a lot: small things, crude things, wordplay, silly puns, politically incorrect things, old fashioned humour from rural Sweden, stuff that really doesn't translate... And the movie ”Team America: World Police”, another must-see. (And about people's different senses of humour? Well. People are different, in everything.)

5. Is humour powerful? Yes, in just about every way imagniable.

WEEK 9 - FUNNY

Funny

Well fellow bloggers, with a few minor exceptions, we have so far dealt with some pretty heavy (though interesting!) topics that have demanded introspection and thoughtful reflection – and all this against a background of global gloom over economic matters and terrorism. So I thought I would lighten the mood a little this week with a question theme around humour.


1. What scene from a sit-com, book, film or play have you found the funniest and why?

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt and who or what made you laugh?

3. What’s the funniest or most absurd situation you have found yourself in? Did you find it funny at the time or afterwards?

4. How would you describe your sense of humour and why do you think there is so much variation among individual’s senses of humour?

5. Is humour powerful?

Peter Waring - My Relationship with Food

1. How would you describe your diet? How do you feel about it? Do you think you need to change it in any way, and if so, how and why? If you feel you need to change it, but haven't yet, what is standing in your way of making the change?

Since I began living in Asia 6.5 years ago I think my diet has actually improved in terms of variety and reduced red meat intake. My diet now is pretty good though I’m still quite partial to chocolate and carbs. I also think that I need to consume more fruit – what’s standing in the way of eating more fruit? – my excuse is that in the tropics fruit does not last long but this is a bit weak if I’m honest.

2. How do you (and/or your family) eat? (At home/ out/ take-out/ around a table/ standing at the counter/ together/ at different times/ on the go/ et cetera?) How do you feel about this? Again, do you feel the need for change?

My family are very lucky in so far as we have a live-in nanny for our son who is also a fabulous cook. Karen spoils us with beautifully cooked and highly nutritious meals through the week. Weekends we normally eat out both lunch and dinner. We love Japanese and Chinese food and Singapore is a foodie paradise with a culture that centres on food. In fact, a typical greeting is not ‘how are you?’ but ‘have you eaten yet?’. Through the week I also typically eat lunch out which can range from a bowl of duck porridge at a Hawker place to Thai noodles from a shopping centre restaurant. We eat well in Singapore – probably too well.

3. Where do you shop for your food? How do your food-shopping habits reflect your values?

We shop at a local supermarket that has excellent asian vegetables as well as fresh seafood. There is also a ‘wet market’ nearby where we occasionally buy fruit and vegetables. Again, we’re lucky to have a wonderful range of affordable foodstuffs in Singapore which, because it produces almost zero food itself, has no import duty on food.

4. What does your country/ state/ region do to influence how and what people eat? Does this need to change, in your opinion?

The Singapore govt has been alarmed at growing obesity rates among young people who do seem fixated with mostly American burger chains so it has an ongoing educational campaign aimed at getting kids to eat in moderation. At hawker stands around Singapore (street food) you can also ask for less oil and fat in your chicken rice (a simple yet famous Singapore dish).

5. What one thing can you do to:a) wean yourself off an oil-based diet and onto sun-based foods?b) improve your eating habits and thus your health?c) encourage others to do the same?

Probably to eat more fruit and start to move away from having the obligatory chocolate every evening. I do also think we need to start eating food which is grown closer to where we live for the global warming reasons alluded to in the article.

RICK VON FELDT: Your Relationship With Food

Jennifer – the article was a brand new topic for me. Thanks for sharing. Growing up, in a farm community, elements of this article as it related way back when were talked about in my family farmer community. The original goal of a farmer was to grow and harvest. As government programs came along, farmers would gather in little granaries at the local co-op and share stories about which government programs would get them the most money. It changed the priority.

I like the intent of the article. I want to believe the author in thinking that this is a national crisis. But with so many other things going on in the world, I don’t think it will get much attention. Fundamentally, it comes down to what I call the “seat belt” dilemma. The question becomes, “What is the role in government in protecting it’s people?”

The author is probably correct. We are dumb about our decisions on what – how and why we eat. And we are killing ourselves. But is the responsibility of government to intercede on behalf of the ignorant people and set a policy (“you must wear seatbelts”) or is it the role of the people to make changes if they don’t want to die early?

Most Americans, (and I can only speak on behalf of my own population), believe that they could do many things to get healthier. We need to exercise. Consume less. And be conscious. But we don’t do it. It is our choice. Is it therefore the role of the government to “Is it the right / responsibility to “provide a healthful diet for all our people …focusing on the quantity and diversity of the calories...eaters consume?”

America makes changes when we have a crisis. We are not smart enough to thwart crisis. We consume. And enjoy our lives until something make it so miserable that we have to make a change. American’s love their cheap $1 meals at McDonalds (not me!). They won’t change – and government won’t change for them, until we hit crisis mode.

QUESTION ONE: How would you describe your diet? How do you feel about it? Do you think you need to change it in any way, and if so, how and why? If you feel you need to change it, but haven't yet, what is standing in your way of making the change?

Because I like variety – my diet is probably better than the average American. I like vegetables. And we have very interesting things here in California. Before moving to Asia, I ate pretty healthy. Enter Asia, where I tried to fit in to local cultures and found myself eating most any type of animal part placed in front of me. I once again developed an affinity for starch (love my noodles) and for oils. I still try to use olive oils. And I true to eat green and orange as much as I can. But my downfalls come from the abundance of artesian breads, meat and cheese in abundance, and great California wine to wash it all down. For my health’s sake, I hope that it is true that red wine counter balances some of the bad things in our diet. If not, well – it was fun in the trying!

I will be like most Americans. I will wait until a crisis happens (heart attack or bad warning from a doctor) to make a change. My bi-annual physicals have been good – and so I will continue to eat my duck liver pate and creamy cheese for a few days longer.

I walk by the “organic section” of my local grocery store as well as the higher priced items at Whole Foods. I don’t choose organic unless it tastes better – instead of “better for you.”

But I did vote for the California proposition on the ballot on Nov 4 to insure that chickens have room to run around. So did the majority of Californians. Now, we will eat chicken from Idaho, but feel better about our conscience.

QUESTION TWO: How do you (and/or your family) eat? (At home/ out/ take-out/ around a table/ standing at the counter/ together/ at different times/ on the go/ et cetera?) How do you feel about this? Again, do you feel the need for change?

As a single guy, the most of my meals are eating in front of the tube. I do focus on cooking quality items. But sitting at a table emphasizes single loneliness. I also find that when I am with people – we are all talking so much that we don’t focus consciously on the tastes of food. Too bad.

QUESTION THREE: Where do you shop for your food? How do your food-shopping habits reflect your values?

When I picked out my new place to live in Redwood City, I took out a map and located the gyms and the Whole Food markets located on the Bay Peninsula. It is important that I have quality markets to shop at. I love Whole Foods and it is always an experience as well as a shopping trip for me. I try to spend more time in the vegetable section. And I avoid the frozen foods section – except for the occasional comfort food like “pot pie.”

QUESTION FOUR: What does your country/ state/ region do to influence how and what people eat? Does this need to change, in your opinion?

Growing up in Kansas – we would see signs on the highway that say, “Kansas – the breadbasket of America.” The reason my family came to America was to be wheat farmers. But now – it is all about profit. I don’t hear my relatives talk about bringing quality to America.

Now living in California – the largest agriculture area of the USA (I found this funny when I moved here. Who thinks of California as the countries largest agricultural state?), I am conscious again on the abundance and choice we have here. There is great opportunity for organic, macrobiotics and everything I between. It is about choice. We just don’t always choose well.

QUESTION FIVE: What one thing can you do to: a) wean yourself off an oil-based diet and onto sun-based foods?b) improve your eating habits and thus your health?c) encourage others to do the same?

I GREW UP thinking about QUANTITY and PRICE over QUALITY. Even though I can afford to eat what I want to eat – I look at the sale prices when I go to the vegetable market. Old habits die hard. Part of the reason is that I know if the price of a vegetable is on sale, then it is in season – and I try to eat from the season.

Coming back from Asia, I have been amazed at the LOW MEAT PRICES. In Asia, it is more expensive to eat meat than vegetables. The opposite is true here. And so I get confused by my own Kansas roots to want to buy big family packages of meat.

What can I do? This article brings it to the conscious forefront. I need to look twice at the organic sections of the market. I need to choose a second green item. And tonight – I will eat vegetarian. After all, yesterday, I consumed enough bird to last me for three days. Check that – until tomorrow when I start in on the leftovers – and the other half of the turkey I have yet to cook.

RAMAK SIADATAN: Teaching and Learning

1. People learn in different ways. It's now commonly A common terminology for these learning styles has been developed since some time ago. And thus, we are thought to be visual, kinesthetic, or auditory. Each of these, having its particularities. What's your learning style? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it?

I am an auditory learner. Found this out in college. My professor used me as an example, and asked me to tell him something about my activities the previous weekend. I described going home to visit my mom, while he watched my eyes, my body language and my word choice before telling me I was an auditory learner. Oddly enough, the thing that most stood out about that weekend visiting mom was that she had left the stereo on in “tape” mode and the only one who couldn’t think until it (and the accompanying feedback noise) were gone was me. We are all a little visual, a little kinesthetic and a little auditory...but we all each lean more so in one direction. I like being auditory because I like remembering conversations. You know, little stories in my head. It also makes learning fun for me, as I can run a play-by-play of what I learned and never lose it. What I don’t like is how long it takes me to drown out outside noises before I can concentrate on certain things. For example, the first forty pages of any book are the toughest for me because my brain is constantly distracted by any and every noise.

2. What's the most useful thing you have learned that can be applied both, to your personal and to your professional life?

I’ve mentioned this one in an earlier week. The world is based on people’s perceptions. No statement has affected me more in my personal and professional life. I think what enables me to be successful is being thoughtful and considerate of other people’s feelings, looking at the world through their eyes, and truly understanding their unique perspectives. It has helped me relate better to my family, my friends, my students when I was teaching, my peers and my supervisors at work...you name it.

3. Good learners aren't always good teachers. I have the feeling that everyone in this group has become a pretty good teacher, some way or another. Can you share what's been the most useful thing you have ever taught? (To whom? Why?)

In general, I think the most useful thing I have taught people is to not be so hard on themselves. Again, both in my personal and professional life, I see people who convince themselves that the world is out to get them, that they can’t learn something, that they aren’t as good as other people. And these are intelligent, hard working people who get so focused and driven they don’t stop to be thankful for what they have and what they have accomplished.

4. This one question I got it from an interview to Mr. Obama I saw in ESPN a couple days ago. What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten? Why?

I already shared one piece of advice from which I have learned a great deal. So I’ll give a different one here. Be yourself. Short and simple. Life is a lot easier when you accept who you are and chase your passions.

5. This question comes from the idealist in me... If there was one thing you wished everyone in this planet learned, what would it be?

That human beings, for the most part, are wonderfully flawed. And that each of us is just trying to live our lives with the minds and bodies we were given at birth, doing the best we can.

RAMAK SIADATAN: Dreams, youth and possibilities

1. Children have so many dreams. Small ones, large ones. They dream of being astronauts, of becoming a princess or a queen or even a king. As we grew older, our dreams became the shape our futures would take. So my first question is when you were young what did you envision your future to be? And as a follow up, how does it compare to where you eventually arrived?

As a little kid, the first two professions I decided on were author and music conductor. At the same time. Interestingly, that says a lot about who I am beyond the fact that I’ve been a musician for almost 25 years and I love to write. You see, I love everything. I want to write, I want to play music, I want to play sports, I want to socialize, I want to climb the top of the business mountain, I want to hide in the woods and live of the land....I’m a dreamer. But I’m also practical. So knowing I can’t be all of those things at once, and knowing I could never choose just one and be satisfied, I live in a combination world where some things I do a little bit of all the time, and other things that are more time consuming are in a two-three year rotation. And I think I can safely say that I’m living out many of my life’s dreams, in small doses, and perhaps one day will have a bit more flexibility to enjoy them on a larger scale.

2. I sometimes fantasize about being able to travel back in time, but not in my current mid-forties body. I wonder what it would be like to become who I was in high school or college but with the knowledge and patience I’ve gained in the years since. Second question…if you could go back and become yourself at a certain time in life which time would you choose and why? And if you could only take one bit of knowledge or one trait you’ve gained as you’ve grown older (but not too old!), what would it be? And why again?

Go back and alter the course of my life, eh? That’s a tough call. I’ve thought about this one a lot, and the part of me that appreciates the life shaping, personality altering events that have made me who I am today, squirms at the idea of going back and changing something that might remove some of those events. Make sense? That being said - if I could go back to a time, and relive just that era and return to today without any impact to my present self, it would be college. I only spent three and a half years in college, and for as much as I did while I was there, I still feel like there were a lot of other experiences I didn’t have time for. Places I wanted to go, classes I wanted to take, different social circles I wanted to explore. College is such an amazing time of growth, learning and personal exploration. Would be nice to have a few more years of that.

The one trait I would take back would be now would be assertiveness. That’s not to say I wasn’t assertive before, but there’s definitely a different layer of “comfortable in my own skin” that I have now that I didn’t have before. And I think that is what would have helped me push myself into some new experiences.

3. As a writer, I started off as a reader. I began reading book after book when I was probably around 8 or 9. For me, initially it was mysteries then science fiction. Were you a reader as a youth? If so, what kind of books did you read? Who were some of your favorite authors at the time?

Definitely a reader. Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators...what a fun series. Agatha Christie mysteries...but only the ones with Poirot. E.B. White and Judy Bloom had great books to read for that age. Anastasia Krupnik...what an oddly fun character she was. Ogden Nash...now there’s a poet a nine year old can rally behind! There were tons more, but those are the ones that stand out the most.

4. Back to the scenario in the first question…I’m wondering if there are any dreams you had which you did not achieve but are still working on, or hoping to achieve? What are they?

Writing. Music. Sports. Family. Friends. (Not necessarily in that order!) These are ongoing dreams that, as I mentioned, run in an endless loop. I keep chasing them down in different ways and discovering new things. So they are all a work in progress. Though I suppose career ambitions will probably start to play in there as I get deeper into my 30’s.

5. There are many books in my life that have meant something to me. Books and stories that have stayed with me over the years. Some make me smile, some make me think, some even make me mad. The final question…please share a book that has meant something to you, and tells why.

I am the same way – if it is a meaningful book, it will stick with me whether I read it once or multiple times. The book I’ll share may be a bit of a departure from what you might expect when someone answers a “pick one book” question. Shel Silverstein is a very creative story teller. Anyone who has grown up with his books knows exactly what I am talking about. But until about seven years ago, I had never heard of “The Missing Piece Meets the Big O”.

Timing has a lot to do with how well a book sticks. And my friend knew exactly when to share this one with me. If you have ever been young (late teens, early 20’s) and in love, and you aren’t sure if you are in the relationship because of the person you are with or because you just want to be in a relationship, read this book. It will speak volumes in just fifty pages of two lines per page. Lift...pull...flop.

RAMAK SIADATAN: Travel, Work and Politics

1. Can you describe a favorite travel memory? It doesn’t have to be extraordinary - simple is good, too – but what is a memory of some travel experience that you treasure?

Only one? Not fair. I have to give at least two. When I read this about seven or eight popped into my mind, and more since. I’ve been lucky – travel has happened for both personal and work reasons and I ALWAYS pull out a few memorable moments.

First one is extraordinary. 2004 Athens Olympic Games. My wife and I are attending the Opening Ceremony. Both of us have been life long fans of the Games and the Olympic Spirit. We appreciate the beauty of people coming together for the sake of something as simple as sport. We saved up for years, and in fact, weren’t even dating when we decided to make the trip three or four years earlier. So that moment when we were sitting there, with 90,000 of our newest friends, sharing in a global experience with the entire world represented not only the spirit of the Games that we sought out, but also the journey we had taken together over three or four years to get there. Just amazing. Chilling, really.

Second one is more subtle. I’m touring with my youth symphony. We are doing two weeks in Eastern Europe shortly after the wall fell in Germany. We performed in Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest and Prague. There was one night, eating dinner in a village outside Salzburg. A few of us wandered off to soak in the night air, and then the world just stopped. An amazing array of colors in the sky, everything was still and no one moved. I then turned to my friend and said, “did you just feel the world stop?” He replied, “I thought it was just me.” Then we sat in silence another thirty minutes. A moment that will never happen again, and you’re so thankful you recognized it when it did.

2. What is something you’ve learned from traveling - a lesson that you’ve tried to carry with you in the rest of your life?

Don’t forget about getting there and getting back. Traveling is more than just what you do at the destination. If it’s a personal trip, enjoy the pieces involved in putting the trip together. If it’s a work trip, appreciate the unique opportunity you have to go somewhere without spending additional dollars out of pocket. And then, if you’re on a plane to get there...enjoy the flight! If you’re driving, enjoy the drive! So much of my fun on trips has happened in transit. As a member of a college marching band, we took vans, buses, planes, private cars...you name it... just to get to a football game. And the stories from those trips are some of the best of my life.

3. I’ve been doing a bit of reading about work and careers lately, and came across this quote: “Jump, and a net will appear.” What does that say to you, if anything, and does it apply in any way to your own life?

A net doesn’t just appear. Someone needs to know you need a net, or you need to build the framework upon which the net can be placed. The “miracle” net is a rarity, and one that should definitely not go unappreciated. But in general, I think you build your own foundation as you go. When you are honest, caring, good to other people, patient, not cutting corners and thinking about more than just tomorrow, you are building safety nets with every move. I have definitely received my fair share of nets after jumping...and there’s a reason behind each one. The real “miracle” net for me, however, was landing in a family where despite not agreeing on most things, everyone agreed that raising my brother and I properly was always to be the number one priority. I didn’t jump for that net...they wrapped me in it before I ever knew how to leap.

4. Here is another quote about work and life choices that I recently discovered: “I must simplify my life, and whittle down what I do to the things that I am absolutely the most passionate about, or else I risk being stuck in mediocrity.” Similarly, what does that say to you, if anything, and does it apply to your own life?

Honestly, I like mediocrity. The little things sometimes create the funniest stories, or the coolest learning experiences. For example, rather than pay my bills online or mail them in, sometimes I just drive to the local/regional office in town to make the payment. Driving around town eats up time (and gas), but it’s amazing how many cool things I stumble upon while I’m out. Great conversations with strangers, bumping into friends, finding new restaurants...the list goes on.

That being said, the “big” things have their limits. And yes, I focus only those for which I have the most passion. Everything else is “nice to get to”, but without a few priorities it’s hard to keep control of your life.

5. The U.S presidential election is on Tuesday. By the time you have to answer this question, we’ll know the outcome of the vote. How do you think the result of this election affects how the world views the U.S.? (Or, if you prefer, how you personally view the U.S., or how the U.S. might view itself?)

I’ll chance being a bit risqué with my response. There’s an American cartoon show for adults called South Park. And four years ago, they had an episode about an election for a local school that was between “A Turd” and a “Douche Bag.” If you know enough American slang, then I don’t need to explain any further. But just in case you don’t know, let’s just say I’m never really thrilled with my presidential choices. I think the impact a President has on the United States is fourfold: 1 – Level of inspiration on the public. 2 – Ability to charismatically and smoothly interact with other world leaders. 3 – Selection of the Cabinet. 4 – Initial war-time decisions. That’s it. I don’t think the President has any real impact on the economy, jobs, anything. Mostly, a President is a source of motivation. People who are inspired will work harder and you’ll see self-fulfilling prophecy changing the direction of the country more than any decision the President makes. Likewise, be uninspired and people’s negative attitudes will reflect poorly on our country and our economy/markets. I think the world will have two views of our President-elect. Some will be inspired by the progressive step our country has finally taken. Others will potentially see an opportunity to take advantage of someone who is strong in his knowledge but lacking in his international political experience. Ultimately? I think the election itself will have more of an effect than the man over the next four or eight years.

RAMAK SIADATAN: Prejudice and Stereotypes

1. What are some of the things people who don't know you very well tend to think about you?

I talk too much. I can’t possibly be that happy. I can’t possibly be that sincere when I ask people about their lives. I assume the task was to talk about the bad impressions. J In case you wanted some good things it would probably be...friendly, smart, jovial.

2. Which of these assumptions are true?

Most of them are true. The ones that aren’t...I actually AM that happy. I actually AM that sincere. I really just like people. And despite being 31, I think I’ve seen a lot in my life and many things that might stress others doesn’t really change my blood pressure. But yes...I definitely talk too much!

3. Which stereotypes about your country are true about you, if any?

Tough question. Stereotypes are often stereotypes because there is partial truth. For my country... the government is definitely anti-American. The people, not really. The government definitely has beef with Israel. The people, not really. Mostly, a Middle Eastern country like mine just wants to be left alone without the influence of the “Western” world. Obviously it’s not that simple. But I would say the extreme parts of most stereotypes are what should be looked at the hardest for the level of truth.

4. What are situations in which you find yourself to be prejudiced?

Depends on what it means to be prejudiced. I have made many observations about different people from different cultures or ethnic backgrounds, but it doesn’t in turn wield some negatively formed opinion by me of the people I come across from that culture / ethnicity. So if prejudice is a function of thinking or behaving negatively towards a specific group of people because they are *that* group of people, then I don’t really ever find myself to be prejudiced. But do I make observations? Well, see my answer to the next question.

5. To you, what value is there in stereotypes?

A stereotype, if observed thoughtfully and questioned properly can be a useful tool in understanding what drives a particular person to behave and interact as they do. For example, it is a stereotype that people from my culture wear lots of gold and smell heavy with cologne/perfume. And you know what? There are many people in my culture who fit that profile. I would just point to two things to “manage” the stereotype properly. First, realize that doesn’t apply to everyone. Second understand a little about those who do embody the stereotype. Behind the gold and perfume is a culture founded in a region where gold is very accessible, the sense of smell is not overlooked among the other senses and that the people have grown up to be social creatures wanting to be amongst others that want to talk about life, eat, dance and find a soul mate. And you really will find that just by digging into the stereotype a little bit.

RAMAK SIADATAN: Funerals

1. Which is the best funeral you ever visited?

My high school music conductor was such a sour puss. It took very little to shake his good mood and leave him snappy, overly critical and just plain harsh. Now when he was in a good mood, he was very jovial and could pontificate on just about any subject...and did. I think he was always that way, but later figured at least some of the moodiness was a result of his fight with HIV/AIDS. It was a fight he eventually lost, but in the process he learned to open up more and many of us became very close to him. His service was in a large beautiful church in San Francisco. A small group of us were asked to perform at the funeral, playing excerpts from his favorite musical piece...Phantom of the Opera. It was amazing. We made him proud that day, and each of us who performed felt a bond with him we never knew existed until that moment. That moody angry passionate man left quite the impression on all of us. He is definitely missed!

2. Which is the worst funeral you ever visited?

When you live halfway around the world from the vast majority of your extended family, there are a lot of “worst” funerals. People you love dearly that you really only knew from phone conversations and stories your parents told you. The unexpected ones, especially in war time...those hurt the most. We would have wakes on our side of the world and there was always a great deal of pain, crying, screaming. Death is something out of any family member’s control, but it’s definitely compounded when you are so far away when it happens.

3. Did you make any plans for your own funeral?

Nope. Maybe everyone can go miniature golfing in my honor and have some pizza afterwards. But they’ll be ok. I’ll keep an eye on them from wherever I am!

4. What are your thoughts on burial in the soil versus cremation? Which is better? Which is better for you? (And did you hear about the Swedish method, not yet sanctioned, where the body and the casket is frozen very very cold, and then vibrated into a powder...? Apparently very friendly for the environment.)

Bury me. Don’t know why, but returning to the earth just sounds nice. The only Swedish method I use is massage related...and I definitely sanction that. Yes, I make jokes. J We laugh to keep from crying!

5. And finally: Isn't it just odd that the word funeral starts with fun...? What are your thoughts on the very word? And what is the word for funeral in your language, if your first language isn't English?

Phonetically I think it’s something like “Maurasam”. And “Mau” doesn’t mean fun. In general, I think lots of words are weird. And sometimes, a word you use your whole life sounds fine until one day you stop and think about it and realize it is just totally strange. I think I put “funeral” in that category.