I wonder if...

In 1997 two young men began their first year at the University of Illinois and moved into the student dorm, Allen Hall. They didn't know each other at first but they both lived on the fourth floor of this dorm, where most of the freshman were assigned rooms. Before long they both befriended the same group of rather smart engineering/comp sci. students and began to hang out regularly. One of the young men happened to be Jawed Karim. As time went on, these young men got to know each other as they helped each other with classwork, played video games and talked about computers.

The other young man began to make some other friends and started to spend more time with them. Eventually this young man's path began to diverge from the group of friends from the fourth floor and Jawed. The last he heard, Jawed had left the University of Illinois before graduating to work for PayPal.

Fast Forward to 2006, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim sell youTube to Google for $1.65 Billion dollars.

If you haven't figured it out by now, that other young man was me and all I have to say is...I blame Rich!

Enough with the Apologies

The pope quotes a Byzantine Emperor who, more than 600 years ago, called Islam a faith "spread by the sword." How do muslims proceed to protest this 600 year quote? First they demand an apology, then they proceed to destroy churches, shoot dead an elderly nun, and call for a "day of anger" or for worshippers to "hunt down" the pope and his followers. Announcing that "We will break up the cross ... then the only thing acceptable is a conversion [to Islam] or [being killing by] the sword."  Wow, they sure proved the Emperor's quote wrong.

It is deja vu with the muslim riots once again. Just like last time, similar apologies resulted too, though the pope's is more significant. Apparently, no one can remember any pope ever apologizing for anything in such specific terms. Not even for the Inquisition or for the persecution of Galileo! 

Apologies and some random public debate are ineffective and irrelevant: None of the radical clerics accepts Western apologies anyways. Instead, everyone should stop apologizing and start defending free speech. The western world needs to support the freedom of speech around the world. Surely the pope is allowed to quote medieval texts. As well, we need to condemn the violent unprovoked attacks on churches, embassies and elderly nuns. Since the pope's speech, I haven't heard a single defense of free speech.

All of which is simply beside the point, since nothing the pope said comes even close to matching the vitriol, extremism, and hatred that pours out of the mouths of radical muslims every day of the week all over the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia publishes textbooks commanding good Wahhabi Muslims to "hate" Christians, Jews, and non-Wahhabi Muslims. Where are the protests then? Why isn't there condemnation for such acts? It appears freedom of speech only applies to what these radical muslims say and write. Anytime anyone calls out radical Islam for what it is, oh! it's time to apologize. I don't see why we should allow them to limit our right to free speech.

By the way, ironically, the pope's speech in Germany wasn't about Islam at all. The theme of his speech was about the Christian faith being rooted in the Greek notion of reason. He argues that the Reformation seperated faith from reason and led to the rise of secular culture. It's actually a criticism against Protestantism...wait a minute, I'm protestant...I should go incite some violence and revel in debauchery, that'll prove him wrong.

A Democrat that actually Impresses

I finally got around to listening to Barack Obama's much-talked-about keynote (and misunderstood) at Jim Wallis' Call to Renewal conference near the end of June. There has been a lot of talk about the potential of this Junior Senator from Illinois and the possibility of his run for presidency in 2008. I was finally able to see why.

This is definitely recommended reading or listening to if you have the opportunity. Overall the speech works because the senator speaks with an easy-going confidence about his faith, weaving spiritual phrases into his speech without needing to announce them to his audience as so many of his colleagues do. I absolutely agree with him in that politics and religion do mix. However, there are a number of finer points that I disagree with the Senator about. He seems to believe that there is a universal reason and rationality that will be compelling to all persons of all faiths, including those of no faith at all.

Anyway, by far one of the best speeches I've read about how politics and religion mesh and the need to start a "deeper, fuller conversation about religion in this country."

This guy looks like a Democrat even I could vote for...

Never Falter, Never Quit

Congrats Lieutenant Chiang. Godspeed and g'luck. We're proud of you!

Recap of Memorial Day Weekend events (Why write one when it's already done for you?...hehe)

I must admit however, there were numerous times when I got chills down my back when I watched these guys parade in perfect unison. It was awesome learning about all the activities and the traditions behind them.

Another recommended funny, clever comic strip:

 Pearls Before Swine

Additional Pearls from "Pearls:"