Π: Faith in Chaos

"Pi: Faith in Chaos" is a very interesting film directed by Darren Aronofsky in 1997. Sean Gullette played the main character, Maximilian Cohen, and was one of the film's writers. Max Cohen is a mathematician who says that everything can be explained numerically. He is looking for for a numerical explanation of what happens on Wall Street. He is pursued by a Wall Street firm for this code. He is also pursued be a Kaballah sect who are also looking for a numerical code of religious significance. At times the cinematography is very grainy. This fits the tone of the movie that was filmed in black and white.At times Max seems to be on the verge of insanity. There is often a thin line between what is perceived as insanity and what is perceived as genius. Max meets with a mentor who had been a mathematics professor. They play the game Go. This becomes one of the main themes of the film. Are the many possible ways a Go game can be played random or is there a pattern? Sometimes it is hard to tell if what we see is supposed to be happening or is it a hallucination? The film has a great soundtrack with music by Clint Mansell. This movie demonstrates that it is not necessary to have a large budget to make a satisfying film.

What Was the "Known World" in "Antiquity?"

Earlier today I read most of an essay entitled "(Same-Sex) Marriage and the Making of Europe: Renaissance Rome Revisited." It is a very interesting essay, but there is one thing in it that irritates me. The author, Gary Ferguson, wrote about "the three parts of the known world." He was writing about "antiquity." These three parts were Europe, Africa and Asia. Europeans had not yet been to the other parts of the world, so he writes of them being unknown. This in spite of there being people in these places. This reminds me of the attitude of the colonists who called the people who were living in the Americas and other places "savages." This reflects the chauvinistic attitude that these peoples were not civilized, even though they had cultures that had developed over centuries. Just because Europeans did not know about these other parts of the world does not mean that they were unknown. Just because they had developed in differently than Europe does not mean that they had not developed. These cultures were rich in many ways.

I Am Happy Where I Am, but I Am Not Stopping Here.

It is definitely true that I need to find a full-time job, but my value as a person does not depend on how much money I make. No person has more worth than anyone else. I do want to be able to contribute to society, and I want to help other people to feel better about themselves. I do feel better about myself when I am able to do things for other people. At the same time I am continuing on my journey to feeling better about myself. I still want to continue to learn and to grow emotionally and spiritually. I do not know exactly where my path in life will be, but I am learning to be happy with myself where I am now. I still want to be where I can learn and practice languages, but I cannot let my happiness to depend on external situations. I not only want to be happy with who I am, but I also want to help other people to be happy with who they are. I am happy that I am the way I am. I am happy that I see things from a different point of view from the point of view of the majority of people. I enjoy being able to learn to speak different languages. I love being able to enjoy music, films and literature from around the world. I know my language skills need a lot of improvement, but I am happy knowing that I have the ability to improve them. I am not where I want to be, but I am happy knowing that I am still on the journey there. If I can help others in their journeys to get where they want to be that will help me as well.

"The Draugtsman's Contract"

"The Draugtsman's Contract" is an interesting film directed by Peter Greenaway. Anthony Higgins played an artist who is contracted by a woman to draw her husband's estate. The story takes place in 17th Century England. She says that she wants the drawings to bring about a reconciliation between er and her husband. Her daughter and husband are trying to have a son to be heir to the property. The artist st Mr. Neville. The woman who contracts for the drawings is Mrs. Herbert. Her daughter is Mrs. Talmann. Mr. Herbert does not believe in women inheriting property, and the estate would go to a grandson. There are two contracts into which the artist enters, the one mentioned above and the other with Mrs. Talmann. The title involves a play on words. The word draughtsman as a few meanings. In addition to being someone who draws it can refer to a piece is a game of draughts (In the U.S. it is called checkers) or someone who writes legal documents. Unwittingly Mr. Neville is used by his wealthy patrons as a pawn. He sees himself as a talented artist. They see him as a servant. He does twelve drawings of the property. Drawing the landscape and buildings as they. Objects that could be seen as evidence of misadventure are placed in places where he would draw them. Mr. Herbert is thought to have gone on a trip. His body is found in the moat. There are numerous clues. There is a nephew of Mr. Talmann also living on the property. He is brought there as an orphan, because his father as died and his mother has become a Catholic. There is a man who is often seen posing as a statue in several places. His presence is noted but never explained. We never learn his identity. He is seen handling his penis several times, and in one scene he urinates appearing as a fountain. The music for the film is by Michael Nyman based n music by Purcell. It is one of my favorite films.

Feeling More at Home Away From my Home

While growing up in my hometown I was often asked what country I was from. This started happening more when I was in High School. Once someone I knew who was the manager of a store would not let me apply for a job there, because he said that the store's owner would fire me for not acting American enough. In North Carolina an employer does not have to give a reason for firing someone. One summer I went to France for a summer school abroad program. We were in Paris for four weeks. I felt more at home there than I did in my own country. Sometimes French people would stop me and ask for directions. Some people did think I was German, but I was not treated like an outsider as I was in my own country. I also felt very much at home in Prague when I was there in 2004. I did not know the language very well, but I learned enough to communicate in stores and on the street. Usually people there thought that I was European.

The city in the United States where I have felt most at home is Lawrence, Kansas. It is the most liberal city in that state. I still have friends there, and I miss them very much.

I am not saying that everybody in the U.S.A. treats me like an outsider, but I felt like I fit in better wen I was in Europe. Usually I can communicate most easily with people from other countries. Not everybody from other countries treats me well. Some of the more conservative people from Latin America whom I met at my most recent job were not very nice to me at all.

I am not saying that how other people treat me effects my value as a person, but I do like being in places where I feel like I fit in. I also feel "at home" at furry conventions and when I am with my fellow furries.

I really should learn German, because people often think that I am German. I like the sound of the language too.

I am starting to understand more why my heart is touched more by the flags of other countries.

Штирі відворотом і колба (Lapel Pins and a Flask)

I started collecting lapel pins of flags. Here are the first ones:

The Ukrainian flag does not show up very well in this photo. The yellow does not show up very well in this photo. Eventually I will get flags of other countries, but I thought these were good ones to start with. These flags have special meanings to me. I have a more favorable view of Lenin than I do of Stalin though. (To be honest, the U.S.A,, the U.K. and the U.S.S.R. were all three guilty of bad behavior during World War II.) I am not sure why I have a more positive reaction to the Soviet flag than I do to the flag of the U.S.A. I have positive reactions when I see the flags of Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland and a few other countries.

Украинский флаг не показывает очень хорошо в этой фотографии. Желтый не показывает очень хорошо в этой фотографии. В конце концов я буду получать флаги других стран, но я думал, что это были хорошие, чтобы начать с. Эти флаги имеют особое значение для меня. У меня есть более благоприятный вид Ленина, чем я Сталина, хотя. (Честно говоря, США,, Великобритании и СССР были все трое виновны в плохом поведении во время Второй мировой войны.) Я не знаю, почему у меня есть более позитивную реакцию на советский флаг, чем я с флагом США у меня есть положительные реакции, когда я вижу флаги Украины, Чехии, Польше и некоторых других странах.

Український прапор не показує дуже добре в цій фотографії. Жовтий не вказує дуже добре в цій фотографії. Зрештою я буду отримувати прапори інших країн, але я думав, що це були хороші, щоб почати с. Ці прапори мають особливе значення для мене. У мене є більш сприятливий вид Леніна, ніж я Сталіна, хоча. (Чесно кажучи, США ,, Великобританії і СРСР були всі троє винні в поганій поведінці під час Другої світової війни.) Я не знаю, чому у мене є більш позитивну реакцію на радянський прапор, чим я з прапором США у мене є позитивні реакції, коли я бачу прапори України, Чехії, Польщі та деяких інших країнах

Here is a flask that I have enjoyed using at times:

I took this with me when I went to Prague, For part of the time I had it filled with absinthe. I would take a sip from it occasionally. A Czech guy asked me what I had in it. He did not believe me when I told him. I let him smell the contents, and I remember the look of surprise on his face when he smelled the contents. I am happy I still have this flask.

Я принял это со мной, когда я уехал в Прагу, для части времени я наполнил с абсентом. Я бы глотнуть из нее время от времени. Чешский парень спросил меня, что я имел в ней. Он не поверил мне, когда я сказал ему. Я дал ему понюхать содержимое, и я помню, выражение удивления на его лице, когда он почувствовал содержимое. Я счастлив, что до сих пор эта флягу.

Vzal jsem si to se mnou, když jsem šel do Prahy, Pro část té době jsem měl to naplněn absintu. Já bych se napil z ní občas. České chlap mě zeptal, co jsem měl v něm. Nevěřil mi, když jsem mu řekl. Já ho nechal vůni obsah, a vzpomínám si na výraz překvapení na jeho tváři, když ucítil její obsah. Jsem rád, že jsem ještě tento baňky.

Я прийняв це зі мною, коли я поїхав до Праги, для частини часу я наповнив з абсентом. Я б ковтнути з неї час від часу. Чеський хлопець запитав мене, що я мав на ній. Він не повірив мені, коли я сказав йому. Я дав йому понюхати вміст, і я пам'ятаю, вираз здивування на його обличчі, коли він відчув вміст. Я щасливий, що до сих пір ця флягу.

Love Is Love Not a Political Act

There are too many situations where when two people show affection to each other is seen as a political action or an act of bravery. This is often true when two men or two women show each other love. In some places this in true of interracial relationships. Some people think it is harmful to children for them to see two men kissing each other, yet they think it is all right for children to be see two men beating each other. Also two men or two women kissing each other is seen as more of a sexual act than a man and woman kissing each other. There are too many places where it is dangerous for two men to walk down the street hand in hand. In too many places they face the possibility of being beaten or being arrested. Interracial relationships are not as taboo as they once were, but often these are seen being in defiance of societal norms. If a man wants to talk about his wife he does not have to preface it with an explanation that he is heterosexual or bisexual. Often when a man talks about his husband there is shock or awkwardness if he does not first explain that he is gay or bisexual. One way to overcome is for those who are in a relationship with someone of the same gender to speak of their husband or wife without first defining their sexual orientation. It is time for members of the LGBTQ communities to stop explaining who we are. We do not need to adapt to what society wants. It is time for society to accept us as we are.

Есть слишком много ситуаций, когда, когда два человека показывают привязанность друг к другу рассматривается как политическое действие или акт храбрости. Это часто верно, когда двое мужчин или две женщины показывают друг другу любовь. В некоторых местах это в истинно межрасовых отношений. Некоторые люди думают, что это вредно для детей, чтобы они видели двух мужчин целовать друг друга, но они думают, что все в порядке для детей, чтобы быть видим двое мужчин били друг друга. Кроме того, двое мужчин или две женщины целовали друг друга рассматривается как больше, чем половой акт мужчины и женщины, целовать друг друга. Есть слишком много мест, где это опасно для двух мужчин, чтобы идти по улице рука об руку. В слишком многих местах, где они сталкиваются с возможностью быть избиты или арестованы. Межрасовые отношения не столь табу, как они когда-то были, но часто они замечены в нарушение социальных норм. Если человек хочет говорить о своей жене он не должен предварить его с объяснением, что он является гетеро- или бисексуалом. Часто, когда человек говорит о своем муже есть шок или неловкости, если он не сначала объяснить, что он гей или бисексуал. Один из способов преодолеть это для тех, кто в отношениях с кем-то из того же пола, чтобы говорить об их мужа или жены без предварительного определения их сексуальной ориентации. Настало время для членов общин LGBTQ прекратить объяснять, кто мы есть. Нам не нужно приспосабливаться к тому, что общество хочет. Настало время для общества, чтобы принять нас, как мы.

Є дуже багато ситуацій, коли, коли двоє людей показують прихильність один до одного розглядається як політична дія або акт хоробрості. Це часто вірно, коли двоє чоловіків чи дві жінки показують один одному любов. У деяких місцях це в істинно міжрасових відносин. Деякі люди думають, що це шкідливо для дітей, щоб вони бачили двох чоловіків цілуються, але вони думають, що все в порядку для дітей, щоб бути бачимо двоє чоловіків били один одного. Крім того, двоє чоловіків чи дві жінки цілували один одного розглядається як більше, ніж статевий акт чоловіка і жінки, цілуються. Є дуже багато місць, де це небезпечно для двох чоловіків, щоб йти по вулиці рука об руку. У дуже багатьох місцях, де вони стикаються з можливістю бути побиті чи заарештовані. Міжрасові стосунки не настільки табу, як вони колись були, але часто вони помічені в порушення соціальних норм. Якщо людина хоче говорити про свою дружину він не повинен випередити його з поясненням, що він є гетеро- або бісексуалом. Часто, коли людина говорить про свого чоловіка є шок або незручності, якщо він не спочатку пояснити, що він гей або бісексуал. Один із способів подолати це для тих, хто у відносинах з кимось із тієї ж статі, щоб говорити про їх чоловіка або дружини без попереднього визначення їх сексуальної орієнтації. Настав час для членів громад LGBTQ припинити пояснювати, хто ми є. Нам не потрібно пристосовуватися до того, що суспільство хоче. Настав час для суспільства, щоб прийняти нас, як ми.