zeit·geist - noun

The general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of an era; zeitgeist is German for “time-spirit.” For example, the zeitgeist of England in the Victorian period included a belief in industrial progress, and the zeitgeist of the 1980s in the United States was a belief in the power of money and the many ways in which to spend it.

shrimp

here are some pictures of half eaten meals:

curry shrimp (w. pineapple, peppers, zuchini, broccoli, jasmine rice)
takeout from jean wong's @ wilmington riverfront market


pocono mountain & new orleans (shrimp, crab, aparagus, tobiko roe, masago) w. kettleone/clubsoda @ mikimotos, wilmington


old bay shrimp w. side salad & bloody mary (and chicken wing)
steelers v. browns/eagles v. redskins @ timothy's, newark

superPOST (#100)

What exists?

on·to·logy - noun

the study of conceptions of reality and the nature of being.

on·to·log·i·cal - adjective

1. Of or relating to ontology.
2. Of or relating to essence or the nature of being.
3. Of or relating to the argument for the existence of God holding that the existence of the concept of God entails the existence of God.
   

In the 11th century Anselm argued the existence of God a priori (from what comes before). Without a lot of philosophy jargon: God exists because the concept of God exists (see definition #3 above). A similar ontological foundation was put forth by Descartes hundreds of years later: "I think, therefore I am."

Two holes:
a. this argument limits the being of God to a human cognitive scale
b. the concept of a unicorn also exists

What exists?
Tacos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and Grey Goose Le'Citron



A fine meal served at La Tolteca Express, particularly notable since I was the only patron in the entire restaurant.

"Hell is other people."
- Sartre

. .. ... .. . .. ... .. . .. And For Good Measure ... .. . .. ... .. . .. ... .. .

"Two of the greatest poker minds." Bear in mind that they're playing with their own CASH. That's what makes GSN's "High Stakes Poker" the best on television. Also Gabe Kaplan's masterful commentary.



If you really want to feel sick (or schadenfreude), check out this hand between Gus Hansen and Daniel Negreanu.

scha·den·freu·de - noun

Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

"What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing. And yet in more than one such a word is found."

distinction

egoist

1. A self-centered or selfish person.
   
2. An adherent of the metaphysical principle of the ego, or self; a solipsist.

egotist

1. A conceited, boastful person.
   
2. A selfish, self-centered person.
   

It appears that an egotist may be an egoist, but not necessarily the other way around.

capitalism

"Again, how immeasurably greater is the pleasure, when a man feels a thing to be his own; for surely the love of self is a feeling implanted by nature and not given in vain, although selfishness is rightly censured; this, however, is not the mere love of self, but the love of self in excess, like the miser's love of money; for all, or almost all, men love money and other such objects in a measure. And further, there is the greatest pleasure in doing a kindness or service to friends or guests or companions, which can only be rendered when a man has private property."
[Wikipedia: Homo Economicus]

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
Phillippians 2:3-4

12.03.2007 Update: 
I finished reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. In this work of fiction, Rand's Objectivist philosophy registers loud and clear. She espouses a perspective of socio-economics founded on the merit of the individual. Not simply capitalism for the low sake of profiting second-rate owners (see: Jim Johnson), but a world in which each individual is empowered to achieve, an end to themselves. The historical setting in which Rand wrote (Fountainhead was published in 1943) was a factor, I believe, since much of her underlying ideology seems to be a reaction to communist socialism. The idea that "the Masses" are to be served as a chief end disgusts Rand, who believes only mediocrity and suffering can result (see: Pol Pot). I tend to agree.