Noam Choamsky's Hypothesis

This was quite an interesting read; I will suggest you save some brain power for thinking if you decide to pick up Noam's submission of American Imperialism. A suggested read from Hugo Chavez at the UN convention where he identified Bush as the 'Great Satan', I finally read the piece in my summer exploration of foreign affairs (Confessions of an Economic Hit man being a companion read). Well, below is the book in Noam's word.




Background on Noam Chomsky

Chomsky's thought as usual is provoking. But am reminded of a scribble I had scrawled behind the book in conclusion that  "No nation should apologize for using her foreign policy to self advantage; that is the point!; In the same breadth, no country should complain about the disastrous consequences of its selfish diplomacy" 

Fall Reading List

1. I intend to spend September- October reading on developmental politics...two books to explore: Oligarchs (a book on the Russian Lords of Capitalism) and From third world to First (The Singapore Story) by the former long time PM. Am also exploring Blink on audio book...should be good company on my adventures out West.

2. Towards thanksgiving I'll kickstart my proper winter list...hopefully an exploration of world history, starting from home. Two books, a History of the Yorubas by the Legendary Bishop Samuel Johnson & History of Nigeria written by some UT professors should come in handy. On audio, I hope to explore the Gun, Germs  & Steel by Jarred Diamond, if I can lay my hands on it.

Losing My Mind

I wonder what to scribble

A poem or a prose?

Perhaps from the jungle of my mind

Some mumble jumble will flow

Confused? NO

I am in the know of what is going on

A strange feeling courses through my heart

But it is not strange because it is new

To the contrary,

I have felt this way before

Even as much as I hate to admit it

But I never knew

I never knew I will fell this way again

The weight of true feeling heavy on my heart

This feeling that I thought I have lock for eternity

In that innocent corner of my heart

With feelings of youthful vigor,

With feelings of youthful indiscretions,

No despair, no dissapointment,

Willing to forbid, and forbade none,

I thought these feelings had dissipated for good

With the wrongs of the past,

With the pain of the endings thereof,

Wrong it now seems

For the withering carcasses of this boar has risen

The star of dimming constellation

Born in the revelation of its own glory

I make no pretense

Make no pretensions as to having control over this feeling

This? To be controlled?

It seems absurd to write control and mind in one word

But I feel perturbed in the inward realization of its power

Fear? May be..Fear of what?

That I might lose it? Lose my Mind? No

That I might lose this feeling

How can I be sure,

That she feels the same way,

That this feeling will endure,

That this is not just some fleeting madness,

That this is for real since I had not known one lately,

That what I see is the real thing,

That my understanding will not diminish,

My sight may not falter,

My steps may not come to a halt,

My hands may steer clear of danger..

Admiration? Yes..that one too

I felt it before.

Respect? Perhaps, for one or two

Sensuality? All the time

Collegiality? A real starter

Conviviality? May the spirit of our ancestors endure

But all rolled in one,

That calls for a green light,

Perhaps a champagne,

Perhaps something more real,

More enduring, More Encompassing

Something..something

Something to lose my mind for

Perhaps if she only knows...

Life as a Journey & Impact as a Factor of Immersion

2009 will remain a memorable summer for me; the joys of nature, the geniality of family and friends, the triviality of adventures all come together into a truly amazing piece of self discovery. As the summer gives away to Fall, I have been pondering (may be way too much), the essence of life's journey. 6.8 billion people we are told: differing aspirations, sometimes even conflicting energy levels: yet same apparent goal! i.e. success.

Life's journey confounds the simple, and amazes the complex. One thing I have discovered though is that the friendships, and companionship we make along the way on this road determines the mileage we get out of the trip. This summer, friendships have been made or marred. Those that held back, have given away. Those that blossomed have been all the way confounding. It has been a productive one however. My life journey has been resoundingly re-focused. I have truly for the first time ever defined what truly makes me happy. Granted that I might have toyed with the idea, but it all comes together now more than ever. My passion for starting things have not gone away. I sold a company, and started three new ones. I re-entered the stock market, and made some resounding life decisions. I cleared my head, and reconnected the missing dots. Such are the blessings of this life's journey and perhaps my favorite season of all.

As I turn to Fall, I am reminded of how how environment impacts us: by Osmosis or by Immersion. This reminds me of one of that little remembered affiliations I have had in the past. It was to this Bible Study movement while I was on the campus of PVAMU. It was called Impact Movement. One of the most enriching college experience for me. There we had young adults meet once a week to share the struggles of college life, as Christians with some real pressures in college. More than a form of therapy, it gave me profound insight as an immigrant to the window of the American society as none other interaction as- and for which I am still deeply grateful. Countless dinners, couple of walks and important such road trips introduced me to America the Beautiful (Land and People) that I still capriciously consume to this day.

Some friendships I made there have in wonderful ways endured to this day. I remembered visiting DC for the first time, and traveling any where in the US for the first due to an Impact conference held at the Hilton Hotel in DC. During that trip, I was opportune to visit the White House grounds courtesy of a Secret Service agent that obliged me on that cold wintry December evening. The profound influence of that generosity still draws me to DC as magnet draws pure iron.

To those who make an impact on lives they will never know how much it means to, I say you do such a magnificent work that the world will most definitely stop spinning if you don't get going. To those who do a horrible job at it, what are you waiting on? I am personally convinced that life's journey however starts with self introspection- a lonely life journey, perhaps an experience that only you can recount but which you transmit by osmosis or DISpersion as you mount that sometimes lonely campaign to pave the journey road of life for those coming after you...

Book Review: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins was my summer favorite. Half way through its cousin written by Renowned Linguist and Father of Modern Linguistics and Anarchist Movement, Noam Chomsky i.e. Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance. These books on International Global power Play lays a good ground work for my fall book list that will be dominated by History readings on Nigeria, and her peoples..may be add two books each on Africa and Human Civilization Issues. Got 2 recommendations on such exploration of collective Human civilization...I am considering that..full list shortly. And yeah..someone just made me discover audio book..shout out!