All Consuming : pashmina

Consumed "Knowing"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:32:06 GMT

Knowing

WORTH IT!

Consumed "W."

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:36:11 GMT

by Oliver Stone

WORTH IT!

A story about "Open Road"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:26:41 GMT

Open Road

by Gary Barlow

I first heard this in Mr. Smith’s computer labs at TAS. I think its one of the most underrated romantic pop albums. Most people get turned off by his past associations and then base their judgment of this album on that.

On another note, the music video for Forever Love is still my favorite ever. I would remember it randomly through out the early 2000’s and wish I had access to it before the onslaught of YouTube.

best introduction... (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:24:48 GMT

Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism

by Hans Torwesten

Anyone who has ever been sincerely interested in Hinduism, Vedanta or the general philosophy that has come out of India needs to read this book. Or if you are looking to deepen your practice, this is a wonderful treatise to read and think a lot over. While it is not a primary source, I’d say it is best to start with something like this because it gives a beautiful, comprehensive and lucid overview of the subject. At the same time, this isn’t a summarized superficial stab at this complex subject. It digs deep, and nuances of meaning are brought forth in a pure manner.

The big question: Is this a sergio mendes CD, or a will.i.am CD? (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:58:06 GMT

Timeless

by Sergio Mendes

There is an excessive amount of will.i.am on this cd, which makes it hard to listen to after a while. If his voice had been limited to fewer tracks, I would probably have rated this wuth 4 stars.

Now I just find myself skipping every track that features him!

A story about "Adaptation (Superbit Collection)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:51:46 GMT

Adaptation (Superbit Collection)

“The point is what’s so wonderful is that every one of these flowers has a specific relationship with the insect that pollinates it. There’s a certain orchid looks exactly like a certain insect. So the insect is drawn to this flower, its double, its soul mate… and wants nothing more than to make love to it. After the insect flies off it spots another soul mate flower and makes love to it, thus pollinating it. And neither the flower nor the insect will ever understand the significance of their lovemaking. How could they know that because of their little dance, the world lives? But it does. By simply doing what they’re designed to do something large and magnificent happens. In this sense, they show us how to live. How the only barometer you have is your heart. Now when you spot your flower, you can’t let anything get in your way.” – John Laroche

Intriguing movie. Great acting.

beautiful. haunting. brutal.

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:46:57 GMT

Dancer in the Dark (New Line Platinum Series)

spoilers part 1: if you don’t know what this movie is about AT ALL, do not read this
At first, I was irritated by the bland colors and the raw, choppiness of the cinematography. The off-focus and slow shots were at times more ambiguous than purposeful. Yet despite the rough technical aspects, I still found myself drawn into the movie because of how it pushed the emotional intensity to the limit. Once the tragedy in the plot hit, it was almost agonizing to watch because I knew (from listening to the soundtrack beforehand) how the movie was going to end. At times, the director seemed to revel in destroying and torturing the main character, played by Bjork. Bjork’s performance was flawless, as she immersed herself (maybe a little too) deeply into the role of Selma. I can’t say that I loved the film, as it wasn’t easy to watch and yet it still lingers in my mind…

The movie is also troubling because of it’s portrayal of American life through a European lens. Selma works non-stop to pay for medical bills (while in Europe, the government pays for health care). Her neighbors, a seemingly charming couple, are trapped in the vicious cycle of consumerism. The husband who is a police officer (gun control?) talks of suicide (high rates in the US) and eventually steals from Selma (corruption of law enforcement and government).

spoilers part 2: don’t read if you haven’t watched
This all leads to the ultimate American obscenity: capital punishment (The only developed country in the world that still practices it.) I guess this is partly why the movie frightened me… Bjork’s portrayal of Selma during the last confinement scenes were so intensely real. It was almost uncomforable to sit through the ending where they hang her. From her finger tapping, to her screaming, her emotional expression brought up compassion beyond comprehension. It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t meant to be. It was very real, and that is what made it so haunting.

Why I recommend "I Heart Huckabees"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:41:51 GMT

I Heart Huckabees

by David O. Russell

For those who haven’t seen it yet, the movie I Heart Huckabees is pure genius. It’s bold, witty and all eccentric eclectic like but not without some beautiful depth. I absolutely loved it, in fact I was in a moment of love watching the movie.

I can’t say that the movie exactly touched me deeply so, but I sure as hell wanted to stand up and clap at the end of it. It was that touch of light profundity mixed in with poking humor. I highly recommend that everyone watch it at least once. And if you watched What the Bleep and liked it but maybe even found it lacking, this is it… the genius that was present in this movie has not been matched.

As far as the acting goes, that was also wonderfully done, I could not have asked for anything more. Mark Wahlberg was the most surprising. :)

Mmm… the parts, the whole, ahh but the juicy details of the parts… the entire thing! It was oh so good.

A story about "Devdas"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:35:53 GMT

Devdas

by Sarachandra Chattopadhyay

Pyaar aathma ki parchhaaii hai, ishq ishwaar ki ibaadat, or mohabat zindagi kaa maksath. Devdas

Love (mas) is the soul’s shadow, passion is God’s adoration, and love (fem) is life’s goal. (Ick translation.)

A story about "Intimate Communion"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:10:51 GMT

Intimate Communion

by David Deida

[Aug 28, 2004] Just ran right through David Deida’s Awakening Your Sexual Essence.

Lame. Unimpressive. Obvious. Ick. Glad that only took several hours to read.

The book was essentially about feminine verses masculine energies and the way they operate and form relationships. But the book had nothing profound or anything beautiful to offer. It repeated a lot of dumb abstract crap and didn’t really get into the depths of the truth of the types of energies it was addressing. In its explanations I felt like nothing was fully explained, and its expressions fell absolutely flat.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Strange though, Deida’s talks and seminars. and his writing are just polar opposites!

A story about "How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:06:59 GMT

How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients

by Jeffrey J. Fox

Eh, it was an okay book, some nuggets of simple suggestions put together as a book. Very simply, money is rain, and do whatever you can to make it rain. Without customers there is no rain, so if you want to be a rainmaker, you focus on the customer. Blah blah blah.

introduction on chinese is the best part (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:05:09 GMT

How to write, speak, and think more effectively

by Rudolf Franz Flesch

Outside of the usefulness for better English, the surprising but stellar introduction “Let’s Start With Chinese” is a piece I love quoting from, especially in my intro to new students of Mandarin chinese. The author has made a beautiful summary of the history of languages, and then goes on to give a outside view of Mandarin as a language by exploring the patterns and evolution of the language. Even as a native speaker of the language, I did not understand the cultural and signifcant developmental differences between English and Chinese. Did you know that Chinese is 10,000 years more evolved than English? For those who are seriously taking up Mandarin, you must read the introduction. It is vital to how you learn Mandarin. It add a dimension to your perspective.

And now for a bit more relevance, some comments on the rest of the book. But really, just the few pages of that intro was amazing for me! :) Although this book dates back to the 1950’s, the fact that it is still in print is testimony to how useful it is. The author give simple and concise advice on effective communication and writing. Give this list of rules a read from time to time, to remind yourself of techniques to keep communication clear.

25 Rules of Effective Writing
1. Write about people, things, and facts.
2. Write as you talk.
3. Use contractions.
4. Use the first person.
5. Quote what was said.
6. Quote what was written.
7. Put yourself in the reader’s place.
8. Don’t hurt the reader’s feelings.
9. Forestall misunderstandings.
10. Don’t be too brief.
11. Plan a beginning, middle, and end.
12. Go from the rule to the exception, frm the familiar to the new.
13. Use short names and abbreviations.
14. Use pronouns rather than repeating nouns.
15. Use verbs rather than nouns.
16. Use the active voice and a personal subject.
17. Use small, round figures.
18. Specify. Use illustrations, cases, examples.
19. Start a new sentence for each new idea.
20. Keep your sentences short.
21. Keep your paragraphs short.
22. Use direct questions.
23. Underline for emphasis.
24. Use parenthese for casual mention.
25. Make your writing insteresting to look at.

A story about "Good Harbor: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:00:58 GMT

Good Harbor: A Novel

by Anita Diamant

Very short, sweet and touching but it lacked the depth of The Red Tent. I was hoping for a deeper, fuller and perhaps more intricate narrative of the friendship between the two women.

mistranslated and misunderstood (rated 1 star)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:58:55 GMT

The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita

I’m really dissappointed with this translation. It is lacking in transmission, not even one iota of depth is present in this text. The author removes an integral part of the Gita, the pace and sense of dialogue between King Janaka and Ashtavakra. Although there is only one author, one voice (one master), the duality in verse is as much a part of the wisdom of this Gita. It’s what makes the original so genius!

What’s more upsetting is that the author even tells us about removing this subtle dialogue in his Notes. On page 79 he says, “Except here and in a few other verses, there is no clear or natural colloquy and no attempt to distinguish the voices of King Janaka and Ashtavakra. On the contrary, a single voice, speaking with undisputed authority, dominates every chapter. For these reasons I have dispensed with the fiction of dramatic dialogue, except for the opening question.”

Argh!

A story about "Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:10:01 GMT

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant

by W. Chan Kim

Forget Good To Great this approach makes way more sense!

A review of "The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity (2nd Edition)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:06:04 GMT

The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity (2nd Edition)

by Alan Cooper

Frustrated with the way software is designed? Cooper’s approach to design, and his stress on the importance of an interaction designer is enlightening and edgy. He shows us the difference between building a Microsoft empire (one that could crash at any time) and building a successful sustainable one. I think every person involved with technology in any capacity should read this book. I highly recommend it.

And of course, I must admit a little bias, since I am an IxD practitioner myself. And I can’t wait until the day the whole world knows what the heck it is I do! And if you know what an interaction designer does, come find me at pashmina blog.

build your customer base (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:03:45 GMT

Permission Marketing : Turning Strangers Into Friends And Friends Into Customers

by Seth Godin

I read this book about 3 years ago, and remember thinking how much the concept of permission marketing holds true in our economic situation. And it still holds true for internet marketing and a growing customer base. It explores the differences between mass media marketing which is invasive and does not necessarily build trust for a new product, and permission marketing which is specific, invited, and builds trust. It reminds us, that with the onset of technology, individual dialogues are most important. However, the strategies in the second half of the book were not at all useful.

A review of "Guerrilla PR Wired : Waging a Successful Publicity Campaign Online, Offline, and Everywhere In Between" (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:00:42 GMT

Guerrilla PR Wired : Waging a Successful Publicity Campaign Online, Offline, and Everywhere In Between

by Michael Levine

More priceless information from the same author of Guerrilla P.R., except now the strategies are adapted for the Internet. I definitely learned a lot from the examples and stories but this book is outdated now. It’s waaayyy behind the technology curve now, and was just about to hit it when I read it back in 2002. I think the author may have tried too hard to define construction of websites, and not enough time encouraging innovation. So, a little off track, and not timeless.

more inspiration less real info (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 04:57:41 GMT

Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business (Guerrilla Marketing)

by Jay Conrad Levinson

Reading this book was more of an energizer than a good source of information. It helped spark some creativity, and kept me motivated. The book reminded me about how important it was to have a focused process, marketing and creative plan, and to commit to it. If there’s anything you take from the book just remember these three key words: commitment, investment and consistency.

importance of web standards (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 03:44:07 GMT

Designing with Web Standards

by Jeffrey Zeldman

Zeldman, one of the founders of the Web Standards Project, writes an intelligent and convincing argument for the use of web standards recommending a variety of combinations from XHTML, XML to CSS for different types of website purposes and cases. The book carefully points out flaws in the current model of design and coding, and quickly explains the benefits of creating sites that are forward compatible and pay attention to accessibility. Part 2 and 3 of the book go into great detail about implementation methods of XML and CSS.

What isn’t covered in the book but SHOULD have been, as it would have convinced the non-techy crowd, is how much standards effects the finability, marketability and manageability of a website. Not to mention that clean code always makes search engines happy, which leads to higher ranking websites that are optimized for the web.

Simple Visual Things (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (pashmina) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 03:39:01 GMT

Primer of Visual Literacy

by Donis A. Dondis

This book was great because it gives explanations for the simple visual things that we often take for granted. Although the book is a little dated, I have yet to find such a refreshing and concise introduction to visual literacy. The illustrations compliment the text well, and the writing is plain and easy to understand. Highly recommended.