from the email...

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director how do 
you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. 

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a 
teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty 
the bathtub." 

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the 
bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup." 

"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want 
a bed near the window?" 


ARE YOU GOING TO PASS THIS ON, OR DO YOU WANT THE BED NEXT TO MINE ?

I dream about life away from the rut we live in.

I want to get away and rent a cheap apartment in an old house under a red-tiled roof.
At sunrise, I want to ride a motor-bike (or an old jeep) to the deserted beach, walk for miles, dive, run, be naked, make love, feel the life, then, on the big rock eat a baguette with tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cheese, drink watered-down wine.
Spend the afternoons in a small corner cafe, reading and writing books.
Spend evenings in front of the fireplace with a cup of traditional European hot chocolate.

movie about love

Today, I have watched a movie. A beautiful, european, movie. The movie was about love and the struggle with real life issues, it was also incredibly romantic and sensual, just how the real life is. 

We all watch these movies. The romantic books seem to be ever-more popular with the women. Yet, we live in the world devoid of human feelings, in the all-too-proper, politically-correct, ice cubes chilled for the comfort of the fat, tie-sporting, sleazy salesman and the human resource vice presidents that long time ago forgot what it means to be a human. Or, worse, hypocritically screwing behind the closed doors with only the wrinkles of the dresses and untidy hairdo to tell the story. The real life is not the corporate, suburban, superficial notion of life we live here, in Prudeland. 

Let's face it; life is about the feelings of love and love is about people together, making love. Everything else is just food and shelter, and keeping yourself busy when you have no love.

The movie has stirred me inside, reminded me of who I am, and about my past, my memories and my love.

ChiGTUG

Established May 30, 2007, our goal is to work with Google technology community to promote education, community interaction and entrepreneurship.

So far we:

• organized 28 technology meet-ups
• organized 5 large conferences with Google, Motorola, UIC, etc.
• partnered with Android developer group from Motorola
• became official Google Technology User Group for Chicago (GTUG) 
• trying to reach out to other groups in Chicago to join forces

View our TECHNICAL BLOG

ChiGTUG

Established May 30, 2007, our goal is to work with Google technology community to promote education, community interaction and entrepreneurship.

So far we:

• organized 28 technology meet-ups
• organized 5 large conferences with Google, Motorola, UIC, etc.
• partnered with Android developer group from Motorola
• became official Google Technology User Group for Chicago (GTUG) 
• trying to reach out to other groups in Chicago to join forces

View our TECHNICAL BLOG

Established May 30, 2007, our goal is to work with Google technology community to promote education, community interaction and entrepreneurship.

So far we:

• organized 28 technology meet-ups
• organized 5 large conferences with Google, Motorola, UIC, etc.
• partnered with Android developer group from Motorola
• became official Google Technology User Group for Chicago (GTUG) 
• trying to reach out to other groups in Chicago to join forces

View our TECHNICAL BLOG

Established May 30, 2007, our goal is to work with Google technology community to promote education, community interaction and entrepreneurship.

So far we:

• organized 28 technology meet-ups
• organized 5 large conferences with Google, Motorola, UIC, etc.
• partnered with Android developer group from Motorola
• became official Google Technology User Group for Chicago (GTUG) 
• trying to reach out to other groups in Chicago to join forces

View our TECHNICAL BLOG

joke: via email

A guy calls a company and orders their 5-day, 10 lb. weight loss program.   The next day, there's a knock on the door and there stands before him a voluptuous, athletic, 19 year old babe dressed in nothing but a pair of Nike  running shoes and a sign around her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads,  "If you can catch me, you can have me." Without a second thought, he takes off after her. A few miles later huffing and puffing, he finally gives up. The same girl shows up for the next four days and the same thing happens.               
On the fifth day, he weighs himself and is delighted to find he has lost 10 lbs. as promised. 
              
He calls the company and orders their 5-day/20 pound program. The next day there's a knock at the door and the re stands the most stunning, beautiful, sexy woman he has ever seen in his life. She is wearing nothing but Reebok running shoes and a sign around her neck that reads, "If you catch me you can have me". Well, he's out the door after her like a shot. This girl is in excellent shape and he does his best, but no such luck. So for the next four days, the same routine happens with him gradually getting in better and better shape. Much to his delight on the fifth day when he weighs himself, he discovers that he has lost another 20 lbs. as promised.               
            
He decides to go for broke and calls the company to order the 7-day/50 pound  program, "Are you sure?" asks the representative on the phone.  "This is our most rigorous program." "Absolutely,"  he replies, "I haven't felt this good in years." The next day there's a knock a t the door; and when he opens it he finds a huge muscular guy standing there wearing nothing but pink running shoes and a sign around his neck that reads, "If I catch you, your ass is mine." He lost 63 pounds that week.  

Jeep

We replaced the Denali with the Detonator Yello Jeep Wrangler -- so much more fun!

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

I have been reading the book "Infidel" until now (2 AM), my feelings
are welling up as she describes her life, the war in Somalia and her
escape from the marriage to Holland. It is too late right now to write
more, but I will come back to the subject soon.

Islamica

Today, I have been reading the Magazine "Islamica" to learn the the
enlightened voices of muslims that otherwise may be muffled by the
images of war in the blood-thirsty mass media.

The magazine started with the article stating pretty much the same as
the latter part of the previous sentence, plus the fact that there are
very few muslim who are able, or willing, to communicate to the
western world the more beautiful aspects of their culture. I though,
the page was objective, even if somewhat academic and pointless.

The following were the news snippets that I thought were right on,
good starting.

Next came the article about corruption involving muslim in Trinidad
and Tobago, It was interesting, I thought, even if the sources
opposing the corruption were unnamed "prominent muslims" which I grew
to expect - this idea goes back to the first article.

The funny picture caricature of VP Dick Chaney (I presume) defying the
global warming, that was an interesting choice since most of the
muslim world is oblivious to the ecological issues in North Africa,
Arab peninsula, Indonesia, or elsewhere. In fact the symbol of
progress in arab world - Dubai - is a totally ecological-defying
creation. I hope that was precisely the point, by laughing at others
we can understand that we are wrong ourselves.

Then came a couple of articles which are pure anti-USA propaganda. My
stomach cramped, I have seen so much of that in my life in my 18 years
I have lived in the socialist Poland influenced by Russian communism.
Even until very recently, I had some Polish relatives calling America
rotten names, straight of the communist repertoire. Propaganda that
brings hatred and not a thinnest thread of possibility for the
reconciliation, or cooperation.

I am really sorry and disappointed, dear "Islamica", I will try to
finish the magazine and find valuable and good points about your
culture, but I am not sure if you are doing yourselves a favor by
adding the oil to the fire.