http://www.scribd.com/people/view/17589-adrian This a feed for documents on Scribd written by adriangzz 30 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:37:04 GMT Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:37:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2159663/Oscar-Predictions-2008 This will be the second time I publish my Oscar Predictions. The last time I did, I got two major categories wrong: Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. “The Departed” won Best Picture last year (beating out my pick, “Babel”), something that I think not only surprised me, but the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, as well. I remember his expression when the winner was announced – surprised – and not the normal surprise, but the “Oh, really? Me?” surprise. I invested a lot more emotion to the Foreign Language Film category, given that “Pan’s Labyrinth” Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:37:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2159663/Oscar-Predictions-2008 http://www.scribd.com/doc/2064131/Evoke-a-thought-Lay-down-an-action We all need each other. I don’t mean this in a preachy way – and by all means, I don’t mean for the aforementioned statement to imply any sort of absolutism that would mistakenly declare the way I think things really are. I don’t know the way things really are. I just know how to live with things as is. So, with this in mind, I repeat once more: we all need each other. This belief comes from many close observations; and these, collected through the years, by experiences I can remember and not, and by interactions with people who, just like me – observe the connections we have with ea Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:16:09 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/2064131/Evoke-a-thought-Lay-down-an-action http://www.scribd.com/doc/685858/The-Nature-Program The family television is blaring loudly in my living room.  I’m standing in front of it,  waiting for my favorite show to begin. A need to distract myself makes me face down  and observe my toes dig into the green fuzzy carpet. I take pleasure in pressing my body  hard against the soft surface below me. The harder I press, the better I feel. As I’m  getting drunk with this fake euphoria, the television goes silent for a second. Then I hear  the sound of African tribal drums. I look up at the scree Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:22:02 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/685858/The-Nature-Program http://www.scribd.com/doc/685857/Peanuts I’m craving roasted peanuts. Unsalted, No shell.   This is no random hunger pang. This is a full­fledged yearning for that special sort of  peanut: the unsalted, roasted Peanut. These pleasantly round things give me an unnatural  high. I swear it. I smile to myself every time I pop some in and crunch them to bits. I’d  call any person who would harbor such fervent love for roasted peanuts, plain crazy. But  this feeling is justified. These peanuts are my escape. They’re more than just plain  peanuts,  Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:21:49 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/685857/Peanuts http://www.scribd.com/doc/310937/Anatomy-of-the-Taser-Incident-University-of-Florida-Student-Andrew-Meyer The police are said to exist to serve and protect the people. Given recent events, I now want to place the following question on the table: How much focus is put on the former compared to that which is placed on the latter? On September 17th, a university student was Tasered by campus police after refusing to give in to their demands, which were to “stand down” and “stop resisting arrest”. The incident came moments after being yanked away from the microphone stand at a campus forum for U.S. Senator John Kerry. I wouldn’t have a solid opinion on this matter if I had not watched the vi Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:21:11 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/310937/Anatomy-of-the-Taser-Incident-University-of-Florida-Student-Andrew-Meyer http://www.scribd.com/doc/265746/Words Words have always escaped me, more so in the moments when I have felt a strong need for them. The last time one of my “Great Loss for Words” happened, I was left perplexed. Puzzled. Utterly confused, as to what was to be said. When the least important of Rita’s worldly matters was brought to my attention, urgently needing an evaluation, by me, no less…I choked. It was a verbal softness at first, a quick “Peter?” then…a “Yes?”, and then, just as fast, a quick jab in my heart: “I want a divorce.” She started it all with her cruel opening line and soon enough she mentioned t Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:56:23 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/265746/Words http://www.scribd.com/doc/262277/License-to-Damage I have never met a “model catholic”. Nor do I pretend I ever have. Long ago I made peace with this. They just don’t exist. At least, not where I’ve been. I think most people choose to follow the Catholic Church’s teachings in a manner very much like many other people that are raised to follow a certain religion: by nit-picking their way around things. Let’s face it. It’s a more practical, more beneficial, and ultimately, a more suitable guide for everyone, in terms of getting to experience and learn what “Jesus really meant”, compared with what is taught by most religious ins Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:37:39 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/262277/License-to-Damage http://www.scribd.com/doc/258029/Heart-in-my-Mind The following is a short narrative, dear reader. One that involves a youth, that I have recently taken an interest in, because, as we all know, young people make up much of the world that involves unexpected and riveting folly, to such a degree that, in turn, as lawabiding model citizens, we turn our backs on anything crazy they might do, which might, at the time, seem out of the ordinary, because…we fear, yes we fear, anything which might make us leave the comfort of our own safe existences. It is this fear that we must eradicate, and leave for dead, and in unison, make an effort to truly c Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:38:35 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/258029/Heart-in-my-Mind http://www.scribd.com/doc/257014/Miles-Levin I read the heading: "Young blogger loses battle with cancer" and I felt like I needed to read the whole article. When the word "young" and "cancer" is tied in together, I automatically feel like there's grave injustice there somewhere. Of course, this should not make adult cancer any less mortifying (and unjust), but adults who get cancer at least have had a chance to really live, and to have more experiences than most young cancer patients, and this is what inherently makes me feel so...wronged - not me - but the sick children out there, wherever and whenever I hear about cases like these. Th Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:50:56 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/257014/Miles-Levin http://www.scribd.com/doc/230946/Diary-of-a-Desperate-Man Diary of a Desperate Man This disquieting effect is alarming. It is starting to worry me. I can’t seem to get rid of it. This sense of complete silence, sucks every familiar noise I know (footsteps, distant chatter, trees swaying in the wind…to name a few), into a void – which I call the “emptiness”. How do I define “emptiness”? It is like a situation in which you have a noisy racket booming in your head, and silence all around you. It is complete solitude with people everywhere. The “emptiness” is most present when I’m not alone. When the chattering of people is at its lou Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:01:28 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/230946/Diary-of-a-Desperate-Man http://www.scribd.com/doc/208286/Bashful-creek-creature Bashful woods creature, Scurry and hurry between the freezing brushes! Dash along the grassy knoll! Between the small and large hills…lies home. Near the strong green humid backdrop, Is “Lone Place”…the secluded Bastion, Where fervent passion reigns, Adorned by feasts of berry trusses Furry, rotund mass of life, Sheltered in between the branches, A closed-in nest of earthen safety, Does deliver much needed shelling Temperate fog and chill dew whisper, “This is home, my friend, lie peaceful”. The creature shivers the day’s last quiver, And slowly falls toward slumber, Sleep, creat Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:51:41 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/208286/Bashful-creek-creature http://www.scribd.com/doc/186897/What-doesnt-kill-you-makes-you-stronger “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” I’ve heard this quote many times. It’s probably one of Nietzsche’s most memorable quotes – it aptly reflects the human condition, and it motivates, very much so. It motivates the hell out of me, at least. And I suspect – that Nietzsche quite ironically, was foreseeing his own future, becoming stronger and stronger, until he met his doom and faced death head on. He died an insane man, but a strong one. Is it not true, that we all have suffered tremendously, at one time or another? We all suffer. Actually, we should suffer. It is our suf Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:31:53 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/186897/What-doesnt-kill-you-makes-you-stronger http://www.scribd.com/doc/136909/Claim-your-lore Claim your lore! Throw away the peddler’s shoes, Throw away the victim’s mind Seize the coming chances! Free the moving, rocking kind The kind that lasts, the kind that hardens, As life keeps moving on to new-found gardens Throw away the easing comforts, Throw away the idle time Grab the frightening, freeing line, Of apt mentality, Cool Causality, Merry, Thrilling, Shrill Mortality! Throw away the worries in, The capsule of the brain within, The time is now, the time is near, To liberate the fool, it’s clear Inside, inner workings of the soul, Lies the musing, brooding ghoul Of apt cravi Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:35:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/136909/Claim-your-lore http://www.scribd.com/doc/129979/MeravigliaChapter2 Chapter 2 David stopped writing. It had only been a few minutes of scribbling, and then came a sudden halt. David took the black ball-point pen that was leaning against his sweaty palm, hoisted it from its still and peaceful stance, and held it horizontally with his thumb and index finger, with his wrist pointing towards the ceiling. He then separated his two fingers from the pen, as if it had caught on fire, and let it fall. The pen dropped silently onto the pad. As David watched it lying there, he felt odd. It had seemed like he had let go of a puffy feather – not a pen – and that it had Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:44:28 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/129979/MeravigliaChapter2 http://www.scribd.com/doc/123198/Meraviglia Chapter 1 David sat in the cold metal chair. He felt alone and somewhat frozen. The freezing metal was burning into his sides. His shirt had been ripped and his backside was exposed to the cold, searing metal, and as it touched his flesh, it caused him to slightly jerk away. In that sort of painful situation, David had always exerted his own developed mental prowess. He had trained himself that all pain was mental in origin, but right now, his concentration was completely shot to hell, and he had not been able to distract the pain away. As annoying as his present problem was, it was nothing, c Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:58:05 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/123198/Meraviglia http://www.scribd.com/doc/97102/Transcendental-Meditation-The-David-Lynch-Weekend To the ignorant, the term “Transcendental Meditation” might evoke images of pagan worship, cult followings and spiritual misguidance. The uncultured and clueless masses are generally the ones that jump to conclusions and then, proceed to disregard the validity of this bona fide and strengthening technique. At times, this meditation seems to represent a type of threat to conservatism, most probably because it promotes change through peaceful means (in a time when we’re so used to force resolving every conflict), and because it is strongly correlated to artistic and bohemian movements in g Thu, 07 Jun 2007 03:18:38 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/97102/Transcendental-Meditation-The-David-Lynch-Weekend http://www.scribd.com/doc/95791/Single-Red-Rose There was this girl that loved red roses. She loved them so much she used to light up each time her boyfriend gave her some. What was interesting about this girl was how she went about enjoying the roses. A rose - a single rose, would become an exuberant form of life, a signal of thriving joy and once the rose was past its prime, the flower would denote a sweet death, as if its dry, crackling petals were nothing but tears from her boyfriend shed only for her. As the rose and flowers adorned her room, she would stare through the window and dream of some far away place where it would be her and Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:39:03 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/95791/Single-Red-Rose http://www.scribd.com/doc/70322/InstantGratification It’s time for everyone to get a bit philosophical now – it’s time to study the work of the Greeks, the Rationalists, the Empiricists, the Existentialists, the “Everyone that thought outside the realm of normal thinking”. It’s time to leave everything we thought we knew behind and start anew. …It’s time to stop exaggerating… I will, but now that I’ve got your undivided attention, please bear with me and understand why I’m proposing this philosophical trip. Now, more than ever, (now – when the levels of “ADD” are at an all time high, now – when “quantity over qual Wed, 23 May 2007 00:08:50 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/70322/InstantGratification http://www.scribd.com/doc/50585/LongDiscourseRelationships What started as an article on my experience with dog training, quickly turned into a discussion on disciplining an unruly child, and then morphed into a long discourse on what the meaning of what a "relationship" is has become. This column was never meant to be this long. My intention was too keep it short, but as usually happens, when writing on and off (adding a paragraph here and there), I sometimes go on a tandem, straying off course and delving into a deeper abyss. Fortunately, I have been able to wrap it up nicely. So, here it is. Enjoy. The world is changing, and in more ways than one. Sat, 12 May 2007 22:27:12 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/50585/LongDiscourseRelationships http://www.scribd.com/doc/50108/The-Varied-Approach-to-Life It’s oddly refreshing to see how so many people have their lives so “clearly defined” these days. Amidst the turmoil and complications the human condition brings about in nearly everyone – there are always those privileged few that are unaffected – but at what expense? It must be easy (for those that can bear it) to live a life where day-in, day-out one fully engages in the necessary actions to carry out a full day’s work. These actions are denoted by the following verbs: awake, eat, work, eat, love, play, work, eat, pray, sleep…and a couple other verbs (mix and match at will) bu Sat, 12 May 2007 00:25:13 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/50108/The-Varied-Approach-to-Life http://www.scribd.com/doc/48529/The-Great-Minds-Melancholy The greatest of artists are sometimes reduced to a state of frustration – for no particular reason. It’s hard to understand why. This aggravated state arises in the most inopportune moments, when least expected, when an artist is in full and focused contemplation, relentlessly observing the world that lays around him – then as if coming out of nothing, BAM, this frustration appears – quickly spreading like thick molasses and permeating heavily through him. The artist feels, sees, smells and hears the world every passing day in ways that most people can’t – it’s an inconceivable p Wed, 09 May 2007 16:38:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/48529/The-Great-Minds-Melancholy http://www.scribd.com/doc/44021/Damn-these-Movie-Critic-Critics Here’s a scene that’s more than familiar to me by now: A snickering buffoon, waiting in line to get his tickets for a movie (for the sake of argument let’s say the movie in question here is…the recent box-office-hit ‘300’), starts ranting his vacuous and thoughtless opinions to his social circle, in a voice a bit higher than normal speaking volume, a volume purposely made higher than normal by the speaker, to ensure that the surrounding parties hear more than enough of his everknowledgeable opinion. The ranting always begins with an idiotic comment: “300 is a work of Art – it s Thu, 03 May 2007 21:26:09 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/44021/Damn-these-Movie-Critic-Critics http://www.scribd.com/doc/43829/Richard-Geres-Fatal-Kiss April 18, 2007 Richard Gere kisses an Indian woman on National TV ­ Indian Conservatives go crazy Conservative leaders in "conservative" societies are clinging on to whatever they can; control is  fading. In their futile attempt to keep things as they are (or as they were), those that lobby for a  conservative state are failing – they are desperately taking action to keep weak, dogmatic social  structures from changing.  The conventional "conservatism" the world has known for years has been drowning out and  s Thu, 03 May 2007 15:32:25 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/43829/Richard-Geres-Fatal-Kiss http://www.scribd.com/doc/43828/Youre-not-good-enough-Painful-and-Subjective "Either you have it, or you don't" "Leaders are born, not made" These two phrases are rotten to the core. They are defeatist, elitist and they reek of ignorance. It  demonstrates subjective opinion at its peak – in all its grandeur. Not only do phrases like these discourage people from ever even trying their best ­ they promote a  division amongst those with hidden talents and with unwavering potential. The fact that someone –  who might or might not be “better than you” – has the gall to point out Thu, 03 May 2007 15:30:59 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/43828/Youre-not-good-enough-Painful-and-Subjective http://www.scribd.com/doc/42291/Lucas-Short-Story Lucas hunched over his desk, and as soon as he did, he arched back, straightening out his spine. He was now holding his upper body in a completely straight pose, so straight in fact, that it was asking of him a serious effort, just to keep steady. As he struggled with his peculiar pose, he thought about how his back would never be as straight as one's back should be, and how his own was doomed to stay in its unnatural state, having been the truth long before he had ever noticed his so called “deformity”. The truth was that the curvature of his spine was as curvy as anyone's, yet Lucas was Tue, 01 May 2007 14:22:43 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/42291/Lucas-Short-Story http://www.scribd.com/doc/42282/Logical-Fallacies-Arguments-driven-by-emotion Logical Fallacies – Arguments driven by emotion An alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. A drug addict is addicted to drugs (obviously). Yet,  what do you call someone who’s addicted to argument? And what do you call someone  who’s addicted to relying on logical fallacies to prove arguments?  To answer the first question: You might call an addict to argument, an argumentative person.  However, a person that relies on logical fallacies is not only arguing – that person is  basically spewing out nonsense for the Tue, 01 May 2007 14:21:04 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/42282/Logical-Fallacies-Arguments-driven-by-emotion http://www.scribd.com/doc/42277/Kafkas-Dillemma Kafka's Dillemma Franz Kafka never bothered much to make his work known. At the time of his death, he  left instructions to his then lover, Dora Diamant, to destroy everything he had left to her.  Max Brod had received the same instruction at a certain point (he was his literary  executor), but had decided not to go ahead with the destruction of the manuscripts. Both  had previously spoken about it while Kafka was alive, and Brod had made it no secret  that he did not intend to carry out, what he consider Tue, 01 May 2007 14:16:24 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/42277/Kafkas-Dillemma http://www.scribd.com/doc/42275/Essay-on-Social-Commentary-and-Historical-Bias Social commentary – is something most wouldn’t expect to hear at the dinner table. People in general don’t bother with serious conversations – most of the time it’s the quack-quack-quacking of gossip one hears at home and in social circles. But there’s a new reality underway; one in which every day conversation will slowly converge from the superficial to the profound. Partly due to the increasing availability of higher education (tied in with a more conscientious society), the broader access to information and the current wave of open-mindedness that’s taken the world by storm i Tue, 01 May 2007 14:15:14 GMT http://www.scribd.com/doc/42275/Essay-on-Social-Commentary-and-Historical-Bias