Erzulie: Seeing Red: September 2009

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Power

"'You know,' she said slowly, 'I like you Lin.'

She stared that green fire into me. I felt myself reddening slightly, not from embarrassment, but from shame, that she'd said so easily the very words, I like you, that I wouldn't let myself say to her.

'You do?' I asked, trying to make the question sound more casual than it was. I watched her lips close to a thin smile.

'Yes, you're a good listener. That's dangerous, because it's so hard to resist. Being listened to - really listened to - is the second-best thing in the world.'

'What's the first best thing?'

'Everybody knows that. The best thing in the world is power.'

'Oh is it?' I asked, laughing. 'What about sex?'

'No. Apart from the biology, sex is all about power. That's why it's such a rush.'

I laughed again.

'And what about love? A lot of people say that love is the best thing in the world, not power.'

'They're wrong,' she said with terse finality. 'Love is the opposite of power. That's why we fear it so much.'"

From my current read, Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts

MP3's...
Levitation - More than Ever People (zSHARE)
Prefuse 73 - Pagina Cinco (zSHARE)
Tom Jobim & Astrud Gilberto - Agua De Beber (zSHARE)
Nouvelle Vague - Dance with Me (zSHARE)
Burial & Four Tet - Moth (zSHARE)
The Millioners - Up to You (zSHARE)

at 8:30 AM 9 comments

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Phat vs. Fat Cars

I am not a car person. I don't know any numerical classification a la XJ15 or 6.00 XS. Recently, I struck up a conversation with a car aficionado and my argument was the following: "Why is it called horse power? Horses don't have the same running power so to speak, so why use that as a measurement? If they're going to use horse power, they should say 'It's about 6 horses.' That would make more sense because the unit i.e. the number of horses, simply cannot pertain to a specific number." The conversation wasn't long because the other party sensed that I didn't have a clue about the topic's history (although I'm sticking to my guns here; I think my point does make sense theoretically speaking!).

Anyhow, but that's not the issue I want to tackle here. I do know miscellaneous facts about cars. I know most of the brands. But the thing that I really love about them is their beauty. That's why I was offended when I saw Toyota's new Land Cruiser and Jaguar. Both have become obese, bloated and disgusting versions of their previous self. Personally, I love Land Cruisers. Whenever I'm behind the wheel of one, I feel like I'm riding a large, safe cow (don't ask why, it just feels nice and secure). And the best part is that it does not lose it's market value. Jaguars, well, that's more of a fetish than a personal admiration. And don't get me started on old muscle cars.

Why? They remind me "Fast Food Nation." Why is everything getting bigger, bulkier and no where near being refined and classy? What is this? Is this what they call innovation? They're ruining the design! I heard about car purists. Are there any car curists? I'm mad.

This is how Land Cruiser looked like.