Watched “9/11 Fahrenheit” and “control room”. Both are recommended.

”

THERE is a word
Which bears a sword
Can pierce an armed man.
It hurls its barbed syllables,—
At once is mute again.	5
But where it fell
The saved will tell
On patriotic day,
Some epauletted brother
Gave his breath away.	10
Wherever runs the breathless sun,
Wherever roams the day,
There is its noiseless onset,
There is its victory!
Behold the keenest marksman!	15
The most accomplished shot!
Time’s sublimest target
Is a soul “forgot”!

“

(E.D.)

This was supposed to be out two weeks ago. I sent a link to this to Emir.

Hi,

My name is Dody and I was the one that introduced the concept of blogging to the broader Aiesec community back in 2002.

I'm writing this in response to some concerns being raised by several talented webloggers at aiesec.ws (FYI, ws = western Samoa).

The success of the community (having grown from a couple of pioneering weblogs (Dig's, Adam's, Sarah's, Steph's, Kristie Ko's and others who will hate me for forgetting to mention them) to whatever it is now) is a credit to mostly others and the Achilles heels mine alone. These words are not cliché as I will explain it to you further.

In late winter 2002, the weblog concept is barely about 3 years old and still at its infancy. It was still a cutting-edge thing to do. Many of the weblog sites you see now barely existed back then. I had been experimenting with blogging for about 15 months (on and off) after purchasing a software called Manila (a great blogging software capable doing other stuff as well), in late 2000, for 299 bucks. The price of a pack of Cigarette in New York City nowadays. What a great deal.

I tinkered and messed around with Manila and use the software in starting the World Discovery program. The year was 2000 and Florida hadn't fumbled on voting. And I had my first weblog, in an outside server. Time passed by and my thick skull didn't realize the potential of having a weblog community for a global, diverse and young organization like Aiesec. What a dumbass. Then 9/11 happened. I was in Indonesia at the time. I created http://911.aiesec.ws as a clearing house in covering the outpouring support and reaction from Aiesecer's around the world.

My friend, that is the first weblog on aiesec.ws. 911.aiesec.ws, created on September 11, 2001.

It took a tragedy of that magnitude to force me understand the value of having a weblog communities inside Aiesec. It took several months more before I managed to persuade several people to start a weblog. 2002, Bush barely in office for 2 months, late winter and I was back in New York Office. The pioneering weblogs started appearing. What took me 15 months to realize, took them an instant to understand. The buzz started spreading, and more people signed up. There were some apprehension within the office of what weblogs will bring to Aiesec (Branding, legal, image, a laundry list of real concern), but to their credit, everybody took the leap of faith and said "go for it". da Queen boss, Suzanne, gave full support.

And things were out of my hand now.

The pioneers took over, gave ideas, and play with the concept. They championed it, blogged it and evangelized it. This was still 2002, Spring time.

We formally introduced and encouraged Aiesec US members, alumni and trainees to start blogging in the Aiesec Summer Conference in Dallas, 2002 (and Aiesec US pushed it in IC 2002 in Switzerland). It's official baby. All the way. Aiesec was among the first organization to openly encourage its members in the US and around the world to blog openly (paid by Aiesec US).

That was cool and innovative at the same time. Some people took notice.

August 2002.

"Dody Gunawinata has set up a Manila/Radio community for his organization: AIESEC. Nice. (John Robb) - COO of Userland at the time.

“This also brings up another note I saw recently from Dody Gunawinata. He is running a K-Logging vertical community for AIESEC (an organization of 50,000 members devoted to cultural exchange through global internships). He is using a mix of Manila hosted sites -- and -- Radio sites published from the desktop. This allows people to select the type of tool they feel most comfortable with. You can see his community here:

http://www.aiesec.ws/  (K-Logs community)“

“Why is this important to AIESEC?..““(Phill Woffs - Aiesec Alumni and Weblog Community Thought leaders)

It spread like wildfire. And the rest is history.

It's time to die.

Coulda, shouda, wouda. The decision I made back in 2002 has become the Achilles heels of the community right now. The software I chose to become the base to host aiesec.ws community is not scalable enough for the growth of the community. It has tons of virtues like being dirt cheap, easy to set up and packed with great feature. In 2002, it's the best blogging platform around (and in certain aspect, it's still is). But it cannot grow along with the growth of the community. This major shortsightedness is mine alone.

Aiesec weblog community success kills.

The more it grows, the more expensive and complicated it becomes for Aiesec US to maintain.

How do we solve this problem soon?

1. Pour more money into it (either by raising funds or having people to pay)

2. Get another weblog software.

3. Preparing eulogy for the concept of aiesec.ws as it is now. It lived, changed the Aiesec world and it's time to die. And let the Phoenix rises from the ashes.

Option one and two are straightforward (including sponsorship, advertising, co-payment, etc). I will elaborate on option three.

Phoenix Redemption.

Cat has similar idea in spirit.

Let's reinvent the concept of aiesec.ws

Flaws:

1. Aiesec.ws is a single point of failure.

2. The costs grow proportionately with the growth of the community.

Fact:

1. There are so many free and paid weblog hostings now.

2. They come with different feature, styles and target audience.

3. The community is the connection between Aiesec webloggers, not the address or the hosting or the software (although these has their own benefits).

Potential:

We can grow and maintain a vibrant Aiesec Weblog Community to the hundreds of thousands, sustainable over a decade or more, without incurring much cost. We can even more capable in connecting Alumni, Trainees, Membership, Families and Leadership of Aiesecers around the world.

How:

1. Change aiesec.ws from a weblog hosting service for Aiesec members to a weblog tracking service. This tracking service will track the updates of Aiesec members weblog (hosted in myriad of weblog service). So you go to aiesec.ws to see who's been updating, read highlights and check out new weblogs.

2. Add and maintain an automated and extensive list of Aiesec Community weblogs around the world (with multiple categories and search methods).

3. Become THE PLACE to advocate, promote and evangelize weblogs to more corners in the Aiesec network.

4. Become THE PLACE for Aiesecer's who wants to start a weblog (available in hundreds of weblog hosting sites) to learn and get help.

5. If needed, Aiesec can offer a web hosting service for specific purposes (record traineeship experience for 5 months, etc)

6. Help existing weblog content to migrate to another weblog system and redirect the current weblog address to point to a new one.

7. Promote free hosting buddies extensively on the site. Hosting buddies are Aiesecers (current or alumni) who are willing to host some weblogs for free.

Aiesec Weblog Community is Aiesec in public, open to the world, with its flaws, gritty details and greatness. Our voice loud and clear. Let them see our failings and glories as we are youth of the world. This is Aiesec, a bunch of die hard idealists insisting in changing the world for the better, impatiently waiting for this world to blink first. "Never say die" flows in our veins, in multiple languages, in every single living continent on Earth. We smashed that Aiesec-behind-the-wall barrier two years ago. Now let's make sure it's not back up, ever again.

Save Aiesec Weblogs.

”I have been in contact with people that have created the Aiesec weblog tradition as well as other people that host free weblogs for users (as I think I might get myself one).
” (Emir)

except me :)

” In a surprise, secret ceremony that was hastily convened to decrease the chances of more violence, United States officials today handed over sovereignty to Iraqi leaders, formally ending the American occupation two days earlier than scheduled.”

(NYTimes)

saw her 5 days out of last week.
awfully lot for I wasn't in her plan.
or was I.
or we just couldn't swim away of this vortex.

http://blogs.borland.com

Jimanda is in town right now and I'm going to see them soon. Nice.

(update: nope. didn't happen. bummer)

It's today.

What a summer, an intoxicating cocktails of pain, joy, happiness and plain frustation.

And I do feel worn down a bit, of all the activities demanded of me; while I'm searching for a safe house with a door that will open. I still have quite a vast repository of strength I can tap into from time to time, although I wonder if it can get replenished in time.

It downs on me that it's not easy being young, trying to build a future that you can be proud of when are you old. That's why we are blessed with youthful energy, body and ideas. That's just the price of entry.

I found myself from time to time feeling envious for what my other friends have build for themselves, safe careers and a nest of comfortable life. Not the kind of life I would happy to be in, but I would bet  theirs are less chaotic and messy than mine. But off course the don't get to be an Empire Builder.

Two friends wondered yesterday about why I write a weblog, sharing stream of conciousness out in the open, unedited and uncensored.

Well, I do it to save keep my own sanity, trying to make sense my own reality.  Others have their loved ones to keep them straight, I have none immediately reachable. Others uses booze and drugs to fight their demons, I don't have such luxury. I rely on words to keep me company. Such a crazy notion, but then again, I left the comfort of home since I was 13 and ever since I've tried to rebuilt my home whenever fate takes me (4 continents so far)

This is also how I keep in touch with friends around the world that I will never have enough time to interact with, succumbing to the tirany of geography and ticking clock. And each of my friend will take something different from what I write here, personalized through the bond we have created. I'm sending loves in bytes and its realized through the imagination of beautiful minds. Thank you.

and i'm still searching for something interesting to write.

found one

“lei deve pretendere di vivere un mondo migliore,  non sia contente di sopravivere” (La Finestra di Fronte- movie)

“you must demand living in a better world, don't be content to merely survive”

A friend and I had a conversation the other day and she told me she knew who I am. She started writing a list of all the nouns to describe who I am and gave it to me. A gift of friendship, she said. It is very interesting to see yourself from the eyes of others.

• Thinker.
• Chef.
• Traveller.
• Clown
• Writer.
• Poet.
• Musician.
• Lover.
• Friend.
• Photographer.
• Philosopher.
• Businessman.
• Programmer.
• Designer.
• Builder.
• Nurse.
• Runner.
• Swimmer.
• Cyclist.
• Linguist.
• Leader.
• Innovator.
• Teacher.
• Mentor.
• Student.
• Fool.

Early rise. Coffee in the office. Muffin's from the Green Monster.

Work until the peak of day.

Long slow lunch, on the beach, amongst the rocks, flowing conversation.

Came back, went to class one, of economic class. Henry George. What a thinker.

Returned to the nest, saying goodbyes to my Arab League. One's back to New York, the other to his new home.

And the story is still being written.

“
all those sounds. are just empty noises.waking up my quiet.
all those explanations. are just hollow words. adding up my emptiness.
all those thoughts. are just confusions. stirring my peace.

one thousand faces and all I need is one. places abounds and I still can't find mine.

I am hungry in the feast of the century.“

This will be a short review.

1. Final Justice (W.E.B Griffin)
This is an awesome police story book. A must read for the fan of the genre.

2. Exit Wounds (J.A. Jance)
So so crime story.

3. Ties that Bind (Phillip Margolin)
Creative twists and interesting plot. Read.

4. Civil Wars: A battle for Gay Marriage (David Moats)
Get the street level story behind the Vermont breaktrhough civil union legislation for gay couple.

5.Sojourner: An Insider's view of the Mars Pathfinder Mission (Andrew Mishkin)
I supposed this can be a great story to tell, but I found the details boring.

I have my ramblings on www.aiesec.ws soon up here.

Yasser from Alexandria of Egypt and Nissrin are here staying with me for a couple of days. Never imagine I am involved with Salaam program again this way.

Today, the Rainbow House is hosting two people for the next couple of days. Welcome.

”Its a damn shame that AIESEC United States have decided to limit new blogs on the AIESEC.ws stystem to US members and trainees. One one hand, I can understand - if by lowering the amount of blogs they can make the system more stable and acessible all day round (important when you have people reading and writing from all around the world in multiple time zones, not just US time) then this will be a good thing for the system. And because they are the ones paying for it, its only fair that it should be US members/trainees given priority. “ (Tom)

The house I (not singlehandedly mind you) built is apparently under fire. It doesn't have to end this way. More later (I know one bit or two about weblog communities).

If you are interested in trying a pasta diet, two words for you : do it.

A phone message with a name and “I need help” request. I couldn't dechiper the name.

5 tries and I finally got the number. It's double 0hs, not eight ohs.

Called, a voice I can't recognize. Still I couldn't really hear the name. Then she said Miami-Ohio, and my neurons make the connection.

Nisrin is coming to Chicago to do reception for an incoming trainee arriving tomorrow. And they need an urgent place to stay.

I know my imaginary girlfriend will object to this, but I said yes.

So for the rest of the week, I will have  two people crashing on my nice two couches.

”Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you” (Dylan)

Having left home when I was 13 year old, there's very few things that I can do directly to help my parents out. Well that opportunity just come out last night. It's a hard task but it's worth every single sweat and blood I'll be putting to make it a reality.

Payback time. The good one.

A new Irish phrase stuck in my mind.

Sorry, I did some experiment last night and it brought this site down. I was trying w.bloggar for posting and it's creating 01-01-01entry.xml which totally freak dasblog out.

”Decades worth of detailed, accumulated geographical information is now available to front-line special operations troops in a concentrated, portable, easy-to-use laptop package created by the University of Southern California.
” (ISI)

Here's a peek what I'll be doing this summer.

1. Attending Henry George School of Social Science (starts 6/18)
2. Hanging out with folks at Diamond Way Buddhist Center (met Juan from the center at a meetup last week) on some Mondays.
3. Taking my Arabic Classes in at least once every two weeks.
4. 40 miles and 400 laps a week.
5. Doing Sidewalk Sessions, my duo project with Jose, playing guitars and singing on the street of Chicago.
6. Work like a dog.
7. Helping the LakeViewPantry with cooking. Making consideration for starting Dody's Kitchen.
8. Attending at least one of Common Ground  lecture.
9. Do two more visit to the Museum of Art.
10. Going to 3rd Annual Chicago Palestine Film Festival. See “Writers on the Borders : a Journey to Palestine + Visit Iraq + Samir Abdallah“ this Sunday (6/13).
11. Check out  Instituto Cervantes Chicago
12. Hang out at the Illinois Humanities Council
13. Check out the movies at Facets Multimedia, especially “2nd Annual African Diaspora Film Festival“ (6/11 - 6/17)
14. Check out DuSable Museum of African American History.
15. 6/26/04
    12:15pm - 1:00pm
    Chicago
    Chicago Taiko Legacy
16. Hang out at the Newberry Library
17. Check out Well Street Art Festival (6/11-6/12) . Done. Photos.
18. Check out Chicago Blues Festival (6/11 - 6/12)
19. Check out Lincoln Park Festival (6/19 - 6/20)
20. Join Public Square's Cafe Society.
21. Check out Taste of Chicago (June 25 - July 24)
22. Take one class at The Wodden Spoon.
23. Teach Vipassanna meditation to a friend.
24. Apply to WoodSmyth's woodworking classses.
25. Chicago Summer Dance baby. (6/17 - Flamenco Rumba)
26. Do Kayak Chicago.
27. Get a bike.
28. Check out Rhythm
29. Finish “Defender of Islam ..“

Ken Hoskin got engaged last week.

Deven Patodia just got engaged within the last 12 hours.

Congratulations for both of you. Two more competitors out of market, nice :)

The cooler part of the geek culture is having their convention in Chi-Town this weekend. AIA Convention is on baby. (AIA = American Institutes of Architects)

“if this works i owe dody my life...

... otherwise, he's kicked to the curb.

“(Jackie)

My gossip source from New York is finally blogging again.

”chirac was quoted in todays guardian:
'democracy is a culture, not a formula'  in the sense that it can't be applied evenly or sucessfully to just any country or culture.  i'd agree.  in my opinion, democracy doesn't work well in cultures with a recent history of religious obediecne (ie. catholic countries). it works best in countries that have a cultural, social and religious background of individualism and freedom of choice.
if tried, would democracy work in china tomorrow?
iraq?  “ (Sarah)

Having lived under virtual dictatorship for 13 years and be part of a student movement to topple the longest ruler in Asia, I couldn't disagree more.

Democracy on its essence simply means citizen's participation in governing. It's a very simple concept, easy to learn but hard to master. If you check various culture and ethnic traditions, you will find many forms of consultative local governance to solve various issues in the local community. Collaborative governing and the instict to assemble are part of our genes.

We all want to have a say.

Democracy doesn't require the change in the culture. What it does requires is the acclimitazation in the rule set of democracy. There is a learning curve to live and prosper under it.

The $60 question lies what kind of democracy are you going to get? You have a spectrum of choices from Liberal Democracy to Illiberal Democracy.

So yes, Iraq can learn to live under democracy. So does China.

Now Democracy doesn't mean you're gonna get good governance (like the current administration)

There are those days when you don't feel like working. Not today. All gears are up and go baby.

”Here's a little secret. You always have a choice in what to feel. You cannot control the initial emotional impulses because those impulses happen to you, but you do have a total control in the duration and the impact of those emotions.”  read more

“''The third is called 'open presence.' It is a state of being acutely aware of whatever thought, emotion or sensation is present, without reacting to it. They describe it as pure awareness.'' read more

“Hope is a dangerous thing” .. read more

”In this series, I am introducing four stereotypes to help us understand the roles of Islam in these conflicts.

Pacifier: Islam assumes the role of the guardian of peace, ....“

“This is a series of essay examining the role of Islam in violent conflicts around the world. Is Islam the aggressor? Does it play similar roles in one conflict to another? Has it ever became a peacemaker? Has it been hijacked by the minorities of its followers? What is the nature of its involvement in these conflicts? Is there any fundamental concept in Islam that at this point bring it to the forefront of struggle in creating world peace?

In an attempt to shed lights to these questions (and various unearthed others), let's our mind  travel around the world, visiting the place of pain and suffering in recent memory, dig the ghosts of traumatic past and present, and force ourselve to confront our bias and perception about Islam. We shall find some of our fears confirmed, some of our biases proven, and our theories asserted. On the other hand, I have no doubt we will find surprises along the way, as we dive into the murky and strange concepts and ideas that we can learn and benefits from, have our beliefs proven wrong and deepen our appreciation about the complexity and nature of global conflicts.“ 

coming soon..

”you are too poetic, a dark and tormented soul”  (from a friend)

The medicine Venus gave me starts to wear out. I will have to brace for the night and see what tomorrow brings.

Dear Dody,

Hear the buzz before the book. Bill Clinton's speech before a packed house at this
year's BookExpo America is now available at http://www.audible.com/emails/billclinton/  

Download it now at no charge, and keep checking our home page for the imminent 
release of Mr. Clinton's mammoth memoir. (We'll have it for you as soon as it is 
available.)

You may also share this e-mail with your friends. Let them know that Audible 
is allowing everyone to download the speech at no charge.

Sincerely,

The Audible Team

Remember the drama I had with a girl I'm crazy about whose  deeply infatuated with my best friend. Ah, the trouble of being accidently in love.

Well, he didn't know. So I told him. And I told her I told him. I wish both of them good luck.

Just because I am sad, it doesn't mean other people cannot have a shot at being happy. One thing I am not is petty.

This might sound stupid, but I've thought this through and I'm glad I made it. It sets me free. My attachment to her has caged me for almost a week, questioning things over and over again, and ack! start doubting myself. My ship is tied to a stuck anchor while the storm is brewing on the horizon. I must cut it off. And now I'm on full sail again.

It's not “if you love her, set her free“, instead it's “if you love your life, set yourself free“.

We would have been great together (she's a great gal; a perfect-imperfection girl if such person exists) and I'm rarely wrong about this. Sorry babe, you had a key to the Room of Kings, and decided to turn away instead. This time all that glitter is indeed gold.

Subject: Email from SilverKey.Us
Name : sarah cary kate larsen

MAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONvMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONvMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDONMAKE DODY COME TO LONDON

Well Digs,

It's a let go, move on, take the train trip ending. Another dead cold bitter end. Next time do me a favour, hold me back from falling for someone so bad. It's probably time for a travel season again.

”it is always hard to put your guard down, even around friends you spend a great deal of time with.  i am sure she appreciated your care and friendship more then ever yesterday.  you honored her with your compassion and attention....and she has stained you with her blood.  : )  it is now a blood oath of friendship that binds you!”

I spent the whole day caring for a friend yesterday, doing post operative (dental)  care, converting my bedroom to an instant clinic (yup, including puke basket), cutting pills, cooking 'sick' meal, getting medicine, cleaning and feeding. I had the 'patient' for twelve hours.

Other friends that come to visit later on managed to tack a new nickname for me, Florence (from the famous female nurse Florence Nightingale) for being a nurse for the day. Lucky me.

I enjoyed it although it was hard work. I did three years work as a carer for a disabled pensioner back when I was in Australia and I think I'll be a good doctor if I somehow choose to go to Medical School (unlikely)