Philosophies, Science, Formalisms, Music and More

From Brazilian music to foreign film reviews, this site is filled with diverse topics and ideas. I have translated the works of my favorite Brazilian artists, and posted my amateur attempt at fiction writing.

There are plenty of English translations of my favorite artist: Jorge Ben Jor. Ben Jor, is the son of a Brazilian father and Abyssinian mother, who is also a world-famous guitarist and singer. The works of some other Brazilian artists I've translated and posted (some with sound streams) include: Seu Jorge, Chico Buarque, Vinicius De Moraes, Celso Fonseca, Luiz Melodia, Elis Regina, Djavan, Ed Motta and Simone. Brazilian music I believe is pointing the way to truly artistic expression in the 21st century. Yes, there will be more. First I've got to program some compression into the streams of this site to bring down the page load time.

My passion for mathematics and theoretical physics is evident in some essays I've written about infinity, time travel and mathematical linguistics.

Lastly, I am a Somali-American by birth as I was born in New York City and matured in Jersey City. My people and culture are still of paramount importance to me. It seems we have been in a malaise of later, but I have faith that we Somali, a branch of the Abyssinian family will recover.

Images of my People and Our Land
Lake Assal in Jibuti	Stunning Issa Woman in Tadjoura, Jibuti	Another Gorgeous Somali Woman	Amhara Abyssinians

Articles of General Interest
The comedian skeptic due Penn and Teller have released a documentary about how one man, Tim Jenison has discovered how the 17th century Dutch realistic painter, Johannes Vermeer may have created his famous The Music Lesson. I review it and the metaphysical questions it poses in this article	Tim's Vermeer	Two films in 2015 I review in this essay	The Revenant and The Hateful Eight	Some words are becoming archaic in modern English. I look at 4 such words in the following essay.	Dying English Words			Is it possible to travel backward in time? Well, for a dollar you can read a paper I wrote with a calculus treatment of of a portion of the special theory of relativity. Within, I show if we could exceed the speed of light, reverse time is possible.	Reverse Time Travel	This story written in diarist style is about an adulterous affair I had over 20 years ago. I've given fictional names to protect her even now, but the events are true. An example of how destructive, obsessive desire can be.	An Affair		In this article we look at palindromic numbers that occur as a 12 hour clock proceeds through its cycles. There are 57 palindromic minutes in one cycle, but what if we start adding these palindromes together will new palindromes occur? This is what I'm studying now. There is an downloadable excel contained within to help anyone interested in further analysis.	Palindromes on the 12 Hour Clock	The Maritian, I'm reviewing it and haven't even seen it yet. Find out why here	The Martian: My Pre-review	Have you ever wondered what is nothing? Just what does that word meaning? Is there some strange way that Nothing exists? This is what the following article is about.	What is Nothing?	The song, Esfera (Sphere) is a mesmerizing look at loneliness and love from the point of Rosy Aragao. She is an English instructor in Brazil or so I am told. So, I just had to put this 7 minute song into English. The song hynoptizes me with reflection	Esfera	How are chance and accident related? Have you ever thought about what chance is? Well surely it's a random event. But have you ever wondered if when an accident occurs it too is a chance event? In the essay below I make the point that one is existential, and the other is contrived.	The Difference Between Chance and Accident	TV drug advertisements drive us crazy right? Here is my take on this form of irritation.	TV Drug Commercials	It is true when you watch a football game you really do only see 11 minutes of actual game play. Sorry I didn't get this written during the 2015-2016 season. Have look at my timed study.	Football Games And Commercials

							Voting in America is a topic that has been a bone contention with friends of my mine. I have never voted and don't ever intend to. In this article I explain why.	The Biggest Sham in America: Voting	What is the difference between Inductive and Deductive Logic? In this review of the fields, I compare the two and use a fictitious example to illustrate the difference.	Inductive Logical Method	It is a popular idea that all we do and make is limited and finite. We know we will die and our relatives too. But in this essay I try to look at from a different perspective. What if we can be infinite as a species?	Are We Finite?	Goedel Numbering is the basis for Kurt Goedel's famous Incompleteness Theorem. In this article I explain it and explore its implications. Goedel Numbering	O Rei Chegou Viva O Rei	The King Came Long Live The King	This song is Jorge Ben's tribute monarchy, I guess. It describes the kind of ruler you'd find in 18th Century Europe, but the chanting, melodic development, and driving beat takes you in when you listen, though the lyrics are shallow platitudes.	Onde Anda O Meu Amor	Where are you going Darling	A song by Jorge Ben that keeps me remembering my affair with the woman I describe below. Early 1960's love ballad and Ben at his best!	The Coen Brothers have made so many good films. This one is called Burn After Reading. It's a comedy and boy what a good laugh it is. I of course relate it to mathematics.	Burn After Reading	Is Prayer Just Hope? Is it different from hoping? This what this next article in the Existentialism series looks at	What is Prayer

Hector Hugh Munro was a 19th Century Burmese-born British writer with the pen name Saki. He wrote many spell-binding short stories. The Interlopers is the first I'll review. There are many more to come. Here is my take on a story of men in deadly conflict that find their biggest enemy is not themselves but well... something else.

The Interlopers

Another in my continuing series of articles about contrived human conceptions. This time we examine Beauty, the idea and the perception.

What Is Beauty

When we send messages over computer networks today, we are using encryption to protect what is within them. When we want to know that the source of messages received are authentically from the person we believe is sending them, again we use encryption. RSA is one method to this. It comes from cryptography mathematics which is part of set theory and here is simplified description of it.

RSA Algorithm

Intuitionism is a form of Logic that the Dutch mathematician Luitzen Brouwer helped to create. It is a direct repudiation of the older Truth-Functional system of Logic. Its implications are far-reaching as I examine in the article below

Intuitionism, Brouwer and Gӧdel

Television advertising is turning us into consumer machines. I look at Jeopardy, the quiz to see how it's just a device to make us buy things.

Jeopardy An Advertiser's Paradise

Nicknames or aliases are used all the time.In this essay we look at them and new English words I've invented, three to be exact.

Nicknames and New Words

Do you like your given name? I don't. What if we could choose our names at some point after we were born. Until then, what if we had a temporary name? I think this system could work in any culture. See why.

Self Naming

Sampling Music Debate Is music sampling plagiarism? I don't think so, see why.

The Black Cloud A real science fiction novel that will have you entranced. Written in 1958 by the famous British cosmologist Sir Fred Hoyle, it's about alien visitation to Earth

Led Zeppelin, Reverse Lyrics and Meaning

Existentialism, Led Zeppelin and Reversed Lyrics Back in the early 1980's some Christian fundamentalists tried to convince the American public that the famous rock song Stairway To Heaven had satanic messages embedded if played in reverse. This is a great field to explore how we again see meaning in our world where there is none.

Infinite Life What if as we aged our real age from say 25 only grew by half-lives of the that age in an infinite diminishing convergent series? One way to live forever for sure.

Avatar James Cameron's Avatar is not worth its ticket price. Avatar: A 3-D rip-off

Does Perfection Exist? A short article about the concept of Perfection

Turing Test and AI Alan Turing Does the Turing Test really measure if a computer is conscious? In this article, which I wrote over 10 years ago, the issue is thoroughly examined.

Is Web Piracy Out of Control? Web Piracy is everywhere on the Net and I've made a brief study of it. Here are my results.

Jorge Ben Jor creates a searing hot narrative about the power of a Black slave woman in 18th century colonial Brazil: Xica Da Silva, theme song to the movie of the same name. Xica Da Silva

Ze do Caroco (Joe Pit) is a song about man a trapped in the "favela" or slums. It's poignant to the max, and makes you sway to the plaintive tone. She speaks of a new leader arising in the slums. Like a new paragon, or anointed hero. I believe Ana Carolina put so much passion into her vocalization of this poetic song. I have read on some Internet pages what I consider an inaccurate English translation of this song. Some seem to have been done by automated programs. It seems strange in the century that machines can output what we do naturally. Well, here is mine: Ze do Caroco She has an accompanying vocalist, whom I don't recognize, who takes the song to a new height. See this is why Brazil is more than soccer!

Jorge Ben sings about a man who wants to be a star. Or better put a Superstar. O Astro (Superstar)

One of Ben Jor's most melodic works. A Minha Teimosa uma Arma Pra Te Conquistar.My Plan To Win You Over Celso Fonseca is a Brazilian artist with a Bossa Nova style and being a Carioca he knows it. The song in English means The Night is my Opium. A Noite Meu Opio Celso Fonseca A Noite Meu Opio

A song by Jorge Vercilo, based on the Spider-Man comic book character. Homem Arranha (Spider-Man, The Song) Spider-Man Jorge Vercilo Inclination (Queda) Another one by Fonseca. This time a song about adultery or the temptation to commit it. This is something I know about personally.

De Jesus de Praga Jorge Ben Jor shows his Catholicism again with this song about the amazing boy Jesus in Prague. I like this song for his pure beauty of melody and style.

Ed Motta is to my mind the direction that Brazilian-American-Afro music should take. This guy has African-Americans down so pat, you can't help but love him Fora da Lei (Outside the Law)

What Is Belief An article about the philosophic idea of Belief. I explore the topic from the perspective of science and philosophy. myself 1999

Um Homem Solitario Skank is a rock group in Brazil that has made a song that speaks to my Existentialist philosophy. I love the sardonic tone of this song, even its American-influence rock thematic structure. Check out the translation.

Language and Infinity Is language construction infinite? Can we form an infinite real world sentence? Steven Pinker, the author of The Language Instinct believes we can. I believe this idea is wrong, and explain why in this article.

Translation of Barbarella A song from the cult classic Barbarella, starring Ann-Margaret in the late 70s, what Ben Jor does with is beyond description

L'Enfant (The Child) is a film by Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne that will tear at your parental instincts. L'Enfant

The Wrong Man A film by Alfred Hitchcock. Henry Fonda plays the mild-mannered musician who becomes the subject of a police investigation into a recent bank robbery.

Unique Infinity Is there a unique infinity? This article looks at infinity from a different perspective.

Afro Blue A John Coltrane Classic

John Coltrane

A Review of John Searle's Chinese Room Argument John Searle's Chinese Room Argument

The 4th Spatial Dimension Is there a 4th spatial dimension? If so, are there living beings within it? This unfinished work looks at that question.

Sub-Normal translation A song by Luiz Melodia

Sao Liebowitz translation Jorge Ben's song based on the book The Canticle of Saint Liebowitz. A chilling work about the aftermath of nuclear war

Elements of film making Short review of how films are made.

Typical Dreams Dreams are strange night stories we fashion for ourselves.

Justice in America is a strange mixture of theater and ritualized procedure. Flawed Jurisprudence

Carolina's Dream How we can voice our opinions on radio talks with the help of set theory. Radio Programs, Sets and the Individual

Two more English words that have been used in a context for which they were not intended. The English words High and Low

Pseudo Scientists Scientists with a religious agenda

On the Day I Went Away-No Dia Que Eu Vim Embora A poignant work, sung by the late beautiful Brazilian singer Elis Regina. She led a tragic life that parallels this song. Tolstoy, Kafka, Life and Death, and English Idiom In The Penal Colony is another of Kakfa's grotesque stories. A prison colony that enforces its will through a deadly mechanical instrument. In The Penal Colony Lies Cynicism and Suspicion What do the words: Lies, Cynicism and Suspicion really mean? Matrix Revolutions has more action than a prize fight, the corniest dialogue you could ever imagine and some more amateur metaphysics screenwriting. Matrix Revolutions Why do we fear dying so much? As we approach our mortality there is a disturbing state of mind that steadily possesses us. It was termed by one of my favorite philosophers, Jean-Paul Sartre, Being-toward-death. Jean Paul Satre Matters of Life and Death Self-Deception is an idea that Jean-Paul Sartre examined. Aren't we deceiving ourselves all the time? Another in my series of articles about Existentialism. Jean Paul Satre Self-deception and Sartre There is one phrase in English that has troubled me for some time now: the last thing. A Phrase most irritating: The Last Thing One of Russia's many great novelists is Leo Tolstoy. His Master and Man is a novelette that in 73 pages will keep you reading every word. Leo Tolstoy Master and Man Franz Kafka was a brilliant Jewish writer that lived a very short life. Here is my take on two of his most famous works. I wonder why the The Castle has never been made into a movie? Kafka The Trial and The Castle compared Again Kafka befuddles and astounds us with this surreal story. Are we all before a law? Do we seek the Law? Before the Law Kafka at 40 years of age Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and The Death of Ivan Ilych The Death of Ivan Ilych and Anna Karenina Set Theory, Physics and Existentialism Georg Cantor, a 19th century mathematician that first extended our knowledge of infinity to include supra-infinity or better put Transfinity Numbers Larger Than Infinity? Cantor Is C, the Speed of Light changing? Joao Magueijo a cosmologist and a self-centered, egotistic, physicist seems to think so. Here is my review of his book. Joao Magueijo Faster than the speed of light Review of the philosophic school of Existentialism The Existential Concept How does our physical experience relate to the concept of Existentialism? Existentialism and our Bodies In 1986 physicists, John Barrow and Frank Tipler, wrote The Anthropic Cosmological Principle , in which they claim to prove no alien life exists in the Galaxy, and I must dissent. Alien Life in the Galaxy Personal Tragedies My mother died under tragic circumstances in 1997. I would like to remember and pay tribute to her here. First, an account the event and its aftermath. The needless suffering, my family and I experienced as a result of the negligent incompetence of a few doctors is immeasurable. I would like the entire Internet community to know this, and rightfully beware. Second, I pay homage to her in poetry (see the poem entitled 'Is It Like' below). Most of all, in future additions to this site, I hope to give expression to the meaning of her long life for me. It is painful to remember those last weeks and commit them to words, but it is as necessary to do, as is my own demise. Losing My Mother Is It Like A poem that alludes to her death and is a tribute her. In 1983, my father died at 84 years of age. Unlike my mother's demise, his was expected. Yet, it was no less painful for myself and family. I wrote a short account of his last moments a few days after he died. It is written just as I witnessed the events. I am not as bitter about Dad's death, though he too was the victim of a callous physician that cared very little for his health and welfare. But, Dad's death was natural and could not have been avoided. Now, so many years late, I have learned to accept and even fondly remember the event, as a evident of his stoic Somali nature. My Father's Death Film Reviews The Vanishing is a Dutch-French film which might disturb you The Vanishing Tzameti 13 is a thriller directed by Gela Babluani 13 Tzameti French director, Claude Chabrol's film L'Enfer is a tense study in madness L'Enfer The last Star Wars installment had great special effects, now didn't? Not much else, as we all expected Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Spanish director, Carlos Saura is famous for creating inventive films that challenge conventional notions of film making, much as David Lynch has been. El Jardin De Las Delicias (The Garden of Delights) For those interested in Saura's work, the film Cria is a good chance to see how he developed his filmmaking style Cria Review Spielberg's latest film is Catch Me If You Can . I liked it can you believe that? One set of thumbs up for the Berg. Catch Me If You Can David Lynch's new work, Mullholland Drive is in short: strange and incomprehensible by some estimates, but a typical Lynch film, to which I give a vote of yes. Mullholland Drive Review Tom Tykwer is a German director whose film Run Lola Run (German title is Lola Rennt) delivers a fresh, new directorial style. Lola Rennt Well Tom Tykwer strikes again. The Princess and the Warrior is one good flick, moviegoers! The Princess and the Warrior An obscure film entitled The Lightship, deserves a wider audience. Robert Duvall and Klaus Maria Brandauer give superb performances in this flick. The Lightship Matrix II is an improvement. I still can't believe anybody can take this film seriously on philosophic grounds. Matrix Reloaded Review Minority Report is proof positive that the Berg is declining. Will he ever give up the action blockbuster and return to serious cinema? Minority Report I gave this film a negative review back in 1999. Well, I didn't entirely torch it. It didn't have much cinematic or intellectual value, but it did have great special effects. Its biggest flaw was it took an area of human endeavor and trivialized it. The Matrix: The AI Uneducation AI Steven Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence epic is a failure. The Movie AI Est/Ouest is a film French director, Regis Wargnier. It's set in Stalinist Russia after WWII, and is a look at what happens to people in love under a repressive government. Est Ouest The Listeners by Walter De La Mare The Listeners the poem's verses Walter De La Mare Brazilian songs with Portuguese/English parallel translations Milton Nascimento sings about youth and the city: Credo(Creed) Milton Nascimento Credo Nascimento's song about the world as seen from a bedroom window. Milton Nascimento Paisagem Da Janela Seu Jorge is best known for his role in Cidade de Deus as Knock-out Ned. His thick baritone voice is unmistakable and a real turn-on to women. Translation of the Eternal Search Chega no Suingue (Coming to Swing, English Translation) Seu Jorge is a political artist too. He sings about 'partying' with a socio-political edge though. Jorge Ben Jor's song about of all things, Alchemy. Translation of Os Alquimistas Estao Chegando Jorge Vercilo is a young Brazilian singer with a velvet voice. Could he be the next Jorge Ben Jor? His Que Nem Mare is emblematic of his style and voice. Translation of Que Nem Mare To hear any of the songs I've translated here check out MPB 93.3. It's a great station for pure Brazilian music with no English songs or groups and that's a blessing considering how many Net stations from Brazil cater specifically to English-speaking listeners. This sycophancy to English culture sickens me. MPB FM 93.3 Brazilian radio station Procissao (Procession) by Gil Gilberto is a song with a message undoubtedly. Gil tells us about the dupe that Roman Catholic Christianity foists upon its faithful Minister of Culture for Brazil, Gilberto Gil in recent times Procissao Gilberto Gil in youth Jorge Ben in his 30's A song by Ben Jor that ribs those false upper class Brazilians that come out at Carnaval. Check out that airy choral background! Lalari Olala More Brazilian songs with Portuguese/English parallel translations another love song by Ben Jor Princesa e o Plebeu (The Princess and the Peasant) Jorge Ben sings the song of every young man longing for a girl. Carnaval de Amor (Carnival of Love) Jorge Ben Sings about extraterrestrial visitation Errare Humanum Est (translation) Chico Buarque's cool and sophisticated choral work about a time of repression in Brazil. Living Wheel (The English translation) Roda Viva (the mp3) Jorge Ben Jor sings about St. George and his invincibility. This song as with many of his works, has been sung by several artists in Brazil. Jorge de Capadocia Jorge Ben sings about St. Thomas Aquinas Assim Falou Santo Tomas de Aquino (English translation) Another song by Chico Buarque Chico Buarque in later years Translation Pedro Pedreiro A broken woman's lament sung by Simone Cofre de Seda (Silk Cashbox) Simone sings a song by Carlinhos Brown. Simone you make me wanna pray too! Translation Garoa Jorge Ben Jor sings of Rosa, his often cited sultry Brazilian temptress. A nightclub tune from the early 60's. The lyrics and melody are so strong it makes you want to jump and dance with the rose girl Rosa Menina Rosa English Translation of Rosa Menina Rosa Translation of Metamorfose Ambulante (Walking metamorphosis) from the film Cidade de Deus Translation of Aviao by Djavan And then there is Djavan. One of so many black Brazilian artists I can't stop listening to. When Djavan sings of not playing the pawn anymore, you're in a nightclub somewhere along the coast of the Atlantic ocean hearing the lapping waves and warm humid night air beyond. It is clear that Brazilian music is a major motif on this site, but I listen to and enjoy other musical styles. In fact, I listen to a wide variety of music, with the exception of rap and classical music. Though, even in these I've found one or two I can appreciate. Here is my eclectic selection of some musical genres NOT in the Brazilian idiom, that I like. The Brazilian Music Continues A samba dance from the 1960's by Jorge O O O O Nena, Nena Translation of Cebola Cortada (Cut Onion) Poetic song sung by Raimundo Fagner Na Rua, na Chuva, na Fazenda from Cidade de Deus In the Street, in the Rain, on the Farm Na rua na chuva na fazenda Jorge Ben sings of a country girl's love for a city man English translation of Jesualda Construcao A song with an Existential theme written and sung by Chico Buarque Jorge Ben Jor's 1970's black-consciousness song Negro e Lindo (English translation) Visit the Heteronym Homepage link below for a discussion of a strange class of words that are pronounced differently, spelled the same and have different meanings they are called heteronyms. The site contains of list of heteronyms and invites you to submit any you discover. Of course, they are all English heteronyms, though this kind of word formation occurs in other languages. Heteronym homepage copyright 2010 all rights reserved