I READ A BOOK AND WENT TO NEW YORK CITY

Salem St, Boston

I'm just finishing Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven. Besides being a fan of his previous works, I think it's commendable that he took the initiative to write about shocking Mormon fundamentalism that occurs in America's own backyard shortly after September 11, 2001, not to detract from the tragedy of that moment in time, but to draw attention to dangerous religious extremism that goes largely disregarded from American criticism that eagerly and arrogantly directs itself instead at foreign ways of life.

The hypocrisy of humans never ceases to both amaze and disgust me, and the book is convoluted with such disturbing aspects of polygamy, incest, rape, inbreeding and entitlement that I must admit I felt inclined to vomit. Add to that the delusional religious fanatics the world over who think they're having direct conversations with God and are his self-proclaimed prophets and you have yourself a book that masterfully encapsulates the dreariness that is human existence, in the same sense that his book, Into Thin Air reveals human cruelty and self-centeredness.

Spent my birthday in New York City. Little brother was also there for a bike expo taking place in Queens.

I was really just the clueless person who walked around looking at bicycles pretending to be intrigued.