Ben Taylor

In order, it went: HS dropout, Portland CC, Austin CC, UT Austin, Reed College, Oxford University, Reed College, Fordham for an MA, Harvard for my second MA.

Teacher, stockbroker, banker, student, consultant

ACLU, CBPP, CDT, CRP, Common Cause, NASD, USCF, Michael Moore's Militia

Poltics, philosophy, especially pol phil and ethics, acquiring languages, social justice, sustainable development, concepts of freedom, international travel, baseball, basketball, football, thai food, lifting weights, chess, music, and generally meeting really unique, cool people.

The Grapes of Wrath, Travels with Charley in Search of America, Mice and Men, Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions, Dune, No Logo, The Critique of Pure Reason (not kidding) Foundations of a Metaphysic of Morals, On Liberty (mill) Downsize This!

Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, American Beauty, 28 Days Later, Dolemite, Shaft, Shaft in Africa, Cecil B. Demented, every Austin Powers movie, Matrix (all 3), Sex and Lucia, Monty Python (all), Kevin Smith (all), Old School

Underworld, Orbital, Massive Attack, The Offspring, Talvin Singh, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, Jimmy Eat World, old school rock, Wheatus, Van Morrison, Simon and Garfunkel, Nena, Murray Head (one night in Bangkok = RAD!), old school Metalica, Bach, Vivaldi, Andean folk, and much more.

Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill, Da Ali G Show, TV Nation, Kids in the Hall, SNL (old school, when it was funny), Thunder Cats, Transformers, Highlander, and lots of news and educational stuff. Oh, and dating shows galore.

Leo

I used to be a real asshole. I like to think I am not now.

Once, I was really competitive, driven, and lacked self-confidence. These things happen.

These days, I'm glad to see wonderful people do wonderful things, and recognize that I am blessed by knowing so many sweet, fantastic people. I bask in their successes.

So, who am I? Most people think I am overhwelmingly intense, which I guess is true. I work extremely hard, all the time, and rarely rest. When I do, my legs are bouncing, and my mind is racing. Life, therefore, is almost always full and interesting.

In addition, I really like helping people, and love kindness. I despise selfishness, "me first" and violence. So, if you are a kind heart, I love you, if you are not, and you take from others, I more or less hate you. Those are my extremes.

I try to get away from being too extreme, to find more moderation these days. I'm getting better at it. Being in love with a wise woman helps!

I want to meet honest, caring people, who have the brains to succeed in what they do, understand the world, and have any idea what the fuck I am saying. I want to meet people who believe in things, and don't settle for the slow encircling death of suburban idiocy. I want to meet people who quest for their own vision in life, find that vision, and then go get it without fear or hesitation. I want, I suppose, interesting, kind-hearted people who squeeze every ounce they can out of this life.

Whether this kind of person is an acquaintance, a friend, or an interlocutor doesn't matter. I simply like this kind of person.