Put the Camera Down

Last week, I found myself at the luxurious Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. I was having dinner with my wife at Enoteca San Marco, a restaurant co-owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. I couldn't help but notice the amount of Asians snapping pictures with their digital slrs. Some of you may be wondering why I am singling out one racial group. The reality is that this behavior is so annoying, and makes me ponder why Asians are so attracted to the over-documentation of life. It seems to permeate all aspects of their lives. Cameras are almost another appendage to them.

What is photography? At its most basic, it is the process of capturing and seizing the moment, through the lens of the camera. It is a way to document life, but at what point does the camera saturate and hinder the enjoyment, and appreciation of moments? My wife complains that I don't always photograph enough on vacation, and I will admit that.

At work, about 90 percent of those who illegally photograph the interiors of books are Asian. This is an undisputed fact. It is so brazen, obnoxious and devoid of respect. It could be that Asia has always been more technologically advanced, therefore, their exposure to technology is more heightened.

I was staring in bewilderment as a group of 20 Asian men and women were just clicking away, and it made me feel sad. I was sad that their appreciation of life could only be documented through the lens. Sometimes we need to step back and appreciate the moment for what it is, not over-document it until it is completely devalued.

Russian Revolution, Part II

Over the last couple of weeks, protests have appeared, en masse, in Vladivostok due to an economic crisis which is crippling Russia. Putin has formidable opposition from party leader Gennady Zyuganov and chess legend Gary Kasparov. Russia is experiencing the downside of capitalism which is high employment and inflation. Could this mean that revolution is not too far away?

The bottom line is that Russia was never ready for capitalism, and clearly, Putin has lost much of his momentum. He does not have answers, because the government does not know how to respond.

The current economic crisis in the U.S. will correct itself and markets will self-regulate. The Russian people are unfamiliar with free markets and laissez-faire economics. Communism offers them basic necessities, mainly a stable job and low-priced goods. I am not pro-communism and have always embraced free market capitalism, but I also understand when governments can no longer sustain an economic system with a broken infrastructure.