Brick in the Blog Wall

Word gets around that I’m a blogger. Either that or I talk too much. Probably both. At a recent birthday festivus for the restofus, a gentleman who shares a first name with me struck up a conversation about blog reading. He started naming his favorites, each time expressing surprise that I as a self-proclaimed blogologist had never read any of his favorites. I was half-surprised as well, but shit – we all know the blog world is like a neverending bookstore, you’ve got all sorts of sections, so maybe lately I haven’t been browsing the Ancient Greece & Cooking section, but I’m definitely wandering around the store. At this same party, I finally met the man behind EggertOnline who also blogs, incidentally. He had some interesting things to tell me about having a comments section using flash. I might consider that, since Haloscan is so temperamental.

I like to keep everyone, including myself abreast (abreast, there’s a word that will increase my site hits) to reports released by UN Agencies. Since last week I’ve been browsing the UN Habitat report about the world’s cities. Here is a listing of the entire report, and here are my personal reflections:

– Guess you already knew, but there it is again: jobs moved from cities like NYC, Chicago, and Detroit moved to Mexico over the past decade. But they’ve now left Mexico as well and headed to China. Basically anyone anywhere who is psyched now about a new factory moving to their city, should enjoy it for the few years it’s there, because if they find cheaper conditions in Antarctica.. they’re off!

– Cities are becoming even more multicultural, with greater possibilities for communities to retain their ethnic/cultural identities, and city spaces that are exclusive to certain cultures. You might call them ghettos, but I see them as exciting places to experience other cultures, eat fun food, and shop at reasonable prices.

– Buenos Aries got screwed by the process known as de-industrialization. Guess everyone’s in the service industry from now on. May I take your order?

– With 60% of the world’s population living in cities by 2030, I guess it will be easier to get “away from it all”, just leave the city you live in and you should be all alone.

– City planners and politicians who allow their urban centers to quickly expand with no regard for infrastructure like sanitation, public transport, and green spaces, should be charged with crimes against humanity. (what.. too preachy?)

– By 2015, Lagos, Nigeria will be the third largest city on earth, with around a cool 24 million people. Note to self: definitely a good place to meet some new people.

– Lets not talk about Mexico City.

In case it’s not clear, I’d like to express my love for cities. If I can, I shall try to visit all the largest ones in the world before I’m through. I just worry about us city folk and our future.

There’s a good diagram of personal knowledge management that Mathemagenic posted, I think it’s nice. I can never make my own diagrams, but this one depicts what my blog life kind of looks like: a series of conversations, relations, and artifacts between me, some old friends, some new friends, and a whole lot of strangers. And lets not forget the occasional heckler to tell me to go fuck myself. Which is free advice, I guess.

My Bedroom/MusicroomWhat I have been able to do recently is throw new and old photos onto my photoblog, for your viewing pleasure today – my bedroom/musicroom.

Today’s Music: G.Love – THE HUSTLE (just arrived in the mail!)

Puerto Rican Style

I grew up in New Jersey, and I was a teenager in the days of all the TEAM USA Basketball hype. Perhaps some of you remember, it was when the US decided to send their professional NBA types, instead of those college guys who I guess were losing all the time to teams like Yugoslavia or something. I wasn’t excited at the idea, nor am I a big sports fan, but it was interesting back then… Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan representin the US, it was as it was called – a dream team. I guess.

But man oh man. Seems that since winning every match in Atlanta 96 and then again in Sidney 2000, the dream is dead. I watched this lame-ass effort last night, and I laughed my ass off, when I wasn’t being offended at the level of play by the Americans. Puerto Rica was superior in every way. And from what I hear, this US team lost their qualifier to Italy as well. How lame. And on the other hand, hooray for the rest of the world, no more one-country domination of that sport.

Recall elections seem to be the trend in the world this year. Chavez won his yesterday, and will therefore continue being president of Venezuela for the remainder of his term. I love populism and mass hysteria as much as the next guy, but I find it very annoying that officials are now elected for a fixed-year term, yet suddenly you can demand a recall election to get him/her out early. Sounds like politics is starting to resemble a trip to the local department store; you buy something, but then you don’t like it when you get home, and you return it. Bad metaphor? Well my point was to stress why so-called liberal-democracies are full of non-democratic quirks.

Being that I am such a fan of blogs from around the world, I noticed Jill’s post today about Chinese blogs. Which led me to an ex-pat in Asia’s blog that I’m now beginning to read. (And I’m glad its written in English, I’ve got no Chinese characters on my windowsxp setup) Its an especially good for its blogroll, including all kinds from Hong Kong as well as “plain old China.”

Today’s Music: Franz Ferdinand (everyones listening to it I guess)

Presenting Big Daddy J

Good people of the blogosphere, first time visitors, loyalists, friends, Romans.. I give you the guest blogger for the next two weeks: My brother (I mean that both literally and in the “ma brotha” sort of way as well)- Big Daddy J

What can I say about this individual, besides coming from a fabulous family, he’s a professional in the Social Work field within the education system in the city of our birth(s). He’s skilled in the realm of computer games, a connoisseur of adult-swim cartoons, and a bit of a legend in the central Jersey bowling world. He’s tri-lingual and bi-pedal (two-leg walker). He and his wife recently had a son, my nephew, who’s now over two months old. The rest, well, is up to him to share. I simply wanted to properly introduce this guestblogger who will begin blogging on Wednesday. (commence standing-at-your-computer ovation)

If you check my site-stats, you’ll find my blog has gotten big in China. I’m very excited about that, I recently sent my personal envoy “Ed” to Beijing. I don’t suppose he’s spreading the word about blogging, but apparently –as Leonard and the Asia Times have been talking about – blogging in general is growing in China. While I’ve yet to experience it for myself, I think regardless of the thousands of “web police” the Chinese government has, webloggers will find a way. Much like an old dam trying to hold back a swelling river, they will eventually prove too many for the “censors.” The same happened with capitalism and globalization; despite the rhetoric of the governing party, they have allowed an incredible amount of “capitalism” into China, and seemingly – will continue to do so. I’m not saying its a good thing, just inevitable. And hey, I appreciate all those Chinese readers out there — welcome! Feel free to comment and join the often-heated debates.

The UNDP’s (United Nations development Program) 2004 Human development Report came out and according to the report, in terms of quality of life… Or as they put it

“A composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development?a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living.”

The Netherlands is number 5 on that list! Just a little reminder of why I chose to move here. I wasn’t so shocked to see Norway as number 1, followed by Sweden, Australia, and Canada – also places I’d consider moving too. The US was 8th, Uk 12th, and just to give you an idea Sierra Leone and Niger were at the bottom. No offense to them. I should add, I would enjoy visiting those countries. I recommend browsing around the report because it’s loaded with good info.

I added Chris Missick to the unfed blogroll, at last. He’s the soldier in Iraq that I’ve previously mentioned, and I enjoy the conversations we have via blog and email. I even noticed – i think – that he refers to me in a recent post! I think I’ll return the compliment with a trackback.

So for now I take my leave, off to Portugal for a much anticipated vacation. Look for me in Lisbon if you’re in the neighborhood. Stay tuned for more fun this week with me and my guestblogger.

Today’s Music: Prince- Rainbow Children (very gospel)

Shark Bite

Ladies and Gentlement: Shark Bite or Motorcycle injury? I thought to post this picture without Drock’s permission… it fits well on my blog, like a high school diploma over a fireplace – if you’ve got those.

The PT countdown has begun, Tuesday morning I’m hopping aboard a TAP flight to Faro and I’ll begin my vacation proclamation there. Heading straight to Lisbon after a swim in the ocean and dinner with my favorite Portuguese-Canadian now living in Algarve. During that time I’ve chosen a very special person as my guest weblogger… and he’ll be posting every other day, as per my commitment to all the readers out there. I’ll write up a proper intro on monday. Thanks to everyone who has expressed interest in guestblogging, I think I’ll have another week of guestblogging at the end of the month where I will have someone else. Oh, and of course I’ll still post during that time, I just don’t know how often.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi is one of the most elequent webloggers I know. That that I really know him personally, but his weblogging style is such that I feel like I do. Add to that, he’s Vice President of the Iranian parliament, which make’s me further admire him because of his genuine-ness despite his position of power. Compare his blog to the bland, fake, and stupid blogs from folks like G.W. Bush or John Kerry… they should call Mr. Abtahi and get some tips on how to blog.

Anyway I mention this Iranian gentleman’s blog because he wrote one of the warmest descriptions of the Austrian president’s funeral and his experiences on that day. If the manner with which he blogs is any hint of the caliber of young leaders in Iran, than I say the future looks bright. Despite the stupidity from the US state department, once again trying to manufacture hatred and conflict with Iran over the alleged Nuclear will of Tehran.

I’ve been heavy on the politics of late, not sure what it means. Probably nothing, world affairs have always been a huge concern for me, so that’s what I write about – beyond life observations.

Some basic ideas on the process of hostage taking in Iraq. I grow tired of the boring rhetoric from those who say “The Phillipines made a mistake by giving in to terrorism, it sets a bad example.” The fact is, kidnappings would continue regardless. There is no method to this madness. Look at the US, they – of course- hold their ground and don’t give in to kidnapper demands.. yet kidnappings continue. Phillipines gives in, remove their troops, and kidnappings continue. It really doesn’t matte how a nation responds, these are not groups that use a whole lot of reflection and method in their acts. This is desperation, and thus – illogical thinking. So nevermind “appeasing” or staying tough — this will continue.

I did have an idea on how to reduce the kindnappings: Don’t cover them. You always see the same setup, masked men holding a guy in front of them – POSING FOR A CAMERA. So lets imagine there’s no camera, or that the video never gets shown, you’ve then ruined their main priority, getting on TV. So then what good is kidnapping if no one knows about it? Anyone following me here? It goes back to the old “if a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a sound?” question.. only its a bit more complex.

Note to self: Introduce Guestblogger, and talk about China and how my blog is getting big there.

Today’s Music:Death Cab for Cutie – PHotoablum

Risk… Yes We Do

Almost fully recovered from 4 days of Paris. The Thalys ride home was smooth and lovely, add to that the cutest little Spanish-Dutch children who mixed the language in such amazing ways: “Avolita, mira.. daar staat zo veel autos, mira tantos!” Something like that. I listened to the woman explain to another Spanish-Dutchman how she immigrated to the Netherlands years ago and her husband is Dutch. So great, hearing such stories. Here’s me later on in the Thalys journey



One thing that struck me, more than any other, is just how similar Paris is to New York. I’m not talking buildings or language.. I’m talking pace of life… those Parisians are in hyper-fast mode, not unlike New Yorkers. It is as diverse and cosmopolitan, and generally speaking.. it just has a NYC vibe for me. Obviously you might not find scenes such as this in NYC
then again… maybe you would.

Out of all the horrors in the world these days, my attention is particularly turned to Taiwan. As if the recent shooting of the president wasn’t violent enough, the bitter fights – literally- between politicians, is pathetic. What’s worse is this rediculous feud between China and Taiwan.. which threatens a moronic war-type climax. Talk about a cruel joke… two neighbors with common ancestors threatening to kill each other. Then again.. the same is applicable for most of the globe… so much violence between former and future friends.

Today’s Music: Dashboard Confessional: A Mark, A Brand….

Flash.. AHH AAHHH

In less than 1 week I shall be on a TGV/Thalys train to Paris. As a train-o-file, I’m excited just to be getting on such a smooth ride… even if it has been around since 97 or so, it still seems so high-tech. So today when I noticed that they’re working on a China to Europe connection, I got super excited. At some point in my life, I hope to ride on such a train… Europe to China! Across Russia and Kazakstan! One day, oh yes.

This year there’s a conference that no one should miss, it’s called “The Fifth Hope: Hackers on Planet Earth.” It’s taking place in New York City and it will bring together some of the most creative and original characters in the tech world! You can hear more about it and get a general idea of the nature of this conference my listening to Off the Hook or Off the Wall at 2600.com I’m going to see if I make it out there in July, it’ll be sad to miss this one.

Fantastic documentary film that I’ve not yet seen, “Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus” It’s about the SOUTH of the US. It looks disturbingly interesting. And the music features some truely original artists. I’ve missed my chance here in Amsterdam, but I’ll be renting it over at Cult Videotheek ASAP.

Today’s Music: Curtis Mayfield – I forget the album