Tag Archives: france

One Executive Voice in the Wilderness

Just arrived from France and I had a chance to read lots of newspapers on the way. ..

Finally, someone besides a blogger said it. Not just someone, an airline exec, namely the CEO of Ryanair, has threatened to sue British Aviation if they don’t stop with the excessively useless restrictions.

Obviously I’ve expressed my feelings on this issue enough in the past, but I’m a radical, so you should expect nothing less. This, on the other hand, is a very mainstream guy who’s airline I don’t even care for very much. But to read his quotes that say things like “Toiletries are not going to destroy the world” .. can’t remember where I read that one. But at the end of that particular article, he also says the classic line which I think holds alot of value: “The best way to make a statement against terrorism, is to go about your life and do things as you would normally”. It may sound lame to some, but I very much believe in that statement.

So Michael O’Leary, I don’t know much about you, but in a world full of alarmists and yes-men, here’s to you!

Met the Kids

Anytime I make a trip to Paris, it has become a priority of mine to visit with Madame L and the French man in their secluded hideout out amongst the badgers and the cornfields. So of course today I made my way out of Paris and over to the homestead for lunch. As an added bonus on this particular trip, I met many of the daughters I had long heard so much about. And of course they were as great as I suspected, but thats not what this post is about.

As we sat back laughing about old songs from yeast radio and the crap you find on youtube, Madame and I returned to a familiar theme… life in the US. We spoke about friends and family and what situations they are in; as in housepayments, mortgages, insurance payments, loans, credit card debt, etc etc. All these things may be part of your normal day dear reader, but what we were discussing is how we don’t have these things. Beyond that, how when some friends talk to us, they say “you’ll so lucky, you get to live in europe and you don’t have to deal with this.” This statement, of course, has many holes. Not the least of which is that you can actually have lots of these things in Europe just as you do anywhere else. However, the idea that we are somehow lucky for having chosen to live where we live, that’s the strange thing.

We both agreed it is not a matter of luck. It is choice. And despite whatever drawbacks; like living far from loved ones or not making your whopping salary, you too can make the choice and be that person who lives in Europe. Or Kuala Lampur. Or wherever.

No where is it written that all humans must go forth and take out loans and get themselves lots of car payments and other assorted longterm financial requirements. Yet strangely enough, it is people like Madame L and I who are often referred to as the strange ones, or the lucky ones, because we don’t have any of that.

strange world. but hey.. nous aurons toujours paris.

Il Pleut Chats et Chiens

I rode the Thalys train from Amsterdam to PAris today… WITH a bottle of WATER.

Nobody cared.

Know why?

Cause it’s water.

———-


Seriously friends, greetings from the city of lights. I’m here all weekend visiting the John of the Americablog. I should also mention I’m not his only visitor this weekend as a podcasting-blogging-software developer by the name of Kyle is sitting just across from me.

As I rode the train over, I was loving the magic of high speed european train travel. So smooth. So quiet. Warm yet not too warm. Quiet yet not too quiet. And best of all: no one cares to see your ID nor do they give you a second look for carrying liquids. Or should we call them, tools for potential terror attacks!

As you know from reading this blog, I have little regard for high security. I scoff at metal detectors, manuel searches, and pre-travel interview screening. I’m the guy you shake your fist at and proclaim “if we did it your way, the terrorists would destroy the world.”

All that aside. I recommend people stop getting on planes if they can avoid it. See what the other options are. Check if there’s a train, bus, or even a boat. It could be a wonderful relief from all the ignorant paranoid stupidty taking place at airports and on planes these days. Plus you can bring your gels, creams, foams, and water liquid compounds you want. Live FREE, Don’t Fly!

Like a Heat Wave, Burnin Through Europe’s Heart

Well.. another successful day without spontaneously combusting. I’m sure you probably heard, here in the Europe, there’s another one of those heatwaves where everything gets messed up and some people even die.

Believe what you want about global warming. But I’m telling you Amsterdam can’t handle this, so something must be up.

If you wander through the usually green and lovely Vondelpark, which is like our Central Park.. it is now one big cloud of dust. It is as if thousands of pigpens have ascended on the park and kicked up as much dirt as possible. After a leisurely jog through there Im sure my face turns a shade of brown.

But nevermind the surface details. This heatwave really slows down the normally bustling pace of life in the netherlands. At work these days, we’re told to go home at four oclock, because the hot weather and lack of air-co is considered dangerous for our health. Whenever I hear this I think of all the little chinese children in factories who make my clothes… they would probably find this policy amusing or simply.. hard to believe.

Fortunately almost no one has airconditioning anyway, and a majority of this city’s citizens ride their bikes as the primary mode of transport. So at the very least, we’re not responding to a temperature crises by putting extreme strain on the power grid ala France or Florida. Oh wait.. we probably are anyway.

Tonight at the vlogger meetup, Gabe B spoke of rain tomorrow night. Rain, I laughed, it will never rain in Amsterdam again… thats so pre-global warming.

A Brief BBC Appearance de Moi

Not that I think you should have to hear MORE “me” than you already hear/read/see. But since I still hope to please my mom and make her and dad extra proud, I would just like to announce that I was one of the call-in guests on the BBC worldservice program “World Have Your Say” .. which can be a little crazy as anytime the world has its say… someone inevitably talks over someone. *

I’d like to say it was no big deal and I played it cool, but I was pacing around my room half angry, half nervous, hoping I wouldn’t suddenly contract tourette’s sydrome. (sorry if you’ve got it… ) When my turn came I was determined to leave no spaces in my speech for someone to interrupt. It worked well for about 45 seconds, then – oddly enough – my last words got stepped on by one of the panelists complimenting my statement. Go figure.

Then I think an Israeli guy mistakenly accused me of spreading misinformation. Which would be exciting but I wasn’t the guy he meant to accuse. Ah well.

–READ The TEXT, and from there you can hear the recording (I’m around minute 18.30).-

Lastly tonight, and actually something I mentioned on the programme, I’ve been reading up about the history and present situation of the UN peacekeeping operation UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. I had not realized that these 2,000 troops have been there, along the blue line, since the late 70’s. Troops from France, Ireland, Norway, Ghana, India, Nepal, Italy (and more) are part of the mission. The mission, by the way, was to ensure that Israel fully withdrew from the region and enable Lebanon to regain control of the territory. Neither really ever TRUELY occurred. The saddest part, reading all this, is that all the parties involved have repeatedly disrespected the peacekeepers by crossing the line or firing at each other over that line. (over 200 killed) I have to say, I’m not that surprised that Hezbollah disrespects the authority of the UN – they’re not known for embracing international law or peace. But it’s a bit odd that Israel, a signatory of the UN charter, has disrespected, overtaken, and even shot in the direction of this UN mandated peacekeeping force.

In conclusion, and what I didn’t get to finish saying on the BBC, is that this mission must be seriously re-enforced with troops from all continents… especially North America and Europe, to ensure that they are taken seriously, and that neither side dare to cross a well trained, well equipped, and very high profile mission. (see Kosovo, Bosnia, and to a lesser extent – East Timor, for references)

(*Special thanks to Matt for suggesting me for the programme!)

European Airlift for Beirut

Now they’ve gone too far. You can’t just go and bomb your neighbor’s airport. There’s no way this world is going to survive if this is how things are allowed to work. Sorry Israeli government, sorry that your military is involved in such a quagmire that a handful get taken prisoner by groups of which you also have prisoners. I realize it makes you look bad and you have to put on a show to ensure your voting public that you’re strong and powerful and have the biggest bombs in the region. I recognize how the bullshit works in Israel, but out of everything that has taken place in my lifetime, this is just too much.

If you for some reason didn’t know it, because perhaps your local media decided not to report it and to hide reality from you, early this morning the Israeli military bombed southern Lebanon, a neighboring sovereign nation, and proceeded to bomb the only international airport, and last I checked, there is a sea and air blockade on Lebanon. The Israeli government has decided to take this action, with the blessing of the United States and what seems like a silent nothing from Europe. Nevermind getting the opinion of the nations of that region, they never bother with that.

Of course this was in response to something, it is always in a response to something. In this case: the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah who are largely based in southern Lebanon. Of course the kidnapping is in response to lots of things as well, the incursions into Gaza, which are also a response to something.. etc etc.. same old chain of -he started it – he started it.

But this goes beyond the usual games. The shots and rockets flying accross the border, now we’re talking about unilaterally deciding to incompacitate your neighbor country because you decide it is necessary. We’re talking about Lebanon… a civilized beautiful country where millions of people live peacefully. The vacation playground for people from around the world, and Israel decides to bomb the airport?

This is too much. When I think of my friends in Beirut. My wonderful friends and friends of friends, the most loving and world conscious people you could meet. They are now cut off from travel. Those who make their living from tourism are also doomed… it is summer time, no doubt all the tourists are flying in and out all day. Bombing the airport is like cutting their lifeline.. their livelihood. This cannot be.

So now the question. Who can do what. What can be done to stop them. Not much it seems. But I have one far fetched suggestion:

If Europe truely cares about Lebanon, and preventing the outbreak of war in a country so near to its borders, then send EU peacekeepers. Send the soldiers and put them in the airport. Station them between what seems like two very unstable and dangerous groups: the Israeli Army and Hezbollah. It is not secret that a European or American life is worth more in the eyes of the international community, than that of Lebanese person. For this reason, Europe must take a risk, defy the reckless policies of the United States, and stand in the way of this war mongering. Let’s see them drop a single bomb on an airport or a neighborhood where its well known European soldiers are standing guard.

Update: I just noticed that Italy and France have both condemned the attacks. Tourists are fleeing the country as fast as possible. This a disaster… action is required, no more bullshit stern statements.