Tag Archives: netherlands

Besides Red, White, and Black

WE INTERRUPT THIS POST TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY REVOLUTION DAY! 25 DE ABRIL 1974



Yes it has been 30 years since Portugal’s carnation revolution. I can’t tell you how much I wish I was in Lisbon this weekend. This is perhaps my most favorite holiday ever, and today is the 30th anniversary. 30 years since the dictatorship fell, since soldiers peacefully overthrew the fascists, and marched through the streets with carnations in their guns. I’ll start my morning by playing the once banned revolution songs, just like they did on the radio that morning. For more try this.

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A few hours today and last night were set aside to attend the Socalist Fest 2004(not the official name) with a kind friend, here in Amsterdam. I went because I’m always curious to hear passionate speakers, and spend time with eclectic grassroots groups. That and I have an affinity for old bearded marxists, pechuli scent, and clever block-text posters/t-shirts. Here’s what was on sale at the conference today.

Well, to my disappointment the speeches suffered from the same sickness many of these conferences suffer from. “Preachin to the choir.” Everyone who showed up already knew that they were against the war, against the right wing conservative governments world wide, and critical of globalization. The only purpose, therefore, getting together served was just to provide them with an auditorium to shout at each other in. I dig shouting, but I was bored. My friend said it best: “Why don’t we leftists stop repeating the same old slogans and make new strategies, why do our tshirts only have black, red and white on them – there are more colors to be used!”

I was mildy amused by the forum I attended “The Other America” which I went to hoping to talk about the Michael Harrington book. No such luck. Instead it was some Dutchman/American Labor Historian who seemed to insist that unions would be the force to save America from the right wing hawks. I’m a proud union member, but this guy really needed to get his head out of the books, unions have been on the run for decades, they’re too busy trying to stay above water, no time to occupy the whitehouse. Oddly enough I said nothing throughout the forum, I sat in silence listening to some well-informed yet rather broken analysis of how to change the US. One point that is worth passing on, these folks would love to be able to vote in a US election, and due to the way it influences the world, they’d like the whole world to be able to vote in US presidental elections. Logistically and legally impossible, but it illustrates a point. When do you hear someone in the states saying “Man, we should be able to vote for the PM in the Netherlands.”

Oh, I’ve added that clever gentleman – Tom Tomorrow, to my blogroll. You know… the guy who does the great comics.

Today’s Music: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson – Storytellers

I want my grapes with Seeds

Progress is made, at a very slow pace. The proposal is slowly being rebuilt, and in the process – I’m discovering new weblogs and uses for weblogs. Though I could do without the excessively clever titles. I’ve managed to sneak away from the writing process for a few hours this weekend to have a mexican dinner and to visit a neighbor, refreshing breaks. At the Mexican restaurant I noticed they sell national products. One of them was a wrestling mask, you know, a major export from Mexico are the Lucha Libre wrestlers. Ahhh…I remember the days of masks in wrestling. I mean… ahem.. I don’t watch that crap… right.

I did some following up on a story reported on Off the Hook last week. The US govenment carries out 1500 court ordered wire-taps per year. Of those, 30% are in the NYC area! 30%!! It seems they love listening in and assume that all the juicy conversations are near the big apple. So if you want a nice un-monitored conversation, I recommend Montana or Alabama. Apparently the AG of NY, Elliott Spitzer is all gung-ho about carrying out more and more wire-taps to fight bad guys. Or listen-in on anyone he pleases. One of his concerns is that fun option called PTT that Nextel users have, that direct walky-talkie function that goes “beepedybeep.” Apparently you’re not allowed to tap those yet. At least until now. One more reason I don’t use the phone even in the Netherlands, don’t feel like being accused of anything, besides poor humor.

Today’s Music: Willie Nelson – Great Divide (don’t knock it til you’ve tried it)

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….

Web bugs and Backup Governments

Apparently, around the same time I was enjoying the company of some lovely Swiss visitors, my blog went down. I’ve heard rumors of blogger being plagued by bugs.. but now I’ve properly backed it up. I’ve added a few good blogs to my blog links just to your left.. by all means.. check them out.

Well it’s official, the Greek elections are over, and the Conservative Party, aka New Democratic party, have won. Years of domination by the socialist party have ended, to no great surprise – it’s a trend in Europe. Lets see now… Portugal, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria, Denmark.. all conservative parties in power, elected in the last few years. Mind you, we’re talking European Conservative, which in American terms would be considered liberal… the spectrum is a bit different. Now I know what you’re thinking – and no, the Olympics will go on as scheduled. You’ll still get to watch Ballroom Dancing, Skeet Shooting, and Kayaking direct from Athens… if they ever finish the construction. I’ve never been there, but it was not rated very highly in terms of the World’s Livable City Survey But Amsterdam came in tenth place! Just below Syndey and Frankfurt. For all the Canadians out there, Vancouver came in second place, and Calgary (home of Miss B.) was declared best in terms of health and sanitation. Click on that link, find out if your city is livable. If it isn’t, in the name of humanity, MOVE AWAY!

I’m finally polishing off this Hunter S. Thompson book Kingdom of Fear, what started as a smooth read filled with Drugs, Guns, Sex and Politics – in that order, has now become difficult to finish. Next up will be a re-read of Freud’s Civilization and It’s Discontents. Fun aren’t I? Otherwise there’s always the Utne Reader Book Club.

Today’s Music: Bill Frisell – Gone Just Like a Train

Melt peanutbutter for instant joy.

By now you may have heard that my curtural outing for this Friday has been cancelled. Which is probably best, mentally I wasn’t prepared to watch women use bananas in unorthodox ways.

Announcement time: I am a KazaaLite user! YES! I share music from my personal computer! I share with anyone, anywhere in the world with a decent connection. While record companies might like to call it stealing, I believe record companies are the original thieves, who are finally being rendered useless, after years of stealing money from artists. I say this on the heels of a recent decision in an Australian court, allowing authorities to search the offices of Sharman corporation.. better known as Kazaa. While I don’t use kazaa because it’s full of spyware, I respect their right to do what they do… connecting people, allowing them to share with each other. I think this decision is horrible, and I hope it’s succesfully apealed. A similar case has been going on in the Netherlands, but similar recent cases have ruled in favor of file sharing, and I have faith in my country of residence – they’ll tell the record companies to blow it out their ass!

The Reagan miniseries finally ended today… I have no further need for a television. I grew to love that dam show. I enjoyed the Olie North scandal and Reagan telling his own staff he didn’t remember them! Oh.. and it was disturbingly interesting to watch his staff start killing themselves one-by-one as Iran-Contra unraveled. Maybe now I’ll finally have time to properly book a Thalys (Train) to Paris! Oui.. je vais ? P?ris!

Today’s Music: Death Cab for Cutie – The Photo Album

The International Criminal Court (ICC) officially opens this week in the Hague, Netherlands, without the participation of the United States. Based on ideas such as international law, human rights, and justice, most nations of the world have agreed that such a court should exist in order to hear cases of human rights violations, war crimes, etc. The Bush Administration insists that the court would be used for political purposes, for prosecuting American officials and servicemen who would be accused of commiting crimes during different conflicts around the world, and therefore they refuse to recognize it. An ironic arguement, by not participating on such grounds, it becomes very suspicious that perhaps the US government has alot of skeletons in the closet and dirty secrets. If they wanted to prove otherwise they could recognize the court, and using their excellent international law atourneys, defend themselves, and prove their innocence and rightuousness. But until now, no such strategy, instead the Bush administration spits on the international community, and in response, the world moves forward without their American sisters and brothers.