bm179 A long term vision for Wroclaw

You may have heard the name Warsaw or even Krakow, but have you heard about the Polish city of Wroclaw? Well chances are, you will, because whether you talking culture or commerce, the city and its mayor are making waves in the European swimming pool.

My guest, on the phone from Wroclaw, Poland, is Agnieszka. She is one of the very busy people who, I’m convinced, are driving the city’s dynamic art scene to international recognition. (read about the upcoming 12th International Media Art Biennale WRO 07)

We discuss:
– What is unique and what is important to know, when it comes to this city.
– History of Wroclaw, the changes over the past century
– Mayor Rafa? Dutkiewicz, coming to power, and his plans for the city
– Working with the mayor
– His famous and unorthodox campaign to reach polish emigrants, in places like the UK
– Who is investing in the city and what jobs will there be
– The longterm possibilities
– The independent thinking republic of wroclaw
– and more, listen to the program.

Some audio from Bill Moyers as well, to start it off right.

Keep the Car Runnin Paw’

Here I sit… 3 houses down from my parents place… engine running.. heat on… laptop on crotch… this is what it takes be a dedicated blogger in this town. Hot dam.

I’ve clearly left Lisbon and it is, as always, an internet jungle out here. Just got kicked out of the Youth Center-Cafe where I had only sat for 30 minutes before they were telling me to hit the road, not that i care, that fascist place firewalls my website. Imagine that? Internet Porn and Bicylemark.org… thats not right. Both of those should not be censored.

Before it gets to dam cold with the engine off… i wanted to tell a brief story:

Today I had lunch at the pump house.. to see my darlng Elsa. Ive blogged of how much I love her before.. she and I go sooo way back and its amazing to see how we’ve both aged and life has changed.. yet whenever Im here I end up right there in that pub.. and there she is ready to leap from behind the bar and give me a big hug and she knows my flavor of iced tea and loves to tell me about her love life. And thats how it has always been.. since I was teenager and she was this super cool bartender.

As I sat eating, the cook came to sit with me. Ive noticed him only in the last year or so.. looks british.. might be eastern european, I aways figured, from his style. Turns out he’s polish and we got to speaking about a certain town in Poland that Im trying to do a podcast on the mayor.

Turns out he’s also a journalist, just cooking to pay the bills (soon I will too!). He was talking about how opposite Portugal is from Poland, and how he can’t explain it.. but that I must simply go there to see and feel it. He also spoke about how there is only about one town where people walk with their heads held high(!). According to him, most people are disillusioned with everything and either planning to leave or walking around in a rut. This general mood is said to be reflected in politics, where I went on and on about how fickle the electorate is and how they change there minds about politicians so fast, no one has enough time to ever impliment any programs; good or bad.

Unexpectedly interesting conversation at my favorite pub. Which gave me more fuel and inspiration for the Wroclaw Mayor podcast (working on it) and confirmed any thoughts I had about needing to visit that country ASAP.

Time to get out of this car.

Monday Top 4 from my Feedreader

Rainy days ahead in Amsterdam. The Red August has been properly covered so hopefully nor rain nor empty beer bottles will find their way into the boat. But nevermind that… there’s a whole world going on out there.

Instead of starting a conversation about the very peculiar situation with just who is leading the Polish government now, I instead refer you to the Beatroot and all his hard work. If there were a poll (pun intended) about what EU country was the wackiest, Poland would have to be a strong contender for 1st place, things never seem to go as planned over there.

In keeping with the recommended reading rundown for today, I threw my hat into the discussion on Majikthise, where L is talking about Roman Polanski and whether people should support the work of someone who’s done something morally questionable. This theme has been discussed on this blog before, but she’s got a big comment debate raging over there. I used “if Hitler had been a great painter” as a hypothetical example… go read or participate if you’re curious.

And in staying with the world of art meets politics, the talented Tim of Radio Clash dedicated a show to Joe Strummer… and myself! Talk about unworthy, it was very cool to see my name in that context – go listen. Thanks Tim!

Not Quite Part of the Union

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Since yesterday was not-one-immigrant day in the US, today might be a good time to talk about something related here on the communique.

As many of you may remember fondly, it was only 2 years ago yesterday that Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, became new members of big blue. Yes, those were exciting times that resulted in a Union of 460 millon people and an economic powerhouse of sorts. Maybe more important, for us regular people, was that being a citizen of the EU meant that you now had certain universal rights in all member states: to work, live, travel, do all kinds of activities – anywhere within the 25 member states. As a person who’s entire adult life has been shaped by these rights, I was naturally very pleased that more people would be able to experience what I have experienced as a Portuguese/European citizen.

Unfortunately, as is the case with so many politicized issues, certain countries (Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, UK, France, etc.) fairly quietly put an asterix onto the addition of the new EU states. This extra clause involved limiting or flat out preventing new EU citizens from places like Poland or Slovakia, from exercising their right to free movement and seeking employment within their national borders. Complete with extensions for these provisions, some of which expired this year, as in the case of the UK. Others which carry on and have been open-ended extended, as in the shameful case of the Netherlands.

In other words they may say the new Eastern European Nations are part of the EU. They may even show up to ceremonies, shake hands, and pose for photos with officials from that member state. But they don’t actually respect or honor the rights that membership entitles all citizens, including their own. So next time anyone starts talking highly of the big EU countries, or the Netherlands, make sure you remind them of the xenophobic, underhanded, and perhaps even racist policy of the sitting government that for some mysterious reason – people still haven’t forced to resign.

Public Internet My Arse

The public internet spot I’m sitting in claims to have wi-fi. What I’ve discovered is that it is one big tease…. 10 minutes of wi-fi and then it drops you… repeat over and over… madness. My podcast will have to be posted from the McDonalds parking lot.. strangely enough the only wi-fi hot spot in this city for the last 3 years. – This is truely old europe, the computers in this place are gigantic.

Here’s a photo.

Now go read the Beatroot, over in Poland.

bicyclemark85: CIA Prisons and Torture Airlines

Radio Journalist and Blogger Peter Gentle joins me from Warsaw, to discuss the talk about CIA gulags and where these prisons might and might not be. We also get into the role of Europe has a landing pad for the torture flights, etc.

AudioCommunique #85(mp3)
31min+, 80kbps, 17Mb+

Discussed:

The Beatroot – blogjournalism
Radio Polonia
unnamed sources and the washingtonpost
Not in Poland, but could be anywhere – especially Baku
torture flights
EU will try to do something, but will it result?
Poland’s Role in the War and their Dependency on the US
Intolerance for freedom and openess at home vs. tolerance for torture and killing abroad

oh and I recommended Saskia Nation and Radio Clash – the Anniversary Show

Music:

Outlandish – Guantamo
Boards of Canada – (some background tune)
Jets to Brazil – air traffic control
Vinicius Cantuaria – India