bicyclemark

SubCommandante

SubCommandate Marcos Wanna know why this blog is called the communique? I think I’ve never talked about it, much like I don’t spend much time explaining the bicycle part. But I just noticed a news item that inspired me to mention this.

For me, the name Communique, though quite common for lots of messages prepared for a mass audience, actually came from the Zapatista movement. In the late nineties I was studying journalism and politics and soaking in the news as it came out of Chiapas Mexico about the hooded indigineous rebels who sought to lead a bottom-up revolution. Later, my favorite book about it was First World HAHAHA. Here I read about the group and its activities to empower women and the disenfranchised. I also read that they released “communiqués” and when it came time to name the blog, that word came to mind.

So after leaving the public eye in 2000, and retreating back to their chiapas territory, the Subcommandante is back! And he’s touring the country, speaking about the corruption and hypocracy of the right and left in Mexico. And as you might expect – I’m glad to hear it!

bicyclemark56_050805

Portugal is on fire, the sky is black, and Im uploading this from the mcdonalds parking lot where wi-fi aint cheap.

AudioCommunique #56(mp3)
30min+, 64kbps, 14Mb+

I get into fire, european union emergency measures, a bit on radio clash, and email of course. Oh and an interview with my mom.

Music includes:

Injuria – Zeca Neves (from the Putomayo collection “Cape Verde”
Lua – Bright Eyes
Se Perder a hora – Suba
Set yourself on fire – Stars
Quando Fala um Portugûes – Antonio Variações
Tradition – Fiddler on the Roof Soundtrack

Sky is Orange

Terrorism gets tons of attention as the big fear around the world. But here in Portugal, there is something that is much more dangerous and terrifying than terrorism. And it doesn’t just blow up in crowded places or involve religion or class. The force I’m referring to actually happens right before everyones eyes, though they are often STILL caught by surprise.

I haven’t seen a clear sky or cloud in days. All I see is smoke. All I smell is this enhanced fireplace smell, the oder of burning pine, eucalyptus, and people’s homes. I can tell you it is a strange feeling to see this happenning all around and yet somehow my house is ok. Hell, I even attended a wedding today while firetrucks and ambulences would regularly zoom down the main road. No one seemed to notice or want to think about the fact that the electricity was coming from a generator since the fires had knocked out the electricity to this part of town. After a while I myself don’t notice the smell as much as the day goes on.

I realize this isn’t the only country terrorized by fires. But this case is out of control and the government/emergency system can not handle this. Today they finally deployed the military to relieve the volunteer firefighters who were overwhelmed days ago. The few water-dropping planes that fly over head are slow and very visibly in poor condition. At night I see no stars or moon, you start to believe that its just foggy outside, but the truth is – the country is on fire.

PS- Podcasting has been impossible because of family obligations and rare wi-fi access. New show is ready, more in the can, but man its proving difficult.

From Porto with Love

(written this morning but WIFI ran out before I could post it)
Bout 5 minutes left on the WI-Fi. Podcast in the pipe, later tonight. I’m in Porto, second city (though don’t tell them that) of Portugal. Being here has reminded me of that wild summer of 2001 that forever changed my life.

I had just wrapped up a stint at New York’s Village Voice as a researcher and a slave. I was in love. Two loves I guess, one was a human the other was the city of Lisbon. Unfortunately they weren’t located in the same countries, which would eventually become a huge problem. But nevermind that. I was here in Portugal and two brave men came to visit; the D-Rock and ThePasta. Pasta doesn’t read the blog, but D-rock is reading this, as you are, and he’s remembering those crazy nights in Lisbon. So crazy in fact, that on many a night, I told him I was heading home and he wished me a good night and KEPT GOING.

so it was that summer that I took him and a random german girl up here to Porto. I’ve long been a fan of this city, argueably one of the most beautiful in Europe. we got a place at some hotel and we ran around mixing tourism with general lazyness. one of the shining moments came as we did a tour of one of the port wine caves. at the end of the tour, everyone is allowed to glasses of port, a red and a white. Then you either go to the gift shop or you get out, as another group takes over the table and has their wine. Sure enough, and I doubt it ever happened again, having just finished our wine, we rose to leave the table. And as mr D-rock is walking by another table being prepared for the next group, he quickly and before anyone realizes what is going on, snatches a glass from the next table and downs it like a shot. A few people looked over in shock and I think he put is finger over his lips and smiled, saying ” shhhhh” the international code for — I didn’t just down an extra glass of port.

Seeing Green

Since king what’s his face of Saudi Arabia just died, Portuguese artsy-fartsy television aired a documentary about the history of Saudi Arabia, and my initial reaction is …goddam! How is it that Americans (including myself) are put through school without ever hearing about this nation that is so completely attached to and influencial on the US!

Saudis Everywhere Among the crazy things I learned from this documentary, the first Saudi king, back in the early 1900’s, actually struck a deal with one of the most extreme and powerful group of nomads ever, who believed in the strict enforcement of what they called the Mulsim religion. But here’s the catch — after the king and the nomads gained control of the entire state, with the blessing of the religious authorities, the King turned on the nomads and slaughtered many of them. Those who survived swore revenge and have periodically carried out attacks (bombs, etc) against the Saudi state well over the last 50 years. And they want to talk about Alqeada, try looking into a lil history and it becomes clear that everything we’re seeing is a repeat of the last 100 years.

The other thing I noted was the presence and the manipulation of the US government on the Saudi Kings. They’ve kept em rich, drunk, and armed since the nation was first founded. and those kings have, in turn, subjugated the entire country, squandered national wealth, and helped to create many generations of terrorists. And man is it alarming to see the amount of times the different american presidents have betrayed the Saudi government when it comes to Palestine! Talk about two currupt kingdoms in bed together… this documentary was an eye opener to a situation we already knew was bullshit.

Mostly unrelated – I think it’s a conspiracy that all the headlines about this plane crash read “Airbus Crash” instead of the flight number or the name of the airline! Seriously. think about it. Ok now stop and go watch TV.

ps — happy birthday busblog.

Still Watching Horror

I would love to try and yell about John Bolton becoming nominated undemocratically as UN embassador to the US, but why bother, it goes with the overarching theme in washington. Who needs accountability and qualifications, we got the good ol’ boys.

So lots of exposure to Portuguese news on television actually means lots and lots of international news. Maybe more than in Holland, and thats usually a pretty good amount. And I have to repeat the frustration and rediculousness of the situation in DARFUR. Sudan in general; is on the verge of civil war, genocide… let’s just say MASS DEATH, that could be stopped and we are all sitting around watching. Yes, even first world me sitting in a McDonalds parking lot on my powerbook using their expensive wi-fi.

But its not enough to say something should be done. I’d like to suggest and discuss what action would be best to take. Ill get more into it in the coming days. But to begin with, I send in the blue helmets – on a peacekeeping mandate. None of this crazy shoot first ask questions later strategy, but heavily equipped and supported military personel accompanied by NGO workers. Just go in and stand between the parties in conflict. Despite the risks, despite the unclear situation, despite all of that — put trained and professional international forces on the ground, to show beyond a shadow of a doubt, that what happens in Sudan DOES matter and we CAN act when the situation calls for it.

Now what I havent thought out yet, and Ill work on, is what do to from there.