Author Archives: bicyclemark

Yuppy World

I’m doing the evening jog with my Team Kelme neon cycling shirt, and I’m heading in the direction of my beloved JavaEiland. I love the side which has no houses and is just a patch of grass, benches, and beautiful views. It’s wonderfully peaceful. As I stand there, all I normally hear are boats passing by, wind, and the occasional jogger.

Well today as I’m getting closer to “my end” of the island I see a huge white wall cutting it in half. Preventing me to get to my peaceful side. I can just barely see over the white temporary wall and the private security goons, but there’s no mistaking the gigantic three mast state-of-the-art Royal Navy supership. I also see people dressed in fancy clothes, and cameras, and red carpets. I look at the security goon and I say in Dutch — “This is my park! This is public!” And either because my accent is horrible or because he doesn’t care, he ignores me.

But then a truely Amsterdam moment occurred. An old man, probably around 75 years old, rides up to me and says in Dutch — “Looks like they’ve taken away our public space? It’s a royal navy ship… British.. see that flag.. and this flag.. and notice that this whole ship is automated. Automatic sails.. no crew necessary. Isn’t that rediculous?”

I was in complete agreement with him. And we swapped stories of what we like to do in this open space. I spoke of running and Taekwondo, he spoke of sitting on a bench in the sun and just thinking. I knew right there I had met a great human.

I asked about the Afrika Squat, which has been in a struggle to not be torn down by fancy developers for the past few years. He bowed his head in defeat, “They lost… they all lost. Everythings being torn down. Who knows where they’ll go. It’s all new buildings going up. Each one taller then the next, and none of them are being rented.”

We spoke in-depth about all the new buildings and apartments going up which no normal person could ever afford. As you can imagine, I’d throw in my two cents about how people are being driven out and cities only cater to the wealthy. But the wonderful part was, besides that he never once flinched at my dutch conversation about economics, the way he began to point to all the surrounding neighborhoods. Amsterdam North, JavaEiland, Centrum,…. he spoke of the ship building industry of the Netherlands in the 60’s and 70’s. He pointed to band new luxery housing and how you used to see hoardes of shipbuilders in overalls and heavy gloves in that area. I swear I saw a tear in his eye as he told me of more plans they have to build along the waterfront. “It’s unbelievable how fast things change young man…. and it’s even more unbelievable when you think about the few people that benefit from these changes.”

Ms. Thingk is back to blogging and back in DC. She reminded me of this issue. About how DC is getting popular, no the average person can’t possibly afford to live there. Hooray for progress.

—–Oh, and a sidenote — he said he hoped to speak with me again one day as Im jogging by him in deep thought on his favorite bench. That is, if they don’t sell it off before then.

Oil for Humanity

As per usual, the major media ask all the wrong questions and keep us pacified with graphics, soundbites, and summaries. Oil for food. Oil for food. Point the finger… point the finger. They took money, they took extra, they kissed Saddam. etc etc.

For my part, being a media of one. My question starts long before any of this crap. My question is: What kind of assanine program is Oil for Food and what awful nations thought this up? Talk about a crime against humanity; You give us oil, and we’ll give you food. Now fork it over and you might get a bite to eat. — Pathetic.

They want to accuse politicians and other assorted rich boys for cheating the system. They want to expose Russia, the UK, and the UN (of course) for making deals with that awful Saddam? (like the US and soooo many other countries hadn’t ever done a deal with the man?)

I’ve got my own accusations: all those billiant minds behind oil for food should be locked in a cell and given a steady diet of their beloved liquid for sustinence.

Speaking of shadey dealings, Green Catfish is the blogosphere’s hottest gambler these days — I heard.

Not For Show

Lately, through technical failure or conscious choice, I’ve been reminded of the fact that not everything is meant to be recorded in audio, text, video, etc. Some things are personal, or to be lived in the moment, without concern for who else I can reproduce it for through whichever of my favorite personal publishing platforms.

You the reader, probably know this. But keep in mind, I’ve been doing this for a number of years, and therefore – it is second nature. Something interesting happens in my daily life, or an interesting story, or an idea… my brain immediately begins to plan the written report, or for the past months — how to do it audio-style.

Don’t get me wrong; blogging, podcasting, it’s in my blood. It flows through me like art for a painter, science for an astronaut, cookies for the monster. I’ve made a personal commitment, to all of you, myself, and the internets as a whole. This commitment holds the internet as the key, the medium, the avenue, for me to reach you, and for you to reach right back. Repeat this experience, be it everyday, or once a week, or whatever. Allow time to pass, experiences, changes… to me, that is how and why blogging works. (ditto for podcasting, plus ad the rich second dimension of sound.)

I digress, the point was… note to self: sometimes it’s good to stop trying to capture everymoment in a timecapsule. Oh, and read lots of FanBoy this week.

Utrecht and Back

It happens few and far between, but I found myself heading out to another fine city in the netherlands, late at night, for a party! A Portuguese party no less, where you can walk around and speak Portuguese to everyone and don’t worry, cause they speak it. At this same party, the Dutch are relegated to a corner where, for once, they are the minority in our republic of Portuguese-Transplanted. If you’re doing any tourism in the Netherlands anytime soon, don’t miss a journey to lovely Utrecht. Much smaller than Amsterdam, but brimming with life and history stuff.

On the train ride home, being prevented from dosing off by the annoying choral group that decided 3am is a good time to rehearse the highest pitch music you can imagine…. I started thinking of impeachment. That’s just what came to mind.

When oh when will there be enough evidence unearthed. Evidence that this government in the White House has deliberately manipulated the public, mismanaged resources, and abused the power of that office. Clinton got a BJ and they almost tore him to shreds, W bombs two countries to the stone age, gets all his old buddies nice government contracts, and takes the country on the modern-day crusades…. isn’t there enough to Bring on the Beef?