bicyclemark

1 thru 20 in Arabic!

No feed back from Canadians from my last entry… I guess they’re shy. That’s fine. We still love our Canadian friends on this blog. Matter of fact, one just emailed me. We’re going to see a very typical Amsterdam show this Friday. (nudge nudge-wink wink) I’ve never been to the “low-class theater” (we’ll call it) the entire 17 months I’ve lived here. So this will be a very cultural experience.

Yesterday I witnessed, via radio, one of the most shocking scandals in quite some time. I listened to Haitian President Aristide on the phone with members of the US congress, calling from the CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Why? According to him – HE WAS KIDNAPPED! By who, you ask? The US MARINES. The man was distraught. He had said he wouldn’t resign in the face of armed rebels wanting to kill him. But yesterday morning he was taken in the middle of the night, escorted by personel from the American embassy, not allowed to speak to anyone, and flown to locations unknown, only to land more than 8 hours later in the CAR. Why am I up in arms? Because good president or not, he was democractically elected! And the people seeking to remove him were military trained in other countries; notorious murderers and leaders in the drug trade. These people have the support of Washington! This once again makes me ashamed of what is allegedly “my government.” Then again… I was already ashamed.

Slightly brighter news is that I’ve started watching this miniseries that caused an uproar in the states earlier this year, “The Reagans.” This show is hilarious! I laugh and then I cry. I laugh because this man actually controlled the future of the world in his hands for 8 years! I cry because this man controlled the future of the world in his hands for 8 years. I cry more. Especially anytime he talks about nuclear weapons like they’re a gift from the gods. But man do I love when he says “Don’t cry mommy” or when he himself is all lost and forgetting things. Its insane to see how superstitious, naive, and just completely out to lunch both he and Nancy were. Talk about the emperor having no clothes…

Today’s Music: Thrice – Artist in the Ambulance (a bit loud)

Law n Order SVU Makes Sunday Night

I’m both super-curious and super thankful for the Canadians that visit this here blog. I know so many Canadians, and Canada has always played a unique role in my past, that i really can’t guess who it is, but I’m glad all the same. Recently a friend doing her PHD here in Amsterdam said to me she was going to do her work at McGill University in Montreal. I didn’t realize you could do things like that while PHD-ing. That serves as reason #35, why I want to be a PHD student. Where would I go if it were my three months? Not sure.. maybe Toronto, Seattle, or hey NYC! That would be funny… and also quite possible.

I phoned up a friend earlier this evening, she just finished her degree here – pyschology. I chose to call rather than SMS considering the occasion, but i got only voicemail, so I left the usual “me” style gibberish. I immediately got an SMS response…. from somewhere in KENYA! The message read something like thanks! Im in Kenya and Ive seen horrible things. Tomorrow I go to Ethiopia I was blown away. I forgot that GSM technology is available all over Europe and Africa… and I believe Asia. Only the “America”continents work on the, whats it called system, CDMA. So I can text my friend in East Africa all I like! I bet my good buddy Jorge would have something to say about that.. he taught me most of what I know about life and mobile phone technology.

So President Aristide of Haiti has left the building. Rebels and friends rejoice. But there’s really nothing to rejoice about. People were starving and suffering. So along come the Rebels to kill and torture those who they say were starving them. Now they will take over and after a bit more murder and suffering, they’ll make peace. How could that possibly last? You have an entire nation that has always known violence and desperation… what good has/will democracy brought them?

I’ve watched the Hurricane on DVD about a dozen times in the last month… I can’t get enough. “I served my time in a house of justice and yet there is no justuce for me.” Denzel… the man is my king.

Today’s Music: Zebda – Utopie D’occase (French Hip-Hop)

Shout out to the London/NYC photoblog guy Who emailed me thanking me for some comments I left. The site/blog contains some excellent photography and has gotten alot of recognition in the blog world. Yes, there is a blog world, and it’s huge. This blog o mine is just a rest stop along the way, and I should add, an increasingly popular rest stop. I get amazed at some of the visitors.. wierdest one I noticed lately was from General Dynamics, the company that makes weapons of mass destruction for the American military. Isn’t that odd – someone at that company stumbled upon my blog? Probably to see what another peacenik is up to.

Speaking of death, US government has announced they’re going to continue using landmines… “smart” landmines. Which reminds me of other oxymorons like “Military Intellegence” and “Jumbo Shrimp.” Once again, an embarassment to the country and humanity. No rational human being would support such barberous tools of death, and almost every nation has agreed to ban landmines. But hey.. those people in the White House see the world through some very special glasses.. where everyone is the enemy and war can fix everything.

Standing in some posh bar tonight, I kept thinking about how overrated live human socializing is, at least that type. If I had a choice, I think I’d enjoy internet chatting, myspacing or emailing in place of downing drinks while talking to strangers who I feel completely uninterested in. And of course, its Amsterdam and Friday night, so everyone in England has paddled accross the channel and joined every Dutch person to meet up and provide yet another boost to the alcohol industry… at this one bar in the Pipe! (south Amsterdam) When compared to internet communication… I think the net wins.. you learn more about people.. you can even be more creative sometimes… unlike a pub where you either chat about nothing or attempt to entertain, on the net I could recommend a visit to my friend Tony Clifton, for example.

All this just to say i was bored at some bar tonight.

Today’s Music: Norah Jones – Feels Like Home

Snow Soup

I was very pleased to see new contributors/readers leaving comments in recent posts. Even if that meant I was proved quite wrong on some of my points, especially that students on the metro thing. Those Nadar and gay marriage questions have been discussion topics between me and friends for the past week. I love a good discussion. But I digress.

My big dream.. actually not so big.. is to apply at the Music Conservatory here in Amsterdam. Stay with me here, most of you might know that I’m a very dedicated and able French Hornist. While Id like to be modest, I must say I’m good.. dam good. So why not make a new and unexpected career move and focus on music again. Otherwise it’s just me playing for my roomates and neighbors, oh.. and the occasional open mic/salsa club where I sit in and play. I’m not sure it qualifies as a dream because Its quite attainable in the near future. Still.. Im a social scholar, and I’ve only begun down that road.

Here’s a topic I’m interested in, and I’m trying to get people to talk about here in the ‘dam. The new Mel Gibson film “Passion of Christ.” Let me first put some facts out there: I’m not religious. I don’t go around saying Im atheist because I find that label annoying.. I prefer non-theist as Edward Abbey once said. I just don’t have any need or involvement as far as myself and religion. On the same hand, I’m not against other people having a religion.. althought I do despise all the evil that has been done on this earth in the name of religion. That being said… I want to see this film and I think I’ll be pleased with it. Pretty much the same way I would love to see a movie about Mohammed or David or Confucious.. I’m interested in history and culture.. and yes even FICTION, so this movie interests me. On a very simple level, Im psyched that the film is in Aramaic and Latin.. I want to listen to how they depict the languages. On the down side churches are going nuts over this film…. and they’ll try to use it to recruit new “believers” which to me is manipulative. It’s art… film is art… unfortunately it’s also used as propaganda by some. Nonetheless, Passion of Christ interests me… and Richard Goldstein breaks it down quite nicely in this week’s Voice. OH and Roman uniforms are always good for a laugh.

Today’s Music: Ceclia Cruz – Regalo del Alma (Salsa)

Working from Home, Wear Business Pajamas

Those LiveJournal people are wierd. I’m telling you, I got caught up reading some of those lately, and it’s such a cult – what with their little emoticons and that silly category thats says “Mood”. People who post what mood they’re in outta shampoo my crotch. I can’t take credit for that line, I think it was Nicholson.

OK no more beating around the bush.. pardon the pun… THE NADER ANNOUNCEMENT. Let’s talk about this. Right off here’s what I’m not going to do: I’m not going to say he’s making a mistake. I’m not going to denounce him like most progressives who hate Bush and fear four more years. I’m not going to say “it’s not the right time” or make hypothetical claims that he cost Gore the election… GORE COST GORE the election.

I’m not going to say these things because I agree with what the man says, and it takes a great amount of nerve to do what he’s doing.

First off, in a democracy, there should be many different candidates to represent the many different people. There has been no progressive voice in this election so far, not including Kucinich who won’t win the dem. nomination. Furthermore the philosphy of “not now” is ludicrous. (so ludicrous I can’t spell the word!) There will never be a time where progressives say “YES NOW!” If Dems win this time, in four years its likely that conservatives will come storming back, so again it won’t be the “right time.” People act as if George Bush is the first anti-christ who’s been president… PLEASE. He’s just another in a long line of anti-christs. Reagan was just as evil. Clinton had equally as damaging policy moves in terms of welfare and trade. With all this Bush madness, we’ve decided to ignore the truth – THE PROBLEMS OF THE U.S. WILL NEVER BE SOLVED BY THE PARTIES WHO CREATED THEM.

One last thing and I’ll drop this – Whether I vote for him or not, I’m glad Nader is in the race, because candidates have been silent on the issues he brings up. They’re too busy counting their military medals or checking attendance records from the VietNam era instead of talking about FTAA, the growing Nuclear Weapons Developement, and the corporate irresponsiblity that has ruined far too many lives! Not now you say? PLEASE NOW I say.

Oh, on a lighter note yesterday (though technically still today in the states) was Mr. O’s birthday. He’s old as dirt now, so I’d like to extend my congratulations on doing a great job with the whole aging thing. Happy Birthday sir!

LET THE COMMENTS BEGIN!

Today’s Music: Getti Lee – My Favorite Headache

Jogging, can’t feel my ears

I’m going to keep reminding the readers out there, that you can now leave a comment after each post. Not only is it possible… it is encouraged! Or you can just click on comments and read what folks have written, although it becomes a chicken/egg issue at some point.

I tried to convince a Canadian to go bike riding in the sun with me. In the end there was no sun and the Canadian had to work. I myself decided to just go jogging… during this jog I realized how cold it was as I lost feeling in most limbs. Even though it’s such a familiar feeling, that “my ears are going to explode” feeling amazes me every time.

Sadly, I spent much of my day fiddling with WindowsXP OS tools… translation.. I’m bored with WindowsXP and I want to customize this whole thing to the point where I’ll probably ruin everything. Now I have a very Lynux-Techy desktop with buttons in wierd places. If you get curious, I recommend WindowsBlinds4.

A great deal of time was also spent on catching up on Village Voice reading. I especially enjoyed catching up on the Mr. Roboto column, who’s latest highlights include insight on Tablet PC’s and Centrino technology. I guess I won’t be using Wi-Fi stuff anytime soon. Oh, and perhaps more importantly, in this week’s Voice Sydney Schanberg

gives the run down of how GW Bush has pretended his way through the last 4 years.

Oh hey, and I just heard that one of the cell phone companies here in the NL is going to start offerring hand-free sets for bicyclists! How exciting! I mean, I intend to continue biking with one hand and speaking on the phone with the other, but I think its about time a company gave some attention to cyclists. After all, millions of people, one quarter of the workforce in the NL, ride their bikes to work everyday. Hooray for mobile-phone-velocepedes!

Today’s Music: Damien Rice-O