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The Battle for Amsterdam’s Soul

Listening to a debate earlier today on Radio Netherlands’ podcast “Amsterdam Forum”, they had a panel discussion about prostitution in Amsterdam. See you may know that international image that the Netherlands is tolerant and prostitution is legal… and most of that statement is true. But times sure are a-changin.

Especially impressive is the amount of times, during the debate, the representative of the center-left party uses the term… morality. Yes, it isn’t just in theocracies or the United States, the art of legislating morality is being practiced right here in the world’s capital of freedom. Whatever freedom means these days anyway, that term has been completely dragged through the mud over the past decade.

But anyway, yes, they are talking about cutting down on the amount of prostitution in the Netherlands, reducing the amount of red lights, and even.. making prostitution illegal! Why? Well you can listen to the program to hear some of the arguements, which relate to human trafficing, organized crime, and abuse – for the most part.

Not that I like any of those three, but the idea that because there are still some problems something must be banned or declared illegal seems like a pretty rash decision. But then again, it is all part of legislating morality… teaching us sinners how to be good boys and girls.

Textiles and the Future

Over the weekend, while Max and Stacy were over for soup and podcasting, I popped in Shafiur’s documentary about the garment workers of Bangladesh. Probably should have said this earlier but it is a very good film, with excellent information and images mixed with testimony that are VERY telling about what is happening with the textile manufacturing industry there, and tying it back to the very clothes we are purchasing in shops around the world.

At one point in the film, they mention their fears of the big changes that will come once Europe elimates tarrif’s on Chinese textiles. They didn’t say exactly when this would happen, but Max mentioned that the authority of the European Union on trade has long been going back and forth on actually doing this. Which means it may not be soon… but it could very well be.

In all the images of the textile workers, you get the very clear feeling that their quality of life is not what it should be… it is below what any reasonable person could call humane living conditions. Yet they work for brands, as much of the world has come to know, that charge big money for their prestigious label.

So what if we add another complication to the equation. A country of a few billion people who can do everything for even cheaper, outbid, underprice, and out produce Bangladesh. What will happen to people already walking the tightrope of poverty and death? People who have scraped out a living, even in conditions that make it seem unlikely to be able to do so?

I’m yet to do more extensive research into this topic.. but Im curious to learn about the proposed rules.. or lack of rules.. that the free trade proponents want to adopt. Instead of running around shopping for new clothes for cheap prices, the European public should already be asking their retailer — who made this? Where is it from? And how are workers treated? But after learning these answers, they must take the next step.. and NOT buy those items until basic demands are met for a living wage and human rights for workers, regardless of where they are, are respected.

bmtv58 Burma!

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BURMA! Who needs history when the mainstream media presents BURMA! to us. This is a vlog commentary on Burma with some factoids. Also testing my new camera… and apparently the battery was dying or I pushed the wrong something as you might see the sound getting out of sync.

Marching Band Culture

Now it may not qualify as a global concern or even under reported news, but a big part of my youth revolved around music. As a French Horn player since the age of 10, throughout high school I was a very active member of the marching band. It was a very important part of my adolescent development, a place and a group of people that made high school – a very traumatic experience – more pleasant.

If you had similar experiences or are simply curious of what is actually a very complex, multi-layered world, I highly suggest the latest edition of On Point that looks at Marching Bands in the US, their function and their great rise over the past decades.

If you’re not interested at all, tomorrow we can get back to Burma, Chavez, Trade Agreements, and all our usual favorite issues.

Short Memory of the Net

Much like society, there are alot of problems with the internet and how it functions. Especially in terms of how people use the internet, what becomes popular, and what is commonly done or not done. Today I’m thinking about history, personal histories, and how they are recorded, archived, and passed on.

Over the summer I’m standing in a shop with my mother, in the small city of Caldas da Rainha, when the clerk behind the counter looks up at my mom. “You don’t remember me do you? Secondary school? We were in the same class… I know I look very different, but I recognize you!” What followed was the usual trip down memory lane, some names forgotten, some friends remembered. Then the clerk excitedly reports: “You know there’s a blog! Yes… one of those sites.. where we’ve posted old photos (circa 1960’s) and we’re trying to get people to explain the photos; who is who, where we are, and when it was taken.” My mom looked at me with that “did you hear that?” look.

That night we went to the alleged blog, and sure enough, a bunch of blog posts with black and white photos. And indeed.. a few scattered comments with people posting names and writing things like “oh my god I can’t believe you have this photo, I recognize her but who is that behind us.” Naturally mom got to work naming names and frequently shouting to me about how cool it was to see photos of her friends from almost 40 years ago.

What a simple yet vital use of the internet. To gather information, record and piece together our histories. Trying to get the people, places, and dates organized so that they won’t be forgotten.. but instead.. passed on. Also in hopes of reconnecting people who cared so much for each other. Not to mention remembering how things were then.. and how or why life had changed.

Recently I noticed Todd’s lost and found photos project. Not exactly the same thing, but the spirit remains the same. Using photos, piecing together stories, seeking to understand histories… personal histories.

What the internet needs, is less minutia.. less energy talking about nothing or trying to sell one another something, and more recording of history. More reporting about the present, the past, and sure some reflection on the future. Your family history, your classmates from 6th grade, your first job.. all these moments in your life had an influence on who you are… they deserve to be remembered.. and this could be the place to help us remember.

Highway Through Poland

With all the problems related to automobile exhaust and the destruction of wetlands throughout the world, I didn’t expect to hear that an EU nation was pushing to build a new highway through wetlands in order to connect to neighboring countries. But that is what has been going on in Poland.

It is not a new story, but it is an unresolved issue that seemingly doesn’t make the radar of most European media. Or if it does, it is summarized in brief in a tiny little column.

In the latest reports I’ve found at this moment, construction of the highway has been haulted because of pressure from the EU. But the fact that the Polish government wanted (and still wants to) execute such a project despite all that we’ve learned in the last decades about how important natural preserves and wetlands are. Somehow having a highway from Poland to Finland is more important that maintaining an ecosystem when so many have already been destroyed.

This might call for a conversation with the great blogger and journalist in Poland, Mr. the Beatroot. I’m especially interested in just how these plans can be reversed and the opinions of Polish people and other follow citizens on this continent. Building a highway.. how 20th century. Build a high speed rail line, or better yet.. a maglev train… whatever you do, plan for the future with what we’ve learned from the past.