Category Archives: Text

Viva Costa Rica

The random February rain has arrived in Amsterdam. One minute sunny, the next, rainy. Which gives me a good excuse to have some whiskey with my dear Fleur, and to seek out blogs/guests for my upcoming podcast on the Costa Rican elections.

There’s one thing I love, above all about Costa Rica. – No military! I love it. As Yakov Smirnov would say — “what a country!”

Naturally there’s much more to love and learn from when it comes to Costa Rica. And so today I turned to the His Fault blog, for rants and commentary from an expat in Costa Rica. So far I’ve enjoyed his blog. Then there’s a Costa Rican in the Netherlands who blogs mostly in Spanish and its refreshing to read a blog in spanish about such a hip country. And the last one I’m trying out is Medea Material, mostly in Spanish, all about Costa Rica.

So there you have it, maybe you’re curious about the perfect weather in San José. Maybe you want to hear about eco-tourism and the important plants and species that one can find in this central American country. Now you’ve got somewhere to start.

As for the elections… runoff pending…

More Opium for the Masses

Danish cartoons… Danish cartoons... Danish cartoons.

I bet Denmark never felt so important as they do right now. Apparently it’s the new center of the universe.

Lots of blogs will be writing about it. Newspapers certainly won’t shut up about it. And unemployed, poor, angry, irrational, passionate, religious people have been driven to violence over it.

Danish Cartoons.

Thing is, it’s not the cartoon I want to comment about. It’s not how we should intepret the Koran or what free speech is either.

What disappoints me, besides the fact that, sorry my Danish readers, Danmark isn’t the spokescountry for me or the rest of Europe. Nevermind that. But when I look at how passionate, how driven, and how in-a-frenzy many people are over these comics, which depicted a religious figure in an offensive way… and then I think about how the American public barely reacted, when their government lied to them about going to war, planted a spy at the new york times to promote their policies, outed a CIA agent.. all using the media…

Part of me wishes the West had such energy, such passion. Instead of the misplaced anger and hatred always revolving around religion and images… I wish people took to the streets in overwhelming numbers in the US.. and stayed there, boycotting, marching, refusing to get back to life-as-usual. But no. Instead… it’s not in the US. It’s in the middle east and amongst certain muslim populations. And it’s not about life and death and lies and manipulation. It’s about cartoons and religious images. DANISH cartoons. ho-hum.

ps – If it were charicatures of figures from the Jewish religion they’d be declared an anti-semetic newspaper. If it were Catholic’s being maid fun of, an apology would have been issued before you can say Pope Benedict. Every religion is chock full of angry idiots, the double standard just makes it worse.

His Eyes Are Blood Thirsty

After wrapping up show 100 last night, since it was 3am anyway, I decided to catch some of the state of the union address. Course I could neither stomach or stay awake to watch more than 20 minutes of it, but I still had enough time to catch the war-criminal-in-chief’s Iran segment. And thought I was drowsy, it really hit home….

The man wants to invade Iran. The man wants to bomb Iran into the stoneage. I could see it, for some reason, this look I hadn’t noticed before. This dillusional rich-boy-turned-world leader actually believes it is an option to use war to get Iran to behave the way he thinks they should. And with the potential backing of the EU, China, and Russia, it suddenly occurred to me – he’s crazy, disconnected, and careless enough to order it. What difference does it make to him how many innocent Iranians would die, how many more soldiers would die, and all the remifications of invading a country as strong and proud as Iran.

I usually am not surprised by revelations in the realm of politics and conflict, you can usually see them coming, no matter how bad. But this one is a particularly tough one for me to swallow. I’m already thinking up actions that a podjournalist and an activist can take, to try and expose the stupidity and futility of using large scale violence to subjigate yet another nation in the name of “freedom”.

Unemployed, in Greenland

Is it our attention span? Is it the sheer magnitude of a problem that effects an entire planet regardless of who you are, where you live, or how much money you have? Is it that this dam LOST SEASON 1 box set is so dam addictive? Today I’ve been wondering and reading the results of the UK government study that says very clearly, unless something significant is done to cut greenhouse gases, the greenland ice sheet will melt, and the oceans will rise in a big way; some of your favorite cities, including my dear Amsterdam, will become the new Atlantis.

I’ve been wondering why so little is done. While some governments make a token commitment like the kyoto thing, some governments like the US, Australia, and their new buddies in the Canadian government, refuse to do a dam thing in the name of economic growth. Hope that economic growth makes some floating cities and one of those machines that lets you recycle urine into drinking water like in that crappy Costner film… cause that’s the future.

But it doesn’t feel like it.. does it? I mean, sure it feels like spring in New York City right now. And it snowed for the first time in who knows how long in much of Portugal yesterday. And study after study comes out. While information is supressed. All this, helping to make the FACT that global warming is an undeniable and severe threat to everyone on this planet… somehow not a priority in our minds and for our elected officials.

One day, when this civilization is but a memory, a more intellegent species will study humankind and be completely baffled at how we purposely persued our own extinction.

To Have Been Defense Minister in Chile

The election of Michelle Bachelet as the president of Chilé has generated an exuberant response from people all across the world who applaud the electorate for their choice and for the amazing person that she has long proven to be. As I listened to Radio Open Source and Democracy Now on my walk to the grocery store this afternoon I found myself daydreaming and coming back to this one point about her life and that’s what I wanted to present to you the readers today.

ams010626After having lost her father to the military coup, then being tortured, forced into exile, and eventually returning to Chilé and entering into politics… Bachelet was appointed as Defense Minister in 2002. Of course lots of politicians get such positions on their way to higher offices, normally that wouldn’t be a big deal. And let’s just put aside the more than impressive fact that a nation who’s military was no doubt still very MACHO was now being led by a female. Nevermind that for just a second, because what I can’t fathom is something else…

Imagine being Michelle Bachelet in 2002; getting the job of being in charge of the military force that less than a generation ago, killed your father and tortured you. (note: officially her father died of a heartattack in prison..) It kept running through my head.. what must it have been like.. reviewing the troops.. dealing day-in, day-out with old geezer colonels, some of which may have had some connection, even if it were minor, to the military at that time.. when they tortured.. and murder.. countless people, many of which were your friends and colleagues.

I admit in 2002 I wasn’t paying much attention to who the minister of defense of Chili was, and shamefully, I didn’t know who Michelle Bachelet was. But if I ever do get to meet Madame President, I would like to shake her hand, give her a most heartfelt hug, and somehow ask what it was like… to be her.. in that job.. at that time.

Thai’s Don’t Want Your Free Trade

Free Trade agreement with North America. Free Trade Agreement with Jordan. Free Trade Agreement with Chilé…. seems like everday they’re negociating a new one. After awhile one has to wonder, what’s the point? It’s not like it’s special anymore. And even the results are questionable; with some countries reporting improved economies, but they also report high prices, increased poverty, etc etc. There’s no solid conclusion that can be drawn about free trade, for every good side it seems there is a bad side.

But nevermind my own musings about FreeTrade, let’s look at Thailand, where thousands upon thousands have been on the streets this week to say “we don’t want your free trade” while US and Thai officials negociate what is supposed to be a lovely free trade agreement. I’ve been reading the list of reasons that people are opposing this deal:: The dominance of expensive American perscription drugs, US managed deregulation of utilities, and of course the impact of cheap farm products driving Thai farmers out of business.

When you consider the importance and prevelance of farming as a way of life for a nation such as Thailand. And then consider the 600,000 people living with AIDS and dependant on affordable medicine, it is no wonder they’re out there protesting, asking the often overlooked question, Free Trade for Who?

PS– Im working on a show about engaging what some call terrorist groups in the political process. I’ll be discussing the history and present situation of three in particular: Sinn Fein, Batasuna, and Hamas. If you’ve got any unique insight on these or other groups, get in touch.