Text – Page 132 – Citizen Reporter

Olympics Are Evil

There are much more important things to talk about in the world. There are much more important things for a government to spend its resources. But all these stories about the Olympic Bids of London, Paris, NYC, Moscow, Madrid and pretty much any city in the world that can put up a banner and wave some flags, are really getting to me.

If you haven’t been following the story, my compliments to you — you’re much better off. Yet, this does warrant discussion cause in all cases, government money will be spent on building those yummy temporary Olympic Villages, and plenty of new stadiums that nobody needs in the longterm. Remember the Mellenium Dome? I don’t. But the one reoccuring theme I see is that Olympic bids are portrayed as good news for everyone. Oh happy day, your city might get the olympics. Pull that wool over your eyes.

So NYC has lost their bid, because the state refused to give 300 million for the 2.2 billion dollar stadium project. Those stingy bastards… can you imagine? What could the city possibly need to spend money on, more important then lighting a flame and running around in tights? (no offence if you’re into that, but you know.. I worry more about the homeless)

So now its between Paris and London basically. With Madrid I guess as a darkhorse. They give a biggass NO to Moscow because they claimed the city was in horrible shape. I’d rather hear a study of what happens to cities after the Olympics leave. What happens after the big economic boom? burst? fizzle? oh yeah. You can only sell Olympic Tshirts for so long before nobody cares. This is what I can’t stand about the Olympic Fever that drives these city governments; shortsightedness… a lack of longterm planning or concern for better ways to spend public money.

Frisbee Girl and Me

Eventually I’m going to run into trouble when Frisbee Girl discovers the blog and then presses charges against me. But until that time, I like tellin’ you guys about my on-field crush. And maybe when I do get busted, you guys could be my character witnesses and probably explain blogging to her and that I didn’t mean this in a creepy way. Second thought, you guys might have to explain that to a Dutch judge.

So today we played a double header, and despite all my screams of pain and frustration, I had a great time and made some sweet-ass catches. Probably most of the reason I work so hard on that field is that she inspires me to do so. Seriously, don’t laugh at me yet (wait til the end), but when I’m running the plays, her voice is always present… and I might be hallucinating out there (this is Amsterdam Frisbee League!) but I swear she’s always cheering for me. Even when I completely fuck up the play and wind up rolling around in the grass just short of the disc, EVEN THEN, I hear her shouting kind words like “Good Run BM!” or “GREAT DIVE BM.” I know it’s lame, but that small gesture goes a long way with me. Anytime I look her way, she’s lookin back with something positive or kind to say to me. I’m sure thats part of her frisbee Jedi training, but nevermind that — I like pretending it’s especially for ME.

Maybe the great bummer is that we’re in the playoffs (or so I hear, I don’t really pay attention to things like scores and schedules) and so, soon it will be over, and everyone will go on their long Dutch vacations. Dam you TIME — why must you keep moving along!?

Oh and Tomorrow I’m tearing into this Olympic Bid bid-ness, cause it’s pissing me off to no end!

PS – – It’s been awhile since I talked about a Tony Pierce post, but the man is full of good stuff and I highly recommend this one.

Deep Throat This

One of the most important whistle blowers in history also happens to have a great porn name. Go figure.

D-rock and other commentors here at the communique requested that I speak about mr throat and the fact that he came forward after what — 35 years of silence.

So as a journalist at heart and by training, I’m a big Woodward and Bernstein fan (also potential porn names). And I have especially admired them for taking an oath of silence in a day and age where you could probably be called a terrorist and get the death sentence for keeping a secret like that. But I have to say, with this announcement, my first reaction was “VANITY FAIR? Who makes an earth shattering announcement in VANITY FAIR?”

I guess we all make mistakes. But it’s cool that he comes forward. It’s good to be recognized before you own death, cause afterwards, well – I just don’t believe it’s as rewarding. At the same time, as the number 2 man for J. Edgar Hoover, who was convinced that everyone and their mother was a terrorist-communist-pig, I think mr deep is guilty of some bad crimes in the name of fighting communists. Randomly arresting and searching people, that sort of thing.

So in summary, Blow the Whistle on Political Fraud= good. Work as the right hand man for a insane leader of a secret police force=bad. add 35 years, well, it just isn’t very exciting.

I want to podcast dammit. But its late, and Im a working slob, so… tomorrow friends. But I did discover the wonderful OVERNIGHTSCAPE which comes to you from the graden state.

To the BBC

Having grown up in New Jersey, we obviously didn’t have the BBC in my house. We didn’t even have cable for that matter, which may not sound like a big deal to you, but in a suburban high school, “what you got” can determine where you classify on the foodchain. I of course was made fun of and pitied for my lack of cable. The guys used to talk about how the cable company had a big map of the state and there was a big red circle around my house and my family was the focus of all their sales efforts.

But I did have public radio, and you can bet I made use of it. During the day, Pacifica’s wonderfully crazy WBAI, the station where so many different groups could have their voice; from native americans, to convicts, to former characters from TV’s The Munsters. Everynight, French radio on WNYE New York, followed by the BBC. Each of them offerred me news stories from all over the world, not to mention reports from local activists, who didn’t just talk about issues, many were directly involved in a cause they believed in. Hell, that’s the beauty of Alternative Grassroots Radio.

All this as a round about way to tell you about the one day BBC strike yesterday. It isn’t so much that they had a strike, but the way they talk about it on the air. I happenned to have BBC World on the night before, and the anchor actually reports that the station is going on a one day walk out, and goes on to interview another BBC employee about the issues. Do you see what is unique here? The BBC actually talks about internal disputes ON THE AIR! It’s a simple and beautiful thing… a dash of transparency in a realm that rarely sees it. When the hell do you see Fox or NBC or whatever other crappy network reporting about their own company’s internal disputes? Never. It’s not allowed. You CAN NOT make such reports.

So I just thought — that’s what I call a media corporation with a commitment to the public. Or at least a hint of honesty for a change. Speaking of honesty, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and god knows what else, the Blog Maverick embodies how corporate bigshots SHOULD blog. Honestly, openly, and with a curiously creative spirit.

PS – I still listen to all those stations, even here in Europe. Thanks internetS.

Cutter

Laura Bush strikes me as a psychopath. Or a sociopath. One of those words for people who are secretly crazy and probably cut themselves in private. I’m not making fun of her for that, I actually hope she gets help for that problem. But listening to her speak (by mistake on television) in Israel, you can hear that she has no clue what is happenning in the world and she’s just on the borderline of snapping and killing everyone. – I’m scared.

My podcast feast isn’t finished. So for tonight I leave you with Sushi that I made.

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.