Category Archives: Text

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.

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?

1 Year Uncle

Could it possibly have only been one year ago today that my little boy… my little A-Ren came into the world? Was I really sitting here in Amsterdam, staying up all night, waiting to hear word if I had a niece or a nephew?

It’s hard to imagine my family pre-A-Ren. Almost seems as if in every memory I have of the last few years, he’s somehow been pasted in there. Even from this side of the ocean, far away and unable to see him first-hand, I know he’s the pride and joy… the superstar of my family.

And of course, I’m a silly uncle, and I have so much guilt and fear, that living here in the Dam will make me a forgetten uncle. It’s to a point that I write in this blog in hopes that one day, A-Ren who I love so much, will flip through it, and say — “UncleBM, You wrote that about me?”

And I’ll play it cool, cause I want to be the cool uncle, I’ll say — Yeah kid, I did. Now lets get out there on our bikes, I’ve got windmills to show you.

Happy Birthday A-Ren!

Lame Duck Democracy

For those who somehow didn’t notice, and maybe I can’t blame you since it was so uneventful, the UK had parliamentary elections a few days ago. I’ll not keep you in suspense… labour won. Again. And again. I mean they got less votes, but when you live in a one-party country you can still win with a bad turn out. (sorry Lib Dems, Conservatives, “others” you just don’t count) You thought the situation was bleak in the US, Tony Blair could have gone on television shown his ass, and declared it a campaign — he still would have won. Hooray for democracy.

But wait, it’s not a total sham. I myself stayed up til 3am watching the returns on the BBC. Two major things kept me glued to the telly….

  • 1 – Jeremy Paxman, the very blunt and bold BBC guy, ridiculing Cabinet Member Jack Straw for pretending everything was great when his party had just done pretty poorly.
  • The best was watching the returns per region. I loved hearing the Welsh language announcements and I kept thinking of Eddy Izzard doing his Welsh accent. I also loved hearing the Scottish accents, and generally the random little parties that get like 30 votes being announced. Reminded me of the Monty Python skit… oh.. better save that for the podcast.

    • Generally speaking, the only silver lining is that it was very obvious that people were voting their disapproval at having been lied to about the need to invade Iraq. The only trouble is that not enough of them did it, and as usual – there is no real alternative to vote for.

    Tomorrow on the podcast, bring a pen, we’re learning about the European Constitution and my first hand experience as an EU citizen. The gloves are coming off, Im tired of all the fallacies and half-truths.