Captain’s mobile blog: Here i sit @ gate for ams to ewr flight. Thanks to trusty TvBGone ive turned off annoying tvs throughout airport. Yay. Airport security is 75 percent useless, i like telling different lies to each authority figure. Ok, time 2 go
Dinner and WW1 Mines
You know its a good dinner conversation when we break into European History thru revolutions and wars. Shouldn’t be much of a surprise since in our spare time we also look up who the last King of the Austro-Hungarian empire was.
But this evening Krizu alerted me to something I actually had no clue about and am quite shocked to learn: They are de-mining Belgium from World War 1! I repeat.. WWI (1914 to 1918), there are still mines scattered about certain parts of Belgium that were put there around 90 years ago!?
This isn’t just a matter of fascinating tidbits of knowledge, this about a terrible war, so long ago, still able to claim victims. Apparently the Belgian army has a whole specific unit dedicated to finding these last land-mines. Obviously I now want to meet these guys, they must have amazing stories.
Beyond this I didn’t realize, and she pointed out, that only a few hours south, down there in Belgium, there are still plenty of old trenches and craters in the earth leftover from WWI. Why am I surprised? I guess I expected everything, beyond the occasional memorial or museum, to be cleaned up, renovated, built upon… in effect.. erased.
This gets me to thinking of other wars, including the current occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. What about the landmines? (several nations, including the US, refuse to stop using them) Or even the craters. How many generations later will still see these scars and live with the risk of potentially blowing up because of a landmine left behind, for another war that allegedly will end all war (or terror).
bm187 Poisoned and Forgotten, Katrina Survivers 2007
Some people might imagine that a year and a half after Katrina, life for many survivors might be improving as the rebuilding process progressed. But what if the rebuilding process was not progressing? More than that, imagine hundreds of thousands of people still living in FEMA trailers that are actually poisioning them? While the mainstream press turns its corporate back, an unbelievable crime is taking place along the gulf coast… again. In this program, with the help of people working for the recovery effort, we lay out the agonizing facts.
Guests:
Becky Gillette, Co-Executive Committee Chair – Mississippi Chapter Sierra Club
Ashley Tsongas, Oxfam America
We discuss:
– FEMA Trailers and the toxicity levels
– Health problems being reported and underreported
– FEMA’s response
– The Trailer Companies and the building of the trailers
– Options for trailer residents
– Next steps for Sierra Club and Katrina
– The delays of the rebuilding process
– Causes and those responsible
– The poor and housing in the NOLA area
– Lack of coverage of the issue
– plus much more, so please listen.
Nation Article on this topic
bmtv39 Life Stories of my Grandparents (Part 1)
Click To Play
When I spoke in Berlin last December, lots of people asked “why do you put personal things mixed with your podcasts and blog entries.” What I tried to answer then, is that everything here is personal to me.. these are issues, ideas, and people that I care about and which make me who I am.
The following is Part 1 of a few vlog entries featuring my grandparents; just a little sample of them describing what life was like for them as farmers in Portugal. I’ve subtitled the key points, Portuguese speakers will notice some extras.
The following is Part 1 of a few vlog entries featuring my grandparents; just a little sample of them describing what life was like for them as farmers in Portugal. I’ve subtitled the key points, Portuguese speakers will notice some extras.
Frustration for Baghdad, Hope for NOLA
Planning a trip next month to the United States, and it goes without saying how good it will be to see the family and the friends.
But whenever I think about it, a second feeling comes to mind, frustration. To have to go back to a country responsible for so much bullshit in the world. And while I know there are good people, other bad countries in the world, and even some signs of hope in the US, it is always there in my mind when I think about going there.
Clearly I just watched the latest entry from Alive in Baghdad. I think everyone should watch it. Maybe twice. And think about it.. what is this for? What good does this do anyone. And most importantly, who benefits from all this pain and destruction.. cause we should never forget who benefits from all this horror. Now more than ever, we have enough evidence to determine that participating in this occupation of iraq is not only mistake.. its a crime against humanity, paid for by every American’s tax dollars.
On the other hand I’ve also just watched something inspiring, from NEw Orleans. It is the type of grassroots initiative from creative and passionate people, that reminds me of that segment of Americans that I’ve always identified with and that I’m very inspired by. Watch this entry from Sustainable Route and see what a group of intelligent and determined people are doing to bring NOLA back. (maybe I should visit them)
bm186 Liberia, What a Difference a Year Makes
It was one year ago that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia, promising the enormous task of rebuilding and reuniting the country. One year on, some may wonder how the process is going, what signs of progress and hope can be found across Liberia? Elma Shaw of Liberia Stories joins me to point out the milestones.
We Discuss:
-The milestones of development for the last year
-Running Water, Communications, and other services
-The types of jobs Liberians are creating
-Popularity of the president
-Outside interests and investment
-Charles Taylor in the public discussion
listen to the program for further details
President Johnson-Sirleaf’s Speech last year at the US Institute for Peace