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.

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

NOLA Pain Continues

I’m pondering a trip to the US in the coming 6 months. Hoping money and the moons all align so that I might be able to go over for a bit longer than the usual 2 weeks.

One place I hope to be able to get to somehow is New Orleans. I know it was probably media cliché.. but it has also become an under-reported and poorly reported subject. What happenned to that city is not a tragedy, but in fact, one of the biggest crimes of the century. Actually two crimes, as the government and business leaders have pretended not to know anything about climate change and the dangers it involves. And yet no one in charge was arrested, and hardly anyone resigned. More criminals and mass murderers at large in Washington DC.

How much reporting are the toxic trailers getting? Over 200 thousand people living in FEMA trailers that are known to have high levels of toxicity and cause all manner of resperatory diseases to so many.

Following the recent terrible tornados that hit the city, I went over to NOLA dot com, to see what people are talking about in the forums. I happenned to click on Gentilly forum, and there i read a sad, tragic, and almost poetic proclamation by a resident by the name of LowDownLou:

New Orleans has had more destruction due to weather since Katrina than it has had within the last 10 years before Katrina. How many Tornadoes have actually hit New Orleans in the last 20 years pre-K?

You all remember that song: If It Aint One Thing Its Another?

Astronomical Insurance rates—–

Crime is totally outta place——

People lookn for a place to stay——

March on City Hall searchn 4 a betta Way—–

Called my local congressman beggn 4 relief—–

But my local congressman was only a Thief—–

It’s a Shame 2 C the Cresent City in such waste—-

We need to get on our Knee’s and beg 4 a betta DAY……

PEACE Out…….

My Future Kids

If if never said it before.. I fully intend to have some children some day. Yup.. some youngins… and my dear Krizu predicts Ill have those youngins relatively sooner rather than later in my life.

Which brings me to today’s topic: Im pregnant!

(watching to see if my readership suddenly increases with Soap Opera like news)

OK no. BUT. I do wonder about what country is good for raising a child. And while I can hear my mothers voice as she reads this saying “it isnt about the country.. it is about the family and how the family raises the children”… I would still like to examine some other factors when it comes to good places to raise children. (besides a barn)

So who better to look to than UNICEF. If they know anything… its kids. And when they released a study entitled “Child Well Being in Rich Countries” I was impressed to see the Netherlands in first place, followed by Sweden and Denmark. I was also interested to see the UK in last, and the US in second to last. For anyone who cares, Portugal was around 17th, as you can see in the graph.

The study looks at factors that I admit I dont understand how theyre measured.. child well being, relationships with parents, material well being…

Still it goes well with my own surface research; whenever I see the huge number of parents waiting to take their kids to lunch, standing outside the schools with their bikes, on break from work. I think to myself — hey.. thats how it should be! In Newark we just went to the basement for lunch and were allowed to run around in a small square called the playground, and if a parent visited that would mean we were in big trouble. So while I don’t know exactly how great Unicef’s study is, and I haven’t lived the experience.. so far.. all the signs point to the fact that Im in the right city to raise me some youngins.

Test

Test bloging using my mobile phone. Could come in handy when im out and and about.