Ok I admit it.
I’m excited about tonight’s game. Who knows what will happen.
UPDATE: Well, there goes that. GOOO ITALY.
Plan Your Emergency Exit
I’m from New Jersey, and I realize that automatically gives me a penchant for sarcasm or exaggeration. But my message for you on this American holiday, which celebrates an alleged “indepedence” of some sort, is that I urge you to draw up a plan for leaving the country in the event that it becomes necessary.
I repeat. Plan what your exit would look like, if push ever came to shove. At your workplace, there is not doubt a little sketch somewhere of which exit to take in the event of a fire or other emergency, someone has laid out the plan for you, should that time ever come. And when a fire does happen, it is unlikely that you will sit at your desk until the flames spread over your body. NO! You would most certainly respond to signs or indicators, such as the smell of smoke or an alarm.
Now take it beyond your workplace, beyond the building you call your home, and look at the broader picture in terms of country. You’re probably often preached to about how you live in the greatest country on earth. A pleasant idea, surely, but there are a long list of reasons that tell another story… mostly a story about a country with plenty of bad aspects and good ones as well. And like any country, especially one where the government is very powerful, and a small percentage of people live at a super high standard while a much larger percentage teeter on the brink of poverty; the situation can become highly unstable, and above all, hazardous to you health or the future of your life or family. And like the possibility of an emergency occurring at home or at work, every American should now have a plan as to where – in terms of country – they would move to in order to escape the effects of such an emergency.
At this point, those in denial will stop reading. Those who are scared or blissfully ignorant will probably click over to some other site as well. Obviously the idea of moving your whole life, leaving the home you’ve probably had a hand in building, can be a very paralyzing and insane sounding idea. But you most find the strength to act; and the first, most basic act, is to make an exit plan.
Maybe you have friends in Canada. Perhaps the drive to Mexico isn’t a long one. A growing number of Americans are finding ways to get the passport of their heritage country, where their grandparents came from. Whatever your method, go over the steps in your head. Sources of money, how to meet the needs of you or your children. A contact you haven’t caught up with in a long time that would be able to help. Any and all of these are important.
Whatever your plan looks like, make no mistake that you need one. If you look back at history you’ll recognize the empires and you will realize the United States is the current empire. On the same hand, you may see familiar signs that led to the decline of past empires: military expansion and crusades to conquer foreign countries, lack of resources (fiscal control) when it comes to government spending, undermining of laws and legal decisions by the government or leader, etc. The list goes on, and a growing number of these factors can be identified as true for the present day United States.
So when you bar-b-q today and gather with family, blocking out all the bullshit and negative feelings that you can sense eminating from almost every statement or decision announced by the government at various levels. Forgetting for a brief moment about everything you notice on a day-to-day basis regarding the horrible state of the national health, education, and personal finances for a majority of the population. As you try not to think about the fact that even in the last week, elected officials have called for the free press to be arrested or shot, and to stop investigating and stop reporting on the actions of the government, because we are supposed to simply trust the government and fear an act called terrorism above anything else. When you have finished the watermelon and the veggieburgers, and succesfully blocked all this out today – start making that emergency exit plan.
Because if you take a deep breath, you might smell the thick smoke all around you.
Roasted on Karmabanque
Before my sweaty weekend in Paris ended, I was fortunate enough to meet up with Madge and the Max and Stacey of Karmabanque fame. I’m a longtime listener of the KB and indeed it was a pleasure to sit and talk with them. However I’m listening back to this recording and I’m fairly horrified at my overall self. Mostly my pessimism, and partially what sounds like my ignorance regarding certain facts.
So it goes I guess… go take a listen to Karmabanque and decide for yourself. I think I got roasted. (this one is not in my feed, go find it on their site, July 2nd roast involving coke in our hair.)
Beep Beep Beep Goes Paris
Why bother trying to sleep… here in Paris people are hanging out their car windows shouting and harassing each other in celebration of the victory over Brazil. As we walked the streets from sitting on the banks of that canal, I must admit I’m too used to the Amsterdam small-town style of things, I was scared. B on the other hand walked in amusement. He kept saying “it’s great… I still can’t believe they won.” It was clear he enjoys seeing the city like this, and my fear is clearly a sign that I’m from out of town. He also pointed out that this victory is important for the national self esteem… apparently people have been pretty bummed sinced not getting the olympics and rejecting the EU constitution.
Let me try and salvage this from being another world cup post. The real story of my saturday in France was going out, for the second time in my life, to visit madame L at her little piece of paradise somewhere outside Paris. As I’m sure I mentioned during my last visit, I love the old house she lives in and the beautiful property around it including the old church. An extra bonus was that this time I brought MAdge with me… the long awaited meeting between the two of them… it was exciting. Together with the French man… the four of us poured over computers and cameras and sat outside enjoying conversation, but also the occasional comfortable silence. What a day.
I leave you with a photo of the house, which I hope the madame doesn’t mind me publishing. When I wake, and Paris is hung over, I will go to meet the Max and Stacey from Karmabanque for the Sunday Roast… and Im not talking food.
When The Government Collapses, Drive South
I figured in honor of the pathetic Dutch government finally admitting they can’t hold it together, I would take a little visit to Paris. I’m sure it sounds flashy, Berlin last week, Paris this week; but please note: each journey costed under 60 euros round trip. That is the wonder of using the automobiles and sharing the cost among passengers. This particular journey I made use of, for the second time in the last year, hitchhikers.org. Great site and interesting people participating in the simple act of offerring a ride in exchange for a small fee… i.e. money for petrol.
Speaking of 4 wheeled vehicles that I normally avoid. You often hear about how the US has too many cars or too many big cars. Yet I think one point that deserves more attention, is Europe’s car addiction. Take the Netherlands; Im sure everyone things of bicycles.. but in fact.. highways full of traffic is also quite characteristic of the country. Today, en route through Belgium, near Antwerp and Brussels, huge traffic jams. And of course, on the outskirts of Paris.. I could have gotten out and walked here faster. Although all these countries have excellent rail systems, and even a decent bus option for collective international transport.. people still insist on the car. Even down in my dear Portugal… there are cars everywhere. People don’t even have money to buy them, but the wonders of credit will help to bring every man, woman, and of-driving-age child, a little hatchback with which to sit in traffic somewhere.
Maybe this isn’t news to the world, but I find there is an exaggeration of the US situation versus that of Europe. Both are in big trouble in terms of future prospects for going anywhere by car, not to mention the air quality.
But let me be a carefree tourist for a moment and ignore the harsh realities of the world. I’m here at B and E’s place, my dearest expat friends since waaay back. And if I ever get to sleep, I shall meet up with Madge in the morning and together, me and the sweaty Lesbian will get on a train and go visit Madame L at her secret undisclosed hideout way out where google maps can’t see.
Smile As You Destroy Their Democracy
There list of hypocracies and deadly inconsistancies continues to grow between Israel and Palestine.
On this blog I’ve been very vocal at the distress I felt seeing the international community demand elections in Palestine, and then slapping them with financial and political penalties for party they elected.
As I’ve said so often: you (nations) may not like Hamas, but you can’t just refuse to acknowledge their legitimacy because you didn’t want them to win.
But thats old news. The hypocracies I’ve been watching tonight on this late night CNN that I sometimes turn on, are of a whole new dimension. Apparently, if CNN can manage to report something accurately, the Israeli Army has bombed the Palestinian Interior Ministry, offices of FATAH (the former governing party) and offices of Hamas (the recently elected party in power).
Putting aside, if at all possible, the hostile moves such as the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, on the part of some vaguely named Palestinian extremist group, what kind of statement does this look like from the Israeli government and the western powers that support it, financially and politically.
Will they really soon recognize a Palestinian state? If so, will they then proceed to bomb the government buildings whenever they deem it necessary? How is that respecting democracy and being committed to dialogue?
Of course there are radical elements on both sides that commit crimes. But it seems extra baffling to see that the most violent (with the most capacity for carrying out violent attacks) and the most radical of the groups involved is in fact the Israeli government’s own military!
And once again, before all this destruction, signs and statements that Hamas is changing and can be counted on to participate in dialogue.
All this darkness…. that’s it.. I’m hitching a ride to Paris for the weekend.