Citizen Reporter

Dams and Boats Weekend

This boating thing could really make one forget about all the problems in the world. I smell complacency everytime I lie back and stare at the cyclists riding by. Maybe it would help if I brought my powerbook and parked where I could catch some wifi and from there I could keep abreast to all the things happenning in different corners of the world. I was so busy learning how to manage the vessel today, I actually forgot to take photos or video – imagine that!

But instead of going on and on about this very shallow reflection on canal cruising life, I think it would be better if I recommend you a blogger and an ongoing story that effects the lives of hundreds if not thousands: Dilip in Bombay is doing some excellent blog-journalism on dam building in India; specifically the Narmada Dam project. It’s an issue I have always come back to and has always stuck out in my mind. Mostly the influence of both a former professor of mine from India and the great Arundhati Roy, of course. I recommend his posts from this past week to get an idea and detailed arguements on the issue regarding the who, what, and why.

Meanwhile I’m off to sleep where I’ll likely dream about perfect boat parking spaces and ultimate frisbee tournaments. Apathy can’t be too far away.

Easter Egg Hunt Redux – A Vlog

Naturally I can not close the book on easter without putting out a vlog. This one features my family in Belgium; specifically my cousins, as they scour their yard for eggs and gifts. The little dialogue there is in mostly in French, some in Portuguese. If you listen close you’ll hear me in French for the first time ever in a vlog. But really you don’t need to speak any language to soak in the overal feeling. Oh, and the tune is from my fellow Portuguese Amsterdam resident Fernando Lameirinhas.

Watch the Video

And since professor Chris Weagel of Human-dog productions has been poking around this blog, it’s a good time to recommend his team of scientists’ hard work.

In Cold Blog

I’ve not yet read Truman Capote, but I’m going to. Like so many media consumers these days, I had to first see the recent movie about his work on the book “In Cold Blood” to get inspired to read the actual book. Sad but true.

In Cold Blood was about the murder of an entire family in some middle-america, dustbowl state. More specifically, it was about the accused and later convicted killers; their lives, their childhood, everything about them up to and including the crimes and later on death row. Capote was able to gain/buy access to sit with one of the two men everyday for I don’t remember how long. And just based on what I saw in the film, you can see through Capote and for yourself just how human and how fragile and lost these men are. Though some might say it was an act, there’s something very familiar and perhaps even endearing about the one particular guy. And of course this makes for a very grey sort of outlook on things: there you sit talking to someone who killed a whole family, yet there you sit sitting with a very polite, scared, confused, and damaged human being. Naturally many people don’t ever want to hear such a thing, a killer is a killer is a killer is a killer and they are terrible and must get a chair or an injection or gas etc. I’m aware of this reasoning, but clearly I’m not of that opinion.

I present all this to you today because I’ve been reading and re-reading blog posts by Tony Pierce, Emmanuelle, and this other blog I just randomly searched for; all about the blogger from Oklahoma, Kevin Underwood, who recently murdered and planned to eat a 10 year old girl. I’m actually not sure if he’s been convicted yet so I should rephrase that, but it seems the authorities are quite certain about this. So all day long I’ve been reading his blog, which I think everyone should continue to have a right to read. You may not find it exciting. In fact, it’s downright boring. But considering what has happened, I’ve been skimming it looking for real posts where he talks about his feelings and thoughts, and as Tony said in his post – he clearly has a great deal of social anxiety. As you read, you see that he was extremely depressed and went on medication, but then stopped taking it for some reason. He was also constantly tormented with the desire to be close to someone yet the inability to get near anyone. He frequently mentions not feeling like a normal person and the headaches and the extreme boredom with life. – All things you will find in blogs anywhere on the internets. Which is about where I start to think of Truman Capote and In Cold Blood.

There will be no great conclusion to this post, as I’m still pouring over the entries and trying to look behind the words and understand what was going on. I suspect lots of things, including mental illness. Now being mentally ill doesn’t mean you’ll murder a little girl and want to eat her. But can it go that far, that someone becomes psychotic? Judging by his writing, the familiar themes the blog contains, I would say this blog could be his In Cold Blood.

To Be Continued — Im going to consult some mental health experts and report back.

bm122 Fallout from the Financial Crisis of the Palestinian Authority

Only a month ago the international community was demanding and encouraging free and fair elections in Palestine. But then HAMAS was elected, ever since then the international community has turned their back on the new government, withheld funds, and are now holding them partially responsible for any violence against Israel. What story do the numbers tell? What’s left of the budget without that aid money? And what about the effectiveness of the age-old strategy known as “we don’t negociate with terrorists,” or in this case: a party with ties to suicide bombing and the use of violence, now with a newfound political responsibility for the lives of over 2 million people. Where will this political and financial stalemate take us?

AudioCommunique #122 (mp3)

Some Links:

CIA WFB on the West Bank
Israel Withholds Taxes
Palestinian Budget
Calls from Within Hamas for a new era

Music:
Faudel – Aveuglé par l’amour
Final Fantasy – None of you will ever see a penny
Elvis Costello – the other side of town
Talib Kweli – Get By

——
podcast made possible by you the listener and also Springheeljack.net

In the Middle of Crowded Train, Im reading Freud

Before getting fully back into Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents on the insanely crowded trainride back from Brussels, I was catching up on my world news by reading the wonderful courrier international. Among the items that most made me think and inspired me to research further: the Hungarian elections.

Easter in Hungary I know, I know. It is so often about elections with me and this blog. But you see, it’s not that I like the game, it’s that I worry about the people who hang in the balance depending on the game’s outcome. So I can’t turn away (like so many do!) and say “ooh, I don’t like politics”; it has nothing to do with liking politics, it is all about keeping watch to see what kind of changes are in store for which people of the world.

Anyway so while everyone, including myself, had their eyes glued to the Italian mish-mosh last week that barely managed to push Berlusconi out, Hungary was also having elections. It was only the first round, but the Hungarian Socialist Party came out on top. Which means they’re that much closer to re-electing the Socialist-Liberal coalition that was running the show already.

I’m particularly interested in how life has changed for Hungarians since becoming part of the EU. Obviously I don’t expect magic or people suddenly doing wonderfully, but Im curious if its had any effect. Beyond that, I want to hear from people there.. which is why I’m actively browsing the Hungarian blogosphere and have landed on the excellent blog entitled “Hungarian Accent”.

Of course, I also have a friend who just moved from the US to Budapest. D-rock once visited the fair country. And Ashbloem, I believe, is a hardcore Hungarofile (Magyarfile?). Clearly I’m somewhat connected to the country already.

PS- Its sunday so there is a new vlog post on my vlog, if anyone’s interested. It’s rather simple and without message today.

Travelin South Is Good for the Sole

On the Amsterdam to Brussels snail-rail train this morning, I couldn’t avoid hearing an American couple across the isle. Nice little couple, in their 50’s, presumably travelling around Europe for the first time. They talked during the whole ride, it was exhausting. I put the volume up on the K’Naan album and luckily a hip-hop artist who grew up in Mogadishu can overpower the never ending child-like observations of Mr and Mrs Jones. Or Smith. or whatever.

But I did listen to alot of their observations, and some of it was interesting. They kept talking about what “was smart about european design” and what they should have in their homestate cause it would help with whatever problem they have back in Plansboro or boringsville Pennsyltucky. No offense to the Pennsyltukians, I’m sure you could teach the world a thing or to about something. Maybe.

So they did actually provide inspiration. Instead of just sleeping the whole ride down through the Netherlands, I looked out over the fields and the cities and I thought about the history of this place. How much things have probably changed yet if I look outside, the year could just as easily be 1955, if you cancel out the train that Im on, the mp3 player in my ears, and the whole wheat bagel I just ate. (who could find a bagel in 1950’s europe?)

I’m not a person with any religion, but I do love having 2 days off for easter. It’s always a weekend that reminds me of my familia; the A-Ren, and all the fun of being with them for holidays. But hey, here in the low countries, I have an equally great tradition from the past 4 years, of spending these days with my cousins in Brussels. Photos and vlog will be up soon, when I’m done eating pie for breakfast and lunch.

And since the photos aren’t uploaded yet, todays is of a dear friend who’s moving back to her island in the atlantic for the next 6 months.