Send Your ‘Dam Bloggers

You wouldn’t have to dig very far into my archives to find a story about how I enjoyed meeting another blogger or podcaster in person. I would probably write quite a bit about how often it seems like we’re old friends who have known each other for ages. And while last weekend I got to spend time with some very fun bloggers and friends, the second half of this week has brought 2 bloggers to Amsterdam that it is an even greater pleasure to lead around town.

Not only does it give me a chance to visit spots I haven’t stopped at in ages, it is a terrific source of brainfood/inspiration. Spending time with the likes of a blogger I’ve been reading for a few years – Tony Pierce of the Busblog, and a blogger who I have only very recently been reading – John Aravosis of Americablog.

I sometimes stop and look around during our conversations on the street, in restaurants, as the squat bar, checking to see if anyone else notices how elaborate and involved our discussions are. From the american political system, to addictive television shows, and from blogging to idiosyncracies of a city like this one – we cover it all, as only bloggers would.

Tomorrow I’m looking to lead a little bike tour through one of my two favorite neighborhoods, during which I’m sure we’ll discuss a wealthof topics that will shock the neighbors. Normally I’m a person of routines, even on my day off – Friday. But over the past few days I’ve simply forgotten my routine and replaced it with the enjoyment wandering the town with curious visitors. And of course, blogging made it possible.

also: “Amanda’s account of her visit, Tony’s Account of the evening at “Led Zepplin”, John’s Arrival
, etc etc.

bm106 WTO Force Feeds Europe

With the recent announcement by the World Trade Organization which finds the Europe Union at fault for stopping Genetically Modified Food from entering its markets, what will happen now? Who benefits if things continue this way and who is at risk? Where do national laws and policies fit in against the backdrop of WTO conclusions?

AudioCommunique #106 (mp3)

Discussed:

The forthcoming ruling on GMOs
The reasons for the EU strategy
Governments and Biotech of US, Canada, and Argentina rejoice
Consumer opinions within the EU
Growth and Demand of Organic
Guardian Article
Quotes from notable people
Future for GMO’s and governmental shift to the right.
Brief comment on the Ports Issue

Music:

G.Love – Milk and Cereal
Ben Folds 5 – Prison Food
Merle Haggard – Farmers Daughter
Dead Kennedys – Soup is Good Food
Feist – Let it Die

Philippine Landslides

As I write this the deathtoll is quite uncertain. BBC says 90 confirmed dead but that it may get as high as 1,000. An entire town swallowed up by a landslide.

I was browsing around the blogosphere for Philippine blogs and first hand testimony from the area, but oddly enough I couldn’t find much. The Asiapundit’s blog provided a good gateway to find Torn and Frayed in Manila. In a recent post addressing natural disasters and how the nation handles them, Torn and Frayed writes:

Where the Philippines and many other countries perform badly is in taking precautions before emergencies occur. Why are families living on Mayon in the first place? Or Guinsaugon? Presumably we will find out some of the answers to the Leyte tragedy in the next few days. Since the area had experienced more rainfall than for at any other time in the last 30 years —(read on)

My only other comment on this tragedy, for now, is that while watching the BBC news coverage I saw the US aircraft carrier and the Marines that were dispatched to help in the relief effort. All I kept thinking was — this is what the military should be used for, this is the kind of military initiative I support.

Dump the Jesus of Italian Politics

We all have our wishes for the world in 2006. Many of them won’t come true, especially that one about world peace, I’m betting. But one wish I have, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable, is that the self-proclaimed Jesus Christ of Italian politics would be voted out or just have mercy on his citizens, we europeans, and the rest of the world, and simply resign.

To begin with I’m inclined to ask an Italian or any close observer of the show down there, how could a prime minister this inept maintain one of the longest running governments in the history of the country? But then that question seems silly cause, well, they re-elected GW over in the new world.

Come April, it is time to vote this oligarch, who owns most of the countries television channels, newspapers, and publishers, not to mention AC Milan, OUT! And why not have Romano Prodi, world reknown and respected leader, with his fantastic coalition of left and progressive parties that includes my favorite named party – La Margherita (Mayor of Rome’s crazy party), take back the country. And then finally it might be time for Berlusconi to face up to his financial failures, dirty secrets, and corporate crimes.

It’s one of my simple wishes for 2-0-0-6.

bm105 Health vs Jobs in Western India

In the town of Alang, in the state of Gujarat, India, the ship breaking industry once accounted for half of all the world’s ships that are broken down. It was also once a clean and beautiful beach. Neither is exactly true anymore, and the case of the Clemenceau may become the watershed moment in the history of Alang. Blogger and author Dilip D’Souza of the blog Death Ends Fun talks about his visit to the town and his analysis of what is going on and what the future holds for the workers, the community, and their environment.

AudioCommunique #105 (mp3)

Music:

Dropkick Murphys – Boys on the Docks
Coralie Clement – Indecise
Phil Ochs – Pleasures of the Harbor
Bright Eyes – Ship in a bottle

Bloggers Go Dutch

Despite the fact that its Saturday night and we all know people don’t read as many blogs on the weekend since you’re not pretending to do work at work, as you normally are; I wanted to report about the big to-do here in Amsterdam.

Tomorrow we talk philippinesA group of prominent US bloggers are in town on a Holland Tourism sanctioned trip, a few of which I read, a few of which I’ve heard of, and some of whom I may never read. And so when the democrats abroad organized a little seminar/informal chat this afternoon, naturally I turned up. Primarily because I wanted to meet she behind Majikthise in person, as I’ve sporadically read that blog for the past few years. I was also curious about the other guests some of which were very familiar names, if I started to name them now your eyes would start to burn and your mouse hand would cramp up.

Anyway not that you need to know the entire content of the discussion, but it was mostly about US politics and the democratic party versus the republican party. Or wait.. maybe it was the liberal versus the conservative blogosphere? Who knows… I normally get bored with all those bloggers who everyone refers to as the best. Plus I despise both the republican and the democratic party in general, my apologies to the 10% of democrats in congress that actually have a spine and some progressive ideas in their aging brains. I guess for that reason alone it was good for me to listen and not just dismiss everything as I normally do if left to my own devices. And in the end, people like Ezra Klein and Amanda of Pandagon had plenty of interesting things to say and defended their viewpoints well.

Mañana I’m leading a few bloggers around the Jordaan and Prinseneiland, it’s the bicyclemark reality tour… some of you may have taken it before. History as I remember it.