Living Abroad is a Relationship

ams010629During the chilly ride from the bicyclemark ranch to crazy dr. m’s super delicious paella dinner, my dear roomate summarized the experience of living abroad as being like a relationship or a marriage; initially you’re crazy about each other and every little thing and day is wonderful and new and a joy. And then a year or two go by, and that initial magic wears off, and then you’re left with this things that you still adore about the place where you live, but you also have a bunch of things you do not like at all – that’s where I am at with Amsterdam.

It is year number 4 and the initial magic has certainly worn off. The student life-magic has also faded, and rightfully so since I’m a working stiff now, doing a million little jobs in the hopes of having money to do things like – go to Cuba. Suddenly I see bills I’ve never really had to deal with before. They’re certainly less than I would have to deal with say, in New Jersey, but still – I have never felt more like an adult with responsibility than I do at the start of 2006.

And then comes a paella dinner with the good dr. and good people. Followed by one of those nights, where as BlondebutBright, Mindcaster, and I ride along the gorgeous and peaceful canals of Amsterdam’s oldest neighborhoods en route to yet another party… I just can’t stop laughing. Maybe its because life in Amsterdam can be so random and hilarious sometimes. Maybe its cause the percentage of vokda to orange juice in my drink was slightly off. Or maybe it’s because I hadn’t been out with these two together in so many months. Whatever the reasons, after evaluating how I’m doing in relation to this town, Saturday night reminded me that I’m right where Im supposed to be… on my bike, with great friends, riding down the streets of the dam.

bicyclemark95: The Transition from Terrorism to Politics

FIXED*Lots of people won’t want to hear the comparisons or the logic behind this program. This show presents the history and current state of 3 political parties which are related to an infamous terrorist group. The idea is that there is evidence that such parties, if engaged and allowed to be involved in the political scene, can help to reduce violence, and tranform the fight to a nonviolent political struggle. There three parties I focus on: Sinn Fein, Batasuna, and Hamas. Spare me the comments that just insult, bring me real discussion and counterpoints.

AudioCommunique #95(mp3)
32min+, 80kbps, 18Mb+

Discussed:

Emmanuel on Off the Wall
The importance of history for the future
Sinn Fein, from its orgins to its present state
Batasuna, from party to outlaw
Hamas, at the crossroads of terrorism and politic-ing
For all its faults, politics can reduce violence
Comparisons for other groups in other countries?
Thanks for all the feedback and tips in the tip jar

Music:
Gil Scott-Heron – Free Will
Imogen Heap – Just for Now
Steve Earle – Jerusalem
Dave Mathews – Wake Up
Leonard Cohen – Thats no way to say goodbye
Some Protestant and Catholic songs from Northern Ireland songs from the BBC archive note– in the show I mistakenly call them old IRA songs… apologies.

Purely For Firefoxes

As tonight’s podcast is still in the research process, this one is purely technical, but since you’re all reading this via the internetS, I recommend you read on.

First I hope you’re using firefox for your webbrowsing. I consider it the online equivalent of using a very comfortable and pretty condom, before you go surfing the filthy web. But nevermind that metaphor….

I recently found the time, as the Dutch winter encourages lots of spare time indoors, to look through firefox add-ons. Now don’t turn away from this post just yet, some of these are extremely useful and downright beautiful. Here come my top 4:

Colorful Tabs – You’ll be the envy of your office mates. Assuming you use tabs in your browser, this makes each tab a different color! It’s easy on the eyes and helps you see seperate tabs next to one another.

Delicious Toolbar – It is soo conveniant for your site bookmarking and article clipping to have a button right at the top of the screen to TAG and consult your Delicious links. Especially for podjournalists like yours truely.

1-Click Weather – Less well known than forecastfox, right on your bottom status bar, or wherever you choose, its cool to see the weather for today, tonight, and tomorrow; even if it is always clouds in Amsterdam.

Gmail Manager – Not only a email notifier in your bottom left hand corner, this will actually check multiple gmail accounts. It even has a little label to tell which address received mail.

Now I realize many of you don’t want to change your browsing habits or your browser. But I don’t care, if you don’t look into some of these you’re missing out on a world of internet convenience, fun, and possibility.

Thai’s Don’t Want Your Free Trade

Free Trade agreement with North America. Free Trade Agreement with Jordan. Free Trade Agreement with Chilé…. seems like everday they’re negociating a new one. After awhile one has to wonder, what’s the point? It’s not like it’s special anymore. And even the results are questionable; with some countries reporting improved economies, but they also report high prices, increased poverty, etc etc. There’s no solid conclusion that can be drawn about free trade, for every good side it seems there is a bad side.

But nevermind my own musings about FreeTrade, let’s look at Thailand, where thousands upon thousands have been on the streets this week to say “we don’t want your free trade” while US and Thai officials negociate what is supposed to be a lovely free trade agreement. I’ve been reading the list of reasons that people are opposing this deal:: The dominance of expensive American perscription drugs, US managed deregulation of utilities, and of course the impact of cheap farm products driving Thai farmers out of business.

When you consider the importance and prevelance of farming as a way of life for a nation such as Thailand. And then consider the 600,000 people living with AIDS and dependant on affordable medicine, it is no wonder they’re out there protesting, asking the often overlooked question, Free Trade for Who?

PS– Im working on a show about engaging what some call terrorist groups in the political process. I’ll be discussing the history and present situation of three in particular: Sinn Fein, Batasuna, and Hamas. If you’ve got any unique insight on these or other groups, get in touch.

Comfront the Diabetes Epidemic

I know I have a decent amout of readers who are diabetic. I also can think of one friend and blogger who is. Not to mention in my family, where I know there have been some diabetics including my dad who may be reading this right now on his shiney new computer. Yet somehow, in both conversations with friends and the mass media, it’s rare to hear about the diabetes epidemic that is sweeping the US, especially New York City.

Just to make sure Im not abusing that word, not that I care very much about not abusing words, lets go to the definition:

Ms. Webster says:

Epidemic – 1 : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time
2 a : excessively prevalent b : CONTAGIOUS 4
3 : of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic

According to the American Diabetes Society, it is most certainly an epidemic affecting 20.8 million Americans, 7% of the population! According to the Guardian, the poorest areas of places like New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn) have a higher percentage of people affected. This is a result of a combination of factors which may include genes, but the one that sticks out in my eyes is DIET. When you consider how terrible the mainstream American diet is (Im talking about the fast food 5 days a week), you can see where the increased risk arises. That and lack of exercise, as usual.

Not to compare conditions or make some competition between health problems, but I think more research and awareness needs to exist in terms of this problem. We hear lots about cancer. We hear insane amounts about bird flu. But when you take something that effects all of us directly, like diabetes, and call into question the diet promoted by big business…. it gets awfully quiet.

bicyclemark94: Coal, Money, and Politicians – Making Profits of Death and Corruption

This program looks into not only what happened at the Sago coal mine in West Virginia, it examines and scrutinizes the record of International Coal and other mining companies, the state government and regulatory agencies, and the senate and white house relationship with these companies. The point is to understand why such accidents happen, and to demand better from all parties involved, not just sentimental fluff and reports without hard questions.

AudioCommunique #94(mp3)
40min+, 80kbps, 24Mb+

Links of use:

The video with the coal miners son
Hoovers Business info
Open Secrets
Washington Post article
NWistheOne
Pedals and Politics

Beautiful Music on this one:

Billy Bragg and Joe Strummer – Junco Partner
Mother Judge – Dream of a Coalminer’s Daughter
Ralph Stanley and Dwight Yokum – Coal Miner’s Prayer
Billy Joel – Allentown
Woody Guthrie – The Dying Coal Miner
Uncle Tupelo – Coalminers