Message versus Presentation

I was having brunch in the presence of these sunflowers and lots of international friends reunited. During the passing of the salad and the eating of the croissants I mentioned the blog post of mine the other day about the world bank and the response it received. In case you don’t remember, one of the many WB people who read this blog (yes im serious) left a comment encouraging me to join the discussion at the official organization’s blog.

So I went over to the blog like a good internaut, and I left a paragraph about the state of the world and the questions I ask about the Bank’s objectives and methods. I guess within that paragraph i may have used a word like suck or shit, probably because it was the word that best fit the point I was making. I actually don’t remember if I used either, all I know is that I received a response from the webmaster saying that my comments could not be published because the language “does not meet publishing regulations“. To which I should have responded = Your Publishing Rules Suck Ass.

Someone at the table challenged my lunacy and said — “wouldn’t it be more practical to just take the curse word out and send your comments again so they can be heard?” To which I responded with my best childhood stubbornness…. NO. But he went to pose a great question for idealists and excessively proud people like myself — “If you show up to a meeting somewhere, to make a point about something you believe, but because you dress in shitty clothes, no one takes you seriously; wouldn’t it be better to dress nice, and then be able to have your point heard?” To which I quietly responded — NO.

I get that feeling this attitude could be a problem.

bicyclemark69: Private Armies, Corporate Wars

Private armies are growing, worldwide. From Iraq to Afghanistan to the streets of the United States; this is an overview of who is who in the private military scene.

AudioCommunique #69(mp3)
25min+, 80kbps, 14Mb+

Discussed in this podcast:

Mikeypod on the Bayou
Executive Outcomes
Brown and Root and Dick Cheney’s Surgery
Gurkha International
Sandline
SMRI, Northbridge
Blackwater USA

Music Includes:
Edwin Starr – War
Clash – Straight to Hell
Coheed & Cambria Cuts marked in the march of men
Dave Mathews – American Baby Intro

Media Events and NonEvents

The other night, as I finished editing the most recent podcast, which naturally keeps me up til 2am… for some strange reason I turned on the TV with the sound off… not really sure what I was looking for. Sure enough, as I pause on CNN international, they’re following a plane with as it flies in circles… and suddenly i was locked on this story.

As I was watching I realized what a media event this was. They had plenty of time to give you so many different zany camera angles. And naturally they got “former pilots” and other so-called experts to call in and give their experienced opinions. There was plenty of time for anything… even updates about hurricanes and probably some story about JayLo or something. While I was very worried about the fate of all those on that plane, I was also fretting about the way information is presented to the public… like we need to be entertained and stimulated in order to pay attention. Myself included, apparently.

So while I really needed to sleep and would have to be up for work in a very short time, I couldn’t stop watching. Somehow I had to watch that plane land.. and I had to see with my own TV-eyes if they would survive.. or if it would be a disaster. I remember questioning my own role… “Does it matter if I watch or not?.. how can that change the outcome?” sure enough… I dosed off for 5 minutes, and when I came to… big yellow fire engines had surrounded the plane as it came to a stop and everything was fine.

Irritatingly enough, the next day I can hardly stay awake, and everyone I talk to has no idea what the hell Im so worked up about because for them it was a NON-event. And so it goes if you stay up late on Central European Time.

Speaking of LA, how about the Green LA Girl and her outstanding blog.

bicyclemark68: A Week with a Lesbian

Critically acclaimed podcaster Madge Weinstein during her fear and bloating in Amsterdam.

AudioCommunique #68(mp3)
28min+, 64kbps, 13Mb+

2 Parts: A boat ride to the Jordaan Festival followed by IceCream in my garden. We discuss:
Gay and Lesbian Cruising
Girls keep throwing themselves at Madge
Whats changed in Amsterdam in the last 5 years
Does this country make you passive?
The Need to expose the emperor who has no clothes
Anderson Cooper
Video Bloggers
Lesbian Frisbee

Music Includes:

Stuff from the Motorcycle DiariesSoundtrack
The Specials – Little Bitch
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Gold Finch and the Red Oak

Cindy Harassed by New York’s Worst

If there’s one thing I dislike more than cops who think they can do whatever they like whenever they want – it’s cops who pick on mothers who’ve dedicated their lives to stopping war.

Amazingly no police in Texas, the alleged bastion of conservatism, took microphones away from the scores of people camped out at Crawford. No, they had to go to New York City, the alleged bastion of open minded thinking, where the police decide they need special permits to speak their grievences, and some of them claimed to have “never heard of her.” Never heard of Cindy Sheehan? Bullshit!

Anyway those of us raised or living in the NYC area know all about this situation. My university years often involved going to demostrations where the cops outnumbered the protesters and cornered us into tiny pens in obscure parts of the city where the tourists and businesspeople wouldn’t see us.

for homework, go listen to madge podcasting from my living room.

Overheard in Amsterdam

We now take you to the Frisbee field in South Amsterdam, for another scene proving what a wonderfully international place this can be. – Cut to: The Frisbee Fields in Amsterdamse Bos.. where Blue Steel is taking on the Crazy Purple Grapes. Bicyclemark and a new guy are standing on the sidelines waiting to sub in on the next point. The new guy turns and asks in Dutch:

So where are you from originally?

BM, in my usual confusing style: Oh Im Portuguese but I’m American.. spent most of my life in the US.

Guy on sideline says: Oh, I know how it is. I don’t have any Dutch blood, but I’ve lived here all my life. Im adopted from Sri Lanka, me and my two brothers when we were babies. But I guess I’m Dutch, according to my passport.

BM: Wow, Sri Lanka.. the Netherlands… thats a good life story.

GoS: I guess so, I don’t remember any of it.

Team captain: Yo guys, you’re in!

And so it goes in this international game they call ultimate frisbee.