To Burma

I had a mobile phone pow-wow with crazy Dr. M today, and he and his houseboat are likely to be involved in my next podcast. Incidentally, my world famooose Albert Cuyp SoundseeingTour, has now been downloaded over 1100 times, thanks inkernet!

I normally don’t love stuff that comes from Slate magazine. It’s not complete crap, it’s just not.. well…my thing. I’m much more into reading, oh.. ALternet or my bible that I start every morning with: Courrier International.

However today I noticed a decent piece with a good point about Burma. Or maybe you like calling it Myanmar. Unless you only watch television news, or live in a cave (apparently its hot real estate for the wealthy), you will, by now, have heard about the military junta that rules with a particularly shiny iron first. The article points out, as any rational world citizen could, that if the white house was serious about their spreading freedom and fighting tyranny thing, their next stop would be Burma, where apparently people would *cough cough* welcome them as heros.

Neither the article, nor I, are saying its something that should be done. It’s just another example of how much shit their foreign policy is filled with. Not that we didn’t already know.

And you think that’s bad… Rocky IV and Rocky V are on television tonight! Is there any wonder I’m completely and happily out of touch with Amsterdam night life.

Tomorrow: I See Dead Historical Figures Returns with Punk Legend JOE STRUMMER.

Today’s Sounds: TV on the Radio – OK Calculator

AudioCommuniqu? #12: V-day review, Sweden plan

Come along as I get into the cool v-day podcasts from this week. Lots of namedropping in this one, I feel like such a kissass, but the truth is, I really love listening to the podcasts mentioned. (and more) There’s some comedy, clippage, and of course, TUNES.

AudioCommuniqu? #12 (mp3)

64kbps, 15min54sec, 7.4mb

Featuring:

No stinking licenses
Specials tune of the day
Art Blakey
Yeast Radio and other podcast shoutouts
Tokyo Calling clip/response
My Sweden Plan
Bill Hicks (from the album: Relentless)
Mates of State
Midtown

WIld Packs of Bloggers

Ms. Thingk, who I once referred to as Kirsten Dunst’s twin, sends me emails. Lots of yummy delicious emails. I eat them for breakfast, sometimes an afternoon snack as well. While it sucks having to lose friends who move to D.C., it’s nice when my peeps in “your nations capital” send me thought-provoking words (D-Rock of course!).

So my darling dc intern has been asking for my 2 eurocents on the recent firing of that reporter dude who works for a republican funded rag, within the whitehouse press corps. She was especially interested in my blabber because he was out-ED by “liberal bloggers.”

Right away I cringe. As I was telling NoComunicado in the halls of the fishtank today, my intestines begin to liquify everytime I read, in some mass media outlet, about conservative bloggers doing this or liberal bloggers doing that. They make bloggers sound like packs of Alaskan huskies pulling sleds and eating raw meat.

Sure, it’s cool that bloggers are getting recognized. But I don’t subscribe, not even through RSS, to that whole “any publicity is good publicity” theory. As a seasoned blogger (lots of oregano and a dash of paprika) this isn’t how I wanted to see US get recognized. Like hoards of Boba Fetts, bounty hunting for the empire.

Perhaps na?vely, I hope to see bloggers become a recognized source of alternative media. Where Green Catfish or the StateImIn are just as respected as Maureen Dowd or that annoying but intelligent Paul “I grew a goatee” Krugman. I want to see the pedestals that have been built on artificial credibility, torn down, and replaced with the type of open-earned respect and loyalty system we bloggers work on. Sure it’s not SO different from the system op-eds work in, cept they get cozy offices and nice salaries. (where’s ours dammit!)

So anyway, bloggers got some crap journalist fired from the incestuous white house press corps? Too bad buddy… that’s what happens when you work with the executive whores in the west wing. Next time bring a stun gun and use it on the wild packs of liberal bloggers. Arf Arf.

Today’s Sounds: Pedro the Lion – It’s Hard to Find a Friend

Another Letter to A-Ren

Dear A-Ren,

Hey buddy. I just got all these great photos of you, doing so many cool new things such as: eating an apple, CRAWLING, and often resembling Stuey from the Family Guy, with your schemes of world domination. So this letter on the blog, is my way of letting you know how proud I am and how much fun you are to watch, even from across the ocean.

The way I see it, years from now, you’ll be digging through blog archives and reading these words. You’ll be walking on two legs and eating like us cave-people, with forks, spoons, and all that. I figure you’ll wonder what the hell is up with your uncle bicyclemark, and how come he has to live so far. You’ll probably also be doing something far cooler but related to blogging or podcasting or whatever it is you kids are up to these days. So my little blog/podcast will look like the model-T of internet publishing. Which will make you giggle in that, oh thats cute, kind of way.

So this is uncle bm’s way of saying, I’m watching buddy, and I’m enjoying the ride that is your first year of life. I may be far, but I ain’t far, you know what I’m sayin? Plus, I will be soooo ready for you to come see me. That means not only coolest Amsterdam bike a jersey child has ever had, but lots of Stroopwaffles, Australian Ice Cream, and all the junkfood I normally stay away from, that this city has to offer. You’ll be speakin Dutch in no time, and you can go back to Jersey and communicate with all those undercover Dutch kids.. cause trust me.. they’re there. On the way back, we can make a stopover in Portugal and visit the family and friends. You’re a total celebrity there, so bring a pen to sign autographs.

Anyway buddy… i loves you lots and miss you. Be sure to spit lots of food on your dad, throw everything on the floor, and slap the television anytime Ben Stein comes on. Cause as we both know, he may sound cute, but the truth is he’s a closeminded neo-con… and we’ve had just about enough of that eh?

Your one and only uncle,
BM

a bit of background for the newcomers: A-Ren is my nephew, now 9 months old, living in New Jersey.

——-

And now for a blog from down under.

Oh- guess who won the vivapodcast show-story telling contest? You’ll have to tune in to hear about it.. it involves me and G.Love.

Today’s Sounds: Ani DiFranco – Evolve

AudioCommuniqu? #11: Soundseeing in the Jordaan

If there could be such a thing as too many soundseeing tours, I will probably be accused of that soon. But fear not… starting next week I’m doing something new involving the telephono (no skype for me thanks). In the meantime I suffered the wind, rain, and wrath of the weather gods, in order to bring you this soundseeing tour of Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighborhood. You’ll here lots about churches, Anne Frank, Tourists, and people on bicycles. Of course, Flickr photoshow which starts with Jordaan Soundseeing #1 is available for you to follow along. Enjoy!

AudioCommuniqu? #11 (mp3)

64kbps, 18min+, 8.6mb

Featuring:

  • The Specials.. my favorite opening band
  • ME… wandering round amongst the tourists.

You Decide

I have but one thing to post today, because the lovely Underabell Anne is here in Amsterdam and there are drinks to be had, dinners to be eaten, and blogs to be discussed.

The following is a highly pathetical situation, that I want you all, as my learn-ED readers, to give your verdict. It matters not if its based on my life or the life of any other really nice guy who keeps a daily blog.

The story:

STORY HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN. MOSTLY THE RESULT OF MY STUPIDITY OF MIXING EXAGGERATED INTERNET LIFE WITH REAL LIFE.

For those seeking real content, there’s always my brother Foggy R and the royal A-Ren who now CRAWLS!

Today’s Sounds: Iron & Wine