portugal – Page 26 – Citizen Reporter

Temp Life

Sure enough as I’m having a drink with a good friend last night, during stop one of thursday involuntary pub crawl night, she utters the words “What’s a blog?” And boom – as always – I spouted out 10 to 20 minutes of technical definitions as well as anecdotes from my so-called blog-life. Eventually I think ladies will start throwing drinks in my face like I’m Jack on Three’s Company. But astonishingly, she stayed and dare I say it – was intruiged by this blogosphere I speak of.

Speaking of which, welcome to all those visitors from Turkey! Yes.. lots of new visitors from Constantinople this week for which I’m very thankful. I also noticed frequent visitor from C?te D’Ivoire which, as I learned during the Olympics, has legally changed its ENGLISH name from Ivory Coast to C?te D’Ivoire. That should tongue-tie the non-francofones. Mais Oui!

a sky I saw this week On the agenda today – Temporary work and Temp culture. I recently signed a contract to work at the U of Amsterdam for another 9 months or so, but I signed this sheet of paper at a TEMP AGENCY. I’m not a real University employee, I’m a big ol TEMP. They can fire me without fear of contract stipulations, my measly wage comes from the agency, they don’t pay taxes or extra costs that would come with having me as an employee. In the end… it’s all cheap and commitment free for them and for me its… well.. a temp job. I know some will remind me its not shameful to be a temp and its a necessary “economic” strategy for businesses or in this case universities (though there’s less and less of a difference), but as I sat in this temp agencies I saw adults (IE-older than me),people with degrees on top of degrees, loads of experience… yet they were at the mercy of the Temp Agency. I asked myself, as Freddy Mercury sang: “Is this world we created?” I mean.. what happens when we’re all temps? Will temp agencies go to other temp agencies to temp-out their staff and workload? And what the hell are businesses doing with all the cash they’re saving?

What I’ve learned in the last three years in the Netherlands and Portugal is that it is NOT, by any means, an American phenomenon. I actually once thought it was. ManPower may be the largest employer in the US, but them and “their brethren” have been immensely successful in Europe too! I sat with the Dean for a bit yesterday and shot the breeze, as we sometimes do, he reminded me that this has been going on since the 70’s in the NL. Hence the famously flexible and successful Dutch economy, as compared to Germany where they have resisted this phenomenon until now. He also expressed a bit of disgust that Temp culture has invaded University culture. I’m really wondering what price our culture pays for all this.

This must be annual report season, UNFPA (Population Fund) released the cold hard population facts. My synopsis:

– 3 condoms per year for every one man in sub-saharan Africa is a global shame.

– Western Europe ain’t that fertile. (gulp)

– Rich-Poor gap is horrendous, and my finger is pointing right at those at the top and those in charge who allow this to continue. Two fingers I guess. Pointing in similar directions.

Just got distracted by an article. I love lock-pickers, especially the NYC kind. You ever tried to pick a lock? That shit is hard. Now a nose.. that’s less complicated.

Today’s Music: The Used – Something to Burn

Overdramatic

To some extent, it is great not to be in the US on Sept. 11th. I say this because sometimes the desire to remember and reflect is completely overdone and beaten to death via a tacky Newspaper Editorial or political speech. Here in the NL people seem to just go about their business. I suggested to a lovely Turkish student that today is a good day to be a little quieter and pensive, she gave me the interesting response “If we were going to be reflective and depressed on every day that corresponds with a past tragedy, we would have no normals days left.” Of course, for me this one is special due to its proximity to me, like so many people out there. So today I offer some memories of my Sept. 11, 2001. In doing so, I mean to organize my thoughts, get them out on paper, and remember the bad as well as some good moments on that day.

That Morning:

It was one month since getting my bachelors, things in my life were foggy, as happens to most recent grads. I had just returned from Portugal and was working in NYC for Glorious Foods, one of the hippest catering gigs in town. On Sept. 10th I had been working in Manhattan… a posh dinner in a bubble-tent at the Morgan Library. I remember great conversations with my co-workers from Germany and Russia about travel plans and live questions. I worked til late, and commuted via 33rd St. PATH train and then car back to my residence in my home town, Union, NJ. I was working that next night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or something like that, so I had big plans for sleeping in on that morning.

As I was trying to sleep in.. at around nine o’clock I remember my clock radio switched on, I had left it set accidentally. It was a traffic report:

“All bridges are closed. Tunnels are closed as well. The City is effectively closed, no one should try to get in and getting out is also not possible at this moment.”

Tired Reflex I hit the snooze. In my half-awake mind I thought “Must be some anti-terrorism exercise.”

Then I remember the phone ringing. Sometimes I don’t even pick up when I want to sleep, but on this day I did. The voice on the other side was loud, blunt, and hurried: (this is as best I can remember)

DROCK: “DUDE, What are you doing?”

BM: “Sleeping man… still sleeping why?”

DROCK (working in DC): “TURN ON THE TV… You haven’t heard?”

BM: “I heard they’re doing something in the city, but no.. I worked late and..”

DROCK: “Just turn on the Fuckin TV… the Towers have been hit… and something happened here too. I probably have to evacuate this place soon. SHIT. OK.. I gotta go.. call you when I can.”

BM: “What? Oh.. OK..”

I switched on the TV and watched. The second tower had just been hit. At that point I didn’t want to get all crazy and rush to judgement, I thought “maybe it’s just a fire… they’ll put it out.” Then I heard about the DC news… the Pentagon (a building I hate normally) and they reported that the “Mall is on fire”.. whatever that means. It all sounded like chaos and hysteria. I was stunned. I looked out my New Jersey window and could see the darkness in the sky… it was still recent.. hadn’t smothered the entire island yet, as it later would for days. Phone rings again:

Mom at work: “Mark… have you seen?”

BM: “Hi mom.. yes. DRock just called.. he says theres things happening in DC… he was in a hurry… I’m not sure…”

Mom: “OK. The kids are going crazy. You can see Manhattan from the Gym windows, and some are crying, others are just confused. Lots of parents work in that area. I can’t believe this.”

BM: “Yes.. wasn’t ____ on a plane to San Fran today?”

Mom: “I don’t know… I think it was much earlier. What else have they said about this, because we’re not getting much information here?”

I summarized what I had learned and seen in my half-hour of awakenness.

As a reflex.. despite a bad break..I called ex-girlfriend. She was there. We shared our shock.. comforted a bit.. and proceeded to start calling more loved ones.

I remembered A-L. A-L… my fussball partner…the gal that made my time at the Village Voice so fun and exciting. She lived uptown. I wanted to speak with her. When I finally did get her she was fairly paniced. I won’t replay that conversation. But I just remember her need to walk around talking to people.. and inability to stay indoors.

Then the phonecalls started coming in:

Dad calls from work: Just checking in. I can’t remember much from that call.

Portugal – Grandma: Av? and Av? were worried that I was in Manhattan looking for work. They were terrified.

Boston – HJM calls: She wanted to make sure I wasn’t there. I hadn’t spoke to her in quite some time. Besides the horror of the day, I was so happy to speak with her.

At some point I spoke to BigDaddyJ, this part of my memory is fuzzy. I think I was becoming numb to these calls. Still I remember we spoke that morning.

I know at some point I spoke to IK… I had been thinking about him alot. Worried, because he is Turkish and his father owned a gas station. I had this huge fear for the safety of him and his family. I worried about the backlash. I knew there would be ignorant people with weapons running around. In fact later there were plenty of cases of hate-crimes, but IK and his family were ok.. and we spoke a couple of times that day.

The rest is more of the same. Phonecalls from people I hadn’t spoken with in years as well as people I see everyday. Everyone sort of checking in.. some fearing that I might have been there, others just wanting to talk. Later that night I remember “the boys” asking me, as the resident international affairs buff, questions about terrorism, Aghanistan, and as I recall “What is going on.. what has the US been doing that someone would do something like this to us?” I remember being impressed.. my non-political friends wanted information. They were hungry for facts. Many were, and perhaps unfortunately, they turned to television to get their soundbite information.

When the day finally came to an end, I did lots of writing. Looking at it now.. I was worried. Worried about those who had died and the families. Worried about the backlash against immigrants. And the one theme I kept fearing, was the irrational response. I worried about all the people on the earth who would die from bombs dropped in response to this terrible crime. Of course we’ve now seen how that came true.

And of course as I was sleeping… 4am.. a phonecall comes in – from France. It was the French family I had lived with and become so close with, they were worried about me, they wanted to ask about what I thought would happen next. They forgot there was a time difference.

So despite my distaste for lame Sept. 11th tributes, there it is. Most of my memories from that one day. Working the phones at the bicyclemark family farm just across the river from this massive cloud of despair.

My one wish from all this is that the war on terrorism, would stop going the way its going. Instead of attempting to hunt down and destroy terrorism, which is of course impossible, I wish humans would use their power to investigate WHY terrorism is happening. Who is being wronged… miseducated.. oppressed.. abused. Like addressing crime, you cannot simply try to catch every criminal, you must find out WHY crimes are being committed and address that problem.

Today’s Music: Shades Apart (Just found the CD under some books)

Toast, Wi-Fi, and Beirut

It seems as though Blonde But Buttery and I have these semi-daily chats where we conduct the blogosphere round-up. This whole week we’ve been working as co-group leaders for new students via the International Student Network, and I’m pretty sure our whole group thinks we’re either insane or the biggest internet nerds EVER. Despite the fact that we have a lovely collection of Spanish, German, Israeli, Canadian, American, Japanese, British, French, and Polish students, this is our third intro gig and we’re considering retirement. The parties have lost some of their luster, the routine is too routine, and shit – we’re workin’ folk. Still there’s so much to learn from these dynamic people who find their way over to Amsterdam academia.

Speaking of academia, ESchool had a post about Philly wanting to become the wi-fi capital of the US – having the largest wireless internet hotspot citywide. Now it sounds lovely in theory, and I admit that if it comes true I might have to make a pilgrimage there like a hippy to Woodstock. HOWEVER, It is hard to believe.

Only two years ago my little Plymouth Sundance was set ablaze overnight in South Philly, and suddenly the city has prioritized putting wi-fi everywhere? All I ask of you Philly, is that you first tackle the problem of random arson and say – violent crime, before (or at the same time as) you make everyone into a Netizen. I’m sure the kids will love it though, after a hard day of setting things on fire, jump on the web and learn about nuclear fission.

My dear friend, co-worker, and occasional musical partner Amy (she’s a celeb so I can call her by her real name) recently returned from a personal pilgrimage to Lebanon. Her stories and her photos have completely fascinated me, add to that a pair of wonderful Lebanese ladies that I befriended in the last months… suddenly I’m learning tidbits of history and culture. So I started flipping through the Daily Star, which I haven’t done since June. I have noticed in the last few days the news about France and the US pushing for Syria to pull its 20,000 troops out of Lebanon. They’ve been there since the end of the civil war that I believe started in the late 70’s til the early 90’s. Obviously this blogger is in favor of such a move, at long last. But I digress, the point was Lebanon seems like a beautiful and mystical place, and when I look at these photos I see scenes that remind me of Portugal. Guess it’s a Mediterranean thing.

I might ask Amy to guestblog a bit on her experience… yeah.. that would be fun.

Also next week I’ve decided to have a theme…. “South America.” Pretty broad, I know, but my each of my posts will have some element related to that part of the world, besides my usual verbage.

Today’s Music: Rancid – indestructible

Search Engine Boogie

One quick photo sample of my vacation time More are available, as I put them up on my photoblog. (Yes I have a photoblog!)

I can smell the new semester in the air… its a bouquet of beer, paper, and perfume. But more importantly, there are new people milling around University buildings, and in the past few days I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a great new group of them – social scientists persuing Masters Degrees.

BlondeButBright allowed me to tag along with her and attend a party with the new crew. It was as if two years had melted away and we were once again starting a new semester. Well, I suppose we are, so that makes sense. The point is its nice to see Amsterdam towards the end of the summer, it’s a great transition time full of promise and other nostalgic crap.

While I was on my two week respite in Portugal, I obviously didn’t see or hear too much about the Democratic Convention. Well, I got enough really. But today I came across something that really captured my attention, Teresa Heinz Kerry’s speech. Overall, what a great speech, and seemingly, what a great person! I just watched the streaming video and the first 5 minutes of the speech are superb, not only should every first lady eat her heart out, but every president for the last 20 years should either take note or roll over in his grave, because no one has ever been as great a speaker as this woman. I’m not talking about accent, which I find a pleasure to hear anyway. I was more captivated by her calmness, frankness, and confidence. Basically the second she greeted the audience in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and then greeted every immigrant in the country, I was sold!

And tonight, as I have done throughout this campaign I would like to speak to you from my heart. Y a todos los Hispanos, los Latinos; a tous les Americains, Francais et Canadiens; a tutti Italiani; a toda a familia Portugesa e Brazileria; to all my continental African family living in this country, and to all new Americans: I invite you to join our conversation, and together with us work towards the noblest purpose of all: a free, good, and democratic society.

If only we could just swap, she should be the candidate! (stupid electoral rules are a problem as well, I know)

BlogMaverick, otherwise known as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, being one of my most respected bloggers, was recently talking about his latest investment: www.icerocket.com . It is meant to be a challenge to Google, a more creative and feature-filled search engine. It’s only in the beggining stages, but already I like it alot. It provides info such as a thumbnail of the site, what number it rates with other engines, and interesting people searching tools. I commend his investment, I’m going to be a ice rocket user. Soon people will start saying, quick… “Ice Rocket” (as opposed to Google) Bicyclemark and see what his latest web projects are. Man, I can’t wait for the future!

Today’s Music: Bill Frisell – The Willies

Don’t you, forget about me

The tiny text at the bottom of each post, that’s how to tell who’s writing. Cause surprise, surprise, I managed to get on the net! All-be-it using a paper cup, some string, and a little kid named Manuel on the roof holding an antenna. I figure the kid can hold it steady just long enough for me to read Blonde But Bright, and Flip through the Village Voice. I obviously suck at being on vacation since I am not happy without the internet.

Greetings from Portugal, more specifically Caldas da Rainha, at my parents’ place which somehow also has my name on the mailbox. I’ve just returned from “the” Algarve. No idea why anglophones insist on using the article “the” before Algarve. But they do. It’s their place anyway, everything is in english down there. The only language more widely spoken than english in southern Portugal is golf. Everyone speaks it. Clubs, courses, ranges, department stores, you name it, its got golf in it. Something tells me my brother and I should be in opposite places, he’s the golfer of the family.

At any rate, I can’t reflect on much more today, time is of the essence. I’m off to Lisbon in a fortnight (is that how you use that term?) and then I’ll be in “MY” place. In the meantime I just keep thinking how ironic vacations are, people go to escape the “crowds” and they arrive in their paradises only to find all the same people they were escaping. Not to mention the horror that flying has become. No longer an expression of freedom and convenience, flying will soon compete with taking a boat in terms of time required and overall hassle.

So I take my leave of you, but leave you in the obviously capable hands of Big Daddy J.

Today’s Music: What I think is the Moscow Symphany Orchestra on Portuguese public tv 2

Presenting Big Daddy J

Good people of the blogosphere, first time visitors, loyalists, friends, Romans.. I give you the guest blogger for the next two weeks: My brother (I mean that both literally and in the “ma brotha” sort of way as well)- Big Daddy J

What can I say about this individual, besides coming from a fabulous family, he’s a professional in the Social Work field within the education system in the city of our birth(s). He’s skilled in the realm of computer games, a connoisseur of adult-swim cartoons, and a bit of a legend in the central Jersey bowling world. He’s tri-lingual and bi-pedal (two-leg walker). He and his wife recently had a son, my nephew, who’s now over two months old. The rest, well, is up to him to share. I simply wanted to properly introduce this guestblogger who will begin blogging on Wednesday. (commence standing-at-your-computer ovation)

If you check my site-stats, you’ll find my blog has gotten big in China. I’m very excited about that, I recently sent my personal envoy “Ed” to Beijing. I don’t suppose he’s spreading the word about blogging, but apparently –as Leonard and the Asia Times have been talking about – blogging in general is growing in China. While I’ve yet to experience it for myself, I think regardless of the thousands of “web police” the Chinese government has, webloggers will find a way. Much like an old dam trying to hold back a swelling river, they will eventually prove too many for the “censors.” The same happened with capitalism and globalization; despite the rhetoric of the governing party, they have allowed an incredible amount of “capitalism” into China, and seemingly – will continue to do so. I’m not saying its a good thing, just inevitable. And hey, I appreciate all those Chinese readers out there — welcome! Feel free to comment and join the often-heated debates.

The UNDP’s (United Nations development Program) 2004 Human development Report came out and according to the report, in terms of quality of life… Or as they put it

“A composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development?a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living.”

The Netherlands is number 5 on that list! Just a little reminder of why I chose to move here. I wasn’t so shocked to see Norway as number 1, followed by Sweden, Australia, and Canada – also places I’d consider moving too. The US was 8th, Uk 12th, and just to give you an idea Sierra Leone and Niger were at the bottom. No offense to them. I should add, I would enjoy visiting those countries. I recommend browsing around the report because it’s loaded with good info.

I added Chris Missick to the unfed blogroll, at last. He’s the soldier in Iraq that I’ve previously mentioned, and I enjoy the conversations we have via blog and email. I even noticed – i think – that he refers to me in a recent post! I think I’ll return the compliment with a trackback.

So for now I take my leave, off to Portugal for a much anticipated vacation. Look for me in Lisbon if you’re in the neighborhood. Stay tuned for more fun this week with me and my guestblogger.

Today’s Music: Prince- Rainbow Children (very gospel)