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Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Category: Personal Page 38 of 59

Weekend Music: Cold War Edition

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On May 23, 2008

In Personal, Society

Last week, some joker made a request for Berlin, even after explicitly acknowledging that I don’t do requests. My petty nature, naturally, made me want to pick this song, which I’m sure makes any real fan of Berlin just ache:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61WPnckcIyE[/youtube]

This, however, gave me my theme for this week. When people in the United States think of the Cold War, I suspect that their view of it was, in no small part, skewed and romanticized by that movie. They experienced the Cold War much like Saint Ronald Reagan experienced World War II – through the movies. They forget the enormous damage it actually did. The human cost involved. The fear. The deaths. How many times we came this fucking close to blowing up the planet.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPV8VAZgXmI[/youtube]

The Cold War had real human consequences across this planet – split nations in half, supported the most brutal of dictators, and left untold numbers dead – but never really touched the United States itself. For that, I am thankful. I just wish that folks here had a better appreciation of that, and how the US ought to be doing its goddamnedest to make sure nothing like that ever happens again. Remembering that it’s Memorial Day isn’t enough.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7CuJ8cR9sg[/youtube]

Friday Notes: Almost Out of Here Edition

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On May 23, 2008

In EU, Personal, Society, UK

This one’s been sitting in an unclosed browser tab all week, waiting to get posted:

What they were looking for, Carroll says, was an informant—someone to show up at “vegan potlucks” throughout the Twin Cities and rub shoulders with RNC protestors, schmoozing his way into their inner circles, then reporting back to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, a partnership between multiple federal agencies and state and local law enforcement.

You know, I’m not entirely clear on how vegan correlates with terrorists, but I’m clear on who’s been terrorizing potlucks in Minnesota – those people that bring jello fruit salads (sorry, Grandma).

~

Tony Blair has probably been the greatest political disappointment of my life, but I’d still like to ask Israel to please not blow him out of the sky. He’s trying to help, you know.

~

I’m off into the mountains this weekend, the sort of place that Sprint just won’t go. So after this and a couple other posts, I’m done until Monday. In case you find yourself with any extra time to poke around, I want to recommend two blogs that I read regularly, and should link more often:

  • Chicago Dyke (at Corrente) is very smart and very funny. And I’m not even lying when I say that. Proof of that is right here.
  • SuperFrenchie – while the posts themselves are always interesting (well, except for that recent one where he gave oxygen that that monster that should be killed – Eurovision), it’s the commenters’ conversations that follow that I find so compelling. I almost always learn something new and interesting in every thread I spend time in. I don’t think there are too many places you can say that about.

Oh, and just because, I leave you with what could be (but was not) a Eurovision entry.  Give her a minute to get going:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYzbzL80UD0[/youtube]

Congrats, George Takei!

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On May 20, 2008

In Personal, Society

This is a bit of a departure from the usual, but I love George Takei. And guess what? He’s getting married. Congrats, George.

Joint Services Open House at Andrews AFB this Weekend

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On May 17, 2008

In DC, Personal

It’s the Joint Services Open House this weekend at Andrews AFB. If you’ve ever wanted to sit in a tank, climb through a helicopter, or see the fighter jets up close, this is the way to do it without enlisting. There are also flyovers by the Blue Angels, parachute jumps by the Golden Knights, and lots of other demonstrations. I’ve been going to these things for most of my life, and there’s always something new and interesting. But if you’re a kid? It’s *really* cool.

It runs from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday and Sunday. Since you’ve already paid for the event with a hefty chunk of your paycheck, there’s no admission charge. Parking for the event is at FedEx Field with shuttle service to Andrews AFB. There is also a shuttle to Branch Ave Metro station. Further details here, at what is one of the more painful sites I’ve come across of late. Note that you’re limited to bringing very small bags.

Overnight Music: Hawai’i Edition

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On May 16, 2008

In Music, Personal

We were on our way to the Honolulu Zoo – walking through the edge of the concert lawn to get there – when we stopped to listen as we heard a band start its sound check. Meant nothing to me at the time, but for some reason I remember it well.  Soon enough I’d recognize those opening notes:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx6t11D99tA[/youtube]

And then there was Ethan Allen Court, where most everything had to do with Star Wars or Haro freestyle bikes with mag rims.  All discussed to a soundtrack involving Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg2pzil1YQQ[/youtube]

When we moved, we stayed in a Waikiki hotel for a while. In the evenings, I could sometimes evade the parental leash and explore a little bit on my own. There is a section between two hotels, where a narrow concrete sidewalk separated the ocean from a poolside bar. I’d sit on that sidewalk at night, with my legs dangling over the edge. And more often than not, the bar would be playing this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Aj2yODys0[/youtube]

My Nottingham

By

On May 16, 2008

In Personal, UK

Bikes for the Rest of Us

By

On May 15, 2008

In Personal

Freewheeling Spirit’s rant on the damage that pushing unnecessary bike bling does is spot on.  There’s definitely a price floor under which you’re pretty much assuring yourself a poor experience on a bike, but there is absolutely no reason in the world to spend thousands just for a decent and serviceable bike.

(And if you like what Freewheeling Spirit has to say, check out his most excellent Bikes for the Rest of Us blog (you knew I stole that from somewhere, right?)).

Is Joe Lieberman Angling for the VP Slot?

By

On May 15, 2008

In Personal

McCain’s VP, of course.

West Virginia and Beyond

By

On May 15, 2008

In Personal

Jon Stewart helps illustrate what Obama will be up against this fall.  This clip is about West Virginia, but the problem expands well beyond there.  I don’t really think that there’s any hope of winning over people like this.  Rather, the trick is to make sure the group doesn’t expand.  A tall order for the Obama campaign, I think.

Making the Numbers Mean Something

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On May 14, 2008

In Personal, Society

I’ve been thinking a lot about big numbers, lately. The 6,000 that accompanied the first reports of the cyclone in Burma was something I could sort of wrap my head around. I could picture 6,000 people. I could understand that 6,000 – coming from the military government running the place – probably meant that it was a lot more. But I wasn’t sure how many more. It seems to be rising exponentially. The Red Cross’ warning of 128,000 just surpassed my imagination.

And then the earthquake in China hit, and I first heard 10,000. We’re used to big numbers in everything from China, but it was still clearly a massive event. And as that number was rising today, I was trying to fathom it. How did it compare to the events in Burma? What would it be like if it happened here in the US?

Turns out, I was reaching for the wrong end of this. All I needed to do was understand a very small number. In this case, it was just 3. How so? Listen to this short NPR audio report from the ground in Sichuan, in which Melissa Block accompanies two parents looking for their two year old son. Don’t read, don’t look. Just listen.

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