Thoughts of a Blessed Vagabond: April 2006

Gorillaz Music Videos

Random pix of..... me.

Lincoln seq

So sexy.

the battle of the bulge

So. Funny.

Im Mighty?

Yes, i am!

From the Mind of Patrick Quinn.

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18819508-5001028,00.html

Apparently they think they can beat us. Okay, lets recap whats been going on here in the international community.

Iran: We want nuclear capabilities!

US: No, you're not responsible enough and we don't rust you. You'll probably use them for weapons.

UK: I agree.

Germany: I'm indifferent.

France: We would have an opinion, accept we are am too busy with our own citizens rioting in the streets every two weeks. As a whole, I disagree with whatever the silly Americans say.

Russia: Can any of you spare me some change?

Canada: Eh!

Iran: We wouldn't use them for weapons. Our nuclear technology would only be used for energy purposes.

US: Why should we trust you?

Iran: Why does anyone trust you? You have the largest nuclear arsenal in the world!

US: Yeah, but our head of state hasn't called for the irradiation of a nation.

Iran: The nation of Zion is at it's dusk! The people of Israel will be wiped form the face of the earth!

Israel: Hey! Fuck you asshole!

Iran: Science! Your plights are factitious and you are nothing but a rouse to remove Palestinians from their rightful land!

Israel: Rightful land? We were there long before Islam even...

Iran: Bah! We will show you the fury of Al...hold on...uh...why is the USA in Iraq!

US: What does that have to do with you getting nuclear capabilities?

Iran: We would be more responsible than you. Look at yourselves! Thinking you are all badass, with your bling and your hoes, and bulling other countries. And you have nuclear weapons! Thats not fair!

UK: I thought you chaps didn't want nuclear weapons?

Iran: We...uh...we don't. Our studies of nuclear technology are for the benefit of our own people only.

Germany: I'm suspicious.

China: I am cautiously optimistic.

Russia: I'm hungry. Can somebody please spot me a few bucks? Hey Iran, I have lots of nuclear things I do not need. I give you some if you throw me some cash....pleeeeeeeez.

Iran: No thanks. We'd rather know how to make nukes from scratch.

Germany: Why do you need to know that?

Iran: We are a self sufficient nation! We don't need handouts from others!

US: Why does your army use Soviet tanks then?

Iran: Mind your own bees-wax!

UN: I believe Iran should put their testing on hold. First, we should go through a long, drawn-out, non-feasible, overall pointless, and bureaucratic analysis of the project first.

Iran: Hey! Who let you in. And what business do you have telling me what to do?

UN: Well, I am the United Nations after all. We strongly advise you to comply with us.

Iran: What if I don't.

UN: We'll sanction you.

Iran: Oh no! I can't buy cheap plastic from China, crappy Danish furniture, and American football jerseys. I'm shaking in my boots! Get lost.

UN: Well then, I'll shake my finger at you, you naughty person.

Canada: Eh!

Iran: Ah-Ha! To late! I have figured out how to make enriched uranium!

US: Goddamnit!

UK: I say!

Germany: O-9!

Russia: Rats. You didn't take my offer. You suck! I don't condone your actions.

Iran: Another triumph for Islam!

US: You're starting to piss me off.

Iran: Bring it bitch! You are a weak decaying power! Your feeble army will be crushed by the wrath of Allah! Israel is doomed! I COULD FIGHT YOU ALL WITH MY EYES CLOSED AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IRAN IS THE NEW SUPERPOWER OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...but only if you attack me first. So there!

RIGHT ON!

Sweet Lyrics.

BRIGHT EYES LYRICS

"Let's Not Shit Ourselves (To Love And Be Loved)"

The animals laugh from the dark of the wilderness. A baby cried hard in an apartment complex,
as I pass in a car buried under the influence. The city is driving me out of my mind.
I have seen a child is caught in the sad trap of gravity.
He falls from the lowest branch of the apple tree and lands in the grass and weeps for his dignity.
Next time he will not aim so high. Yeah, next time, neither will I.
A mother takes loans out, sends her kids off to colleges.
Her family is reduced to names on a shopping list.
Meanwhile, a coroner kneels beneath a great, wooden crucifix.
He know that there are worse things than being alone.
I have learned to retreat at the first sign of danger.
I mean, why wait around, if it's just to surrender? Ambition, I have found, can only lead to failure.
I do not read the reviews. No, I am not singing for you.
I stood dropping a coin into the pit of a well. And I would throw my whole billfold
if I thought it would help. With all these wishes I make,
I should buy something real, at least a telephone call home.
My teachers, they built the retaining wall memory, all those multiple choices I answered so quickly.
And I got my grades back and forgot just as easily, but as least I got an A.
So I don't have them to blame. I should stop pointing fingers;
reserve my judgment of all those public action figures, the cowboy president.
So loud behind the bullhorn so proud they can't admit when they have made a mistake.
While poison ink spews from a speechwriter's pen, he knows that he doesn't have to say it,
so it don't bother him. "Honesty" "Accuracy" are really just "Popular Opinion."
And the approval rating is high, so someone is going to die. ABC, NBC, CBS: Bullshit.
They give us fact or fiction? I guess an even split. And each new act of war is tonight's entertainment.
We are still the pawns in their game. As they take an eye for an eye until no one can see,
we must stumble blindly forward, repeating history. Well, I guess that we all fit into your slogan
on the fast food marquee: Red blooded, White skinned oh and the Blues.
I got the Blues! I got the Blues! That's me! That's me!
Well, I awoke in relief. My sheets and tubes were all tangled weak from whiskey and pills,
in a Chicago hospital. My father was there, in a chair, by the window, staring so far away.
I tried talking, just whispered, "...so sorry...so selfish..." He stopped me and said,
"Child I love you regardless and there is nothing you could do that would ever change this.
I'm not angry. It happens. You just can't do it again."
So now I try to keep up, I have been exchanging my currency.
While a million objects pass through my periphery. So now I am rubbing my eyes because
they are starting to bother me. I have been staring too long at the screen.
But where was it when I first heard the sound of humility? It came to my ears in the goddamn
loveliest melody. How grateful I was then to be part of the mystery,
to love and be loved. Let's just hope that is enough.

Official Jacob Wester Seal of Approval...

Stockholm Syndrome

I have, to my great honor and pleasure, been assigned to make a short film to promote the Swedish field for the TEAM European Conference 2006.

So err'body watch out, co's it's going down. This ain't gonna be nothing like the silly DVD of Sweden, oh no.

Here is a tease:

And i am also going to keep a log of what im doing, cos CAS this is! big time creativity for me!

15/04/06: 4 hours filming in stockholm + 2 hours editing
16/04/06: 2 hours filming + editing
24/05/06: 3 hours filming + editing

Stabba Stabba!

A word to the French/Swedish protesters...

So i haven't ranted in a bit, right? I'm sitting here on Spring break, listening to some DJ Shadow (man, where have i been this whole time?), with a bunch of history homework and English homework to do, and i realized "man, i haven't ranted in a long time!". well, this is why you, you non-existent person reading this is here, right? to hear me rant about life from my purely juvenile standpoint?

WELL OK THEN!

So 2 days ago I'm out skateboarding at the bowls in medborgarplatsan (somewhere in Stockholm, don't worry...) and I'm just doing random tricks out on the flat with a kid there, game of SKATE like, when all of a sudden a huge rally goes by. People with bullhorns and loudspeakers just ranting and raving about whathavethey. As the long line of people went by, i got curious. I went up to some of them and asked :"what you guys protesting about?" Well, they didn't speak English, so i asked some more. Finally, a dude with the weirdest beard ever comes over and explains that "you know, that law in France, the thing for youth... well, they want to do something like that in Sweden, so, yeah". So i thank him for his time and hope he has a fun time demonstrating.

Yes, the CPE, that dreaded law in France that was aimed at destroying young peoples lives, yeah. For those of you unacquainted with it, it was a law that would allow business owners and bosses to be able to fire any new recruit within a two year period for arbitrary reasons, really.
Well, in typical french fashion, all anyone saw was what could be taken away from them, not what the point of the law was. Everyone freaked at being fired for no reason, and hence: protests, what France does best, and the only thing that a citizen actually considers part of their civic duty anymore (vote? bah, ill just abstain and be pissed at however is elected. Protest and strike? me LIKES!).

As some of you know, i have an older sister who is studying in France, in Lyon. She's a big nerd, but we love her anyways. Anywho, she didn't get to go to school for a really long time because of all of these demonstrations. Why you ask? well, the young people in the universities decided to, for the sake of democracy, shut down the schools and form Assemblées Générales to "fight the power", if you will.
Nevermind that this was completely anti democratic, since my sister and many others never voted for these people. Yes, 600 people deciding the fate of most college students completely arbitrarily. "But wait! weren't arbitrary decisions bad? isn't that why you guys are mad?" "SILENCE! no one needs reason now!" "OK, i see"...
After a while, some students even occupied the Sorbonne, a very renowned school in Paris where my parents went for language studies to be missionaries in France (as you can see, french people do need help :P). Anyways, the Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, Sarko if you will, got them to be kicked out. OMGEEEEEE he's abusing power! Wrong tard, he's getting you from where you shouldn't be!

Riots went on and on, as they always have an always will in France. But lo! The government actually backed down COMPLETELY. That is right, the protesters managed to get the law completely revoked, hence the demonstrating in Sweden. Yay for democracy! The people are still in control! what a glorious day for France!

NO! you MORONS!

OK, listen up frenchies. Do you, or do you not care about the high unemployment rates in France, especially in the youth category? Oh, you do? OK then. Well, lemme hit you with some knowledge: you know what one of the reasons is for you sorry souls not being able to get jobs is? Employers are AFRAID to hire anyone! Why? Because if you get a job in France, you're pretty much sure to have it your whole life! And most employers don't want to risk having fat sacks of worthlessness sipping lattés on the job that they can't fire.

That is right: the reason this law was passed was to promote something that is all but forgotten in French culture: capitalist competition.

In school in France, and trust me i know, you are constantly afraid of failing because of your teacher putting so much pressure on you. If you aren't a hard working student, then you will still work as hard as those who are because you don't want null get punished. Not the best system, but it motivates some. However, when you get out of school, and become, say, a teacher, that ends. Dead in its tracks. Once you are a teacher, you will never be afraid of losing your job. You know how much money you will have for retirement when you're over an done with, and lest you kill a child, nothing can happen.
But why can't the same that is true in French schools be true when it comes to french jobs? If you are hard working, then you WON'T LOSE YOUR JOB!!!!! Here comes the clue train, last stop you! If you do what you need to do and do it well, your employer won't fire you, makes sense, right? And if you lack the self drive to be a hard worker, maybe a law that says your boss can fire you when he wants will motivate you.

Competition in the workplace, what a weird concept. Isn't that what capitalism is founded on? France wants to be socialist, fine so be it. But don't whine like you do when you realize the world is moving on without you. I'm pretty sure your revolutionary ancestors would be ashamed of you. Instead of going for the front of the societal wave, you choose to stay behind, behind the swell, wanting that big wave to come to make everything right. But when it comes, you will wuss out on it again, to let it pass so that you aren't challenged in the least.

That is the problem with French mentality. They want change, but without sacrifice of what they already have. Therefore, nothing changes. One little law that would have been the step towards progress and all you would have had to do is work hard, and yet everyone says no. does this reflect well on France? no.

One of the reasons i like Sarko is that he DOES stuff. In France, it's talk talk talk, and little done. He actually acts. They may have been bad actions, but hell, don't knock the fact he is trying where everyone else would rather sit back and stick their noses int he air, loving how historical France is. Well, news flash: our last constitutional review was in 1958, about when all french politicians in power today were hitting old age. COME ON GUYS! DO SOMETHING! if you know what to do to help France, do it! People will get butt-hurt they don't have the same security as always, but so be it! you want to compete with the USA? or anyone for that matter? get the French off their lazy butts and get them working.

And to the younger folks: stop. you're pathetic. Work hard = keep job. Not work + mooch = fired. Is that hard to understand? I know it's math for you self proclaimed liberal arts majors, but hear me out. What you did was appalling. You've doomed your country to another decade of no progress, as if your leaders couldn't do that for you. Gratz!

ah, that was quite fulfilling, no? i need to do these more often!