What I wanted to contribute to the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Over at It's Oz.
(Click it, you might learn something)
I took a road trip by myself to Arkansas back in October. The drive was fine, but there was something I noticed. Once I hit New Mexico or Texas, hell I don’t remember they all look the same at 3am in the morning, I noticed neat little signs that kinda warmed my heart:
Report Drunk Drivers Call 911.
I was dumbfounded. I had no idea I could be the law for a few minutes and report asshat drunk drivers. Knowing that these states encourage drivers to police for inebriated drivers made me feel a little safer. That was until I remembered that my own home state didn’t have these signs.
Of all the states, California should have been the one to have these up in the first place. With so many fucking retards in this state and on the road, you would have thought that some tightwad would ... [Read More]
I read an article recently about Downtown Berkeley's future. I found myself a little more reactive to this than I thought I'd be.
I've worked in Downtown Berkeley for years. On again, off again. I am currently working there again part time for fun. I miss it down there. Compared to what I do for eight hours a day, five days a week, this is paradise. I'm surrounded by familiar faces, sights and sounds. I took a long break from Berkeley about a year ago, and when I came back to begin my new employment, I found a few surprises.
Across the street (diagonally) from the Blockbuster was a Pegasus Bookstore. Independent. Cool, very Berkeley-esque. Directly across from Pegasus was Barnes and Noble, staring Pegasus down. Staring at them hard. I mean come on, who could compete with B&N? Bathrooms, coffee, seating, discounts. We all know the story, little book store gets squashed by BigName Bookstore(TM), people cry, show a bit of fair weather local support and then 6 months later can't remember what was there before.
But no, not this time. I was strolling along and when I came upon this corner I was greeted by a lot of brown paper covering the windows of Barnes and Noble. They had closed down. What? How could this be I thought. I look across the street and to my amazement, there is Pegasus, standing, lights gleaming in boastful exuberance. You could almost hear the trumpet fanfare declaring their victory. This befuddled me greatly. But eventually discarded all thoughts as I walked on and consumed my Grande No-Whip Peppermint Mocha.
Businesses have come and gone, some I don't even notice. The music store by Becketts closed down a few years ago, now replaced by a struggling computer store. The Gateway Store is only warmed once a year when they throw in the trash they call the Halloween Store. The other 10 months of the year its an eye sore. That article then pointed out to me the growing number of businesses that are closing and opened my eyes to others I've never noticed because its become just part of the scene. All the closed up doors and windows all blend in. I've become numb. And this is not good. Though I have to point out that they are closing the STD of a store called Ross Dress for Less that sits directly across from my place of employment. Along with the Shoe Pavilion.
So what should we do? I would love to see more retail. I often complain there are not enough places down there to shop. Hell,
Sigh. This isn't good. If they don't put in more retail slots two things are going to happen. The existing retailers are going to get slammed which is good for business because there is no where for consumers to go. Then once the customers realize that customer service is dwindling because the employees are so stressed from the extra customers, they'll leave. Next thing you know its another retailer tossing in the hat.
Perhaps I'll try to attend a few meetings, voice my opinion, even though I'm not a Berkeley resident, my voice matters. My voice is that of a frequent Berkeley visitor that has to look upon the closed up buildings, that puts money towards, that would like to bring friends back to time and time again.
Oy, I hate getting backed up in my blogging. Heh, sounds kinda hot. Anywho.
Most recently I finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. It was pretty good and as I suspected, not as good as "The Kite Runner". But with this being my second book that has to do with the Middle East (specifically Afghanistan), I'm all tuned and ears to the ground with all events about the area. I'm honestly concerned and want to do something.
With my fat 40% discount over at Barnes and Noble, I picked a few more books about the Middle East. "The Middle East for Dummies" and "Three Cups of Tea", along with "Lucky from Alice Sebold.
I never ever thought I'd be this interested in events over there. All of my life in fact was spent avoiding the subject because I just couldn't understand, there was so much I had no idea where to begin. Reading novels and essays along with the Dummies book is already helping. While enjoying a great book I get to learn so much as well.
We all keep hearing the words 'jihad' and 'mujahideen', and I didn't know what they meant, I associated them with "oh those must be bad people, bad words" when I couldn't be any more wrong. A jihad is pretty much a holy warrior, someone in a fight, conflict, struggle for the cause of God, or Allah. And mujahideen is a plural form of the word. I feel so horrible for associating these incorrectly, hell I thought they were two completely different words.
I know I'm not the only one to think this. These words are so easily tossed around in stories that also tangle in words like 'terrorists' and 'suicide bombers' and 'bin Laden'. These jihadists and such are not all bad people. Don't confuse jihad with Taliban. I'm sure I'll make a future blog post helping to explain it to you too.
Even with as little as I have read, I already feel better informed; I know the geography a little better, which country is which, and even a few of their capitals. Even if I can't directly help out with the conflicts in the Middle East, at least my self education can help influence the minds of thinkers out here. You guys, other readers. And that can be at least one mind that use to think negatively, or wrongly that I can help fix, and perhaps eventually it will ripple out.
I mean come on, me of all people, getting involved and informed with the situation in the Middle East. If I can get interested then I know I can catch the attention of at least a few other people.
Best Friggin Show! Love love love it! Scored some merch too!
And here are few more of my favorite shots!
Oh how I miss New York. I live on one coast but swoon for the other. I'm gonna try to head over there for my birthday in February, which is about the same time I was there last year. Perhaps a yearly visit is in order?
Then yesterday I realized I'm full of opposites, or at least interest at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Last night I was fretting over lipsticks and eye shadows at Sephora, and the day before I was purchasing something to add to my new hobby, which I have yet to publicly disclose. (A few of you already know), but let's just say its incredibly dorky and harmful to one's reputation. So yeah, very odd purchasing sequence. To add to the wierdness, I have this new dorky hobby, but at the same time I'm active outdoors, I hike, and teach windsurfing.
I'm a closet goth/hipster/frat boy/prissy girl/jock. What gives? At times I feel so conflicted. For example I want to go to the Dickens Fair next weekend. But how can I go and get swoony over corsets and frilly things when I could come across as a hipster to the common onlooker?
Like I said before, multifaceted. I'm just trying to live in harmony with all of them. Eek
Thanksgiving could have been better. But it could have been worse. Had Indian food with a good friend of mine. The rest of the weekend was spent shopping and dorking out. My piercing is healing up nicely, already thinking of what to do for my next one, and wondering when I'm going to start working on my tattoo.
Ordered a new point and shoot from newegg.com yesterday. Couldn't resist the $164.99 for a Canon SD1000 (yes, I know, I have a Nikon, but this wouldn't be the first time I've gone bi-company, I have a Mac and a Windows machine, so I'm just bridging gaps), with 1GB memory card and bag, with free shipping. It should be here tomorrow, just in time for my concert on Thursday. Yay Ghostland Observatory!
I haven't really figured it out yet. But its therapeutic. Some people turn to drugs, others to professional help. I find that sticking metal through my body does the trick.
I'm loving this new one. This makes my total to now 7. I use to be has high up as 10. I'll probably get back up there again. This is also the largest gauge I have ever gotten. Thats a ten, and before I had only gone as big as a 14 or 16.
Done at Zebra in Berkeley, yesterday by Chris.
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Ozreiuosn said:
Eh, nothing to get jealous about. You have a new boy toy and that beats everything. read more
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Hey! Is that J?? read more
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