Totaal aantal pageviews

maandag 12 december 2011

"Silly, gay and stupid". A policeman's thesaurus? I hope not.

'Silly, gay and stupid': Police inspector's extraordinary outburst at boy, 15, as he used anti-terror law to stop him from taking pictures at military parade


Worth listening to the video at the end of this. I'm sure there are some great police officers out there and I've met some amazing ones, but too often (not most of the time, but too often for my liking) I see members of the police force that fit into this strange category of personality (see video for what I'm talking about). They should not be allowed to do their job.

Not only are they nowhere near smart enough (as the basic vocabulary of the officer on the recording suggests, coupled with his inability to justify his actions), but their presence suggests the force is desperate to attract recruits (which I don't believe they would be THAT desperate). I think it more likely to be that some undesirables routinely slip through net of the so-called "psychological" tests. I mean, just look at my last post on the Stanford Prison Experiment and that creepy policeman in riot gear in California.

One thing is for sure, compensation for the boy and an apology isn't enough. Unnecessary maltreatment with an unashamed homophobic tone cannot be tolerated - this police officer should have been sacked.

zondag 20 november 2011

Western hipocrisy. I hate it.

US university investigates campus pepper spray use 

I was so disgusted when I saw this video.  It shows students at the University of California who are protesting in solidarity with like-minded protesters of the Occupy Wall Street movement, being sprayed with 'pepper-spray'.

These chemicals were sprayed directly in the faces of students sat still on the floor.

Is it just me, or is there something wrong here? When I see events like these it reminds me of the Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971.  The 'guards' in this experiment developed sadistic tendencies and even created their own ways of controlling 'inmates' often via humiliating and degrading punishments.  This came from the perceived identities that the 'guards' thought they should take on and embody. The uniforms also dehumanise them and make it easier for them to control other people, as they have the support of other officers in uniform, often covered up with helmets, shields or even just sunglasses.

I also think about the way 'western' countries have handled the uprisings across the Arab world. They have denounced the 'atrocities' and heavy-handedness of the governments of these countries. They disagree with the use of water-cannons, rubber bullets and the like. However when it comes to their own people, students and others who have a genuine cause to be angry, it seems that it is accepted by our governments that our police forces calmly spray people in the face with chemicals. Wouldn't the US or even the UK government call this something like 'state-sanctioned terrorism'?

I am certainly not saying that the way that previous governments in some North African and Middle Eastern countries have treated their people is acceptable, not at all. My question is about the consistency of our attitudes, and the discrepancies between foreign and domestic policy.  Shouldn't we have the same policy about the way protesters are treated in our country and other countries?

There are of course many factors influencing the decision of governments and their security forces to use force to stop violence or other crimes that may be being committed alongside what is often peaceful protest (don't even use the London riots as an example, as that had almost nothing to do with protest - note I use the word almost; it started with a peaceful protest and others hijacked it and started something else completely).  Surely though, we can all agree that the video from the link at the beginning of this post is disgusting and, as the Chancellor of the University herself put it (after being the one to call the police), "chilling".

woensdag 9 november 2011

The "Gaystapo". This is what happens when Churches try humour...

... nobody gets them.


At least I hope Alan Craig made this simple mistake of trying humour. I certainly hope that it isn't Christian humour - their "rock" music is bad enough.


Here's an excerpt of a post he made on his blog today:

I accused Stonewall et al of fascist-type intolerance. I note they recently awarded Melanie Phillips their Bigot Of The Year Award. Whatever you think of her views, she argues rationally, reasonably, includes factual evidence and incites no-one to violence (it’s known as public discussion within a liberal democracy), yet she has been subject to this Nazi-style pillorying and demonisation.


This was of course, in reference to his recent article in The Church of England Newspaper on the "Gaystapo" and their unrelenting assault on "English" and "Christian" society (apparently the two concepts are inseparable even today).


I think the poor guy mixed up his words a wee bit, though.


He says he accused Stonewall of "fascist-type intolerance".  Now it's been a over 18 months since I was at the University of Sheffield (which has pulled an advertisement of a Biblical Studies MA from the CofE Newspaper's website), so my critical thinking may be a little rusty, but shouldn't he have written "intolerance of fascism"?


In his original article, he compared Winston Churchill to his own "side", as if they are the champions against a fascist movement, like he was.


Now I get what he's trying to say -  that the 'gaystapo' is intolerant of Christian views (a bit like a child saying, "well yeah we hate gays, but they hate us too"). This would have had the effect of cancelling out the argument, a bit like the chicken and the egg argument.


However, unlike the chicken or the egg, we know who cast the first stone, as it were. There was no "book of gay" decreeing "thou shalt not worship Jesus, Mary et al." There was the Bible, though. So in keeping with Craig's style of argument, I say to him:


YEAH WELL, YOU STARTED IT!


maandag 11 juli 2011

Colour.

After a blog-break, and Twitter now eating up a lot of my time, I'm back. And I'm back with a little thought I had today while waiting for a pizza after work. Now this may have been because I'm pretty tired at the moment from working so much, but never mind.

So I was waiting for this pizza to take away, and there were some people eating. As I'm in Brussels there is a sizeable Muslim population here. Now I'm pretty sure I saw this guy walk past a lady dressed in a niqab - but without the face veil bit (is that an al-amira? I'm not up to speed on my Muslim dress for women). Anyway, he ha what I thought was a bit of a dirty look on his face as she walked passed and I was a bit saddened. She wasn't doing anything wrong, as far as I could see (although I can't be 100% certain). Even if that was the case, it got me to thinking about many non-Muslim people's phobia of the headscarf, niqab, burqa etc.

I thought, I wonder if people would be so scared of them if they were pink? Or purple, or orange?

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/10862901_hwieK/3/770533125_msixZ#770533125_msixZ

Would people be scared of this?
It just so happens that this particular lady was wearing a black one, as is the most common (at least here in Belgium and the UK, where I have lived the most). Many Indian women wear some fabulously colourful saris and there are never news reports about people wanting to ban those.

Maybe the phobia comes from the fact that those in the west see face covering as something that bad people do. Take balaclavas for example. Coupled with the the constant association of Islam with terrorism by ridiculous newspapers such as the News of the World and the Sun (et al), it is clear to see why people who are more predisposed to hatred or phobia of the differences of people, find it difficult to walk past someone wearing a head dress without their face expressing disgust.

For these people though, colour is obviously very important to them and it would be interesting to see if wearing different colours made any difference to their attitude.

Well, first of all, people should be able to wear what they want (the argument that the niqab or burqa actually stops women from wearing what they want themselves, and is most of the time imposed on them, is a whole other argument). Secondly, if colour did in fact make a difference, then those people who are scared of this type of dress are more stupid than we think.

vrijdag 27 mei 2011

"Toronto couple defend move to keep baby's sex secret"

BBC News Article, 27th May 2011

So I was reading the news as I do, when I saw the title of this particular article. The first thing I would say is that what must be made clear, is that there are differences in the nature and definition of the terms "sex" and "gender".

After writing a load of stuff here, I stumbled upon the WHO (World Health Organisation) website which had a very simple explanation (rather than me farting around with and pulling apart dictionary definitions):

What do we mean by "sex" and "gender"?

Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what is meant by the term "gender", and how it differs from the closely related term "sex". 

"Sex" refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women.

"Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

To put it another way:

"Male" and "female" are sex categories, while "masculine" and "feminine" are gender categories.

Aspects of sex will not vary substantially between different human societies, while aspects of gender may vary greatly.

Some examples of sex characteristics :
  • Women menstruate while men do not
  • Men have testicles while women do not
  • Women have developed breasts that are usually capable of lactating, while men have not
  • Men generally have more massive bones than women
Some examples of gender characteristics :
  • In the United States (and most other countries), women earn significantly less money than men for similar work
  • In Viet Nam, many more men than women smoke, as female smoking has not traditionally been considered appropriate
  • In Saudi Arabia men are allowed to drive cars while women are not
  • In most of the world, women do more housework than men 

So here we see that there is a difference in the two, and we can add further to that by saying both are intertwined, with the added variable of sexuality, which as a category of identity itself carries several possibilities and each with it's own nuances. Put simply, and in my opinion, sexuality should be viewed as a scale of human sexuality (i.e. homosexual, heterosexual, and everything in between), which each and every one of us at different points on this scale, our positions changing and fluctuating throughout our lives; some erratically and unpredictably, some never.

There are whole schools of thought on gender identity, sex and sexuality and I have no hope of even scratching the surface in a blog post! But I definitely thought this article was telling of our society. We have such a long way to go in educating ourselves about our own bodies and minds, especially the latter. We cannot even say any longer that we have only male and female sexes, as there are people with certain biological characteristics which are different to those usually seen in male and female genetic make-ups; genetically male with some female hormone processes and vice versa, for example? Could this be defined as another sex? Of course here, I use the "definitions" of identities and sexes to demonstrate the existence of the many and extra-ordinary possibilities of humans. [The apparent need to create definitions, labels, categories, etc., I think comes from an age old human desire to understand new concepts, be they abstract or material. Unfortunately, I believe that this doesn't always work for the modern world, and actually has hindered our understanding of new things. Even in physics, where old rules and equations have been called into question as "exceptions" were unexplained. (added 28/05/2011)]

Psychological research over the years has so far said that by the age of 3-4 years of age, gender identity has been formed and is difficult to change after that. If the child in the above article is not encouraged to take any identity, that is fine, however we have to be able to admit that this could be dangerous for the child as the world today still doesn't accept widely enough the ideas I mentioned above. Is the child going to suffer socially as a result? Psychologically? "Everyone else knows what they are, but I don't."  It may well be harder than normal for the child to become comfortable with whatever sex/gender/sexuality they may gravitate towards, simply due to the society in which we live and the restrictions on labels of identity we seem compelled to take on. I know I feel more comfortable being able to define my sexuality with a label, yet I like going on to explain (if people ask and want to know) the nuances of my sexuality. If you feel like your sexuality  is something private that you don't have to explain to anyone, you are right. But I like doing it, and I do it hope that I can educate some people about it. Anyway, back the Canadian kid...

The truth is, I don't believe anyone can be 100% sure what will happen and how the child will develop and grow. One question I might raise is whether it is ethical to be carrying out this experiment on another human being, at the same time possibly jeopardising their future happiness? Or is it an "experiment" at all? Just the right of the parents to raise their child as they wish? 

On second thoughts, I would probably say the latter is most true. However, I would hope that the parents take extra care of their child, give it even extra love, attention, education, and above all, protection. Just because they may raise one enlightened child, doesn't mean the idea will spread, and doesn't mean people will be nice. Still, here's hoping the world changes, and congrats to the parents on their new healthy happy baby, Storm. I should have just done a blog post about how I want that for my middle name.

Lot's of love

Dave Storm Cooper


[see comments to see why BBC News is crap, proving my point for the need of education over the difference in definition of sex, gender, and sexuality.]



donderdag 26 mei 2011

Red Tape Time

So after the hype of Eurovision and Pride in Brussels (which was fab by the way - I, along with my mates, even made the news), another glorious aspect of Belgium has come along to slap me in the face and kick me in the bollocks. However, this is not just something that is designed to annoy foreigners, for it is the joyous occasion that the majority of Belgians or those living in Belgium will come to experience - that fat arse brown envelope that sits like a black hole in your postbox ready to suck away the last bit of joy in your life.

In case no-one got what I meant (which is probably most non-Belgians), I got my tax-return forms in the post today.

It literally made me want to up sticks and bugger off back to the UK. There's this big-arse booklet to "help" you through the forms (there aren't inverted commas in the world big enough, I'm afraid, to express the sarcasm I'm trying to convey in the word "help"), and then another booklet to give you the CODES you need to fill into your form for different sections.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO A "TICK THE BOX" FORM???????

I haven't started it yet, and I'm not sure I ever will. Suicide seems more appealing, and more likely.  For the moment, I'm going to wait until Nathalie comes back from her holiday (yes I am jealous, even though she's in Tunisia, at a beach resort somewhere no doubt sipping cocktails, with the faint echos of small arms fire in the background) so she can help me through it. Yes, it's all in Dutch too.

AND, I'm not sure if I'm missing some pay slips from last year as I moved to Brussels in December and I forgot to contact my old landlord to ask him to save my post. I hope he has, otherwise I simply do not want to know how many forms I need to fill in extra, nor how many stamps I will need from however many companies/people/entities/abstract Belgian concepts that have to be summoned one way or another.

Please Belgium, adopt PAYE (Pay As You Earn). It works so well(ish) in the UK and there is so much less paperwork and stress.

If I ever make it to the other side, I will let you know.

woensdag 11 mei 2011

Boom bang a blog...

Totally stole that title from some random other blog. Whatever Trevor.

Entonces, en el espíritu del Festival de Eurovisión, pensé que debía escribir este blog en todos los idiomas diferentes que puedo escribir. Anoche vi la primera semifinal, y estaba muy impresionado en general.

No obstant això, estava una mica trist perquè Malta i Croàcia no van guanyar un lloc en l'etapa final. Com a comiat, aquí estan les seves actuacions:


 Ok, so maybe Malta was like a super-gay Josh Dubovie, with a song that was of about as good a quality. Moving on...

J'ai été heureux de voir que la Serbie a obtenu une place dans la compétition finale. Je crois que les gars de l'Islande semblent agréable aussi, et j'aime la chanson. Cependant, je n'aime pas les chansons de la Géorgie ou de l'Albanie. J'aime qu'il y a des certains pays qui tentent de changer leur image avec chaque année qui passe, mais tout simplement le rock n'est pas très 'eurovision', à mon avis.

In de volgende halve final, zal ik graag naar de andere landen kijken die nog niet uitgevoerd hebben, hoewel kan ik nu al zeggen dat ik niet van de liedjes uit Frankrijk, Italië, Wit-Rusland en Spanje houden zal. Maaaaaaar, deze wel...




Schließlich erwähne ich das Lied aus dem Vereinigten Königreich und ich hoffe, dass es die Gewinner des Wettbewerbs wird. (Entschuldigung, ich bin scraping the barrel for Sprache, now)


COME ON UK!!!

dinsdag 10 mei 2011

Bugger.

It's not like we didn't know this was coming. We know the Tories too well now, and those who voted for them (that otherwise wouldn't have) were fools to think they had changed.

"Richest students to pay for extra places at Britain's best universities"

An article from the Guardian today describes government "proposals [which] could allow UK students to enrol in university of their choice as long as they pay vastly higher fees up front."

Now, I see where this is going. There will be the usual left versus right thing about "the privileged few being able to buy their place" versus "opening up the higher education system to allow more places to be created without taxpayer money" blah. There are arguments for and against and I can see both, which kills me as the reddish-coloured membership card of a certain UK political party is screaming at me to not even entertain the other side.

But that wouldn't be very enlightened of me now, would it?

For you see fortunately, I was one of many young people of my particular generation who were lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the magnificent increases in investment in education and go to university - my modest background not making the slightest difference in my ability (be it financial or academic) to continue my studies in Higher Education. Granted I had to work part-time throughout, but this kept me in the "real world" so to speak, rather than being wrapped up in the "uni-bubble".

Despite the reforms that had already taken place by the time I enrolled at the University of Sheffield (great place, great uni), I still felt OK about taking on the responsibility of paying back my student loans after my studies and, felt OK also about going to university and not being surrounded by snobs and rich people who I might not be able to relate to.

Some criticise the introduction of tuition fees and the subsequent top-up fees and they are quite right to. I don't like them myself, and I disagree with them in principle. However, there was a university funding problem at the time which needed to be solved (Jesus, I sound like he-who-should-not-be-named..... Cameron). Unfortunately I'm not sure it is so simple to compare England's situation with Scotland's. It should rather be contrasted, as their tax revenues and funding agreements are somewhat different. I'm 22, I have no clue what would be the best solution, but I bet that there was more than enough talking done about it, but not enough different people with different opinions and ideas.

On university funding, I don't think New Labour came up with the goods, as they didn't have a radical policy like those that had characterised their early days in office, but rather the easy way out that simply ruffled the Left's feathers because it appeased/pleased the Right (and probably the pushy Chancellors/Vice-Chancellors of the Russell Group of universities).  Long story short, I believe the funding of education should be a collective effort of society, as it benefits everyone. I also know that this view is somewhat outdated, and most certainly unpalatable to the vast majority of our society today, especially with the current economic climate.

I think that because of Tony Blair's decision to ignore the pledge in their 2005 manifesto that there would be no top-up fees, this left the door wide open for the Tories to walk right in and break down the last few bricks in the wall, that otherwise would have prevented the Higher Education system becoming a market, allowing the richest to buy their way into universities who are desperate for funding. Unfortunately, I very much doubt that this article will be the last to enrage me and many others, but I certainly don't doubt that the Conservative-led government will do everything it possibly can before their time runs out. When it does run out, is up to the Liberal Democrats (I hope).

Come on, Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems, go out with a bang! Bring down the Tory government while you still can, and stop them from doing any more permanent damage to our country.

maandag 9 mei 2011

Leuven/Louvain/Löwen

So literally, just after I posted the last entry, I had a fit of spontaneity and decided to jump on a bus somewhere. I decided Leuven wasn't too far (around 31 kilometres) and that I could take the slow bus and have a nice trip through the countryside.

I packed a little picnic for myself, my book (Tony Blair's A Journey, which I will probably review whenever I finish it) and set off. I think I just needed a day away from the city, a change of scenery, somewhere I could think and just relax. On the way there there were these beautiful fields and the weather was lovely, and I even thought about just jumping off the bus and chilling out there for the afternoon. However, I knew I wanted to see Leuven, and I also kind of wanted a cold beer.

Leuven is really nice, really chilled out and such a student city. You totally get that vibe as soon as you get off the bus/train - students are everywhere (which I guess means it's a ghost town between semesters) and the shopping looks really good. Lots of pretty old buildings, like the Stadhuis and the Oude Markt.

I had a few pintjes in the "Leuvens Studentcafe" on the right. I wanted to feel like a student. Lame.

The pretty Stadhuis. Lots of flag poles attached, but not as many flags as the Stadhuis in Antwerpen.
So after walking around and looking at the nice buildings, and strolling along the river that runs through the city (the Dijle), I decided to chill out on the Oude Markt for a bit and enjoy a few pintjes in the sun that was just starting to come out.  I chose a student bar, as the student vibe of the city really got to me, and being the lame ex-student, wanted to feel just a little bit like a student again. Cheap lager and a book on a Monday afternoon (i.e. drinking and not working) certainly reminded me of the many sunny afternoons living the student dream.

After a couple and a good read, I set my book down to have a think and a listen to some tunes (I had also decided this morning to not skip any songs on my iPod, and to listen to anything that it told me to. I have to say, it was really good!). Recently the idea popped into my head about going back to university. Not because I miss being a student so much that I can't live a life without study, but because I stumbled upon a Master's Degree programme at the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel). I was meant to go to an open day yesterday but had to work instead, so I'm hoping to catch the next one. It would certainly be cheap to do here, and I could continue working as well to support myself (not that I haven't ever not done some work during my studies) during the 1 or 2 years, depending on how fast I want to complete it.

However, this is just something to think about. Who knows what I'll want to do in a year's time. My main focus for now is saving up money to do some travelling. Then I can decide if I want to do a Master's Degree after that. I'm just glad that I have Belgium as a viable option for study. I've made a life here, and I definitely don't want to give it up now that I'm happy. It's not like there is much for me in the UK besides studying/doing my PGCE (which I would like to do in the future), so I might as well stay here. I do miss home though, so I think some visits will be in order this year. If not, at least a bloody holiday is needed! I need to sort out Ibiza with Debs and the gang from home at the beginning of next month, as I'm worried about getting the time off work! Fingers crossed :)

Verschrikkelijk...

... is what it is. (Despicable)

So I didn't make a single bloody post in April. Well I was busy. I had Rich, Elaine and Andy come to visit, which was fab (they brought Marmite, Dusch Das, chocolate bunnies, Attitude mag, Heat mag, and lots of other sexy things!) We had a FAB weekend together, although it is definately safe to say that the following week I spent in recovery. Various visits to Belgica, Chez Maman, the Box (oh dear) and just generally trash bag parties, made it into one of the most fabulous and ridiculous BGWs (Big Gay Weekend) ever.

The weekend after, Basia had a few mates from her days in France come to visit. Laura from Manchester (fabulous girl), Princess from London (such a cool lass!), Kathy from the Luftwaffe (thanks to Basia for letting me make Luftwaffe jokes in front of her BEFORE telling me she was German), Kate from Leeds (much West Yorkshire bonding was had), Lola (who didn't have feathers in her hair, but a tiara at one stage) and last but not least Lindsey from Canada - crazy biatch!

But from now I am back to work and working long and hard (lol). My aim is to start saving from June, sending money back to England and paying off my overdraft (the dreaded student overdraft that everyone seems to want to forget about!). On the upside I got a reply from the Student Loans Company and I don't have to repay my loan yet as I'm not earning enough money yet. But, I have to keep a record of my earnings for the coming year and tell them at the end of march next year so they can reassess (I just had to look up that word, my spelling and general English language is terrible at the moment) my situation. I figure if I pay off my overdraft and save up some good money for travelling sometime next year, I can use whatever money I save, and then I still have my overdraft as a back up. Hopefully they won't take it off me once I pay it off!

Work is going well. I'm working some good hours at the moment so will be earning some good money this month, which is annoying as it doesn't seem to go very far. Once I've paid my rent and some towards debts, I don't have much left over to save, but I guess that's just life! I'm happy though, which is the most important thing.

The radio show thing went well! The more I listen to it the more I realise my Dutch was horrific. I was nervous and it definately showed, but I still enjoyed myself and was cool to hear my voice and my mix on the radio. Gina's mix was banging as ever, and I was really glad I could help in whatever small way I could in her mission to bring banging tunes to the world! She has her own recording studios in Wombwell, and her own website http://www.missbdj.com/ where you can find info on her studios and everything that she's doing!

For the recording of the show itself, check out my soundcloud page http://soundcloud.com/maitre_d

I was meant to have a long weekend off work, but they called me in to do an 8.5 hour shift yesterday. It was Mother's Day here so there were a lot of people who didn't want to work. I on the other hand, had already done the whole Mother's Day thing in the UK in April, so I was free to work. Double pay with bonus, I think so.

However, there it was actually quite busy for a Sunday, and there was a particular flight to Warsaw with LOT that I was doing, a full flight, with 2 check-in agents. The last guy I had to check in wasn't best pleased that he had to wait in line and was the last in the queue. Complaining that the self check-in machines wouldn't work, I explained that only a handful of airlines at Brussels Airport use those machines, and LOT isn't one of them. He said that was ridiculous, and asked if I was Polish, or whether I worked for LOT. I said no to both, and he got even more angry that, God forbid, an airline might use a ground handling agent. Unheard of. Wait...

The funniest bit was when he started on some rambling about communism, and relating that to the existance of queues before and after the fall of the iron curtain, drawing comparisons between Poland and Belgium. My jaw was well and truly dropped after this, as well as those of others around me (it was either that or burst into fits of laughter). Just another day at the airport, I guess. Bring on the next one!

woensdag 30 maart 2011

Comeback.

So my back is well hurtin', y'all.

This is because I lifted too many bags today at work. I didn't follow the advice of a colleague, which was to make passengers move their own damn luggage. Me, with my overdone British sense of customer service (load of buggery bollocks), managed to hurt my back so now my muscles ache. It's not that bad, but I feel compelled to moan about it. Maybe I am becoming Belgian...

As for the "y'all" (which a uni friend of mine tried to tell me once that it is a perfectly acceptable 2nd person plural pronoun - I don't even care if the grammar books say it is correct, I still say it's bloody buggery bollocks. I mean, whoever translated "vous" from French, "vosotros" from Spanish, or "jullie" from Dutch into "y'all"? No-one, that's who, and if they have, they should be shot), I'm decided whether or not I'm going to have to tone down my jokey anti-american attitude. Sometimes I mean it, but most of the time I don't. I've met my fair share of Americans and they're fine, really, with a couple I would say are really cool. Anyway, this is because I'm going to be starting a training course at work to work with US Airways.

I've got these booklets of info about customer service and smiling, which I'm sure will defnately make for an interesting mind-numbing read.  Tomorrow is my last day of 4-hour shifts, as my contract was upgraded so I work 75% of full-time (which means a smooth 6.5 hours a day. Sweet.

On an unrelated note, my sister Sarah and her boyfriend Jordan are setting off on Saturday on their trip around the world for a whole year! I'm so jealous and can't wait to get out there myself.  They have started a blog which I'm hoping they will update as well and as often as they can, so for your interest, here it is:


http://jordansarahadventure.blog.co.uk/

Life is going well at the moment, I had a good day at work today, although I had a slight run-in with a passenger who had too much baggage that I really couldn't overlook. I told her she could pay a surcharge, but she didn't want to for her own reasons. She then tried to get other people she didn't know to take one of the packages she had. I told her she couldn't as it is against security rules. She then proceeded to ask the man checking-in next to her if he would take it. He accepted, but of course I couldn't let that happen. Suffice to say the situation became awkward with her asking just about every other passenger, trying to get them to take the package. It's quite simple - you don't do it. It was interesting to talk to at least 3 other passengers who were disappointed that I wouldn't let them accept the package of this stranger they had just met. In the end, a complete stranger who had taken his friend to the airport for the same flight, exchanged numbers with her and agreed to take her package home with him. Problem solved. Despite her being a little upset with me that I didn't just let her take it, it was still nice (in a way) to see how people in her community came together and helped her.  All I can say is that I have rules to follow, otherwise I lose my job. Not gonna happen, love.

People roll their eyes when you ask "have you packed this bag yourself/have you accepted anything from a stranger to take with you?" etc. I mean, who would do that?

As for the title of this post, (I almost forgot to mention) I will be making a guest appearance on a local radio station, thanks to a mate from work who has her own show there. There's another show where they interview djs and play their mixes, and yours truly will be rocking the radio waves on the 23rd April, on Spits FM. The interview will be in Dutch, which will probably end up being the comedy highlight.  Still looking forward to it though, as I'm thinking about getting back into the whole djing malarkey... stay tuned.

donderdag 24 maart 2011

Because I'm copying off Garragay....

A - Age: 22
B - Bed size: double, but hard as a rock.

C - Chore you hate: Opening the door. I have to go downstairs as the bell doesn't work yet.
D - Don't eat: Snails. I tried them recently and.... no, just no.
E - Essential start-your-day item: A cuppa
F - Favourite board game: Trivial Pursuit
G - Gold or Silver: Silver, cos I's gots its on ma fingers, yo.
H - Height: 180cm, according to my medical exam for work.
I - Instruments you play: Piano, Guitar, and the good old recorder. Nowt like it.
J - Job title: Check-in Agent (said in a Flemish accent)
K - Kid(s): Only if they don't shout, and only if they're related to me. Can't stand other people's kids.
L - Love or lust: Both (in agreement with Warragay)
M - Mum's name: Jeannine (note the foreign-ish spelling)
N - Nicknames: Cooper, raver, Dave the Rave, gay. You know the score....

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Never. I cracked my head open once, but they just glued it up with cat gut. Ahh the good old days...
P - Pants or pantyhose: Pants, because I'm not sure what pantyhose are. Are they tights?
Q - Favourite Movie Quote: "You'll go down for this." "I only go down for a price, and I doubt that you could afford it."Julie Walters in Personal Services.
R - Right or left handed: Right. Because it's normal.
S - Siblings: One elder sister and one twin sister.
T - Time you wake up: Whenever I need/want to.
U - Underwear: Most of the time.
V - Vegetable favorite: At the moment, somewhere between a courgette and a mushroom.
W - Ways you run late: Public transport. Belgium just doesn't work in general...
X - X-rays you've had: Teeth x-rays. That's about it.
Y - Yummy food you make: Chilli con carne, and I do a good curry, being from Bradford and all....
Z - Zoo favourite: Don't often go to zoos, but maybe will make a trip to Antwerp zoo. Or maybe Chester zoo!




Берлин

Dag allemaal!

So it's been a while, but only because my internet has stopped working chez moi, so I haven't had nearly enough time to update the old blog on my happenings.  The title of this blog is "Berlin", written in Russian/Cyrillic - I was simply curious as to what it would look like.

As previous posts indicate, I went to Berlin to visit some friends. That's Lukas (Looookas).

It was simply fabulous. However, not fabulous in the way that I expected. It was quite quite different to the Berlin I had created in my head - crazy people with purple hair and nose rings everywhere, artists and hippies lining the streets, grungy electro clubs and shit loads of currywurst.  All stereotypes I'm sure you wouldn't have to try very hard to find, but nevertheless it is always refreshing to find that this is not the mainstream.  I guess I know that stereotypes that apply to a majority are rarely realised when you visit a country/city, but it's always nice to not be so educated (by yourself or taught) about a place before you go there, and just be innocently surprised and enlightened. Put simply; don't read too many guide books, just enjoy it.

I thought of this as we were cycling on the runways of the old Tempelhof Airport one day - it felt great to be enjoying such a wide open space on a sunny (yet excessively windy) day, bang smack in the middle of the city. It also made me realise that I'm glad that I have various friends dotted around the world - it's nice to go and spend time with them and do the things that they do, sampling their lifestyle alongside all the great sightseeing we enjoy as tourists.

Windsurfing on the runways at Zentralflughafen, as you do. You can see the ball tower in the distance.

On the Friday night, we went to Lukas' flat for a barbecue (cold but the sun had been shining) which was fabulous. We drank and ate and I spoke terrible German, but more of that later. Holly came over (a friend from uni who also lives there now) and got suitably fresh and had a great catch up.  Afterwards we adjourned to a club not far away. A great little place in someone's cellar, you had to walk through this old living room and downstairs. As we walked in a 30s style cabaret band was just finished and then the dj started up playing similar music. It was great! It was old fashioned music but it had a great beat behind it which just made you want to dance, and not even in some "alternative/ironic/look-at-me-I'm-different" douche bag kind of way, it was just good music. It slowly developed into some deep/tech house which was cool and the we spent the rest of the night dancing. I met some nice people who I am sure I will never meet again, but I will remember this girl's cool red hair. I remember being told to make sure I was quiet with Holly outside, as the place didn't have a licence and had been shut down once already. Fab. 

If you want to go here, ask Lukas or Catherine.

The next day Catherine and I went for a walk and visited the Berlin Gallery, as there was a new photo exhibition on from a photographer who took some cool photos in New York and Berlin during various points in the late 20th century (I know that's recent-ish but it's easier than saying "between the 60s and 2000s/noughties/whatever the hell we call them). That night we went over to one of their friends' flats for a birthday meal - we brought brownies, which we named "chocolate squares" as they were too much like cake. After eating a very tasty risotto and other things, we spent the evening drinking and talking and listening to music. I spoke a shit load of terrible German this time, but only because at the beginning of the evening, it was clear that I was the only one there that wasn't German/had studied German. I remember thinking that I could sit here and wait for someone to speak English, or I could just get on with it and have some fun with it. It felt like when I started my year abroad and felt that I couldn't speak a word of French or Spanish despite having studied it, which is, contrary to how it sounds, extremely invigorating and stimulating. I enjoyed that evening a lot and reminded me that I do have the balls to just go for things, as lately I feel like I have been holding myself back (only slightly) from certain things. So big up to Deutschland and the guys at the party for making me feel welcome and speaking some German with me!


The last day was spent cycling at the Zentralflughafen as I mentioned before, then in a cafe with coffee and bagels.

Catherine and I then went for a cycle along the canal (the weather was beautiful the whole time I was there) before stopping off for the rest of the afternoon in a bar for a extended catch up and gossip. 

That evening we went for some great tapas with Holly at Maria Mulata and then on to a bar across the road for the rest of the night. The hangover kicked in on the plane the next morning, by the way.

Thanks to Catherine, Lukas, Holly and everyone who showed me a lovely time there. I can't wait to go back. Eurovision party chez Foster is calling...


donderdag 3 maart 2011

"Me love you long time..."

I was watching clips of American Dad (link to episodes here) on Youtube (I'm chilling out before I set of to Berlin) and watched this particular clip of Roger (my favourite character) as Laura van der Booben:


Anyway, I wanted to know what the song was when he walked through the office, and I found it.

I wasn't sure if the lyrics were actually real or not, but they are - and I think you should have a listen... all the way through, as it gets better/worse as it goes on, depending on your personal music/lyrical tastes. Enjoy.

Also, the names of the rappers are hilarious. So 90s it's not funny.


<sample from Full Metal Jacket>
What'll we get for ten dollars?
Every 'ting you want
Everything?
Every'ting
Ooh! Don't do that, baby! Ahh!
Hold on this! Oh, sock it to me! Aaahh!
Ooohh!
</sample from Full Metal Jacket>

Chorus (repeated):
<sample from Full Metal Jacket>
Ahh! Me so horny!
Me love you long time!
</sample from Full Metal Jacket>

Verse 1: [Brother Marquis]
Sittin' at home with my dick on hard
So I got the black book for a freak to call
Picked up the telephone, then dialed the 7 digits
Said, "Yo, this Marquis, baby! Are you down with it?"
I arrived at her house, knocked on the doo
rNot having no idea of what the night had in store
I'm like a dog in heat, a freak without warning
I have an appetite for sex, 'cause me so horny

Chorus

Verse 2: [Fresh Kid Ice]
Girls always ask me why I fuck so much
I say "What's wrong, baby doll, with a quick nut?"
'Cause you're the one, and you shouldn't be mad
I won't tell your mama if you don't tell your dad
I know he'll be disgusted when he sees your pussy busted
Won't your mama be so mad if she knew I got that ass?
I'm a freak in heat, a dog without warning
My appetite is sex, 'cause me so horny

Chorus

Verse 3: [Brother Marquis]
You can say I'm desperate, even call me perverted
But you say I'm a dog when I leave you fucked and deserted
I'll play with your heart just like it's a game
I'll be blowing your mind while you're blowing my brains
I'm just like that man they call Georgie Puddin' Pie
I fuck all the girls and I make 'em cry
I'm like a dog in heat, a freak without warning
I have an appetite for sex, 'cause me so horny.

Chorus
Breakdown(4x):
<sample from Full Metal Jacket>
Ahh! Hold on this! Oh, sock it to me!
</sample from Full Metal Jacket>

Chorus

Verse 4: [Fresh Kid Ice]
It's true, you were a virgin until you met me
I was the first to make you hot and wetty-wetty
You tell your parents that we're goin' out
Never to the movies, just straight to my house
You said it yourself, you like it like I do
Put your lips on my dick, and suck my asshole too
I'm a freak in heat, a dog without warning
My appetite is sex, 'cause me so horny

Chorus
Breakdown (repeated):
<sample from Full Metal Jacket>
Fuckie suckie. Me fuckie suckie.
</sample from Full Metal Jacket>

dinsdag 1 maart 2011

Eurovision is calling...

So I made a really big plate of stir-fry, as I was in dire need of some vegetables. I've been unable to concentrate properly so I thought some vitamins etc. would do the trick.






May it also be noted that I am currently watching "Cloverfield" on 2BE.

It.            Is.            Shite.

Anywho, I've otherwise been entertaining myself with Eurovision videos. I've been checking out a few of the entries and here are some of my picks - good and bad. I'll let everybody else decide which are good and bad...

I like this one - it was about the first one I heard. But great Eurovision dance pop!

A favourite of mine - reminds me of my year abroad in Valencia. Probably the accordion sounding thingamibob.

Italy, not the best comeback. In fact that's too polite. It's just shit. Stop trying so hard, Italy - it's EUROVISION!!

Belgium on the other hand, bless them, not trying hard enough. I blame the government. Oh, wait...


Still better than the Netherlands with "Je vecht nooit allen", which I shan't even bother to post. No. Just no.

Glen Vella of Malta, flying the rainbow flag. FINALLY, a song with a key change!

I just don't know what's going to happen with this. 

Frightful as it is, I can imagine it doing better than Blue, probably because Blue are going to choose to sing live, rather than leave it to backing singers like real modern Eurovision performers. 

However, I will probably dedicate a whole post to the UK's entry. Anything's got to be better than Josh Dub-whatever.

maandag 28 februari 2011

"Just you wait until you read the shit on you I'm gonna blog about..."

The title of this entry is addressed to Belgium, where bureaucracy reigns supreme.

I just got off the phone with my mutualiteit, the Federatie van Socialistische Mutualiteiten van Brabant. It was pleasant enough to be given the choice of speaking in French or Dutch (I chose Dutch, after intending to speak in French for some bizarre reason I'm not fully aware of), and I only got passed from one department to another.

After waiting for little over a month now for my SIS-kaart, which I need for work to fully validate my contract, I decided enough was enough and thought it best to phone up and enquire about how my application was progessing. It turns out everything they had asked me to send was there, but it was simply not being dealt with and the poor girl on the other end of the phone said she didn't know why.

At this point let it be noted that I began my application for my health insurance in December. Since then I have had to restart my application once and had to resend forms in addition that weren't fully completed by my employer.

However, she did promise me that she would personally see to it now and I should have my details and member card by the end of the week. JA!!

It's just so silly how I had to phone up to get them to simply finish processing my application! I'm happy that things are being done (although we will wait and see if it actually does arrive by the end of the week), but midly peeved at the sillyness. Now for my next mission: Stad Brussel/Ville de Bruxelles - WHERE is this twatty piece of paper confirming my address? Just so you know, Tom (Basia's housemate who I lived with while I was looking after Basia's dog, Charlie) also went to the counter at the town hall at exactly the same time as me in January and his address is changed completely. I, on the other hand am still in regio-limbo, somewhere between Vlaanderen and Brussel Hoofdstedelijk Gewest. The police came to see him the next day to check his address, whereas I had to wait about 2 weeks. GRRRRRRR

Anywho, as long as I get my health insurance sorted I will be happy - so I can stop being careful when crossing roads/operating heavy machinery etc.

zaterdag 26 februari 2011

The land that Government forgot.

"Remember, all that takes to kill a man, is one well aimed blow..."

A line from the BBC drama about Merlin (I think it's called "Merlin" or something) which is being shown on 2BE. I know this because I now have TV! That line is a quote as well, no joke.

Paul came round today with a long cable so we could connect the TV. I've programmed it, but unfortunately there are far too many French-speaking channels for my liking. Nevermind, 2BE shows Glee tonight at 19.45 and that's Dutch-speaking so it won't be dubbed over :)






I just made wedges, and I am eating these as I type. Very tasty indeed, especially with the Curry ketchup.  I did plan to do some laundry today, but I'm having one of those lazy days. After work yesterday I went to meet up with friends as it was Nebojsa's birthday. They had been for a meal at Publico (a lovely little place I took my sisters to) and I met them there for a few glasses of bubbly after I had finished work before going on to Belgica. It was really crowded but we had a laugh, and later we then went onto the Box for a boogie.

I have some great photos from last night, most if not all of which will not be making it to Facebook or this blog as they are truly frightful, with many unintended upskirt shots.

Anywho, only two more days of work on Monday and Tuesday, then I'll be off to Berlin on Thursday. It will be so nice to see Catherine and Lukas, and I hope to see Holly and other Lucas.

I got paid yesterday, which made me happy as I can start paying off my debts. I just owe Jen and my Mum and Dad some dough, which I should have paid off within a month. It's hard at the moment as I'm only working part-time and only have enough to pay my rent and live quite comfortably. However, this doesn't allow me to save any money which is what I want to do, so maybe I can go and travel a bit next year. I'm so excited for Sarah and Jordan to go and see the world and can't wait to be able to do it myself. It's wierd though as I get paid here in two installments: a voorschot or "advance" of around 30% (I think) at the end of the month, then I get the rest on the first friday of the next month - so I get the rest of my wage on Friday while I'm in Berlin. Sorted. Although it's a bit of a silly way of being paid. I don't know anywhere else that pays in this way, although my old part time job at Woolies used to be a bit complicated when working out the overtime. Nevermind, it's Belgium after all. Nothing ever seems simple.

Which brings me to how pissed off I am about STILL not having recieved my SIS Kaart OR my address confirmation from the town hall. Belgium is really pissing me off in regards to this. I'm going to have to phone up my mutualiteit to ask them what the hell is going on, which isn't going to make me happy.

Oh yeah, and we still don't have a government. Joke.

woensdag 23 februari 2011

The Daily Mail. Bigots? Or just following the rules?

After Jan Moir's beautiful homage to Stephen Gately, you'd have thought they'd have learned their lesson over at the Daily Outrage. So how does The Daily Mail keep offending people? Well according to the PCC, it does, but it's not against their rules.

Here's an e-mail I recieved today, after complaining about an article by Melanie "Bigot-face" Phillips. I read on www.dailymail.co.uk.

dateWed, Feb 23, 2011 at 1:10 PM
subjectPCC Complaint: Various v Daily Mail


Further to our previous correspondence, the Commission has now made its assessment of your complaint under the Editors’ Code of Practice.

The Commission members have asked me to thank you for giving them the opportunity to consider the points you raise.  However, their decision is that there has been no breach of the Code in this case. A full explanation of the Commission’s decision is attached.

Although the Commissioners have come to this view, they have asked me to send a copy of your letter to the editor so that he is aware of your concerns.

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your complaint has been handled you should write within one month to the Independent Reviewer, whose details can be found in our How to Complain leaflet or on the PCC website at the following link:


Thank you for taking this matter up with us.

Yours sincerely




Commission’s decision in the case of
Various v Daily Mail

The Commission received over sixty five complaints about the article “Yes, gays have often been the victims of prejudice. But they now risk becoming the new McCarthyites”. Virtually all the complainants found it to be discriminatory towards homosexual people, and many considered it to be highly offensive.

A number of complainants raised additional concerns that the article was in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Code. Several believed that the columnist had failed to distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact, while others considered that some of her statements were either incorrect or misleading.

Firstly, the Commission fully acknowledged the complainants’ concerns about the article and accepted that many readers strongly disagreed with the views expressed by the columnist about attitudes to homosexuality and her position on matters relating to equality. However, under the terms of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Code, newspapers are entitled to publish the views of individuals – however robust or controversial – provided that they are clearly distinguished from fact. The article had clearly been presented as a comment piece both in the print edition of the newspaper and on its website, and it was satisfied that readers would be aware that the article reflected the personal opinions of the columnist. It considered that the assertions that the introduction of references to homosexual people was intended to “brainwash children”, that they were being “bombarded” by such references, that there was a “gay agenda” and that there was a “concept of normal sexual behaviour” were clearly presented as representing her own, candid opinions, and it did not consider that readers would be misled into understanding that there was an established “gay agenda” or “ruthless campaign”. Similarly, while it comprehended the complainants’ objections to the claim that such references were “an abuse of childhood”, it did not consider readers would understand this to be anything but her own views on the matter. The Commission was satisfied that readers generally would be aware that these assertions did not amount to statements of fact, but rather the columnist’s robust views.

A number of complainants considered that the article was misleading, particularly in regard to the reporting of the introduction of references to homosexuals in school subjects. They pointed out that this was an initiative suggested as part of LGBT History Month and not, as implied, a permanent addition to the national curriculum or an obligatory exercise. The complainants considered that this should have been made clear. The Commission acknowledged the complainants’ concerns that the context of these references was relevant. However, it considered that readers would be aware that the purpose of the article was not to give a full explanation of such measures – it was not a news article – but rather for the columnist to express her views on them. It noted that the article contained relatively little information about the introduction of the references to issues relating to homosexuality and, in the absence of information, it did not consider that readers would be misled into understanding that such measures were to be adopted permanently as part of the national curriculum. That these references were part of a “Government-backed drive to promote the gay agenda” was, in the view of the Commission, clearly the columnist’s opinion based on the grant issued by the Training and Development Agency for Schools. It could not establish a breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) on this point.

Some complainants were also concerned that the reference to the reports carried out by the Department for Transport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had also been taken out of context. Given that the complainants had not expressed concern that the references were inaccurate or explained on what grounds they considered the references to be misleading, the Commission could establish a breach of Clause 1 of the Code on this point. In any case, it generally only considers complaints from those directly affected by the matter about which they complained. In this instance, it would require a complaint from the representative of either the Department for Transport or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in order to establish whether they considered that their reports had been misrepresented.

Three complainants had expressed further concern over the statement that Catholic adoption agencies and marriage registrars had been “forced to shut down” after refusing to place children with same-sex couples. Bearing in mind the requirements of anti-discrimination laws, the Commission did not consider the assertion that they had been forced to close down was significantly misleading as to the situation. The statement was not in breach of the Code.

In regard to the complainants’ concerns that the article should have made clear that the Bulls’ actions were against the law, the Commission noted that the article made clear that they had fallen “foul of the law”. It did not consider that readers generally would understand from the columnist’s view on the matter that the Bulls’ actions had been lawful, but rather that the columnist considered that they had merely been “upholding Christian values”. In regard to the claim that the Bulls had been “sued”, given that the couple were claiming damages under the Equality Act, it did not consider that readers would be significantly misled. Similarly, the Commission did not consider that the absence of reference to Dr Raabe’s comments in regard to homosexuality and paedophilia would mislead readers. Given that the article made clear that there were objections to his appointment due to his views on homosexuality, the Commission did not consider that the absence of further information would mislead readers as to the situation. It could not establish a breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Code.

Two complainants claimed that the reference to male animals that take a leading role in raising young children was not a reference to homosexuality. The Commission noted that the columnist had been giving examples of suggestions as part of LGBT History Month. The complainant had not expressed concern that the columnist had incorrectly reported these suggestions – but rather objected to the suggestion in itself – and therefore the Commission could not establish a breach of the Code on this point.

The complainants were predominantly concerned that the article discriminated against homosexual people, and implied that their sexual orientation was abnormal and inferior to heterosexuality. Two complainants also expressed similar concerns about  the article the following week “The calls for me to be killed this week prove the bedrock values of our society are in grave danger”. The Commission understood the grounds for the complaints. However, it made clear that, while Clause 12 (Discrimination) prevents newspapers from making prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual’s sexual orientation, it does not cover comments about groups or categories of people. Given that the complainants considered that the articles discriminated against homosexual people in general, the Commission could not establish a breach of Clause 12 (Discrimination) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.

Some complainants were concerned that the article discriminated specifically against Steven Preddy and Martin Hall. The Commission considered that it would require the direct involvement of these individuals, or their official representative, in order to establish whether they considered that the article had discriminated against them. In the absence of such involvement, it could not comment on this matter further.

One complainant looked to engage Clauses 4 (Harassment), 5 (Intrusion into grief or shock) and 6 (Children), however, she had not explained specifically on what grounds she considered that they had been breached. There had been no suggestion that the journalist had behaved in such a manner as to engage Clause 4, and the Commission did not consider that the article intruded into an individual’s personal grief or shock in such a way that would amount to a breach of Clause 5 of the Code. Clause 6 (Children) was designed to protect the private lives of children from intrusion by the press. Given that the article did not make reference to a particular child, it could not establish a breach of the Code.

Finally, the Commission fully understood that the complainants had found the article to be highly offensive. However, it made clear that the terms of the Editors’ Code of Practice do not address issues of taste and offence. The Code is designed to address the potentially competing rights of freedom of expression and other rights of individuals, such as privacy. Newspapers and magazines have editorial freedom to publish what they consider to be appropriate provided that the rights of individuals – enshrined in the terms of the Code which specifically defines and protects these rights – are not compromised.  To come to an inevitably subjective judgement as to whether such material is tasteless or offensive would amount to the Commission acting as a moral arbiter, which can lead to censorship. It could not, therefore, comment on this aspect of the complaints further.

The red section marks my 'lols' at how sad this response is. It seems that as long as we don't attack individuals, we can say what we like and incite hatred in society by attacking a whole group of people. A group of people who in some parts of the world are still imprisoned, killed and even tortured in horrifying ways for being who they are. Pathetic.