You knew it would come...

So, Michael Jackson is dead and people debate on whether there is too much hype about it. What I would just like to point out to them is that MJ was, after all, the last of those artists that were at any one point comparable to Elvis or the Beatles (or Jesus). Of course there is going to be a lot of hype: since MJ there has been no-one to reach that amount of comparison or recognition... can you imagine someone saying with a straight face: "If Justin Timberlake died he would be bigger than Elvis"? of course not. Nor for that matter any other singer since then.

So what I really hope not to see are the opportunists that will try to make use of the hype to create attention to themselves with false MJ related claims that will be investigated and turned out to be nothing more than some idiot trying to get attention.

Chicago - SLO - L.A.

So as many as you guys know I have been traveling around. I visited Chicago for a couple of weeks, went to my first ever Baseball game (White Sox!) and went out boating.
When I got to San Luis Obispo things quickly piled up with a lot of things to do! I accompanied a group from Cal Poly on a tour of Los Angeles.
I learned a lot about what City Planning is and how it really affects lives. I was guided through the city by people from the Planning Department of City Hall, people from the Transportation Department, and others.
I learned about the L.A. architecture, the changes it has lived through, and I stayed at both East L.A. and Beverly Hills.
I also went to a Dodgers game there!
Back in San Luis Obispo I got a chance to show off my cooking skills and got to enjoy and appreciate the difference between really fresh off-the-garden fruits and vegetables and the supermarket variety. To the point that I actually started enjoying beets. (Which I formerly hated)
Now as rough days in the airport and tough luck with planes has modified my plans a little bit, I am preparing to return to Mexico soon, but I forsee a quick return to California.

Travel begins with a thermal camera

First time I've ever seen a thermal camera... I never expected it to be in the Mexico City International Airport!
But it is there... which is quite amusing, you get to pose only for a guy to usher you in. The Influenza scare is still fresh in Mexico's mind, the radio comes up with apocalyptic warnings: don't let your guard down!
It's, I imagine, a bit how the Cold War was, or the Cuban Missile Scare... keep out an eye for commies! Don't let Russian Spies thrive amongst us! Report them!
One good thing out of this is that it most likely increased the amount of people that will actually wash their hands regularly.
I think my views on the actual inflenza scare are well documented here (just scroll down) so I will leave it there.

Security here has also increased from what it used to be... it is quite annoying too. For example, we all know that regardless of where you are, most airports have a basic rule: if you bring liquids with you, they better be in your check-in bag, or you will have to dump them. If you want a coke, or a coffee you can drink it all before going through security (inadvisable as last minute rushes through it will make you miss the flight) or you go through the check-up and THEN buy it.
Here however, you go through the check-up (x-rays, take the laptop out of the bag, put coins and your belt on a tray, security personnel checking to make sure you are not slipping through drugs or something and/or making you throw into the trash whatever they might frown upon) then you can CONSUME some products.
Unlike the USA where you can buy stuff like drinks inside the airport and carry them into the airplane itself, over here they insist on a second "layer" of "security" where whatever you bought that was not "Duty Free" (and therefore given to you once past them) is taken away and thrown out. So you end up losing money if you didn't gobble down your drink.

Another layer of security which I consider pretty much useless over here is the X-ray machine that checks your bags just before you leave the airport (on arrival). Not because I think the machines are useless, but because you put your bags through the machine and THEN you still have to push the green button for a random chance to get your bags checked.
What irks me about this is that they already checked your bags (all of them) on the X-ray machine. So, theoretically they know exactly what you have in your bags. What is the point in forcing you to "randomly" submit to yet ANOTHER search. Heck, the wait for the bags is annoying enough without having to stand in line for double-check-ups.

Anyway, regardless of this airport rant I am glad to be on the "road" again.

So, for now I bid you all good bye and invite those of you that read Spanish to check out Vilrandir's amusing (and true) post about Raquel Levinstein and "Quantum Psychology"

Later!

-D

The last Vestiges...

Vestiges by the way, means: 1 a (1): a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (Merriam-Webster) for those Evangelical Republicans out there that might frown at the strange word. (Click the link for the MW online entry)

Haven't you all noticed how the "SWINE FLU" terror cloud is slowly dispersing? Oh, sure, there are a bit more cases being identified around the world, but what happened with the Global Pandemic? Is the WHO still saying anything else about it other than how "Better Prepared" we are for an Influenza Pandemic? "Normal" influenza has killed thousands more than this "potentially devastating strain" (which was later found to be really not that aggressive) and they turned the whole thing into another SARS or Avian Flu scenario.

Let's face it people, we were scammed. Not only did the virus NOT originate in Mexico, but in the US (In San Diego California) and also NOT with a Mexican Immigrant... even better, there are studies that suggest that it has been floating around since September 2008... it's just that nobody noticed.

Mexico City closed off and left most of us stranded here (for the time being) completely bored out of our minds. No eternal coffee! In the meantime, there was enough panic to distract people from laws being passed or changed.

Now, I am not saying that this whole thing was a plan by the government to mess up the lives of literally millions of people, however, I do think that it is a prime example of the lack of capacity leaders here have. They blew the whole thing out of proportion, (something that is echoed in the states too by people such as Michelle Bachman, who Blamed Swine Flu on Obama) and created Global Panic (which is not quite the same as Global Pandemic)

What ended up happening is that it fed fear to those assholes out there (i.e. Jay Severin, or the Chinese Government Department in charge of the imports) who rather than inform themselves will point fingers and blame others to feel empowered in their twisted perception of the world.

So, all in all it was a messed-up affair and the world just pointed fingers at Mexico because it was convenient (Not that Mexico was completely blameless or anything) instead on focusing on a real investigation.

All we (the world) got in return was fear, ostracizing, and millions of dollars lost. So, please, stop sending those stupid "informative" emails about what we can and cannot do to avoid Voldemort... I mean, the Swine Flu.

So China isn't discriminating?

China in all its thousand-year-old wisdom has decided to state that they are not discriminating by basically shoving any Mexican that arrives there into isolation. Thousands of years of Philosophy and teachings reveal that even the current Chinese government has forgotten the words of their very own Confucius when he said: "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." otherwise known as THE GOLDEN RULE

I guess that entitles the rest of the world to do the same to them with their next Toxic Candy or Avian Flu scare.

2010 - Year of the (Possibly Sick) Tiger

"Here is my passport."
"Chinese? Please, step on this line. Be prepared for everything you own to be searched, and for blood samples to be taken. In the meantime, you will stay in this little gray room with every other Chinese that comes to the country."
"But... that's discrimination against my people!"
"Oh no, it's not discrimination, you see... it is a natural, perfectly justifiable way of preserving our country safe from whatever it is that you bring with you. We have also decided to kill every single Sichuan Partridge under the radar and to burn all the candy from the last 17 years that came from your country."
"But I feel fine?! And why would you kill that bird?"
"What? You don't feel ill? Well, you are Chinese you see... and birds have flu there. And candy is toxic. Now, step on the line."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Well, your government taught us this was the rational, educated way of preventing illness from spreading. It's not personal. Now strip please."
"This is an outrage! I demand to speak with my Ambassador!"
"You will. He's in the gray room too."
"But... that other person was also on the plane, he was coughing and sneezing and he hasn't been stopped!"
"Yeah... but you see... he's German. Sorry."

Swine Flu and Panic

WILL PORCINE ZOMBIES RISE UP TO EAT OUR BRAINS?!

So Swine Flu or Influenza has been the topic of choice for the last few days. When things got pretty hot in the city I was out, and on the way back I was kindly given a face mask by a police officer upon my return to the Mexico City limits.

My mask, of course was not so nice looking, but rather one of the blue ones that look like diapers.

The previous day we had found that people were rising the price of the Face Masks on the small towns outside the city. It is this mercenary-like profiteering that makes me know that Mexico City will survive, and although I am sure at least one person out there would rather see me catch the Flu, shrivel up and die, well, I guess "S" will have to wait for that to happen.


What has really got me going is some of the world reactions. I can understand the assholes that think preventing Mexicans from leaving the country will stop it completely -they are uneducated fools that don't even bother to watch the news to find out that it doesn't work that way, much less look for information on their own.

It is actually some of the Governments that have surprised me with their excessive zealousness. Countries such as China and Russia that actually decided that stopping pork meat imports would prevent the flu.

Even after THE WHO explained in minute detail that eating Pork meat does NOT cause the flu or comes even close to being a danger (unless it is undercooked, but that is another cookie altogether.) Is this an attempt from China to point fingers and say "See?! Tainted food products come from other places too!" and give back as much grief as they received with their TOXIC CANDY? Or simply a way to calm down the masses? "Yesss... trust the system..."
Not to mention the fact that this strain of Influenza is a mixture of Swine, Avian and Human Influenza. Different thing than the classic Swine Flu which was extremely hard to catch.

I think people are ignoring the fact that the best way to avoid passing on the flu to others, and contracting it is simple: Hygiene and what would be called good manners, such as putting your hand up in front of your mouth when sneezing or coughing, washing your hands, taking showers, cleaning your house, etc.

The Economy will suffer the most out of this with restaurants, and cinemas closing down (nooo! I wanted to watch the Wolverine movie!) among several other places trying to prevent spreading the virus.


Of course we are seeing a lot of people dying of Influenza in Mexico City. First, look at the ratio 2000 cases of infection versus what, 60 or so in the US? 90 World wide? Second, the deaths have not ALL been confirmed as Swine Flu being the cause or even the decisive factor. In a city known for smokers, contamination, altitude, etc, there is a high chance that those that died were not only afflicted by the Swine Flu itself, but might have been asthmatic or have another type of respiratory disease that worsened their condition. The actual CONFIRMED cases at this point have been 25.

Stick to the facts people... it seems we skipped on the Zombie Apocalypse once again...

ALSO CHECK THIS OUT: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

One more year!

So today I'm 29. Wow. The last of the Twenties as a friend pointed out.



What is there to say, really? Do I feel any older than two or three days ago? Nah. I've never been much to worry about my age. Life goes on and now I have to search for new objectives. Change sometimes comes easy, sometimes hard.
Fighting to achieve something and being pulled down a few pegs by lack of employment or bureaucracy teaches a lot of things to a person. But the most important lesson, I think, is not to give up hope.
Job options, like life options, are all around and it is up to us to take them or not. Sometimes the smart thing to do is to stay with what you have despite how much you hate it, and sometimes it is better to let go of something that makes you so sad or angry or stressed.
So I am still moving forward, still searching for the right place to be and still writing stories. This last year has provided me with more material than before and I intent to use it until I can fulfill my dreams.
I hadn't been having many dreams until I let go of certain things... and now I have even more things to write about; more images in my head... a kaleidoscope of feelings and hopes, dreams and nightmares that can only help my writing.

So, here I am, a year older, but learning and going stronger.

My day was pretty amazing thanks to my many friends who took the time to write emails, sent text messages, leave facebook notes and go with me to a restaurant to celebrate this day! I never expected more than 3 messages but got all in all around... well, let's not brag about it :D Thanks again to those that were kind enough to think about me today!

-WD

"One often finds his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it."

Or so the quote goes.

"Yesterday is History. Tomorrow is a Mystery. But Today is a gift. That's why it's called 'Present.'"

Good luck Tiger.