Ninjas and Pirates Agree: Cowboys Suck!

Wall Art in Barcelona, Spain.


"...But though American Anglo-Saxons as a nation may conquer or dominate lesser breeds and nations, the new order of industry will also require a division of power and privilege between different classes of Anglo-Saxon in which some of the ruling race will sink to the level of "Poles or Huns or Russian Jews." The critical problem for the American ideology in this period of transition is to reconcile the principle of Anglo-Saxon superiority -- the ideological basis for imperialism abroad and for the subordination of some classes of Anglo-Saxons to others.
" This is one of the themes of...The Octopus (1901), the epic novel based on the "war" between farmers and railroad interests that ended in the Mussel Slough "massacre" of 1880. The embattled farmers of The Octopus are (for the most part) classic embodiments of the Anglo-Saxon drive for progress and domination. Yet they are defeated because under the new regime of commerce the race-gifts of pride, ambition, will, and aptitude for violence are not enough by themselves toensure dominance. Their expression must be consistent with the requirements of "the market," whose operations [are represented in the novel] as a law of nature, as irrisistable as the sex drive or the processes of natural fecundity. In a fully incorporated industrial order, when giant monopolies contend for worldwide markets, the future belongs to those (anglo-Saxons or not) whose racial gifts can be modified to find expression through a powerful corporate entity."

Damn you dime novels and your bigotous philosophies! To understand the present, look to the past and you will always find someone or something to blame for the stupid shit being played out today. And there's nothing you can do about it.
Hence, existentialism. Sweet, sweet existentialism.

-excerp taken from Richard Slotkin's Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth Century America. READ IT!

Whose Fault is It?

Ruhr District, Germany

This is a photo that I took in the Ruhr District in Germany, where the US National soccer team disgraced our nation with their complete lack of performance today at the World Cup against the Czech Republic. These "players" showed us today that they would rather go out giving nothing than risk losing after giving their best. I think that they showed a very selfish side.
So, on that note, I hope Ghana can kick some Czech and US ass and make it as far as they can, perhaps get the chance to show what they can do against Brazil, because our team doesn't deserve that chance.
I suppose if they redeem themselves by showing what they are really made of against Italy, which if they really tried they may even be able to pull off a draw, then they may gain back my respect.
It upsets me that the US, as far as most group sports go, are just a larger than life cliche of that group of kids that was popular in high school and did their best for the rest of their lives never to let go of those times. Inside the US, for the "world" series, the NBA "world" championships, in the NHL, our players boast about how immortal they are on the court or whatever, then when they are presented the opportunity to go out and show what they are made of in the international area, they are just shaking in their boots. I say that they are afraid of going anywhere where their reputation hasn't already been established. (Like the group of 'popular' kids that STILL only hang out with eachother and talk about the good old days even though those times were over 3, 5, even 10 years before.)
They are a burden to our national integrity, and I think that they need to understand this. Ally those basketball players that won't play in the Olympics because they don't get paid enough, or all those soccer players who put more energy into digesting food than into winning a match, should no longer get credit that they don't deserve. It's like boasting to have the best, most free and opportunistic society and then insisting that it ought not be shared with anybody unless (they sign a contract with Coca-Cola, Bud Light or Halliburton or something, of course!). What a shame what a shame.

"Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden"

WC Trophy 

So, the World Cup has begun! Wonderful! Besides the fact that few people care about the event over here in the good old US of A and that our ESPN commentators are witless dullards, I am very pleased to be able to watch some interesting soccer and am excited that the US is JOINING other nations in some international thing. How refreshing.
Though the US is in a tough group (w/ Italy, the Chzech Republic, and Ghana), I have faith in them. If they succeed and can make it to the quarter final, it could mean a lot for the tournament. But that means we have to beat Brazil. *sigh*
One can always dream.
Anyways, I haven't really been faithful to updating this here blog, though I have had every intention to do so. There is a lot on my mind all the time that I could afford to get out. I'll do my best, but no promises.
As far as my life is going right now, I am in Eugene finishing up Spring term, finals are next week and then back to Portland. I will have to share about my experience with this current roomate of mine.
I will be back in Germany to visit my Simon on the 19th and will return here on the 7th of July. Then it's back to the same old routine. Work, hang out, plan for next year, then back to Eugene. Simon will be leaving good old Europe the middle of this November to come live and work here in the Eug, which I am looking so much foreward to I could just burst!
So that is the status, hopefully I can get myself to do a little more updating so that the world can again indulge itself in all that is the glorious and scintillating mind I get to call my own.
Until then, take care.