Journal Entries
Alcohol policy Fed. Gov. Australia June 2007
Posted Jun 21, 2007
I just saw and heard at BBC – world news that the prime minister of Australia had taken the initiative to interfere in the situation of the Aboriginals, as far as widespread alcoholism by young and old and sexual abuse often as a result.
Watching it, I thought the old and bold man finally discovered that the world community is more than white middle class conservative Christians.
The situation is indeed alarming, as it also is at some other places on the globe concerning indigenous, native peoples; Kalahari in Southern Africa, some locations of American Indians in the USA, etc.
It is absolutely clear that their health and position in society is related to discrimination and disdain by the majority of the former settlers and squatters (Australia). England once dumped it’s criminals in Australia and The Netherlands is the last country in the world that stopped slavery.
The mix of disdain, territorial frustrations, great differences with the dominant inhabitants, differences in diseases, no integration in the job market, etc. created very low self-esteem, apathy and addiction and violence/criminality.
This is not soft flower power talk, this is trying to use our brains and memories and refusing to push these aside with cheap answers/excuses.
Of course they’re just as strong, wise, stupid and criminal and caring as all the other creatures on this globe.
So I was surprised in a pleasant way to hear that the federal government of Australia is planning to take action, although I hardly could imagine such a turning point by Mr. Howard, although he finally, suddenly agreed to welcome the Dalai Lama, despite pressure of China.
That’s a good thing after all.
First I heard him talking about the problems and what they are going to do.
No alcohol sales in home grounds of Aboriginals for six months and a few other rules related to alcohol and sexual abuse.
“Well”, I said to myself, “you’ve got to start somewhere although it’s naïve to believe it will help, but without any kind of repression nothing can be done in this world”.
“So, what’s the next thing” I said in my mind.
BBC-world news already went on with a different item.
“O.K. I’ll see at their news one hour later and at the internet” was my commitment to understand the full plan of integration and development.
End of story, complete silence.
It’s either completely unprofessional or plain stupid racism.
I fear I know the answer.
I want to invest in a culture that has the common self-respect from which it respects others equally.
It is already difficult enough.
With good intention it will take at least two generations.
I feel ashamed,
Amsterdam
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: Jun 21, 2007
Commemoration Falkland war 2007
Posted Jun 17, 2007
Besides many elements that I can understand while this commemoration
There are two things still bugging my mind.
Was the occupation of this Island enough reason to start a real war?..
Not that soon.
It was more a theatrical personal "statement" by Margaret Thatcher, translated in war.
The second problem for me.
Almost at the end of this war, an Argentine submarine had turned and was on its way to Argentine.
Still it got a torpedo by the others and 200 men died, while an enemy on the run should never be shot at, according to Geneva conventions.
Today, besides all British soldiers I also commemorate the Argentines.
Alfredo, Amsterdam
Discuss this Journal entry [7]
Latest reply: Jun 17, 2007
Gaza , June 2007
Posted Jun 16, 2007
I will always support the existence of the state of Israel, although the construction by the UN was probably not the best idea, but Europe had done the worst that could be done; systematic murdering of seven million peoples, mainly Jews, because they belong to the same ethnic group.
That makes the discussion within Europe so far always ambivalent.
Still, the hard core problem is the occupation by Israel of the
West bank and treating Palestinians as animals.
Yes, I know that in school in Gaza the children learn, "that all
Jews are pigs" and that Israel is partly surrounded by state that
officially speak of wiping Israel off the map.
When I fled home in 1969 I was suddenly in Valencia.
Why?
Because I hoped to travel free with a boat to Israel.
Why?
Because I wanted to serve the armies of Israel.
I never came further than Spain, but I still respect my motives in those days.
Now the times are very different and it's good that The Netherlands
have good relations with Israel as Palestine.
Palestinians have to organize themselves better to be able to influence the political machineries in the West better. I cannot really blame that the lobby by Israel is much better than others. All countries that can come close to a superpower will be tempted to lean on it.
If one Saudi prince would open his wallet, Gaza would be another place.
I blame US senators, who want to lean on private and political profits.
The behavior of Israel in the last decade has gone totally out of proportion and I think the activist Chaney has a lot to do with it.
If Al Gore had won the elections..............
And they are injuring my solidarity with them.
It is getting less and less.
Of course I will never wish the state of Israel dismantled.
It's a construction of the U.N. and - although not very balanced - it's a political reality that should stay this way; yes because of what all happened through the ages in Europe with the Jews.
Europe with his slavery, colonies, two world wars, holocaust.
We should hesitate to raise our voice, but we are growing into a new area with Western generations, who are far more globally oriented.
Israelis cabinet is behaving like a giant who can do whatever it pleases and it makes the Middle East a very unbalanced place.
I agree with a former prime minister in The Netherlands who returned
from a visit to Israel a few months ago; "we should have been far
more critical in our support for the Israeli government and the dehumiliation of Palestinians makes me furious!".
I am proud that The Netherlands have always been friend of Israel and during communism in Russia the Dutch consulate was the only one that arranged papers for Jews to leave Russia.
But we should not want to comfort that “friend” status any longer.
It is also proven, that the war of 1967 was for at least 50% provoked (behind the scenes) by Israel.
Moshe Dajan admitted that.
The Palestinians live now for half a century in a desert prison, called Gaza, and we expect them to wait for new UN resolutions??
And where is the real, political and financial from the Arab world?!.
It is good to see, that finally they start giving their dollars and
speak publicly their political support as Egypt and Saudi are doing..
I fear that the Bush administration has maneuvered itself since the very first elections in the arms of lobbyists that don't give a damn about balances between Israel and Palestine/Gaza.
I can be very angry about the Jewish lobby by Israel in Washington, but I admit, that any lobby group that could be that close to USA power should probably do exactly the same; get as much as you want.
Most Palestinians need our support.
Two days ago we could see clearly at our televisions the Palestinians who showed that they don't like fighting between radical Palestinian militairy groups.
They want to build a decent life in a independant Palestine.
The Arab and European countries should therefor help/create a real Palestinian lobby, not based of fear for Al Quaidy, but based on the power of oil, of millions of Arabs and Europeans and realizing that the only way in geopolitics is to realize that we all are interdependent from each other and that conservative arrogance is a very stupid way of behaving.
By the way, why doesn't China raise its voice? They think about dollars and keeping Tibet.
Russia; 30% dictatorship, another 30% mafia and a remaining 30% of
diffuse "co-operation".
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: Jun 16, 2007
A growing perception about (my) life
Posted Jun 13, 2007
About life and mankind I do not want to philosophize any longer since 1985.
Not even about myself.
In stead, I only want to feel and experience and nothing more or less than that. That’s a whole journey in itself, especially for me.
So, no dogmatic theories about god, death, mankind, universe, etc. etc.
These days in 2007, there is a growing perception in me, that I am not just a body, but that there is indeed a kind of psyche in me. Most of the peoples just take that for granted, but I learn it by the way of experience.
We, mankind, don't just have a bodies. At least we are bodies.
If my hand is being cut of, a part of my identity is lost.
It is inseparable from my identity.
But, yes, there probably is a kind of "psyche" in every one of us.
Besides that, after 55 years, I am getting my perception – from experience - that my psyche is not only within me, but can be present also outside my body.
It seems to me, that my psyche can infiltrate sometimes in the minds of others and that it even can influence materials.
In a way, all kinds of weird blows already seemed to me to be part of my life - as others have their "ingredients" that seem to belong to their lives - but there is a growing perception in me, that my psyche does sometimes manipulate materials to create a let down.
No one can escape totally from any “dogmas”.
My dogma was and is that it is not possible to create dogmas about life.
But, as I wrote, there is a growing perception in me about my psyche and its influence in other peoples and even materials.
The final accident is the fact, that I came to know a woman who is very skilled in photography and who loves to make pictures of my paintings.
(These days, all my paintings are in her house.)
Since she started to photography my paintings, anything that can go wrong does go wrong and to her it is a complete new experience. All obstacles are new to her.
“That’s the limit of only experiencing this life” I said to myself.
“Don’t blame yourself,Alfredo, but think about the option that your psyche is sometimes part/the cause of surrealistic blows.
It’s becoming almost my conception about my life and maybe that is part of mankind too. I don’t know. We should ask mankind, if we want to know that.
Alfredo, June 2007.
P.S. Wanting to post this now; "sorry, server too bussy" 
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: Jun 13, 2007
Come wander with me
Posted May 29, 2007
Sit down, she might sing you into paradise, although the movie scene is from many years ago when T.V.and movies were still in black&white.
Don't look, just listen to the soul of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z7qFcS4mXs&mode=related&search=
I think I understand why this song can really capture one's soul as it does to me too. It feels like a lullaby; a lullaby for grown ups who need just as much love as children need.
"Come wander with me" (songwriter Jeff Alexander)
TV series; "Twilight zone" (Episode 34,Season 5, 1964)
Woman; Bonnie Beecher
Man; Gary Crosby
I heard this song some time ago (The Netherlands), as it is part of a commercial at T.V., from an insurance company.
Besides at T.V., it also advertises by live-acts in the streets and a weeks ago I was photographed while being part of it, as a passer-by. (Men with their umbrella's wandering in the air to protect people)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lCbQUK1dc&mode=related&search=
Here are two links about lullabies, but most of the songs mentioned are very "sweet" and kitschy to me.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/onyourstreet/chlullaby1.shtml
And
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: May 29, 2007
Alfredo
Researcher U237909
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."