Guess who's back
...back again.... Matty's back... tell a friend... guess who's back guess who's back guess who's back guess who's back guess who's back guess who's back guess who's back, deh deh deh...
Back from Europe. Kept just about completely out of the news while I was gone. The BBC is pretty much everything you've heard it is. Every story is spun with a critical view of America. Every damn story. Hell, if North Korea has problems, it's because America refuses to trade with it. Iraq is shit and it's America's fault because it meddled there. Don't talk to them about the pictures of Uday and Qusay -- it was an irresponsible move on the part of the Pentagon, and one that might face scrutiny for violating international laws, fuck you very much. Oh, and Liberia is going to hell in a handbasket, and that's also America's fault because it hasn't gotten involved. They actually suggested that America ought to be responsible for Liberia because it has a responsibility to take care of its former colony. I mean, the Brits know all about the responsibilities that come with being a white country and the burden that comes with taking care of the darkies whose land they colonized in past centuries. Okay, they didn't say that last part, but they couldn't have been more clear that they think there is a paternal colonial obligation there. Please excuse me while I bash your condescending racist tea-stained crooked teeth into the anchor desk, thanks.
CNN World? Actually a good source of info. They kept commentary to a minimum, which was nice. Something that made me wish they had it on cable here. I'd watch it more than Fox News, because, let's face it, Fox gets annoying after about ten minutes. Not for the political leanings necessarily, but because they Get! So! Excited! About! Everything! Because! They! Think! It! Will! Keep! People! Glued! To! Their! Tee! Vees! Stop! Exhausting. Let's not do eight pots of coffee and a pack of No-Doz before air time, guys, thanks.
Bleh. Why am I here and not back in Venice. Speaking of, Jeremy Piven was staying in our hotel. Saw him outside talking on his cell phone.
Um, what else. Okay, how's this. Met a LOT of people from all over the place, and they actually really like Americans. Well, all the ones I talked to anyway. One guy from South Africa gave an impassioned speech about how he can't stand the American tourists who wear Canadian flags on their backpacks to make other people think they're not what they are. (I knew exactly what he was talking about... one of my uncles, either intentionally or not, wore a hat with a Canadian flag on it the whole trip.) He said, "You guys are the only fucking country in the whole goddamned world that stands up for fucking principles anymore, and it pisses me off when you weasel out of it and don't take pride in just how fucking great you really are." Eat that. Nice guy, too.
I heard there were bombings in Nice, the day after I was there. Lucky timing on my part. I still haven't read about this, and I doubt I'll really bother, but if what I heard was correct, they happened in the same place my brother and I were walking around for a couple of hours. What I do know, though, is you can't really worry about that stuff on that level, or you'd freak yourself out thinking there was a bomb in every trash can.
And here's the other thing. Life is so much better and happier when you don't stay glued to the news. I mean, who doesn't know this. The great majority of what happens in the world is either good or neutral; the great majority of what you hear on the news is decidedly not. You can make yourself completely neurotic if you keep tabs on all the crap going on in the world -- and you can miss some of the great, wonderful things right in front of you while doing it. I had a great time on this trip. Unbelievable. I couldn't even begin to describe just how amazing it was, and even if I did, you wouldn't understand its significance anyway unless you knew me personally. And since this is not primarily a personal blog (although I've flirted with that idea), I'm not about to go into gads of backstory to fill out the tales I have to tell. Thus, staying on message, I leave you with the few observations above.
Wishing you happiness.
Posted by Matt at July 30, 2003 12:19 PM
