Fish and Chips

Drunk and Sad

2011-07-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

So, I started this blog while I was studying abroad in Ireland. It was mainly to keep my parents happy and informed as to what I was up to and also, to keep my self busy while in Europe. This blog hs gone largely neglected over the last two years because I didn't have anything interesting to write about, or was too scared to share serious and honest feelings with the internets. Which, to be fair, isn't that odd. As the internet can be a cruel and unfeeling place. But tonight I am drunk. I am also very sad. The reason for this sadness is my ex-girlfriend Kim. A few weeks ago she decided that I wasn't serious in my hope to get back together with her and gave me the 'let's just be friends' line. To be fair, I was the one who ended the relationship in the first place, so this was a bit deserved. At the same time, I really was hoping things were different and that I would win her over. But, that was not how it went. So, here I am. Sad. Drunk. And very much alone for the time being. So it goes.

Mosque near, but not on Ground Zero

2010-08-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, I get why people are getting increasingly angry about the Cordoba
Initiative trying to build a Mosque (also there will be a swimming pool, lecture hall,
and gym) near (2 1/2 blocks) Ground Zero and I get why people are angry. However,
please, please get all of the facts about the group, place, contents and
activities before you yell and scream about it. It is a privately owned
building, it is two and a half blocks away, it can't be seen from
Ground Zero, it is already being used for prayer service and has been
since '09, it has the support of local political and religious leaders
of various religions and there is no evidence of any funding from
terrorist groups or Iran, NONE AT ALL. So far there has only been
speculation, not proof.

As far as I can tell this has been a purposeful and direct attempt by groups that harbor anti-Islamic feelings to mislead and misinform people about this project. It has also been picked up by various political figures as a fresh hot button issue to use against their opponents in the upcoming election. This is one of the few times when I have been honestly disappointed about the shear viciousness of America and the willingness to lash out without checking the facts first. I guess I just don't understand why we think that it is OK to attack which ever minority group happens to be the easiest target. Damn. Just feeling seriously frustrated at my nation right now.

We are suppose to be a free nation that doesn't throw away our rights every time it suits us or we get angry, but that's now how we work. It hasn't been for a long time. As far as I can tell there isn't any reason that suggests that the government should step in and stop this from happening, but if people have all the facts and are still angry fine. I can understand that. I just can't understand hatred for the sake of hatred, or hatred built off lies and ignorance. I just can't. We have access to so many resources now, why do we still choose to just listen to one source and then start screaming bloody murder? Why?

I need a beer.

No time...

2010-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

I have no time for this blog... But I'm going to Vegas this spring break with my friend Stephan... I'll try and do an update once a week from now on. Also, I have no job. Still. Fuck this economy.

November sucks...

2009-11-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

Not to piss all over people who like the month of November, but it just hasn't really been that nice to me. Other than being sick a couple of times and not doing so hot on a test and a paper, I've been feeling a bit unsure about my future. I mean right now I still really want to go to law school, but I'm starting to worry that I won't be able to cut it. I've talked to lots of people who have done this and they all tell me the same thing. It's hard.

Not that I don't think I could do the work, but to pay for it I would most definitely have to get a job somewhere, which isn't exactly a piece of cake at the moment. And really, this is kind of a shitty time to figure out that law school might not be a place for me, because I always kind of thought that college was where you went to figure out what you wanted to do and now I'm a senior and unsure as fuck.

Also, I need to find a Christmas present for several people, other than my family and Stephan, I need something for Kim, Laura, maybe Lauren, though that might be kind of weird and taken in a way that I didn't entirely mean it to be taken and then... uh that's really about it. Maybe Cara and Huggie, but no one else. For some reason I like giving gifts, it's just easy to do. OK, I should put clothes on now...

Fall Break

2009-10-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I guess I was suppose to go sky diving this break with my friend Megan, but since she and I have come back from Europe, we haven't really spoken. Which is probably why I am on the ground right now and not so much jumping out of a plane. That leaves me with a problem; I have a bunch of free time right now and nothing to fill it with... What I am really saying is I need a hobby. I have politics which is my major, I have the fraternity which is my home, I have friends and I have drinking. What's missing? Well I need something more, in fact, I probably need a couple of somethings more. But it's ok because I already know what I need. They are:
1. A girlfriend or fuck buddy - yeah, they eat up time and you sometimes get to have sex, it's a win win for everybody!
2. A sport - I was thinking getting back into with swim or soccer, since my attempt at fencing died real quick. This would help me stay in shape, meet new people and give me something to focus on.
3. A real hobby - I added 'real' to this because it needs to be something that I actually do. I mean if it is poetry or writing, that's fine, but I have to actually do it. Write complete stories and poems and read them and re-read them, edit them. That sort of thing. It needs to not be things like porn, tv shows, or video games/computer games. Because as much as I have with those they aren't helping me better myself at all.

Anyway, I need to get healthier, happier and... well, fuck I don't have another H-word. So, happier, healthier and more goddamn fantastic then I already am.

Ok so...

2009-10-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. It's been a long time. No one is going to read this, which is kind of the point because I never really wanted my parents friends/parents to read this blog, but hey, it's probably good that they did. It kept them up to date while I was gone. Anyway, today's post is all about my favorite tag, and what is my favorite tag, you ask? That's right it's 'Ninjack'(pronounced Nin-Jack). Now some may claim I have no right to this name, however I feel as though I was one of the first if not the first to use it (on the internet). This all started way back with Mech Warrior 4, where I was first used the name Ninja - not all that original. Since there were a lot of other folks using that tag I wanted something new. Out of that and my friend Eriq, came Ninjack, which I used for everything from Mech W 4, Xbox live, online chat, my blogger name, and WoW gamer tag (well not anymore cause I've stopped playing). Then I go and try to create a youtube account. Guess what... Some guy already took the name ninjack, and yet he has done nothing to promote that name or post any videos that are ninja related. So I was forced to take the name ninjack88. This saddens me that the term/name ninjack is not only being spread out among the internet, but also, used by those who refuse to do the name proud. Damn, this is perhaps the nerdiest fucking post I've ever written, see this is what happens when I get out of class early and am stuck on campus. Anyway, guy who took the name ninjack - fuck you.

Goddam Fire Mana Beasts

2009-07-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so working construction has been sucking the strength from my body, thus rendering me unable to continue my blog... I'm seriously thinking of shutting this down, mostly because I don't think anyone is still reading. So, I'm basically just typing out a little online journal for myself. Oh, by the way the title of this little post comes from Stephan, his characters from Secret of Mana 2 were getting killed as I started this post. I don't really have anything exciting to talk about, I just want to say that I am really tired of pop culture sometimes... I'll do a real post this weekend.

Sorry, Sorry

2009-06-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

So I've pretty much let this blog fall by the way side since returning to the states. Not that I meant to, I'd rather like to keep writing, if only for the practice. It's just a bit hard to sit down and pound out a post after all Ive done for the last two weeks is work construction for my dad. Gone are the days of cavorting around Europe or lazily sipping Guinness at the Thirsty Scholar. Ah, how I miss my adoptive home of Ireland. It is good to be back in more familar surroundings, but there are people that I miss, Colleen, Laura and the many others who made last semester so damn entertaining and enjoyable.

But enough whining about living in Kansas, and on to more important things! Such as Boston! Yes, Boston, that's where my dad and I's yearly baseball trip is headed this year. So I get to see the Red Sox play at Fenway, it's be a lie to say I wasn't a bit excited. Not only do I get to see some great baseball, but there's a chance to see my old Irish best friend Colleen! and of course, for her to meet my dad... That meeting only slightly worries me. Ok, time for me to eat something, adios folks.

I'm back!

2009-06-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Well Hello there to everyone still reading this. Guess what? I'm back in the State! Kansas to be specific and living it up in Newton... ah. Yeah. Living it up. My time in Ireland is finally all over, sad as it was, I knew it had to happen. It's time for me to shape up, make some money and study for the LSAT. Since I still haven't found the universe's best fish and chips, I think I'll continue this blog just for fun, maybe a few cultural views I have and the occasional political commentary too. To those who I haven't seen in months I can't wait to see you! And for those I've just left, I miss you all and wish we could walk down to the thirsty scholar and grab a pint...

Anyway, since being back I've noticed something kind of odd in American politics. The Republican party seems to lack elected leadership... What I mean by this is that the media seems to be calling Rush, Newt, Coulter and Cheney the leaders of the party, the voice of the party. Which is a little scary, and confusing. All three of these persons are fairly extreme on the conservative scale and none of them hold office at the moment. Why is it that simply because they are perhaps the loudest (or scariest in Cheney's case) that they some how speak for republicans? I'd prefer if instead of people who are polarizing, vicious, volatile and not elected, refrain from speaking for Republicans. If Senators or Representatives talk out about policy or appointments or the like, that's what they are suppose to do. Even high ranking bureaucrats can make speeches for their party, but really, entertainers, radio hosts, bloggers etc... they don't get to speak for the party, left or right. The reason we elect people is so that they will carry our voice or at the least consider our voice, these other folks have no need for that, they have no elections to win, just ratings or speaking deals. So, how's this, they can speak from themselves and they can give advice, but they aren't allowed to lead a goddamn political party!

The Over used and Misused

2009-04-29T03:25:00.000-07:00

Today I want to talk about some of the things I hear in the news, or on the internet or even everyday life that really irks me. These are some of the labels/insults/comparisons that are over used in America. Oddly enough the Europeans are better that this than we are, well some of them.

Hitler / Nazis - This one is everywhere and usually marks the end of any meaningful conversation and the beginning of senseless yelling and cussing. Many politicians, Presidents and conservative groups have been slapped with the label of being similar to a Nazi or Hitler, Bush was, same with Obama, or conservative republicans. There are very few leaders that rank any where near the level of disgust, viciousness and blood-shed that Hitler reached, I feel like this is a comparison that is made too lightly. Millions died because of the Nazi offensive, I don't simply mean the Jewish people, but Russians, Americans, British, French and many, many others. So, until a U.S. President or anyone else, actually does something so terrible as the death of millions and near total destruction of a continent, then leave this one alone.

Socialism, Communism, Fascism - These are three different kinds of governmental structures or systems. The first two have very degrees at which they can be applied and have different version depending upon the country in which they were applied and by which political scientist/philosopher you see as their founding writer. Also, neither Socialism nor Communism is evil, that is something I've never understood about my own country, they maybe flawed systems, but they aren't inherently evil, neither would a person who was a communist or socialist. Fascism however, I feel is in fact, an evil and disgusting system. Now, I have heard all three terms thrown at our new President, well that doesn't work... You can't be all three of these things, but besides that it feels like the people yelling about socialism and communism, don't really know that much about either. Even if Obama does socialize health care, that doesn't make the U.S. a socialist state, it would just make us like most of Europe (Spain, Ireland, England, etc.) they are still democratic governments, they still have a capitalist economy, so why is it that if it happens here the world will end? I mean it's true, that if you have money and health care now, then the idea is pretty scary, but as I understand it you can still have a private doctor, they don't suddenly become illegal... As for communist/communism, really? I get that you could possibly see the bailout of having socialist tendencies, but this is a far cry from actual communism, in the Karl Marx version there has to be a workers revolt before communism happens, it isn't a top-down sort of thing, but a bottom-up. Or, at least that was how it was suppose to be. I seriously doubt that someone as smart and as well educated as Obama would simply ignore the obvious and serious flaws that exist in the foundations of communism, he did study political science after all.

Big Brother / 1984 - Every election those lovely libertarians, anarchists and the paranoid make videos, flash animations, blog posts and songs talk out about how the government watches and controls everything. There are also numerous punk rock songs on this subject. This happened a lot with Dick and Bush, some with Hilary Clinton, though I didn't see as much for Obama. This is not to say that I am completely comfortable with the current reach of the federal government, because I do have serious trust issues with any politician or administration, they do occasionally fuck things up royally. And there are such things as cover-ups and conspiracies, not all the time or with everything, but, power does tend to corrupt. However, the amount and scale of the government in 1984 is unparalleled here in 2009, something that most can see. Still, the comparison will be made over and over again... (I would like to note that the British government is much closer to 1984 than other 1st world nations)

The reason I want to write about this is for a serious reason, because if we as a society can't reserve these comparisons for more realistic instances, then they lose their impact. Or their meanings get twisted. Or the messages will get lost. George Orwell's book 1984 was a brilliant novel, with a warning about the reach and power of a government (among other things), but the seriousness of that message is lost each time we use it for minor things. The same as the Nazis and Hitler, the impact is lessened each time we call people we don't agree with a Nazi, which is honestly a shame. And I understand that this is the internet, society's little meaningless playground, filled with porn and nonsense, but it's part of our society and bleeds into it. Just wondering how long we'll remember that these aren't jokes...

Amsterdam & Germany

2009-04-19T03:48:00.000-07:00

Hello all! My O, my I have been busy. But before I tell you about my wild and hilarious journey through the first bit of Europe, I have to say something. Happy Birthday Dad!!! If anyone doesn't know, my Dad, Mike Davis will be turning 59 as of tomorrow, so be sure to wish him the best. If I was a better son, I would have sent a gift home so it arrived on his birthday, unfortunately I'm a poor excuse of a scuzbucket... but I'll bring you home something nice Dad, I promise!

Ok then, Amsterdam... I went to the Van Gogh Museum (which was no more the 300 meters from my hostel) and saw some of his most famous paintings, Starry Night and Sunflowers were both there (there was a special exhibit.) So that was actually really cool, unfortunately everything in the gift shop was crazy expensive so, yeah, left there empty handed. After that, Colleen and I decided to hit up the Anne Frank House, which was a bit of a downer, but definiately worth it. We did eventually make our way to the Red Light District were I was promtly disappointed by the attrativeness of the many hookers that were on display. This was of course the day shift during the week... so it is possible that it changes on the weekends. Though Colleen and I did take in a live sex show, I skipped on buying myself a prostittue, just not my cup of tea...

And Bonn, Germany... I don't know if this city can stand up to Amsterdam, but my god the beer is cheap and delicious. These Europeans don't know how good they have it, half a liter for only 2-3 euros. Oh and the street bratwourst are delicious, so good! Tomorrow, I head to the south of France to visit my friend Megan and the beach! Ah yes!

The Food!

2009-04-08T08:51:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this post is essentially all about what I've been eating over here. Initially, I didn't eat so well and drank a lot, which is probably why I was about 10 or so pounds over weight. Anyway, as it isn't normal for me to be anything but skinny, I figured I ought to change what I was eating. Before I get into that though here are some tid bits about the food over here.

I had the single best Shepperd's pie in the English Market in Cork, seriously, it put some of the best dishes in the world to shame. Not only is Shepperd's pie good as is, but the English Market uses only the healthiest and freshest in everything they make... delicious.

I did have some fish and chips while I was in Dublin, the meal was good and filling, but fell short of the fish and chips I had when I was in Australia in Sydney Harbor, so it goes.

I have generally stayed away from fast food in all forms over here, with the exception of the occasional pizza and late night drunken feast. Though, they have subs for €5 at subway, which is lovely. Though, I do eat a lot of burgers as they are cheap and easy to cook... and sooo tasty. (I'm sure I'll have to update / do another one of these after I travel around a bit...)

Right, now on to what makes a healthy boy over in Ireland. I've had to start drinking lighter beers for starters, I don't really know if that makes a difference, but Fosters is usually cheaper than Murphy's or Beamish. Secondly, I've given up on the candy bars (which are wonderful over here, European chocolate is by far better than American) and started eating these things called fruity flapjacks (p.s. flapjacks does not = pancakes over here). I also pretty much only drink water, not big on the sodas or fruit juices or milk, so yeah, water or beer. I do however, eat a fair amount of cheese, eggs, onion combo, with a bit of toast. Ah, some many mornings made brighter that way! And I won't lie, a solid chunk of my meals have invovled rice and/or beans, they are pretty good staples for the student's pocket book. On top of that, well soups and sandwiches are pretty common, add in whatever fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, pears) I pick up and that's pretty much it. For some reason, all berries (blueberries, strawberries, etc.) are really freaking expensive, so those have had to passed over. Ok all, that's it for Cole's super stay fit secrets, tóg bog é (take it easy)!

Another post?

2009-03-31T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well since I went so long without posting during the last month I think I'm going to try and make up for that by doing a few a week. Well, at least until I start traveling then it might go back down.

Ok, so for today, I want to talk about how a particular person would get ahead in politics and government and yet, to many seem foolish, unfocused, idiotic or completely insane. The answer to this really isn't all that complicated and isn't all that surprising either. Mostly because it's a topic that has received significant study in the academic world and serious air time in the news world.

I'll give you the top three reasons and a few others that I might toss out as to why people vote the way they do. As I've said before, there have been many studies, but don't worry, most of them don't agree, so this is more my take on what I've read than a complete and edited study by people holding masters and PhD's. That being said, let's begin:

First major reason and probably the largest one there is, party identification. If someone says they are a republican, that's pretty much how they are going to vote, even if they know absolutely nothing about the candidates they are voting for. There are some exceptions to this one, as there will always be exceptions, but if you're a democrat running in a republican area, well kudos to you if you win, cause it ain't going to be easy.

Second major reason, how deep are the candidate's pockets? Not just that, but how big is the state's dem or rep party, because all those yard signs and buttons and flyers and t.v. ads and radio ads and everything else, those actually do some good, but they are pricey. Though, less I think with the presidential election, but no body is going to skimp on that election, not now and not ever... Again, this can have major implications for a conservative running in a liberal state where fewer people give money to state or local republican party or vice verse.

Third reason is pretty much connections, who do you know, do they owe you one? Do they like you, do they like someone that is related to you? One of the easiest ways to get yourself elected is to be related to someone who has been in office, look at the Clinton family, the Bush family, the Kennedy's, lots of positions and lower end gigs go to family. It is supremely easy to get a person of wealth, related to a well known politician elected in a state that has a huge one way majority, this most certainly isn't always the case, as this is well behind the other two reasons already given.

There is always race, this one doesn't so much apply to the white folk, because being a majority means it is near impossible for you to have a racial voting block, this has more to do with Americans who have black, Asian and south/central American heritage. As shown hugely in this election the black population voted overwhelmingly as a block for Obama, and if I remember right, McCain failed to pull the Hispanic block to counter that (Not that McCain is Hispanic). There have been some studies about Asian voting blocks, but this group is more fragmented, given the bad history between several of the larger Asian countries.

Other, much smaller reason can be religion (non-Christian or fringe Christian ones and you'll have trouble) age (where are all the 26-30 year olds in government???) oh, and actual policy, that does come into play when you are running against people in your own party,but some-what less when running against the other party.

Ah, American politics at it's finest...

Irish People

2009-03-29T07:45:00.001-07:00

So this post is less about my cultural learning and more focused on the people I've met and how in general the Irish act. Now, as many people already think, the Irish are some of the nicest people in Europe, not to dismiss this fact, because all in all it is true. But there should be the stipulation that they are the nicest people to strangers and English speaking foreigners (minus the Brits or any French) and largely, people over here (all Europeans in general) think that most Americans are really polite and Europeans are asses or morons. Odd how things work out like that.

Now on to the people I've met, for the most part the Irish friends I have are good-natured and fun, the only down side being they kind of whine a lot, it seems to be a favorite past time. It's possible that I've just grown annoyed with living with three Irish girls, but even in the pubs, the Irish love to tell people how bad their government is or how rotten school fees are (they pay wayyyy less then we do) or something else that isn't so bad, but still gets complained about. Also, those retched gossip celebrity mags are freaking popular over here as well.

Ok enough with the negatives, some of the great things about the Irish is the embrace of charity (and drinking), fun-loving spirit (and drinking) and also mass youth exodus from the strict church influence that only 10 years ago held a tight grip in Irish society. It's strange to think that now, even though there are areas that are still staunch Chritians that believe in destroying stem-cell research or keeping homosexuality illegal, but by large the youth aren't like that. There is a new generation of Irish that have grown up without a huge Catholic church influence and without the serious conflit to the North, which may very well shape the country in a vastly liberal direction. Ah well, time for a break, more from Ireland later!

P.S. if any of you missed it, Sarah Palin's daughter is no longer getting married to the guy who got her pregnant. Makes me wonder if they planned the wedding as a political move or if the daughter was just sort of forced into it by momma Palin.

Playing Catch up

2009-03-26T02:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there is quite a bit to cover since the last time I really updated. Get ready for a decent sized post... read? ok.

First, Northern Ireland - Yes, there was a "terrorist" attack on an army barracks there a few weeks ago and I believe two soldiers were killed and other injured. I was kind of surprised how little of an impact this had in Cork, I didn't really expect a big deal, but not even most of the students new about it. I guess everyone here really isn't connected to Northern Ireland, at least not anymore than the U.S. is connected to Canada. Partition isn't a common occurrence in recent history, I mean, Korea is one, but that is a whole other story. Here they've really managed to establish a solid identity separate from Northern Ireland.

Second, travel - I am soon to embark on my journey around the Europe. As it stands the plan is to hit Amsterdam, Germany, Italy, France and Spain, all in one awesome 18 day trek. I haven't the slightest idea as to how I'm going to survive this long traveling, but I think I'll manage. I won't be going to a lot of the common destinations though, skipping Paris for the southern coast, hitting up west Germany (Bonn) and well for the rest of them yeah, hitting the touristy spots.

Third, weather - yeah, I'm actually not sure. A few days ago it got to mid-50s which was wonderful, but half an hour ago it was stormy and howling winds... now I think the sun is out again... odd.

Fourth and final, Basketball - Just so everyone knows, I've been trying to keep up with KU basketball, which is hard as there is a huge time difference / I don't really get those channels over here. However, I have been watching on the internet, but during my travels I won't be able to be as on top of things, which would suck. So, please some one in Lawrence or Newton record the next couple(hopefully 4) games that KU plays cause I'd like to see them. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

That's pretty much all I have for right now, I'll be sure to take lots of pictures to bring back about my travels, also thank you to everyone who has sent me a letter or post card or gift since I've been over here. It really brightens up my day to get something like that. Ok tóg bog é (take it easy) and adios!

Ok yeah, Sorry.

2009-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

First off I need to apologize, I realize that I have been severly lacking updating everyone via my blog. It's just that this month has become slightly hectic for me. I have several end of the teaching period papers that I'm suppose to be writing and one of them has turned out to be a real monster... I also have an oral and written exam for my intro Gaelic class, as such I have been a bit busy. I have, however, been thinking about several topics / observations that I've made recently, but I simply don't have time to write all of these things out. But I promise in the last couple of days of March, after all the papers and tests, and before I begin my travels I will sit down and let everyone know what's what and who's who. Ok, I hope you all enjoy life and the Spring, be back soon!

Ouch.

2009-03-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

I know that I said I'd finish the politics post later, and I probably will, but not now later, later later. This post is more of a friendly update about me. I might have banged up my knees a wee bit this weekend. Nothing to be worried about Mom and Dad, I just can't really walk long distances or run at the moment. You see, I was snowboarding just outside Dublin, in a place with a fake slope, no snow, just plastic bristles and water type stuff to simulate skiing and snowboarding. I didn't have the best of boards (no wide boards in Ireland? Go figure) and well, it's a bit different feel than snow, or ice for that matter and it hurts more than either when you fall. I was competing in the 4 person slalom relay (yeah, I'd never heard of it either) and took a small tumble. That small tumble might have required me to be carried off the slope and had my knees iced and bandaged. But really, I'm ok, nothing broken or twisted or sprained, just some bruises and scratches. Anyway, that's all for now folks.

ok so, politics...

2009-02-26T05:05:00.000-08:00

(Note: This post was because of seeing / hearing numerous videos from the campaign trail and after election night. Many of which I found distasteful and stupid)

My apologies about the lack of blog posts, I've actually been a bit busy over here. School work as begun to pick up and I traveled to Leicester last weekend to visit my old friend Jen Beck. As such, I will try and make up for it by posting a decent opinion of American politics per my view as both an American abroad and a student of political science. This isn't really a simple task so I'll split it up into 4 categories and then a closing tid bit. - The American Voter

1. Hypocrisy - We love it. No, really, Americans love their politics to come with a healthy dose of hypocrisy, both sides of the aisle and the center too. We just eat it up and the vomit out all over each other. Here, let me give you some examples: Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, neither of these politicians had extensive foreign policy experience nor did they have considerable executive experience (yes, I know Sarah is Governor of Alaska, when she was tapped she had been in office less than 22 months. As for Barack, had no previous executive experience), yet the loudest supporters on each side screamed that the candidate's collective lives were enough, while at the same time scoffing at the other sides examples. Another example, the crime known as media bias. This is one of the worst offensives that Americans love to yell about. Those who watch Fox news, generally complain about all the other stations for being horribly biased in favor of the left, while those who watch the news from CNN, NBC, MSNBC etc. believe that Fox is a bastardization of journalism. Each side does have some biased, yet most refuse to admit it and simply scream louder that the other side is wrong. (I personally like to read my news over the Internet from dozens of newspapers and magazine articles, everything from from Reuters to BBC, CNN to International Herald Tribune and The Washington Post to The New York Times, yay internet) This type of blind arguing does virtually nothing, it is not debate, it rarely results in any thing more than childish name calling or insane statements or hatred. And yet, so many people get caught up in it, sometimes even the smart people. There are many more, but listing them all would be exhausting...

2. Bullshit - Just like Hypocrisy, we really like well spun bullshit. Don't misunderstand, this isn't every American voter, but quite a few (which doesn't even really mean most of American as only about 52%-56% of the country can/does/cares to vote, even less for mid-term elections, around 35%) So where does the bullshit like Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, hates white people, is the anti-Christ, wants to take out guns, will get sworn in on the Koran and is not a natural born American? The same place that claims Sarah Palin tried to ban books from the library in Wasila (not quite what happened) or that she chose not to abort her down syndrome kid for political reasons or that Dick Cheney is actually Satan / Darth Vader / shot his friend on purpose or that Sean Hannity is a person. Where does all this crap come from? Well a little comes from the News, Ann Coulter (though I don't like anything she says/does/exists), Bill Maher (though I do like some of what he says) and various other outspoken media sources. I feel like most of it is told, spread, propagated by us, the voters, the internet, the bloggers (they are terrible people) and YouTube... Why does this happen? Because we like to win arguments, we hate to be proven wrong, so we take sound bites and gossip and bullshit and then we proclaim it Truth. This way, we can always have some sort of argument or response to the other side. So, many voters just love to construct numerous beliefs, arguments and reasons against the other candidate upon a foundation of complete BS, the worst part is that I have to believe that some of these people know they're doing this and simply don't care if they are being honest or truthful, so long as their guy / girl wins. I say I have to believe it, because I don't want to believe that there are so many gullible and idiotic people in the U.S.

3. Research - This is one of those things that most Americans hate doing. Especially if it has to do with a politician they support. It is very possible that we Americans don't want to know more about our government or politicians because we know if we look to hard we may really not like what we find. Or like some, we're lazy, most of our friends vote one way or our parents vote a certain way and we simply never took that effort to figure it all out for ourselves. That happens far more than we think and far more than any of us would admit. However, when I say research, i don't mean watching the news or reading the newspaper or reading wikipedia (though sometimes it is helpful) what I mean is actually knowing what the hell it is you are talking about before you open your mouth. Try this exercise, if you fail (get less than half right) might want to read up a bit. Question #1 - What kind of governmental system does America have (Hint: America and Venezuela have different governmental systems)? Question #2 - Name 4 Supreme Court cases and how many Justices serve on the Supreme Court? Question #3 - Name 6 amendments to the constitution, both the number and what it changed? Question #4 - Define these three things Communism, Socialism and Anarchism. Question #5 - Did all of the founding fathers think the same and/or agree about government?

Ok see not too hard. If you're having trouble that's ok, I've been studying government and politics since high school (which was not that long ago for me, sooner or later I'll forget some of this stuff) and through college. I get all nerdy and excited about politics, it interests me. But for most people, it only interests them every 2-4 years. Then suddenly, they're experts, near infallible to any sort of opposing argument or fact. It is very easy to feel like you've won if you never listen to the other person. I'd also like to ask, how many people have ever looked up a person's voting record? I've done it a few times, it isn't all that hard. Yet, so many people will never do it, not even think of doing it. Which is why most politicians have it easy, America has a very short political memory.

Ok so I'll hold off on the last couple of parts and post those later, feel free to email or comment with any disagreements or questions, thanks for reading.

The Irish nightlife...

2009-02-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

I realize that not everyone who reads this blog is going to ever have the chance to experience the night life in Ireland, but I figured I'd share some of my insight as to what to expect if ever you do find your self in Cork. There are a few things that everyone should know ahead of time about the pubs, clubs and bars of Ireland:
#1 Simply put, the most important thing to understand is pre-gaming, drink early with friends of your own alcohol, the wine over here is very modestly priced compared to all other varieties and often the stores have great deals for lower end brands, such as yellow tail. The bars will charge heavily for everything, beers range from 3.50 euro to 4.50 euro and the mix drinks are usually 6 euro and up (with the conversion rate these prices are ridiculous...)
#2 Next is timing, most people don't really start to head to the clubs until 10:30 /11:00 or later, but with the more popular clubs you may want to sneak in a bit earlier, not only will you avoid large lines (sometimes ridiculously large) but you may also avoid the cover charge which can be as high as 15 euro (which is just silly)
#3 Age, don't be surprised to find yourself chatting with a nice 28 year old or even a mid-thirties, it is much more socially acceptable to go out and drink at bars in Ireland than it is in the U.S. these people never seem to tire of the bar scene. Also, since some pubs are 23 and up, it's just common sense the you'll have quite the mix, the clubs are usually kept to a smaller age range, but everywhere else, you might want to ask their age.
#4 Walking, you should walk everywhere. The taxis are great, but after a few trips they'll bleed your wallet dry. Buses are a great alternative on your way out, but it's a might harder to catch them after a long night of dancing, socializing and well, drinking.
#5 The Irish in general, they are without a doubt friendly, why is this important to know? Well, because it's not unheard of to be invited back to a person's home/apartment for more drinking and fun. Surprisingly this isn't limited to the opposite sex, like it usually is in the States, but make sure you've got a group with you. Simply because most Irish are hilariously friendly people doesn't mean they all are.
#6 Don't tip. It is not necessary at any bar to tip, they simply don't do that here. Some bartenders will even get offended by you trying to give them a tip, if you want to repay your bar tender in some way, buy them a drink or include them in a round of shots. Besides, with as much money as you're spending on drinks you probably won't have any money left for a tip.

Hopefully I've some how enlightened you all in the ways of the Irish nightlife, oh and one last thing, the drink "Irish Car bomb" is not that big over here, especially in Northern Ireland... You may just want to for go that one, ask instead for a baby Guinness, they are delicious.

News Worthy

2009-01-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

So, I won't lie. Classes aren't as challenging as I was thinking they might be, thus I have more free time. So, I've started to make cultural observations, also known as watching tv. However, the tv leaves me a bit on the wanting side, there are only about 9 or 10 different channels, one of which is purely in Gaelic, which I don't understand yet. So, when I cook/eat/clean dishes and whenever I get bored, I watch the news. It's not terribly different from some of our news stations, covers a good deal more international news and talks about the U.S. than I'm sure we talk about Ireland. Other than all of the female newscasters being able to double as models, the main difference is that they seem fairly impartial, not that I'm an expert but they either do a much better job at hiding then our news stations or I'm simply not seeing it. Whatever it is, I kind of like it, I feel like I'm getting more news and less bull, it's, refreshing. They also are having significant financial problems here, cut wages, major cut backs. I had planned to try for a job once I was here even filled out a work permit, but now I don't think I'm going to have a lot of luck. Glad I have another year if undergrad and 2-3 years in law school... wouldn't want to have to look for a real job right now... *shivers*

On the up side, I've decided to go visit Jen Beck in England and some flight are as cheap as 20 euro or less! Crazy! Ah, spending money that my poor, hurt, burdened father worked day and night for, placing a greater economic strain in a near economic collapse, acting like some horrible parasite draining him of all hope. Love you Mom and Dad, hope you two are doing well.

(Still haven't found a good place to sample the fish and chips, but I'm working on it.)

Random tid bits

2009-01-18T05:46:00.000-08:00

So my big new for this week is that I saw the sun. Yes, I know that doesn't sound like such a huge deal, but it is. I've gotten use to that thing that the sun does, you know, where it's near the middle of the sky at noon? Yeah. It doesn't do that here, kind of goes off to the side. Anyway, the sun has been MIA for almost a week and I was getting a tab bit worried. Luckily for all human life, it's still there. Also, it just rained and hailed really hard for about 5 minutes and now it's sunny outside, I feel like I never left Kansas.

Two more bits; firstly, I would like to warn everyone that knows me that I will probably have gained weight by the time I come back. I've been here two weeks and I eat like all the food is going to disappear. Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted to be a few pounds heavier, but I might actually gain that freshman 15. Hopefully, I won't come back pudgy, otherwise I have an inkling that my roommate Stephan will make me do his ROTC work outs.

Last bit; Literature. Last night I got into an argument with an English major. Surprisingly enough it was about the Twilight series, he was defending it, I was not. Essentially, his points were that it was a good book, a great love story, well written, culturally relevant and that the main character was spot on. I will be honest, I read the first book all the way through, I started thinking I wasn't going to like it, I finished it not liking it. My points were as followed, I did not like the main character (found her annoying and intensely stupid), did not think it was a well written book, felt like a majority of the popularity was tapping into girls wanting to read about a sexy vampire and finally, that vampires have no aversion to sun light in the novel, no they don't catch flames, they sparkle. Yeah. I don't mind that it doesn't follow the central vampire myth, I've enjoyed other books/movies that variate, such as I am Legend (book, not the movie), Vampire Hunter D(movie), or Blood Sucking Fiends (book) but a sparkly vampire just sort of ruins it for me. Vampires have generally been vicious, blood-thirsty, or just a little fucking scary (at least a bit). I just find it hard to grip, it's just too damn cute. ok, I'm done.

Uh, it's sunny again...

The Classes

2009-01-13T03:40:00.000-08:00

So, I realize that my classes started last Monday, I however, was unsure of the proper cultural Irish norms about attending class, so I waited. In other words I didn't go to a single class my first week here and drank 6 out of 7 nights, this week is different. My classes look like this:

Intro to Anglo-Irish Literature
Political Ethics (the professor is hilarious)
Comparative European Government and Administration <-- not my favorite class of all time.
Intro to Modern Irish - that's right, I'll come back talking all Irish and shit.
and
Government and Politics of Ireland

All in all these should be kept me busy without being over loaded, which seems like a pretty decent balance. I know this may sound a tad bit nerdy, but I am a political science major, I am really excited to see how a nation of the EU views international politics. One of the weirdest things I've noticed is how close attention they pay to our politics. When I arrived in Ireland I knew a bit about the troubles and some general political structure, but knew next to nothing about current events and/or political parties. They however, seem to have paid very close attention to the election, and some even knew about the Illinois governor (fuck if I can spell his name) getting impeached. Sort of makes me feel ashamed about how little attention I pay to other countries politics.

As for other international issues, there was a fair sized protests against Israel military incursion into Gaza on campus yesterday and there's been almost constant coverage on Sky News (it's like CNN for the British Isles). It seems that there are quite a few people in Europe that are very pissed about the aggressiveness of the Israeli military. Now I generally disagree with U.S. policy towards Israel, I think we give them too much slack much of the time, as well as a lot of monetary and military aid. And Israel certainly hasn't been kind in its treatment of Muslim Palestinians, but there is something I don't understand. Just one question I would have all these protesters answer. What would you have Israel do? Any hostile action taken towards Israel has to be responded too. They can't not attack or there would be an escalation in rocket attacks (there are sections of Hamas that are purely terrorists) from both Gaza and Southern Lebonon and could lead to an actual war (which could possibly pull the U.S. into it). However, at the same time their military assult into Gaza is killing more civilians than Hamas militants (which is an age old strategy, I'm not a fan of Hamas, just like I'm not a fan of Israel using cluster bombs) and creates an extreme hatred towards their state and people. I need to do some more thinking on this one...

That First Week + rant about old people

2009-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've managed to survive my first week in Ireland. Unfortunately, a few things have gone a tad bit crooked; like I haven't actually gone to any classes as of yet, but they sound like fun. I didn't get into any fights at pubs, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Also, the power in my apartment seems to like going off all willy nilly, especially right after I buy food and stick it in the fridge...

However, all is not lost. As I said before, I live with three irish girls, all of which are very poilite and just a wee bit crazy. And since I'm talking about irish girls, wow. They are friggin awesome. They also seem to love tiny little skirts and balck stockings, which is a cultural phenomenom that I really hope catches on in the states. I am a little sad to see that my repuatation from back home managed to find it's way to Ireland, still not sure how that worked out, but oh well.

So all in all, I've enjoyed my first week here. Since this is such a short post I'm going to extend it with a rant about old people on the internetz:

Old people (40+) we love you, some of you are our parents or grandparents. We all appreciate the time you took to raise us and the $20 dollars you sent us for our birthdays. Some of you are our teachers or pastors and we thank you for all the time you spend helping us. But, there is something we need to talk to you about... It's the internet, I know you never had this growing up and it is new and shiny, but you need to stop. The internet is not a toy, it is not a dump truck either, it is a series of tubes. And it has age restrictions, I know you all want to have your own blog, or facebook or xanga. I know your eyes get all bright and happy when you click on flashing ads on the net. It's cool, it's hip, it's now. However, we the children of the late 80's & 90's, must ask you to stop. It isn't that we don't love you, it is just that we can't be facebook friends, which means we can't be friends in real life. We know this is hard for you to understand, but listen we explained how to use email to you enough times, even showed you how to attach files, but social networking sites are off limits. Please, if you respect our internet territory we will show you how to order Murder She Wrote and Matlock from Amazon.com or Ebay.

Thank you, Sincerely, People under 30

In the beginning...

2009-01-08T00:52:00.000-08:00

Oh dear god. I've joined the enormous ranks of silly people who have little to say, but endless venues to say it... I've gotten myself a blog. Largely, this tad bit of internetz is so that you (my friends and family) will be able to hear about all the interesting and cultured things I learn about in Ireland. Also, whenever I get horribly hammered at some pub and yell at random people in the street I'll talk about that too. So, if you didn't know, I'm studying abroad for 5 months, I kept a short jounal about my first days (didn't have internet for a little while) so here it is;

January 3rd, 2009 – The Flight.
I’m flying over the Atlantic Ocean right now. Finally, I’m out of Kansas, hell, I’m out of America completely. Everyone has told me to have fun, have experiences, and they’ve all asked me if I was nervous. All of them, with the exception of Stephan, and then they were all surprised that I was. Of course they reassured me that I’d have a good time, I’d fit in and it would be the time of my life. And of course they missed the point completely.
I wasn’t nervous for any of the reasons they thought, I was simply nervous. It was a major decision; to live and study in a foreign country for five months should make you nervous, for that reason alone. Well my power is running low; have to cut it short for this one, once I find a plug I’ll recharge.

Later that day…
Ok so I’ll admit I sort of had a tough time making my way to the University of Cork after landing in Dublin. It took me a fair hour or so to find the bus station, which was freezing, and I missed the noon bus by about ten minutes, the next one left at two. Which was in fact a blessing in disguise. You see, the apartment (I use that term loosely) that I got, its reception desk isn’t open on the weekends and the wardens (RA’s) don’t come on duty until 6 p.m. sharp. Had I gotten on the earlier bus, I would have been waiting for a solid two hours instead of twenty minutes.
I can’t help but notice differences between here and the states, some of the more obvious things I’ve seen are:
1. The Irish really, really, really like round-abouts. Completely serious here, there are so many, even more than in Spain.
2. It is a different kind of cold here, certainly not the kind I’m use to. Not all that much worse mind you, but I’m use to it being warm when i go iniside... Good thing I have warm socks and sweaters for this trip.
3. There are a lot of sheep here. More than I’m comfortable with…
4. Street signs are harder to find, at least they were in Dublin. I’ve been to major cities before (New York, L.A., D.C. and Denver) but for some reason I got lost fairly easily in Dublin… dunno why.
5. The Irish and I have a very different understanding of what an “apartment” is….
6. Everything is closer together, smaller; more pushed together, streets, buildings, and cars, all of it.

There are also some similarities; they give college kids shitty lodging everywhere in the world. I’m going to need my folks to send me stuff; I’m considering asking for my shot glasses. Also, I need to find a good way to get around, might have to buy a bike or rent a scooter. Also, I will most likely need a liver transplant after this trip because I may need to start drinking every night to stay warm. Everything is supposed to close at 5pm, so there isn’t much I can do tonight.

January 4th, Sunday – Ok, really guy? It doesn’t get light here until 8:30, which means it doesn’t even start to get warm until at least 10… crap. I slept poorly; I’m just guessing that is mostly due to jet lag. At least I hope that is the reason, not the whole; I don’t have pillows or blankets, just a sheet that I brought with me thing. If most of the shops are closed today, because it is Sunday and all, well then, I’m just sort of fucked. I have an ass long shopping list to take care of. Uh, Jen Beck if you could please tell me how you’ve managed to stay warm while in England it would be much appreciated (thanks). I haven’t eaten properly yet since I’ve been here, so that is sort of the first thing to do, once the sun comes out…

I’m better now, had some sausage and egg and hash browns and mushrooms and tomato. They call it ‘a full Irish breakfast’ I simply call it wonderful. Though most shops do appear to be closed for the day, there is a hemp store just down the street that looked open. So, my first real look at the city of Cork. Well, I wandered around for about two hours, found a nearby pizza place and other restaurants. Saw a pharmacy that was within a 10min walk and there is a Centra (small grocery store) that is just down the street. Also, there are an epic fuck ton of bed and breakfasts that line the street near my apartment. Could be as many as 40 or more different ones.

Cork isn’t really on the coast, but it is close enough, two rivers empty out to sea here and they run through town. It’s pretty clean, not as clean as Sydney, but the Australians are sticklers for not littering. Not to say that it is a dirty city, not at all. Moss grows everywhere, same with vines. Wrought iron fences must be all the rage here because that’s pretty much all there is, with the occasional stone fence. Haven’t met my “apartment” mates with the exception of the girl that lives next to me. I already forgot her name…. oops. Oh, yeah, I live in an apartment with three girls, go figure.

January 5th – Ok went shopping today, got a lot of stuff. Alcohol is much more expensive over here, not just in the pubs, but at the stores too. I’m thinking it’s going to be cheap vodka the whole time. It’ll be just like high school. Also, carrying groceries all the way back sucked, I want my car. I still have a few things to get for tomorrow like a cell phone, Ethernet cord and more adapters. Our registration takes like three days they don’t do it all at once, still not enrolled in any classes, but oh well. I’ve started meeting new people, but I think I should have done this through a program or something, because it is a lot harder trying to meet all these new people at the same time. I’ll make it work some how… But I am just tired as fuck, so I’m going to check my facebook downstairs and them I’m going to sleep.

Sleeping only happened for a bit. I went out and got drunk, it was awesome. Guinness is pretty good, but expensive… Drinking dramatically increases my ability to ignore the cold.