Music: Nirvana - Lake of Fire - Unplugged
Mood: Meaningless
Here's something worth sharing. This was taken at a little show my brother, cousin, and myself did at my aunt's house for my parents 25th anniversary. I think we were doing 'Drive' by Incubus.
Anyways, its off to sleep town soon enough. There's plenty going on these days, and I need to keep my finger on the pulse.
Mood: Meaningless
Here's something worth sharing. This was taken at a little show my brother, cousin, and myself did at my aunt's house for my parents 25th anniversary. I think we were doing 'Drive' by Incubus.
Anyways, its off to sleep town soon enough. There's plenty going on these days, and I need to keep my finger on the pulse.
Music: Radiohead - Fitter Happier - Ok Computer
Mood: Uncertain/Hungry
I bought a new book yesterday, called "Barbarians at the Gate". Technically speaking, the book is a detailed account of the largest Wall Street acquisition to ever go down the tubes, involving the RJR Nabisco company. I am only like 5 pages in, so its hard for me to make a real opinion yet. More to come with time.
Mood: Uncertain/Hungry
I bought a new book yesterday, called "Barbarians at the Gate". Technically speaking, the book is a detailed account of the largest Wall Street acquisition to ever go down the tubes, involving the RJR Nabisco company. I am only like 5 pages in, so its hard for me to make a real opinion yet. More to come with time.
Music: The Frames - Suffer in Silence - Burn the Maps
Mood: Crushed
My mind is a heavy brick wearing me down. Today started much like any other, and is soon to end in typical fashion. I'm just funking hardcore at the moment, and its not helping the situation that everyone thinks that I have a "complex". Summer is supposed to be about liberation, the idealistic pursuit of debauchery and good times. Instead, this year has taken a dark turn for the mature and sensible reality I will soon inherit. Don't mistake my words for complaints. Quite the contrary, I'm just looking for a place to separate my thoughts without inflicting any harm. This blog seems ideal for such moments. Hence, I write...
I joined a worthless social network at the behest of my cousins yesterday, called Hi-5. It is essentially TheFacebook for international students, minus the redeeming social qualities. It really is quite terrible.
It seems like everyday, my mom and I are fighting. I can't seem to understand why though. I am sure that I could potentially be causing her some form of grief, but if there is a way for me to make things better, then I wouldn't hesitate to do so. I just wish life would go back to normal, the way things were before it all got so messy and complicated.
I would give anything to rewind 2.5 weeks and re-live that frame with utter silence as my companion.
Mood: Crushed
My mind is a heavy brick wearing me down. Today started much like any other, and is soon to end in typical fashion. I'm just funking hardcore at the moment, and its not helping the situation that everyone thinks that I have a "complex". Summer is supposed to be about liberation, the idealistic pursuit of debauchery and good times. Instead, this year has taken a dark turn for the mature and sensible reality I will soon inherit. Don't mistake my words for complaints. Quite the contrary, I'm just looking for a place to separate my thoughts without inflicting any harm. This blog seems ideal for such moments. Hence, I write...
I joined a worthless social network at the behest of my cousins yesterday, called Hi-5. It is essentially TheFacebook for international students, minus the redeeming social qualities. It really is quite terrible.
It seems like everyday, my mom and I are fighting. I can't seem to understand why though. I am sure that I could potentially be causing her some form of grief, but if there is a way for me to make things better, then I wouldn't hesitate to do so. I just wish life would go back to normal, the way things were before it all got so messy and complicated.
I would give anything to rewind 2.5 weeks and re-live that frame with utter silence as my companion.
Music: A Perfect Circle - Orestes - Mer De Noms
Mood: Clear
Do you ever put an album on and find yourself swept away by the perfection? Here is a short list of some albums I believe to be almost, if not completley flawless:
A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
Interpol - Antics
Nirvana - Nevermind
Radiohead - OK Computer
Broken Social Scene - You Forget it in People
More to be added with time.
Mood: Clear
Do you ever put an album on and find yourself swept away by the perfection? Here is a short list of some albums I believe to be almost, if not completley flawless:
A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
Interpol - Antics
Nirvana - Nevermind
Radiohead - OK Computer
Broken Social Scene - You Forget it in People
More to be added with time.
Music: Interpol - Narc - Antics
Mood: A Bit Sad
Well, let me start by apologizing. For the past two weeks, my life has been a gigantic blur of family and friends. With 20 plus people in my home, going on a Cruise, going to Vegas, and an endless string of parties, I haven't exactly had the time to absorb everything thats occured, let alone brace myself for the inevitable end. I want to tell you all of the antics and amusing memories, but I think they'd be lost on you. Perhaps instead I will just skip these two weeks and move forward without ever bringing its history back to centerstage. Or, I could just say that it was the best experience I have had with my family, and I won't soon forget it. But, it has yet to exactly 'end' as my two cousins and their parents and my grandmother are still here. They will slowly peel off, and then I guess its back to reality, BUT, I am trying to avoid it as much as possible.
So, lets get back to it then:
- Spin Magazine voted Radiohead's Kid A as the most influential album of the past 20 years.
- Slowly I inch closer to my career with law, as my USDOJ Application is floating in the mail to be read and reviewed shortly.
- My brother, cousin, and myself started a band and are pretty serious about it. Soon I'll post some content for you to behold.
- I made the official switch from Guitar to Bass last week.
- Interpol are giving MySpace free advertising in their song 'Narc' (You should be in my space...)
- Its warm as hell these days, but then there's the fluke 60 degree day that makes you wonder wtf is up.
- Growing increasingly fond of the new Coldplay album, as well as Radiohead
- Utterly bemused that Jacko went free (suprised it took me this long to comment)
There's a lot more to say, but I'm not really adept at compressing it all into legible formats. So over the next few days, expect a litany of emotions and anecdotes that should at the very least describe how this experience has affected me, and how I plan on using what I have learned to my advantage.
Thanks for sticking with me, readers.
Peace and Love
Devin
Mood: A Bit Sad
Well, let me start by apologizing. For the past two weeks, my life has been a gigantic blur of family and friends. With 20 plus people in my home, going on a Cruise, going to Vegas, and an endless string of parties, I haven't exactly had the time to absorb everything thats occured, let alone brace myself for the inevitable end. I want to tell you all of the antics and amusing memories, but I think they'd be lost on you. Perhaps instead I will just skip these two weeks and move forward without ever bringing its history back to centerstage. Or, I could just say that it was the best experience I have had with my family, and I won't soon forget it. But, it has yet to exactly 'end' as my two cousins and their parents and my grandmother are still here. They will slowly peel off, and then I guess its back to reality, BUT, I am trying to avoid it as much as possible.
So, lets get back to it then:
- Spin Magazine voted Radiohead's Kid A as the most influential album of the past 20 years.
- Slowly I inch closer to my career with law, as my USDOJ Application is floating in the mail to be read and reviewed shortly.
- My brother, cousin, and myself started a band and are pretty serious about it. Soon I'll post some content for you to behold.
- I made the official switch from Guitar to Bass last week.
- Interpol are giving MySpace free advertising in their song 'Narc' (You should be in my space...)
- Its warm as hell these days, but then there's the fluke 60 degree day that makes you wonder wtf is up.
- Growing increasingly fond of the new Coldplay album, as well as Radiohead
- Utterly bemused that Jacko went free (suprised it took me this long to comment)
There's a lot more to say, but I'm not really adept at compressing it all into legible formats. So over the next few days, expect a litany of emotions and anecdotes that should at the very least describe how this experience has affected me, and how I plan on using what I have learned to my advantage.
Thanks for sticking with me, readers.
Peace and Love
Devin
Music: Radiohead - Hunting Bears - Amnesiac
Mood: Scratchy Throat Vibe..
Greetings one and all. This post finds me back at home where I am glad to be sitting after a week of constant sailing on the Pacific Ocean. Our 7 day adventure took us to Cabo San Lucas, where I ventured into Jet Skis for the first time, as well as Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, the latter being an absolutley amazing city to behold. All my conceptions and mental pictures of Mexico before this trip have been erased and replaced with 21st Century sights such as Wal-Marts and McDonalds.
Well lets see, the cruise was lots of fun. My brother and two cousins and moi spent the bulk of our days doing virtualy nothing at all. The labor was divided among taking turns on the guitar, jamming together, playing cards, editing the trip video, and of course, watching lame television programming. However, on the off chance that we were not in our respective rooms, we were encouraged into swindling our money on the casinos dreadful slots, and the safe haven for us all, the video game arcade. Needless to say the four of us pretty much found every excuse to land up back at the arcade, where we became quite adept at fooseball. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I could probably kick your rear around. I am that damn good.
Now, I am home, where I have been for the past day and a half. In the next eight hours, we as a 20 plus package of family are hitting the road to drive to Las Vegas, where it seems we will wander and mingle with the folks of sin city until we can't take it anymore. While I am not exactly the big gambling type, I am powerless before the Vegas. And so it seems that every time I least expect to play and gamble, I wind up scoring a few bucks in my pocket. Not that I'm complaining or anything. Just how it is.
Promptly upon arrival home on Sunday, my cousin, who's starting college this fall at Claremont McKenna, my brother and I went to good old Sam Ash to acquiesce a new piece to our collective puzzle: a Bass. Only dilemma we had, which was actually solved in about seven seconds, was who would play it. Answer: me. You see, while I can trumpet myself as being a good guitarist, the fact remains that my cousin is leaps and bounds beyond my skills. So, I am humbly resigned to the bass, if only for the short term. But let's wait and see, because in the single jam session so far, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. If only the drums weren't so loud in our garage, I think I may have actually been able to hear myself amidst the backdrop. Nevertheless, I persist.
So...I finished reading Klosterman's Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs before the vacation to Mexico. Now, after taking a week off, I'm diving into the Secret Life of Armand Hammer. BORING. So, my cousin who's a successful lawyer from London has recommended me this book called: Barbarians at the Gate, which is a chronicle of the R.J.J Nabisco acquisition, supposedly the largest capital acquisition in American history. Sounds exciting, given that the book is probably going to dive right into the strategies of the negotions and the meetings, and the stalemates, and the demands, concerns, problems....the
Mood: Scratchy Throat Vibe..
Greetings one and all. This post finds me back at home where I am glad to be sitting after a week of constant sailing on the Pacific Ocean. Our 7 day adventure took us to Cabo San Lucas, where I ventured into Jet Skis for the first time, as well as Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, the latter being an absolutley amazing city to behold. All my conceptions and mental pictures of Mexico before this trip have been erased and replaced with 21st Century sights such as Wal-Marts and McDonalds.
Well lets see, the cruise was lots of fun. My brother and two cousins and moi spent the bulk of our days doing virtualy nothing at all. The labor was divided among taking turns on the guitar, jamming together, playing cards, editing the trip video, and of course, watching lame television programming. However, on the off chance that we were not in our respective rooms, we were encouraged into swindling our money on the casinos dreadful slots, and the safe haven for us all, the video game arcade. Needless to say the four of us pretty much found every excuse to land up back at the arcade, where we became quite adept at fooseball. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I could probably kick your rear around. I am that damn good.
Now, I am home, where I have been for the past day and a half. In the next eight hours, we as a 20 plus package of family are hitting the road to drive to Las Vegas, where it seems we will wander and mingle with the folks of sin city until we can't take it anymore. While I am not exactly the big gambling type, I am powerless before the Vegas. And so it seems that every time I least expect to play and gamble, I wind up scoring a few bucks in my pocket. Not that I'm complaining or anything. Just how it is.
Promptly upon arrival home on Sunday, my cousin, who's starting college this fall at Claremont McKenna, my brother and I went to good old Sam Ash to acquiesce a new piece to our collective puzzle: a Bass. Only dilemma we had, which was actually solved in about seven seconds, was who would play it. Answer: me. You see, while I can trumpet myself as being a good guitarist, the fact remains that my cousin is leaps and bounds beyond my skills. So, I am humbly resigned to the bass, if only for the short term. But let's wait and see, because in the single jam session so far, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. If only the drums weren't so loud in our garage, I think I may have actually been able to hear myself amidst the backdrop. Nevertheless, I persist.
So...I finished reading Klosterman's Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs before the vacation to Mexico. Now, after taking a week off, I'm diving into the Secret Life of Armand Hammer. BORING. So, my cousin who's a successful lawyer from London has recommended me this book called: Barbarians at the Gate, which is a chronicle of the R.J.J Nabisco acquisition, supposedly the largest capital acquisition in American history. Sounds exciting, given that the book is probably going to dive right into the strategies of the negotions and the meetings, and the stalemates, and the demands, concerns, problems....the
Greetings From The Pacific Ocean...
0 Comments Published by Devin on Friday, June 10, 2005 at 3:06 PM.
Music: Nothing, I left my iPod in the room
Mood: Itchy
This post is to let the world know that I am having an amazing time, and this vacation has been nothing short of spectacular. I will write more when I get home, but I have to peace out now, because its 75 cents a minute and thats a flippin' rip off.
Adios..
Mood: Itchy
This post is to let the world know that I am having an amazing time, and this vacation has been nothing short of spectacular. I will write more when I get home, but I have to peace out now, because its 75 cents a minute and thats a flippin' rip off.
Adios..
Music: Incubus - Mexico - Morning View
Mood: Stoked
Last night my brother, cousin and myself performed a couple acoustic songs and one of my parents anniversary parties. It was the first time that we had ever done a performance as a group, and suffice it to say we rocked (for a first gig).
All 26 family members are presently running amok frantically throwing clothes in their respective suitcases, poised to make it to Long Beach before 1 so we can jet for Cabo. I am taking my guitar, if only for the hours of entertainment it shall provide.
And so, it is time to say aidos for a week of sun, beach, chilling, and hopefully some kuri.
Mood: Stoked
Last night my brother, cousin and myself performed a couple acoustic songs and one of my parents anniversary parties. It was the first time that we had ever done a performance as a group, and suffice it to say we rocked (for a first gig).
All 26 family members are presently running amok frantically throwing clothes in their respective suitcases, poised to make it to Long Beach before 1 so we can jet for Cabo. I am taking my guitar, if only for the hours of entertainment it shall provide.
And so, it is time to say aidos for a week of sun, beach, chilling, and hopefully some kuri.
Music: Coldplay - Square One - X & Y
Mood: Relieved
Since I've been posting a great deal about the EU Constitution, I thought it was a good idea to do a very basic outline of what is at stake in the Charter.
Why is a new Constitution needed?
The European Union has been operating under rules that were originally designed for six members. But when 10 mainly former communist East European countries join the current 15 members since May 1 the EU have not be able to function effectively under its old system. So the new constitution, which needs to be ratified by all members, is designed to streamline the rules.
What are the main points?
Permanent EU president to replace six-month rotating presidency by each member state EU foreign minister to conduct common foreign policy Mutual defense clause obliges other EU nations to come to the aid if another nation is attacked Qualified majority voting to apply in most areas and vetoes to be limited to a few areas A "double majority" system will require the votes of a majority of the 25 members states representing at least 60 per cent of the EU's population Commission to be reduced to 15 full members and 10 non-voting associates Policy areas covered by European Parliament to increase from 34 to 70 EU public prosecutor to investigate cross-border fraud Introduction of tax harmonization Legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights Membership exit clause to allow member states to leave EU
What are the sticking points?
The 2000 Nice Treaty had given Spain and Poland 27 votes each compared with 29 for Germany, whose population is more than the two countries' combined. Talks collapsed at a summit last December after the draft constitution boosted the heavyweight countries' voting powers at the expense of smaller nations. However, changes of government in Spain and Poland this year have helped revive negotiations. Smaller countries are also unhappy over the composition of the European Commission. They want one full member per country but France and Germany say a commission of 25 or more members with full voting powers would be unmanageable. Smaller member states are also concerned by the prospect of an EU president, which they say would favor the larger countries. One compromise suggested is to have a "team presidency" by which a group of three countries would chair different ministries for six months each, thereby preserving an element of the rotating presidency. However, the elected president would be in overall control. Catholic countries want a specific reference to Christianity in the constitution. However, this is problematic for countries with large ethnic minorities and to Muslim Turkey, which hopes to one day join the bloc.
What happens next?
To enter into force, the new constitution needed to be ratified by all 25 member states of the new enlarged European Union that came into being on May 1. The United Kingdom, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland held ballots and others, including the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, did as well. If any one of the 25 EU members does not ratify the constitution, there could either be a new vote or the treaty would need renegotiating. Since both France and the Netherlands voted against the Charter, the question looms now on what can be done.
Mood: Relieved
Since I've been posting a great deal about the EU Constitution, I thought it was a good idea to do a very basic outline of what is at stake in the Charter.
Why is a new Constitution needed?
The European Union has been operating under rules that were originally designed for six members. But when 10 mainly former communist East European countries join the current 15 members since May 1 the EU have not be able to function effectively under its old system. So the new constitution, which needs to be ratified by all members, is designed to streamline the rules.
What are the main points?
What are the sticking points?
The 2000 Nice Treaty had given Spain and Poland 27 votes each compared with 29 for Germany, whose population is more than the two countries' combined. Talks collapsed at a summit last December after the draft constitution boosted the heavyweight countries' voting powers at the expense of smaller nations. However, changes of government in Spain and Poland this year have helped revive negotiations. Smaller countries are also unhappy over the composition of the European Commission. They want one full member per country but France and Germany say a commission of 25 or more members with full voting powers would be unmanageable. Smaller member states are also concerned by the prospect of an EU president, which they say would favor the larger countries. One compromise suggested is to have a "team presidency" by which a group of three countries would chair different ministries for six months each, thereby preserving an element of the rotating presidency. However, the elected president would be in overall control. Catholic countries want a specific reference to Christianity in the constitution. However, this is problematic for countries with large ethnic minorities and to Muslim Turkey, which hopes to one day join the bloc.
What happens next?
To enter into force, the new constitution needed to be ratified by all 25 member states of the new enlarged European Union that came into being on May 1. The United Kingdom, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland held ballots and others, including the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, did as well. If any one of the 25 EU members does not ratify the constitution, there could either be a new vote or the treaty would need renegotiating. Since both France and the Netherlands voted against the Charter, the question looms now on what can be done.
Music: Radiohead - Hunting Bears - Amnesiac
Mood: Jovial
You can now add the Dutch to my shit-list. Read here:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/06/01/dutch.poll/index.html
They too rejected the EU constitution. The stage is set for a series of uncomfortable questions, and let us all pray that the UN/US doesn't prod too deeply into foregin affairs, although we can all safely assume that this is on Bush's radar, and he would love nothing more than to stick is nose in the middle to 'mediate' a more appropriate series of legislature. Given a choice, I am certain that he would ostracize the French and the Dutch from all European affairs, rendering the continent in a state of upheaval, unprecedented since the end of WW2 (can you say Versailles Treaty). Lawmakers are not the problem. Politicians are not the problem. For once, the people are the problem. They have made a decision to disregard a formalized standard of legislature, in the process sending Europe back 10 years. I could discuss this more, but I would much rather pose the following question.
Since France and the Dutch have elected against a formalized constitution, on the basis of democratic rights violations for the middle class, what, if anything, can be done to remediate the situation? Is it justifiable to abandon the EU's efforts for order, or is it time to get back to the drawing table?
As it stands, the fundamental provisions granted by the Constitution are designed to enable social progress, for even the most deprived of nations. In the preamble, the doctrine clearly establishes a set of paramaters for what does and doesn't fly. Basically, the French have cut themselves from the EU by soundly rejecting the single thread that would bind all nations into one. In this instance, the EU, therefore, is not responsible, nor required, to fight for France's rights on an international diplomatic level. So, what happened?
Well, France and the Dutch people made a choice to go one way, not realizing that in the process of standing on their laurals, they simultaneously cut themselves from the governing body that was looking out for their best interests. The next time France is looking for a Treaty, or lesser sanctions, or anything that requires clearance, they might as well abandon hope and try something else. Because I can assure you, to the greatest of my unqualified abilities, that unless the French recoil their stance within the coming month, they will become the stepchild of the new USSR. And that, my friends, is not something to be proud of.
Please read this, it will educate you in ways you never thought imaginable:
http://www.unizar.es/euroconstitucion/library/constitution_29.10.04/part_I_EN.pdf
Mood: Jovial
You can now add the Dutch to my shit-list. Read here:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/06/01/dutch.poll/index.html
They too rejected the EU constitution. The stage is set for a series of uncomfortable questions, and let us all pray that the UN/US doesn't prod too deeply into foregin affairs, although we can all safely assume that this is on Bush's radar, and he would love nothing more than to stick is nose in the middle to 'mediate' a more appropriate series of legislature. Given a choice, I am certain that he would ostracize the French and the Dutch from all European affairs, rendering the continent in a state of upheaval, unprecedented since the end of WW2 (can you say Versailles Treaty). Lawmakers are not the problem. Politicians are not the problem. For once, the people are the problem. They have made a decision to disregard a formalized standard of legislature, in the process sending Europe back 10 years. I could discuss this more, but I would much rather pose the following question.
Since France and the Dutch have elected against a formalized constitution, on the basis of democratic rights violations for the middle class, what, if anything, can be done to remediate the situation? Is it justifiable to abandon the EU's efforts for order, or is it time to get back to the drawing table?
As it stands, the fundamental provisions granted by the Constitution are designed to enable social progress, for even the most deprived of nations. In the preamble, the doctrine clearly establishes a set of paramaters for what does and doesn't fly. Basically, the French have cut themselves from the EU by soundly rejecting the single thread that would bind all nations into one. In this instance, the EU, therefore, is not responsible, nor required, to fight for France's rights on an international diplomatic level. So, what happened?
Well, France and the Dutch people made a choice to go one way, not realizing that in the process of standing on their laurals, they simultaneously cut themselves from the governing body that was looking out for their best interests. The next time France is looking for a Treaty, or lesser sanctions, or anything that requires clearance, they might as well abandon hope and try something else. Because I can assure you, to the greatest of my unqualified abilities, that unless the French recoil their stance within the coming month, they will become the stepchild of the new USSR. And that, my friends, is not something to be proud of.
Please read this, it will educate you in ways you never thought imaginable:
http://www.unizar.es/euroconstitucion/library/constitution_29.10.04/part_I_EN.pdf
