E-Notes: Understanding Terror Networks - FPRI
This is a comprehensive look at the history and generally agreed upon motives of Al Qaeda from a former CIA case officer from Afghanistan, Marc Sageman of the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
21.12.04
Waking Up in Bliss V3.1
Eat me- Blogger free templates! And all of you using resolutions smaller than 900 pixels wide, people tell me there's a scrolly thing on the bottom of your window.
Yes- I have physically gone into the code for the template and performed radical surgery. I altered the banner to contain my "slogan" and made the content body big enough to support the default flickr photo size of 500 x 317.
And to think people pay money for HTML/ XML/ CSS courses! All you really need is 4+ hours, a pot of coffee, half a pack of smokes and a burning desire to post really good naked photos of your friends!
Close one- maybe next time!
Yes- I have physically gone into the code for the template and performed radical surgery. I altered the banner to contain my "slogan" and made the content body big enough to support the default flickr photo size of 500 x 317.
And to think people pay money for HTML/ XML/ CSS courses! All you really need is 4+ hours, a pot of coffee, half a pack of smokes and a burning desire to post really good naked photos of your friends!
Close one- maybe next time!
20.12.04
Casting call- waivers
*Public Service Announcement*
OK, my friends, now is the chance for you to grasp your fifteen minutes of fame (what little there is to be had from being on my blog).
You all know I have photos of you...or access to them :)
So- real names? Photos that protect your identity somewhat? Send text and links.
I am especially interested in people who appear frequently: Sabs, Yann, the Lesbian Crew, Anne, Kat, Sumi (BTW do you know someone in Manchester who would be reading the blog?), Jodi, Jenn...other peeps who I haven't written about (yet) as I don't know how you'd feel about being involved in this endeavor (DL, Hugo, Huggs, Flippy, Steph...ect).
And if anyone knows who this chick is on the left:
we had a very nice chat with her at Blizzarts but failed to close the deal. Please have her send email... or... she can quietly stalk me, whichever is kinkier.
*We now return you to the blog*
OK, my friends, now is the chance for you to grasp your fifteen minutes of fame (what little there is to be had from being on my blog).
You all know I have photos of you...or access to them :)
So- real names? Photos that protect your identity somewhat? Send text and links.
I am especially interested in people who appear frequently: Sabs, Yann, the Lesbian Crew, Anne, Kat, Sumi (BTW do you know someone in Manchester who would be reading the blog?), Jodi, Jenn...other peeps who I haven't written about (yet) as I don't know how you'd feel about being involved in this endeavor (DL, Hugo, Huggs, Flippy, Steph...ect).
And if anyone knows who this chick is on the left:
we had a very nice chat with her at Blizzarts but failed to close the deal. Please have her send email... or... she can quietly stalk me, whichever is kinkier.
*We now return you to the blog*
Are you in town, too?
Are you interesting? Have you escaped being batted about by the Saint John ugly stick? Are you not yet fat/married/a parent/boring?
Will you smoke in the bar even though there are laws against that kind of thing here?
You are not your own relative?
You think the Aquarius pub should be turned into a historic footnote and no one under the age of 40 should have the bad taste to go there.
Do you remember when Market Square had all the best clubs in it? Did you get in fights in the parking garage underneath?
Did you drive back to Quispamsis in some woman's car and have nasty sex with her in the front seat while parked at the Yacht club in late November? No? Did you tell her brother at the drydock where you both worked? No? Good.
Did you fall in love with a girl while holding her hand in the observation deck atop City Hall? Did you carve your names into the boardwalk? Did you spend hours at the library listening to their amazing David Bowie collection while reading Camus' journals?
Did you summer in St. Andrew's and have a crush on the daughter of the Raku potter? Did you dream of living in one of those weather beaten colonial homes?
Bury your first friend in high school- and felt that it couldn't get any worse. Wear a trench coat and your dad's tie and held your best friend in your arms as she wept like you've never seen anyone before or since.
Know then and there that you wanted to be buried on this same wet and foggy hill- beside the wind gnarled tree?
Are you home?
Will you smoke in the bar even though there are laws against that kind of thing here?
You are not your own relative?
You think the Aquarius pub should be turned into a historic footnote and no one under the age of 40 should have the bad taste to go there.
Do you remember when Market Square had all the best clubs in it? Did you get in fights in the parking garage underneath?
Did you drive back to Quispamsis in some woman's car and have nasty sex with her in the front seat while parked at the Yacht club in late November? No? Did you tell her brother at the drydock where you both worked? No? Good.
Did you fall in love with a girl while holding her hand in the observation deck atop City Hall? Did you carve your names into the boardwalk? Did you spend hours at the library listening to their amazing David Bowie collection while reading Camus' journals?
Did you summer in St. Andrew's and have a crush on the daughter of the Raku potter? Did you dream of living in one of those weather beaten colonial homes?
Bury your first friend in high school- and felt that it couldn't get any worse. Wear a trench coat and your dad's tie and held your best friend in your arms as she wept like you've never seen anyone before or since.
Know then and there that you wanted to be buried on this same wet and foggy hill- beside the wind gnarled tree?
Are you home?
Snow, and then; Fog
Yesterday Saint John was a brownish place- very little snow was on the ground and it was a pretty bleak day. Saint John is on the coast of the bay of Fundy, so it isn't right on the Atlantic ocean, we're at the mouth of the bay, so it's close, but it does provide the city with some interesting weather.
The sky is always huge- big clouds racing overhead in the winter crashing into the warmer air over the bay. When it isn't foggy. Right now the fog is making it impossible to see across the valley between West Saint John and Lancaster.
I love it!
So last night, 12 hours after I arrived it begins to snow. Large white flakes that will stay (hopefully) until Christmas.
My folks are thrilled to see me; I cooked lin·gui·ne for them last night with Alfredo sauce and managed to find a bakery that made a decent baguette. Coffee is always a problem- I should have brought my stove top espresso maker.
And most stores sell Dunhill cigarettes now- which I am glad of.
The sky is always huge- big clouds racing overhead in the winter crashing into the warmer air over the bay. When it isn't foggy. Right now the fog is making it impossible to see across the valley between West Saint John and Lancaster.
I love it!
So last night, 12 hours after I arrived it begins to snow. Large white flakes that will stay (hopefully) until Christmas.
My folks are thrilled to see me; I cooked lin·gui·ne for them last night with Alfredo sauce and managed to find a bakery that made a decent baguette. Coffee is always a problem- I should have brought my stove top espresso maker.
And most stores sell Dunhill cigarettes now- which I am glad of.
Back to the Past
Every trip home seems like a bit of a journey into my past- into my early twenties. The road back from Moncton to Saint John reminds me of my road trips to Halifax with Andrew Merzetti and the crew circa 1992. We'd go to comic book conventions and hang out in record stores with Dave Boyle.
So- here I am back in the city I grew up in and I know absolutely no one who lives here anymore. I'm not even that in touch with anyone who is coming back to visit for the holidays.
So- here I am back in the city I grew up in and I know absolutely no one who lives here anymore. I'm not even that in touch with anyone who is coming back to visit for the holidays.
The Cast- Turbo
Those of you who've been reading for a while and have yet to party with me might be interested to see some of the crazy cast- hence, I bring you Turbo!
And his self written Friendster caption: My sexy picture to pick up girls on the Internet. You will be next.
But just so you don't get the wrong impression and think he is NOT kidding:
"Me and my sister... The picture isn't very recent. I no longer tuck my shirt into my bathing suit."
And his self written Friendster caption: My sexy picture to pick up girls on the Internet. You will be next.
But just so you don't get the wrong impression and think he is NOT kidding:
"Me and my sister... The picture isn't very recent. I no longer tuck my shirt into my bathing suit."
18.12.04
Keywords for this week.
Not too funny- but I am amazed that someone actually searched the NAME of my blog! Guess those T-Shirts paid off...
#1 Google waking up in bliss
http://wakingupinbliss.blogspot.com/
#2 Google fucking you makes me bilingual
2004/10/black-and-blue-2004.html
#3 Google roadsworth
http://wakingupinbliss.blogspot.com/
#4 MSN lindsay tits
2004/12/what-lindsay-lohan-has-to-say.html
Leave it to MSN users to be surfing Lindsay Lohan porn to get a hit! Thanks, pervs!
#1 Google waking up in bliss
http://wakingupinbliss.blogspot.com/
#2 Google fucking you makes me bilingual
2004/10/black-and-blue-2004.html
#3 Google roadsworth
http://wakingupinbliss.blogspot.com/
#4 MSN lindsay tits
2004/12/what-lindsay-lohan-has-to-say.html
Leave it to MSN users to be surfing Lindsay Lohan porn to get a hit! Thanks, pervs!
Lazarus time.
In order to differentiate my real identity from my on-line persona I have officially changed my internet birthdate to today, 29 years ago.
Why 29? Who takes a crunk blog by a 16 year old seriously? Why not older- hmm- too close to home.
20-24? I should be blogging about university and shit, shouldn't I? Or being some sort of sign walker in SOCAL.
Why 29? Who takes a crunk blog by a 16 year old seriously? Why not older- hmm- too close to home.
20-24? I should be blogging about university and shit, shouldn't I? Or being some sort of sign walker in SOCAL.
16.12.04
Getting to the Heart of al-Qaida
Finally, a news story outlining what it is that al-Qaida's beefs are; that the Saudi Royal Family is a bunch of pro-western, secular, money-hungry tyrants and that they have let Saudi's suffer in poverty, and failed to take a leadership role in advancing the cause of all Arabs.
"The sins the regime committed are great ... it practiced injustices against the people, violating their rights, humiliating their pride," the speaker said. He accused the Saudi royal family of misspending public money while "millions of people are suffering from poverty and deprivation."
"The sins the regime committed are great ... it practiced injustices against the people, violating their rights, humiliating their pride," the speaker said. He accused the Saudi royal family of misspending public money while "millions of people are suffering from poverty and deprivation."
15.12.04
You think this is cold? Wait until February.
Really. I know you are trying to be informative et al, but -14.5 C is just the start.
How will you shock your far off readers when it is -40 C in the sun and 90 KPH cross winds whip through the downtown core, destroying sub-compact cars and morale?
There will be a day in early March when there will be no daylight and you will call into work sick and no one will be there to answer your call. The pipes on St. Laurent Street will all burst in sequence turning the plateau into some sort of crystalline theme park until June.
You will forego washing your hair unless you have time for it to be thouroughly dry before going out.
You will want to take a leak on your way home from the club but you are too afraid to expose any delicate flesh for fear of frost bite. Car tires will implode from the difference in air pressure. But that day is not yet upon us.
For now; get out there and get your Christmas lights up! And be jolly about it!
How will you shock your far off readers when it is -40 C in the sun and 90 KPH cross winds whip through the downtown core, destroying sub-compact cars and morale?
There will be a day in early March when there will be no daylight and you will call into work sick and no one will be there to answer your call. The pipes on St. Laurent Street will all burst in sequence turning the plateau into some sort of crystalline theme park until June.
You will forego washing your hair unless you have time for it to be thouroughly dry before going out.
You will want to take a leak on your way home from the club but you are too afraid to expose any delicate flesh for fear of frost bite. Car tires will implode from the difference in air pressure. But that day is not yet upon us.
For now; get out there and get your Christmas lights up! And be jolly about it!
What Lindsay Lohan has to say
And the world just gets weirder.
Like when you can have a major newswebsite email you whenever they run a story about an 18 year old singer/actor.
And your album cover looks exactly like the VHS packaging for a really bad late eighties porn. Think "Spank."
Like when you can have a major newswebsite email you whenever they run a story about an 18 year old singer/actor.
And your album cover looks exactly like the VHS packaging for a really bad late eighties porn. Think "Spank."
11.12.04
Street vandal or artist?
Ok- I am not the biggest fan of graffiti as "urban art" but I must say I was pleased to see the work of Roadsworth in my neighbourhood.
His "add-on" stencil paintings to the crosswalks and various other sidewalk structures made my day- every time I saw them.
But now the cops have nabbed him and he is looking at a hefty fine and/or some serious community service.
Zeke's Gallery has a petition going to have all charges dropped. Swing by and sign on if you feel that his work is a welcome addition to the Main.
10.12.04
Did you know?
...that the geography of Tasmania results in a climate so similar to that of pre-industrial England that it was once referred to as a Southern England?
Satelite image of Tasmania
Satelite image of Tasmania
9.12.04
Hello Kitty flashlight for Doom 3
See- if i didn't get G4 Tech TV on cable I would not have known about this.
Waking Up in Bliss- V3.0
Ok- so I had enough of the "Split Pea" template (God- it was dark, and green...)
Now that I have a handle on some of the HTML ect. I moved it over to a more reader friendly black(ish) text on light grey background.
Now, dear loyal readers (and I know that there are about 30 of you) what do you think? Or should I move back to the old look? Any suggestions from the blog-wise?
Now that I have a handle on some of the HTML ect. I moved it over to a more reader friendly black(ish) text on light grey background.
Now, dear loyal readers (and I know that there are about 30 of you) what do you think? Or should I move back to the old look? Any suggestions from the blog-wise?
My kitten is insane
I guess if i was a 5 month-old predator trapped in a Montreal 5 1/2 with nothing to hunt, yet all my genetic and instinctual background is screaming for me to attack and pounce whatever is moving, I might devise a way to trip a six foot tall, 180 pound man as he is turning away from the kitchen counter with a hot cup of coffee at seven in the morning.
It might even be good eating; who knows?
7.12.04
Why I'm Over Rock
I'd have to say it was the second white stripes album, Elephant. It was just so below the hype- so below the promise of White Blood Cells. I heard it and I wasn't amazed, excited- anything- I wasn't even that curious about the lyrics or listening for a catchy hook.
I didn't care.
So- whilst trudging my way through the blogsphere and I see people my age or older have gone to the trouble of linking to the new band de jour- well... I wince. No- more than that. Kind of more like a cringe.
I mean- I try to get it. I think I'm missing part of the cultural experience somewhere. Growing up in a small town on the East Coast I never got to see a lot of concerts- so I never developed an appreciation for the live concert. I mean- really- when your options are to go see Glass Tiger live about 10 minutes after their fifteen of fame are up- or sit at home and listen to the Dead Kennedy's on Brave New Waves- what would you choose?
Or maybe it was because I hated my teenage peer group. Yeah- I know- we all hated our teenage peer group. But I went beyond that- I hated everything they liked. I hated everything that was popular- AC/DC, Floyd, Led Zepplin, the fucking Doors-- "come ON."
I choose David Bowie, Billy Bragg, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground- which lead to Iggy Pop which begot the Dead Kennedy's followed closely by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Not your biggest touring bands, except when Bowie was whoring himself in the eighties- but all of them focus on the songwriting- their songs mean something. Or at least they have a story.
And if you were writing a book about the pure aesthetics of rock (has anyone done such a book?)you'd see these guys stand head and shoulders above the likes of Robert Plant and Angus(?) [Angus??? Really??? even when I was fourteen- I was all 'Give me a fuckin' break!!!!]
_____________________
So today's "new" band appears to be the Scissor Sisters- whom I know nothing about- so I downloaded their album today and gave her a whirl. Let's see...
Laura starts with a straight Beetles rip off (is it a cover? I never payed much attention to the Beetles, either...) then descends into being funky/flutey that sounds just like Jamiroquai.
It is, at best, inoffensive. Oh- and the song seems to be about being in a band.
They team up with the Bee Gees to do a cover of Comfortably Numb that made me want to vomit.
Mary might have been written by Bernie Taupin. And it was probably about a guy- really. Nice use of the soulful back up signers and the muted trumpet...NOT! Fall into your cliche now please.
Lovers in the Backseat is one of those songs that labels hate having on a record. At 3:19 it has a 39 second intro- so it will never get radio play- besides- it sounds like the Fixx on downers- lottsa them. At 2:37 in the song they almost pick the tempo up enough to wake me up- almost...I skip the last 3 seconds of the song.
Tits on the Radio probably started its life as an interesting concept. A down and dirty funk piece- good bass line. But that fucking Bee Gees back ground vocalist is killing it- and the chorus needs to be hopped up a bit to make this even danceable (note- has anything on this been danceable--no, not yet)
My WinAmp visualizations were more interesting than Filthy/Gorgeous. Really. Which one of these is the single?? Who decided to sign these guys?
Okay- Music is the Victim actually has guitar in it- for like, 34 seconds during the intro. Then the synth kicks in and overpowers it.
Track 12 seems to be the most self-conscious work of deconstructionism and marketing I've ever heard on a CD. I'll paraphrase:
"When you hear the screaming noise- you can start the US album over again- or you can listen to the 2 bonus UK tracks that sounds like Teisto got stuck inside someone's Duran Duran playlist and they were forced to procreate--oh-- and it sounds nothing like our label has made us into for our US debut...we are ashamed as well- please come see us tour and buy a cap. We owe our dealer lots of green- and our hairdressers, too. Insert screaming noise here."
Someone hand me the ice pick- I need an emergency lobotomy in order to listen to this.
A couple of questions- why are these guys ALL OVER THE PLACE, musically? Is this a tribute album to their favorite music of the past 40+ years or a debut album? Are any of them musicians or is this a concept band with lots of dancing and role playing? (the dangerous one, the one you'd bring home to mom, ect?) Or are they just being over-managed? Over produced? Over marketed?
Comments appreciated...
I didn't care.
So- whilst trudging my way through the blogsphere and I see people my age or older have gone to the trouble of linking to the new band de jour- well... I wince. No- more than that. Kind of more like a cringe.
I mean- I try to get it. I think I'm missing part of the cultural experience somewhere. Growing up in a small town on the East Coast I never got to see a lot of concerts- so I never developed an appreciation for the live concert. I mean- really- when your options are to go see Glass Tiger live about 10 minutes after their fifteen of fame are up- or sit at home and listen to the Dead Kennedy's on Brave New Waves- what would you choose?
Or maybe it was because I hated my teenage peer group. Yeah- I know- we all hated our teenage peer group. But I went beyond that- I hated everything they liked. I hated everything that was popular- AC/DC, Floyd, Led Zepplin, the fucking Doors-- "come ON."
I choose David Bowie, Billy Bragg, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground- which lead to Iggy Pop which begot the Dead Kennedy's followed closely by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Not your biggest touring bands, except when Bowie was whoring himself in the eighties- but all of them focus on the songwriting- their songs mean something. Or at least they have a story.
And if you were writing a book about the pure aesthetics of rock (has anyone done such a book?)you'd see these guys stand head and shoulders above the likes of Robert Plant and Angus(?) [Angus??? Really??? even when I was fourteen- I was all 'Give me a fuckin' break!!!!]
_____________________
So today's "new" band appears to be the Scissor Sisters- whom I know nothing about- so I downloaded their album today and gave her a whirl. Let's see...
Laura starts with a straight Beetles rip off (is it a cover? I never payed much attention to the Beetles, either...) then descends into being funky/flutey that sounds just like Jamiroquai.
It is, at best, inoffensive. Oh- and the song seems to be about being in a band.
They team up with the Bee Gees to do a cover of Comfortably Numb that made me want to vomit.
Mary might have been written by Bernie Taupin. And it was probably about a guy- really. Nice use of the soulful back up signers and the muted trumpet...NOT! Fall into your cliche now please.
Lovers in the Backseat is one of those songs that labels hate having on a record. At 3:19 it has a 39 second intro- so it will never get radio play- besides- it sounds like the Fixx on downers- lottsa them. At 2:37 in the song they almost pick the tempo up enough to wake me up- almost...I skip the last 3 seconds of the song.
Tits on the Radio probably started its life as an interesting concept. A down and dirty funk piece- good bass line. But that fucking Bee Gees back ground vocalist is killing it- and the chorus needs to be hopped up a bit to make this even danceable (note- has anything on this been danceable--no, not yet)
My WinAmp visualizations were more interesting than Filthy/Gorgeous. Really. Which one of these is the single?? Who decided to sign these guys?
Okay- Music is the Victim actually has guitar in it- for like, 34 seconds during the intro. Then the synth kicks in and overpowers it.
Track 12 seems to be the most self-conscious work of deconstructionism and marketing I've ever heard on a CD. I'll paraphrase:
"When you hear the screaming noise- you can start the US album over again- or you can listen to the 2 bonus UK tracks that sounds like Teisto got stuck inside someone's Duran Duran playlist and they were forced to procreate--oh-- and it sounds nothing like our label has made us into for our US debut...we are ashamed as well- please come see us tour and buy a cap. We owe our dealer lots of green- and our hairdressers, too. Insert screaming noise here."
Someone hand me the ice pick- I need an emergency lobotomy in order to listen to this.
A couple of questions- why are these guys ALL OVER THE PLACE, musically? Is this a tribute album to their favorite music of the past 40+ years or a debut album? Are any of them musicians or is this a concept band with lots of dancing and role playing? (the dangerous one, the one you'd bring home to mom, ect?) Or are they just being over-managed? Over produced? Over marketed?
Comments appreciated...
3.12.04
AnnaWorld: *whew*
Wow- poor kid! She just put up her blog and hit the "next blog button" and ended up on my site...
Hope her parents weren't in the room!
About Me
I'm 16, love Jesus, love life, love blogs, love rain, love candy, love pringles, and so much more....
Hope her parents weren't in the room!
About Me
I'm 16, love Jesus, love life, love blogs, love rain, love candy, love pringles, and so much more....
Saturday
Hey- happy 21st birthday! Have a good one, Anne!
[google image search- spanking 21st...safe search off :) ]
[google image search- spanking 21st...safe search off :) ]
2.12.04
Thursday TV nightmare
So- Survivor is on...uh- no.
And being that I am neither a high school hunk/bad boy, nor want to relive said experiences I won't watch the OC.
TVA has a gush piece on that new movie with that chick from Amélie or whatever it was called: A Very Long Engagement
(I love the way Parisian/French women talk, with the whole mouth and neck- vs. the Quebecois mouth and nose)
NBC is showing Joey, which is, surprisingly, still on the air- I wonder why or how...
oh, wait- I think I know why...
(ever notice that sitcoms that are set in New York rarely have external street shots while ones based in LA are rife with them?)
The CBC is fighting off this deluge of cultureless dreck with what I thought was an opera...but no- it's a show about an opera- which is like trying to describe sex with math...
So- I give up- I'm going to get high and go to Parking for Overdose.
And being that I am neither a high school hunk/bad boy, nor want to relive said experiences I won't watch the OC.
TVA has a gush piece on that new movie with that chick from Amélie or whatever it was called: A Very Long Engagement
(I love the way Parisian/French women talk, with the whole mouth and neck- vs. the Quebecois mouth and nose)
NBC is showing Joey, which is, surprisingly, still on the air- I wonder why or how...
oh, wait- I think I know why...
(ever notice that sitcoms that are set in New York rarely have external street shots while ones based in LA are rife with them?)
The CBC is fighting off this deluge of cultureless dreck with what I thought was an opera...but no- it's a show about an opera- which is like trying to describe sex with math...
So- I give up- I'm going to get high and go to Parking for Overdose.
Best Song Ever
Straight Ahead by King Brain Presents Tube & Berger Featuring Chrissie Hynde
Gimme a few minutes to set up an audioblog link...
Gimme a few minutes to set up an audioblog link...
1.12.04
Hand it to the Ausies
"In the 2001 Australian Census 15.5% of respondents ticked 'no religion' and a further 11.7% either did not state their religion or were deemed to have described it inadequately (there was a popular campaign at the time to have people describe themselves as Jedi)."
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