Random quote from philosophy yesterday:
(note: this was in the course of a discussion about Plato's idea of Forms, the ideal essences of things)

Guy: "But if you cut up a cat into pieces, it's still a cat."
*various gasps and whimpers etc. from the class*
some other guy: "I don't know what they teach you in Europe. ...but we don't cut up cats here."

..ok, maybe you had to be there...*laugh*

 
...and now for something completely different...
..that's..just...*odd*. o_O

..oh, that reminds me! ..hehe...been d/n'ing random U2 stuff off New Media, right? ...got a few new Mackie phone calls...and during one? The audience starts singing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". I've nooo idea why. *mad giggles* (It's the one from the Sept. 5, '93 gig in Rotterdam, Holland. ..*think* that's the date..unless it's in American-style dates, in which case it's May 9...*shrug* *g*) (Oh, but Bono claims to be 5'8" in this, as well. ..if this's true, hurray! he *is* taller'n me! *G*) (He also intros Edge as "Reggie the dog"..."quite a singer, Larry Mullen Junior"..."and the only soul-boogie brother in the band, Adam Clayton Campbell"... ...ooog..*shudder* at that last one...o_O;;; )

 
On the DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, for Africa..and also Democracy, Accountablility, and Transparancy) website, there's a spot where you can quickly, easily, and painlessly e-mail the president, your senators and representatives on behalf of DATA and Africa in general. Please go. Only took me like, a minute or two.
(The page for more info on DATA is here.)

 
Bono-quotes from the show:

"Celebrity is a bit silly. But it is currency, and you want to spend it well."

"[Being raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother in Ireland:] It taught me to sometimes be suspicious of religion. I'm a believer, but religion is the thing when God, like Elvis, has left the building. But when God is in the house, you get something else. I'm happy in a Catholic cathedral or a tent show down in the South with gospel music."

Oprah: When you're up on the stage, does it feel like home to you?
Bono: It's a strange thing to need 20,000 people screaming your name to feel normal. But that's probably the truth [for me], in an odd way. I do feel completely myself when I'm in the songs. It feels very easy for me, and other aspects of being a rock 'n' roll star are a lot more difficult for me.

Bono: I live a fairly "under the radar" life in Ireland.
Oprah: So you can just pop into the pub, and it's no big deal?
Bono: Well, depending on the pub! In Ireland, people have an interesting attitude toward success—they look down on it. In America, you look at the mansion on the hill and think, 'One day that will be me.' In Ireland, people say, 'One day, I'm going to get that bastard!'

"People thought that having children would chill me out. It made me angrier. You think about the world they are inheriting and the way things are, and it makes me angry. When I saw my child being born, you have a feeling you would do anything to protect that life. It's a dangerous feeling, but one you can put to use by getting politically active and not lying down. "

...Chris Tucker and Sec. of the Treasury O'Neill also showed up on the show, talking about the trip to Africa..
Secretary O'Neill: It was a great treat to travel with someone who cares as deeply as [Bono] does, and to use his celebrity to show the world problems that everyone should be aware of so we can work on them more diligently.

"America is not just a place. It's an idea..."

"You won't have to fight as many wars [like this one] if you get this one right. I promise."
..and he was completely serious as he said that. And I think he's right.

..for pics and clips, head over here on Oprah's site.
WAAAAUGH!!!! ...darnit....anyone get the Oxygen channel?!?!?! There's an Oprah "After the Show" thing, which Bono's also on!!!! ..but I don't get the channel... ;_;
Ah well. Have had my fix for the day. yaaaaayyyy Bono!!!!! ^_^

 
*is blissfully watching Bono on Oprah*

...he's an amazing person...incredible...
*smile*
...and this's mostly focusing on Africa, the situation there...(they showed some clips from the mtv-thing..Ananda got very pissed..said it's to air Oct. 9th now..I'm like, Oct. 9, hell, was *supposed* to be on two days ago--! >_<# )..but this's awesome. Oprah mentioned they have an audience of someplace around 10 million...
..and now, they all know. That a third of the people in these cities have a death sentance on their heads, there's an entire middle generation on that continent that's going to die. That every five days, the poorest countries in the world pay the rich countries $200 million dollars - as much as got raised at Live Aid. Every five days. That we *have* the drugs to keep these people alive, but we're not giving them access to those drugs. That 12 million people *will die* this year, needlessly.
A holocaust every day.

...Bono, I love you...*smile*


AHHHH!!!! And Josh just told me, he'd hit a garage sale back home, they had tons of records, inc. ALL of U2's!
and?!
..he said they were really cheap, so--
He got them *all* for me!!!!!!
*bouncing about screaming* Ahhh!!!!! ...said he's going home this weekend, he'll bring them back for me!

..there's not much could happen that'd make this day much better. ^_^

 
One last quick thing. Then I promise I'll get off and try to get some sleep. *g*

Bono's on Oprah today!!!!!!! ^_^
..check yer local listings for time and channel...channel 4 @ 4pm for me here (which means as long's I hurry back from philosophy, I'm good *g*), but I know it'll be different for the rest of the planet. Should be *very*, very good tho, from what I've read.

Dream Out Loud just *might* get mentioned, too - let's hope so! ^_^

 
..as we sit here talking to rock stars in their underwear...
(^quasi-quoting old U2 interview..where Bono was the described *g*)

...thing is, happy as I am that I've *done* something, I'm *doing* something, something *real*, for maybe the first time...
I finally was able to d/n and watch U2's "Gloria" vid. ..great fun, little-U2's adorable, and I love Bono's spastic, uh, dancing? *laugh*
But it's an amazing song, I'd not heard it in awhile..and to watch them performing it, the notes soaring into the sky.....I can't even imagine how that must feel, to do something like that...
...and...
...Bono got to the line "Oh Lord, if I had anything, anything at all, I give it to you..."
And for one thing..this was a music video. That got airplay. So'd the song. ...that's a strong thing to say, and manage to get airplay. Awesome.
...but the thought that *really* stuck in my mind...close-up on Bono at that line. And he was smiling...
...
...and I can't even *sing* that line, not yet...

...*wry grin*..I've a ways to go still, before I can be content with myself...not that I ever will be, but..."trying, maybe failing, but at least trying..." (intro to "I Fall Down")

"I can't even change myself, so change me...rejoice." (re-working of "Rejoice" lyric)

 
Oh. Wait. She's on Stories 4 Boys. ...ok, so it's not entirely random..but still, that's just cool. ^_^

 
*squee!* And a second random person found my website!!!! And loves my wallpapers!!!!!!
*laughing happily*
...ahhh.....
...law of undulation, guys. ^_^

 
*laugh* So much for hw! ..after classes, got dinner, hung about on the cpu, d/n'ing things and checking up on Dream Out Loud and Stories 4 Boys, talked to my sister, wrote up a letter for Amnesty...8-9.30 or so was my Amnesty meeting, talked to the president afterwards for a minute about Dream Out Loud, she thought it a great idea, said we can set up a whole meeting to just talk about the problems in Africa, and then set up carpools and stuff to go! *squeal of delight* Also talked to a guy there who seems to've been to a number of protests, he wrote down the date, I promised to get him the address for the site (couldn't remember it ^^; ) and told them both I'd bring in more info as soon as I got it...got back here, did e-mail and blogs and things, wrote to Megs, who, thankfully, is out of he hospital..they know how to deal with the problem now, so she'll be alright...*relieved smile*...spent about an hour on an e-mail to her...again checked Dream Out Loud and Stories 4 Boys...wrote a second e-mail to the girl organising DoL in Buffalo, asking for any info she can give me, so I can pass it on here...read some more of the back-info on DoL's site......ahhhh....
I'm so impossibly psyched about this. This is incredible, I'm getting people involved! ...the Amnesty people here'll do it...and from there, we can spread it around campus...my God.....
I'm finally making a difference.
*beams*

(Ok, so another fifty college students maybe won't quite change the world...but y'know what? it's a start. it'll help. ...the smallest snowball can turn into an avalanche. ...uhh, not that that's the best metaphor for all this, but--! *laugh* ...look, I'm dead tired...leave me be. *g*)

 
Laur, esp., check this out! ..I hadn't known about this - a bunch of Christian bands, Jars of Clay included, had a 3-minute Bono-spot in their shows over the summer. There's a link on the site to a streaming realvideo of the Bono-bit...
(Vaguely confused as to why I didn't hear about this before, but..*g*)

 



Take the "What kind of cone are you?" Test

created by sami


Yay blue. ^_^

 
Just got the "Electrical Storm" vid. Thank God for New Media!!! w007! ^_^
...I was able to truthfully say that Larry almost made me late for class this morning. *G*

...it's...different than I'd expected, all b&w...directed by Anton Corbijn (even had it not said so, I coulda been able to tell you that - he does some *gorgeous* videos, and this's one). Larry = gorgeous. Like...just....*maaan*......*G* ..and we're annoyed by the mermaid girl, and I think I'm far too happy when I see Lar backing away from her and stuff (hehe), but, uh...*laugh*
It *is*, as u2.com says, "Larry Mullen as you've *never* seen him". ^_~

(New Media = U2-only file sharing system...available on interference.)

 
...I just told my roommate some of those stats. "Oh my God...," her eyes wide in disbelief.
She'd known *nothing* of any of this. Nothing against her at all. Most people *don't*. Hell, *I* didn't, I *wouldn't* if it wasn't for Bono.
Anyone knockin' him, crying, oh, it's just a celebrity guilt-trip, he's doing this cos it looks good...
Shut the *hell* up.
..he's doing it cos he *knows* he can raise awareness of this. And that awareness *needs* to be there, so people get pissed and upset..
..and *do* something.

*This* is why I'm so pissed at mtv - showing this would've helped, *so* much..

I'm going to Buffalo November 12.

 
Remarks by Bono addressing the Closing Ceremony of the African Development Bank meetings, May 29th 2002 [things bolded for emphasis by Ananda]:

This is where it all started for me. Seventeen years ago, I came to Ethiopia on a wave of tears and compassion, flowing from the rich countries to the poor from soccer stadiums taken over by musicians [Live Aid] to refugee camps [where Bono and Ali stayed to help for awhile] taken over by the starving war weary people of Ethiopia.

The brilliant Bob Geldof taught me then the importance of being focused, angry, persistent.

We raised 200 million dollars, and we thought we'd cracked it. It was a great moment, it was a great feeling. Then I discovered that Africa pays 200 million dollars every five days repaying old debts. Can I repeat that, 200 million dollars every five days. Tears were obviously not enough.

We discovered what you here today already knew. That a lot of the problems facing the developing world are structural… deeply embedded in a dysfunctional relationship with the developed world that's been so wrong for so long. This relationship has bred conflict and corruption. From the emasculation of the slave trade to unfair trade, from physical bondage to economic bondage, from the white man's burden to the black man's ---- burden. And, the new colonialism of structural adjustment.

I was so encouraged on the second day of this trip to hear Secretary O' Neil say to President Kufuor that he had come to Africa to hear from African's about African's needs. He knows like you know that Africa's problems cannot be solved by charity - or by prescriptions written in Washington.

Countries like Uganda and Ethiopia, which have been coming out of conflict and are now tackling corruption - these countries deserve a new kind of relationship. Partnership.

The problems are complex, nobody denies that, we've seen it with our own eyes.

But there are a few big decisions that we simply can't wait on any longer - Three million people in this beautiful country are walking around with the death sentence of HIV on their heads. That's as many people as live in my home country of Ireland. The AIDS epidemic is acting as the wake up call for all of us around the world, to put excuses and old attitudes behind us.

So what can we do?

First, it is not acceptable that these countries are still servicing old debts. It is not acceptable that Ethiopia, where 62 per cent of adults cannot read, where one million children are orphans, is paying 100 million dollars a year to us - this is not acceptable on any level, anywhere, anyhow.

Second of course we are looking for an increase in aid, of course we are - call it transitional money if you will, seed money if you want to… to re-ignite their economic engines - their people actually.

We need to put billions more in, and we must see it for what it is: value for money, smart money for the United States and Europe, because of the chaos that will ensue if we don't will cost us a lot more in the long run. Look what happened when we abandoned Afghanistan.

It's a painful transition that Ethiopia is making… and its people feel it the most. This transition puts pressure on government. We can't afford to lose good leadership, we have to support it. We have been all too eager in the past to support bad leadership, leaving the poor to pay the price.

When aid works, it really works. The Secretary and I have seen some of the results, at national, local and community levels.

Money is not going down a rat hole as a few people have said in London and Washington. It is more likely to be going down a waterhole - - Saving children from dying of diarrhoea, guinea worm, water borne killers.

It's an investment. It's an investment we can't afford not to make, in the most valuable resource of all - people. But as the new African leadership knows, aid by itself is not the answer.

Because, thirdly, I'm sounding like a banker now, did you hear that the firstly, secondly and thirdly….these countries need to be allowed to trade fairly. Not free trade, fair trade.

You know, I have that picture in the back of my head, when Ronald Regan in Berlin with his great line "Tear down this wall". Do you remember that? President Meles Zenawi faces a higher wall, a wall built of tariffs, quotas, of subsidies. Mr Secretary - tear down this wall.

Look, I'm here to represent what we are calling the DATA agenda - stopping the crises of debt, AIDS and trade in Africa. The acronym works two ways - because in return, African leaders must heed the calls of their own people for D for democracy, A for accountability, and T for transparency.

Prime Minister Zenawi, you must respond to civil society if we are to begin a new relationship and a new partnership.

It's the beginning of the twenty first century for God's sake. We have to put the past behind us. It's just that time.

It was bold and daring and imaginative of the Secretary of the US treasury to ask me and my DATA colleagues on board. This trip has raised hopes. It would be scandalous to raise hope without delivery.

The Secretary knows about delivering results. Measurable results. What's the result of this trip? Well we'll have to see. He has got to go back to his President and Congress and in that sense he's a messenger for the people he has met and been so moved by. People like Agnes in Kampala who is soon to die of AIDS leaving a family of six orphans. Iris, helping the poorest women in Soweto with access to micro credit so they can build a roof over their heads. Mabel, an extraordinary spirit that we met on the streets of Uganda.

And let me tell you about Jonah. This is a man we met in Soweto, an extraordinary looking young man, striking and fit. Five years ago he weighed half his body weight.Five yeas ago had TB, and scars all over his body from scratching terrible skin rash.He managed to get onto a Medicine sans Frontiers programme and his life has been transformed by anti-retrovirals. We were excited, he was excited. He told us that his wife had died of AIDS, leaving him with two children. That made him feel even gladder to be alive. We were excited again. Then he told us that his present love was also HIV positive. She is not part of the Medicine sans Frontiers programme.

So here was Jonah's dilemma. He said he could share his drugs with her and that they both die slow. Or he could give his drugs to her knowing that his children would lose their other parent to AIDS. Or he said, I can keep the drugs and lose the woman I love. That's a decision that no civilised world should ask Jonah to make, in my opinion.

I would like to tell you more about this extraordinary man I've been travelling with. Secretary O' Neil is not just a suit and tie - he has a heart and a head for these problems. In my opinion he is the right man for the job. He is God's messenger. But this is the man who would ask God for measurable results…. Who will ask God for measurable results! And I think that he is right.

I've been watching him - He learns by questioning every accepted fact, to work out how we get results, results, results. But what are the results of inaction? Do we raise hopes just to dash them?

In the last ten days while we've been on this trip, in Sub Saharan Africa:

- 55,000 people have died from AIDS
- $400 million have been spent by Africans on debt payments - much of this to the IMF and WB.
- 14,000 mothers have given HIV to their children, in childbirth.

Can you believe that? I can't believe that. It's insanity.

On a brighter note, and there is much to be excited about, those same people, Mabel, Agnes, Iris, Jonah were all striking not for their tragic circumstances but for their peculiarly African indomitable spirit.

Africa, a shining dizzying continent of possibilities.
Africa, a landscape like no other.
Africa, a map of bewildering and beguiling contradictions.
Africa, a maze of smart dignified noble people.
Africa, we'll get out of your way - take over.
Africa, this is your century.
Africa, let's not wait to the end of the century.

 
Ok, now it's *MY* turn to be pissed.

THEY BUMPED BONO, *AGAIN*.
>_<#!

..and for what?
"Who killed Tupac?"

WHO THE FUCK CARES!?!?!?!?

No, ok, I admit, some people do, I'm sure...but the whole thing was just ambiguous crap, cos no-one really knows anyway, there's just a new theory!
And they bump Bono's expose on Africa for *that*?!
..I ran to mtv's website, to check what the hell was going on?!
..and I checked the area for the Diary show, said it always airs Wednesdays at 10.30. Bono's ep. was tonight.
..checked the main tv listing area? ..said it was on at 6.30!?!?! wtf?!!?!?!?

...mtv's gettin' at least *one* irate e-mail tonight...

I'm so pissed...and not just for myself, because I've been looking forward to this for months now - it was supposed to air in August, they bumped it back, *now* it looks like it won't be on again 'til October!
Bono made this trip in the summer.
..but what's really pissing me off...they put on a show that really, said *nothing*, just re-hashed old news and re-opened old wounds. In place of something *important*. The situation in Africa just keeps getting worse the longer we hold off on it..and there's been some done, but not nearly enough. ..I can't spout numbers off the top of my head yet, but between what I've read on the Dream Out Loud message board, and what I just found on u2.com, reading thru Bono's stuff, work with Africa and all...
Here. I'll put it up here when I'm done with this entry...

..damnit! ...and they *rub it in my face*, "Beautiful Day" is in the background on this crap show on now...

 
*phew!!!*
..dude...next time I complain that my life's too boring, nothing interesting ever happens to me?

...remind me that I like it that way.

...my roomate just got IMed by her ex-b/f's fiancee, who's pregnant now...she'd been talking to said ex-b/f last night, he was saying that he really didn't want to get married, all this stuff...and tonight, his fiancee's all bitching poor Jacquie out, like, "you can't talk to him anymore, you little *****", all this crap...

...Jacquie dated this guy in 8th, 9th grade. They've been pretty good friends since, but that's it. ...this girl's just scared, I think...and is lashing out at anyone she can.

*sigh* ...Matantis, I apologise for my gender as a whole...we're not *all* bad, I promise you...but there *are* a lot of bad ones out there...and they're the ones that end up with the guys, I don't know why...

Meanwhile, on a happier note, been illustrating "Electrical Storm" for art class (focus on rhythm!!!! w007!!!!!! *way too huge of a grin*)
And half an--oo, score, not even! Like, fifteen minutes 'til Bono's on!!! ^_^
(He showed up in one of my dreams last night...War era or so, maybe October...singing on a stage, I was so close, he was shirtless for some reason... Then my stupid alarm went off, so shut up. XP *laugh*

 
Don't forget, everyone:
Bono's on mtv at 10.30pm (eastern *g*) tomorrow - "Diary" special...his trip to Africa over the summer. ..just watched the ad for it on the site...wow.
Bono rocks. *smile*

 
Urge Bush to Human Support Rights in Colombia when meeting with President Uribe - "Colombia's worsening internal armed conflict affects virtually every part of the country and has taken the lives of more than 60,000 people since 1985 - currently around 20 people every day..."

Help Dr. Wan Yanhai, Chinese AIDS Activist

Urge Your Representatives to Cosponsor H. Con. Res. 351 - "House Congressional Resolution 351 condemns the practice of death by stoning as well as other acts that constitute torture and unfairly discriminate against women..."

 
Ok. Anyone with music-downloading abilities, go find and get "Eden", by "To Destination". (You can also run a search for yami no matsuei audio - this's the opening song from that.) It's *awesome*... lyrics (and english translation) here.
..I've been totally addicted to this song (and other music from Yami no Matsuei) for like, the last two days...listened to this song a thousand times, and am still capticated by it. ^_^

 
Check over to the U2 blog to see all the latest - and there's a good bit of it! ^_^
..Propaganda *finally* on its way...vid in rotation...Bono on tv this week...Bono writing an essay to be in a book...Bono makes fun of Sting...*evil, evil laugh*

(If the site's not working, give it a bit..should be back soon. Hit refresh a few times..

 
*feels warm and fuzzy*
There're already people there!!!! ^_^ ..and I just set it up like, maybe an hour ago.
^_^