is often used for the purpose

We’ve reviewed µMonitor and determined that we cannot post this version of your application to the App Store at this time because this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third party rights. We have chosen to not publish this type of application to the App Store,” Apple wrote to the developer after a 4 month review process.

And this is what I'm going to tell the government: We have reviewed your request for the payment of taxes and we cannot pay your tax at this time because this kind of money is often used for the purpose of buying weapons and attacking other countries. We have chosen not to pay this tax.

Walk like an Egyptian, Smell like an Indian

I can't really walk like an Egyptian but I can smell like an Indian...

Of course you've felt the way other people, other races, other cultures smell different than your own. You seldom say it because it can be perceived as a racist comment. Some people try to justify it by saying that it's food that makes them smell different. Them is in italics of course because I'm sure they (whoever they are) think that we (whoever we are) smell funny.

Anyway, guess what? It's true! I've just spent 3 days in paradise-like Mauritius Island and I smell like an Indian. Every trip is to be enjoyed with all the senses and so, every trip is also a gastronomic experience.

During these 3 days and despite the many and harsh complaints from my agonizing liver, I have tried the most local dishes I could. It was not easy because I spent most of my time in Sofitel and their cuisine is very international but I sort of managed. And when I say I sort of managed I mean that I smell like an Indian... Or at least my sweat does ;)

Eew, why do you have to write about sweat smell???? - you may be saying.

Well, didn't I say every trip is to be enjoyed with all the senses?

Open letter to the shareholders of major record labels

Dear Shareholder,

I'd like to dare you to do a stupid test. I know that regularly you have to listen to the top executives of the record label of which you hold some stock. I think I have a fairly good idea of what they tell you every year when you see the poor results they make.

"This is all because of piracy and the internet. But we are close to a breakthru, more and more countries are passing 3 strikes laws and this will finally deter piracy and bring our numbers up again". - I'm sure you've been hearing this kind of crap for ages.

Next time you hear this nonsense, I'd like you to ask for proof. Serious proof. There the test is done. I'm sure none will be provided and they will try to adjourn by promising proof for next year. Don't let them!!! When you hear that kind of speech, I'd like you to answer something senseful, something like:

"Cut the crap, you moronic, lying piece of corporate shit. Go find a real commercial strategy to boost your sales instead of whining about your poor sales being someone else's fault (everybody else actually)".

Until you do, I will not buy one single record. I will not download either, I will only go to live performances where it is guaranteed that the big share goes to the artist.

Yours truly,

Marcel, a customer

BitTorrent is the new radio

When I was a teenager I used to listen to the radio with my finger on the REC button. A lot of other teenagers did the same. That didn't kill the record industry. Especially because now, as an adult who earns his own money, I have bought many of those records.

I wasn't interested in corporate whining at that time but I'm sure the major record labels had already started saying that cassette recorders would kill the creative process. And by "creative process" they mean their profits. In case you were thinking of some artist starving because you have recorded his songs in a cassette, wake up! Big record labels don't give a shit about that...

I think that BitTorrent today is fulfilling that role. There is, of course, a big difference between that time and today: radios pay for the rights of passing this or that music (Don't they?) whilst BitTorrent file hosters don't. But the result is the same, those teenagers will buy the records when they become adults and more importantly, they go to concerts!!

Anyway, that's my 2cents.

My poor beloved country

Been to Argentina over Christmas. My beloved country. My beloved family and friends. That's were it stops.

How is it that my people always find a way to mess it up. I guess everyone's heard about the big economic crash of 2002. Yes, everybody did because people around here keep asking me "Ça va mieux là-bas?" as soon as they learn I come from Argentina. Well, since then the country has been getting slowly out of the mess it was. Economy is getting better, there's jobs and all sorts of stuff to buy in the shops.

The thing is, some smart asses have realized that small shops need coins to operate, simply because they sell small stuff. And as the Argentinean mind is always ready to find a trick to make money out of thin air (meaning somebody else's thin air), there is this bunch of people that decided it was a good idea to hoard coins and then sell them in the black market. Thus creating an unreal exchange rate between Argentine Peso and Argentine Peso. A coin is worthier than a bill and they sell 87 pesos of coins for 100 pesos. Can you bloody believe it?

The result of course is that everyone else loses. Taxi drivers even round down the final amount so as not to have to give you coins (because they don't have them!!). The Banco Central keeps minting coins to feed the market and they keep disappearing. Prime suspects are banks (yes, f***ing bastard banks that took our money from us back in 2002) and bus companies (bus is paid in coins, there's no other way). Actually, some time before I arrived they had discovered that a certain bank or bus company (can't remember which) was hoarding 40 barrels (yes, 40!) of coins. When will we all learn!?!?

Over and out.

Dialogue

I was there, your were around
She introduced us
You talked, I listened
I talked, you listened
You left, I left

I miss you already.

Hey Bulldog!

Some kind of happinness is measured out in miles
What makes you think you're
something special when you smile

Hey Bulldog - The Beatles

Yes. It is. I frequently check my mileage status, it's like wealth to me. I'm like Scrooge McDuck counting his pennies every day.
But there's something else, something deeper. I'm pretty sure my happiness will someday be measured in miles. Miles spent. Not the airline miles but miles spent travelling on my motorcycle.
I've made up my mind and my happiness will be measured in miles around the world. The date is June 2011, the first day of the month, maybe before if all goes well. That day I will be leaving my appartment with nothing but clothes for a week, my camera, my computer and my motorbike. I'll take some money with me so as not to starve on the way to happiness.
From that day and for at least one year I have decided I will tour the world. I'm still planning for it and haven't decided much but I've made my backward planning and set my critical path.
Not many things are clear yet. Big bike or small bike? China or not China? Apparently it's quite difficult to enter with a foreign vehicle. Full world, only Eurasia, Eurasia and back on a different route? Long stays, short stays? One year or rest of my life?
Such are the questions that keep me busy when the job doesn't, which is most of the time.