Piss Ant

2002-10-20T04:53:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last blogged...interesting how time flies when your not having fun. Oh well! Right now for those that don't know...I'm in Russia...Moscow to be exact. Yeah funny how I've been sent to all these post-communist countries...they are so different compared to eachother....either within people's mentalities...their living standards...social lives...business...etc. But to tell you the truth...I don't think I will be returning to any of these countires...except for the city of Prague. Anyways...Moscow is a great city...completely different to what I would have expected. I mean all I knew about Russia were from the books, stories and movies hollywood portrayed about the country. You know...the red star...and the power of the hammer & sickel...that was the extent of my knowledge on Russia. Yet as soon as you enter the city (past airport and customs) you are amazed by the structures it has. For example, back in the day of Stalin...you know pre 1950...the communist baron (Stalin) wanted to show Russia's power and growth just like that of U.S of A...and what he felt was the best resemblance was by creating skyscrapers like those in America. So he had a total of seven buildings to be made towering over the city of Moscow as his OWN skyscrapers...man did this ever show that the man was nuts. First off all seven buildings...called the "Seven Sisters" look almost identical. Secondly...well they aren't really skyscrapers...their more like really large modern castles...I mean I went to visit one...which has now been turned into a hotel...called Ukraina Hotel...and we got to go to the top of the building and well it's cool....but not as magnificent as going to the top of the Empire State Building or Sears Tower. So anyways...it is still pretty amazing at the structures that are now being developed in this post-communist country. For those of you who want to visit Moscow...I would suggest during the spring or Fall terms...because right now it has already begun to snow and soon it will hit -25C which means my buttocks will be staying inside most of the time. Oh guess what...there's another thing that is completely absurd about this country...oh yeah...you know the negative connotations about mafia...red tape...corruption....etc. Well it's still all around...but not as obvious as Hollywood states. But for foreigners...you better watch out... especially those that LOOK like foreigners...the cops will stop you and ask for your passport. Actually let me explain first what this is all about...here in Russia the first thing you must do when you enter the country in the first 3 days is register yourself either at the airport...registration office of Moscow or at the location you are staying (most hotels will register you). However not everyone will register you because they do not want to pay taxes on you...so for example if you are coming on business...make sure your company pays for your registration...or make sure the hotel registers you...or that hte friend you are visiting finds a way to register you. Or else...well the cops will stop you and ask you for your passport...and if your passport does not have a registration stamp on...well your pretty much *!@&% because now they can do anything they want to you. And what else do corrupt cops want...well rather than 'supposedly' taking you in to the police station....they make you follow them a few blocks away from the crowds and people so that you can bribe them...or more so that they can rob you...in most cases you can pay them off with a couple of dollars...but now they are getting more and mroe greedy and the last group that stopped me I had to pay them off 30 bucks EACH! I mean come on...I could have gone to the police station and paid 8 rubles which is about 25cents or so to pay the penalty. But the cops will never EVER take you there...they will walk you around in circles until you pay them or they leave you limping. This has happened to me more than once...so it's not like it only happens every blue moon....'nope' for me...it happens maybe once or twice a week...but most of the time now I show them my CALI license and say "NIET PASSPORT" .... "NIET RUSKI"....."AMERICAN EMBASSY"....you take me....and this will go on for 15 - 20 minutes or so and they will get so frustrated that they leave me alone. But let me tell you...it's taken many chances before I had the courage to stand up to these corrupt bastards....

What else can I say about Moscow....oh yeah...about the mafia and stuff...supposedly they are all over...and the way to spot them is by their car...because here in Moscow there are cars with a blue light on top of the car...and usually those are diplomats or government officials...etc....but when you look at the license plate...depending on what color the license is...you can tell which ones are mafia and which ones are government officials (usually governmet officials have police escorts too). However...because the country is still pretty corrupt... everyone considers all government officials to BE a part of the mafia organization. Oh and prostitution is still huge....I will leave that story for another time..cheers!

2002-06-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Ok so I promised curious that I would blog. So here goes...

Well I'm currently now in Slovakia...or Slovak Republic or the country next to the Czech Republic. It used to be part of Czechloslovakia... until 1993 after the Velvet Revolution (where Communism was dispersed and Central European countries were freed). The split up was due to political differences and also because of power. After the split, for some reason the development and proactive initiatives created by the Czech Republic outran the Slovak Republic and now we have one country (CZ) with over 10 billion USD of FDI being invested into the country this year alone and we have another country (SK) who is getting maybe a million USD. Why you may ask? Well for the simple reason the government blows...well that's what everyone here says. What I discovered is that this country is ever so backwards! It is not developing at all...I can't say it's an 'underdeveloped' country but it ain't no Prague! What's really weird is walking around and seeing these old ass communist buildings with huge number of apartments and chimneys and all them wonderful communist stuff...and then suddenly out in the middle of nowhere you see the Aupark, a FOUR story shopping with all the shops for a modernized city! I mean...come on...I understand it's nice having a multiplex...and a food court...and all the shops of the world...but who the hell is benefiting...how can people who are making 150 - 300 USD a month....3600 USD a year...able to afford to even go to a place like that! They say these types of developments will attract more multinationals and so on into the country...this will attract more foreign investment...my question is how the *bleeping* will that attract more investment? I mean I understand manufacturing plants, and industrial plants that are creating thousands of jobs and increasing exports...but a damn over-sized-over-expensive-art-deco SHOPPING MALL! Anyways...this country will definitely need another 10 years before it really develops to what Prague or the Czech Republic is today. That's my 2-bits on it...

2002-05-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

Comment for today:

"Big scheme of things.....ha....just another man fooled into 'don't think for yourself!'...."

2002-04-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know there was a European American Football League out here?! Well I didn't and we were invited to go check out one of their games on Sunday...the funny thing is that this is really getting hot out here...I mean the Czech National Team has a mix of half Europeans and half Americans playing!! How crazy is this...I can enjoy the game of American Football out here in Europe...too bad I have no team to root for...hear that the Czech Team sucks...and well pretty much so do all the rest.

Anyways...so we were suppose to check out Czech Republic vs. Austria...and we were told to go to Slova Stadium. So alright...we thought why the heck not...we need some Americanization right? Well who would have thought little 'ol Prague has about 20 damn stadiums... jeez and none of them were called Slova Stadium. We never made it to the game...and were quite disappointed...but supposedly they play every week so we will be going to next Sunday's for sure...I let you know how European American Football turns out... I ain't expecting too much...hehe...alright see ya!

2002-04-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Well I guess you can say Prague had definitely grown on me... there's actually a lot to do here, especially now that I'm starting to meet people and make some friends (yea yea shullup). So let me explain a skill that I think is really cool to pick up...pick-pocketing! Haha...I know its not the most ideal skill to learn, but let me tell you how this whole idea developed...

So one thing about this country is that it is a pick-pocketers heaven, especially with the number of tourists that go through this city each day. Everyday I would say at least 100 new people come into the city, which mean 100 pockets to pick. There's this one place where all the tourists seem to go, its called the Charles Bridge, and ALL tourist have to go and see it. Dunno what the major significance of it is...other than it allows walk from Old Town Center to the Prague Castle. Anyways...so there's this cafe near the entrance of the bridge, where you can just chill, have a coffee, and relax. And on this day my friend and I were sitting on one of their patio lounges just having a Pivo, and we noticed some cop suddenly grab a guy pull him over to the side and start yelling at him. Then all of a sudden the cop slaps the guy and continues to yell at him...finally after about 5 minutes of yelling by the cop, the guy hands over 'his' walletS...so I assume that was the last of the entertianment...but little did I know there was much more to this Czech's guy's activities. (Forgot to explain something about the Charles Bridge...there is this tower in teh beginning of the Bridge that everyone always stops to take a picture of...and all the tour groups look at up at it...which leaves them unaware of what is going on around them as they are concentrating so hard to listen to the tour guide...or take a picture...or just staring blanky at a black old tower). So after about maybe...10 minutes this guy walks toward a HUGE group of tourists checking out the tower...about a group of 35 people or so... they're all looking up admiring this spectacle of blackness..with a little trim of gold. This guy walks around in the group, around the group and so on....and I am totally wondering "What is he doing? Asking for money?" No no no...when he finally looped to the back of the group I noticed it much more clearly...he pretended he was part of the group...looking up at the tower with them...but at the same time he'd be reaching in and out of pockets...purses...what have...anything that was open. I think he was even able to open up zipper purses...but I'm not too sure...so I'm just in complete aw...laughing my ass off at all the tourists...but at hte same time amazed at this guys skill...After about 20 minutes...he's got a least 5 or 6 purses or wallets...I mean this guy hit the jackpot with this group....spaniards....fools! So once the group is done with their picture taking, and listening to the tour guide...they continue their way down the bridge, and the guy then begins to walk in the other direction. AND THEN...the same damn cop comes over pulls the guy to the side and starts to yell at him...and the next thing I know, the whole event I saw 30 minutes earlier, is happening all over again. Finally after about another 5 minutes...the pickpocketer...gives him the wallets and stuff and walks away. The cop then just disappears into a corridor. By that time I was totally like... wtf!...my friend just started laughing and he explained that the police here are all corrupt and they could care less about law enforcement. All they do is try and catch the pickpockets around here and take the stuff they stole so that they can pawn it off later! Well all I know...is no looking at the black old tower for me...

Anyways...I know I went on a big ol tangent, but hte point is the pickpocket was really really good...I mean...he'd stand right next to some guy...and pluck...the wallet would be in his hands...I really gotta learn that....hehe...ok enough babble....zhai jian...

2002-03-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

Well it's confirmed...living out of a suitcase really bites! I've been on the road since July of last year and let me tell you, the whole glam of living in hotels is not so exciting.

The pros of living in a hotel are: 1)you don't have to clean it, 2) you don't have to make your bed, 3) its all yours, 4) room service, 5) I get new towels everday!
The cons of living in a hotel are: 1) if you forget to take off the do not disturb sign, they never clean it (3 days i did this!), 2) there is no one to go back to, 3) no warm meal at home, 4) can't call it home, 5) lighting sucks, 6) no good tv...all in Czech, 7) and YOU LIVE OUT OF A SUITCASE...which implies you cannot purchase much stuff out here because you will have to lugg it all back...and because Europe sucks...you have to pay overweight charges!

I guess I'm bitching due to the fact I just moved to a new hotel today and had to pack all of last night and then in about two days I have go through the same process to move into another hotel, the Marriott, and then back into this hotel, the Metamorphis. The reason behind this adventure is because they do not have one room night available here so I have to move out of their facility for a night....a NIGHT! Well I've vented, thank you...good night...

2002-03-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

You know what, as I look out the window... I notice that the clouds here move a lot faster than the ones back home. I dunno if I'm hallucinating or something, but they are moving really really fast...it kind of takes away the whole enjoyment of looking out into the sky and concentrating real hard on what type of picture the cloud produces. All i see now, is a mush of gaseous stuff floating by...Europe's clouds suck!

2002-03-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

Quote of the day:

"You only have one life and it's too short to be living in the future. The time is now, so live it up!"
a drunken Czech man

2002-03-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

It was a good story too!...oh well...maybe another time...

2002-03-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

Stupid blogger...sat here for about 20 minutes writing a blog...and its doesn't post...blah to blogger...

2002-03-08T21:06:00.000-08:00

Ok....so who has watched Mulholland Drive...yeah yeah I know those of you back in the states have probably watched it a LONG time ago... but out here in the Czech Republic...things come out late! Anyway... this movie is very VERY screwed up...I mean its got 100's of different plots going at the same time...and none of them seem to tie together at all! It's like Pulp Fiction on steroids....! I could not piece together anything...until finally someone explained the whole concept behind it...but truthfully, I am still completely in aw....so if any of you who have seen it...and understand it...come and explain it to me...and for those of you who haven't seent his movie....GO watch it....!

2002-03-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

Well, so for those of you who have never been to Prague let me give you the scoop! The Czech Republic was a part of the Soviet Union a while back, and after some years of revolution it finally received its independence in 1989. In these past 12 years, the country has developed dramatically...I mean on a superficial level more than an internal level...i.e. structures, businesses, and social life. However, the ideology of the people and mentality is still very much similar to the olden days, many of the people especially the older generation have lived their lives in a communist state, so changing their mentality to the 21st century-freedom-socialism-entrepeneurialism is going to be a long process. Little things such as service, attitude, and beliefs are very backwards especially to our North American standards. Its very interesting to see a country on a business/working level rather than as a tourist. This is because rather then being a leisure tourist I am invovled in everyday life activities. Whereas tourist just see the beauty and culture a country has to offer rather then the real life situation people are actually living in.

Don't get me wrong...the night life...and the social aspect is GREAT! People here are friendly 'somewhat', and are really interested in Americans...but look at me...I'm a small yellow man in a country of tall giants (men & women) so I'm not the everyday american they would expect. Anyways, its still a country...no matter how small it is...that people should visit if they ever have the chance!

What's even weirder is that I've met a lot of expatriots and they were just here to visit Prague...and now they've become citizens or residents who have lived here from 5 to 10 years! The country seems to just grab ya...its weird...don't worry...I won't become a Czech citizen, but I definitely won't mind living here for some time...its really quite nice. There's one thing that definitely needs to be changed...the damn weather..yup...its too damn cold...no sun, no blue skies, the snow is all wet and blah blah blah...alrighty...that's it from me...

2002-03-01T08:43:00.000-08:00

Blah....

2002-02-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

"Ja!" That's the limit to my Czech...this all I've learned...pretty sad...I must admit...I would love to know more languages. It actually amazes me how Europeans know at least 3 - 4 languages fluently! I mean how cool is it that people can communicate in more than ONE language...but for some reason I cannot seem to grasp this particular skill...its really sad! I was horrible in highschool...college wasn't that much better...and I'm sure if I tried to take night courses...I'd just be wasting time and money...hehe...oh well...

2002-02-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

Well I'm supposedly in the most beautiful city in Europe and all I'm doing is sitting in my hotel room researching about the damn country. Yup yup...I'm here in Prague but instead of checking out the city...I'm just sitting here researching on the net...woohoo! Fun fun...heh. To my surprise Prague is not as cold as I would have thought (but still cold compared to cali)... it's only about 2 degrees celsius...which is about 30 or 40 degrees faranheit...I think...well it doesn't matter...it's still quite cold! The nice thing about this city is that its not so industrial...it has a lot of historical sites right in the middle of the city. It's really weird...I mean you see a modernized 30 story building for Philips or Sony and then right next to it you see a Historical monument, whether it be a church or castle or tower, just as tall! The cultural and business blend create a unique atmosphere. I have to admit...when I heard I was coming to the Czech Republic...I wasn't too thrilled...but its not really all that bad. There's only one problem I find...a lot of them do not speak english...so the whole communication thing is currently in a rut....pointing and gesturing can only get you so far...anyone know Slovakian? or Czech? Russian will help too...

2002-02-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Anyways...I'm now in Taiwan for holiday...just chilling...and eating...and sleeping...and setting off firecrackers...you know little kid stuff! It's great...I don't understand those people who don't like Taiwan...people say its dirty...and loud...and all this other stuff. I think its the same as LA or NY...except its cheaper....better food...and much more entertainment going late into the night.

But the reason I'm blogging is the interesting things I've seen tonight...tradition...is the key to how many people live their lives...it doesn't really matter what it is for, or the reason...but becaue of tradition your supposed to do it. Take for example..."bai bai"...the time where families come together and burn incense and pray to their ancestors and the different chinese gods...I mean I'm fine with all that...but you need particular foods...and you can't bai at this time...only at this time...and you can't spend money today because of the new year...and you can't burn the incense this way and that...I mean come on...as long as the job is done...and everything is in order...can't we just get along?! Well according to my grandmother NO...it has to be done this way or not done at all...I mean we had to stay up until 1:00a.m. to bai bai for the new year...and when my friends did it at 11:30p.m. to welcome the new year my grandmother was like...No...they don't follow tradition, they don't understand anything at all! It's very interesting to see how tradition rules some families, it becomes something so inflexible in the eyes of my grandparents.

2002-02-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

So I've been told by Jon to enter the blogging world...dunno how often I will blog, but we'll see...I found out there's a ranking system now huh? shoes huh? why shoes?

So my first real blog will be about my trip to London to visit Jon, let me first start off by saying London is nothing like the movies...for those of you who liked it... I'm sorry to say...but WHY? Well first off I had an adventure trying to get to London, took me 5 hours to get to Jon's place...when it should only take 2 or 2.5 hours...and then when I left Jon's place...it took another 5 hours to get back...the people in london are just plain retarded...when they say platform C or Track 3 for your train...they should mean it...not leave it for you to guess whether or not your on the right track or platform...hehe...ok maybe I should be more careful...but all I know is that if I'm ever going back to London...its only for work...for leisure...nope...no way... its first of all too expensive...and second...its not that exciting...you got one region of the city that's cool...and the rest is quite bland... blah....Jon and I agreed that all cities are generally the same... full of hollywood hype...yeah ... pretty much...ok ok...enough ranting... wow I've written more here than any e-mail I've ever sent...enough

2002-02-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

but at least I finally made it...the luck I have travelling when visiting jon, it's terrible, never seems to go right...

2002-02-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

So I made it...long story...dang...london sucks!