Today was my Red Cross CPR and First Aid class. The 2 hours spent on first aid were a joke. Compared to that, Wilderness First Aid might as well be an EMT course. We just watched a video for the different illnesses and wounds covered, and the solution for all of them was “dial 911”.
The CPR portion of the 9AM-4PM class, on the other hand, was great. I learned a lot – not surprising, as I didn’t know anything about it going in – and might even remember a thing or two.
I recommend signing up for the CPR class. The instruction was good, the classmates fun. (Speaking of which, I was the only one taking the course for fun. All else were required by work or school.)
So now I am certified by the Wilderness Medicine Institute in Wilderness First Aid, the American Red Cross in Standard First Aid, and the American Red Cross in Adult CPR. This winter I plan to take the week long Wilderness First Responder course. Look out medics.
My SideWinder Charger arrived yesterday. It takes a bit of effort, what with all that cranking, but works. Within a couple minutes I’m able to raise a cell phone from the dead for long enough to make a call. Good for emergencies.
Beloved friends and accomplices,
The Infernal Noise Brigade has died young. Come and celebrate its
pretty corpse.
Former Infernalistas the world over are en route to Seattle to swell
the band's ranks into a giant, implosive force before leaping into the
grave. Join us for one last march (7/28) and a massive all-night
funeral wake (7/29)--at which the Infernal Noise Brigade will, though
technically dead, perform two final sets before descending into hell
for their rewards, either in the seventh ring (for violence to the
possessions of the capitalist state) or the ninth ring (for treachery
against Homeland Security).
The INB's Last March
Friday, July 28, evening-time
The East Precinct
Seattle, WA
free
The INB's Final Party
Saturday, July 29, 9 pm - dawn
In Georgetown - locale posted at www.infernalnoise.org
sliding-fee donation (to benefit radical movements/artists)
I went to one of the smaller beaches in the area today. Smoke beckoned me till I found a good size fire that someone had left blazing. It took me a while, but I was able to get all the flaming wood and coals into the water and clean the pit (it hadn’t burned deep). It’s annoying that someone would leave something that large still burning. There was a smaller fire nearby, but that one had burned out. They had carved in a log “In 2006 we smoked weed here”.
I’ve been hosting a dvd rip Loose Change: Second Edition for a few months. It recently found its way onto a couple divx crawler sites, which managed to sexually violate my bandwidth.
On 7-21, it got 495 hits.
On 7-22, it got 12,369 hits.
On 7-23, it got 5,295 hits.
Luckily, not all of those people downloaded the whole thing, but it still used 495357.72MB in those three days. So the file has been removed for now. It’ll be back up in a month, when the new billing cycle starts.
At least I know the automatic site throttling works.
All photos and video from Thailand are finally online. I didn’t take many, save for busting my camera out now and then when acting like a tourist. The rest of the time, I suppose I preferred to see the land with my own eyes, not through the lens of a camera.
The following was written 7-19, in Terminal 2 of Don Muang, Bangkok.
12:50AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
Arrived at the airport and it seems every airline’s check-in booth is open, but United. I’m told they open at 3:30AM. There’s a waiting area here, so I’ve sat down with my pack. The airport is by no means empty, but is very calm. A strange state for an airport.
Kofi Annan on CNN.
1:09AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
Just made a collect call home. Apparently Microsoft called me a few days ago for a game test.
1:15AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
You know, I’ve been trying to follow this whole Israel-Palestine-Lebanon thing briefly when I get online, and I really don’t understand how anyone can be on Israel’s side.
I watched the first bit of Bush’s press conference in Germany where he said something like the “terrorists” are trying to “halt Israel’s pursuit of peace.” That’s about as crazy as saying that the US is pursuing peace – perhaps worse.
I read a few days ago that Kofi wanted a peace keeping force to go to Lebanon and stop them from attacking Israel, to give Israel an excuse to stop attacking Lebanon. How can he say that? If you want to occupy someone, occupy Israel. Give Hezbollah an excuse to stop attacking them.
Look at the numbers. There’s been, what, 14 Israelis killed? And how many hundreds of Lebanon folks (Lebanonese? Something like that)? Maybe Israel just has better bomb shelters or bigger boom sticks, but, regardless the reason, they are undeniably the more dangerous, terrorizing player.
Hell, the guest house I checked out of this morning has a sign on the front desk proclaiming they don’t accept Israelis because they’ve had too much trouble with them stealing. They’re terrorizing folks even here in Thailand.
But that was uncalled for. I’m attacking the Israeli government, not the people. And I doubt there are many Lebanon tourists here, so it isn’t a fair comparison.
Though while I’m on the subject of Israel, I’d like to say that they need to stop that compulsory military service thing. It blurs the line between government and civilian, and allows Israel’s enemies to justify killing of civilians.
4:06AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
I’m at my gate now. The flight boards at 6:05AM, so I’ve about 2 hours.
Security actually acted like they care this time. They searched my checked backpack by hand, with machine, and even confiscated the waterproof matches I always carry with my first aid kit.
Those things cost like $5…
My money belt beeped going through the detector. It was just the zipper – she didn’t care to even unzip and look inside. I have my credit card in there, and could very easily have one of those credit card knives, too.
While they were searching my pack, I was asked if security could ask me some questions. I said yes (did I have a choice?), but then was only asked the usual “did you pack your bag”, “has it always been with you”, etc. I thought they were going to take me aside and poke something up my anus. Oh well. Maybe US will want to do that.
4:24AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
I should mention that on my way to Bangkok, I put my backpack in 2 of the heaviest-duty trash bags I could find, in hopes of protecting it from the airport conveyor belts. It came out fine.
This time, I sent it through naked. I have no doubt that the bag itself will make it – it is, after all, military grade – but am curious as to the fate of the straps. This is a good chance to test it, since I don’t care so much about it going home. If it gets destroyed, I pick up another on ebay for $35.
5:39AM UTC/GMT +7 hours
There’s a group of about 20 American kids here in bright green shirts. Look like high school. Their 2 chaperons are sitting next to me. I wonder who they are. From what I’ve overhead, they’re going to Chicago.
They’re being annoyingly loud.
The United folks are setting up for body searches, so perhaps I’ll be randomly selected after all.
I’m home now. Been back since about 9AM. Passport Control and Customs didn’t pay me a second glance, and my backpack came through unscathed, so there’s not much of note to mention there.
My hand written journal ends on the note of American whores, and so it seems I’ve come full circle: disillusionment, escape, and now back to the realities of America.
I’ve shaved, showered, tackled the 967 emails in my inbox, and napped. Strange to be back in my own bed. Strange to be wearing cotton again. Strange, I think, to not be in Thailand.
