A band called Trike (Berlin)

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Whilst riding the typically quiet U-Bahn subway two days ago passengers were entertained by a shamelessly ridiculous pair of Canadian musicians called Trike. Their brand of music is electro-art-pop. That's the normal part. Their appearance is another matter.

He, the electric keyboardist, is a tall, lanky blond who looks every bit the starving artist. She, the tap dancer/front man, is a be-striped, polka-dot wearing performer of so many bright and uncomplimentary colors that one might've disbelieved his own eyes! The show opened with his barker's voice announcement of their "Bubble" song and her added effect of blowing soap bubbles. They both sang (and, yes, homegirl actually tap danced a diddy) poptistically loud and upbeat -- about soap bubbles. 

amusing, yet utterly ridiculous, song-and-dance

Ever stare at someone's audacity to make utter fools of themselves in the spirit of Now-or-never? That's what this was like. We were so shocked and embarrassed for them that we just had to watch their amusing, yet utterly ridiculous, song-and-dance. It was fun. And guess what. In the end we all applauded and laughed. I even overheard one guy invite them to play at his next party! Those Canucks made pretty good tips, too. Not bad! So that's what it takes to make Germans crack a smile: a Canadian band called Trike.
www.trikeaband.com
trikefangroup@gmail.com    

Someone found my lost phone

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Well I'll be doggone! After going two weeks without a cell phone I find out my lost phone was found and turned in to BVG's (Berlin public transportation department) Fündburo, or, Lost & Found office.

It never occurred to me that someone would not take the phone for themselves. Am ashamed of that but not ashamed to admit it. Several days after leaving my phone on the bus my flatmate offhandedly asked if I'd reported it to the city's lost & found. Whuuh? The thought never crossed my mind! I felt so stupid to have neglected such an obvious first step (then also, I wasn't terribly bothered with the lost so naturally I exerted no energies in its recovery).

Germans are such honest people 

So: I phoned first and described things as best I could remember and was surprised as all hell when the gentleman came back on the line and said, I think someone has found your phone, and proceeded to give me metro directions to the office; I got over to the building before it closed and waited in a short line. Everybody who lost something walked out with that something back in their possession. Then it was my turn and, lo and behold, archived in a metal filing cabinet was my cell phone! Das ist gut!

After showing viable identification and paying 7€ the cheap and near antiquated gadget was again mine. There was even a new text message on it.

Germans and Canadians -- despite my opinion of Canada its citizens have a stunning reputation for returning even loaded wallets! -- are such honest people when it comes to returning other peoples' stuff.

Something fishy with U.S. State Dept and passports

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There is something going on with U.S. passports and the American State Dept. Supposedly state-of-the-art and foolproof and secure I certainly encounter more than a few hiccups or long waits whenever crossing the U.S. border.  Whatever information is encrypted is beyond me. On one travel it gives pause to the border pigs yet on another it registers something else or, miraculously, nothing at all.

I'm not the only one with passport headaches. A NY woman is repeatedly hassled whenever crossing into -- surprise, surprise -- Canada and -- oh wow surprise! -- back again. Her's is a frustrating case of mistaken identity which the govts can't get their asses around to correcting. As if it is so improbable that two human beings can share names, birth dates, and even skin color; only this poor woman is too often mistaken for, apparently, a black man. Now I read the Iroquois are having their sovereign nation travel limited less they comply and get American passports. The country is warning they won't be allowed back in without a U.S. passport and other countries are weary of issuing visas to them if they can't return home.

What the hell are Obama and Hillary Clinton doing?

I'm so glad I'm in Europe.

No trouble going through UK & EU

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UPDATE: Four years later it's a much different story. The Immigration "reforms" of the UK have made them vigilant against travellers of color. They resent foreigners(studying there). I, myself, was stopped and detained twice.
It's been nearly a week since I left NYC and came across the pond and it's worth saying that I had no hiccups, stress, beef or third-degree passing my black ass through English officials at Heathrow Airport or German border patrol at Berlin's Tegel Airport. No twenty questions, no sarcastic undertones, no snarky attitude, nothing remotely racist--- like the Qúebecunt border patrol.

I had forgotten it could be so easy. I felt like a white person.

Greetings from Germany !!

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This time two weeks past I was in a little funk of depression at having been denied travelling rights due to spiteful Canadian border patrol racist because I ought to have flown to Germany that day. Now, two weeks later, I am in Germany. So fuck you Quebec!

If more black men ventured the hell out of America they would see that they can be perceived as men, primarily, and black men, secondly

My passage two days ago was, as far as border patrol goes, uneventful. No twenty questions, no biased questions, no long wait while everyone else (non-dark skin like me) processed smoothly. Neither the English nor the German officials singled me out or made me feel belittled in any fashion. Honestly, I felt SOMETHING must be askew if things were progressing this flawlessly! But, no, that was just part of the conditioning of North American and Latin countries: that I must be strange because I am black. If more black men ventured the hell out of America (and overly regulatory Canada) they would see that they can be perceived as men, primarily, and black men, secondly. If only occurring in instances this "atypical" reaction is rewarding. Color-blind treatment from people outside of your color can be startling or, at the very least, it is noticeable.

I don't yet speak good German but I would rather try to live here than be bound in a country where my good English only fingers me as a trouble-maker who must be up to no good.

I should be in Europe but am not

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It's a gorgeous, bright day at Cornell University. The Sun feels nice and warm. How do I know this? Because I'm here instead of writing from Berlin, Germany.

( click me...click me hard )

Canadian border agents

Barred from entering Canada by racist border pigs

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Stuck at the Canuck border -- yet again.


Every time, no matter the point of entry - Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec  - Canadian assholes question me for loooong times at Immigration. They never just pass me through. I have to always get processed through Immigration. 


Last night, racist Quebecois border control along New York state barred me from passing because, get this, I was in a fist fight ten years ago and have no court document to show for it. Never mind this incident does not show up on their data search they pressed me until I admitted to, yes, having been arrested before. Why insist on asking this question to the only black person in the line? A black man has to carry his jail papers with him like a freed slave in order to authenticate to the world that he is no longer a threat, Massa! I admitted it because I took it for a trick question, presuming they already had the information and were hoping I would lie. Now that I think about it: that's entrapment! That un-outstanding incident happened ten, twenty years ago and I'm not about to carry around papers to vouch for my freedom.

Why insist on asking this [jail]question to the only black person in the line?

Aside from being cowards like their French counterparts, Canadians can be just as racist as any one else. The Quebecois border patrol actually said, You have to carry them [court papers] if you don't want this hassle. I have been travelling to and through Canada for years and, before this year, haven't been grilled on arrest matters. I wish I knew then what I know now: no such arrest history appears in the database; the agents are being coached to SUSPECT ALL BLACK NIGGERS HAVE A PAST. 


This Canuck bitch (it was a woman) didn't ask about college degree, but freed papers; didn't ask for a summary of things I've written, but freed papers; nothing outside of the mundane (where were you born? occupation? how long will you visit? purpose of your visit?), but freed papers. Why? Because she has an agenda: How can my black ass go to Europe and not her? You see, I was only travelling to Montreal in order to catch my flight to Germany -- not to spend money and visit Canuck tourist sights or, worse, try to sneak in and live there -- and this got to her. And she, along with her fellow black bitch officer (I never claimed all racism stems from white people), succeeded in barring me from the country forever because, as they told me, arrest is the same as conviction (note: I was never convicted of anything) and therefore "I am a threat to Canada."

A black man is a threat to Canada

Right. I was the only black person on the bus. And despite showing proof of my travel to exit the country I, being the only black person, was the only one grilled about arrest history, and the only person removed from the bus and "allowed" to return to the American side whilst everyone else continued on to Montreal, including white travellers who could not produce evidence of a return ticket or ticket to a third country. This was racist discrimination. Again. And I hate Canada for it.

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Q:

WHAT'S RED & WHITE ALL OVER AND RACIST AT EVERY BORDER?

A:

it's no riddle to this but it's a big wonder that

a "dangerous" threat to Canuckistan's borders

is a young man who is black

(period omitted because there's more to come)

Chicago Blackhawks beat Vancouver Canucks

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I couldn't care less for hockey but I was glad to cheer on the Canuck's loss tonight at the hands of the visiting team, the Blackhawks. Vancouver is rainy and cold but the reception I got from the border patrol was colder. The Vancouver border pigs gave me a hard time when I crossed over via Washington last Friday. 


Have you ever been arrested any time in your life ever? was the first question put to me. 


Do they ask every visitor this question...or just black men?! And then the inquiries delved into psychology, wondering what I thought of the police after said incident? Are women asked to clarify their marital status? 

Why not?

She may be broke and on the prowl for a meal ticket in the form of a husband (or "wife" thanks to Canada's fucked up liberalism). Are old people asked about their health? No? Otherwise if they should injure themselves or croak it would be good Canadian taxpayers' money used to get an ambulance onto the scene. Are foreigners grilled about their past marijuana usage? After all those people could be coming over to 'abuse' the country's liberal attitude towards drug use. No, I guess the only profiling that makes sense is racial profiling.

Before finally letting me through the pig reminded me thus: "Remember, don't stay too long." Hello! Is that any way to treat a guest?! I'd rather be conscripted in Belgium's faggot army than reside or hideout in Canada. Cock-sucking Canuck.

Canada gets the last laugh

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Not only did the national team avenge themselves to win the gold medal in hockey but they won the whole damn Winter Olympics. Oh those crafty Canucks!! Who knew?

US defeats Canada...in hockey?!

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What, what eh? The American hockey team of  relative unknown athletes beat the Canadian dream team 5-3 for the first time in half a century! In Canada before a pro-Canada crowd (naturally) and being watched by the world community...on the Olympic stage.

Oh but it gets better.


This upset comes one day shy of Canada's most glorious monumental victory over then-powerhouse Russia thirty years ago. Reversal of fortune is a bitch.


So much for all those suckers who placed their bets on the no-brainer Canada. Oh well if these American govt bailouts has taught me one thing it's easy come, easy go. Although the host country isn't out of the running and still has opportunity to win Olympic gold, which I find confusing, but, honestly I don't get most of winter sports, tonight all of Canuckistan will be drinking aplenty to drown out the unbelievably victorious chants of USA! USA! USA!

click for retail and designer info

Eff babies. Wear effing condoms

The following is an actual rant published care of Montreal's Rant line:

Hey Montreal, you know what grinds my gears? I'm a dog owner and I don't understand why they don't allow dogs in restaurants, but they allow BABIES. My dog shits outside, he doesn't shit inside. Babies shit inside. It STINKS. And my dog's well-behaved, he's quiet. Babies aren't quiet. It just sucks. I have a shitty job, you know, and when I make some money, I go to a restaurant for a good meal and there's Mr. Baby, yeah, and he's crying, yeah. Fuck babies. I hate babies. It's called condoms, fucking wear condoms.[BLEEP!] [italics added]

My sentiments exactly...and I also don't care much for pets. As W.C. Fields mused, "Anyone who hates children and animals can't be all bad."

Downtowner Inn (Toronto)

The Downtowner Inn is a decent budget hotel/hostel for any budget traveller---veteran backpacker, student, young couple---or someone just passing through. I chose it on two seperate visits to Toronto. This is an establishment where the owners really work to to turn their business into an attractive option for lodgers and where customer service is top priority.

Dorm rates run $23.30. Sweet! The single rooms cost a little more and, along with some smaller dorms, include a television; but all rooms have bathrooms on the inside; there are no communal showers per floor. I only slept in the dorm rooms. The inn provides linen and towel (with soap).

They also have low priced, furnished private student suites.

I like staying here for the many perks and kind staff. The owners really work to to turn their business into an attractive option for lodgers and where customer service is top priority

When I first stayed here in early June the workers were busy refurbishing and putting down carpet---loudly. The place did not appear becoming and I expected nothing beyond a cheap sleep. Add to that the immediate neighborhood of Victorian maisons which now serve as missions for dodgy characters and it is not hard to understand my prejudice. However, everything that one expects operable---telephone, computer, wi-fi connection, kitchen, hot showers---was in working order. Once the dust settled after 24 hours, the place looked loads better and was quieter. Things were even more improved on my second stay in July.

I like staying here for the many perks and kind staff. Four computers with FREE access (plus wi-fi), FREE pancake breakfast, open kitchen and coin laundry, and FREE local calls. Checking in and out is simple, and extending one's stay is hassle free.

Out front is a large space with benches and picnic tables, and the place is just two doors from a popular city park. Downtowner Inn is accessible from public transit; it's situated between two street car stops (Sherborne and College or Dundas Streets)

This is as good a place as any to kick it while trying to figure out why Toronto is supposedly a hot tourist destination. I've been to town a few times now and I still don't get why any non Canadian/Indian/homosexual/vegeterian/marijuana enthusiast/West Indian would enthusiastically elect to call this city home. But what do I know?

117 Pembroke Street

416.925.8456

fax: 647.438.8381

website

sales@downtownerinntoronto.com

Expert tailor (Toronto)

I got tired of cuffing my new jeans four inches so I took them in to be hemmed right before packing for my trip abroad. The gentleman at Alian Designs did the job johnny-on-the-spot. Just as advertised, he was able to complete a rush repair while I waited. It took all of ten minutes from greeting to good-bye and only cost me $5 CAN.

Alain Designs (Bespoke)
211-593 Yonge Street
Toronto
416.840.3427 info@aliandesign.com
website

Cheaper to fly to Rome than Vancouver

Was hoping to see Vancouver during this visit to Canada...but travel to western Canada is a bitch---a very expensive one. Tripping to Vancouver from, say, Ontario or Quebec is more costly than flying to Germany or Brussels or France. So who in the world would go to British Columbia when he could fly to Europe? Hello! Not me.

Even the cost of travelling via Greyhound was comparable to an international flight. Now that's just Canadian krazy!!

Off to the Old World,
SSpartan

My brand new mini laptop (Toronto)

The one high-tech gadget I find it hard to do without is the Internet. Yeah, yeah, yeah, technically the computer is the gadget but you know what I mean. Cellular phones and the whole palm pilot craze do nothing for me but email is super important to me; and, of course, there are my web logs. I always chose youth hostels that offer free Internet (or free breakfast) otherwise it's off to the Internet cafes for me. Satis! So I finally went out and bought a laptop the other day. Hello wi-fi.

After price-hunting up and down College Street I snapped up one of those new mini models on the market---brand new!! At $270 (+11.5% Canuck tax) I think I got it at a deal. Told myself not to spend more than three hundred dollars and I pretty damn well hit the mark; and it's brand new!!

it's compact, cute and sexy black---just like me. But as an avid traveller...I do loves to travel light!

Asus PC900HD. Am a fast typist so the small keyboard will take some getting used to but the small screen is pretty okay...plus it comes with a built-in webcam...ooh la la. Chi-ching. The real kicker for me, though, is its small size. Sure, it's compact, cute and sexy black---just like me---but as an avid traveller/backpacker I love the fact that the doggone thing is no larger or heavier than a philosophy book. I do loves to travel light!

Now I feel like a hip Japanese/Chinese/South Korean traveller. Hehehe

Montreal Fine Arts Museum

My recent trip to the Musee Des Beaux-Arts De Montreal was a jaw-dropping experience. Museums are almost always a pleasure to take in. My reason for visiting was to view the Napoleon exhibit made possible through the enormous collection of Ben Wieder. Man, did he make a killing with bodybuilding! The objects on display were extensive and, without a doubt, tres, tres cher. Behind glass case were the very boot, silk shirt, writing case, and famous broadside hat of Napoleon Bonaparte. There was also a locket of his hair which was once owned by writer, George Sands. Among the many portraits, paintings, and busts of the French emperor were also several pieces of Napoleonic objects, things which came into fashion or a new design during his reign, such as ornamented clocks, candy jars, cookware, sitting chairs.

After pulling myself from the Napoleon exhibit I viewed some of the museum's permanent collection. Pierre-Eugene-Emile Herbert's terracotta sculpture "Et Toujours!! Et Jamais!!" (Forever!! Never!!; 1860) reminded me of biker paraphernalia and porn: a young, curvaceous woman being groped by an unrelenting old, scary-looking bastard; in this case, Death.

Jacques-Louis Gaither's bronze sculpture, "Mephistopheles" (1st version) has to be the inspiration behind many a pimp's image. Click picture for better viewing.


My personal favorite was James Tissot's oil painting, "October" (1877). In it we see a beautiful lady in beautiful coat and dress creeping through the park of fallen leaves with a tattered book tucked under her arm. I stared at the painting, pacing to and fro. I heard not a crackle of the leaves but only the flowing russle of her clothes.
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click image for better viewing

Canada flys the homosexual flag

...why am I really not all that much surprised?
(click title to read my other post)

Quebecois keep a short leash (Montreal)

For all the cultural passivity and "humaneness" of Canadians, dog owners in Montreal appear to do a helluva lot more yanking and pulling of the leash than actual "walking" the poor dogs.