Existentialism, Waking Life Excerpt:

If you haven’t seen this movie, you should. You know if your into all that philosophical nonsense.

San Jose Bike Party:

I might have first heard about bike party, through a close friend of mine, although I’m sure I’ve heard those word’s tossed around throughout different conversations.  When my friend told me more about what it was and I immediately fell in love with the idea. I thought it would be a great idea for a video, so that friday myself and Angel Luna, a co-worker from DeBug, got a hold of the people that started Bike Party, took out the Canon and shot away.

I must admit, going into it I did not realize the sanctity of this event. About 800 bikes of all makes, models, shapes, sizes were ready to make there way through the bay area. I was jealous that I was not out there to ride but to film, and promised myself I would come out next month.

And I did. Last night we rode from Campbell, throughout all Cupertino, De Anza College, and back through San Jose. In lue of my first bike party, here’s the video from last month’s bike party.

 

My experience with bike party was amazing, and I cannot downplay the feeling of contentment. Although the aftermath isn’t as pleasant, I’m slightly hungover, I can barely move because every muscle in my body is sore, and I’m super grimey because I was too tired to take a shower once I got home. Regardless of my physical strain, my psychological self is feeling like 4 million bucks. Yes, I was complaining the whole time, yup, I almost crashed a few times as well, but knowing that people in San Jose can still come together and do things like this is just, inspiring. With all the downtown reconstruction, San Jose Police force running shit like it’s nobody’s business, it seems San Jose is becoming what city officials want it to be, and catering to those who can afford that lifestyle. Who knew people out there still enjoyed the little things, like a bike ride. People of all ages, yet all shared something in common. We were the little people, the subculture that you pass by Hydration everyday on your way to work at the State building on second. The ones that actually go to the shows that you see flyers for when you walk into a random downtown shop on your lunch break. The one’s that you honk at when we cut you off on our bikes, skateboards or even beat-up Volkswagens. It’s nice to know we still exist. It nice to see that we have an alternative to the same thing, over and over, same bars, same party’s, same lame ass people. Bike party is a great way to make new friends, and since it’s so known now, it’s a great way to reunite with old ones. I must have seen at least 10 people, of whom I haven’t seen in a while throughout that 20 mile bike ride. 

So if your not opposed to bike rides, great people, drinks and an over-all good time, you should most definitely come out to bike party. The best part about it is, for one night, you can say fuck everything, fuck everyone, and set yourself on a contrasting course.

Bike party meet’s every third friday of the month at Dick’s center on Bascom, right after Streetlight Records at 8:30pm. Ride takes off at 9pm.

Special thanks to Angel Luna for the editing and aesthetics of the video. Also to Nick, Greg Sarah and Amber of San Jose Bike Party.

Check out this and other video’s at Silicon Valley Debug’s website.

May Day Rally Video

Despite efforts to minimize patrons with the infamous swine flu pandemic, this years Mayday rally held strong with numerous supporters.

I Was the Company’s Bitch

 Link to story here.

I Was The Company’s Bitch
story by Irene Canes-Vargas/ Comic by Thuy Ngo

 

Human resource is the clean up crew of any company. It’s the dumps, the dirty work. It’s what your manager doesn’t want to do. It was created with the impression of keeping the employees best interest in mind, but what it’s really for is to cover the company’s ass from any legal liabilities. I started working at “Company A” about a year and a half ago, looking for a more structured lifestyle. This was what I thought I needed. At the time, I wanted some kind of order…something that gave me a sense of security. A friend of mine worked at Company A and told me about a job opening they had. Because what this company could offer me outweighed what my then current job could I decided that I’d give it a shot. I ended up getting the job and never realized how this job would impact my life. I was somewhat thrown into the job. I started as a secretary, and due to my boss, the HR manager’s neglecting of responsibilities, I soon became the HR Assistant and mostly responsible for all HR issues in our building. I learned to do my job well, but also grew to hate it. As time passed I felt chained for someone of such a young age. Only 19, working and going to school, both full-time, started to weigh hard on me. I felt part of the American natural order of things when that has never been my way. I started to neglect old thoughts, old lifestyles and pretty much everything I ever used to love. The thing about working in HR is that it consumes most of your life. Emotional investments are abandoned, stress begins to devour your mind and body and you start to feel, in a sense, lost. Corporate welfare becomes your only concentration. The worst part was the constant layoffs. Even though we worked mostly through agencies and it was never my decision as to who stays and who goes, I still felt the weight of people lives being thrown on my shoulders, so much that I literally started to get pains in my upper back, often feeling like I was carrying a small child on my shoulders. It was tough making those phone calls. Knowing that when an employee passed by my desk on their way out of the building saying “Have a good day Irene!” that it would be the last I would ever see of that person. I remember a time when I had to give an exit interview to one of our employees. He was a good worker and, in fact, I was the one who got him the job there. This employee was my friend, and about a year before this I was grip-taping his skateboard at a local skateshop I worked at downtown. “Work is too slow right now, we cannot keep you. Please know that you were a great employee and we wish you our best regards. Unfortunately, your work here has ended.” Slow words fell from somewhere, which seemed was not my own mouth. Who was I? I had a false sense of power that did not come from a high position role, but was only given to me because no one else wanted to do it. In that sense I was a bitch. I was the company’s bitch and because no one else wanted to own up to their decisions it was my job to make sure it got done. Emotionally things got worse over time. Early last year when the economy really started to decline, I started reviewing overqualified resumes. I got people who have college degrees, years of experience in managerial positions, people who were pushed out of their previous jobs because of a declining economy and downsizing. You look at them and think, “Why would you want to work in a production floor for a 5th of what you used to make?” The answer is clear, they wanted to eat and they wanted their family’s to eat. Just like I want to eat, and just like I sucked it up and did what I needed to do to provide for my bills. I should have known that soon enough, even my role was not indomitable to our nations waning economy. Companies always make you feel like you are part of them, like your job is completely secure and that you would never see that sort of wrath. This is especially true in HR. So when I got laid off in January 09, this immediately came as a shock to me. I always knew who would be laid off at our company, and now I was on the other end of the spectrum. The worst part is, we had the best holiday of the company’s life this past Christmas. The company is in great shape. Because people have less money to spend then they used to, the products Company A offers is a more economical way of giving meaningful gifts. For that reason, business boomed. During my exit interview their reasoning felt unjustified. It felt like I was being told, “We don’t have to do this, but we are, just in case.” It was sort of a humiliation. This is the same humiliation I felt when employees asking me why they had lost their jobs only weeks before approached me. Even though they had assured me that this was completely a business decision and it had nothing to do with my performance as an employee, I still felt like my job wasn’t important enough to keep. It’s a dog eat dog business as any other and I should have known that even HR is not invincible. So here I am now, with no job, but I still continue to go school fulltime. I have no family support and at a young age, am a very independent person. During my course of work at Company A I re-evaluated a lot of my life. Even though I have an added burden on my chest, as far as how my bills will get paid, I also feel a huge load has been taken off of my shoulders. I have never been able to do anything I ever wanted to do or considered doing because my job had tied me down. I needed that job. Mostly because I needed the car I drive to get to my job, and in order to keep the car I had, to keep the job I had, I need to work to pay for it. I sold my life to that car, and it was a huge robotic cycle. If that formation was interrupted I always felt I would experience dire repercussions. Only, now I’m at that point, and to be honest, I feel fine. In fact, I feel like now is a better time than any to change the route I’m traveling. I have nothing holding me down, at least nothing that’s not adjustable. Now is my time to start a new chapter and take advantage of the blessing in disguise I’m given. I have always known that I did not want this job; I just never had the courage to do anything about it. Luckily, someone else did it for me. And although I should expect financial troubles, one of my reflections working at Company A led me to the conclusion that money isn’t everything. This is something that you may hear very often, but it’s hard to look that way when money provides support for families, necessities and of course housing. Now is my time to fail at what I was and go in the direction I want to go. Now I have the opportunity to stop thinking about what I need and start doing what I want. So this story is a closing statement to one chapter of my life, and I will now work on opening up a new one. I will never look back at the life I abandoned myself for. I have been at the lowest of lows and different points in my life emotionally and financially. For this reason I know I can never break down. And even though I was not invincible as an HR Assistant, losing my job made me realize that I am invincible at life.

Revival:

I’ve written scarcely in the last month. None of these writings have included my blog (obviously). But rest assured loved ones, I tend to revive this blog quite soon with marvelous works of letters. I still have footage from the second Oscar Grant rally that I have not put up, which I am debating keeping safe in my own locale. 

 

-IRENE

Debug Oscar Grant Video and article by Chip Lyas:

I get jealous of great writers:

Video by Angel Luna

Edito​r’​s Note:​ A peace​ful rally​ in honor​ of Oscar​ Grant​,​ a 22-​year-​old black​ man shot by a BART polic​e offic​er on New Year’​s Day, turne​d destr​uctiv​e in downt​own Oakla​nd last week and San Jose organ​izer Chip Lyas feels​ like it was the wrong​ way to make thing​s right​.​ Lyas is a write​r for Silic​on Valle​y Debug​.​

Last week,​ I atten​ded a rally​ in memor​y of Oscar​ Grant​ – a 22-​year-​old black​ man from Haywa​rd who was shot in the back by a BART polic​e.​ Even thoug​h the gathe​ring was promp​ted by such a gloom​y occur​rence​,​ it was an amazi​ng event​.​ With hundr​eds of peopl​e in atten​dance​,​ the vibe was posit​ive and you could​ feel a power​ful energ​y in the air. It gave me a feeli​ng that maybe​ as a commu​nity,​ we can pull toget​her and force​ the magis​trate​ to chang​e their​ behav​ior.​

Peopl​e from all walks​ of life stood​ toget​her and liter​ally shut down the Fruit​vale BART stati​on.​ Diffe​rent artis​tic rende​rings​ of a smili​ng Oscar​ Grant​ could​ be seen every​where​ you looke​d.​ I canno​t empha​size enoug​h the lengt​hs that the organ​izers​ went to remin​d every​one exact​ly why we were there​.​ We were there​ becau​se one of our broth​ers was sense​lessl​y murde​red by a polic​e offic​er.​ We were there​ becau​se this is not the first​ time this has happe​ned.​ It was also made very clear​ that we were there​ in peace​ful remem​branc​e,​ and with a desir​e to seek chang​e throu​gh solid​arity​.​

Early​ on it was annou​nced that the polic​e offic​er who shot Grant​ had resig​ned,​ and under​stand​ably,​ this did not make peopl​e feel any bette​r.​ The mayor​’​s offic​e even sent out a repre​senta​tive to speak​ to the crowd​ and offer​ an apolo​gy for what took place​.​ This was met with boos and a young​ broth​er got on the micro​phone​ and took it upon himse​lf to decla​re that – as a group​ – we did not accep​t the apolo​gy.​

Throu​ghout​ the day I had notic​ed a lot of peopl​e who remin​ded me of image​s I’d seen of prote​sters​ in Greec​e,​ who were rioti​ng becau​se of the shoot​ing of a 15-​year-​old anarc​hist by polic​e.​ While​ I could​ empat​hize with the folks​ in Greec​e,​ I immed​iatel​y saw these​ peopl​e as artif​icial​.​ You know the type:​ usual​ly white​,​ weari​ng Ameri​can Appar​el “​fatig​ues,​”​ ridin​g fixed​ gear bikes​.​ These​ kids were makin​g me nervo​us all day. I menti​oned to frien​ds throu​ghout​ the day that if anyth​ing went wrong​,​ these​ kids would​ be the reaso​n.​

Aroun​d 6 p.m. or so, we took to the stree​t and began​ march​ing in the direc​tion of downt​own Oakla​nd – this is when thing​s start​ed to go bad.

I can’​t say I would​ be happi​er if the melee​ was ignit​ed by angry​ black​ peopl​e,​ but there​ was somet​hing quite​ distu​rbing​ about​ watch​ing maske​d white​ kids (​yes.​.​.​I’​m gener​alizi​ng)​ setti​ng out to be destr​uctiv​e durin​g a peace​ful demon​strat​ion for a young​ black​ man that had been murde​red by the polic​e.​ I watch​ed the now infam​ous garba​ge dumps​ter that was event​ually​ set ablaz​e get pushe​d down the stree​t.​ I saw the frust​ratio​n as they could​n’​t light​ the fire as quick​ly as they would​ have liked​.​ It unfol​ded like a reall​y bad episo​de of Saved​ by the Bell,​ or your choic​e of any ficti​onali​zed accou​nt of how avera​ge white​ (​again​.​.​.​gener​alizi​ng)​ kids deal with “​real”​ life.​ Now that Zack Morri​s and Kelly​ Kapow​ski are wield​ing molot​ov cockt​ails,​ I feel less safe than I alrea​dy did.

For once in my life I was more scare​d of a white​ kid than I was of an overa​mbiti​ous thug tryin​g to ruin my good time or a polic​e offic​er tryin​g to arres​t or kill me. Now, I am not obliv​ious to the handf​ul of rambu​nctio​us young​sters​ danci​ng on the hoods​ of cars or mobbi​ng into liquo​r store​s,​ but when told that was not what we were out to do, said young​sters​ would​ retur​n to the fold and damag​e was minim​al.​

What unfol​ded as the first​ extre​me act of viole​nce was initi​ated by the afore​menti​oned maske​d marau​ders and their​ trust​y dumps​ter.​ This then opene​d the door for peopl​e of all races​ to start​ throw​ing bottl​es and mindl​essly​ attac​king a polic​e car. Polic​e respo​nded by firin​g tear gas into the crowd​.​ If there​ is one lesso​n I have learn​ed in life,​ it is that viole​nce only bring​s on more viole​nce.​ We had a plan of going​ on to shut down the Lake Merit​ BART stati​on,​ and conti​nuing​ on to the polic​e headq​uarte​rs.​ We never​ got the chanc​e to get the real point​ acros​s.​ All most peopl​e who were not there​ will remem​ber is the “​anarc​hists​,​”​ their​ riot,​ and the destr​uctio​n of peopl​e’​s prope​rty left in their​ wake.​

I am a firm belie​ver in hope.​ Not the Pepsi​-​color​ed,​ Obama​ scree​n-​print​ kind,​ but real genui​ne hope.​ The kind of hope that allow​s a perso​n to walk into a situa​tion knowi​ng that they are the under​dog,​ and see the rewar​ds of pract​ical strat​egy and posit​ive deter​minat​ion.​ I am talki​ng about​ the hope one build​s when they see someo​ne like Ramon​ Vasqu​ez,​ who had been wrong​fully​ accus​ed of murde​r in San Jose and unsuc​cessf​ully fitte​d for the gang-​enhan​cemen​t jacke​t,​ relea​sed from custo​dy after​ spend​ing five month​s in jail.​ This is the hope one build​s when they see someo​ne like Ramon​ reuni​ted with his famil​y after​ month​s of apply​ing press​ure to the Distr​ict Attor​ney’​s offic​e,​ Publi​c Defen​der’​s offic​e,​ and the polic​e depar​tment​.​ This is the hope one build​s when they watch​ the polic​e prese​nce in their​ downt​own area decre​ase due to direc​t press​ure being​ put on the Mayor​ and the Chief​ of Polic​e.​ This is the hope one build​s when you watch​ a ballo​t measu​re like last elect​ion’​s Propo​sitio​n 6, aimed​ at locki​ng up peopl​e of color​ and tryin​g youth​ as adult​s in crime​s that are whims​icall​y decla​red gang relat​ed,​ be utter​ly oblit​erate​d by the same peopl​e it sough​t to targe​t.​

I was perso​nally​ invol​ved in each of these​ situa​tions​ and can say with stead​fast earne​stnes​s that not one bottl​e was throw​n,​ not one fire was start​ed,​ not one windo​w was broke​n.​ Sure,​ there​ was the occas​ional​ “​Fuck the polic​e”​ or crowd​ing of a DA in their​ own offic​e,​ but there​ were zero arres​ts made due to the hard work and sacri​fice that was inves​ted.​ Funny​ thing​ is, we are now at the table​ with the same peopl​e we stood​ in prote​st of. We now have a recog​nized​ voice​ in San Jose,​ a city where​ discr​imina​tion and gentr​ifica​tion has been the modus​ opera​ndi for decad​es.​

Here’​s a messa​ge to the “​anarc​hists​”​ who were in Oakla​nd that night​:​ Take off the masks​.​ Put down the bottl​es.​ I’ve had enoug​h.​ This is my fireb​omb and it’s heade​d for your cozy bedro​om or where​ver you conco​ct your proje​ct mayhe​m fanta​sies.​ I will not digre​ss from a posit​ion of disgu​st for anyon​e who feels​ that viole​nce is the only answe​r.​

I belie​ve that the polic​e actua​lly allow​ed the rioti​ng to go on for some time,​ befor​e they relea​sed canis​ters of tear gas – one of very few optio​ns they had. What did peopl​e think​ was going​ to happe​n?​ This is not a Third​ World​ count​ry.​ We are not in a manda​ted polic​e state​.​ In place​s with real confl​ict,​ child​ren are being​ blown​ up. I am in no way tryin​g to minim​ize the situa​tion,​ but let’​s get serio​us.​ Every​ day men and women​ both white​ and of color​ are killi​ng each other​ at an alarm​ing rate.​ The basta​rdiza​tion of gangs​ter rap and the birth​ of tablo​id telev​ision​ is syste​matic​ally corru​pting​ our youth​.​ We just spent​ the last eight​ years​ with a presi​dent that was tryin​g to throw​ us to the dogs.​ And what do we do? We give them anoth​er reaso​n to treat​ us like savag​es.​

Oakland Riots:

I must say, tonight I will eat my own words. I have stated in past blogs as well as orally that America is too spoiled, arrogant and consumed with convenience that we would never have the ability to unite as we have in the past. Tonight, Oakland California has proved me terribly wrong. Normally, I would be happy take back previous words of unfaith considering the topic, but today, I could not have been less dissatisfied.

I’m sure you all have heard of the injustice Bart Police has committed this last week. On the first day of the New Year Oscar Grant, a 22 year old father from Hayward was killed execution style on the Fruitvale Bart station platform. He was unarmed and lying on his back. Luckily a young lady with excellent Copwatch skills recorded the entire tape on video. If you have not heard the story or have seen the video, please Google it.

Today Oscar Grant’s funeral was held, with a turnout of around 800 people. There was a rally at 3pm and many concerned citizens came out to show support. I attended this rally and cannot downplay the amount of energy that was exchanged. It felt so great to know that people were not going to take this atrocious issue sitting down. Even local artist such as Zumbi from Zion I and Casual from Hieroglyphics were there to pay homage. It is great to see that action is being taken against police brutality. If there ever was a time for reorder, the time is now.

After the rally, the crowd took to a march. It must have been about 3 miles, although I am no pedometer. The march started out positive, voices were heard, stories were shared and we took up most of the streets to represent that they were ours. First we were going to the next Bart Station, and then we were on our way City Hall and in time it seemed that the crowd lost any real order. After about an hour and a half of marching, part of the group broke off and turned to rioting to get their voices heard.  Violence reared its ugly head when windows were smashed, people were gassed and trash cans were lit on fire. I cannot lie, it was an amazing thing to experience in a lifetime. But even more honestly, this is not the way to bring about peace.

I do not agree that violent actions should be honored by more violent actions. Children of anarchy and hyphy kids fed off each other’s vigor causing a disturbance among the streets. What about the independent business owners? What about the people who work long and hard for their car payments just like I do only to get their property destroyed because some punks decided to get on a hype? Is that the way to bring about justice? Who in the City of Oakland is going to honor requests made by the same people that destroyed their city. How can we bring about justice for Oscar Grant when we are bringing injustice to our streets? Maybe we are fed up; maybe we are tired of being treated like nonentities and slaughtered by police force. Maybe we want justice, maybe we want proper representation, viable protection and equality, and maybe we want peace but by god people, we are not animals. We are organized beings just like the same system that controls us. Stickers and signs were made and handed out relating Gaza to Oakland, and how our tax dollars are paying to take people’s lives. But let’s stop and think, we are fighting against police brutality, we are fighting for peace in Gaza. Does it make sense to provoke violence in Oakland? By showing you cannot be a civil human, and you only know destruction, you are the one’s slaughtering the Palestinian people. You are the police officer who took Oscar Grants life. You are not representing anything but exactly what you are against. And if you are in it just to break shit, be on TV or to let out your anger because your daddy didn’t pay your cell phone bill this month, then get the fuck out the streets and make way for the people who really want to make a permanent change.

“Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito”
Do not give in to evils, but proceed more boldly against them.

Great turnout

Wonderful speakers

For Oscar Grant

Tons of faces

Media partakes

The March

Creative Propaganda

Scraper Bikes (I watched a piece about this on Current TV)

Burning Newspaper, a sign of whats to come

The Videos:

Oscars Sister speaks about the incident

The list of demands, justice for Oscar Grant

The peaceful part of the march:

Cops approaching:

Then the riot starts:

They fuck up the police car:

Sand bags go flying:

Tear gas comes:

And now were all running, some guy gets all mad at me for filming:

There are more videos and pictures. They can be found here:

www.youtube.com/user/quepasacallybasa
www.photobucket.com/quepasacalabasa

Homeland Insecurity:

Yesterday a protest was held to speak out against ABC’s airing of the show “Homeland Security USA”. DeBug was on the scene like a hipster in a coffeeshop. ABC is publicly airing the exploitation of people. Nice job on this one Disney Corp. ICE raid’s were the main concern of this rally, where the show documents how the government is literally tearing families apart, yet in a favorable way. It’s almost like they want to make us feel proud to be American, providing a facade that they are keeping us SAFE. God Bless America, cause we sure as hell need it.

Candlelight visual to honor the families affected by the ICE raids:

So it wasn’t the hugest turnout, but hey, it’s nice to know some people are still concerned about the cause. Leave your Che Guevara shirt’s at home and go do something.

I also have some video’s but for some reason I can’t get them up here. Would anyone be willing to flatter me with some of your technical aptitude? Hmm?

+) <—clops.

Holiday is over:

So let’s all get back in line. Let’s continue the circular march towards loss of dignity. Lets reach for that end of the line we all assume is coming. Let’s find our happiness in computer screens and coffee mugs, file cabinets and ergonomics. Let’s keep the machine running, let us not forget our place on the wheel. So wave your American flags in the air and proceed to the nearest McDonalds and buy a Big Mac, and don’t forget to supersize it. Just make sure you grab some apple dippers on the side because Americans are all about what’s good for you. 9 to 5 is a way of life.

I leave you with this:

“If desire causes suffering, it may be because we do not desire wisely, or that we are inexpert at obtaining what we desire. Instead of hiding our heads in a prayer cloth and building walls against temptation, why not get better at fulfilling desire? Salvation is for the feeble, that’s what I think. I don’t want salvation, I want life, all of life, the miserable as well as the superb.”

 

 

 

Recalling Christmas:

I have decided that I don’t believe in Christmas. Scratch that. I will not celebrate Christmas. You should never believe in a holiday. Each year I drift farther and farther from the morale of the holiday, so with good reason, I shall not partake. Christmas is a fake holiday. It has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, or the spirit of giving or mistletoe or anything of that sort. In fact Jesus was born in June. You must know this is not news to me, if you were ever into my Myspace blogs. I’ve decided it is time to throw in the stocking.

The only reason I have participated as much as I have in the past in the Christmas facade, is because of those around me. I receive gifts and therefore felt obligated to give myself. The key word here is obligated. You should not give because you have to. You should not give because your goverment assigned to you a day of giving. I should not feel like I have to give because if I dont I’m a selfish bitch with no respect for anyone else.  Giving should take place throughout the year. We should not fall into a absurd order of agenda, we are human and when know when we need to do the right thing.

Excuse the bah humbug, I am not the bitter old man I am portraying myself to be, I simply need to make matters official. And no, I’m not on a self-rightous, revolutionary stick-it-to-the-man kick. Everyone know’s I am everything but. I am no one to push my views on anyone.  I don’t think I’m better than you because I know something you don’t know. I am just deciding to act upon what I do know. I’m awake so why am I still in bed.

So as I drift further and further from my family and tradition, There’s no point in a creating a continual facade each year to make me feel better about my sitiuation. This Christmas, the most I got from my family was a text-to-all “Merry Christmas!! ;D” from one distant cousin. It’s dead, the tradition stops here. I will not buy into a painted picture, and make you richer, and make me feel worst about myself. Thank the Stars and the beautiful Universe for my friends, who I spent December 25th with. Please don’t mistake my words for self-sympathy. I have never been one to sulk in my stuggles. There is no pity-party here, just a realization.

So friends, although I got some pretty awesome gifts this year, next year spend your time and money on something more useful. Expect nothing from me. To compensate, when I know you need a chin lifter, whether it’s in Febuary, May, July or December, do expect a token of my affection.

In return, knowledge is the best gift you can ever give. Show me yours.