Monday, January 26, 2009

Secrets of Survival.

Jan 09 / Arenal, Costa Rica / Canon PowerShot SD750

I was watching “the secrets of survival” on the Discovery Channel tonight, as they were featuring an interview with a young couple that had set out for a three hour hike in the Amazon rain forest, but because of one wrong turn, their short exploration turned into a six day nightmare.
In order to teach us the secrets of survival in the hostile jungle, “the dude” was going to reenact the couples' ordeal and try his luck in the same jungle, at the same spot, and see if he can find his way out of the thick jungle.

Instead of just jumping in - grabbing a handy cam to document his trip - and showing us first hand how to tackle the dangers of the rain forest, the moron shows up with a two-man camera crew, and a local guide carrying a rifle and a machete, to make sure he doesn’t do anything “wrong” (as he so eloquently puts it).

After atrocious minutes of documentary-gone-wrong-tv-torture, and trying to clumsily tackle dense vegetation - while at the same time being slick, funny, and real - he makes it out of the jungle in two days, bragging, boosting, and all happy.
….

As the program ended, and the credits started scrolling, the dude poses the ultimate question
:
“Why was I able to make it out in 2 days, when it took the couple 6? Is my sense of orientation better than theirs? ...”
....

No you stupid arse!

You came out in two days, only because you were never really worried about your safety, or your life; there was nothing threatening your existence... You could at least think straight, and not panic, although you did at some points... oh wait, that was to make it look credible.
You weren’t "really" worried about getting lost in this dense emptiness. You weren’t the least ticked about being attacked by a jaguar since Eduardo behind you, walks with a finger on the trigger of his riffle. You weren’t either under the same amount of pressure for fast and critical decision making, and most of all, you weren’t subject to the terrifying feeling of loneliness that they were in, since you had your goofy buddies walking beside you, filming your pretty face make dumb grimaces every time a mosquito flew over.
You couldn't even possibly begin to feel the terror of never being able to be found that they had, since a plane was hovering above, trying to see if they could spot you... They did not have the luxury of having the information you had meticulously gathered before you went on this "journey".
They were at some point, even contemplating suicide, while your ass was clowning back and forth in front of the camera... making jokes.
In fact, and now that I think about it, the only moral and physical suffering you sustained was a few nasty mosquito bites, and loosing your integrity.

So flick off!!!

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Black Coffee.

I don't usually indulge or go to "those" generic coffee places. I always feel like I am in a mall or something, and by principle, and for the sake of good urban design, I am against all malls in general, and big box department stores. As much as possible, I support the neighborhood café and/or grocer... and you should do the same whenever you can.

I was working today; I woke up in a hurry, and didn't get the chance to grab a "good" coffee at home. When I got to the office, I found out that we did not have "good" coffee anymore. (By "good" coffee, I mean fair trade).

Drinking a Coke at 9 a.m. did not seem to be such a great idea right, so what the hell, I'll go down to the corner, and grab a fast generic coffee from one of those big-chain-cafés.

- Aaaand, what would you like this morning sir?
- One large coffee please.
- What would you like in it?
- Nothing thanks. Just the coffee?
- No Milk?
- No.
- No Cream?
- No thank you.
- Would like some whipped cream on top?
- Whipped cream on my coffee? No, no thank you.
- That'll be 1.58, aaaaand just give me a minute sir.

.... (less than a minute goes by)

- Aaaaand, here you go sir.
- Thank you.
- Euh sir! This is just a black coffee... Nothing in it. (Before she hands it to me).


.... (me sighing)

- Ma'am! What did I ask you for?
- Black Coffee!
- And what is this?
- Black Coffee!
- Then give me the fucking cup Bitch!

Can't a guy get a normal cup of coffee anymore!!!

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