Chris Farmer's blog

What We Learn from History….

Chris Farmer — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:12:16 -0500

Signing Up for Staying OutIt is interesting that Sergei Lavrov refers to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 in the extended Russian riff entitled “What in the Heck are We Going to Do About Kosovo?”

According to B92, the diplomat said: “It is necessary to abide by all international laws, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the principle of inviolability of borders that cannot be breached other than by mutual consent.”

dalje

Note on the New Serbian Government

Chris Farmer — Fri, 11 May 2007 06:37:21 -0500

It is gratifying to see that when all else fails there is still one common denominator which inextricably links all of the players in our political spectrum together with singleness of purpose. It is the one single element which can still galvanize the bickering and posturing factions of the "democratic block," compelling them forward into the unknown territory which is known as decisive action.

Fear.

dalje

Dog Watching

Chris Farmer — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:28:09 -0500

Neighborhood DogsThere are about twelve dogs outside my window, more or less.

If you close your eyes and listen, there might be five hundred. No one loves these dogs. They are loud, abrasive, and harbor a particular dislike for passing cars. The dogs live in a large dirt bottomed lot, replete with hills and valleys and studded with protruding atramental re-bar in the Non-Operational Construction Area for Suspended Housing (NO-CASH) – an open field/apartment block in transition. A perfect place for our twelve neighborhood dogs.

dalje

Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius

Chris Farmer — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:55:56 -0600

Imaginary ObjectSince moving into our stately new offices in Sarajevksa, I have had one nagging problem: my books keep falling down.

Stubbornly persistent, I line them up on my desk and, after an interval ranging between 5 minutes and 2 days, they all slide down onto the floor with an inelegant but highly eloquent series of thuds.

Inspiration, ever my traveling companion, suggested to me that what I needed were Book-Ends. Simple pieces of plastic, metal, or wood, they are placed strategically at the polar extremes of a small row of books (i.e, on my desk). The weight of the books firmly anchors the books in place and no series of thuds ever ensues after their application. Quite a marvelously simple invention, I think.

dalje

New Government - No Waiting

Chris Farmer — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 02:56:05 -0600

The Pessimists, and there can be little doubt that this is single largest party in Serbia today, are saying that we will be left without a government until the end of May – or maybe even longer positing visions of new elections to jostle the swing voters one way or another.

The Cynics, another significant block of voters, are saying – Great! The longer the politicians stay home the better our chances!

I say this is an intolerable situation. Like it or not (you Cynics) we need the government to get to work. And love it or leave it (you Pessimists) we cannot wait until next Christmas (Gregorian or Julian) for the formation of this government.

dalje

The Silence….

Chris Farmer — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 03:10:01 -0600

Pity the poor media consumer in Serbia! For the next 48 hours, we have lost our daily bread of electioneering, promises, baby-kissing, lovely hand-knit sweaters (providing the coveted Man-of-the-People causal look), dramatic camera angles, flag-waving, and – of course – rampant speculation about who plans to get in bed with whom after the electoral chips have all fallen.

dalje

Low Stakes Game

Chris Farmer — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:04:25 -0600

Did you notice how they no longer hold our attention?

Elections in Serbia used to be raucous and joyous popular battles. And when I say used to be, I mean last time we had them. The Fate of the Nation was at stake. The choices we made at the polls would determine our Destiny. Our Place in the Universe depended SO MUCH on who we chose. Naturally, the rhetorical warfare of invective and slander was part of the game. OUR GUY was better by far, but, in order to see that, we had to show and be shown how the OTHER GUYS were Evil and Pernicious and even a little Smelly.

dalje

TOP SECRET: Resolutions

Chris Farmer — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 02:13:14 -0600

One of the secret purposes of our celebration of the New Year is to expose last year’s excesses and negligence, to put the right foot forward, to make firm and binding resolutions (1244?) for how we will modify our behavior in the oh-so-close-at-hand future.

There are a number of resolutions which we talk about and some we keep as guarded secrets so that when we abandon them on January 2 at about 10:23, no one will be the wiser….

dalje

Christmas Spirited

Chris Farmer — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:53:05 -0600

WHILE THE CANDIDATES in our Yuletide Elections are getting dressed up as multiple Santa Clauses and fighting among each other about who will bring the BEST present to all the good boys and girls of Serbia (and you know perfectly well that ALL OF YOU have been good)…

WHILE THE BUSINESS community is getting ready to consumer the traditional generously-tolerated levels of Christmas spirits at company Christmas parties and gatherings stacked three deep per night from here to December 29…

dalje

Lost in the Funhouse

Chris Farmer — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 13:43:32 -0600

Whenever the US Department of Paranoiac Frenzy (USDPF) gets a whiff of a terrorist plot or conspiracy or threat or whatever, the Powers That Be (PTB) instantly spring into action – they warn all US citizens in the area to ALTER THEIR ROUTES.

The strategy seems sound. When 295 million Americans suddenly turn and start heading in the other direction, your average terrorist will certainly become confused and depressed, seeking counseling and probably eating more chocolate than he should.

dalje