THOMAS WALKETH!!!

My little letter to U2 land

Hey there Candida!

Hope this finds you well! We corresponded many moons ago, when I served on the board at the African Well Fund, but this time I'm writing as a plain old U2 fan...

I've just come across the news regarding U2's deal with Research in Motion:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=15938

While I'm glad for the band that they finally found in RIM kind of access that they originally sought in the Apple deal, I'm disappointed that Apple didn't keep up their end of the deal, causing a severance of the relationship. As an Apple user, I'm worried that I am going to miss out on something cool, and that is why I'm writing.

I would like y'all over there in U2 Land to know that while U2's relationship with Apple wasn't the biggest factor in my decision to buy an iPhone, but it was definitely something I considered. Needless to say, we as Apple/U2 fans expected big, exciting things from the combo. It is for this reason that I think I could be justified in arguing that U2 owes it to us Apple users to not leave us completely out of the 360 tour/mobile technology plans that Bono alluded to in that article. (See above link.)

I'm not saying that I would argue that U2 owes me anything -- I don't think they owe me a darn thing! But if I did, that is the argument I'd make. ;)

So that's it. I'm SUPER excited about the tour this year, and even moreso to hear that the latest and greatest in new media is to be fully deployed in good ol' U2 fashion. I've come to expect nothing less from them! I just don't want to miss out because I don't use a Blackberry. And since I will be spending some godawful, irresponsible amount of my lousy US dollars on U2 and Coldplay shows this summer, I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, going to be in any position to buy one! Most of us are bound to contracts, anyway.

Thanks for listening to my concerns. It is my wish that you make them known to the right people (all four of them), as I am quite sure I am not the only one who is worried about this matter.

Best regards,

Bridget McGann
Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

EDIT: A few min later I felt the need to add another note:

Hmmm I think that perhaps I should add, to clarify, that I write in hopes that the project in development is software-based, and that the solution to the problem would be to simply develop software for other platforms in addition to the Blackberry.

Sort of an obvious point, but I don't want you to think I was suggesting that U2 abandon their RIM deal or anything. I will always support U2's creative endeavours.

Bridget

Self-indulgent word vomit on the state of my life

AIM IM with Reecord22/28/09 3:50 AM (edited for clarity and length)

ME:
k like sometimes don't you feel like OH MY GOD HOW DO I FILL THIS GIANT HOLE IN MY HEART

RICHARD:
having a night like I am, I take it

ME:
k so i was having this horrible night
couldnt' sleep
cuz i fucking sleep all day
fucking sleep all dayness...
so i got up
no nyquil in the house
no tylenol pm
no benadryl

RICHARD:
no alcohol?

ME:
no can do, got heart issues

RICHARD:
ahhhh
broken heart issues

ME:
so...shit
shit, i say
meh, i turn on the tv
and i'm like damn that tv is bright
and who is on but dane cook
not in the mood to laugh, I think to myself, not in the mood
but wait
it was vicious circle
which like, i sototally missed when it was originally on
and i was like dude
how did i miss this anyway
he was talking about crying
and i was like
wow that is how i feel
his last in the round bit wasn't so good
but this one
this one was good
dude
i didn't realize he like
he has a SOUL
i mean, i suspected
but like...he's like a real person
anyway apparently he is christian but what i DIDN'T catch was that he grew up catholic
like ME
i've been suspecting for sometime that he's a christian
or an xtian, for you athiests out there.

RICHARD:
I dunno man he's just packaged wrong
and shouldn't be in those shitty movies

ME:
oh yeah

RICHARD:
he caught on with the bro crowd and they're running with it

ME:
yeah, you're totally right, those movies are shitty

RICHARD:
someone said they met him and he was a sweetheart
and some of his bits
the speak and spell one
do you know that one

ME:
haha totally
it's on my ipod

RICHARD:
gets me everytime

ME:
...comes up way too much

ME:
...i think that has something to do with the fact that i can't afford more music

RICHARD:
STEAL IT
didn't I tell you about that LJ group?
soooo much music
all the times

ME:
hmmm okaaayyy
i need to get on that
NEED MORE MUSIC
i've decided
...instead of chasing u2 around the place this year
i'm gonna spend my money on music
oh god my SOUL
my soul it ACHES, richard

RICHARD:
lol

ME:
this is what happens
every night
i get to thinking shit right
i get mad inspired
and i'm like
i gotta...i gotta do something...to fill up my soul
i gotta do something BIG

RICHARD:
yeah

ME:
because this hole, this hole in my soul
it is BIG TOO

RICHARD:
right
lifestyles of the sad and single

ME:
like i gotta...i gotta...
you know?
i gotta be CRAZY and do something brilliant
you know, connect with other people on a VISCERAL LEVELL
you feelinme

RICHARD:
yes I feel you
up close and personal

ME:
and so i'm mad inspired
and i'm like "i gotta get cultured, i gotta LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD"
so i start reading all of those blogs that i saved and never really read
i start dling some new music
maybe do some art
start a new business
you know, flesh out the ME
then 5 am, 6 am comes
and I start to get tired
and so i'm like, alright
i'll go to bed
But MAN I CAN"T WAIT TO WAKE UP AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST
and so i got o bed
i set my alarm for 8 am
cuz i can't WAIT to get started again
8 am comes and the alarm goes off and i turn it off
sleep in till 4
don't wanna get up
usually like around 11 i have to pee pretty bad
but i so don't wanna get up
So I hold it for like, 5 hours.
all the while, definitely not getting sleep because I have to pee so bad.

RICHARD:
damn son
STORY OF MY LIFE

ME:
all that motivation
all that INSPIRATION
GONE.
like the missing chunk of my soul
GONE
it's like in my sleep i pulled this total 180
and all a sudden life is filled with a big heavy smoky SUCKNESS
and i don't wanna do ANYTHING
don't care
no motivation
life is just one big fat burden and i'd rather just stay in my bed with my supersoft bamboo sheets and cuddle up with my scented eye mask and my iphone
i go to the WHite Noise app
i choose Airplane
I drown the world out
my little niece comes over BRIDGET I'M CUTE COME PLAY WITH ME
but no
i'm too tired
and I've started to realize
I"m missing out on LIFE
like good shit
meaningful shit
and people in my life are missing out on ME
anyway
every day
that is how it goes
over and over again

RICHARD:
you said it sister
damn

ME:
and the hole gets bigger

RICHARD:
you should write a blorg

ME:
and i feel like a big fat heroin addict
dude, i had one and no one read it.
well, i still have one.
i'll put this on it in case anyone gives a flip.
i hope i remember how
actually, i think the last blog post i made was a convo with you dude

A pathetic attempt by Republicans to fool Dems into ditching Obama

They call themselves "Right Change," and apparently, they think people are really gullible.

God I love Runners World

Amy, a veteran of 14 marathons, offers the following advice for the final weeks of training:

“Nearing what will be my 15th marathon and 10th consecutive Chicago Marathon, I admit that I will likely again experience nervousness and uncertainty during the weeks leading up to a marathon. It’s usually during the taper period where I begin to question my fitness level and wonder if I’ve been smart enough in my training. I ponder if I’ve trained too hard or perhaps not hard enough. I question whether I’ve paid close enough attention to properly balancing my diet and stress levels. Am I getting enough sleep? I write this in hopes of giving first-time marathoners some comfort that if you are having these feelings, it’s normal. Don’t panic. I can assure you that it doesn’t do any good to worry and stress. Much more can be gained by sticking to your plans and keeping a positive attitude about your training. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the right attitude is such an important ingredient for achievement!”

I feel a LITTLE better, but I dunno.

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

This is what I've been saying...

Obama win preferred in world poll

People outside the US would prefer Barack Obama to become US president ahead of John McCain, a BBC World Service poll suggests.

Democrat Mr Obama was favoured by a four-to-one margin across the 22,500 people polled in 22 countries.

In 17 countries, the most common view was that US relations with the rest of the world would improve under Mr Obama.

If Republican Mr McCain were elected, the most common view was that relations would remain about the same.

The poll was conducted before the Democratic and Republican parties held their conventions and before the headline-grabbing nomination of Sarah Palin as Mr McCain's running mate.

BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the results could therefore be a reflection of the greater media focus on Mr Obama as he competed for the presidential candidacy against Hillary Clinton.

The margin of those in favour of Mr Obama winning November's US election ranged from 9% in India to 82% in Kenya, which is the birthplace of the Illinois senator's father.

On average 49% preferred Mr Obama to 12% in favour of Mr McCain. Nearly four in 10 of those polled did not take a view.

On average 46% thought US relations with the world would improve with Mr Obama in the White House, 22% that ties would stay the same, while seven per cent expected relations to worsen.

Only 20% thought ties would get better if Mr McCain were in the Oval Office.

The expectation that a McCain presidency would improve US relations with the world was the most common view, by a modest margin, only in China, India and Nigeria.

But across the board, the largest number - 37% - thought relations under a president McCain would stay the same, while 16% expected them to deteriorate.

In no country did most people think that a McCain presidency would worsen relations.

Oddly, in Turkey more people thought US relations would worsen with an Obama presidency than under Mr McCain, even though most Turks polled preferred Mr Obama to win.

In Egypt, Lebanon, Russia and Singapore, the predominant expectation was that relations would remain the same if Mr Obama won the election.

The countries most optimistic that an Obama presidency would improve ties were US Nato allies - Canada (69%), Italy (64%), France (62%), Germany (61%), and the UK (54%) - as well as Australia (62%), along with Kenya (87%) and Nigeria (71%).

When asked whether the election as president of the African-American Mr Obama would "fundamentally change" their perception of the US, 46% said it would while 27% said it would not.

The US public was polled separately and Americans also believed an Obama presidency would improve US ties with the world more than a McCain presidency.

Forty-six per cent of Americans expected relations to get better if Mr Obama were elected and 30% if Mr McCain won the White House.

A similar poll conducted for BBC World Service ahead of the 2004 US presidential election found most countries would have preferred to see Democratic nominee John Kerry beat the incumbent George W Bush.

At the time, the Philippines, Nigeria and Poland were among the few countries to favour Mr Bush's re-election. All three now favour Mr Obama over Mr McCain.

In total 22,531 citizens were polled in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, the UAE and the UK. A parallel survey was conducted with 1,000 US adults.

Polling firm GlobeScan and the Program on International Policy Attitudes carried out the survey between July and August.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7606100.stm

Published: 2008/09/10 00:21:55 GMT

© BBC MMVIII