Tuesday, August 28, 2007

"Guerilla Warfare" by Ernesto Che Guevara

I couldn't help my self, I swear. I tried not to, I really did. It all started with my 90 minute break, which began at 10 in the morning. I walked for ten minutes when I suddenly stopped, asking myself "What am I going to do for 80 minutes?" I paused for several seconds eluding to a couple of conclusions. Hmv? Nah, no music that I need as of this minute. Walk some more? Meh, I wouldn't mind but not for another 80 minutes. Chapters? Well, I don't need to buy any books as of this minute, however, I can waste some time looking at them and being tempted to buy one. Oh, what the hell, Chapter's it is. After about ten minutes of walking to the metro, which took me to Chapters, I walked by hundreds of book shelves and several magazines. None that caught my eye. However, as I reached the second floor I stopped by the Political Science section, in search of no particular book. This is when I encountered books written by Noam Chomsky, so, knowing this curious mind I read a couple of pages from his book, in which the title slips by me. Not long after, I run into a known symbol, figure of the world; Ernesto "Che" Guevara. I see his book, "Guerilla Warfare," and swoop it immediately. I decided to read several pages from the book, as well as the back. This is when I realize that it is 14$, therefore, I decided to buy it. I guess I am a sucker for books, however, I love reading and learning about "Che" and how his actions effected the world, Cuba in particular.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Top 33 Rage Against the Machine songs

The following list is arranged from my favorite Rage Against the Machine song to my least favorite song. However, the last song does not mean I hate it, but that I prefer listening to the other ones at times. In general I love all Rage Against the Machine songs. I did not include the sons from their cover album "Renegades," since it is not their own songs.

1. Maria
2. Bullet in the head
3. Bulls on Parade
4. Guerila Radio
5. Know Your Enemy
6. Vietnow
7. Born of a Broken man
8. Wake up
9. New Millenium Homes
10. People of the Sun
11. Killing in the Name
12. Calm like a bomb
13. Tire me
14. Take the power back
15. Testify
16. Fistful of Steel
17. Bombtrack
18. Down Rodeo
19. Born as ghosts
20. Voice of the voiceless
21. Year of tha boomerang
22. Township Rebellion
23. Snakecharmer
24. Sleep now in the fire
25. Freedom
26. Mic Check
27. Roll Right
28. War Within a breath
29. Ashes in the fall
30. Without a face
31. Settle for Nothing
32. Revolver
33. Wind Below

*Ranks may change*

Friday, August 24, 2007

Friday: miserable weather and "The Motorcyle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey."

Today was a short day for me considering that I only had one class, which ended at 10am. Thunder and rain filled the entire day. I don't mind the rain, in fact, I like it when it rains occasionally. However, I dislike the rain when I am carrying something along with a cheap and nearly broken umbrella. Fortunately, I did not have to use the umbrella all that much.

Since last Saturday, I believe (too lazy too check right now), I posted about the book "The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey," which I have progressed quite a bit. I haven't finished the book, if that is what you are wondering. I have been reading carefully and slowly, so too absorb every passage and its importance. There hasn't been a severe change in Ernesto Guevara's character or what he has been through. So far, Ernesto and his friend Alberto have been treated with white gloves due to their profession and the luck of meeting generous people throughout Chile.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Day damn one

Today was the first day back to college -my second and final year in Liberal Arts. I guess I should talk about the good things before hammering away at the bad things. God news first, bad news later, or bad news first and good news later, same thing just different mentally (depending on how you look at things). I entered the metro with my computer bag (insert laugh), however, I was not using it to transport my computer, at least not this week. The computer bag served the purpose to carry light objects, as in paper, schedule and "The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey." I also decided to attach four patches to the front of the bag. These patches were; "Rage Against the machine," with the band members in silhouettes (Zack de La Rocha in red) and the background in red, "Bad Religion," the "red star" and "Che with the red star." I also met my friends during class and on my way home. It turned out to be long and exhausting. I came home to my room and slept for two hours.
Now for the bad things. So many Mohawks, so many of them bad. I'm getting my Mohawk back this weekend should everything go as planned. But, seriously, the amount of people I saw today with Mohawks made me want to vomit. Jesus! They were horribly structured. One had the Mohawk slowly crashing towards the top of the head, another had the Mohawk wide as the Mississippi river and another made it seem, just, wrong. Also, even though I met my friends once again, which was nice, I also met the annoying people of my program. With every good there is a bad.
Nonetheless, I am still enjoying reading about Che and hoping to learn more about him soon. Tomorrow should be an intro to hell, if anything else. I start at 11:30 and finish at 4 without any breaks. This means three classes in a row.
I shall write more about "The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey" on Friday.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

The Motorcycle Diaries; Notes on a Latin American Journey

On June 14, 1928 a heroic figure was born. He was given the name Ernesto Guevara, however, he would late be known - by the mid 1950s- as "Che," a term used to call people from Argentina. Before he ventured off to South America -traveling throughout Chile, Bovilia, Lima, Bogota and so much more- he studied to become a doctor, while working as an engineer. Throughout his adventure to South America, with his friend Alberto Granado, Che discovered the misery planted on thousands of faces.
"These people who watch us walk through the streets of the town are a defeated race. Their stares are tame, almost fearful, and completely indifferent to the outside world. Some give the impression they go on living only because it's a habit they cannot shake (Guevara, p.24).


I have only begun reading this fascinating diary written by Ernesto Guevara himself. I have heard of this man long ago, but never obtained the motivation to read about him. In fact, I did not know much about him until I began listening to Rage Against the Machine. By listening to Rage Against the Machine I learned many things, such as the Zapatas and at the same time being informed about Ernesto "Che" Guevara. I bought this diary today and began reading it immediately. Even though I still have to read "Othello," in which I am half way through, my attention was focused on "Che."

I Shall post my thoughts about what I have read in "Che's" diary everyday. It is a short diary, some 180 pages, therefore, once I am finished I will read about the Zapatas and the Mexican revolution.


Guevara, Ernesto. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey. Ocean Press; New York, 2004.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

No light, all darkness

Pushed through the wall,
Shades of Grey surround me.

Everything around me disappears,
Everyone digging their graves,
Tombstones layed down, names engraved,
In this century, the office runs the people,
In history, destruction follows,
Too afraid, but too angry inside,
We slave to make a buck,
While the Government takes the 2:1 ratio,
Another day dying,
Looking ahead, not far from it,
The graves dug, now empty,
How long until we fill em'?

Pushed through the wall,
Shades of Grey surround me.

Squeezing us, until we feel useless,
Hiding all the facts,
Telling us all the lies,
Proclaiming what we saw is our own imagination,
You are our nightmare,
You are the disease,
We must stand for what's right,
We must decide who we are,
Fuck their laws, their approval for war,
Fuck their taxes, the frauds, the lies,
Fuck the office, the one behind the desk,
What's a flag? What does it really represent/
Fuck what they tell me to do,
Fuck what they tell you to do,
We are the cure to this disease.

Pushed through the wall,
Shades of Grey surround us.

No more taken advantage of,
No more bowing down to them,
No more giving in to their demands,
We are the cure.

The Rage

YEAH!!! Three Rage albums, one more to go. I now own "Rage Against the Machine (self-titled album)," "The Battle for Los Angeles," and their "Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium." Just like any other band, when you listen to a live album, you adapt the feeling as if your at the concert. However, unlike any other bands, at least not to me, Rage Against the Machine, adds a stronger and prophetic sound to their songs. They play with the audience by playing music, which is unknown to the Rage fans, to get them guessing. Then they hit you with that fist gripping opening rhythm of "Bulls on Parade," "Freedom" and the list goes on.

What else is new? I'm still writing lyrics if that means anything to you. For the first two years I've been writing about love and my views on the world. However, my work was mostly about love. Being introduced to newer bands and reading more, my craving for topics to write about took a turn. I've left love behind, but not abandoned, and continued writing about society and how it effects us all. Rage Against the Machine has helped me a lot. Why do I love Rage Against the Machine? Well, that is simple. We both feel the same about politics, society and the world.

I also bought a new book by Ayn Rand called "We the Living." It revolves around what I enjoy reading about. If you don't know, then perhaps you haven't read the second paragraph of this post or you haven't read anything else. Anyways, to know about the book just google it.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Save Me

Save me from all of my mistakes,
Save me,
Let me forget the sins I've committed.

A world in honor of hell awaits me,
I'll be used to it;
I've been already living in it,
A light flashes before me,
The sun burning my soul,
No time to waste,
Waiting for the rain to pour on me,
Relinquish these sins,
A dark future haunted by the dark past,
A world in honor of hell awaits me.

Save me,
Save me from all of my mistakes,
Save me,
Let me forget the sins I've committed.

The earthquake shakes these fears,
Stirs the thoughts of hatred and love,
Before I leave let me forget these past few years,
Let alone, let me forget the wrong I've done,
A city filled with sin,
My body filled with guilt;
All those things I've said,
And all those things I didn't,
Look through this heart,
Look through this disguise,
Save me now, but I accept my faith.

Save me,
Save me from all of my mistakes,
Save me,
Let me forget the sins I've committed.