Bad news, bad news, come to me where I sleep
As if watching the 41-0 thumping of my beloved Cleveland Browns by the arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers wasn´t enough, this morning when I surfed over to espn.com I was greated more evidence of the embarrasment that has become my once beloved franchise.
Rumors are circulating already that our still new GM Phil Savage will be fired, less than one-year into his contract. When Savage was hired he was hailed as the genius that was going to fix the sinking ship that is the Cleveland Browns.
And now it looks like he becomes yet another victim of the futility that is pro-football in Cleveland.
Sometimes you spend so much time and energy loving something, without question, without asking for anything in return only to have your heart broken time and time again. Like a woman that goes back to the man that beats her again and again, because ¨he really loves me¨and ¨this time it´s different¨and sure for a while things are new and unique and you allow yourself to let your guard down and start to believe that maybe this time it really is different.
But sure enough, the one you invest your time and effort in, your hopes and dreams, turns around once again to stick a dagger in your heart. And you ask yourself how many more times am I going to crawl back? When is enough going to be enough?
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Friday, December 30, 2005
Damn! We is some fat people
One thing I´ve definately noticed in my travels around the world is that whole US obesiety epidemic thing...not a joke. We are by far the fattest people I have met anywhere in the world.
I suppose some of that is just natural, given our standing as the world´s economic juggernaut (at least for the time being). For much of human history being fat was considered a sign of wealth and success. So maybe we´re just carrying on that long standing tradition.
It can´t be genetics, seeing as we are a very diverse nation. That leaves diet. And while we might eat a lot of fried fatty food, we are by far not alone in that regard. I don´t think the Colombians have met a food they haven´t tried to deep-fry. And these peopel can eat! But amazingly enough I hardly see any fat people here.
But personally I think it´s all just politics. I blame it on the high-fructose corn syrup that we put in everything. It´s weird, people are just as addicted to coke down here as they are in the states, but no one seems to blow up the way we do. And I´m pretty sure it´s because they use real sugar in everything instead of that corn by-product.
I don´t think anyone else in the world uses high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener they way we do. And I´m not a doctor or anything, but my own ill-informed opinion tells me that stuff has more than a little to do with our weight problems.
And the reason we have so much of it. Iowa and Florida. But perhaps more accurately our screwed up presidential election process. Or just politics as usual.
Iowa´s presidential primary is among the first in the nation. This gives this silly-little square state full of farmers an exhorbinant amount of political clout. Any politician who has even the remotest presidential aspirations knows the quickest way to kill of a candacy is to piss off the corn-huskers. And that means screwing over the nation to subsidize the good ole´boys in the form of ethanol subsidies and high import taxes on sugar. Hell they gotta do something with all that corn, might as well throw it in our cars and pretend it´s sugar!
Florida of course weilds it´s own political clout. Every year it´s one of the most hotly contested states in the electoral map. And given Florida´s make-up of multiple, highly-organized, special-interest groups that vote together in blocs gives them all an amazing amount of political capital (think senior citizens, cubans and of course sugar cane farmers). Yes Florida gives us one more reason to keep the import taxes on sugar quite high.
What is a cheap product everywhere else in the world is fairly expensive in the US, luckily for us we have a great alternative in the form of high-fructose corn-syrup. Too bad we´re all becoming Orca fat and gonna die of heart-attacks (at least I think that´s true, any doctors out there know for sure?).
One thing I´ve definately noticed in my travels around the world is that whole US obesiety epidemic thing...not a joke. We are by far the fattest people I have met anywhere in the world.
I suppose some of that is just natural, given our standing as the world´s economic juggernaut (at least for the time being). For much of human history being fat was considered a sign of wealth and success. So maybe we´re just carrying on that long standing tradition.
It can´t be genetics, seeing as we are a very diverse nation. That leaves diet. And while we might eat a lot of fried fatty food, we are by far not alone in that regard. I don´t think the Colombians have met a food they haven´t tried to deep-fry. And these peopel can eat! But amazingly enough I hardly see any fat people here.
But personally I think it´s all just politics. I blame it on the high-fructose corn syrup that we put in everything. It´s weird, people are just as addicted to coke down here as they are in the states, but no one seems to blow up the way we do. And I´m pretty sure it´s because they use real sugar in everything instead of that corn by-product.
I don´t think anyone else in the world uses high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener they way we do. And I´m not a doctor or anything, but my own ill-informed opinion tells me that stuff has more than a little to do with our weight problems.
And the reason we have so much of it. Iowa and Florida. But perhaps more accurately our screwed up presidential election process. Or just politics as usual.
Iowa´s presidential primary is among the first in the nation. This gives this silly-little square state full of farmers an exhorbinant amount of political clout. Any politician who has even the remotest presidential aspirations knows the quickest way to kill of a candacy is to piss off the corn-huskers. And that means screwing over the nation to subsidize the good ole´boys in the form of ethanol subsidies and high import taxes on sugar. Hell they gotta do something with all that corn, might as well throw it in our cars and pretend it´s sugar!
Florida of course weilds it´s own political clout. Every year it´s one of the most hotly contested states in the electoral map. And given Florida´s make-up of multiple, highly-organized, special-interest groups that vote together in blocs gives them all an amazing amount of political capital (think senior citizens, cubans and of course sugar cane farmers). Yes Florida gives us one more reason to keep the import taxes on sugar quite high.
What is a cheap product everywhere else in the world is fairly expensive in the US, luckily for us we have a great alternative in the form of high-fructose corn-syrup. Too bad we´re all becoming Orca fat and gonna die of heart-attacks (at least I think that´s true, any doctors out there know for sure?).
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Here´s a thought
Hows this for an experiment. Let’s start with a cosmopolitan, well-cultured, educated city of moderate size somewhere in South America. Then let’s subject this city to the most horrific violence in modern human history. Car-bombs would be a daily occurrence; assassins would roam the streets with virtually no opposition; police, drug-lords and vigilantes would do battle in the even the most affluent neighborhoods; innocent people would be killed in unimaginable numbers; judges, politicians, clergy, no one would be off-limits. In fact the violence would escalate to such a degree that this city would by far be considered the murder capital of the world.
And then after two decades of this living hell we would institute law and order. The thugs would be run out of town. Heavily armed police would be highly visible throughout the city. Civil liberties would be highly curtailed, but the level violence which plagued this city would be a thing of the past. Surely not every criminal would disappear, but the difference would be dramatic.
After about five-years what do you think would be the state of this city? Here’s my hypothesis (based on some empirical evidence.) The vast majority of people in this city would be thrilled. The happiest, most friendly and amazingly helpful people you could ever hope to meet. But their collective psyche wouldn’t forget the times they just went through. Trust would be non-existent. At the same time that people were going out of their way to help you they would warn you not to believe anything anyone says to you.
Anyone you stopped on the street for directions would gladly help you figure out where you really want to go and tell you the best way to get there, tell you how much the cab should cost; even going so far as flagging down a taxi for you, talking to the driver and letting him know the directions and warning him not to screw you on the fare.
If you were looking to buy something the cab driver would figure out exactly what it was you wanted and find the best spot to go and tell you how much it should cost; even going so far as to walk into the store with you and negotiate a price.
If you stopped at a restaurant on the street and they didn’t have what you wanted, the owner would figure out the closest store that did, call them up and have them deliver you food, and charge you nothing extra for the service. And then of course warn you not to go to any place else because they’ll screw you.
They’d do all of this even if your Spanglish was broken to the level that it took 5 minutes to get across simple points, and you couldn’t understand their answers until they walked you through the explanation.
It’s so much easier to assume the worst in people than to naively believe the best. I’m not sure which option is really superior.
Hows this for an experiment. Let’s start with a cosmopolitan, well-cultured, educated city of moderate size somewhere in South America. Then let’s subject this city to the most horrific violence in modern human history. Car-bombs would be a daily occurrence; assassins would roam the streets with virtually no opposition; police, drug-lords and vigilantes would do battle in the even the most affluent neighborhoods; innocent people would be killed in unimaginable numbers; judges, politicians, clergy, no one would be off-limits. In fact the violence would escalate to such a degree that this city would by far be considered the murder capital of the world.
And then after two decades of this living hell we would institute law and order. The thugs would be run out of town. Heavily armed police would be highly visible throughout the city. Civil liberties would be highly curtailed, but the level violence which plagued this city would be a thing of the past. Surely not every criminal would disappear, but the difference would be dramatic.
After about five-years what do you think would be the state of this city? Here’s my hypothesis (based on some empirical evidence.) The vast majority of people in this city would be thrilled. The happiest, most friendly and amazingly helpful people you could ever hope to meet. But their collective psyche wouldn’t forget the times they just went through. Trust would be non-existent. At the same time that people were going out of their way to help you they would warn you not to believe anything anyone says to you.
Anyone you stopped on the street for directions would gladly help you figure out where you really want to go and tell you the best way to get there, tell you how much the cab should cost; even going so far as flagging down a taxi for you, talking to the driver and letting him know the directions and warning him not to screw you on the fare.
If you were looking to buy something the cab driver would figure out exactly what it was you wanted and find the best spot to go and tell you how much it should cost; even going so far as to walk into the store with you and negotiate a price.
If you stopped at a restaurant on the street and they didn’t have what you wanted, the owner would figure out the closest store that did, call them up and have them deliver you food, and charge you nothing extra for the service. And then of course warn you not to go to any place else because they’ll screw you.
They’d do all of this even if your Spanglish was broken to the level that it took 5 minutes to get across simple points, and you couldn’t understand their answers until they walked you through the explanation.
It’s so much easier to assume the worst in people than to naively believe the best. I’m not sure which option is really superior.
The New Latin American World Order
I´m very close to having beein in South America for a whole two weeks now, and I think that makes me as qualified as anyone else to disect the political situation here. I´ve always found politics fascinating, plus making wild prognostications is soooo much fun! Are you reading this people at the State Department???
When Venezualan President Chavez talks about fulfilling the legacy of SÃmon Bolivar he´s not kidding. He sees a United Latin America able to act as a counter-point to the arrogant US Imerialism as a pre-ordained outcome, a fulfillment of Bolivar´s legacy.
Chavez has done an amazing job solidifying his power base in Venezuala. The opposition has already pulled out of the government and soon will be running into the jungles. He´s got mass appeal among the people with his populist agenda and his stances against the US. One side-affect of the rise in oil prices in the last few years is that Chavez and his government are swimming in money. And with that money he´s working on creating his 2-million man army he needs to exert his will. Just watch the rate at which Venezuala is buying arms.
Chavez has had an excellent mentor in the world of politics in the form of Cuba´s Castro. Castro seems to acknowledge more and more that his days are numbered and while his legacy has already been written, he´s looking for a way to continue the revolution. And he´s found his eager student in Chavez.
Those of us hoping that after Castro´s death Cuba would open up to the world and join the rest of modern society, well be careful what you wish for. Somehow, someway Chavez will be in charge of Cuba. Whether is by direct control or a puppet-regime in Cuba remains to be seen.
What´s also fascinating about Chavez´s strong-man in Venezuala is the affect it is having in the region. Brazil has been railing against US power for a while now, and now in the form of Chavez they have a leader to follow. Bolivia just elected a socialist ex-coca grower as President, and they to seem to step-in-step with Chavez. Ecuador and Peru hang in the balance. Argentina, as it is apt to do, is keeping to itself.
But the governments of Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia are increasingly feeling the pressure. Chavez rails against their leaders are lap-dogs of the US government. And that claim resonates with the majority of their own citizens living in absolute poverty. Chavez is trying to export revolution to these countries, he´s inciting the populus, promising them politicial support, weapons and whatever else they might need.
And his number one target right now is Venezuala´s neighbor to the west, Colombia. Colombia´s President Uribe has taking much criticism for his pro-US stance. While he has restored some semblance of order to this country over-run by 40 years of civil war, the situation hasn´t improved for majority of the population in the barrios.
In six-months Uribe runs for re-election. The outcome will either cement opposition to the populist movement in Venezuala or will be the first of many dominos to fall in creating the United States of Latin America.
The issue that will decide the election in Colombia? Suprisingly enough, not the war with the ELN, Farc or paramilitary groups. That´s not going to chance significantly enough in the next 6-months to sway the vote one way or another. But the proposed Free-Trade pact with the US will.
The Colombians have been bending over backwards to please the US. They´ve erradicated 80% of the coca fields, tightened security, been an ally in the War on Terror and jumped through all the hoops we´ve asked. And have benefited in military aid, which of course helps the government, but not the people. The people want to see something worth-while come from their friendship with the US. They want this Free-Trade pact to pass, but they want it to be fair. They two main sticking points? The US refusal to do anything about agriculture subsidies to create a fair market for Colombians to compete in and our unwillingness to allow import of cheap generic prescription medicines into the US. Knowing the political situation in the US it seems unlikely either of those will change in the next six-months. Which puts Uribe in an almost impossible situation.
Yes like always it´s the economy stupid. Free-trade is important. More important than the family farm, more important than corporate profits. Because Free-trade buys us peace.
I´m very close to having beein in South America for a whole two weeks now, and I think that makes me as qualified as anyone else to disect the political situation here. I´ve always found politics fascinating, plus making wild prognostications is soooo much fun! Are you reading this people at the State Department???
When Venezualan President Chavez talks about fulfilling the legacy of SÃmon Bolivar he´s not kidding. He sees a United Latin America able to act as a counter-point to the arrogant US Imerialism as a pre-ordained outcome, a fulfillment of Bolivar´s legacy.
Chavez has done an amazing job solidifying his power base in Venezuala. The opposition has already pulled out of the government and soon will be running into the jungles. He´s got mass appeal among the people with his populist agenda and his stances against the US. One side-affect of the rise in oil prices in the last few years is that Chavez and his government are swimming in money. And with that money he´s working on creating his 2-million man army he needs to exert his will. Just watch the rate at which Venezuala is buying arms.
Chavez has had an excellent mentor in the world of politics in the form of Cuba´s Castro. Castro seems to acknowledge more and more that his days are numbered and while his legacy has already been written, he´s looking for a way to continue the revolution. And he´s found his eager student in Chavez.
Those of us hoping that after Castro´s death Cuba would open up to the world and join the rest of modern society, well be careful what you wish for. Somehow, someway Chavez will be in charge of Cuba. Whether is by direct control or a puppet-regime in Cuba remains to be seen.
What´s also fascinating about Chavez´s strong-man in Venezuala is the affect it is having in the region. Brazil has been railing against US power for a while now, and now in the form of Chavez they have a leader to follow. Bolivia just elected a socialist ex-coca grower as President, and they to seem to step-in-step with Chavez. Ecuador and Peru hang in the balance. Argentina, as it is apt to do, is keeping to itself.
But the governments of Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia are increasingly feeling the pressure. Chavez rails against their leaders are lap-dogs of the US government. And that claim resonates with the majority of their own citizens living in absolute poverty. Chavez is trying to export revolution to these countries, he´s inciting the populus, promising them politicial support, weapons and whatever else they might need.
And his number one target right now is Venezuala´s neighbor to the west, Colombia. Colombia´s President Uribe has taking much criticism for his pro-US stance. While he has restored some semblance of order to this country over-run by 40 years of civil war, the situation hasn´t improved for majority of the population in the barrios.
In six-months Uribe runs for re-election. The outcome will either cement opposition to the populist movement in Venezuala or will be the first of many dominos to fall in creating the United States of Latin America.
The issue that will decide the election in Colombia? Suprisingly enough, not the war with the ELN, Farc or paramilitary groups. That´s not going to chance significantly enough in the next 6-months to sway the vote one way or another. But the proposed Free-Trade pact with the US will.
The Colombians have been bending over backwards to please the US. They´ve erradicated 80% of the coca fields, tightened security, been an ally in the War on Terror and jumped through all the hoops we´ve asked. And have benefited in military aid, which of course helps the government, but not the people. The people want to see something worth-while come from their friendship with the US. They want this Free-Trade pact to pass, but they want it to be fair. They two main sticking points? The US refusal to do anything about agriculture subsidies to create a fair market for Colombians to compete in and our unwillingness to allow import of cheap generic prescription medicines into the US. Knowing the political situation in the US it seems unlikely either of those will change in the next six-months. Which puts Uribe in an almost impossible situation.
Yes like always it´s the economy stupid. Free-trade is important. More important than the family farm, more important than corporate profits. Because Free-trade buys us peace.
Feliz Navidad
I had no plans for Christmas this year, which actually isn´t very unusual considering I was raised Muslim and never celebrated the holiday. No one seems to understand that. In fact when I started telling my friends I was going to South America in December they all said "but you´re going home for Christmas right?" Sigh, then I´d have to go through the same tired explanation again...nope, not going home, nope my parents aren´t mad, nope never got any Christmas presents. But when Ramadan did come around I did get to fast for 30 days, so I guess it all evens out in the long run.
But this year Martha invited me to spend Christmas day with her
family at their finca (basically a family farm). I´d heard stories about Colombians and their fincas and they all sounded amazing, so I jumped at the chance. But none of the stories I had heard prepared me for the day that followed.
We started out by taking the bus from Medellin to some random crossroads about an hour outside of the city. I spent the entire time gazing out the window in amazement. Martha always seems to think that´s weird, what´s the big deal? It´s just the outdoors. I guess when you live in paradise you tend to forget that some people live in Chicago.
We found Martha´s brother and his family at the predetermined meeting spot and piled into his 4-wheel drive jeep. 4 adults, 2 kids, not too bad. After about another hour we turned down what one might generously describe as a dirt road, and now I understood why that 4-wheel drive jeep was necessary. Another 1/2 hour and we were at the finca, among the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen.
What followed was the most amazing day of cooking and eating and drinking and eating and dancing and eating and laughing and eating. Martha has a large family. One mother who runs the show, 6 brothers, 2 of which are married with families of their own and a sister. In total, there were 11 adults, and 5 kids and one gringo.
Almost immediately the kids broke into their presents, the salsa music started playing and the empanadas starting frying. Then came the tamales, the maize pudding, the potatoes, the beef cutlets, the pork chops and of course brandy, brandy and more brandy! Everyone took part in the preparations, the cooking, the cleaning. I even got to lend a couple of hands.
As the day drew to a close the goodbyes and warm wishes went around. I was amazed by not only how close this entire family was, but how warmly and openly they welcomed me into their celebration. Then everyone who needed a ride piled into the jeep (count them, 6 adults and 4 kids, yes it was an exciting ride back) and headed
home.
Throughout the day I kept thinking to myself this seems like a pretty good life. I suppose in order to enjoy something like this one would have to stop running long enough to put down some roots. Stranger things have happened.
I had no plans for Christmas this year, which actually isn´t very unusual considering I was raised Muslim and never celebrated the holiday. No one seems to understand that. In fact when I started telling my friends I was going to South America in December they all said "but you´re going home for Christmas right?" Sigh, then I´d have to go through the same tired explanation again...nope, not going home, nope my parents aren´t mad, nope never got any Christmas presents. But when Ramadan did come around I did get to fast for 30 days, so I guess it all evens out in the long run.But this year Martha invited me to spend Christmas day with her
family at their finca (basically a family farm). I´d heard stories about Colombians and their fincas and they all sounded amazing, so I jumped at the chance. But none of the stories I had heard prepared me for the day that followed.We started out by taking the bus from Medellin to some random crossroads about an hour outside of the city. I spent the entire time gazing out the window in amazement. Martha always seems to think that´s weird, what´s the big deal? It´s just the outdoors. I guess when you live in paradise you tend to forget that some people live in Chicago.
We found Martha´s brother and his family at the predetermined meeting spot and piled into his 4-wheel drive jeep. 4 adults, 2 kids, not too bad. After about another hour we turned down what one might generously describe as a dirt road, and now I understood why that 4-wheel drive jeep was necessary. Another 1/2 hour and we were at the finca, among the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen.What followed was the most amazing day of cooking and eating and drinking and eating and dancing and eating and laughing and eating. Martha has a large family. One mother who runs the show, 6 brothers, 2 of which are married with families of their own and a sister. In total, there were 11 adults, and 5 kids and one gringo.
Almost immediately the kids broke into their presents, the salsa music started playing and the empanadas starting frying. Then came the tamales, the maize pudding, the potatoes, the beef cutlets, the pork chops and of course brandy, brandy and more brandy! Everyone took part in the preparations, the cooking, the cleaning. I even got to lend a couple of hands.As the day drew to a close the goodbyes and warm wishes went around. I was amazed by not only how close this entire family was, but how warmly and openly they welcomed me into their celebration. Then everyone who needed a ride piled into the jeep (count them, 6 adults and 4 kids, yes it was an exciting ride back) and headed
home.Throughout the day I kept thinking to myself this seems like a pretty good life. I suppose in order to enjoy something like this one would have to stop running long enough to put down some roots. Stranger things have happened.
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