Barely 18 hours into my visit to the shores of the Black Sea and I feel well and truly on vacation. Not sure if that's more a function of my interleaving of weak all-inclusive cocktails with strong cups of Nescafe, or whether the relaxed atmosphere of Sunny Beach, Bulgaria has ensnared me with its charm.
Sunny Beach, on the surface, is a complete abomination. Imagine a seaside knockoff of Las Vegas done up in Oligarch chic. Lots of new buildings in bright colors and bad concrete. But a different class of bad concrete than was used in Commie days, with but a few old-school reminders of the Big Red Machine interspersed among hotels like the Planeta, Hrizantema, and Polyusi.
The Riu Helios Palace is an oasis in this sea of post-communist tourist mayhem. An outpost of the Spanish-German Riu chain, it is four-star both in rating and performance. Not ultra-luxurious, but competently run and with a fairly high standard of food, drink and accomodation served up to a fairly well-screened northern European clientele.
Being a single at an all-inclusive is always a bit of a challenge, particularly when one isn't actively "on the pull" (once again, my vacation coincides with the early stage of a new relationship conversation). Mostly, I'm interested in meeting some new buddies to take in Sunny Beach's legendary dance-music nightlife with. But even sans buddies, there is an abundance of entertainment here--mostly to be gained from watching the legions of young Scandinavians letting their hair down to the techno beat.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Surfacing After Two Months...
Greetings to my friends and faithful readers in Blogland...Yes, my productivity in blogland has waned substantially in recent weeks--mainly because I've had less interest in writing and musing on life and more interest on, well, living it...
February finds me with no major complaints, the biggest of which, the overpowering darkness of Northern European winter has finally given way to the point where it is light both when I leave the house and leave the office.
Still, I have no doubt that my thoughts of going to Sweden, Finland or Estonia for "midsummer" (quote marks because "midsummer" marks both the first and last days of summer in these Baltic climes) are still pegged to my residual darkness trauma of the last few months.
Before a few special items (several of which I've recycled from my more assiduously maintained Facebook page), some basics:
* Living arrangements: while having a late-twenties American flatmate can result into the descent into some fraternity-house-style living habits, the recent engagement of a cleaning lady has brought many smiles to Rue d'Oultremontstraat... It's been nice having intelligent American company to come home to, particularly as the Obama administration gathers steam, though middle-east discussions can get a bit dicey, as it's hard for me to convince him that one side in a conflict can indeed be right all the time.
* Work: Am enjoying my organization--though being in a foreign outpost of a strong company that has a very strong culture has been very much an education...
* Dating: no wedding bells by a long shot, but the quality of my conversations seems to be improving. I'm attributing this mainly to the amount of available light.
* Sports: My beloved Wisconsin Badgers have come back from the dead, last seen turning a six game basketball losing streak into a five game tear back through the standings of the eleven-member Big Ten Conference of America's finest state universities... As for Tottenham--listless performances of late leave the Mighty Spurs stuck dangerously near the trap door to relegation and the oblivion of the so-called Coca-Cola Championship. Only pleasure to be taken from the season has been the relatively weak performance of the Hated Arsenal Scum. But of course the Scum are faring far better than we are. Ptui.
* Lugano: Travel has been at a premium of late, as I become ever better at conference calls and web exchanges at work. But a recent IABC conference got me out of Belgium for a few days and over to Lugano--the small Swiss lakeside city that is best described as "Italy went to Obedience School".
Lugano is extremely attractive, and it's main academic institution, the Universita di Svizzera Italiana (translated as "the university of Italians lucky enough to be Swiss") is also to European professional communications schools what my alma mater London Business School is to business schools: Numero Uno.
The conference was excellent--http://europe.iabc.com/ has more details.But what stole the show was Lugano itself... Italian and Swiss seem to be two contravening paradigms, and for the most part they are.
I would have dug the local cuisine more if my lifelong aversion to Parmesan Cheese and its near-relatives wasn't on full guard for the visit, or if the little white spear in otherwise excellent pumpkin soup at the main dinner event didn't happen to be a chunk of rabbit, one of the two main species I don't eat because I think they are cuter than I am (the other, of course being my old friends, the pigs).
Still, the setting is breathtaking. The secret of Lugano is its low elevation--300 feet--while surrounded by alpine mountains. Thus Lugano has a surprisingly mild climate described as mediterranean, with the occasional palm tree. In the architectural detail, Lugano is clearly Italian--churches, public buildings and street signs being clearly Italian in style.
But other flavors emerge. French fashion houses, Credit Suisse, German names like the Lido Seegarten hotel (the conference hotel), and a mixture of modern and more-Swiss-looking architectural styles. Add in the neon ads for classic Swiss watches on the lakeshore: Rolex, Rado, Tissot, Jaeger le Couture and the picture becomes clearer--particularly from the deck of the spectacular Casino Lugano. Still, the most telling difference between Italy and Svizzera Italiana: the parking. Orderly, rational, coherent parking--not like a bunch of people had hydrochloric acid spilled in their laps.
February finds me with no major complaints, the biggest of which, the overpowering darkness of Northern European winter has finally given way to the point where it is light both when I leave the house and leave the office.
Still, I have no doubt that my thoughts of going to Sweden, Finland or Estonia for "midsummer" (quote marks because "midsummer" marks both the first and last days of summer in these Baltic climes) are still pegged to my residual darkness trauma of the last few months.
Before a few special items (several of which I've recycled from my more assiduously maintained Facebook page), some basics:
* Living arrangements: while having a late-twenties American flatmate can result into the descent into some fraternity-house-style living habits, the recent engagement of a cleaning lady has brought many smiles to Rue d'Oultremontstraat... It's been nice having intelligent American company to come home to, particularly as the Obama administration gathers steam, though middle-east discussions can get a bit dicey, as it's hard for me to convince him that one side in a conflict can indeed be right all the time.
* Work: Am enjoying my organization--though being in a foreign outpost of a strong company that has a very strong culture has been very much an education...
* Dating: no wedding bells by a long shot, but the quality of my conversations seems to be improving. I'm attributing this mainly to the amount of available light.
* Sports: My beloved Wisconsin Badgers have come back from the dead, last seen turning a six game basketball losing streak into a five game tear back through the standings of the eleven-member Big Ten Conference of America's finest state universities... As for Tottenham--listless performances of late leave the Mighty Spurs stuck dangerously near the trap door to relegation and the oblivion of the so-called Coca-Cola Championship. Only pleasure to be taken from the season has been the relatively weak performance of the Hated Arsenal Scum. But of course the Scum are faring far better than we are. Ptui.
* Lugano: Travel has been at a premium of late, as I become ever better at conference calls and web exchanges at work. But a recent IABC conference got me out of Belgium for a few days and over to Lugano--the small Swiss lakeside city that is best described as "Italy went to Obedience School".
Lugano is extremely attractive, and it's main academic institution, the Universita di Svizzera Italiana (translated as "the university of Italians lucky enough to be Swiss") is also to European professional communications schools what my alma mater London Business School is to business schools: Numero Uno.
The conference was excellent--http://europe.iabc.com/ has more details.But what stole the show was Lugano itself... Italian and Swiss seem to be two contravening paradigms, and for the most part they are.
I would have dug the local cuisine more if my lifelong aversion to Parmesan Cheese and its near-relatives wasn't on full guard for the visit, or if the little white spear in otherwise excellent pumpkin soup at the main dinner event didn't happen to be a chunk of rabbit, one of the two main species I don't eat because I think they are cuter than I am (the other, of course being my old friends, the pigs).
Still, the setting is breathtaking. The secret of Lugano is its low elevation--300 feet--while surrounded by alpine mountains. Thus Lugano has a surprisingly mild climate described as mediterranean, with the occasional palm tree. In the architectural detail, Lugano is clearly Italian--churches, public buildings and street signs being clearly Italian in style.
But other flavors emerge. French fashion houses, Credit Suisse, German names like the Lido Seegarten hotel (the conference hotel), and a mixture of modern and more-Swiss-looking architectural styles. Add in the neon ads for classic Swiss watches on the lakeshore: Rolex, Rado, Tissot, Jaeger le Couture and the picture becomes clearer--particularly from the deck of the spectacular Casino Lugano. Still, the most telling difference between Italy and Svizzera Italiana: the parking. Orderly, rational, coherent parking--not like a bunch of people had hydrochloric acid spilled in their laps.
Random Thoughts
One of the coolest things coursing around Facebook these days is the "25 Random Things" note--notes written by Facebookers about disparate but generally interesting facets of their lives. I was sufficiently inspired to write three of these: 25 Random Things, 20 Random Beers, and 21 Random Places Where I've Lived. For your reading pleasure:
25 Random Things
1. I haven't done anything political for pay since 2004, but politics remains my favorite subject of news and conversation
2. My current job as the most challenging I've ever had--and while it can be a bit scary, I'm really starting to enjoy the people
3. While I'm both a US and UK citizen, I can't vote in Britain because I don't have a UK address.
4. My lack of a UK address doesn't deter me from 'voting' on the most important matter facing the Brits--English Football.
5. Supporters of my English football team, Tottenham Hotspur, are known as The Yid Army.
6. I'm not a particularly religious Jew, but my passion for Israel and the Jewish People holds my own on other fronts.
7. I was the earliest active Obama supporter in the Netherlands when I lived there. I even got to speak at the Obama victory party in the NL.
8. I think Obama will be a great president, and will piss me off at times along the way
9. I don't hate Republicans--I used to be one from 1986-92
10. I've been blogging since 2005.
11. I've lost a bit of zeal for blogging since I moved back to Europe and got on Facebook--I have more to do, and an easier way of sharing thoughts in real time
12. I've gone from thinking I'm an expert to realizing I'm still a student in many respects--the more I know, the less I know!
13. There are nearly more places on the list of places I want to return to as there are on the places that I want to see for the first time.
14. The best places I've ever been are (in alphabetical order) Bariloche, Argentina; Bruges, Belgium; Jerusalem, Israel; Paris, France; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Stockholm, Sweden.
15. I think baby piglets are the most adorable thing on the planet and that nothing else remotely comes close
16. I'm contemplating a big step in my life--getting an unfurnished apartment and buying furniture.
17. I have not owned a car since 1996.
18. I have never driven into an auto accident--a fact that should make me less of an agnostic than I am, considering my driving.
19. I'm a connoisseur of European train travel.
20. I am a deeply committed beer connoisseur, having written nearly 200 beer reviews on Ratebeer.com (member number mklein818).
21. My university's sports teams also occupy a big spot in my heart--cheering on the Wisconsin Badgers in fertile and lean seasons
22. Dating has been an ongoing source of frustration
23. I cook a little--my main interest is in reduction sauces. Port wine with lemon and wholegrain mustard is awesome; recently did one with 11% alcohol Kasteel beer
24. The best educational experience I've had was with an organization called Landmark Education.
25. I'm capping this off by pouring a chalice of St Feuillien Cuvee de Noel--a fine amber brew from Le Roeulx, Belgium.
2o Random Beers
The following beer thoughts are designed to motivate, inspire, and if necessary elicit envy from those for whom such brews are not commonly available.
They are listed in no particular order, having given up on selecting "the best beer" many moons ago...
1. Palm: Legendary Belgian ale, civilized at a pilsner strength, but with flavor depth of heartier brews. Have been to the brewery in Steenhuffel and seen the famous Palm draft horses.
2. Kasteel Bruin: Rich and unctuous--at a potent 11%, not a brew to start the evening with. Best served in its own gold-lipped chalice. Makes an interesting reduction sauce with a bit of lemon, honey, garlic and whole grain mustard.
3. Primus: Probably the best lager in the world, alas only found in Belgium. Very different from German lagers in particuler--light on the hoppy bitterness and deeper in the malt department.
4. Val Dieu Brune: A divine brew--the only Belgian beer brewed at a non-Trappist abbey. Balanced sweetness and spiciness.
5. Grimbergen Brune: My favorite mass-market dark Belgian brew, available on tap from most pubs with a Maes sign on the door. Also decent availabilty in the US--now owned by Heineken.
6. Tripel Karmeliet: It's a multi-grain beer, so it's healthy, eh? At 8%, the health benefits are compounded by a potent punch. Oats are the added ingredient, along with barley and wheat malts. Sweet-sour-spice. And it comes from a place called Buggenhout. Can't beat that.
7. De Koninck: The beer that is to Antwerp what Old Style is to Chicago, except that it has a distinct color and flavor. It's served in a glass called a Bolleke. Order one for an Englishman and see the reaction you get.
8. Liefman's Kriek: An intricately brewed and blended mix of cherry fruit and brown ales from Flanders. Different from most other Krieks, which are brewed closer to Brussels according to a different formula. Worth the effort to find.
9. Bush/Scaldis: No, not the $4 a 12 pack at the truck stop Busch, but a fiery and noble Walloon brew from the Dubuisson brewery. Known as "the cognac beer", a late-night brew served in a snifter-like glass. Sold in the US as "Scaldis" to avoid conflicts with that big Belgian brewery in St. Louis.
10. Westvleteren: Brewed by Trappist monks unconcerned by market forces or commercial gain, "Westy" is by far the most sought after of Belgian brews. Cars line up on the rare days cases are placed on sale, and commercial distribution is spotty and allegedly illegal. A bottle of Westy Abt, the 12% alcohol version, has a street value in Belgium of EUR 12. Steep for a beer. But have you ever paid the equivalent for indifferent cabernet sauvignon? You have. Admit it.
11. Ommegang: The best Belgian beer in America. Brewed by Belgium's Moortgat Brewery at a branch in Cooperstown, New York, this beer has a combination of sweetness, bitterness and depth matched by few beers anywhere. It's sister brews Three Philosophers and Hennepin are also excellent, and sister Rare Vos tastes a slightly amped-up version of Palm above.
12. Blanche de Namur: Am not a huge white/wheat beer fan, but by far my favorite is Blanche de Namur, from the dramatically situated Walloon capital of Namur, a top day-trip destination. Clean, sparkly acidity with a lemoniness that warns off the introduction of trendy fruit slices.
13. La Trappe Quadrupel: A 10% alcohol behemoth from over the border in Holland--easily the best Dutch beer. The beer equivalent of sticky toffee pudding.
14. Duvel: My first Belgian, from my days as a legal 19 year old tippler at the University of Wisconsin Union. Deceptively mild--a pilsnerlike flavor masking a potent 8.5 punch. They don't call it 'Devil" for nothing.
15. Tongerlo Brune: My first Belgian dark beer. Mild at 6% alcohol,but with some nice caramel flavors. A sentimental favorite.
16. St. Feuilllien Triple: A Walloon favorite with an exquisite mix of spices. Strong and warming. St. Feullien's dark and blonde beers are great too.
17. Gordon Scotch: Despite the name, very much a Belgian brew, albeit in a once-popular Scottish style. Strong at 8.5%, bitter, sweet, and well balanced. Served in a thistle glass that kind of looks like a tornado made of glass.
18. Saison Dupont: A unique brew--not sweet at all, but possessing a deep savoriness. Think soy sauce without the salt--just pure, deep, savory flavor. Great with food.
19. Fin Du Monde: Canada's best Belgian beer--mildly sweet, spicy and little hoppy. Great label with a dramatic map of Quebec.
20. And finally, the majestic Cuvee van de Keizer (Grand Cru of the Emperor), from Gouden Carolus in Mechelen,Belgium, where my office is. Cuvee is an annual brew, varying by year. I can still taste the Star Anise from the 2006 version. Belgium--and beer--at its best.
21 Random Places where I've Lived
1. San Jose, California: Stayed on a candidate’s couch for a month. Came to the conclusion that while Alice B. Toklas said “there’s no there, there” about Oakland, it was because she hadn’t been to San Jose.
2. Delft, Netherlands: One year in deluxe apartment in a rehabbed college building. View of a canal out of a sliver of my living room window. Fondest memory was when one of the guys at the Proeflokaal (tasting pub with 100+ beers) gave me a glass with a decal of a nearby drawbridge and the word Delvenaer (native Delftian)
3. Raleigh, NC: An antiseptic southern town—quite unusual in that I don’t normally find southern towns antiseptic. Best part is that Chapel Hill is nearby. Worst part is that Raleigh isn’t Chapel Hill.
4. Willesden Green, London: A rare affordable, well-situated, vibrant if rough-around-the-edges part of London. Better suited for a bachelor than a married couple.
5. Albany, NY: At 100,000 a very small big city—with big city politics, a major state capital and a University that has finally found some identity,. Best wings on earth.
6. San Francisco: As a famous wag once said, San Francisco has never had a smug free day. Nuff said.
7. Skokie, IL: Where I landed in greater Chicago in 1969, and where my brother bashed my head against a brick wall shortly thereafter. He still hasn’t apologized.
8. Hampstead Garden Suburb, London: A beautifully designed suburban community with absolutely no commerce of any kind. Round the corner from Golders Green, one of the world’s great Jewish neighbo(u)rhoods.
9. Madison, WI: Winters notwithstanding, one of the most pleasant, beautiful, and vibrant places on the planet. Summer evenings with Duvel in hand overlooking Lake Mendota, raucous gamedays punctuated by the Fifth Quarter, and January icefishing. Does anyone remember Madison’s Lady Liberty?
10. The Hague, Netherlands: A sterile city, and an extremely sterile studio apartment owned by an unusually garrulous if fastidious Dutchman. Got to commute by tram though, which was cool.
11. Kewanee, IL: Where I drew my first political paycheck in 1988. Tough campaign, and very tough little farm town. High point: Hog Days Parade. As in pigs, not motorcycles.
12. Burke, VA: Not quite an exurb of Washington, DC, though you wouldn’t know it from the 90 minute one-way commute. Redeeming bit was that it was close to George Mason University, where I hung out with the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon
13. Rosh Tzurim, Israel: When a boulder fell on my finger on this West Bank (Judea-Samaria) Kibbutz, I was literally between a rock and a very hard place. Learned a lot up close about Religious Zionism and the settler mentality. Vastly prefer secular Zionism instead.
14. Baton Rouge, LA: Expected a small New Orleans, found more of a middling state capital/college town with much better food than average. Love that etouffee
15. Baltimore, MD: A place with heart, soul, texture and personality, along with good food and some great watering holes. Best—the Mount Royal Tavern, with an amazing ceiling fresco.
16. Kilburn, London: First place I ever drank Guinness in the morning, appropriate as this is London’s most Irish of neighbo(u)rhoods. Was watching Ireland-Cameroon during World Cup 2002.
17. Bakersfield, CA: A thoroughly underrated burg, with sweeping mountain vistas, oil wells, low-slung buildings and inimitable tri-tip beef. Dominated by the ghost of Buck Owens, country music icon who called this bit of the ol’ southwest home.
18. Evanston, IL: Where I came of age in many ways. Was a total dork in high school, learned the basics of research as a telephone interviewer, and saw Magic Johnson’s MSU Spartans experience a rare upset loss to the Northwestern Mildcats. Now one of Chicago’s more fashionable urban suburbs—amazing what legalized alcohol can do for a place.
19. Rosslyn, VA: A mellow place across the river from DC—where a great flatmate helped me keep my sanity during my unhappy if productive years as a federal government communications contractor.
20. Montgomery, AL: The deep south at its deepest. Like living in a foreign country--gave me the appetite for the real thing. Best part was the food (the late Kat and Harry's with their super-cheap Ridge Zinfandel) and the singer belting out Toni Braxton better than Toni ever did...
21. Brussels, Belgium: The capital—and heart of Europe. The bucket of gold at the end of the rainbow. Despite the winter darkness, wet weather, anti-semitic politicians and confiscatory taxation. Such things are no match for magret de canard, daytrips to Brugge, and hot-and-cold running supplies of Kasteel, Rochefort, and Grimbergen Brune.
25 Random Things
1. I haven't done anything political for pay since 2004, but politics remains my favorite subject of news and conversation
2. My current job as the most challenging I've ever had--and while it can be a bit scary, I'm really starting to enjoy the people
3. While I'm both a US and UK citizen, I can't vote in Britain because I don't have a UK address.
4. My lack of a UK address doesn't deter me from 'voting' on the most important matter facing the Brits--English Football.
5. Supporters of my English football team, Tottenham Hotspur, are known as The Yid Army.
6. I'm not a particularly religious Jew, but my passion for Israel and the Jewish People holds my own on other fronts.
7. I was the earliest active Obama supporter in the Netherlands when I lived there. I even got to speak at the Obama victory party in the NL.
8. I think Obama will be a great president, and will piss me off at times along the way
9. I don't hate Republicans--I used to be one from 1986-92
10. I've been blogging since 2005.
11. I've lost a bit of zeal for blogging since I moved back to Europe and got on Facebook--I have more to do, and an easier way of sharing thoughts in real time
12. I've gone from thinking I'm an expert to realizing I'm still a student in many respects--the more I know, the less I know!
13. There are nearly more places on the list of places I want to return to as there are on the places that I want to see for the first time.
14. The best places I've ever been are (in alphabetical order) Bariloche, Argentina; Bruges, Belgium; Jerusalem, Israel; Paris, France; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Stockholm, Sweden.
15. I think baby piglets are the most adorable thing on the planet and that nothing else remotely comes close
16. I'm contemplating a big step in my life--getting an unfurnished apartment and buying furniture.
17. I have not owned a car since 1996.
18. I have never driven into an auto accident--a fact that should make me less of an agnostic than I am, considering my driving.
19. I'm a connoisseur of European train travel.
20. I am a deeply committed beer connoisseur, having written nearly 200 beer reviews on Ratebeer.com (member number mklein818).
21. My university's sports teams also occupy a big spot in my heart--cheering on the Wisconsin Badgers in fertile and lean seasons
22. Dating has been an ongoing source of frustration
23. I cook a little--my main interest is in reduction sauces. Port wine with lemon and wholegrain mustard is awesome; recently did one with 11% alcohol Kasteel beer
24. The best educational experience I've had was with an organization called Landmark Education.
25. I'm capping this off by pouring a chalice of St Feuillien Cuvee de Noel--a fine amber brew from Le Roeulx, Belgium.
2o Random Beers
The following beer thoughts are designed to motivate, inspire, and if necessary elicit envy from those for whom such brews are not commonly available.
They are listed in no particular order, having given up on selecting "the best beer" many moons ago...
1. Palm: Legendary Belgian ale, civilized at a pilsner strength, but with flavor depth of heartier brews. Have been to the brewery in Steenhuffel and seen the famous Palm draft horses.
2. Kasteel Bruin: Rich and unctuous--at a potent 11%, not a brew to start the evening with. Best served in its own gold-lipped chalice. Makes an interesting reduction sauce with a bit of lemon, honey, garlic and whole grain mustard.
3. Primus: Probably the best lager in the world, alas only found in Belgium. Very different from German lagers in particuler--light on the hoppy bitterness and deeper in the malt department.
4. Val Dieu Brune: A divine brew--the only Belgian beer brewed at a non-Trappist abbey. Balanced sweetness and spiciness.
5. Grimbergen Brune: My favorite mass-market dark Belgian brew, available on tap from most pubs with a Maes sign on the door. Also decent availabilty in the US--now owned by Heineken.
6. Tripel Karmeliet: It's a multi-grain beer, so it's healthy, eh? At 8%, the health benefits are compounded by a potent punch. Oats are the added ingredient, along with barley and wheat malts. Sweet-sour-spice. And it comes from a place called Buggenhout. Can't beat that.
7. De Koninck: The beer that is to Antwerp what Old Style is to Chicago, except that it has a distinct color and flavor. It's served in a glass called a Bolleke. Order one for an Englishman and see the reaction you get.
8. Liefman's Kriek: An intricately brewed and blended mix of cherry fruit and brown ales from Flanders. Different from most other Krieks, which are brewed closer to Brussels according to a different formula. Worth the effort to find.
9. Bush/Scaldis: No, not the $4 a 12 pack at the truck stop Busch, but a fiery and noble Walloon brew from the Dubuisson brewery. Known as "the cognac beer", a late-night brew served in a snifter-like glass. Sold in the US as "Scaldis" to avoid conflicts with that big Belgian brewery in St. Louis.
10. Westvleteren: Brewed by Trappist monks unconcerned by market forces or commercial gain, "Westy" is by far the most sought after of Belgian brews. Cars line up on the rare days cases are placed on sale, and commercial distribution is spotty and allegedly illegal. A bottle of Westy Abt, the 12% alcohol version, has a street value in Belgium of EUR 12. Steep for a beer. But have you ever paid the equivalent for indifferent cabernet sauvignon? You have. Admit it.
11. Ommegang: The best Belgian beer in America. Brewed by Belgium's Moortgat Brewery at a branch in Cooperstown, New York, this beer has a combination of sweetness, bitterness and depth matched by few beers anywhere. It's sister brews Three Philosophers and Hennepin are also excellent, and sister Rare Vos tastes a slightly amped-up version of Palm above.
12. Blanche de Namur: Am not a huge white/wheat beer fan, but by far my favorite is Blanche de Namur, from the dramatically situated Walloon capital of Namur, a top day-trip destination. Clean, sparkly acidity with a lemoniness that warns off the introduction of trendy fruit slices.
13. La Trappe Quadrupel: A 10% alcohol behemoth from over the border in Holland--easily the best Dutch beer. The beer equivalent of sticky toffee pudding.
14. Duvel: My first Belgian, from my days as a legal 19 year old tippler at the University of Wisconsin Union. Deceptively mild--a pilsnerlike flavor masking a potent 8.5 punch. They don't call it 'Devil" for nothing.
15. Tongerlo Brune: My first Belgian dark beer. Mild at 6% alcohol,but with some nice caramel flavors. A sentimental favorite.
16. St. Feuilllien Triple: A Walloon favorite with an exquisite mix of spices. Strong and warming. St. Feullien's dark and blonde beers are great too.
17. Gordon Scotch: Despite the name, very much a Belgian brew, albeit in a once-popular Scottish style. Strong at 8.5%, bitter, sweet, and well balanced. Served in a thistle glass that kind of looks like a tornado made of glass.
18. Saison Dupont: A unique brew--not sweet at all, but possessing a deep savoriness. Think soy sauce without the salt--just pure, deep, savory flavor. Great with food.
19. Fin Du Monde: Canada's best Belgian beer--mildly sweet, spicy and little hoppy. Great label with a dramatic map of Quebec.
20. And finally, the majestic Cuvee van de Keizer (Grand Cru of the Emperor), from Gouden Carolus in Mechelen,Belgium, where my office is. Cuvee is an annual brew, varying by year. I can still taste the Star Anise from the 2006 version. Belgium--and beer--at its best.
21 Random Places where I've Lived
1. San Jose, California: Stayed on a candidate’s couch for a month. Came to the conclusion that while Alice B. Toklas said “there’s no there, there” about Oakland, it was because she hadn’t been to San Jose.
2. Delft, Netherlands: One year in deluxe apartment in a rehabbed college building. View of a canal out of a sliver of my living room window. Fondest memory was when one of the guys at the Proeflokaal (tasting pub with 100+ beers) gave me a glass with a decal of a nearby drawbridge and the word Delvenaer (native Delftian)
3. Raleigh, NC: An antiseptic southern town—quite unusual in that I don’t normally find southern towns antiseptic. Best part is that Chapel Hill is nearby. Worst part is that Raleigh isn’t Chapel Hill.
4. Willesden Green, London: A rare affordable, well-situated, vibrant if rough-around-the-edges part of London. Better suited for a bachelor than a married couple.
5. Albany, NY: At 100,000 a very small big city—with big city politics, a major state capital and a University that has finally found some identity,. Best wings on earth.
6. San Francisco: As a famous wag once said, San Francisco has never had a smug free day. Nuff said.
7. Skokie, IL: Where I landed in greater Chicago in 1969, and where my brother bashed my head against a brick wall shortly thereafter. He still hasn’t apologized.
8. Hampstead Garden Suburb, London: A beautifully designed suburban community with absolutely no commerce of any kind. Round the corner from Golders Green, one of the world’s great Jewish neighbo(u)rhoods.
9. Madison, WI: Winters notwithstanding, one of the most pleasant, beautiful, and vibrant places on the planet. Summer evenings with Duvel in hand overlooking Lake Mendota, raucous gamedays punctuated by the Fifth Quarter, and January icefishing. Does anyone remember Madison’s Lady Liberty?
10. The Hague, Netherlands: A sterile city, and an extremely sterile studio apartment owned by an unusually garrulous if fastidious Dutchman. Got to commute by tram though, which was cool.
11. Kewanee, IL: Where I drew my first political paycheck in 1988. Tough campaign, and very tough little farm town. High point: Hog Days Parade. As in pigs, not motorcycles.
12. Burke, VA: Not quite an exurb of Washington, DC, though you wouldn’t know it from the 90 minute one-way commute. Redeeming bit was that it was close to George Mason University, where I hung out with the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon
13. Rosh Tzurim, Israel: When a boulder fell on my finger on this West Bank (Judea-Samaria) Kibbutz, I was literally between a rock and a very hard place. Learned a lot up close about Religious Zionism and the settler mentality. Vastly prefer secular Zionism instead.
14. Baton Rouge, LA: Expected a small New Orleans, found more of a middling state capital/college town with much better food than average. Love that etouffee
15. Baltimore, MD: A place with heart, soul, texture and personality, along with good food and some great watering holes. Best—the Mount Royal Tavern, with an amazing ceiling fresco.
16. Kilburn, London: First place I ever drank Guinness in the morning, appropriate as this is London’s most Irish of neighbo(u)rhoods. Was watching Ireland-Cameroon during World Cup 2002.
17. Bakersfield, CA: A thoroughly underrated burg, with sweeping mountain vistas, oil wells, low-slung buildings and inimitable tri-tip beef. Dominated by the ghost of Buck Owens, country music icon who called this bit of the ol’ southwest home.
18. Evanston, IL: Where I came of age in many ways. Was a total dork in high school, learned the basics of research as a telephone interviewer, and saw Magic Johnson’s MSU Spartans experience a rare upset loss to the Northwestern Mildcats. Now one of Chicago’s more fashionable urban suburbs—amazing what legalized alcohol can do for a place.
19. Rosslyn, VA: A mellow place across the river from DC—where a great flatmate helped me keep my sanity during my unhappy if productive years as a federal government communications contractor.
20. Montgomery, AL: The deep south at its deepest. Like living in a foreign country--gave me the appetite for the real thing. Best part was the food (the late Kat and Harry's with their super-cheap Ridge Zinfandel) and the singer belting out Toni Braxton better than Toni ever did...
21. Brussels, Belgium: The capital—and heart of Europe. The bucket of gold at the end of the rainbow. Despite the winter darkness, wet weather, anti-semitic politicians and confiscatory taxation. Such things are no match for magret de canard, daytrips to Brugge, and hot-and-cold running supplies of Kasteel, Rochefort, and Grimbergen Brune.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Global Transformation, Palm Beer, Song for the Season
Global Transformation comes to Rotterdam
Having itself been transformed from a pile of Luftwaffe rubble to a vibrant, edgy, and youthful global port, the Dutch port city of Rotterdam proved a fitting venue for last weekend's European Summit for Global Transformation.
To be sure, the title appeared on the surface to be grand. Among the seventy-plus attendees was an eclectic collection of organizational change consultants, academics, entrepreneurs, coaches and social activists from around Europe, with Dutch and expat Americans prominent in their numbers.
But within this group was a shared commitment to turbocharge our own leadership abilities to operate more effectively on a larger scale. Most-though not all-had some background in transformational learning--a form of education that, to simplify, involves distinguishing fact and one's own opinions of fact--a concept which while seemingly obvious is one that often requires years of intentional practice to master and transmit effectively to others.
Much of the event involved listening to pros who have taken transformational learning or practice into unlikely places--like Capt. Kari Granger of the US Air Force Academy, and others who have worked in Exxon Mobil, the European Commission, the launch of the Xing and Neo social networking sites and the British Council.
But most of the value came out of the spirited discussions between participants, particularly given the commitments of each of the participants. My commitment is about "freedom of speech--experienced not merely as a legal right, but as a practice and responsibility".
But some of the other participant's commitments rubbed me the wrong way, namely those about the environment and peace. Those two issues have never inspired anything other than skepticism from me. In the space of the conference--and in engaging with "antagonists" with years of experience in transformational rhetoric (continually distinguishing between "fact" and "opinion", I was stunned to recognize the basis for my antipathy to environmentalism (my opinion that it's a cheap way to be anti-American) and towards pacifism (that it's a socially acceptable way to be anti Israel and anti-semitic).. In realising these things, I have not become a pacifist environmentalist. But the mistrust disappeared from conversations on these topics, as did the defensiveness.
As transformational events like this unfold, the conversation among likeminded participants grappling with the scale of our commitments and the extent to which our own failings make us unlikely to achieve them can yield some striking insights--insights which once internalized in turn make success more possible.
One brutal insight in my case was that of my resistance to using the methodologies of others in my work rather than trying to invent my own stuff and get credit for it. While it didn't come as a surprise, what it's opened up is the opportunity to learn from people far more effective and successful than me and create something completely new in the process.
Unleashing 70 participants back in the world renewed in their vision and operating with a clearer sense of what it would take to fulfill our commitments may not bring global transformation. But it could. As Margaret Mead once said, "never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed citizens to change the world. It's the only thing that ever has."
Palm: A Great Home for a Great Beer
When I lived in Holland last year, the best thing about the local beer scene was the country's Benelux proximity to Belgium. And the one Belgian ale that is universally available in the NL is Palm. So, when the social club at my new workplace offered up a tour of the Palm Brewery in Steenhuffel, Belgium, it was "do not pass go, do not collect 200 Euros."
No, Steenhuffel isn't the Brew Jerusalem (I accord that status to Ingelmunster, West Flanders, home of Van Honsebrouck's Brigand and Kasteel brews). But Palm is iconic--in its own way, like a Guinness of the Low Countries. When I mentioned the Guinness parallel to the Brewery's tour guide, he bridled in a manner reminiscent of the brewery's Belgian Draught Horses, the Benelux's answer to the the now Belgian Budweiser Clydesdales. "No, we don't want to be the next Guinness--we want to be what we are, do what we do." But what they do is magnificent. Palm Speciale, the anchor brew at Steenhuffel, is a red-amber ale at a quaffable 5% (standard beer strength like a Bud or Heineken), but with a deep, rich and resonant flavor mildly redolent of hops and evocative of slightly roasted malt.
Palm brews other stuff-Dobbel Palm, a slightly stronger version for December (a month requiring more alcohol than other months). Royale, a special brew commemorating the brewery patriarch's birthday that remained in the rotation, and the Steenbrugge range of abbey-style brews. But to steal a phrase, Speciale remains "the original and best", and the brewery is certainly atmospheric and inviting.
Song for the season
Not being Christian, I don't exert myself much around this season's festivities. But as a gift to my readers, I would like to present my favorite song, Love is the Answer, in a You Tube video where a faulty mike has him miss the first few lines. Still, it is rich and authentic. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u37z8W5w8Do
Below you will find some other recent postings...
Having itself been transformed from a pile of Luftwaffe rubble to a vibrant, edgy, and youthful global port, the Dutch port city of Rotterdam proved a fitting venue for last weekend's European Summit for Global Transformation.
To be sure, the title appeared on the surface to be grand. Among the seventy-plus attendees was an eclectic collection of organizational change consultants, academics, entrepreneurs, coaches and social activists from around Europe, with Dutch and expat Americans prominent in their numbers.
But within this group was a shared commitment to turbocharge our own leadership abilities to operate more effectively on a larger scale. Most-though not all-had some background in transformational learning--a form of education that, to simplify, involves distinguishing fact and one's own opinions of fact--a concept which while seemingly obvious is one that often requires years of intentional practice to master and transmit effectively to others.
Much of the event involved listening to pros who have taken transformational learning or practice into unlikely places--like Capt. Kari Granger of the US Air Force Academy, and others who have worked in Exxon Mobil, the European Commission, the launch of the Xing and Neo social networking sites and the British Council.
But most of the value came out of the spirited discussions between participants, particularly given the commitments of each of the participants. My commitment is about "freedom of speech--experienced not merely as a legal right, but as a practice and responsibility".
But some of the other participant's commitments rubbed me the wrong way, namely those about the environment and peace. Those two issues have never inspired anything other than skepticism from me. In the space of the conference--and in engaging with "antagonists" with years of experience in transformational rhetoric (continually distinguishing between "fact" and "opinion", I was stunned to recognize the basis for my antipathy to environmentalism (my opinion that it's a cheap way to be anti-American) and towards pacifism (that it's a socially acceptable way to be anti Israel and anti-semitic).. In realising these things, I have not become a pacifist environmentalist. But the mistrust disappeared from conversations on these topics, as did the defensiveness.
As transformational events like this unfold, the conversation among likeminded participants grappling with the scale of our commitments and the extent to which our own failings make us unlikely to achieve them can yield some striking insights--insights which once internalized in turn make success more possible.
One brutal insight in my case was that of my resistance to using the methodologies of others in my work rather than trying to invent my own stuff and get credit for it. While it didn't come as a surprise, what it's opened up is the opportunity to learn from people far more effective and successful than me and create something completely new in the process.
Unleashing 70 participants back in the world renewed in their vision and operating with a clearer sense of what it would take to fulfill our commitments may not bring global transformation. But it could. As Margaret Mead once said, "never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed citizens to change the world. It's the only thing that ever has."
Palm: A Great Home for a Great Beer
When I lived in Holland last year, the best thing about the local beer scene was the country's Benelux proximity to Belgium. And the one Belgian ale that is universally available in the NL is Palm. So, when the social club at my new workplace offered up a tour of the Palm Brewery in Steenhuffel, Belgium, it was "do not pass go, do not collect 200 Euros."
No, Steenhuffel isn't the Brew Jerusalem (I accord that status to Ingelmunster, West Flanders, home of Van Honsebrouck's Brigand and Kasteel brews). But Palm is iconic--in its own way, like a Guinness of the Low Countries. When I mentioned the Guinness parallel to the Brewery's tour guide, he bridled in a manner reminiscent of the brewery's Belgian Draught Horses, the Benelux's answer to the the now Belgian Budweiser Clydesdales. "No, we don't want to be the next Guinness--we want to be what we are, do what we do." But what they do is magnificent. Palm Speciale, the anchor brew at Steenhuffel, is a red-amber ale at a quaffable 5% (standard beer strength like a Bud or Heineken), but with a deep, rich and resonant flavor mildly redolent of hops and evocative of slightly roasted malt.
Palm brews other stuff-Dobbel Palm, a slightly stronger version for December (a month requiring more alcohol than other months). Royale, a special brew commemorating the brewery patriarch's birthday that remained in the rotation, and the Steenbrugge range of abbey-style brews. But to steal a phrase, Speciale remains "the original and best", and the brewery is certainly atmospheric and inviting.
Song for the season
Not being Christian, I don't exert myself much around this season's festivities. But as a gift to my readers, I would like to present my favorite song, Love is the Answer, in a You Tube video where a faulty mike has him miss the first few lines. Still, it is rich and authentic. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u37z8W5w8Do
Below you will find some other recent postings...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
John McCain, Bret Bielema and a Light Belgian Beer
Few things are prettier than the view from an airliner's window seat on a clear or semi-clear day. Few places also make one so gently or pleasantly lightheaded, particularly with a $6 Canadian and Soda in hand. So, some airborne musings are in order...
A Close Encounter with John McCain
I saw John McCain on my way out of Phoenix this morning. No, not on TV or a billboard or on a yard sign of a diehard in deep denial. No, the actual Senator from Arizona, waiting in the United/Continental departure lounge at Phoenix' Sky Harbor Airport, all 72+years of his freed POWness, about 15 meters away.
I normally avoid celebrities. And when given a chance to avoid a celebrity who accuses other celebrities of being celebrities, my instincts reared up again. For what would I say to Arizona's Senior Senator?
"That was a damn fine concession speech, Senator McCain"? "What was it that you were smoking when you picked that wacky Tina Fey lookalike as your running mate"? "Would you actually trust a clogged toilet in one of your homes to Joe the Unlicensed Plumber"? No I was having none of that. But as I allowed myself to indulge in some unexpressed partisan snarkiness, I noticed I had left my camera at my parents' house in Scottsdale. And as I boarded the Washington Dulles-bound Airbus, I only quickly recalled that my new Blackberry could have recorded this near-brush with near-greatness.
Backing Bret Bielema
Back in 2005 (or was it 2004?), I had the pleasure to meet Wisconsin Football Coach (American Gridiron, that is) Bret Bielema at a gathering of the Badger faithful in a Washington, DC pub. Bielema impressed me with his sense of perspective and his acceptance of the nature of the big time coach's role-the CEO of a multi-million dollar enterprise who is completely held responsible for that enterprise's on and off-field results.
This year, the results haven't been that great for the Badgers, a 7-5 season including three narrow league losses and a narrow overtime win over lower-division competition. And despite several 9+ win seasons, some of my fellow Badgers bray for Bielema's head.
Sure, Bielema made some mistakes this year. But I for one think he has the ability to learn from his mistakes. I also think, as a Badger who can remember the 0-11 seasons under previous coaches, some of my fellow Badgers have become jaded.
What makes Badgerdom unique among American college teams are our raucous "5th Quarter"post-game celebrations--win or lose. While the 5th Quarter tradition has continued unabated (save for a one-match suspension of the Band for off-field excesses), the underlying spirit is being undermined by a sense of expectation. Such a sense of expectation--indeed of entitlement--will do the Badgers far more ill than another season with Bielema at the helm.
Grisette--The Best Light Beer of All Time
I'm not a light beer fan. But, one major discovery of my return to Belgium is a light beer that really tastes great--and really is less filling. I speak not of an American brew but a Belgian offering called Grisette Blonde. Grisette comes from Belgium's storied St. Feullien brewery, which brews a number of high-octane abbey brews under its saintly moniker, but Grisette is a paradigm shft. Grisette Blonde is, at 4.1% alcohol, rather weak compared to most abbey blonds, but balances that weakness with a spicy and yeasty flavor generally unknown in such a lower-alcohol brew.
It's become a house favorite--real flavor without the heaviness of traditional Belgian brews or their concomitant alcoholic punch. And for all the grandeur of the heavy and storied trappist and abbey ales, something that tastes good with a burger has its place.
A Close Encounter with John McCain
I saw John McCain on my way out of Phoenix this morning. No, not on TV or a billboard or on a yard sign of a diehard in deep denial. No, the actual Senator from Arizona, waiting in the United/Continental departure lounge at Phoenix' Sky Harbor Airport, all 72+years of his freed POWness, about 15 meters away.
I normally avoid celebrities. And when given a chance to avoid a celebrity who accuses other celebrities of being celebrities, my instincts reared up again. For what would I say to Arizona's Senior Senator?
"That was a damn fine concession speech, Senator McCain"? "What was it that you were smoking when you picked that wacky Tina Fey lookalike as your running mate"? "Would you actually trust a clogged toilet in one of your homes to Joe the Unlicensed Plumber"? No I was having none of that. But as I allowed myself to indulge in some unexpressed partisan snarkiness, I noticed I had left my camera at my parents' house in Scottsdale. And as I boarded the Washington Dulles-bound Airbus, I only quickly recalled that my new Blackberry could have recorded this near-brush with near-greatness.
Backing Bret Bielema
Back in 2005 (or was it 2004?), I had the pleasure to meet Wisconsin Football Coach (American Gridiron, that is) Bret Bielema at a gathering of the Badger faithful in a Washington, DC pub. Bielema impressed me with his sense of perspective and his acceptance of the nature of the big time coach's role-the CEO of a multi-million dollar enterprise who is completely held responsible for that enterprise's on and off-field results.
This year, the results haven't been that great for the Badgers, a 7-5 season including three narrow league losses and a narrow overtime win over lower-division competition. And despite several 9+ win seasons, some of my fellow Badgers bray for Bielema's head.
Sure, Bielema made some mistakes this year. But I for one think he has the ability to learn from his mistakes. I also think, as a Badger who can remember the 0-11 seasons under previous coaches, some of my fellow Badgers have become jaded.
What makes Badgerdom unique among American college teams are our raucous "5th Quarter"post-game celebrations--win or lose. While the 5th Quarter tradition has continued unabated (save for a one-match suspension of the Band for off-field excesses), the underlying spirit is being undermined by a sense of expectation. Such a sense of expectation--indeed of entitlement--will do the Badgers far more ill than another season with Bielema at the helm.
Grisette--The Best Light Beer of All Time
I'm not a light beer fan. But, one major discovery of my return to Belgium is a light beer that really tastes great--and really is less filling. I speak not of an American brew but a Belgian offering called Grisette Blonde. Grisette comes from Belgium's storied St. Feullien brewery, which brews a number of high-octane abbey brews under its saintly moniker, but Grisette is a paradigm shft. Grisette Blonde is, at 4.1% alcohol, rather weak compared to most abbey blonds, but balances that weakness with a spicy and yeasty flavor generally unknown in such a lower-alcohol brew.
It's become a house favorite--real flavor without the heaviness of traditional Belgian brews or their concomitant alcoholic punch. And for all the grandeur of the heavy and storied trappist and abbey ales, something that tastes good with a burger has its place.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Obamelot, Slumdog Millionaire, and Hip Hip Harry
Obamelot...or "Politics as Team Sport"
Despite the portent of economic gloom and little but the scattered shards of the national piggy bank with which to fight it, the beatific glow left by Barack Obama's decisive, historic and world-changing Presidential victory had not yet left Washington when I returned four days afterward. One of my IABC friends said on her facebook page "Obama is bigger than Kennedy." I replied "Obama is bigger than the Kennedy family."
For one who enjoys gratuitous hyperbole as much as I do, the events of election week still leave me flabbergasted. In sports terms, this election was the combination of The World Cup, a heavyweight championship and a Civil War rolled into a single encounter.
It is impossible to overestimate the bigness of this election. In one swell foop, America not only elected its first Black president, it also decided to rejoin the human race. It validated the newfound political enthusiasm of today's youth, and sounded the political arrival of today's middle age. It signalled the political color change of three states of the Old Confederacy, and gave my home state of Illinois a second president to call her own--yet neither Lincoln nor Obama were native sons.
What makes this election massive, as I learned quickly, was the sense of shared ownership of this victory. Obama didn't win this election. "We" won this election. The sweeping electoral college margin belied a narrow popular vote victory and razor-thin wins in a good number of key states, eked out through tremendous campaign discipline and the steadfastness of the millions of supporters who streamed to the polls and--all too often--queued in seemingly endless lines.
It is perhaps this sense of the broad partnership Barack Obama has forged with us supporters that the percentage of Americans who think Obama's presidency will be a success was 62% in a recent poll, well exceeding his margin of victory and even belying the massive economic mess he has inherited. Politics in America is once again a team sport--and perhaps so to is governing. For me, that's Change I can Believe In.
Slumdog Millionaire
It has been a while since I last went to the cinema, but one film that has left quite an impression is Slumdog Millionaire--a film about the unlikely victory of a humble "chaiwalla" (tea-boy) on India's version of So You Want To Be A Millionaire (or whatever it's callled).
What struck me about the film were a number of things--breathtaking cinematography of the best and ugliest scenes India has to offer, an innovative use of flashback until the final climactic scene, and the outstanding acting of the child actors who featured prominently in the flashback scenes. I will leave the details to the viewing--but I recommend this film very highly.
Hip Hip Harry!
One of the low points of 2008 was the collapse in the form of my beloved Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, which failed to win a single match until the much-needed ouster of enigmatic and taciturn Spanish coach Juande Ramos. His replacement, the far more expressive, transparent and English Harry Redknapp, has turned the Yid Army's fortunes around, with Tottenham yielding one loss in our last six matches and moving from bottom position to a more promising if not comfortable fifteenth position out of 20.
While it is unlikely Tottenham will be able to continue at this pace, most observers think Redknapp and Tottenham will now be able to avoid the bottom three league places that form the trap door of "relegation", soccer's quaint tradition of ejecting poor performers from a higher league and replacing them with top performers from a lower league.
Indeed, two big wins over Liverpool, a gen-u-wine top flight contender, has some of us Yids thinking bigger, and Tottenham has indeed qualified for the League Cup quarterfinals and could end up repeating as League Cup winners. Still though, simply having a manager who transparently knows what he is doing is reassuring. YID ARMY!!!
Despite the portent of economic gloom and little but the scattered shards of the national piggy bank with which to fight it, the beatific glow left by Barack Obama's decisive, historic and world-changing Presidential victory had not yet left Washington when I returned four days afterward. One of my IABC friends said on her facebook page "Obama is bigger than Kennedy." I replied "Obama is bigger than the Kennedy family."
For one who enjoys gratuitous hyperbole as much as I do, the events of election week still leave me flabbergasted. In sports terms, this election was the combination of The World Cup, a heavyweight championship and a Civil War rolled into a single encounter.
It is impossible to overestimate the bigness of this election. In one swell foop, America not only elected its first Black president, it also decided to rejoin the human race. It validated the newfound political enthusiasm of today's youth, and sounded the political arrival of today's middle age. It signalled the political color change of three states of the Old Confederacy, and gave my home state of Illinois a second president to call her own--yet neither Lincoln nor Obama were native sons.
What makes this election massive, as I learned quickly, was the sense of shared ownership of this victory. Obama didn't win this election. "We" won this election. The sweeping electoral college margin belied a narrow popular vote victory and razor-thin wins in a good number of key states, eked out through tremendous campaign discipline and the steadfastness of the millions of supporters who streamed to the polls and--all too often--queued in seemingly endless lines.
It is perhaps this sense of the broad partnership Barack Obama has forged with us supporters that the percentage of Americans who think Obama's presidency will be a success was 62% in a recent poll, well exceeding his margin of victory and even belying the massive economic mess he has inherited. Politics in America is once again a team sport--and perhaps so to is governing. For me, that's Change I can Believe In.
Slumdog Millionaire
It has been a while since I last went to the cinema, but one film that has left quite an impression is Slumdog Millionaire--a film about the unlikely victory of a humble "chaiwalla" (tea-boy) on India's version of So You Want To Be A Millionaire (or whatever it's callled).
What struck me about the film were a number of things--breathtaking cinematography of the best and ugliest scenes India has to offer, an innovative use of flashback until the final climactic scene, and the outstanding acting of the child actors who featured prominently in the flashback scenes. I will leave the details to the viewing--but I recommend this film very highly.
Hip Hip Harry!
One of the low points of 2008 was the collapse in the form of my beloved Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, which failed to win a single match until the much-needed ouster of enigmatic and taciturn Spanish coach Juande Ramos. His replacement, the far more expressive, transparent and English Harry Redknapp, has turned the Yid Army's fortunes around, with Tottenham yielding one loss in our last six matches and moving from bottom position to a more promising if not comfortable fifteenth position out of 20.
While it is unlikely Tottenham will be able to continue at this pace, most observers think Redknapp and Tottenham will now be able to avoid the bottom three league places that form the trap door of "relegation", soccer's quaint tradition of ejecting poor performers from a higher league and replacing them with top performers from a lower league.
Indeed, two big wins over Liverpool, a gen-u-wine top flight contender, has some of us Yids thinking bigger, and Tottenham has indeed qualified for the League Cup quarterfinals and could end up repeating as League Cup winners. Still though, simply having a manager who transparently knows what he is doing is reassuring. YID ARMY!!!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Running out of Blog?
It's been a long while since I've posted anything. I'm sure this has left many of my readers concerned, so I figured I should come up for air and reassure you about a number of things.
1. I am still in Brussels.
2. I have not opted to join the Federal Witness Protection Program.
3. Yes, I noticed that Tottenham Hotspur was last in the English Premiership until yesterday, following the dramatic jettisoning of the uncommunicative Spanish coach Juande Ramos and his replacement by the ever-loquacious Cockney, Harry Redknapp.
4. I did not fall into doubt about Barack Obama or swoon at the red-meat appeal of Sarah Palin, ever-so-aptly named Moose-o-lini by her Alaska detractors.
5. I am still following the Wisconsin Badgers as our season descends into a bowl-free abyss.
6. I did not follow the Chicago Cubs' descent into baseball playoff futility, having abandoned hope at the outset.
7. I'm in the US more weekends than I am in Belgium so far. And I'll be in Washington this weekend and would love to see everyone.
8. I've seen Chicken McNuggets being made. And I still like them, too.
9. Despite still liking Chicken McNuggets, I've lost 7 pounds (3 kilos) in the last month.
10. I have a week off for Xmas and no plans for what to do with it.
11. I've joined an awesome English-language synagogue called the International Jewish Centre.
12. I've had a few new beers lately--best is Saison Regal, very flavorful, amber in colored, with a very refined flavor.
13. I remain single--but unbowed nonetheless.
So, that's the last two months in a nutshell. While I have been running out of Blog, I haven't been running out of things to do. My words will come back soon--and thanks for reading.
1. I am still in Brussels.
2. I have not opted to join the Federal Witness Protection Program.
3. Yes, I noticed that Tottenham Hotspur was last in the English Premiership until yesterday, following the dramatic jettisoning of the uncommunicative Spanish coach Juande Ramos and his replacement by the ever-loquacious Cockney, Harry Redknapp.
4. I did not fall into doubt about Barack Obama or swoon at the red-meat appeal of Sarah Palin, ever-so-aptly named Moose-o-lini by her Alaska detractors.
5. I am still following the Wisconsin Badgers as our season descends into a bowl-free abyss.
6. I did not follow the Chicago Cubs' descent into baseball playoff futility, having abandoned hope at the outset.
7. I'm in the US more weekends than I am in Belgium so far. And I'll be in Washington this weekend and would love to see everyone.
8. I've seen Chicken McNuggets being made. And I still like them, too.
9. Despite still liking Chicken McNuggets, I've lost 7 pounds (3 kilos) in the last month.
10. I have a week off for Xmas and no plans for what to do with it.
11. I've joined an awesome English-language synagogue called the International Jewish Centre.
12. I've had a few new beers lately--best is Saison Regal, very flavorful, amber in colored, with a very refined flavor.
13. I remain single--but unbowed nonetheless.
So, that's the last two months in a nutshell. While I have been running out of Blog, I haven't been running out of things to do. My words will come back soon--and thanks for reading.
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