Wednesday, September 28, 2005




As much as I love this city, I must admit that Tampa does have some shortcomings, although a lot of them are not inherently its fault. I submit for your inspection a list of concerts coming to the area from now until the end of the year, courtesy of Pollstar.

If you're reading the list thinking, "How is this a shortcoming? I would love to see Loggins & Messina/Big & Rich/Hanson/Neil Diamond," then you can go ahead and stop reading. I will admit that there are some bands coming to town that might be considered "alternative" (a term so vague and worthless that the letters seem to be disappearing from my monitor), but perhaps it's my own snobbish taste that prevents me from being excited about The Bravery or Fall Out Boy; it might also be that those bands will be littering
Vinyl Fever's bargain bin in a few months (if we're lucky). And while I must admit that there are a few big artists of merit coming soon (i.e. U2, Kanye West), I can't say I enjoy the sterile atmosphere of the arena concert as much as the intimate energy of a club show. For most other bands, Florida is simply a cul-de-sac - you only turn here to turn around.

But occasionally my snobbish taste is rewarded with a visit from an artist I think is worth my not-so-hard-earned money (I'm writing this from work). This month a miracle has occured: there are TWO shows on that Pollstar list, both at my
favorite live music venue in Tampa Bay, that have made their way to my calendar - and both on Saturday night, no less!

On October 8,
Liz Phair makes an appearance. Some will vaguely remember her for her last, self-titled album, which briefly flirted with commercial radio success on the heels of the single "Why Can't I"; others will know her as the one-time indie-rock queen that sold-out with said album. I know her as a consistently fine songwriter that has entertained both with the wry, spare Exile in Guyville and the exuberant, slick Liz Phair, as well as the underrated whitechocolatespaceegg (there is Whip-Smart in there somewhere, but I know nothing about it). The new album won't be out until next week, but I am confident that the show will entertain on the strength of past material alone.

Exactly 3 weeks later (October 29, for those in no mood to think), we get
Drive By Truckers. Yes, it sounds country. Yes, it is sort-of country. Maybe more like Lynyrd Skynyrd if they were more punk and less dead. I believe it was a review on Rhapsody that said it best, describing them as a non-spastic, less REM-obsessed version of the Old 97's (link included in case the Old 97's provide no point of reference - they're great, too, and they have bothered to play here as well). The word is that they are wild live. I missed them earlier this year when they visited another great Tampa Bay venue, Skipper's Smokehouse, so the anticipation is building.

Seriously though, check out that Pollstar link. If you're a fan of past-their-prime 80's artists, Tampa is Mecca. I know some of you might be nostalgic about the days when you'd be in the back of your T-Top Firebird, making out with a girl wearing hula-hoop earrings, but it's time to let Styx sail away. Without me, please.



Posted by Joel at 9/28/2005 05:38:00 PM |

Saturday, September 24, 2005




More to Love About Tampa:
The University of South Florida football team

I was there, nine years ago tomorrow, for the Bulls' first ever football game. To quote one of my coworkers, USF is the biggest school in the nation - top 20 in enrollment - that no one has ever heard of. Obviously football is a very easy way to get your name out there, and it was fairly amazing that a school this size in a football-rich state like Florida did not yet have a team. But on September 25, 1996, we had a team. And our team won 80-3. Sure, the Bulls beat a fantastically overmatched Kentucky Wesleyan team; but it was our team. The team had a meteoric rise to Division 1-A. They even got a stadium upgrade when the NFL team moved into Raymond James Stadium. Sure, we have yet to make it to a bowl game (though we've come close), and most of the games we've played against big programs have resulted in losses. In the grand scheme of things however, it's pretty hard not to be proud of what the team has been able to accomplish in their relatively short existence.

And then we beat Louisville.

Our first game in the Big East Conference. The fact that USF was in a major conference after not even ten years was supposed to be success enough going into a game against the 9th ranked team in the entire nation, a team that most experts were granting an undefeated season. Most (including myself, I am sad to say) could agree that simply covering the 21-point spread would be victory enough against the Cardinals. Even the Oracle, the USF school newspaper, had a hard time eschewing
realistic expectations for home-team spirit.

Fortunately, Jim Leavitt and his team didn't seem concerned with conventional wisdom.

It's hard to believe that another college football team could ever make any noise in Florida, land of the Big 3. But when you consider how many fantastic high-school football programs call the Tampa Bay area home, let alone what they've already been able to accomplish, it's not unreasonable to believe USF could soon be a program that everyone has heard of. After tonight's game and the airtime they've already received on ESPN, we may already be on our way.

45-14. It wasn't even that close. Congratulations, guys - GO BULLS!


Oh come on baby now
You can tell the cops why

- The Dismemberment Plan, "Girl O' Clock"


Posted by Joel at 9/24/2005 11:24:00 PM |

Wednesday, September 21, 2005




I've decided to post a few pictures I took in Barcelona this summer. Because I can.

The commingling of graceful classicism and playful surrealism in the architecture (and in this case advertising as well) of the city is one of its unique charms.









There is art everywhere you look, even outside the city's many museums.










It's the Arc de Triomf - not as grand as its Parisian counterpart, but certainly more colorful.










I wasn't able to stick around and find out who won.


Posted by Joel at 9/21/2005 12:01:00 AM |

Monday, September 19, 2005




I recently realized that because I do not own a cellular phone, my life has no definition. The cellphone has already facilitated the avoidance of face-to-face interpersonal communication. But on the rare occasion when human contact cannot be overcome, the phone becomes a sort of personal resume. Two people exchange cellphones for the purpose of perusal. The model of phone, the picture on the display background, the ringtone - all these things seemingly will tell you much more about a person than a sequence of pleasantries ever will. I have witnessed this ritual countless times. Perhaps the reason for this intense curiosity is the relative novelty of the cellphone, despite the seeming for-grantedness of it all; I cannot recall the last conversation I took part in or heard regarding the specs of a computer, something you could not escape 5 or so years ago. But all it takes is a small sampling of marketing to know that the personal customization of the cellphone might be its greatest draw. And it's not only the myriad options available but the myriad reminders of the existence of said options. All this for a piece of electronics that rarely will cost you more than a small microwave.

So at what point did we decide that our homes do not deserve this same type of personal expression. Despite surprising statistics that show it to be more common in Europe, home ownership is without fear of hyperbole the ultimate of American dreams. Personal success is almost always measured first and foremost by real estate. Even the strength of the national economy is often measured by home sales. But take a drive around the new neighborhoods that are driving those home sales and you will find that it is merely the owning of a home that defines the person, because there is nothing else about these homes that could tell you anything about any of its residents. Deed-restriction is the way of the world now, where you cannot so much as change the color of your door without the approval of a board/committee.

It is probable that the very standing of home ownership as economic lynchpin that has pushed us to this architectural socialism. When your neighbor puts those plastic flamingos on their lawn, your home value takes dip. We shall not stand for it! A call to the community board should take care of that. Nevermind that most could not pick their own house out of a row of pictures of homes from the same development.

Every city has its street that becomes a wonderful display of holiday merriment at during the Christmas season. Neighbors encourage neighbors to particpate by putting up the most extravagant lights, animatronic models, manger scenes, etc. Here it is Habana Ave. in the Busch Gardens area. Every year we join countless other Tampans in our car, headlights off, cruising through the narrow street, taking in the joy of whatever the season might mean to us. A lot of the displays are fairly tacky, but then that's the point, isn't it? Sure, it's pretty hard to leave your driveway through most of December and January, and the electricity bills are certainly astonishing, but you have to figure that if the people living on Habana Ave. thought that these inconveniences outweighed the joy they are bringing to so many, they would have stopped the display years ago. As far as I can tell, they wouldn't have it any other way. And they don't need a community organization to threaten fines on anyone who doesn't participate with full gusto.

I am certainly not of the prevailing opinion that money is the answer to the question. But is it really worth it? With deed-restricted communities and Wal-Marts (yeah, I can't help but sneak in an eleventh-hour shot at Wal-Mart) becoming the norm, the majority answer is becoming a resounding yes. I am just having a hard time understanding what all our money is actually for anymore. If this is what the happiness money has bought looks like, I will wait patiently for plan B. Here's my question: shouldn't our status as richest nation on earth afford us the luxury of a little character?

The game changes everyday so obsolete is the fist and marches
Speeches only reaches those who already know about it
This is how we go about it

- Outkast, "Humble Mumble"


Posted by Joel at 9/19/2005 10:36:00 PM |

Sunday, September 18, 2005




In the past it has been hard for me to appreciate what a fantastic airport Tampa International is in the grand scheme of things, because I’ve not had a lot of exposure to the grand scheme of things. As I visit more and more airports, I learn to love old TIA more and more. Newest reason: free wireless internet. So I’m writing this from Gate T3 in Atlanta-Hartsfield on Word, to be published later.

I cannot believe that all these people on their cellphones actually believe that their conversations are really that important that they can’t wait until they hit the ground in Tampa. It’s a one-hour flight! I seem to remember terminals being a quiet, relaxing place to be. I am hoping against hope that the cellphone culture isn’t able to invade our airplanes. I’m also hoping these fratsos behind me are waiting for another flight. As much as I really enjoy playing poker, the reality that poker amounts to chess for the macho set has made the hobby a guilty pleasure. I’m never traveling without my MP3 player ever again. There is obviously no social interaction to be made with a terminal full of people holding irrelevance to their ears; I may as well remove myself from their sphere of annoyance. The idiots are telling jokes now - blonde jokes, no less. Maybe the restroom will be quiet. Probably not.


Posted by Joel at 9/18/2005 10:55:00 PM |

Wednesday, September 14, 2005




Whether you enjoy the vagaries of our existence or dread the change that is always lurking behind each passing second, we are all often faced with moments of fragile circumstance, when our fortunes make a complete about-face through the most subtle of catalysts. When we are faced with one of these moments, our one hope is that the shift will land us in a positive place.

I walked into my hotel in Atlanta hoping for a quick check-in. Despite having eaten dinner just 4 hours prior, I was fairly hungry. I just wanted to drop off my bags and go exploring. I was already noticing that the area was mostly populated by restaurants that cater to the guests of the many business-class hotels in the area (overpriced, unimpressive), so I was already deciding in my head which way I was going to go as the woman at the reception desk was looking up my reservation Then she said this:

"We have your reservation, but we don't have a room."

Here we go. I already knew that the hotel closer to the store I would be helping was booked - how were they going to fix this? The hotel being part of the Marriott family, I couldn't imagine that finding a room SOMEWHERE in town would be hard, but right then and there I just wanted to not be driving my boat of a rental car anymore.

And then the moment shifted. A woman helping another guest overheard this bad news, looked over and said the following words:

"Put him in the jacuzzi room. That's the only room left."

Suddenly I was not quite as hungry. Perhaps a small snack from the hotel would be fine. This is definitely not a business trip anymore.

Aside - favorite sign I read today, in the Budget Rent-A-Car lobby: "Rental cars from Budget of Atlanta are no longer permitted to travel in/through New York State."

I'm gonna get my s*** together
Cause I can't live like this forever
You know I've come to far and I don't want to fail
I've got a new computer and a bright future in sales
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah

- Fountains of Wayne, "Bright Future in Sales"


Posted by Joel at 9/14/2005 12:15:00 AM |

Tuesday, September 13, 2005




Here I am at Tampa International Airport. I'm headed to Atlanta on a work trip (the term business trip implies that some kind of business is going to take place, a description that barely applies to this particular trip). I'm trying out the micro-blog - detailing the day-to-day events of my life, as opposed to rambling on about world-at-large topics that never asked for my editorial. I think I'm better at the airing of opinion. I could go on and on about the airport, but I think my flight is boarding soon. Is this it? This is how you blog about your life? Think it, type it. Who wants to read this? But who wants to read the rest of it? When I think about it that way, this isn't so bad. Who wants to listen to this terrible music they're playing on the overhead? I already have a flight, why try to drive me away?

My flight is connecting people to Air France and AeroMexico flights in Atlanta; I wonder if work would mind if I just kept going. I could probably find some business in France. Does buying pastries count as business? More to come from the Big Peach.

It took an hour
Maybe a day
But once I really listened, the noise
Just went away

- Liz Phair, "Stratford-on-Guy"


Posted by Joel at 9/13/2005 05:55:00 PM |

Sunday, September 11, 2005




The Cave. The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Cry_Wolf. Roll Bounce. Ladies and gentlemen, no matter what new trend is trotted out to the multiplexes, our movie studios can always be counted on to keep the crappy horror movie crank a-turnin' (that last one isn't a horror movie, you say? Have you seen the ads? Let's face it, folks - we are never going to get the definitive roller-skating movie). As long as producers can readily get their hands on pretty faces from the WB to shriek convincingly, music-video directors well-trained in the quick cut and strobe light arts, and screenwriters able to find new ways to maim said pretty faces and shock viewers with arbitrary twist endings, they will continue to ride those first-week grosses all the way to DVD sales. The machine has been particularly busy of late, and things don't get any better this fall, a season normally reserved for costume dramas and triumph-over-disability biopics. Before the end of the year, we'll be treated to the video game-based Doom starring The Rock (who might actually be more interesting if he were based on Prudential), a remake of the decidedly un-classic The Fog, and Saw II (we can only hope that if we are indeed forced to endure a second sequel, they'll simply add the word Much to the title).

But there is hope for those that through it all might still want to get a little chill in their film. It's called DVD, people. And before you shut your computer off and head to your local video store, the two films I want to mention will more than likely not be found anywhere near brick-and-mortar. So surf your way over to
Netflix (no, they're not paying me) and check out two of my all-time favorite horror movies.


Audition

Part of the joy I derive from this film is the knowledge that this is one Japanese-language product that American producers will more than likely not touch. The story starts off slow and satirical - a widow enlists the help of a friend to stage a fake audition meant to find a potential girlfriend-then-wife. The setup is fairly amusing, but most weened on American horror films will grow quickly impatient, waiting for the scares. But that's the sick brilliance of the movie. Eventually the man settles on a girl whose meekness fascinates him. Scared yet? For anyone who has seen this movie, there is no arguing what scene turns the film on end - the phone and the bag. For those that haven't, suffice to say that the shy girl predictably is far more than meets the eye. It's the events that unfold once the aforementioned bag moves (trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about if you see it) that are anything but predictable. Even when the scares finally come, the sheer bizarreness of it all will probably put off all but the most strong of will. And if you endure to the last set piece, you'll be rewarded with the most demented, difficult-to-watch torture scene I personally have ever witnessed (sorry, Marathon Man). So to review: subtitles, slow first-half, off-putting violence the camera is never scared by. I doubt any blonde, thrice-named actress is reading the script right now.


Repulsion

Yes, they rhyme! Well, this one's in English. However, it's in black and white and dates back to 1965. Well, for those that are convinced that "classics" can't scare us anymore, I challenge you to watch this one at home, at night, by yourself. Repulsion was Roman Polanski's first English-language film, although there isn't a whole lot of dialogue anyhow. Polanski also directed Rosemary's Baby years later, but this is still a better horror film, and probably second only to Chinatown in his entire canon. Catherine Denueve plays Carol, an anti-social girl living in a London apartment with her sister. The sister leaves on holiday with her boyfriend, leaving Carol to deal with the leaking water, cracking walls and ticking clocks on her own. But it is the overt sexual overtones of the film that truly disturb (Repulsion features the first orgasm ever heard in a British film - thank you to the
Edinburgh University Film Society for that bit of trivia). Carol fantasizes/hallucinates several sexual attacks - the grainy B&W film and the probable constraints of the culture of the day rended the scenes barely intelligible, heightening the tension and horror by leaving it all to our imagination. Psychosis is omnipresent in horror films, but rarely are we allowed a first-person view of the mad person. That alone makes the movie memorable, but because virtually all aspects of the filmmaking are executed so well (of particular note is the jarring music, which is used sparingly to great effect), Repulsion can easily stand alongside films like Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs (don't anyone go adding Hannibal to that list). Like Audition, the pacing will strike most American horror fans as torturous in a bad way, but it is precisely that slow creep that helps sear the shocking visions and sounds of both films into our memory.


It's a holiday for a hangin', yeah

- Rilo Kiley, "It's a Hit"


Posted by Joel at 9/11/2005 01:02:00 AM |

Friday, September 09, 2005




It's becoming extremely obvious to me that striving to think about anything other than the countless ramifications of what's happening in the Gulf Coast is close to impossible. I've managed to avoid most TV news coverage (save for the Daily Show, but then again I get more and better news from Jon Stewart than I ever will from The Situation Room's 40 TV's), but even a short stroll around my favorite websites plunges me right back in the harsh reality. The Village Voice had a story about the specific cases of musicians being affected by Katrina. After the surreal business with Harry Connick Jr. and Kanye West's freestyling on the NBC telethon, the musician most mentioned in relation to Katrina was Fats Domino, whose whereabouts were unknown to most until a family member saw a newspaper picture of him being rescued.

The Voice blog mentioned a few others, but the mention that most caught my eye was Alex Chilton. For the uninformed, Alex Chilton was the lead singer of the Box Tops, best known for "The Letter." After that he was the lead for Big Star, which beyond having written the theme song to the Schiavo-esque That 70's Show (the version on the show is a cover) also produced some of the only listenable music in the pre-punk 1970's. They what amounts to 4 albums which can be found in pairs on CD: the shiny guitars and killer melodies of #1 Record/Radio City; the nervous breakdown of Third/Sister Lovers. Lately he had moved to New Orleans to dabble in whatever happened to catch his fancy, including the occasional Big Star reunion.

The beauty of the Internet is how quickly I can get information. This entry began with the purpose of touching on the unknown whereabouts of Mr. Chilton since Katrina. A little mid-blog surfing has now informed me that Alex Chilton has been found; he's
safe and sound. I had #1 Record/Radio City playing in the background as anxious homage; now it's celebratory. Nevertheless, Big Star is grossly underrated, so the post stays. Glad you're okay, Alex!

Now I'm in a bar
That's gotta be where they are
Gonna dance in the bar
They're gonna fight on the floor
Faster than I can see

- Big Star, "Daisy Glaze"



Posted by Joel at 9/09/2005 12:38:00 AM |

Wednesday, September 07, 2005




I think I can stand to toss some positive energy out there in the world, so I've decided on another semi-recurring topic. If you haven't seen my profile (what little there is of it), I live in Tampa, Florida. There are days when I find this town fairly backwater and dull, but when I realize that I'm comparing Tampa to New York, it dawns on me that I'm not being particularly fair. There are few cities that can stand up to comparison with the Big Apple. Once I give Tampa a fair shot, I realize that there is plenty to love about my home. So from time to time, I am going to highlight something that makes me glad to call this place home. Anyone who knows me will attest that I've been known to do some eating in my time, so I'll start with a gastronomical two-fer.

Mel's Hot Dogs - 4136 East Busch Boulevard
Mise en Place - 442 West Kennedy Boulevard

There is no better way to see your city than by attempting to act as a tour guide to someone who has never visited. At first you might find yourself slightly ashamed; it's hard to separate yourself from what has to this point been routine. If you live in Cincinnati, that shame may last a while (the joys of an insignificant blog!). Otherwise you may soon find yourself surprised at what your home city has to offer.

If anyone were ever bored enough to ask me to show them around the Bay Area, Eastern Edition, they can count on eating at Mel's. Sure, they're just doing the Chicago-style dog, but hey, even Chicagoans frequent this place. The dogs are all-beef, which is the only way to go. Everything that goes on the dogs will probably be the best you've had, including the freakishly green relish (don't ask, just go). And then there's the vibe. If you can stand the fact that the big-screen TV is usually playing FoxNews, everything else about the ambience is great. If you're lucky enough to be there when Mel himself is running the register (and he's there a lot), you'll be meeting one heck of a people-person. And even if you haven't been there in several months, they will remember your name when you come back - and you will always come back. Vegetarian? I hear the veggie burger is pretty darned tasty. For the meat-eaters, I recommend the reuben or slaw dogs.

If you have a little extra cash to spend, then it's off to Mise en Place for dinner. It's actually nowhere near as expensive as any of those overwrought steak houses and hotel restaurants you'll find here and in any other city; plus the food will be 20 times more imaginative. And while the Marty Blitz' place will never carry the clout of Tampa's queen of restaurants Bern's, I think Mise en Place is just plain more fun. What's fun about this food, particularly for a someone living in the South, is that despite the often exotic ingredients, this is food that should not scare even the most meek eater. At different sittings I've ordered dishes containing what amounted to au gratin potatoes, cornbread and greens. But don't go getting any ideas that you'll find something just as good at Golden Corral. Plus, those sides are usually sitting next very un-buffet offerings like wild boar, ostrich and the best seafood I've ever found in town. And I don't care what you're feelings towards chocolate are, don't leave that restaurant without at least sampling the chocolate mousse.

Now if you'll excuse, I'm going to grudgingly eat some microwave popcorn.


Midnight came and midnight went
I thought I was the President
She said, "Do you have a car?"
And I said, "Do I have a car?"

- Old 97's, "Barrier Reef"


Posted by Joel at 9/07/2005 11:36:00 PM |




Yes, there is a lot of talk about the entire Katrina situation these days. And yes, I do have an opinion on the whole thing. But I'm not sure that I can necessarily bring anything new to the table, so because I know the media is going to be all over this one for a while, I'm going to instead bring to light something that had until recently managed to escape my attention. I have asked myself this question several times the last few days without an answer, so I'm hoping that someone unlucky enough to stumble onto this page might be able to help me.

What is Nick Lachey doing on ESPN?

Allow me to specify that I know what he is doing for the cable sports channel. But seriously: WHAT is he DOING on ESPN? Yes, I will admit that I've never had any use for Newlyweds. I have never found Jessica Simpson attractive; yes, she has breasts 'til Reno, but her stupidity, whether a put-on or not, always manages to distract attention from any physical attributes that may otherwise stand out - except for maybe her man-face. As for Mr. Lachey, the worst I could say for him is that he is either extremely long-suffering or he has hearing problems, allowing him to better concentrate on other things that could be considered endearing about his spouse. But until now, neither of them had really, truly drawn my ire like, say, Roberto Benigni (wherever he went after walking over all those seats during the Oscars, may he never come back). As long as I avoided MTV (never difficult for me to do, save the occasional episode of Pimp My Ride) or flipped the channel as soon as an ad for The Dukes of Hazzard came on (stupid undercarriage line), I was safe.

Then he went a got a job with ESPN.

I'm not a total ESPN addict like some I know, but often when I am online, I do enjoy having Sportscenter in the background. And I do certainly watch an actual sporting event from time to time (although I'll be watching less since the NHL signed on with OLN - that's another perplexing topic). But most of all, it's nice to have ESPN on because save for the occasional pre-game or halftime extravaganza, I know that I am not going to have someone's supposed celebrity forced down my throat.

I understand that celebrity these days, particularly celebrity of the mostly talentless kind, requires a certain type of synergy to survive. This is nothing new. But normally marketing people are bright enough to keep people on a fairly level form of synergy. That's why even the ultimate of celebrity pimps Colonel Parker didn't put Elvis in On the Waterfront. Nick Lachey can make all the appaling reality shows and more appalling variety hours he wants. But what part of Mr. Lachey's resume qualifies him to do human-interest pieces on ESPN?

But maybe I'm not asking the right question. Perhaps the right question is, "What is ESPN doing with Nick Lachey?" I don't exactly watch ESPN to enjoy their contribution to the journalistic arts, but what is ESPN saying to their on-air personalities by hiring this guy? If he's dumb enough to marry Tuna Girl, then surely he can do your job. Maybe Trey Wingo was just hoping Jessica would visit the office a lot.

Julie Christie, the rumors are true
As the pages turn, my eyes are glued
To the movie star and his sordid life
Mr. X and his old-suffering wife

- Yo La Tengo, "Tom Courtenay"


Posted by Joel at 9/07/2005 12:55:00 AM |

Monday, September 05, 2005




I found myself at a small gathering six people strong. Nothing special, just friends being social. Some of us have known each other for years, some just meeting. The one thing we all certainly had in common was a Christian faith (some of us know each other from common churches). While I have never been one for limiting my friends and acquaitances to those of the same religious persuasion (if any), I nevertheless enjoy spending time with people to whom I can relate. Who doesn't?

I cannot currently recall the context under which it was said, but at one point someone (and this someone is one of the people I knew the least of the six - one of those good friends of a good friend where paths rarely cross) said, "Hey, we're all Republicans here."

(This certainly will not be the last time that I make mention of my being the rarest of creatures: a Christian that not only does not swear allegiance to the GOP, but does more often than not vote for the more liberal of two or more choices. Please note the choice of the word liberal, not Democrat - I am and will remain an ardent independent; more on that later for sure. It is not this particular thing that brings me to recall this event, but I thought I'd provide some background nonetheless.)

With the exception of the girlfriend of the person that said this (I had just met her), I was actually sure that everyone in the room save me was indeed a Republican. This type of assumption always being a particular sore spot with me, I thought briefly to correct him. There is an understood law about social gatherings, that unless the purpose of the gathering does relate, one should never bring religion or politics into conversation. The fear is that, as is often the case, talk of those things will lead to a lot of anger and hurt feelings. So I chose to simply remaind quiet.

How strange is it that in a country that pretends to be the great example of democracy in action, talk of politics is so taboo? Stranger still is how much animosity is raised during political discussion in a nation whose political passion pales in comparison to other countries. Despite its status as a United States territory, Puerto Rico - my birthplace - seems to share very little in its political environment with its caretaker. In this sense it is still very much a Hispanic nation. You do not need to know much about the Latin world to know that passion and politics are inseparable. Elections bring people not only to the voting booths but to the streets. Whether your candidate wins or loses, the emotion expressed will be extreme. Campaigning itself is a thousand times more heated, personal, vicious than what passes for debate here. But it is not only the Spanish and occasionally Portuguese-speaking world. One need only spend 2 weeks in Europe as I did to detect a definite political fever in the air, even outside of an election year. Certainly there is no better example than in Greece, whose status as the birthplace of democracy would I think surprise a lot of Americans. Politics is not only taboo, it is essential. If you need further proof of this, check out the statistics on who is actively partcipating in democracy by voting; the US is shamed every time.

So how is it that I can remember so many political discussions family without the acrimony? Coups aside, if political discourse leads to such ill-will in the relatively ambivalent United States, how is it that these heated debates did not more often lead to bloodshed in other parts of the world? These people were absolutely fervent about their position. And yes, there was yelling. But there was no fear of offense, of social discomfort. Politics was a reality that these people embraced absolutely and completely. But these people were also friends and family, and when politics was not the topic of conversation, they behaved like the best of friends and family.

That sense of friendly rivalry is not one I can find in our political climate. Certainly the circumstances of our age have led to a particularly fractured climate - would you compare the political outlook of people in the roaring 20's and the 1960's on the same scale? But then again, the political world of these other nations cannot be often described as stable. The question of independence or statehood is and will continue to be at the heart of Puerto Rican political discourse. Europe is forced daily to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the EU. Take the most fanatical of Republicans and Democrats, put them in a room, and ask yourself whether or not they'll come out of there as best friends.

The central problem may be that the holding of a strong opinion is something that those of other countries can admire and respect even in those who strongly disagree. It seems like the only way civility can be the rule of law in the United States is through either apathy or silence. You need not look further than our present day to find how dissent is treated in this country - You're either with us or against us. There are some that might think that this is the only way a democracy can be successful, particularly one that has very imperialistic impulses. While it can be argued that one-sided democracy is the only way to perpetuate empire, dissent as treason strikes me as terribly dangerous domestically. This is the political climate we foudn ourselves in today. Maybe if more people overcome their fear of politics, we will learn to appreciate the passion of our opponents by being forced to acknowledge their existence. After all had our founding fathers never given voice to dissent, we may not have the any democracy to call our own today.

Yeah, fifty gallon drum
That's what I'm talking about

- Buck 65, "Fifty Gallon Drum"


Posted by Joel at 9/05/2005 12:52:00 AM |

Thursday, September 01, 2005




It is safe to say that no one would ever wish a disaster like Hurricane Katrina on anyone (although the comments of Jerry Falwell after 9/11 - blaming that attack on feminists, among others - could lead one to question that assumption). Whether it be a desire to subdue the immediate horror and sadness that comes from an event as dire and disastrous as this or simply make sense of it, we often find ourselves trying to decide what knowledge or insight there is to gain that could better prepare us for a similar event in the future.

Blame for whatever oversight(s) or policy allowed the WTC attacks to happen will probably be bandied about for many a generation. Outside of the actual perpetrators of the attacks themselves, there is certainly no one person or small group of people that can be directly accused of causing that tragedy. That being said, it very quickly became very apparent to everyone in our government and our nation that something was wrong; that led to what some called too many, others called too few, but most could agree were many much-needed changes.

But what can be learned from Katrina? It is unfortunate that a lot of the deaths caused by Katrina can be blamed on residents of Louisiana and Mississippi not taking the threat posed by the storm seriously enough. It is still more unfortunate however that so many killed probably wanted nothing more than to leave but were simply unable. The evacuation of a city of nearly half a million people like New Orleans will probably never be an easy undertaking, particularly when compared to most hurricanes there was very little warning here. And no matter how quickly and strongly the northern Gulf Coast is rebuilt, so much of the area is still at or below sea-level; this scenario could very easily play itself out once again.

That could be as close as we get to a lesson here. What has been so jarring about the pictures, video footage and verbal accounts of the situation is how much those images mirror misery in other parts of the world, misery that we as residents of the richest nation in the world normally feel so incapable of experiencing. For all the monetary devastation caused by Hurricane Andrew in South Florida, the death toll was well below 100. Compare that to Hurricane Mitch, which killed thousands in Honduras. The earthquake that hit San Francisco in 1989 killed 63 people, well below the expected death toll; a weaker quake that struck Iran less than a year later killed 50,000.

The people trapped by the flood waters in Louisiana are facing things that simply are not supposed to happen here. The disease, the starvation, the fear of the often despicable but nevertheless understandably desperate behavior of each other - these are things that only happen in the third world. Now there are rumblings that our federal government isn't acting quickly enough. What is becoming very obvious to all of us is that even the United States is powerless against the threats posed by the very world we live in. All the technology, all the great minds, all the military might is worthless right now for thousands of people simply fighting to live another day.

Perhaps this feeling of helplessness will help us all gain a greater respect for our world. No matter your view on the origin of the universe, we should all appreciate its wonder as well as respect its often awesome power. It strikes me that our collective arrogance is never more in evidence than in the area of the environment, whether we are fighting to restore or harness it. Perhaps a greater respect for the natural world could push us to treat it with a little more care. No, greater green-consciousness won't prevent another Katrina. But perhaps a reminder of how out of our control our world can be could help us to better appreciate the situations that are at this point within our control to fix, before we find ourselves powerless again.


Posted by Joel at 9/01/2005 10:57:00 PM |