The Technicolor Yawn

Unfortunately, I thought it was important to check out the recent Democratic Presidential Debate. The donkeys debated Sunday night, purportedly about their policy positions on contemporary issues of contention, to the point of making me question my supposed civic duty to watch the drivel. I majored in Political Science because I enjoyed U.S. politics, and now here I am questioning the American U.S. political system to the point that I wonder if watching more debates is really going to help me make a more informed decision, and if I even care. All this while, in a place where no one likes politics in the U.S. to begin with (Latin America), and have a penchant for putting me in the position of trying to defend it.

But there were some exceptional highlights from every candidate there, including:

O'Bama - "I don't expect to do anything but complement the other candidates here on how similar we all are." (paraphrased)

Clinton - "We had a balanced budget and surplus and we did that the old-fashioned way--limiting spending and increasing revenue." (Because, you know, limiting spending is something the Clinton administration was known for, and increasing revenue is something they can take credit for. Not to mention, we feels a little like she bites that involved first spouse critique harder than Eleanor Roosevelt. Has she been a member of a presidential administration that she isn't distancing herself from, nowadays.)

Richardson - "I can't hear questions, so I will simply talk about what I want to." (paraphrased)

Edwards - "I don't know if I know what a rich person is, but..." (You know, because, he's never been rich.)

Gavel - "I would give the president line item veto." Because we've never tried that, and it's probably constitutional.

Kucinich - "I would cancel NAFTA and the WTO." Because we can stop that globalization stuff, ya know.

Biden - "To be president, you must occasionally be practical." Which is why I supported a 700-mile fence. It's a practical solution. (paraphrase)

Dodd - answering what he would do to get rid earmarks, "I wouldn't put us in that kind of rigid straitjacket."

Gore - Didn't show up.

Who do I think won? Nobody. I couldn't find anyone I liked more than I had before the debate started. Losers? No doubt Richardson looks so much less worthy of my future support, based on his performance, because if debate questions discomfit him, what happens when he gets real questions? And cowboy boots? A little reminiscent of someone else we have in office.

Mike Gravel loses before I ever knew his name. Why introduce yourself, to the biggest audience you've ever seen, as an unlikeable and completely arrogant nut? Why? Obviously he had potential for good ideas and instead he shows up as the termagant, there to set things straight. Not how you accomplish anything productive.

Overall I agree with The Fix on the night's feel:

a question asking each candidate to name the biggest mistake they had made in the past several years, the night has a bit of an "Oprah" feel to it. We were half-expecting the question: "If you were an animal, what animal would you be?"

Indeed. Cillizza further suggests that, "The format rewarded general policy pronouncements (end the war in Iraq, bring about universal healthcare) over specific proposals." I hadn't felt that way while watching, but I'll concede that it seems this way in retrospect. The only good debate to reward policy pronouncements is one that occurs in the printed media, which will not be well-read by the masses.

Folkloristas

Probably the best part was the fact that every Chilean I talk to knows and loves Inti, which made it particularly odd to me that a band of such gravity would play such an intimate concert in Sala Dos (literally Room Two, but also the second, if not the third best venue for such an event). The historical context of their story lends a lot to why the band is so beloved, no doubt.

But for me, even if I don't understand every word, I can recognize that the music is just quality. Enjoy "Sobre tu Playa."

Ridicurous

Reading Slate the other day I noticed an interesting news short about an official Paper, Rock, Scissors Tournament in Las Vegas. The Times reported on it over the weekend, and the gem quote in the article came from the USA Paper Rock Scissors League Co-commissioner (because they would need to share responsibilities here?), when it was reported that he said in all seriousness:

“This is the greatest sport ever to sweep the United States of America.”

He incredulously continues:

“To me, this is a great sport,” Mr. Leshem said. “Right now it’s got a little bit more of a carnival atmosphere than perhaps we intend, but I can tell people are buzzing. There’s a lot of energy here, and we’re culling the field down to the best of them.”

Apparently even ESPN was there. Finally, near the end of the article, everything is better explained. And we can blame bad beer.

Anheuser-Busch is the engine behind the national tournament. Beer distributors organized tournaments at bars around the country, producing regional finalists, and the company put up the prize money and paid for each finalist and a guest to fly to Las Vegas for three days.

Many contestants were having a bit of trouble getting their heads around the idea that they were in Las Vegas, on a free vacation, just to play in a rock-paper-scissors tournament.

Indeed. And it doesn't end there. Leshem goes on to explain that the sport "unites people from all walks of life," and that it is one form of athletic competition where "if you really want to get good at [it], you can.” Thus, the title of this post. Ridicurous.

The Bay

I'm not a Cali fan, but I dig the acknowledgment of problems and I know what's it's like to "hardly get the love cuz we close to L.A." But ya'll don't wanna hear me ya just want to chill to this music.

Vikings of Rexburg

Did you know BYU has a campus in Rexburg, Idaho? Well, their thriving jazz culture, according to Wikipedia (take that as you will) prompted an international visit from their band to Concepcion, Chile. The Universidad de Concepcion sponsored a "Noches de Jazz" concert performed by Sound Alliance and Vocal Union, the jazz instrumental and vocal groups, respectively, from the BYU-Idaho campus who apparently tour exclusively in Chile.

The concert was a mixed bag. The Sinatra cover of "Fly Me to the Moon" was dazzling, however, not to disrespect the performers, the concert made me think of having heard music from African Americans rerecorded by whites for radio play. You'll recall that was a part of U.S. history. Anyway, there were some excellent renditions, but at the same time, some were a bit lacking in feeling. Altogether, an entertaining and economical experience.

More Gaps to Mind

Women aren't earning as much as men. But in the great state of Arizona, things aren't as bad as other states. The Republic reports, not all good news, but some:

For starters, you're working in the right state. In Arizona, a working woman earned 83.8 percent of a man's annual salary in 2005, well above the national average, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research.

Out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., Arizona's male-female salary gap was the second-smallest.

Only the gap in the District of Columbia was smaller.

That fact that there's a wage differential is weak sauce. That ours is more than 16% is nothing to be proud of. But hey, best state in the Union, right? Got to report that.

Vive Latino

You've probably heard that a momentous occasion is coming this April. Rage Against the Machine will reunite. This one time only. I love Rage. Hot.

And the whole Coachella line-up is something to be annoyed about. Decemberists, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Ghostface, Kaiser Chiefs, Chilli Peppers, the Roots, Damien Rice, Kanye. Seriously people. This has really got my goat. Why? Can't go. Why? Because. Because I said so. I've been to Coachella before. Weezer and Coldplay (among plenty of others) rocked the casbah. But please. That'll be nothing compared to this line-up.

All this, not to mention that I'll be missing the likes of Ozomatli, Bright Eyes, and Modest Mouse, all playing in Phoenix in the coming weeks. So I had to take action.

Last weekend, I did, attending the Vive Latino music festival in Santiago (which interestingly headlined a very un-Latino band, Keane). I had a blast and got to know some great bands, which I hope to introduce to here. First up, Los Tres, right out of my temporary home here in Concepcion, Chile.

Sidenote: Vive Latino was like a mini-Coachella minus food and drink sales and with a self-pump sink system. Not a terribly good situation. But the music, and the Argentinian company, was good.