Bitter-sweet Cranberries & Thanksgiving Turkey

So, Thursday was Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It happened to be my first Thanksgiving and, thanks to a generous invitation from one of the Humphrey programme host families, also my first Thanksgiving Dinner.

For those concerned about my health, I can report that I did not end the evening in a "food coma". Certainly there was much to eat, and I did indulge (lots of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, quiche, salad and so forth, including tasty chocolate mousse and pumpkin pie - separately, not together), but I managed to stand up at the end of the evening without loosening my belt or unbuttoning my pants (don't go there).

What I found interesting about the evening was the need for some of the Americans in attendance to hype up the day and for others to reflect on it in more somber tones. One guest commented that of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is perhaps the least demanding. All that's required is for friends and family to get together, eat, interact, and eat some more. No gifts are required; there aren't any demanding rituals (other than food preparation and consumption). I guess the implication is that it's a holiday with no strings attached. But later another guest noted that celebrating Thanksgiving is a little bit like celebrating genocide.

A quick wiki search (don't tell my students) suggests that Thanksgiving is really a kind of composite holiday. It is both a giving of thanks for the harvest and a remembrance of the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims, who are reputed to have held the first thanksgiving. But it's also a not so subtle reminder of the country's deeply disturbing history and the blood that was spilled in the creation of a new nation.

From National Public Radio: "Debunking Pilgrim Myths: The First Thanksgiving"

Who will win the ’08 US election and why…

Last week, during the Global Leadership Forum I attended, Prof James Thurber of American University presented a speech (or was it a polemic?) on the likely outcome of the current US election. He suggested that, regardless of the outcome, this would be an election that would end the Age of Reaganism. It would be realigning election, he argued, not unlike the 1968 election in which Richard Nixon was elected, ending the Democratic realignment initiated by Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.

In ’68, Thurber noted, the United States faced an energy crisis, an unpopular war and was shocked by high profile assassinations and race riots. In 2008, the United States faces an energy crisis, is involved in an unpopular war (or two) and is in an economic recession.

You could say that, in the current context, all the ingredients are there for (significant?) political change.

Now I suppose it may be important to preface Thurber’s prediction by pointing to his political affiliation – he’s a Democrat – but the case he presents is nonetheless compelling (if slightly partisan). Barack Obama, he says, is charismatic (and I think the implication, then, is that John McCain is not), has been working the ‘ground war’ (vigorously canvassing at the grassroots level to get pro-Obama voters registered) and also has been winning the ‘air war’ (having raised enough money to out-advertise McCain on television and radio by at least 4-to-1). Thurber also reckons the status of the economy is in Obama’s favour: when the economy goes bad, elections go to Democrats. ‘Dems make things better,’ the saying goes.

Where Obama has clearly outweighed McCain, though, is in money. Abandoning traditional methods of attracting funding in favour new media and social networking tools, Obama has simply has generated more money than McCain, giving him the freedom to spread his message more diversely and/or concentrate it in those contested states where he needs to campaign more vigorously. McCain simply has not been able to compete. Obama, you could say, has had the money to buy greater popularity.

But it doesn’t end there; other signs, too, support Thurber’s prediction: (1) Democrats have a 34-seat advantage in the House of Representatives, (2) one third of eligible voters who will cast their votes will do so before November 4th (early indications are that the Democrats are ahead), and (3) although Obama has experienced a slight dip in popularity according to recent polls, most surveys put him well ahead of McCain.

So there you have it: Thurber believes it, and indeed key indicators point to an Obama victory. The question is: What about the Bradley Effect?

Go Terps!

This blog has suffered through neglect of late. And it's not because I have run out of experiences or ideas (quite the opposite in fact). It's just that I haven't had the time for quiet reflection and recollection. I've been wanting to write about the US presidential race, my research ideas and my record collecting experiences, among other things. But with a rash of course assignments over the last two to three weeks and the recent passing of Ma Bartes, it's been difficult to find the head space to blog.

Until this weekend - that is - when I attended my first American football match (the University of Maryland Terrapins v Wake Forest) at Chevy Chase Bank Field/Byrd Stadium on campus. Well, when I say attended, I mean it in a general sense. I actually was working sound for a broadcast company, Raycom, which covered the match (see me holding the parabolic microphone to capture on-field sound). It was pretty mindless 'scud work', but at least it afforded me the opportunity to see the action as close-up as you can without being in the middle of a scrimmage. And I'll be pocketing $75 for my efforts!

I have to admit to being a little overwhelmed by this sporting experience. I figured it was a college game; it would draw a modest crowd. No way! Approximately 45 000 spectators turned out for this fixture. That's way more than usually turn out for international cricket fixtures in South Africa.

But the high attendance is only the tip of the iceberg in these events. In the build-up to the kick-off the Maryland band and cheerleaders (easily in excess of a couple of hundred members) rang in the game with marches, music and acrobatic moves that aren't really my thing. So dramatic was this build-up, I expected the second coming. I can only imagine what happens in preparation for NFL games...

Of course the match was about more than the on-field play (although Maryland performed well to rout Wake Forest 26-0). There also seemed to be an endless stream of sponsored competitions and special events, adding to and heightening the sense of spectacle.

When administrators and commentators speak of the need to professonalise (i.e. commercialise) sport in South Africa, I now understand what they mean and what they're aspiring to.

Statue of (compromised) Liberty

This weekend (from Friday night to Monday afternoon) I took in a whirlwind tour of New York City. I managed to pack as many activities as possible into the three full days I was able to spend there, but one of the experiences which stood out most for me was a visit to the islands Liberty and Ellis.

The day started at the pier at Battery Park, where my friends (Ruth, Danilo and Saeeda) and I caught the ferry. It was a pleasant enough scene. It was a mild and slightly overcast day (perhaps a bit on the chilly side), but this did not deter the throngs of tourists, souvenir sellers and quirks from coming out.

We negotiated the long ferry queue and then found ourselves at a security check which I can only liken to the kind one finds at international airports. There were uniformed security staff, metal detectors, scanners, and a generally tense environment - not what I had expected before embarking on this bit of tourist activity. Belts, watches, wallets, cellphones, cameras all had to come off or out and be placed in containers for scanning before we could board the ferry.

Honestly, I felt as if I was going through immigration... again.

Once through, though, calm was restored and the trip across the Hudson was as stunning as could be imagined, with the Manhattan skyline behind us and the towering figure of the Statue of Liberty approaching.

Because we were among the lucky two thousand visitors permitted on the day to see the Statue of Liberty from the top of its pedestal, we made our way to the museum entrance, only to be greeting by a long, snaking queue. My aching feet, which had done more than the Surgeon General's recommended 10 000 steps the previous day, were beginning to curse me. But together we soldiered on, only to arrive at a second security check-point - even more hi-tech and intimidating than the last. There were uniformed security staff, metal detectors, scanners, automatic frisking devices and, yes, a generally tense environment. Again the belts, watches, wallets, cellphones and cameras came off.

I had just been subjected to two thorough and quite invasive inspections and I hadn't yet been able to see the Statue of Liberty. So much for promoting the values of liberty and (the) freedom (of movement). I think the irony is obvious without my having to state it.

The anxieties of post-September 11 America have been well documented. But I feel as if, this weekend, I came face to face with the obsessive paranoia and control which have come to characterize this empire in decline. Perhaps the belt really is coming off.

P.S. The Statue of Liberty is a sight worth seeing and the experience did move me. It's just that it also exposed, in quite powerful ways, the potholes - no, craters - in the Land of the Free.

P.P.S. I also have not dedicated enough time to a discussion of Ellis Island, which is deserving of more attention. The island was home to the US's federal immigration station for 62 years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was the first point of contact for the mostly European immigrants who came to the US during the period 1892 - 1954. Today, the Ellis Island museum provide a service to the descendants of those immigrants who to trace their family history. Being here moved me in a way that was quite different from being on Liberty Island. It struck me that there, on the island, was evidence of a tangibly documented past (descendants can find actual scans of their ancestors' papers), but at the same time there are millions of Americans (descendants of slaves and indentured labourers) who may have no record of their ancestry at the time of immigration.

Grindin'

Well, I've not had the most productive working week since my arrival. In the next three days I have an essay, an individual programme plan, and mountain of reading to do. And my rather relaxed approach to the first part of this week is catching up with me like a hare would with a tortoise.

Of course, my social life hasn't suffered! This evening (Thurs, 25 Sep) I attended a live music event at the University of Maryland, hosted by the SEE. Get this: Clipse, Wale, Consequence and Southeast Slim at the Grand Ballroom, Stamp Student Union. Not a bad bill for a $7 entry fee.

I must say up front that I wasn't into Southeast Slim, a local rapper from DC's (you guessed it) southeast area. Slim ran through about five songs, all of which documented either how (1) adept he is on the microphone skills, (2) big his "future" (manhood is, or (3) skilful he is with the hoes (excuse me, honeys). Derivative. Trite. Offensively unoriginal.

I felt a bit sorry for Consequence. He's put out a couple of mixtapes. And he's promoting a new album. But he'll for always be in/famous for being a guest on Kanye West's 'Spaceship' and contributing to the train wreck that was A Tribe Called Quest's fall-off album, "Beats, Rhymes & Life". He performed a solid set of songs, except no one in the audience knew them. And the response in general was mute.

Thankfully the arrival of rapper Wale and the go-go band UCB on stand breathed new life into somewhat deflated proceedings. This was my first taste of his Wale's brand of music, and I was impressed with his marriage of hip-hop rhymes and go-go rhythms. He dished up several of his most popular tunes and had the crowd eating out of his hands.

But if Wale was the hometown (technically he is from DC, not College Park, MD, but anyway) hero, Clipse were the stars of the night. They've only released two official albums ( plus three mixtapes), but their catalogue is DEEP. 'Momma I'm So Sorry', 'We Got It For Cheap', 'What Happened To That Boy', 'Grindin'', 'Mr Me Too'. Phew, I could go on...


And they performed with an energy not always evident on their records - which is not to say they're complacent; I was just surprised at how well their songs translated in a live context.

By the way, I am aware that I may be criticised for my praise of the Clipse. And I have to admit that their crack-obsessed lyrics are a guilty pleasure. I just rationalise it all by claiming that their brand of crack music is really a sophisticated critique of capitalism. Brilliance or bullshit? You decide.

Get a sample here for cheap.

* Photographs will be uploaded when it's not 12:15am after a long day at the office.

The Mighty Mos Def

Last evening Mos Def and his band, the Amino Alkaline Orchestra, rocked the house at the concert hall of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Mos Def I remember from the 90s was 100% B-Boy, but the man who turned up at KC was a very different performer.

Backed by a 22-piece orchestra (including a horn section, strings and a DJ on the ones and twos), this clearly was not an ordinary hip-hop gig. For one, it was at the Kennedy Center, typically associated with the high arts (ballets, classical recitals etc). But there also was a lot more going on in this performance than usually meets the ear at live hip-hop gigs.

Instead of dipping into his back catalogue, Mos and the band ran through a rich mix of new originals and evocative reworkings of hip-hop, R&B, jazz and funk classics. Notable performances included Ghostface Killah's 'Mighty Healthy', BBD's 'Poison' and Slum Village's 'Fall In Love'. Another highlight was Mos Def's Star-Spangled-Banner-turned-anti-war anthem set to a DC go-go backing beat. But the goosebumps moment of the night was when Mos Def asked to see the president of America, and an image of Barack Obama was projected onto the big screen behind the band. Mos urged the audience to vote for change; to cast a vote that would improve the plight of Americans. "Stakes is high," he screamed and launched into a rendition of the De La Soul classic. I was moved (almost to tears).

There were some other important statements: tributes to the late Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes ('Walk On By'), a sophisticated critique of the medical and pharmaceutical industries ('Beep') and an indictment of the poverty of broadcasting ('Black Radio').

The show's only real flaw was that in the first half Mos Def's voice seemed to get lost in the mix of an orchestra that was fully (and unnecessarily) mic'd. This made it hard to grasp some of the intricate vocal word play. To the sound engineer's credit, this seemed to be rectified during the intermission.

I came away from the experience feeling edified, entertained but also challenged (both musically and intellectually) by the performance. And my initial scepticism about the appropriateness of a 'popular' artist performing in an 'elite' venue evaporated when, at the tail-end of the show, Mos Def jumped off stage and ran up and down the aisles to slap hands with members of the audience, transforming the space of the Kennedy Center into a more intimate meeting between artist, audience and Black art.

Falling Water

Well, just over an hour ago the other Humphrey fellows and I returned from our weekend outing to Connellsville and Mill Run in Pennsylvania. This was my first trip into "the sticks" (or a countryside area) in the US.

Aside from our drivers habitually getting us lost, it was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. There was the promise of white-water rafting, but I'm rather glad that it ended up being a more gentler one and a half hour canoeing experience on the Youghiogheny River. The raft I assisted in steering was first to shore. However another group of fellows was not so lucky, getting carried away by the current and needing some rapid rescue to avoid going over the edge of a waterfall further downstream (no pictures I'm afraid)!

Friday evening ended with a rather raucous supper at the best (only?) restaurant in the area, called River's Edge. The adrenaline rush combined with good food and a healthy supply of alcohol made for rather irreverent proceedings. It also convinced me of the quality of South Western Australian wine. I had an absolutely delicious Shiraz to go with my steak.

After supper some of the men fellows decided to extend the evening and dabble in some poker. Thankfully we played only for plastic chips, because I lost everything in the end.

The highlight of the weekend, however, was our Saturday morning visit to Falling Water in Mill Run, PA. Falling Water is a house built in the mid-1930s by the brilliant American architect Frank Lloyd Wright for the affluent Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, PA. My experience of the house is still sinking in, but I can attest to its quite magnificent integration of nature and construction. In architectural communities, I understand, this is held up as possibly the most stunningly designed (once) private home in the world.

And with that, I am going to sign off. I've certainly had a most satisfying weekend so far.

Tomorrow night I'm going to see Mos Def and his live band perform at the Kennedy Center in D.C. I realise that Mos Def has spent more time honing his skills in front of the camera rather than his microphone techniques, but I'm holding out hope that there I'll catch some glimpses of the MC who released hardcore B-Boy anthems in the late 90s.