From the Arab Spring to the Russian Winter: 2011 in Review

Hi everyone!

Hard to believe it's the end of another year...and what an eventful year 2011 has been. From an international perspective, 2011 brought about waves of tremendous change: from Tunis to Cairo, Tripoli to Damascus, Benghazi to Moscow and beyond, the world witnessed demonstration after demonstration that affirmed and reaffirmed the power of the individual and collective voice to move mountains and bring about positive change. From the Arab Spring to the Russian Winter, it seemed not a day went by when we weren't greeted with incredible scenes of personal courage spurred on by gross government abuse and corruption.

2011 wasn't a good year for dictators. We saw the demise of longtime Libyan strongman and resident crazy Muammar Qaddafi; the overthrow of Egyptian dictator and Western ally Hosni Mubarak; and the fall of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. In the midst of all this, we witnessed the deaths of terrorist icon Osama bin Laden and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. 2011 ended with the largest anti-government demonstrations in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union and, for the first time in eight years, Prime Minister Putin's iron grip on the Kremlin may be loosening as another round of protests has been called for February.

But there remains a lot to be done. As we count down the final hours to 2012, Syrian President Bashir Assad seems determined to maintain control of his country by any and all means possible. While on the one hand he invites representatives from the Arab League to observe his "compliance" with an international mandate to cut back on the violence with which his government handles the protesters, on the other he sends troops to open fire on peaceful protesters in Hama and Homs a mere two-three blocks away from the Arab League delegation. Innocent Syrian men, women, and children are being mowed down in cold blood while the Arab League observers remark that nothing seems to be out of order. I suppose this isn't surprising when the delegation itself is led by Sudanese General Mustafa al-Dabi who has, no doubt, more than his share of blood on his hands from his work in support of Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir. (Darfur, anyone?)

Unfortunately, things aren't looking so great in Egypt either. The interim military-led government recently launched a series of raids on foreign and domestic NGOs in Cairo, stealing computers and documents and preventing humanitarian aid workers from doing their work. Iran appears to be flexing its muscles again in the wake of threatened sanctions against its banking industry by threatening to cut off access to the Strait of Hormuz, thus disrupting the flow and transport of oil to the rest of the world. North Korea continues to assure the smooth transition of power to Kim Jong-il's youngest son Kim Jong-un, who vowed to continue his government's policy of zero cooperation with South Korea. The future is still up-in-the-air in Russia as well. Will Alexei Navalny and the tens of thousands who support him successfully alter the outcome of March's presidential elections? ... or will they and the rest of the democratic world be sorely disappointed?

And, of course, here in the US we face another election year. Will Obama's sadly underwhelming and arguably rather inept four years in office be awarded another term, or will we see the election of Republican Mitt Romney, who would be the nation's first Mormon president? Next week's upcoming Iowa caucus will officially launch the 2012 presidential race.

Hold on, folks...if you thought 2011 was a wild ride, wait till you see 2012!

Ciao.

A United Russia Not So United

Hi everyone!

A rift appears to be growing within the United Russia party as a series of party insiders have come out in support of the recent protests. Sergei N. Filippov, United Russia party member and a chief regional executive at the government-controlled Gazprom, spoke out last week at a session of the Vladimir Region legislature saying that corruption is rife within United Russia and must be rooted out and fixed. Another party insider, Olga V. Kryshtanovskaya was instrumental in creating a group on Facebook called "UR for Free Elections" that combined the protest movement's logo -- a white ribbon -- with the United Russia logo. Furthermore, Vladimir V. Semago, United Russia governing council member in Moscow, penned an op-ed piece in an opposition newspaper wherein he confessed his own involvement in political corruption and the personal shame it has caused him.

But while a few days ago it appeared President Dmitri Medvedev was gradually acknowledging the validity of the protesters' calls for change, this week it seems he has taken a big step in the opposite direction. According to an article in today's New York Times, earlier this week Medvedev promoted several Kremlin top-dogs with former ties to the KGB and Prime Minister Putin. Among those promoted was Sergei B. Ivanov, formerly of the KGB, to the position of chief of staff of the presidential administration.

Putin, it appears, has broken his silence of late about the growing protest movement. On Wednesday, he told a group of Russian journalists that "dialogue" must take place with the protesters but that he wasn't certain at this point to what degree or in what format that "dialogue" should take place. In other words, Putin has no intention of deviating from the path that will guarantee him the presidential position come elections in March.  Putin and his toadies at the Kremlin -- including President Medvedev -- can pay all the lip service they want to the opposition movement, but as we've seen all too frequently throughout history, talk that doesn't result in action is just that...talk.

I only hope that bloggers like Alexei Navalny--a verifiable hero of the opposition and anyone who believes in the freedom of speech--don't back down or aren't swayed by the Kremlin's false promises to wipe out corruption and genuinely reform. Momentum and recent history are both on the side of the opposition. Russians who believe in a fair and representative form of government should take inspiration from the precedent currently being set by their brothers and sisters in the Arab World. While it still remains to be seen what will come of Tahrir Square, the Egyptian people did successfully (and for the most part peacefully) bring down a despot less than a year ago.

The collective will of the street is just as powerful--if not more so--than the iron grip of a ruling elite.

Ciao.

Censorship in the State of Israel

Hi everyone!

There's a freedom of speech battle currently being waged in Israel between the media and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to a report in today's New York Times, Israel's Channel 10 -- one of only two independent channels in the state of Israel -- is under fire for a report it broadcast last spring about an expensive vacation Netanyahu and his wife had taken to New York, London, and Paris on the dime of wealthy friends in 2009, before he became prime minister but was a member of parliament. The network went so far as to make public the bills the Netanyahu's racked up during their trip. As a result, the prime minister's rightist Likud party has refused to extend the end-of-January deadline Channel 10 had been granted to pay back its $11 million debt.

This isn't the first time Channel 10 has infuriated the Likud Party. In 2006, Channel 10 broadcast a series of negative reports on Israel's handling of the Lebanon War as well as allegations of under-the-table land deals conducted by Ariel Sharon's family while he was prime minister. In addition, Channel 10 was instrumental in reporting on the deaths of a Palestinian doctor and his three daughters during Israel's military strikes against Gaza in 2008-2009. In other words, what this boils down to is an attempt by the Israeli government to stifle freedom of speech in a country that was purportedly founded on democratic principles. The latest moves against Channel 10 come mere weeks after legislation was introduced in the Knesset that seeks to prevent loudspeakers in Israel from announcing the Islamic call to prayer and another that prevents left-leaning Israeli groups from receiving financial aid from foreign governments.

According to the New York Times, over the past ten years, Channel 10 was financed by several wealthy investors who happened to be friends of Netanyahu, including American cosmetic mogul Ronald S. Lauder and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. Netanyahu had initially supported the idea of a right-oriented news network because he'd felt Israel's news channels were too liberal. But once Channel 10 started criticizing the Likud Party's more hawkish policies the channel rapidly fell out of favor. If the network fails to either get another extension on its debt repayment or pay the $11 million outright, it will be off the air in a month's time, which means Israel will be left with only one independent television network...again a rather dubious distinction in a country meant to be a democracy.

Of course, democracy in Israel is a selective affair. Any country that practices a brutal form of apartheid against its native inhabitants can hardly be considered a democratic state. This is also a country where its Arab population is forced to live as second class citizens and is not granted a representative voice in parliament. I realize that Israel has had to endure its share of terrorist attacks and should be granted a certain leeway in defending itself, but the indiscriminate and disproportionate killing of innocent women and children in the name of self-defense is not only shameful, it is criminal. Unfortunately, precedents for this have long since been set -- the U.S. (Israel's biggest backer) has only to look to its own history of violence against its Native American population. All one has to do is drive through New Mexico or Arizona to witness the continual devastating effects of this genocide.

At any rate, Israel is now facing perhaps its most uncertain time since the Yom Kippur War. With the Arab Spring opening the door for more Islamist-leaning governments that don't necessarily intend to honor a long-standing detente with the Jewish state, Israel is facing an existential crisis. However, government-sanctioned suppression of news reports that criticize the ruling party is not the way to go about protecting itself. Censorship of this kind is what prompted millions in the Arab World to take to the streets in demand of greater freedoms. If the Israeli government continues to suppress dissenting views in its media and legislation as seems to be occurring, could an Israeli spring be next? It's doubtful but not totally outside the realm of possibility. Of greater probability though is a third intifada as Palestinians and Israeli Arabs choose to follow the lead of their brothers and sisters in Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and elsewhere in the Arab World. If this were to happen, Israel would find itself in serious trouble indeed.

Ciao.

Religion: An Extremist Opiate for the Dispossessed Masses

Hi everyone!

It is always disappointing when religious-inspired violence mars religious holidays. While sitting in my post-Christmas dinner food coma last night, I was upset when I turned on the BBC and saw that a Catholic church in Madala, a suburb of the Nigerian capital Abuja, was bombed as the faithful filed out after Christmas Mass. According to the New York Times, at least 25 people were confirmed killed while many others were wounded or unidentified. An Al-Qaeda affiliated insurgent group, Boko Haram ("Western education forbidden") claimed responsibility for the attack which comes on the heels of a series of lesser bombings and skirmishes in the area over the past few days.

According to various reports, Boko Haram have typically limited their terrorist activities to the northern, Muslim-dominated, area of Nigeria while focusing their attacks on local government headquarters and the police with the reported aim of imposing a stricter form of Shariah law on the country.  In August, however, they claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, which killed at least 23 people. The Christmas bombing marks the first time Boko Haram have specifically targeted a Christian institution, and the fact that they chose Christmas Day, one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar, is particularly disturbing in that it indicates a decision to deliberately aggravate Christian-Muslim tension in the area.

I feel particularly disappointed in these events because for the past year I have been cheering on the Arab Spring movement and have been heartened by the fact that fundamentalist Islam has remained more-or-less out of it. And while I know that at its heart Islam is a peaceful religion that has been hijacked by a relatively small minority of its adherents, I continue to be sickened by the tenacity of those who corrupt Islam to serve their nefarious means.  In the grand scheme of history, Islam is a new-ish religion, at least when compared to its Judeo-Christian counterparts. Christianity has its own history of violence, particularly upon Muslims during the dark days of the Crusades. An argument can be made--and I have heard this--that Islam is merely going through its Dark Ages and that every religion must endure a period of growth and development that puts it in conflict with, well, the rest of the world. Perhaps this is what we are witnessing now?

Meanwhile, Gaza-based Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya embarked yesterday on a two-week mission throughout the Arab World to raise money and support for Hamas. While Hamas has been labeled a terrorist organization by the US and other Western governments, one cannot deny its role in Gaza as a humanitarian organization. Many Palestinians have greatly benefited from Hamas's efforts to help those who have been affected by the Israeli blockade. It is no wonder that it enjoys the support that it does. While I certainly do not condone Palestinian terrorist activities, I understand their frustration as that of the powerless. I believe that the majority of Palestinians (and Israelis for that matter) support a peaceful resolution to their ongoing conflict. Unfortunately, each side is hijacked by extremists--Arab and Israeli--who use religion as their most lethal weapon.

While organized religion of any ilk has the capacity to be a source of comfort and genuine good, I fear that it has an equal--and perhaps more powerful--capacity as an extremist opiate for the dispossessed masses. I want to believe in its positive and life-affirming elements but am continually disappointed by what I am seeing perpetrated in the world, all under the guise of organized religion, regardless of whether it's done in the name of Christ, Moses, or Mohammed. I fear I am going to be disappointed for a long time.

Ciao.

The Russian Revolution Redux

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm writing this on the tail-end of a packed Christmas Day out here in the mountains of Colorado. I overate and am ready to call it a night but I did want to comment on this weekend's news coming out of Russia. Yesterday's second rally to protest the recent Russian elections sounds to have been a tremendous success with estimates of anywhere from 30,000 to 120,000 people filling the streets and squares of Moscow.

As reported in today's New York Times, what set this rally apart from the first was the presence on the platform of high-level Kremlin officials--including former Finance Minister Alexsei Kudrin--giving measured support for the gathered crowd. Russian business oligarch and newly minted opposition candidate Mikhail D. Prokhorov was also in attendance, although he didn't give a speech, choosing instead to show his support through photo ops and meet-and-greets at the street level. Without a doubt, however, the man it appeared the crowd was there to see was dissident blogger Aleksei Navalny. Mr. Navalny, who was recently released from a fifteen-day detention and who has been tireless in his very public criticism of Mr. Putin, did not disappoint. In a fiery and impassioned speech, Mr. Navalny said, "I can see that there are enough people here to seize the Kremlin. We are a peaceful force now and will not do it now. But if these crooks and thieves try to go on cheating us, if they continue telling lies and stealing from us, we will take what belongs to us with our own hands."

Whoa! Is Mr. Navalny hinting at the possibility of a more violent attempt at overthrowing the government if the Kremlin continues on its current course of generally ignoring or ridiculing the protesters' demands? Or is he merely using dramatic rhetoric to whip up additional support from the protest movement? Mr. Navalny's motivation isn't exactly clear. And herein lies the crux of the issue: while it is all well and good for the Russian people to brave the notorious Arctic winter cold in a massive show of support for ending Putin's political aspirations once and for all, it becomes quite a different matter if they are indeed successful in bringing down the government but are left with a political vacuum and no individual or party in a position that can actually enact much-desired reform. As I've said repeatedly over the past several weeks, the situation facing Russia right now is not dissimilar to that currently facing Egypt or Yemen or Libya, for that matter. Okay...so you successfully forced out a dictator...what then do you have lined up in place of him?

This is precisely what appears to be lacking in any discussion about a Putin-free political landscape. The current opposition is dubious at best. Prokhorov is not particularly well-known and some skeptics believe that he is little more than a tool of the Kremlin, a puppet disguised as opposition but whose function in truth is to only give the impression that he represents change while dividing the genuine opposition and thereby assuring Putin's win in March's presidential election. Outside of Prokhorov, who else is there? Mr. Navalny is an intriguing possibility but with no real political experience, what are his chances of winning political office? I suppose there is always Dmitri Medvedev who appeared this week to give measured support of the protest movement while holding to his line that foreign governments and agitators were behind the unrest. The question remains: how married is Medvedev to Putin these days? Is there indeed a break between the two? We just don't know. And, speaking of which, where was Putin all weekend? He seems to be lying low. Even former president Mikhail Gorbachev lent his support to the protesters, saying it's time Putin cedes control now as a means of preserving his positive legacy in the future.

If we can be certain of nothing else, we can be certain of this: unless Putin and the powers-that-be in the Kremlin are miraculously lobotomized between now and next March, we can expect more of the same: both from the current government and from the Russian street. If Mr. Navalny's speech is any indication, the Russian people are losing patience. If peaceful protests don't bring them what they want, who's to say that more forceful tactics won't be employed in the near future?

Is this the second coming of the Russian Revolution?

Ciao.

Dmitri Medvedev---Voice of the Russian People?

Hi everyone!

It seems that President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia has finally decided to listen to the collective voice of his people in calling for democratic reforms. On Thursday, Mr. Medvedev gave his final state of the nation speech as president, calling for the direct election of governors and an end to nepotistic hiring practices within Russia's top corporations. He also announced plans for the creation of a public television station that would be independent of the Kremlin. In essence, Medvedev has flown in the face of Vladimir Putin and seems to be further distancing himself from the prime minister's more totalitarian leanings. While it would appear Medvedev is bending to the demands of the Russian voting public, in his address he completely failed to mention the allegations of fraud in the recent parliamentary elections, the root of the reason thousands of Russians have taken to the streets in protest. In fact, he continued to tow the official Kremlin line that the U.S. and other Western governments were behind the current unrest. Still, however, it is rather striking that Medvedev has chosen to take this approach. While he hasn't publicly broken with Putin--his erstwhile mentor--he does appear to have broken from the standard Kremlin ideology. What remains to be seen is whether the Russian people embrace Medvedev's attempts at reform or choose instead to greet it with justifiable skepticism or outright rejection. Regardless of whether one believes Medvedev is sincere or not, one cannot deny that this is a step in the right direction. What isn't clear is Medvedev's motivation. Kremlin politicking is often as opaque as that of North Korea. To what extent is Putin behind these proposed reforms? Is Putin still the puppet-master manipulating Medvedev's strings? If so, to what end? If Putin and Medvedev are indeed working in agreement, then wouldn't these reforms carry greater clout and/or credibility if they came from Putin himself?

I would like to believe that Medvedev--who came to office in a wave of optimism that he might have somewhat an independent, more Western-oriented voice--is acting from a genuine desire to effect democratic reform in his country. In his address to the newly elected Parliament last week, Medvedev did give credence to the stated desires of the protesters, saying that their voice could no longer be ignored. Still, there is the cynic in me that questions the true motivation of what is going on here. I guess it only remains to be seen. As I write this, another mass demonstration is taking place in Moscow. What will be the outcome? What will be the official Kremlin response? I suppose we'll know more as the day progresses.

Elsewhere in the world, a series of coordinated bomb blasts rocked Damascus yesterday on the eve of the arrival of Arab League observers. At least 44 people were killed with hundreds injured. The Assad government immediately placed responsibility on the shoulders of Al Qaeda, claiming that unrest in other areas of the Middle East have created an opening for Al Qaeda to establish itself within Syria. The truth is, however, that Al Qaeda has had a strong presence in eastern Syria for years, particularly as a launch point for attacks within Iraq. The Daily Telegraph of London reported that one Syrian official went so far as to accuse the United States of secretly forming an allegiance with Al Qaeda as a means of bringing down the Assad government. An utterly preposterous allegation but not necessarily unexpected. After all, there are still conspiracy theorists in the Arab World who honestly believe that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Mossad. What this kind of theorizing boils down to is mass brainwashing. We see it in North Korea. We see it in the Middle East. We see it here in the United States.

I hope the current wave of protests throughout the Arab World, Russia, and parts of China prove that the collective voice of the people are better than those of their governments. If 2011 is the year of the protester, I hope 2012 sees the the fruition of these efforts. But in order for true reform to take place, the West needs to be prepared to enter into genuine dialogue with whomever the people choose to replace these dictators. Brainwashing is not irreversible, but it cannot take place without outside help.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you believe the presence of Arab League observers is going to make a difference in Syria's continuing brutal crackdown of the opposition?"

A Russian Spring?

Hi everyone!

So Russia held its first session of its new Parliament yesterday in a bid for a return to normalcy and, no doubt, a hope that with the appearance of business as usual, the wind will have been taken from the protesters' sails. Mr. Putin paid lip service to some of the protesters' demands by saying he was committed to investigating and rooting out corruption, particularly in regards to business and off-shore accounts. He said he wants to make Russia an entrepreneur's dream within the next ten years. At the same time, however, anti-Putin blogger Aleksei Navalny was released after fifteen days' in jail, only to hold a news conference outside his detention center to further denounce the fraudulent elections and rally the Russian people for another demonstration this coming Saturday, Christmas Eve.  He said his detention had done nothing to diminish his ardent calls for bringing down Mr. Putin and the current Kremlin hierarchy. In fact, he said he enjoyed listening to radio broadcasts while in prison of the recent 50,000-strong demonstration in Bolotnaya Square. He wrote on his blog, "You cannot imagine how cool it was to listen to the radio broadcast from Bolotnaya." And while the people seem to be united behind Navalny's anti-Kremlin stance, there are signs that there isn't a similar unity among the leaders of the opposition. Boris Nemtsov, head of the Solidarity party, was faced with the embarrassment of having several recorded telephone conversations made public wherein he denounced some of his fellow opposition leaders as "scum" and "half-witted."

While I am dubious of the chances of any sort of Russian Spring coming into fruition in March when Putin is more-or-less guaranteed to win the country's presidency, I do wonder what would hypothetically happen if the collective opposition succeeded in bringing the government down. It is all very well and good for Mr. Navalny to rally his supporters on the streets of Moscow and motivate Russian society to come out in force in Bolotnaya or Red Square, but would the people really be all that better off if the current leaders of the opposition were voted into office? If Mr. Nemtsov and his ilk are already hurling insults at one another, how are they going to behave in the event they are voted into office?

We see this to a certain extent in recently liberated Libya. Now that Qaddafi is gone, the various rebel factions that united to reach this goal have very little in common and have in some cases turned against each other. Egypt isn't dissimilar. The military after Mubarak's oust was seen by-and-large as being an important source of stability while the Egyptian people adjusted to a new, more democratic leadership and society. But now that same source of stability is wreaking devastating havoc on the people because it has become power-hungry and is loathe to give up the power it has enjoyed. Are the Egyptians now back to square one?

Political change is always tough, especially when a country makes the transition from a one-party/one-leader hegemony to a democracy. It's human nature to want to hold onto power when it's been granted. We don't cede control willingly. For the time being, we can only hope and pray that the military will step down in Egypt and that the opposition in Russia, Mr. Navalny aside, overcome petty disputes and childish name-calling in favor of the overarching good. I fear though that this may be too much to ask.

I hope I'm proven wrong.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "With Parliament back in session in Russia, are the Russian people destined for more of the same or will change really and truly come?"

The Girl in the Blue Bra

Hi everyone!

Greetings once again from Dillon, Colorado where I'll be staying with the family through the holidays. It's late, I'm tired, and it's snowing outside. And while I usually am not much one for snow, we need it up here. More snow means better skiing conditions which makes everyone that much happier...including me.

I've been a little behind on the news today. I was pleased to read however that hundreds of Egyptian women marched through the streets of Cairo yesterday to protest the brutality of an attack--captured on video--upon a woman by Egyptian soldiers earlier in the week. The video shows a woman being beaten to the ground with truncheons, her abaya being torn open to reveal her blue bra, before being savagely kicked in the stomach and stomped upon. The video has generated an international outcry against the military's suppression of the protest movement and the woman in the video has come to be known as "the girl in the blue bra." It remains to be seen whether this video will have the same effect in further rallying protestors as the infamous video of Neda, the young Iranian woman shot to death on film during the 2009 unrest over elections in Iran. One thing is certain, however: the Egyptian protest movement has a new face for their cause and are using the video--justifiably so--to promote their moral advantage.

It is rare for women in Egypt to step out so publicly and demand that their voices be heard. The fact that they were joined by and received support from their male counterparts is an additionally encouraging sign, for it shows that there is a unity of purpose in these protests that is not divided down gender lines. Further to this, it seems there has been an outreach between the conservative Islamic political parties and the more liberal democrats creating a united front against the military ruling council's draconian crackdown on the protestors and refusal to cede power to a civilian-oriented Parliament. Whether this unity between the Islamic and secular political parties continues once the military steps down--whenever that may be--is up for discussion. But for the time being, in order for the protest movement to achieve its goals of setting up a democratic government without the influence of the armed forces, the protestors must continue to present a united front, breaking down the barriers that exist between male and female, the wealthy and the poor, and the religious and the secular. This is the only way for Egypt (and the Middle East in general) to emerge out of this anarchic morass and reach its full potential.

Given the deeply entrenched social and cultural mores that exist in this area of the world, however, unity of this kind is easier said than done.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "How much longer do you believe the Egyptian military counsel can hold out against true democratic reform?"

Twitter and the Winter of Arab Discontent

Hi everyone!

What are we to make of the world today? I have to admit, I'm riveted by the news these days. While I have always been a foreign affairs junkie, my senses seem to be particularly attuned to every last bit of information--real and unsubstantiated--that comes across my Droid touchscreen all hours of the day and night. I've lain in bed, unable to sleep at two and three o' clock in the morning, scrolling through tweets reporting the latest up-to-the-second details (many of which are in Arabic, which I don't understand) of violent mayhem and democratic idealism. It's making me an insomniac. Maybe it's because I have finally figured out Twitter and am obsessively following the tweets from Egyptian protestors who are live in Tahrir Square breathlessly reporting that the military is rounding up protestors and firing upon them with machine guns. This is an actual example of last night's reading while trying to focus on the equally riveting events in the latest episode of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," which, by the way, was a real corker. Kyle's breakdown at her White Party while awaiting the arrival of Taylor and Russell Armstrong had my blood pressure ratcheted up and me on the edge of my seat while texting my sister--who is also a Real Housewives fan--about the emotional debacle unfolding on the screen, speculating about the outcome of the confrontation to come...well, the drama was intense and it only added fuel to my doubts about the veracity of Taylor's accounts of her marriage.) But I digress...

The Arab Spring is, it seems, devolving into the Winter of Arab Discontent. The Egyptian general Adel Emara accused the protestors of inciting violence against his troops while lashing out at the media for only giving a one-sided account of events heavily biased toward the protestors. This is further calling into question whether or not the ongoing parliamentary elections are actually going to result in anything constructive or forward-thinking. The Egyptian military clearly doesn't care about the welfare of the nation and is determined to dig in its heels at any and all costs. In Syria, the government finally signed the Arab League initiative that allows outside observers to come in and oversee the government crackdown on Syrian activists. This would appear to be a step in the right direction, but sadly even as the initiative was signed, reports of government-sanctioned violence against protestors continued in all its bloody glory.

And in a rather ironic--but not really all that surprising twist--it's now been reported that Somalia's Shabab terrorist group is using Twitter to articulate and justify its horrific actions against innocent Somalis in perfectly rendered English. This is ironic because Twitter is concurrently being used by pro-democracy activists throughout the Arab World to relate and promote their justified cause. American authorities are reportedly trying to figure out whether or not they can legally shut down the Shabab's access to Twitter...which raises the debate of whether or not a brutal terrorist organization (affiliated with Al-Qaeda no less) has the same democratic right to freedom of speech as all those using social media to raise awareness of the lack of democratic ideals in the Middle East. 

One place where Twitter is definitely not being used is North Korea. No one knows what's going on there and it's doubtful anyone will until another nuclear missile is tested or another South Korean fishing boat is attacked. It's doubtful even ordinary North Koreans know the truth about their government, as evidenced by the truly insane public outpourings of grief we all were witness to yesterday. And if they could or were on Twitter, can you only just imagine the nature of those Tweets???

I don't know. It's a mad world we live in. It's scary and uncertain and dangerous and...I'm strangely, unabashedly smitten. And I can't wait to see what all transpires next week on the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'" group vacation to Hawaii!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "How has Twitter changed the way news is reported? Is it more or less reliable than traditional newspaper accounts?"

The Dissident and the Dear Leader

Hi everyone!

How ironic is it that two leaders on opposite ends of the political spectrum should pass away on the same day? I woke up yesterday to news of former Czech president, dissident, and playwright Vaclav Havel's death at the age of 75, and went to bed with the news that North Korean dictator and resident nutcase Kim Jong Il had died on Saturday from "overwork" at the age of 69.

Mr. Havel was a reluctant politician. He is said to have cared initially more about reform within the Communist party than leading his nation through political upheaval. However, under his guidance, Mr. Havel did just that. Without a drop of blood being shed, in 1989 he negotiated the peaceful end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia and then, through two terms as president, he oversaw the split of the country into the Czech Republic and Slovakia before leading the Czech Republic into a close alliance with the West that resulted in its joining NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Kim Jong Il, on the other hand, otherwise known as "Dear Leader," ruled a secretive and hermetic police state through a bizarre cult of personality that remains the world's last true Communist holdout. While he dined on French haute cuisine, drank cognac and watched Hollywood films, he also starved millions of his own people, built up its nuclear weapons program, arrested and executed no doubt thousands of dissidents, and generally sought to wreak havoc and instability on the Korean Peninsula for reasons that no one has ever really been able to fathom. Even his closest ally in the region--China--seemed to prefer to distance itself in recent years from its troublesome neighbor. While politicos have been speculating for years about what would happen in the event of the Dear Leader's death, North Korea wasted no time in announcing the succession of his son Kim Jong-um, otherwise known as the...um..."Great Successor," a guy no one knows too much about but who certainly does not appear to have been groomed for political office to the extent his "dear" father had been. Many worry that the Great Successor will instigate some sort of military action as a means of proving his mettle.

It is anyone's guess what will happen in the days/weeks to come, but one thing is likely. I doubt North Korea is heading for political change anytime soon. Kim Jong-um is...um...definitely no Vaclav Havel. And it is equally doubtful the North Korean people will...um... rise up against the Great Successor, at least not based on the videos of mass hysteria and outpourings of grief state-controlled North Korean television has broadcast to the world. (As horrifying as it is, the first time I saw this film I couldn't help but have a big ol' hearty laugh. I mean...seriously? Don't these people realize how ridiculous they look? But then, many of them probably don't know any better...when you've been brainwashed from birth you can't function in any other way. Anyway, I had to share...)

My point is, the North Koreans don't appear to be a people in a position to organize themselves en masse as their brethren in the Middle East have lately done. One can only hope, but I'm not holding my breath. And neither should any of you.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you think we will see any glimmer of democratic reform in North Korea, or will it be just more of the same?"

Conflict for the Good of Change

Privet vsem!

Reading the Sunday papers this morning I was once again struck by the volatility shaking much of the world today. Of course, one could argue that there's never been a time when the world hasn't been riven by conflict--both petty and catastrophic. As humans, we seem to thrive on it. If we don't have enough drama in our lives we seek it out on television, in our relationships with friends, family, co-workers, in the daily news... But some conflict is good. Some conflict is necessary. Conflict is what forces and drives change...for better and for worse, though ideally it is for the better.

Take, for example, the top story in today's New York Times. The main headline reads: "Libya's Civilian Toll, Denied by NATO: Scores of Unintended Casualties, and a Reluctance to Investigate." It seems that while NATO was helping to bomb the hell out of Qaddafi's loyalist forces on behalf of the rebels, NATO pilots made egregious errors that resulted in anywhere from 40 to 70 civilian deaths, in some instances, wiping out whole families. Granted, there was at least one case where Qadaffi's top brass deliberately met in civilian areas and this is an area of the world where civilians have been used more often that anyone would care to admit as human shields: just look at the staggering number of civilian deaths in the Iran-Iraq War. A margin of error is to be expected. And while no one likes to read about innocent people being slaughtered in the name of a good cause (as I believe the overthrow of Qadaffi and his family to have been), collateral damage is almost unavoidable. It remains to be seen what the outcome in Libya will be, what with reports of rival rebel groups shooting it out in the streets of Tripoli while U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta met with Libya's interim government (which also happened to be the first time a U.S. Defense Secretary has ever visited Libya), but hopefully Libya will right itself after surviving for years as a pariah state under Qadaffi. So...out of conflict--fingers crossed--comes good.

In nearby Egypt, Cairo was rocked by yet another day of violence as the military continued to crack down on protestors occupying Tahrir Square and nearby government buildings. While the moral advantage is definitely with the protestors, an article I read today said that many average Cairenes are getting fed up with the upheaval as it increasingly interferes with their daily lives. People can't get to work because of the protests and subsequent government crackdown, and there were reported cases of non-protestors being rounded up and beaten by the military police in a case of merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One Egyptian blogger posted a particularly ominous Tweet this morning that said something along the lines of Tahrir Square being eerily quiet and dark tonight, with an impending sense of blood about to be shed soon. But again, we have conflict out of which--judging by the relatively peaceful elections--good is coming.

And then finally in Russia yesterday in an address to the United Russia party, for the first time President Dmitri Medvedev spoke out almost in support of the 50,000 protestors who came out en masse last weekend against the recent fraudulent elections there. Mr. Medvedev said it was time to start listening to the voices of the people on the street, as those voices represented the true desires of the Russian people. Putin, of course, was nowhere to be seen. Could this be a sign of a rift between the top Russian powers-that-be? Medvedev has always come across as a reasonable sort. The question is, if he continues to endorse the protestors, is his job as prime minister once Putin takes over the presidency in jeopardy? But then, maybe that wouldn't be such a change as it's clear Putin has always been top brass despite the job title.

So, we have three scenarios here where conflict has the potential to resolve itself in favor of good. A lot remains to be seen. But I'd like to think the world as a whole is taking a step in the right direction.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Is collateral damage to be expected in the pursuit of positive change? Why or why not?"

The Arab Spring, Part Two

Hi everyone!

Well, yesterday there was yet another round of protests in Egypt and again the military did not hesitate to use violence in an effort to stem the tide. A peaceful sit-in outside the Egyptian cabinet building turned deadly as members of the military threw rocks and file cabinets down upon the protestors from the roof of a government building.

Polling stations across the country were also scenes of violence between civilians and the army as the second stage of the election was held for positions in the new parliament. The military--once all-powerful---is running scared. Once again, votes coming in confirm the fact that the new Egyptian Parliament is taking on an Islamic bent with the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis earning the majority share of votes, an identical outcome as was seen in round one. The military is secular. The prominence of the Islamists in the new government basically cancels out the influence of the military...at least this would be the case if the military backed down and let true democracy take its course. Unfortunately, it seems, the military has no such plans.

Protests yesterday were not confined to just Egypt. Syria was wracked by violence yet again with reports, according to the New York Times, of at least 17 people killed by government troops. A recent United Nations count puts the total Syrian death toll since the protests began there at 5,000.

Also there's a brouhaha brewing in the southwestern Chinese province of Wufan where the local population have basically taken over a village to protest a local government land-grab. It seems the Chinese government buys land at cut-rate prices that should be owned by the locals and then sells the same land to government-sponsored building companies for a considerable profit, completely shutting the villagers out of the deal. The current protest started after one of the village spokesmen was mysteriously taken into custody by the police and died. The police claim the man had a heart attack but family who came to identify the body said it betrayed signs of torture. The body of course has not been released back to the family while an escalating military presence on the outskirts of the village harbors the potential for rather unpleasant things to come.

Time magazine in its annual end-of-the-year 'Person of the Year' issue awarded this year's honor to the Protestor. It does indeed seem that 2011 is the year of the protest, of the long-oppressed silent majority finding their collective voice and using it to inspire change. The videos and Tweets coming out of places like Cairo, Homs, Manama, Moscow and Wufan frighten and inspire at the same time. My heart goes out to everyone--young and old--who are simply pursuing the basic human rights of democratic representation and the chance to create a better life for their young and loved ones. But, as I've said before and will undoubtedly say again, those in positions of power here in the West need to respect and support whatever results this democratic process brings into being, regardless of whether these new governments are secular or (in the Middle East) Islamic. That's what happens in a democracy--the people elect their leaders without outside pressure or influence. Sure, it may make many of us uncomfortable to see Egypt turn into another theocracy (not that this will happen) like Iran, but who are we to tell the people otherwise? Unless we live in these countries, or are out there occupying Tahrir Square, we don't have a voice. We can only observe and pass the message along.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you believe Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will ever cede control, or will he go down fighting like Qadaffi?"

Vladimir Putin and those pesky protestors wearing condoms on their lapels...

Hello again everyone! Happy Friday!

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin conducted his annual television talk-a-thon yesterday in Moscow, spending over five hours sharing his views on the recent allegations of election fraud, his waning popularity, and the 50,000 or so who converged last Saturday near Red Square to voice their displeasure about all of the above. Based on transcripts of his question-and-answer session, it's clear that Putin is utterly out of touch--or, more to the point, doesn't give a damn--about anything beyond holding onto power. He dismissed the protestors as being paid lackeys of the opposition and made fun of the white ribbons they wore, claiming the ribbons looked like condoms, a remark that sent the opposition blogosphere into overdrive.

Putin went on to reiterate claims he made earlier in the week, saying that the opposition movement was fueled and funded by the U.S. government and that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was personally responsible for inciting the unrest. I don't know about you, but this is beginning to sound not dissimilar to the ridiculous accusations of a certain recently dead and dethroned Libyan dictator who said his country's protests were spurred by Western drug dealers and foreign agents.

Has Putin not been following the news? Does he not realize momentum is on the side of the protestors? He did make some concessions, paying lip service to charges of ballot-stuffing by saying he'd have Web cameras installed in 90,000 polling places across the country during the upcoming presidential elections in March. It is doubtful however that this is going to stem the tide flowing against him. Another protest has been called for December 24th that could very well exceed the tens of thousands who turned out last Saturday.

Of course Putin has demonstrated time and again a certain bizarre predilection for advertising his masculine hubris. He seems to relish the photo-op that allows him to pose bare-chested in all manner of manly-man activities, including hunting, fishing, and wrestling. His latest involved a mixed martial arts competition at which he was roundly booed when he took the ring. Putin denies this as he denies everything, claiming the jeers were actually directed at the loser of the previous bout. Whatever.

While even the Western media has said Putin's re-election in March as President (in a much-derided job swap with current President Dmitri Medvedev) is a foregone conclusion, I'm going to take a different stance and say all bets are off. A lot can happen in three months, as we've lately seen in the Middle East. I'm dubious of opposition candidate and New York Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov's chances against Putin (nor am I convinced that he isn't part of the Kremlin-sponsored opposition) but I wouldn't rule out People Power just yet. No dictator is an island...not even you, Mr. Putin.

Do svidaniya.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you believe Russia is fated for a similar uprising to what we've witnessed in the Middle East?"

The Playlist of a Revolution

Hi everybody!

As I mentioned the other day, I'm reading Robin Wright's brilliant and insightful book Rock the Casbah which traces the origins of the current Arab Spring protest movement and what she calls the "counter-jihad." I read a great chapter last night called "Hip-Hop Islam" wherein she introduces the reader to Islam's rather surprising alternative/rap/hip-hop music scene and the influence it's had on the young Arabs filling Tahrir Square and beyond.

One of the most striking things is the fact that in the twenty-three countries that comprise the Middle East, the vast majority of the population are under the age of 40. Ms. Wright writes: "The young make up the majority in all Muslim countries, in some places close to 70 percent" (124). Unemployment within this young demographic is rampant, so bad in fact that Queen Rania of Jordan is quoted in the book as saying that it's a "ticking time bomb," telling a group of business leaders that "the number of unemployed people under thirty years old...could increase from 15 million in 2008 to 100 million in 2020..." (125).

The reason for these staggering numbers? It's hard to say. However, one factor Ms. Wright mentions is the fact that a strictly Islamic education does very little to develop practical skills that can be transferred into jobs.  Plus, in many of these countries, the only jobs available go to those who have an in with the government which rules out most of the population...hence the Arab Spring.

As in any culture, music has an amazing ability to communicate and express the soul of a people. This is especially true of the Middle East. In her book, Ms. Wright profiles several Arab musicians who have made an impact. She writes predominantly about hip-hop and the genre's ability to transcend national, religious, and political identity while focusing on the very real needs and concerns of a community. The difference though between Western and Islamic hip-hop/rap is that Islamic hip-hop is still quite devout and is utterly void of the obscenity that has come to define much of the genre in the West.

Ms. Wright writes about a young Tunisian rapper, Hamada Ben Amor, who goes by the name of El General, whose song 'Rais Lebled' became the anthem of the Tunisian protests before going viral on You-Tube and spreading across the entire region. Because the Tunisian government had effectively banned hip-hop from state controlled radio, El General turned to the Internet to get his music out to the public. El General was arrested and imprisoned. His interrogators asked him to stop singing about the Tunisian president before they would release him. But because El General had become such a celebrity among the protestors, his arrest was widely documented and he was released after three days. He then went on to perform in public to major acclaim.

Other artists profiled in the book include the Palestinian rap group DAM whose 2001 song "Who's the Terrorist?" became an international sensation with more than half a million downloads from You-Tube. Ironically, DAM has become immensely popular in Israel among young Israelis whose own rap group Subliminal has performed on several occasions with DAM. There is also, among others, the female Moroccan hip-hop singer Soultana who was nearly killed in the Casablanca bombings in 2003.

So after reading this chapter I decided to do a search on iTunes to see what, if anything, is available. This led to me putting together an entire playlist called The Arab Spring Mix, that features DAM, Soultana, Subliminal, and a number of Egyptian and Lebanese pop singers whose music provides the Western-influenced though very Eastern-infused soundtrack to the current democracy movements.

One of my favorites is an Egyptian singer named Amr Diab. He's been a huge star since the '80s and his latest album was just released a few months ago. His recent single "Ma'ak Bartaah" is a slick, very danceable techno bit of fun that would sound just about as right in any Western nightclub as it does, I'm sure, in the Whiskey Mist Beirut.

I'm loving my new playlist.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What musical artist (of any genre) has moved you recently?"

The Joy of Giving

Hi everyone!

What a foggy rainy day it is here in Galena today! Drove up early this morning with the dog, hoping to get some work done and a little peace before leaving for Colorado with the family for the holidays next week. I'm listening to the "Shame" motion picture soundtrack and it's putting me in a reflective mood.

The question I'm asking today is when was the last time you paid someone a compliment? How did it make you feel? Or, more importantly, how did it make the other person feel? Every year around this time it seems that everyone is always talking about how it's better to give than receive, but the cynic in me often questions the sincerity of these people. I mean, let's face it--I don't care what anyone says--receiving is pretty cool. And I think most of us are better at receiving compliments than actually giving them...I know I am.

But then I started thinking about the kids I taught earlier this year, the looks they got on their faces when I told them they'd done a good job...the utter disbelief. A couple of them looked at me like I was crazy, like no one had ever said a nice thing to them or given them emotional validation before. For a lot of those kids, having by-and-large grown up in broken homes or on the streets, it isn't really all that surprising that they wouldn't know how to take a compliment or, in the very least, would be skeptical about it. As the giver, well, it made me appreciate these kids all the more. The light that would shine in their eyes--however fleeting--when I gave them praise was priceless. I can still see it in my mind's eye. That alone made my decision to go into teaching worth the effort.

Last night in my acting class I praised a friend of mine in there--Justin--on his scene work. We've been in class together now since the beginning of September and last night for the first time it was like he had a real breakthrough. It was cool to see how far he's come since we started and I finally saw his true potential. I told him that during class and others agreed. As we were leaving, he came up to me and thanked me rather profusely for the complimentary feedback. It had really made his night and, I gotta say, his genuine appreciation kind of made mine.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Who have you complimented today?"

Confessions of a Reality TV Junkie, Part Two

Hi everyone!

So this blog is a little schizophrenic. One day I'm writing about protests in Russia and the continuing drama of the Arab Spring, the next I'm talking about pork chops and reality television. I think--at least for this post--I'm going to stick with Reality TV. I've been watching "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" this season if for no other reason than I was intrigued by the news of Russell Armstrong's suicide and was curious to see how (and if) it would play out on the show. Kind of morbid, I know, but I bet there's more of you out there than would admit to doing the same. For those of you who don't know, Russell was the husband of Taylor, one of the Beverly Hills housewives. Having not seen the first season, I can't compare the second season to the first. But suffice it to say that it is clear that Russell and Taylor's marriage was in a bad state for a long time previous.

The second season opened with a scene of all the housewives--minus Taylor--getting together a few days after Russell's death, expressing their grief, their concern for Taylor, etc. Then it flashed back to this past spring, in effect giving this season a narrative arc that has a pretty clearly defined ending. Taylor, not surprisingly, has been a central focus. All the ladies are bewildered by Taylor's increasingly erratic behavior. She apparently has admitted to some--off camera--that Russell physically abused her, though no one sees any outward signs of such abuse. This is fuel for much debate and a couple really nasty public confrontations between Taylor and Camille (recent ex-wife of Kelsey Grammar). We are shown scenes of Russell and Taylor in marriage counseling, interacting with each other at their daughter's fifth birthday party, and having (a particularly awkward) dinner with Kyle Richards and her husband Maurizio. Russell looks uncomfortable while Taylor's lips just seem to get increasingly big as she herself seems to shrink.  In last week's episode, Taylor goes ballistic when one of Camille's friends, DeDe--whom I suspect is just trying to get a recurring role on the show because her behavior doesn't make any sense--aggressively confronts Taylor about her spat with Camille, this spat deriving from Camille's previous expression of frustration that Taylor claims she's being abused but then acts normal and lovey-dovey with Russell right after. Are you following this?

I don't know how many episodes are left this season, but I do know that we're only weeks away from Russell's death. And as truly compelling as I find the Taylor "storyline" to be, I'm rather disturbed by it and disturbed by the fact that I find it entertaining.  Say what you will about the so-called reality of these reality shows, but Taylor's pain is obviously real--regardless of whether we see the physical marks of violence or not. While many would probably disagree, I like Taylor. I feel very sorry for her. As manic as her behavior is on the show, it's real, it is grounded in a reality that many of us can at least on some level relate to, which is more than I can say for Pandora Vanderpump's million dollar wedding, as entertaining and over-the-top as it is, which seems to be taking up a counter-focus on the show.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that when reality television gets it right, it begs the question of how wrong are we as a society that witnessing the genuine pain of others becomes our Monday night entertainment?

Ciao.

Porkchop: If and When You Find Yourself Craving Pork

Hello everyone!

Up early this morning because today is going to be one of those days where I'm running from one thing to another with little time in between. It's all good but I know I'll be glad when it's 9pm and I can kick back and finally relax.

I went to a new-ish restaurant last night: Porkchop http://porkchopchicago.com, just down a bit from the corner of Randolph and Sangamon. As you would expect from its name, Porkchop is essentially a comfort food joint with a heavy emphasis on pig. In fact, it reminds me a bit of some of the BBQ establishments I've sampled when I've been in Atlanta. The decor is dark and pseudo-trendy, though I found it just slightly creepy: large heavy wooden tables (fine) arranged at a nice distance from one another (good for conversation). But then, one of my dining companions (my brother-in-law) pointed out the hanging display of rusty saws and other devices more appropriate for a torture chamber than a restaurant, not to mention the rather random (and thoroughly off-putting) presence of taxidermy on a couple walls. I joked that the restaurant was more a front for some bizarre sadist's pleasure cellar than anything to do with pork.

The menu was about what you'd expect from a dining establishment called Porkchop: BBQ ribs, fried ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, porkchops, lots of bacon, etc. In other words, don't go to Porkchop if you don't eat or like pork or are a vegetarian and certainly don't go there expecting to find anything remotely healthy on the menu. There is a cobb salad but I'd be almost embarrassed to ask them to hold the bacon bits. I was hungry so I ordered the chicken sandwich sliders as a starter and the porkchop as the main. The sliders were good--3 came in an order--though in and of themselves they were a meal: basically, grilled BBQ chicken on a bun with provolone cheese and a slice of tomato. The porkchop itself was pretty good, though I think I do a better one, and it came with a side of smashed red potatoes that were really very good though heavy on the mustard. My sister had a half-order of the BBQ ribs and her husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Both said their entrees were very good, though my sister complained that her fries were cold. They had also ordered the Elotes starter--corn on a skewer slathered in some kind of chipotle sauce--which our server forgot to put in with the kitchen so it arrived just after the main courses and only because we'd reminded her.

The restaurant--at least on paper--boasts a fairly decent beer and whisky selection, though I had to settle for an IPA after being told my first two choices were no longer being served despite their presence on the menu. Our server then proceeded to tell us at confusing length that their beer and whisky menu was in a state of flux and what was on the menu wasn't necessarily what they had in stock. Whatever.

Which brings me to the service. I'd read online from previous patrons of the restaurant that while the food was decent, the service left something to be desired. Criticisms ran from rude to just plain inattentive. Our server--whose name I don't recall--wasn't rude. In fact, she was really quite friendly and, with the exception of the forgotten Elotes, she was fairly attentive.

I realize this doesn't sound like much of a ringing endorsement for the place, but I did kind of like it. I'm in no hurry to run back there any time soon, but I'd go again. The prices were relatively cheap--considering the neighborhood--and, despite the decor, a not entirely unpleasant place to grab a drink, though be prepared to be told that what's on the menu isn't what's in stock, and for you wine drinkers, there isn't a bottle or even a glass in sight.  The bar, at least aesthetically, is cool though we didn't spend any time there. The clientele? Thirtysomething hipsters and pretty people dressed trendily in black, none of whom look like they'd eaten comfort food--let alone pork--in their lives, though I did notice as we were leaving a couple rough-looking trucker-types in tee-shirts drinking beer by the door. Go figure. The food? Again, not bad...it is what it is. If you find yourself craving pork, Porkchop is a decent bet.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What's your favorite BBQ joint?"

A new and Inspiring creative site: You, Me, and Charlie

I am about to leave for an interview at the Al Raby School for Community and Development for a part-time AVID tutoring position so I'll keep this brief. I'm excited to be interviewing at Al Raby because that's the school where I spent three amazing months student teaching earlier this year. I haven't been back since May and am looking forward to reconnecting with some of the amazing teachers and students I got to work with there. Al Raby is located in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. It's a tough place to grow up and go to school, but the kids I met there were incredible. I never thought teaching British Literature to four classes of high school seniors would be nearly so inspiring. Boy, was I surprised and truly heartened! I'll let you know how the interview goes...

What I really want to write about is a cool and--again--inspiring website I discovered this morning. You, Me, and Charlie www.youmeandcharlie.com was created by actress Dianna Agron. Ms. Agron, as many of you probably know, plays Quinn the former pregnant cheerleader, on Fox TV's hit show "Glee." The site is designed as a forum for creative types in any genre to share their thoughts, their projects (whether it be poetry, photography, short stories, etc), music and movie reviews, etc. The content is uplifting and, as Dianna writes on the home page introduction:

 Without the arts I would not wake up each morning with the joie de vivre that encompasses my entire being. I would feel flat as a pancake. Because of the work I do, I get to hear some of the most moving stories, moments of your life…things I am grateful to hear from you, share with you. It blows my mind, each and every time. To know that the show I’m on helps so many people get through hard moments in their life? To hear that people like seeing what I’m going to post and often discover new artists? I never could have dreamed how lucky I would be, as I am, today. I want you to join me now. Let’s share this space as an art collective. There’s enough negativity in this world to smother all of us into a state of infinite sadness. Why not counter that? That’s what this site is for. I hope it just does that.

I love the mission behind the site and will be returning to it frequently to be inspired and to take heart in the fact that despite all the crappy stuff that greets us in the news every day, there are people out there who still can find good and take inspiration from each other. That's what the arts are all about--to inspire, to move, to create, and in doing so, perhaps change the world. So a big shout-out to you, Ms. Agron, and to everyone young and old who contributes to the site. I am a fan!

Sorry if I sound a little new-agey today, but you, me, and Charlie really made me feel good. Now off to my interview...

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "How can the arts be used toward the betterment of the world?"

Confessions of a Reality TV junkie

Hi everyone!

There's a lot I could write about today: how I've become (albeit reluctantly) intrigued by Denver Broncos' Bible-quoting quarterback Tim Tebow, the fact that yesterday's protests in Russia took place without any discernible conflict, or more on what's going on in the Middle East. Instead, I'm going to write a little bit about my novel "Birds of Dreams," what it's about, and how I believe it captures the state of popular culture/society today.

I will be the first to admit that I am a reality television junkie. Yes, I am huge fan of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise (particularly Beverly Hills) as well as A-List: New York and A-List: Dallas. I think it would be fun to know Andy Cohen and appear as a guest on his show Watch What Happens...Live. I haven't missed an episode of The X Factor and believe it consistently outshines American Idol in terms of talent, production values, and conflict (real or staged) between the judges. While I have never watched an episode of anything to do with the Kardashians, I did root for Rob on the recently concluded season of Dancing with the Stars and found myself surfing the Internet for the latest on the fallout from Kim's wedding.  I have watched several seasons of Top Chef and never miss The Amazing Race when it isn't being pre-empted by Sunday afternoon football. Like many of my fellow world citizens, I have often envisioned myself starring in my own reality television show and was at one time depressed by the fact that I am officially too old to appear on The Real World.

I have embraced this about myself and decided to do something constructive about it. I wrote a novel. "Birds of Dreams" tells the story of what happens when Reality collides with Reality-As-Seen-On-TV. It follows the lives of several reality TV aspirants and the rather ruthless and embarrassing things they do to get famous on the small screen. I have fused their story with another of my favorite guilty pleasures: Hindi cinema, otherwise known as Bollywood. And to further ground the story in contemporary society, I have also included a healthy dose of global terrorism. Readers will be introduced to Jordan, the twentysomething wannabe socialite with a mother whose life's obsession is to be featured if only as a walk-on in an episode of The Real Housewives; Yasmin, the Bollywood beauty and celebrity chef who stops at nothing--including staging the assassination of one of her rivals at her restaurant opening--to get her own reality show; and Tristan, the thirtysomething trust fund kid who finds himself--not entirely reluctantly--in the midst of reality show madness. There is also Matt, the entrepreneur who uses his family inheritance to start up an international drug trafficking operation, and his mother, Candace, the North Shore socialite and philanthropist who contracts a South African mercenary to end the rather unwholesome intentions of an unwanted future daughter-in-law.

If this sounds like farce, it is. The novel is meant as a social satire, an expose if you will on today's pop culture. Only a couple of these characters get what they want and when they get it, perhaps they realize that life in front of the cameras isn't what they had hoped it to be. The price they pay is enormous. "Birds of Dreams" is funny, irreverent, gossipy and vulgar. The reader may be repulsed by these characters while secretly admiring their tenacity. The novel isn't high art. It isn't going to change or inspire the reader to do great deeds. It's sole intent is entertainment. We may laugh at them, we may hate them, we may even finds ourselves egging them on. In short, the reader does exactly what we do when we watch any number of the reality shows that take up increasing space on our DVRs. The novel appeals to our worst fascinations and our compulsive need to "watch what happens...live."

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What is your favorite reality TV show...and why?"

The Russian Protests...Alexey Navalny...Birds of Dreams: a Novel

Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a good weekend. It's cold this evening in Galena...bone-chilling cold. Just got back from dinner--the French/German bistro Fritz and Frites in downtown Galena, which really is the only decent restaurant in town. Started with the mussels in a champagne sauce, followed by Wienerschnitzel with red cabbage and spaetzle, and profiteroles for dessert. I've never had a bad meal there, which is something to be said for a small town with plenty of dining options but very few of any quality. If you're in Galena, check out Fritz and Frites. They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Also, before I get down to business, I just want to let everyone know that my first novel "Birds of Dreams" is available for sale on Amazon Kindle for $2.99--a price reduction for the holidays. In a nutshell, it tells the story of what happens when Reality TV clashes with Reality. Part "Gossip Girl," part "Sex and the City" with a little Bollywood spice thrown in, the novel is a social satire with a colorful cast of characters all vying for a spot on a hot new reality show, or if not that, then at least a shot at something outside of boring everyday anonymity. Look for it on Amazon Kindle. The print edition will be published early next year...

I've been following the protest in Moscow all day and am happy to hear that everything went peacefully. Depending on who you read, the number of protesters ranged from a few thousand to over a hundred thousand. I'm thinking the average was around fifty-thousand. Regardless, it was the largest street protest in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Another protest has been scheduled for Christmas Eve. Protestors are demanding the resignation of Vladimir Churov, the head of the Russian Central Election Commission, and a new round of elections, which is exactly what Mikail Gorbachev, the last Soviet Premier, called for yesterday. I don't know--revolution seems to be in the air this year.

One of the most vocal advocates of social change in Russia--and this protest movement--is a Russian political blogger and Tweeter named Alexey Navalny. Mr. Navalny was reportedly arrested earlier in the week after blogging about the election fraud. His arrest is, in part, what inspired today's protests.

The Lede, a New York Times news blog, published a translation of a letter he wrote from jail addressed to the crowds gathered today in Bolotnaya Square and across the country. I've pasted it here:

"It is easy and pleasant to struggle for one's own rights. And it's not at all fearful. Don't believe all this nonsense about unavoidable disorders, fights with the police and burning cars.

Everyone has the only one and the most powerful weapon that we need: dignity, the feeling of self-respect.

It's simply important to understand that this feeling could not be put on and put off as a velvet jacket. It cannot be turned on with a button in your kitchen full of your friends and turned off when you talk with an official, policeman or member of electoral committee.

There ARE people with dignity. There are many of them. Dozens of them are sitting on tattered mattresses next to me. And I know, thousands of them are now at the Revolution and Bolotnaya squares in Moscow and in other cities of the country.

There are no repressions or clubs. There are no detentions or arrests for 15 days. All this is rubbish. It's impossible to beat and arrest hundreds of thousands, millions.  We have not even been intimidated, for some time we were simply convinced that the life of toads and rats, the life of speechless cattle was the only way to win stability and economic growth in reward.

The palaver wisps away and we can see that the cattle-like silence was a gift to only a fistful of swindlers and thieves who became millionaires. This pack and their media valets go on convincing us that the electoral fraud in favor of the party of swindlers and thieves is a prerequisite of availability of hot water in the tap or cheep mortgages. We have been being fed with this for 12 years. We are fed up. It's time to shake off the torpor.

We are not cattle or slaves. We have voices and votes and we have the power to uphold them.

All people of dignity must feel solidarity with each other. No matter where they are at the moment, out in the square, in their kitchens or in a jail cell. We feel our solidarity with you and we know that we shall triumph. It simply cannot be otherwise.

We say: One for all and all for one!"

Amazing stuff. Definitely interesting times ahead!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you think change is coming to Russia?"

The Russian Elections

Hi everyone! I'm coming to you today from my family's weekend getaway house in Galena, Illinois, about a 3-hour drive northwest of Chicago, right on the Illinois/Iowa/Wisconsin tri-state area. It's a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired house situated on sixteen acres of secluded woodland with an eagle's eye view of the surrounding countryside. It is indeed the perfect country retreat and I am very happy to be out here for the weekend, getting in some much-needed R&R.

What's on my mind today? I've been following the news out of Russia. It seems that Vladimir Putin is in trouble of losing his grip on his decade-long control of Kremlin politics. This week's elections, which were essentially intended to cement support for Putin's United Russia party in advance of his election to become president again in March, proved (perhaps unsurprisingly) to be a rather corrupt affair, with allegations (and photographic proof) of ballot box stuffing and the like on behalf of Putin. The interesting thing, however, is that despite these allegations, United Russia still faired rather poorly with only some 50% of all votes cast in favor of the party. Speculation is that without these criminal tactics, United Russia would have done even worse. So...what does this say about Putin's chances of becoming President again in 2012? I'm thinking at this point it's a shoo-in, especially as Putin's personal approval ratings are still quite high despite the middling performance of his party at the polls. But, with a massive protest scheduled to hit Red Square on Saturday, and fearful whisperings of an Arab Spring-type revolution in the making, I'd think Putin and his Kremlin cronies might be a little less smug about their chances. Putin's accusation that Hilary Clinton was at the forefront of stirring up the anti-United Russia pot just smacks of desperation...well, maybe not desperation exactly but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

I'm curious to know what others think, especially those of you who are reading this blog in Russia. I know there's at least a few of you. I'm curious to know your in-the-trenches perspective. Are any of you planning to be at the protest tomorrow? If so, post a comment. Let me know what you're thinking. Let's get a discussion going. I have my own opinion about democracy in Russia--not unlike that alluded to in my post the other day about the democracy movement in the Middle East--but I'm curious to know your thoughts. Can a country as vast and diverse as Russia in terms of landscape and ethnicity with no real historical experience with democracy be expected to function as a Western-style democracy...or does it need a strong man-type (like Putin) to keep the country together? Share your opinions.

Oh...and my holiday party last night was great, thanks! Leslie, Shannon, Heather, Tom, Melissa, Craig, Mom and Dad and the family---thanks for coming over! The shrimp skewers came out okay after all and there was plenty of food and drink to go around! Cheers!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What are your thoughts and opinions about the elections in Russia? Should Putin be allowed to run as President in 2012? Why or why not?"

Holiday party planning...James Doyle...A List: Dallas

Hello everyone!

I'm going to keep this brief today because on top of everything else I've got going on, I'm getting things together for my holiday party this evening. I host a holiday party every year and every year I stress out about it--will I have enough food? Will my guests like my food? Will I have enough drink to go around? Blah blah blah. This year I'm keeping it fairly simple: finger foods, grilled shrimp skewers--which look kind of weird but I think they taste good--and assorted desserts. My Christmas playlist is set--kind of heavy on the Michael Buble this year with a smattering of the Pogues ("Fairytale for New York" I think is the greatest Christmas song ever written!) Jack Johnson, Bing Crosby, and a little Eartha Kitt. My parents are coming for the first time which I'm really happy about but nervous at the same time. My guest list is a rather random assortment of people from all aspects of my life, all of whom I'm friends with or have worked with but who don't all know each other. It makes for an interesting mix.

I just got off the phone with my newest client--James Doyle from Logo TV's top-rated show "A-List: Dallas." He's writing a memoir about what it was like growing up gay in a small town. He and the show have a huge fan following. He was on the Wendy Williams show this morning and has recently made appearances on Chelsea Handler and The Soup. He's a great guy and I'm excited to be working with him on his first book. We're just at the proposal stage now but I think it's going to turn out to be a terrific project. I'll keep you all posted as things progress.

That's it from me for today. I've got truffles to arrange, gumdrops to stack, and cheese to slice. Wish me luck!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What's your best holiday party memory?"

The Arab Spring

Hi everyone!

So Syria's President Bashir al-Assad gave an interview with the Western media today defending his response to Syria's prolonged and increasingly bloody civic uprising. He essentially said that he was doing no more than what any government leader would do--specifically the U.S.--as a means of putting down national dissent. This is rich coming from the leader of a country that has at least a half-century history of ruthlessly cracking down on anyone who dares speak out against The Establishment which now finds itself on increasingly shaky territory in a region that has been rocked by unprecedented anti-government turmoil for the last year.

Like many of us, I have followed the so-called Arab Spring with interest though I admit after the initial euphoric months in Tunisia and Egypt I haven't paid as much attention to it as perhaps I should. The civil war in Libya culminating in the death of Moammar Qadaffi was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back for me. It is great that the long-oppressed people in these countries were finally acting out against their oppressors, but the question that kept coming to mind was: "Okay, what now? What plan do these rebel factions have for peacefully instituting a government to replace the one they've overthrown?" It just seemed to me that violence was merely begetting more violence. I believe that while democratic reforms are necessary, I think it is unreasonable and even irresponsible to expect that a region with little to no experience with democracy can be expected to change itself overnight.

I also find the West's response to the Arab Spring interesting in and of itself. In the past week, Egypt has implemented--successfully by most accounts--the first of a three-phase wave of parliamentary elections unlike any the country has ever experienced. This is terrific. However, we must be prepared to deal with the fact that when you give the people a democratic vote, you need to accept whom they vote into office even as the new government may not necessarily fall in line with what you hope to be the final outcome. There is concern being expressed in the media that Egypt's new parliament is weighted too heavily in favor of the Islamists, with the Moslem Brotherhood and the Salafist parties taking the most seats in Egypt's new government. If this is what the Egyptian people want, who are we in the West to say that this is not acceptable? I realize that it calls into question some of the alliances and treaties the U.S. has helped to broker over the years, chiefly the Egyptian-Israeli peace accords, but perhaps it's time for the U.S. and other Western governments to take a step back and focus more on the social and economic problems plaguing our own countries before criticizing or condemning others?

In my quest to learn more about the socioeconomic and political history of the modern Middle East, I came across a recently published book by respected Middle East correspondent and Washington Post columnist Robin Wright. "Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World" (Simon & Schuster, 2011) does an insightful and eminently readable job of introducing readers to the roots of the current unrest. In the book's first couple of chapters, Ms. Wright focuses on how the Arab Spring started--with the self-immolation of a young Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi after being accosted  by a female Tunisian city inspector who claimed Mr. Bouazizi was operating without a license. Because he was poor, Mr. Bouazizi did not have the seven dollars needed to bribe the official to remain in business. He was humiliated, his livelihood was taken away from him, he didn't know what else to do. So he set himself on fire and this shocking image was soon spread virally through Facebook and YouTube throughout the Middle East. When people feel they do not have a voice, they understandably resort to extreme measures.

While I've only read the first three chapters of Ms. Wright's book so far, I urge everyone and anyone with an interest in learning more about the Arab Spring and its subsequent protest movements to pick up a copy of the book and get educated. By focusing on the plight of the common man and woman and the everyday average citizen, "Rock the Casbah" quickly gets to the root of the issue in a narrative that is compelling and reflective.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What responsibility--if any--does the West have in influencing the spread of democracy in the Middle East?"

The Bialik-Rogozen School in Tel Aviv...Strangers No More

Hi everyone!

I want to spend some time today talking about an amazing and inspirational story I encountered last night. I had a chance to watch the documentary film "Strangers No More" that was broadcast yesterday on HBO. "Strangers No More" won the 2011 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film and chronicles the efforts of a really special school located in the heart of Tel Aviv. The Bialik-Rogozin School is unlike any I have ever encountered. It opens its doors to refugee children from all over the world and helps them achieve academic success (regardless of educational background) while working to acclimate them to their lives in a new country and culture.

The film takes a year-in-the-life approach by focusing on a select group of students--a seventeen year-old boy from Darfur, a girl from South Africa, a boy from Ethiopia, etc.--and traces their progress over the course of one academic year. The students and teachers are interviewed throughout, interspersed with scenes of the children in classrooms, with their parents/guardians, and interacting with each other. What is amazing is that none of these children enter the school speaking Hebrew and are often haunted by the unspeakable traumas they left behind in their home countries. As individuals, these children are inspirational. As a collective entity, they demonstrate that all children, regardless of their backgrounds, cultures, or upbringing, can learn and thrive as long as they are provided a safe and nurturing academic environment with educators who believe in what they are doing and have committed themselves to bettering the lives of the world's young people.

As an educator myself, I was often moved to tears as it reaffirmed my commitment to helping those who cannot always help themselves.

The Bialik-Rogozen School's website is in Hebrew with no translation function. This is unfortunate for those of us who cannot read Hebrew. However, their Facebook page provides links (in English) to additional stories and short films about the school and the work this special group of people do every day. The film's accompanying website www.strangersnomoremovie.com is also a great place to learn more about the film, the students and teachers, and the school itself. I am not sure when HBO will be rebroadcasting the film but I am sure it will be available online and through Netflix soon. I encourage everyone who cares about education to check it out!

There is indeed a lot of good being done in the world today despite what the news might have us believe. So I am sending a shout-out today to the teachers and students at Bialik-Rogozen and to the film's directors/producers Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon. A wonderful story well-told. Thank you!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What can YOU do today to help improve the lives of the world's neediest children?"

My Week with Marilyn

Hello everyone! Hope you've all had a good Monday.

I'm writing this having just seen the new film "My Week with Marilyn" at the Century Center. I'd been wanting to see it based on the ads, the fact that I think Michelle Williams is one of the most talented actresses of her generation, and for the pleasure of seeing an ensemble of brilliant British actors doing what they do best. I'm pleased to report that I wasn't disappointed. Kenneth Branagh gives a nuanced performance as Sir Laurence Olivier. Dame Judi Dench pops in and out every so often as Sybil Thorndike, stealing every scene she's in by the mere fact that she's Dame Judi Dench. Zoe Wanamaker has some good moments as Marilyn's American--and somewhat meddlesome--acting coach. The cast is a virtual who's who of great British actors, both old and young. There's Dominic Cooper playing Marilyn's manager...oh, and look, there's Emma Watson (late of Harry Potter) playing a winsome costume girl who falls for Colin, the narrator, nicely played by likable newcomer Edward Redmayne.

While much has been said of Michelle Williams' portrayal of Marilyn--almost all of it praising--I found myself a bit underwhelmed by her. She certainly looks and sounds the part, but despite the scenes of tortured insecurity, sleeplessness, giddy posturing, and pill-popping, I didn't find anything particularly special in Ms. Williams' performance. There was nothing particularly wrong with it either, just given all the hype, I was expecting--I don't know--something more. It's a game impersonation that doesn't really break new ground. If you're looking for fresh insights into Marilyn Monroe's life or her character, you're not going to find them here.

What you are going to find is an engaging, fairly lightweight two-hours' entertainment that is certainly worth the price of admission. It beautifully succeeds on this level and should pick up some awards nods if for nothing more than costume design and cinematography. It isn't Michelle Williams' best performance but, as with everything Ms. Williams does, it is eminently watchable.

And boy...I'd pay ten bucks or more to hear Kenneth Branagh recite Shakespeare anytime!

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What is it about Marilyn Monroe that continues to hold us in her thrall?"

Movie Review: Shame

Hi everyone! Hope y'all are having a good weekend.

Pretty quiet here...getting the apartment decorated for Christmas, catching up on some reading, errands, etc. I did get a chance yesterday to see British director Steve McQueen's controversial new film "Shame" starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. While it's certainly not for everyone, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I think it's definitely one of the best films of 2011.

What makes this film so great are the two standout performances of its lead actors. Mr. Fassbender is sleek, suave, and eerily seductive as Brandon, a thirtysomething Manhattan corporate professional with a sex addiction that increasingly comes to dominate his life and isolates him from anything and anyone who might attempt to care for him, chiefly his sister Cissy--played by the remarkable Ms. Mulligan--a troubled nightclub singer who moves into Brandon's apartment for reasons that are never really explained. The film unflinchingly but ever so stylishly depicts Brandon and Cissy's relationship as their lives spiral out of control.

While some may find fault with Mr. McQueen's decision not to dwell on a backstory for these characters--i.e. we never really learn anything about Brandon and Cissy beyond what transpires onscreen and a passing mention of the fact that both had grown up in New Jersey--I loved the fact that we are thrown into the middle of the action and are forced to deal with Brandon and Cissy on the basis of what we witness as opposed to what we are told. It's a risky decision as it may make us less sympathetic to their very real tragedies since we never know what brought them on. But what makes this narrative device--and the film as a whole--work so beautifully is the subtle and nuanced performances of Fassbender and Mulligan. You feel their frustration, their desperation, their pain even as you are often repulsed by their behavior or just merely baffled. Is there an incestuous connection between them? Are both victims of earlier sexual abuse? Again and again you find yourself asking these questions but the film never provides answers. And while some might find this a flaw, I respected the decision not to burden us with what could quite easily have become cliche.

"Shame" is a film full of quiet moments and arresting images and yes, there is even some humor, not to mention one of the most bizarre and irritating renditions of the song "New York, New York" ever committed to celluloid. And yes, there is sex--NC-17 rated sex which leaves very little to the imagination. However, while some of it is quite shocking, I never found it to be gratuitous. Brandon and Cissy are creatures of extremes. In less capable hands, one might be inclined to view them with something more akin to contempt than sympathy. But instead, I came to feel quite deeply for them, and while the ending is not necessarily surprising given what's come before it, I found the final scenes quietly devastating.

Like it or hate it--and I liked it...a lot--"Shame" leaves an impression that isn't easy to shake. As far as emotional impact on the viewer, of all the films I've seen this year, only Lars von Trier's "Melancholia" tops "Shame" in terms of wrenching sheer emotion from the viewer. Neither of these films are going to appeal to the masses, but as far as a truly visceral, unique cinematic experience, it doesn't get much better than this.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "When you go to the movies, what are you hoping to experience first and foremost: sheer entertainment that doesn't require you to think, or an emotional experience that causes you to question your values and/or your perception of life?"

The Pump Room

Hello everyone and a special shout-out to those of you who are reading this blog in such far-flung places as Russia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and Colombia...very cool!

As I mentioned yesterday, I went to the newly reopened Pump Room at the Public Hotel last night with my friend Leslie and her fiance Shannon. It's been at least ten years since I was last there and I was really curious to see for myself Ian Schrager's transformation of the legendary Chicago celebrity watering hole. I had a great time. It was fun catching up with Leslie and meeting Shannon. They're a terrific couple and I look forward to their wedding in July.

The Pump Room is definitely worth checking out and I will definitely be going back. The lounge area is right off of the hotel lobby so you can't miss it. My recollection of the place had been a rather dark stuffy interior with heavy draperies and furnishings that looked as though they hadn't been replaced or remodeled since the 1950s. What greeted me instead was a large and very open space done up in almost blinding--but not sterile--white marble with plenty of seating and lots of light. Our server, Amber, was pleasant and helpful without being intrusive which made a change from a lot of similar places I've been where the service staff treats you with indifference at best and something akin to contempt at worst. Amber was attentive. She smiled a lot and was very accommodating.

We ordered drinks. I had an Old Fashioned. I had to laugh though because while I do enjoy an Old Fashioned every so often, I've never thought to ask what is actually in one. It just sounds kind of cool when you order it and yes, I am pretentious like that. Amber was a little vague about this. When asked, she ran through the obvious ingredients--sugar, maraschino cherries, and bitters. I've had bitters before but have never quite known what it was. Amber didn't seem to know either. So I Googled it and discovered it's a liquor made from anise. I also discovered that the "base" alcohol of an Old Fashioned is bourbon which is no doubt what gives it its kick. We then somehow started chatting with Amber about absinthe: no, the Pump Room doesn't serve it and, as far as Amber knew, only two or three bars in Chicago do. Amber said she'd had it once and, based on Amber's experience with it, I doubt she'll be having it again. I knew that absinthe had been banned here in the United States since the beginning of the 20th century until it was reformulated a few years ago--minus the wormwood, no doubt-- and that it was a favorite among the 19th and early 20th century Parisian ex-pat and artistic community, with Toulouse-Latrec and Hemingway among its fans. I think I'll stick with the Old Fashioned.

The Pump Room lounge serves a rather limited menu of small plates. We had a couple orders of the tempura-style shrimp, a bowl of olives, and something else that for the life of me I cannot remember. I wasn't overly keen on the shrimp. I'm a big fan of tempura but I'd have preferred the shrimp to have been minus its legs or whatever and shell...it was a little too much like soft-shell crab that, after a rather bad experience with it at the North Pond Cafe a couple years' back, I don't care to ever have again. We finished with a bowl of bite-sized sugar donuts (Munchkins really) that came with a rather tasty, buttery sauce that was actually quite good. I was disappointed though that the menu didn't offer a cheese plate. I love cheese. It's hard to go wrong with cheese. It was missed.

While I didn't get a chance to see the main dining room menu and can't comment on it, I hope the selection is a little more varied than what is served in the lounge.

I give the Pump Room a thumbs-up for its ambience and staff. The noise level isn't deafening though I noticed this morning my voice was a little hoarse so it must have been louder than I remember. Still, if you're looking for a nice place to grab a drink and hang-out with friends, the Pump Room is worth your effort. Hats off to Ian Schrager for pumping new life into the Pump Room.

Ciao.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What's your drink of choice?"