Great Day For US Soccer Fans

Clint Dempsey and the New US Soccer kit

     It was a big day for international soccer, as nations from Europe continue Euro 2012 Qualifying and many other nations held friendlies.
We decided to look a little closer to home, however.
     First, we took in the match between Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps at PPL Park in Chester. The 1st half was pretty tame, yet somehow, Philadelphia picked up 3 yellow cards in the first 34 minutes. It was Eric Hassli's yellow in the 27th minute that proved key, however. The Vancouver forward earned a second in the 59th minute, and Whitecaps were down a man in their first road game. Philadelphia controlled play for the last half hour, but the winner from Carlos Ruiz in the 77th minute looked offside. The atmosphere at PPL Park was certainly impressive, as were Union, who earned a second clean sheet in as many games, and are 2-0.
     Just up the I95 corridor, the atmosphere seemed to be the main attraction in a friendly featuring the United States and Argentina, with well over 75,000 in attendance. The futbol proved equally thrilling, though, and both sides played fantastic in a 1-1 draw. Argentina were world-class in the 1st half, and the US held firm for 42 minutes, until Cambiasso gave the visitors the lead. After halftime, the US came out of the locker room much more aggressive, and enjoyed more possession as a result. The last half hour was fairly even when Juan Agudelo, of New York Red Bull, netted a rebound from a free kick at the 59th minute. Overall, the US team looked great against a side that has defeated Spain and Brazil since last year's World Cup. And the new red kits aren't bad, either.

NHL Heating Up

     Most of the sports media is focused on the NFL labor dispute or NCAA March Madness, but on this blog, we like to take a look at pop culture that has a little more international appeal. While there are many cosmopolitan leagues in the United States, perhaps no employs more foreign born players than the National Hockey League.
     The NHL is nearing the end of the regular season, and the games are getting more important. At the top of the standing in the Western Conference are the Vancouver Canucks. In the East, the Philadelphia Flyers are in first place, and they face the second place Washington Capitals tonight. Capitals forward and Superstar Alex Ovechkin is out for about a week.
     At the bottom of the playoff race in the East, there are about 5 teams battling for the last playoff spot, currently held by the Buffalo Sabres. In the West, the script is a bit different. There are about 5 teams battling for 3 playoff spots, including defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.
     Leading the scoring race is Tampa Bay forward Steven Stamkos, who is from Canada, with 43 goals. Vancouver center Henrik Sedin (of Sweden) leads all players in assist, with 68.
     Headlining NHL news this week is the suspension of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke, who was suspended for as many as 16 games for his elbow against New York Ranger Ryan McDonagh.
     Most teams have under 10 games left, with the final regular season games on April 10th.

Donate For Japan

     International news has, of course, been dominated by the tragedies in Japan. One of the biggest earthquakes on record created a deadly tsunami, which damaged nuclear power plants and released radioactive materials into the atmosphere. Donations can be made at the Red Cross.

Barcelona and Tottenham Advance

     It's a big couple of weeks for futbol fans. Tuesday marks the beginning of the MLS season, with Seattle Sounders hosting LA Galaxy. Also on Tuesday, Manchester United will host Marseille in the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League. Last week was the first round of second leg games in the Champions League, and the two English clubs involved experienced very different results.
     On Tuesday, it was Arsenal traveling to Barcelona. Arsenal had won the first leg in London, 2-1, and there was much anticipation about the return leg. The match was tight in the first half, with Barcelona enjoying the majority of possession. In added time, Lionel Messi drew Barcelona level with a great individual effort. Barca continued to control the ball in the second half, but an own goal by Sergio Busquets in the 53rd minute put Arsenal ahead, even though they had not attempted a shot. Only 3 minutes later, Arsenal's Robin Van Persie was given a dubious second yellow for kicking the ball away after he was ruled offsides. Still, Arsenal looked like going through. Xavi scored in the 69th minute, however, and then Messi again in the 71st, and Barcelona were well on there way to the Quarterfinals.
     Alternatively, Tottenham Hotspur had won their first leg game on the road to AC Milan, 1-0. Milan also enjoyed possession, 63% by the end of the match, but both teams failed to score, and Tottenham are though.
     Elsewhere in Europe, Schalke 04 defeated Valencia 3-1 at home, after a 1-1 draw in Spain two weeks ago. Shakhtar Donetsk routed AS Roma 3-0 in Ukraine, winning 6-2 on aggregate and advanced as well.
     Unlike Arsenal and Tottenham, Man United and Chelsea will both be favored in thier Champions League matches this week, facing Marseille and Copenhagen, respectively. Also gunning for the Quarterfinals will be Real Madrid, who host Lyon with the sides even at 1-1, and Bayern Munich, who lead Inter Milan 1-0 after the clubs met in Italy.

Libya; Fly or No Fly?

     When protest in Tunisia and Egypt managed to topple autocratic regimes that had been in power for decades, their was much hand-wringing in the West about the influence of radical political Islam. Now that these uprisings have spread to Libya, their is much hand-wringing in the West that the protesters might actually fail.
     The protesters had taken over the eastern half of Libya. In fact, the protest have devolved into all out civil war. Today, loyalist of Ghaddafi routed rebels in the strategic oil port of Ras Lanuf. Also, France became the first country to recognize the rebel government, based in Benghazi.
     However, the continued push of government forces to the east means that that government of the rebels may not last much longer. This has led Western governments to discuss a "no-fly zone."
     No-Fly Zones have an attractive history. First, one was used in the civil war in Yugoslavia. The airspace over Serbia was closed to all but NATO aircraft. Air defenses were removed, and eventually strategic targets, such as bridges, were destroyed as well. In Iraq, northern air space, in the Kurdish area, was controlled to stop Hussien from bombing civilians.
     The question remains, what would happen in Libya if Western powers controlled the skies in order to level the playing field. It depends on who is seen as being responsible for the no-fly zone. France and the United Kingdom are on board. China and Russia are against the idea. Positive signs coming from the Arab League suggest that they could be on board. The United States is still debating the idea. Ghaddafi has already tried to paint the rebels as being backed, alternatively, by the United States and Al-Qeada. If the uprising fails, the stain of Western influence on grassroots movements may deter Arab rebels for a generation to come. If it succeeds, the new government may never overcome the suspicion of being a Western puppet.

Prometheus Bound To Rock

     Political art is sacrosanct in the United States, an extension of our 1st Amendment rights, but America did not invent protest songs or allegory. Perhaps, the first great civilization to popularize political fiction was the Greeks, with their legendary stories of gods and men. Now, a modern multicultural play based on the idea of self-sacrifice has hit the stage in Boston.
     The story of Prometheus is familiar story in Greek mythology. Prometheus steals fire from the gods and gives it to man. His punishment for this transgression is to be chained to a giant rock for all eternity. Well, playwright Steven Sater saw Prometheus as the first political prisoner of conscience, and he has decided to re-tell the story with a 21st century spin.
     Sater hired Armenian musician, and lead singer for metal band System of a Down, Serj Tankian to compose the score. System is known for their aggressive sound and political lyrics. Tankian tackles all kinds of genres in this project, from rock and jazz, to choral melodies with strings and piano. "It’s quite schizophrenic actually, but it’s done in such a smooth way, and it fits the story so perfectly," says Tankian.
     The result if Prometheus Bound. The creators have dedicated their play to Amnesty International, and have promised to donate a portion of the proceeds to the organization that supports political prisoners. Prometheus Bound runs through April 2nd.

Assault on NPR

     Yesterday, National Public Radio came under increasing scrutiny, as Ron Schiller, who runs the fundraising operation, was caught on video saying that NPR would be better off if federal funding was cut off. Today, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller was forced out by the board, saying that her tumultuous tenor had compromised NPR's long term operating ability. Last year, Schiller fired commentator Juan Williams after he appeared on Fox News saying that persons in Muslim dress made him nervous.
     Ron Schiller, who had previously announced that he was leaving the network, was videotaped by Project Veritas, a conservative outfit run by James O'Keefe. O'Keefe was behind the ACORN controversy that erupted in 2009. That video caused congress to end funding for ACORN, though eventually, those videos were determined to be heavily edited, and ACORN was not found to have no wrongdoing. Equal suspicion should be aimed at Veritas' latest effort.
     While Schiller's comments are no doubt puzzling, the political effect of the video is not. NPR was already under attack by Congressional Republicans, who are looking to cut federal spending anywhere possible, and Schiller has given them the perfect excuse to do so. It's easy to depict NPR as a bastion of liberalism, but they are the last news outfit in America doing real journalism. O'Keefe, on the other hand, does not practice journalism (and neither do we). This hatchet job is no more than propaganda, just as it was so when Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was prank called by a morning radio show pretending to be billionaire David Koch. If NPR is cut off from federal funds, it is doubtful that it would cause it's demise. Large philanthropy organisations, and millions of taxpaying Americans, will cover the loss, hopefully with a minimum number of loss stations, but it will be a blow to public discourse to lose the one news organisation that is still trusted on both sides of the isle.

Best Picture

     This week we decided to review another Oscar loser for our DVD Reviewsday. The Social Network was originally tagged for best picture winner, but was overtaken by The King's Speech. Honestly, we felt this was dubious, and decided to check out "the facebook movie" for a review.
     The Social Network is the latest film by director David Fincher, who also directed classic thrillers such as Alien 3, Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac. While Social Network is not a thriller, it is shot and edited like one, giving the movie a brisk pace, especially for such a solitary subject. It is strange to think of social networking as a solitary activity, but it is something that we often do alone.
     Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is a lonely figure in the film. He creates his first great project after a fight with a girl, while drunk. FaceMash uses stolen pictures of Harvard undergrads to rank women based on sexual attractiveness. This gets him noticed, mainly by the Winklevoss twins, who offer to hire Zuckerberg to create a dating site using only Harvard email accounts. Instead, Zuckerberg uses their idea of exclusivity to create a social network, The Facebook, with start-up money from his friend Eduardo Saverin. The Winklevoss's and Saverin would both go on to sue Zuckerberg, and the depositions serve as the plot vehicle for the film.
     Seriously, the story of facebook has enough deception and intrigue to make it a fine film on it's own, but it's the position that facebook itself holds within our global society that makes this movie a must-see. Facebook allows users from all over the world to express their thoughts and desires. Facebook connects people from across cultures, and brings down regimes. Last month, an Egyptian family named their newborn baby Facebook.
     So, bravo to the Academy. While we haven't had a chance to review The Kings Speech yet, we're sure that the acting, costumes, writing, and editing are all really great, but it's the relevancy of The Social Network that merits best picture. It is a study of the characters behind an innovation no less important than the printing press.

Major League Labor Dispute

     As protest sweep across the Middle East, back home in America, there is strife of a different kind. The poor economy has created a smaller pie for everyone, and now there is a fierce battle ongoing over wages, hours, and the very existence of the union.
     We are, of course, talking about the National Football League. The NFL has seen a major jump in popularity over the last decade, and has become the most popular sport in the United States. With the recession, however, even this venerable institution has seen its income shrink, and now, owners and players are disputing how to divide up a mere $9 billion in annual assets.
     The owners wish to slice about 15 percent off of the salary cap, in order to invest the savings back into stadiums and promotion, in order to grow the game in the long haul. Players, on the other hand, are the ones putting their bodies on the line, and say that they are the ones responsible for the popularity the game enjoys. Also, the average NFL career is only 3 seasons, so although players can make millions of dollars, most careers are painfully short. Finally, the owners want to scrap 2 pre-season games in favor of two regular season games. This would create more revenue for the league, but unless these are passed on to the players, they have little incentive to add weeks to an already long season.
     This is an interesting dispute in light of other labor negotiations that are ongoing in the United States. It could be argued that the success of Players Associations, especially those of the NFL and Major League Baseball, are a contributing factor in the popular decline of unions overall. Often, players have been seen as greedy, and the result of such high salaries have been higher ticket prices and much grumbling from fans. Here, however, average workers will recognize the actions of the owners as eerily familiar; lower wages, longer hours, and fewer workplace rights.

Who Hearts Huckabee?

     Oftentimes, appearing in our Sunday Talking Heads segment is usually not a compliment. Other times, we use this space to try and take a new look at a well known politician or pundit. Unfortunately for Mike Huckabee, this weeks segment is the former.
     First, earlier in the week, Huckabee unleashed his (not-to-well thought-out) opinions on President Obama. Huckabee said that Obama "grew up in Kenya," which is just factually wrong, and that "he probably grew up hearing that the British were a bunch of imperialist."
     There was a saying, "The sun never sets on the British Empire." It used to be an accepted fact that, yes, the British were imperialist. Isn't that why the Americans decided to throw them out of "the colonies(!)"? Is it just a reflex of the right to excuse colonialism as to not shine a light on the actions of the United States?
     Then, later in the week, Huckabee sounded off about Oscar-winner Natalie Portman. Portman had met her fiance, Benjamin Millipied, on the set of "Black Swan." She is currently expecting her first child with him. But Huckabee, again armed with a questionable set of facts, called Portman's pregnancy "troubling," and that it will "glorify" single motherhood.
     Again, Portman is not a single mother. While it's true that she is not married, the father is present and will be involved in her child's life. Also important is the fact that Portman has the means to care for her child, with or without the support of the biological father. Finally, it is not Natalie Portman's job, as a Hollywood actress, to set an example for young women, nor is it Huckabee place to make judgements about the sex lives of private citizens.
     All of this is worrisome because of the position that Huckabee holds within the Republican right. He was the winner of the Iowa Caucuses in 2008, and indeed, he is currently leading the polls for the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary. Also, he has a weekly show on the conservative propaganda machine that is Fox News. After Sarah Palin, he may be the most recognizable national Republican in the United States. At one point, he was thought of as somewhat of a moderate, dismissing "birther" claims, and being respectful to those who disagreed with him. While it's true that xenophobia and chastity have always played well with the right, only time will tell if Mike Huckabee's new-found brand of conservatism will win over enough Tea Party voters and Libertarians to win a chance to face President Obama in what should be an exciting contest.

Carolina Chocolate Drops Redefine Folk

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     Last month, the Carolina Chocolate Drops won a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album, for their 2010 release Genuine Negro Jig. So when they appeared at the Theater of Living Arts, we went to check them out!
     The Drops are Don Flemons, who plays banjo, guitar, jug, and snare, and Rhiannon Giddens on banjo and fiddle. Recently joined are beat boxer Adam Matta and Hubby Jenkins. The original members met at the Black Bango Gathering of 2005 in North Carolina. Their songbook consist mostly of covers from 19th century America, with some re-workings of modern hits.
     The crowd at the TLA was pretty dense, especially for a traditional folk band, and their enthusiasm was evident early. At the start of the first song, the majority of the crowd began stomping the floor to the beat of the song. This continued though out the majority of the night, with added hand claps when appropriate. Perhaps the most unexpected moment came about halfway through. In an a capella performance, Rhiannon sang an up-tempo traditional Irish jig, while Adam performed some pretty impressive beat box vocals. The result was a dance song that could cause any Daft Punk fan get down. Equally awesome, but very much expected, was the cover of Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style."
     When most people think of traditional folk bands, they think of older men in white beards. The Drops, however, are African-Americans in their late 20's or early 30's. While it's probably true that one would have to have a basic appreciation for old time music, CCD bring a very modern take on these songs. Modern folk has crept into popular music recently, certainly in the area of indie music, and the Drops have taken this aesthetic much further. Anyone who enjoys musicians who know how to play their instruments will want to check out the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Is Speech Too Free?

     It has been a big week for free speech, both in the United States and across the pond.
     First, in the United States. Many people have heard of the tiny church from Topeka, Kansas, known as Westboro Baptist because of their favorite slogan, "God Hates Fags." They believe that American men and women are dying overseas because of our tolerance of homosexuals. When they protested the funeral of a fallen soldier, Matthew Snyder, Snyder's family decided to sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress. This week, the case ended in the Supreme Court, which ruled 8-1 in favor of Westboro Baptist.
     Contrast this with the case of John Galliano, the famous fashion designer. Galliano was videotaped in a Paris bar having an altercation with some Parisians. "I love Hitler." Galliano said. "If it were up to me, you would be dead. Your mothers and fathers, gassed." So-called Hate Speech is illegal in France, as well as many other European countries and Canada. Galliano faces up to 6 months in prison plus thousands in fines.
     Who has it right? Should all speech, even speech which any sane person would call vile, be protected? Freedom of speech is protected in the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution. It is the basis from which all other rights sprout. All speech deserves it's place in the free market of ideas. It was not so long ago that few people would have disagreed with the notion that God hates homosexuals, but attitudes have changed, thanks to ideas that were considered vile at the time.
     What about the venue for Westboro's protest? Picketing a soldier's funeral may sound extreme, but there may come a time when such actions are needed, when a nation's foreign policy has strayed so far from the desires of the population that any measures seem appropriate.

Budget Solutions Available

     Yesterday, Congress passed a two week spending bill, meant to avert a government shutdown. The bill will cut spending, in that two week period, by $4 billion. House leadership has proposed a bill that would cut annual spending by $61 billion. The new Republican House, filled with Tea Party Freshmen, had campaigned on $100 billion dollars in cuts, and, truthfully, this bill will not satisfy them. The problem is, that the House bill is unsatisfactory to the Democratic controlled Senate. So, Congress is dead-locked over the budget, and a shutdown looms for the first time since Newt Gingrich was Speaker.
     Will a two week extension be long enough to get a deal done? It looks doubtful, but thanks to the Government Accountability Office, perhaps there is a way out. A study by the GAO has found that dozens of programs overlap in their missions. There are 47 job training programs, 80 programs to help disadvantage adults with their transportation needs, 82 programs for teacher improvement, and 52 programs for entrepreneurial efforts. These programs could be consolidated, eliminating administrative cost while not reducing services. To be sure, these measures will not balance the budget. The sacred cows of defense, Medicare and Social Security must be dealt with for the United States to get its fiscal situation in order. Will Congressional leadership deal with these issues, or are their efforts focused on short-term fixes on the back of the middle class.
    

No Exit For Art Superstar

     Sunday, of course, was the Academy Awards, and while most people were debating the merits of "The King's Speech" versus "The Social Network," many others were wondering what would happen if Banksy won an Oscar. Banksy, who is perhaps the most famous graffiti artist in the world, was nominated for his documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop." The only problem being, however, that nobody actually knows what Banksy looks like.
     "Exit" is basically about filmmaker Thierry Guetta, who began filming street artist like Space Invader and Shepard Fairy. Guetta followed these street artist around in the middle of the night, filming then painting sidewalks, buildings, and other public spaces, telling them that he was making a documentary about graffiti art. Then, he met Banksy, and quickly earned his trust.
     Banksy had planned to place a blow-up doll, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and black hood, chained to a ride at Disney World, as a comment on abuse at Guantanamo Bay. Guetta would film the act and the public's reaction. Guetta, however, was picked up by park security and questioned for 4 hours. He was not water-boarded, but he did not tell them he knew who did the artwork.
     Soon, Banksy became the biggest artist in the world, street or otherwise. He was now having full-on art shows, in a gallery. Street art had taken off, and it was time for Guetta's documentary to hit theaters, Banksy told him. So Guetta spent 6 months editing thousands of hours of footage. Then, he showed it to Banksy.
     "I was in that position, where someone shows you there work, and you realize that it's shit." Banksy says. "I started to wonder if (Guetta) was a filmmaker or just someone with mental problems."
     So Banksy sent Guetta home, telling him to go make some art, and keeping the tapes for himself. This is when the switch happens. The film stops being about street art and starts being about Guetta himself. Guetta goes crazy, creating thousands of pieces, and renting a huge venue for his show. Soon, he is on the front page of LA Weekly, and thousands line up for the opening of his show, which stays open for two months.
     Some have wondered if the movie is not a documentary, but a hoax. This is an easy assumption to make, especially on the heels of the Joaquin Phoenix film "I'm Still Here." Ultimately, this seems doubtful. Either way, however, the film works as a commentary on celebrity (we still don't know what Banksy looks like) and art, itself (does Guetta really have any talent?). Banksy, and many other artist who appear in the film, have spent years curating an image and a message. Often in anonymity, always in a grey area of legality, and usually with no monetary compensation, only for Guetta to arrive, stand on their shoulders, and make millions. He recently did an album cover for Madonna.

Gas Prices A National Security Issue

     As protest sweep across the Middle East and northern Africa, many have voiced concern over perceived "instability" in the region. While such concerns are of little importance when compared to the freedoms of long repressed peoples, that instability has born its first fruit.
     Libya is a major exporter of crude oil to Europe and the United States, but is ruled by dictator Mohammar Ghaddfi, who has been in power since 1969. When protesters started demanding that Ghaddfi step down, the dictator responded with maximum force, and now the country is locked in civil war.
     Now, Americans are feeling the pain at the pump. Gas prices have risen to a national average of $3.38 a gallon, up 19 cents over the previous week, and 68 cents over the same week last year. The price of oil barrels has leveled out at around $100, mostly because Saudi Arabia has promised to raise production.
     In truth, the United States has been supporting dictators in the Middle East for decades, mostly over the price of oil. Now that those rulers are losing power, there is a range of issues that Americans will have to contend. While much of the chatter has been over national security, and if these new Arab governments will embrace Islamic radicals, the United States is threatened with a larger security issue, our energy Independence.