I feel like I’m in a bit of a bubble here, so out of curiosity…
Archive for the ‘in the news’ Category
Curious
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008Random Readings
Sunday, May 11th, 2008A fellow writer forwarded this to a group of us this past week. It’s a Sydney Morning Herald blogger’s account of why the US is “The most underrated country in the world”. Kind of surprising read…and comments, too. Who knew foreigners actually realized the difference in people between coasts (and all that’s in between)?
And while reading a story in The Best American Travel Writing 2007 I came across this line by Edward Hoagland, written in 1966: “The Canadians are a muted version of Americans, lacking our worst and also our best qualities.” Hmmm…agree? I’m pretty sure I do.
I’ve Got Mail
Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
Although I’ve gotten little mail on this trip, India did give me two fab pieces. First there was the Christmas card from Melanie that arrived in Shillong way back when.
Then there was the recent urgently sent documents from my sis. Inside this wonderful little envelope from the States wasn’t just my papers. Nope. It also included two Pay Day candy bars and a copy of US Weekly. Both of which I don’t usually buy for myself back in the states but devoured pretty quickly (yeah the candy bar’s already half gone).
Although the Brit saga in US Weekly was of interest…I was floored to find out that Neil Patrick Harris (aka Doogie Howser) is gay. Apparently this is common knowledge now. And only 61% of the mag’s readers are looking forward to the New Kids on the Block reunion. Um…hello? As soon as the tour dates are released, I’m buying tickets. Seriously. Why, you ask? Well, for starters…
Step 1. We can have lots of fun.
Step 2. There’s so much we can do…
Indian Hahas
Friday, February 1st, 2008“Donald Rumsfeld is briefing George Bush in the Oval Office.
‘Oh and finally, sir, three Brazilian soldiers were killed in Iraq today.’
Bush goes pale, his jaw hanging open in stunned disbelief. He buries his face in his hands, muttering ‘My God…My God.’
‘Mr. President,’ says Cheney, ‘we lose soldiers all the time, and it’s terrible. But I’ve never seen you so upset. What’s the matter?’
Bush looks up and says…’How many is a Brazilian?’”
-as seen in Eastern Panorama (January 2008), a monthly publication about North East India
Sign Me Up
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
Saw this story on Yahoo! yesterday. Apparently, I’ll even be able to vote (online) in the primaries this year. Yahoo!
This is fabulous as I’ve been following the primaries with almost as much gusto as I followed the Britney/K-Fed custody battle. But you know, we didn’t get to vote in that.
I’ll be registering soon, unless of course, any of you political reporters clue me into some security breaches of the site.
And, yes that means I’m a registered Democrat (come on…I grew up in a union family). Interestingly, though, it’s only the Dems offering this. Do you think that means Republicans don’t become expats?
Here for a While
Wednesday, December 12th, 2007On this trip, there have been a few places I’ve stayed for long enough to get to know a few people. But now that I’ve been in Shillong, it’s kind of weird how easily I fit in here and feel a bit like “home”…especially when it comes to getting to know people.
Walking down the street, I’ll wave to the shopkeepers and stop to chat with the server from one of the local restaurants. If I don’t have the correct change for something, the man at the store or cyber cafe just waves me off and says to pay later, knowing I’ll be back the next day. The newspaper man knows which papers I buy and has them pulled out by the time I reach him. I can even go to a local event by myself and find someone I know to sit with.
I have to say, it’s comforting but a bit odd to feel so integrated in a society that I still don’t fully understand.
Well, integrated except for that whole first article in the local newspaper about me talking about being an American in Meghalaya. Shortly after that, the office got a call about me to check and see if I was really there. A couple of days later I got a visit by the local police who said I must “not put off” reporting to the foreigners’ office, where I was to register. Who knew there was a foreigners’ office?
Goin’ International
Thursday, November 29th, 2007
I can now officially call myself an international writer.
Working It
Tuesday, September 18th, 2007Although I’m too early for this, the US and Australia have finally agreed on reasonable working holiday visas between the countries. (Before this, for an American to get a working-holiday visa here was not only logistically, but also financially, a huge pain…when many had to go through a program that cost over $1000)
Guess I have about three more years to make it back over here and make some Aussie dollars. Apparently food-harvesting jobs are pretty popular for the backpack variety…
The good news also means that I’m sure there will be more Aussies hopping over to the States in the next few years…and our own food-harvesters will have more access to legal migrant workers willing to spend their autumns (well, their springs, actually) picking the fruits in California…
Speaking of which…a move like this is a pretty sly way for the current government to work the domestic security issue. I mean, expanding working visa opportunities to citizens of countries that are low security risk (and white), the Republicans are limiting the number of low-demand jobs for the Latino migrant workers…so they’re pleasing their anti-immigrant wing while making it look like they’re being friendly toward other nations…
Smooth.
Please Come Again
Monday, September 17th, 2007
“You planned your trip perfectly!” one of my Aussie friends told me as soon as he heard when I’d landed in Sydney. And no, it wasn’t just because I’d get to watch all of the excitement of the footy finals; I’d also missed the “drama” that was the Leaders’ Week meeting of APEC on Sept. 8 and 9 (my flight landed on the morning of the 11th).
Most news stories I read flying into Sydney and on my first few days here, said it seemed Sydney-iders (is that what they’re called here?) weren’t too pleased with the lockdown of the city. And they all blamed, of course, attendee George W. Bush saying he’s the reason the local government went over the top in its security (including declaring Friday the 7th a public holiday to prepare for the street closures).
OK, I have to admit reading about some of the measures, even I thought they were a bit extreme. Still, though, I wasn’t baffled by them. I mean, I’ve been living in LA for the last four years. My roommates and I all taught in schools that at some point over our two-year time were on complete lock down — with students inside of them — for hours (and as classrooms have no toilets, I’ll let you think of how pleasant that is for the students and teachers). This past year I’d had my commute nicely lengthened when I’d been diverted on an hour-long detour around the airport so another action movie could be shot nearby. And for the past few years I’d been prohibited from driving near Hollywood and Highland for every week (yes, the entire week) leading up to the Academy Awards. And these are all just measures taken for run-of-the-mill people and the Hollywood crowd.
So was I surprised Sydney went a little crazy having many of the world’s leaders all in one place? No. But as I recently watched a small private aircraft fly freely right over the Aussie Prime Minister’s Sydney home recently, I realized that even though Sydney looks and acts a lot like SoCal, “I’m not in L.A. anymore.” So, yeah, it seems APEC gave the Aussies just one more thing to dislike about G-Dub.
An Americanized Bloke
Thursday, September 13th, 2007What makes one of Australia’s most popular athletes tick? Lots of American things, apparently…
West Coast Eagles ruckman Dean Cox (who’ll be trying to lead his team to the Australian Football League final tomorrow night) was Q and A’d for The Sun-Herald’s September 9 K-Zone section. So much of what he said revolved around our little ol’ country:
“What music are you pumping?
Everything at the minute. I love my iPod.”
“Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Probably Jamie Foxx when I was in America last year.”
“If you could trade places with anyone for a day who would you choose and why?
Michael Jordan because I have admired him ever since he started playing basketball. Also, a dream of mine was to play in the NBA.”
Yeah…the kid must really love all things American. I mean, who doesn’t?
