Glaciar Martial

Getting damp at the end of the world. Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Hike to Glaciar Martial. Pic by Dominica M.

Beirut - "Nantes"

I love Beirut. Zach Condon is one of those rare songwriters that can take your mind to another place and time. This video is from a cool French blog called La Blogotheque. The song is the first track on The Flying Cub Cup. Enjoy.

Editors - The End has a Start

YouTube Video for a great song by Editors. I thought it was Interpol when I first heard it, but this has a poppier, dancier edge. It was the first individual track I bought on iTunes in many months.

Mar del Plata

Quilmes is huge down here. I've acquired a taste for it. Very drinkable, as the Bud people would say. In Mar del Plata, Quilmes signs are huge.

The Knife - Heartbeats

An amazing song. I must quote one of the comments posted on the song's LastFM page:

"this song is the culmination of human evolution." (nick_gale)

BA

2 nights left in BA. 2 more months in South America.

First the Reefs go, then...

20% of all coral reefs in the world are dead. One fifth. Gone. Why? Us; Pollution, over-fishing, and climate change.

If you ever wondered why eating fish could be bad, think about this. You may not be the one fishing fragile coral reefs unsustainably, or even buying from those who do. But the overall demand for seafood is increased by every person who goes to Red Lobster, eats sushi, or likes tuna salad sandwiches. It may be healthy, and some suppliers may claim to do their fishing responsibly, but why risk it when we are killing our own planet? If the coral reefs die, other ocean ecosystems will die, then probably eventually every other ecosystem. Sorry to sound high-horsey, accusational, or whatever, but this stuff makes me crazy.

In the Park

Japanese Whalers Claim They are the Victims

The Japanese whaling fleet is scared of the big bad Steve Irwin! Much like they did in the book I read on the subject, The Whale Warriors, the Japanese are trying to turn the press and public opinion against Sea Shepherd, who are trying to disrupt the hunt. They are calling the activists "terrorists" and accuse Westerners of being "insensitive" of their culture. Please. Go Sea Shepherd.

Post Bar

This is a random place we stepped into in Palermo, BA with stencils all over the walls. The napolitano pizza was good, though obviously not vegan. I just loved the punky feel of the place.

Post Bar, located at Thames 1885 if you get a chance to stop by.

Boo Hoo for Big Auto

For a whole decade the Big 3 US automakers were raking it in selling giant SUVs to Americans addicted to cheap oil. Now they are begging Congress for help, because nobody wants a monster gas guzzler at $4 a gallon. These are some of the big corporations who advocate deregulation and free market principles. They have always resisted better fuel economy, because hey, it makes good business sense. Now the market is telling them that we don't want what they're selling, and they suddenly want intimate involvement from the government, in the form of billions in cash.

I got sick of the whole big oil game a couple years ago, and have been wary of the many ways corporations influence our country and world since I became old enough to think about it. That is why I decided to get a job close to my home, at an environmentally friendly company, where I could ride my bike to work every day. Well, that and the fact that I cannot stand driving anymore. Unfortunately I probably wiped out more than a year's worth of carbon-footprint-reducing by flying to South America and Vegas this year. Travelling is not earth-friendly. But the minute there is a sustainable airline I will be among the first frequent-flier members.

I've been going back and forth over this whole debate on the evils/merits of the free market lately. I used to be more of a free market guy, but again, that was before I really thought about it. The free market only serves the companies that provide desired products at reasonable prices. This gives us cheap "quality" goods. Getting those things we want at a low price usually comes at the expense of the environment, our health, foreign workers' quality of life, or our own jobs (among many other things). I'm no economic genius, and I can't claim to know very much about these things, but it does not take a genius to realize the truth: when there is money to be made, all you have to do is think about how a given product made it to the store shelf in front of you at its price. It does not take a great stretch of the imagination to realize that a corporation will go to any lengths to get away with selling you their product.

So, should the government allow the US automakers to fail? The arguments against it seem obvious; thousands of jobs lost, increased strength of foreign competitors, a big hit to a weak economy. But the free market theory says we should let that happen. These companies made their bed. They chose to sell us bigger cars rather than offer the selection of small fuel-efficient vehicles available in Europe, Asia, Latin America and everywhere else. They focused on gas-guzzlers while Toyota developed the Prius into a waiting-list must-have. They failed to innovate or even keep up. So they are dying. That is what happens. If they do fold, something better will rise up in their place; new car companies that give consumers what they are looking for will take over.

They say they are learning from their mistakes. But why should we believe their greed won't get the better of them? Their whole strategy has been to choose what to market to Americans and force it upon us. At least it seems that way to me. They attached a stigma to small cars by saying they are less safe (because there are so many big trucks on the highway). They probably said that we don't want hybrids because they aren't as powerful or sleek. Maybe they even had some sort of deal with Big Oil to keep gas cheap in the US so they could sell us the more profitable SUVs. You would think that these giants, who started the industry, who have been in it from the start, would know the best way to do business. It turns out they don't know what they are doing. We can learn from their mistakes, and maybe they can do better in the future. But rather than save these dinosaurs, why not give that money to new industries? Maybe give loans to start-up automakers in the US who start with a green focus, rather than lend to the old guys who promise to do better next time? If we're so worried about job loss, these new companies can give preference to industry veterans for their work force. It would take time for the economy to recover, and this whole recession may be prolonged in order to heal the problems. But maybe the industry would be better for it.

I don't even care that much about the auto industry. I guess I went on this whole rant because I'm sick of the hypocrisy of big business. You could make similar arguments about the airline industry and banking, and I think in the coming decades we will see many of the old industries collapse as we begin to realize that their ways of doing business are wrong. The beauty of the information age is the increasing clarity of everything. Many industries have gotten away with murder for their entire existence. Now that they are beginning to reap what they have sowed, I'm almost happy to see them suffer.

Here is a relevant link to show how things could be different: We Can Solve It.org

Boca 2 - Racing 1

We survived our visit to La Bombonera. It was crazy. And amazing. The banners, the singing, the volume, and the passion are all beyond anything you see in America. American college football might come close in terms of fanaticism, but the extent to which these fans go to show their support... there is no comparison in the states. It inspired me for the Rapids season next year. I can't wait to cheer for my team again.

Boca won 2-1. We were lucky to get tickets, even though we unfortunately ended up in the Racing section. This added a whole extra level of anxiety to the experience, but it was all cool in the end. It was worth it sitting there to be able to watch the Boca socios on the other side of the stadium go loco when they scored, and bring out their giant banderas before the game.

Dominica posted a great documentation of our experience, here on our travel blog. It has highlights of the game, and shows some of the Boca fan section, which was comparable to what we experienced on the Racing side.

Boca Juniors vs Racing Club tonight!

La Bombonera. Going here tonight for Boca vs Racing. My first South American futbol experience. Don't worry- I'll be careful. Boca is closing in on the Apertura title, and this is a cross-town rivalry clasico. Nothing like Boca-River, but I expect it to be pretty lively.

BA Restauraunt: California Burrito Co.

I miss my burritos. In Colorado we are spoiled with Qdoba, Chipotle, and Illegal Pete's burrito joints always nearby. Here in Buenos Aires, you are lucky if you can find a tortilla (I still can't find them at the supermercados). Especially for vegans, burrito places are essential for survival.

So we were excited when we found a (vegetarian-friendly) burrito place started by American expats right in downtown Buenos Aires: California Burrito Co, located at Lavalle 441.

It works just like the burrito places back home: you get in line to go to the counter and tell them everything you want on it, pay at the caja, and take it to your table. Unfortunately it is a little tough to get them to put guacamole on, and they don't have a grilled veggie burrito like Qdoba or Illegal Pete's back home. However, they do have black or pinto beans, rice, tasty sauteed onions, and some good salsa options. No bottles of hot sauce available, but they still taste delicious without.

I couldn't tell you if the torillas are vegan, but my experience with places in the US is that they usually are. So, this may be one of the best vegan spots in town if you are looking for something quick, satisfying and reminiscent of US-style fast-casual dining. I loved it.

Novi Split

I set up a show for this guy (his real name is David) a while back based on his great songs on myspace. Novi Split is his excellent singer-songwriter project on HUSH Records. It is in the vein of indie-er Ben Folds, poppier Bright Eyes, or maybe Iron & Wine-ish. When he was in Denver, he told me how hard it was to finish his first full-length. It looks like he has some new stuff up, so I recommend you check it out:

Novi Split on Myspace
HUSH Records

Crew Win

Congratulations to Columbus Crew and all of their fans for winning MLS Cup. I was lucky enough to watch it on ESPN in Buenos Aires. It was probably only on because Guillermo Barros Schelotto played for Boca Juniors for 10 years, and Juan Pablo Angel used to play for River Plate. Speaking of GBS, he was brilliant (as always I suppose). He is truly an MVP because of the way he makes his team better. Just get in front of his crosses and you'll score. The last goal of the match was a perfect example of his vision: a little looping chip that Frankie Hejduk flicked over Cepero. Here it is:

I must say about the TV coverage: the picture sucks! Does it always look like you are watching from space when the game is at Home Depot Center? Camera-man: zoom in, or get closer! Maybe the framing is off, but it seems like good soccer coverage is at a higher and closer angle so the depth perception is better and you can tell what player you are looking at. ABC, ESPN... you usually do a good job, but this was sad for a championship match.

Book Review: The Whale Warriors

I spotted this on the bargain shelf at Tattered Cover a couple days before my trip, and at $6 I could not resist. I had seen a few commercials for the new Animal Planet series Whale Wars and was both compelled and upset, because I would be on another continent when it debuted. So seeing the same kind of story in book form was perfect.

As it turns out, this book covers the same group that is featured in the TV series. They are called the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and they are hardcore. Greenpeace is more well known for their whaling protests on open seas, but Sea Shepherd goes miles beyond protesting. Among other sea-life protection activities, they hunt down illegal whaling fleets with the intent to physically stop them. The captain Paul Watson has a record of sinking several whaling ships over his career without killing or harming anybody. His ship, the Farley Mowat has a pointed metal battering ram on the front they call a can opener. Whale Warriors is Peter Heller's account of covering Sea Shepherd's 2006 campaign to disrupt Japan's illegal whaling activities near Antarctica.

I found the book very interesting and I'm glad I picked it up. It is a huge eye opener. I did not know anything about whaling, and Heller gave a lot of great info. He exposes the amazingly cruel methods used, the bogus "scientific" justifications from the Japanese, and some of the realities of the world's dying seas.

The action in the book isn't as great as I had hoped, but the information was enlightening. I'm so glad the TV series is on now because the realities of whaling need to be further exposed. The Japanese are really just butchering these whales for no good reason. Screw cultural relativism; what they are doing is wrong. There is no logical justification and I suggest you look into the issue if you haven't seen the show.

Japan is still at it, by the way.

Some Possible Vegetarian Places in BA?

Just collecting some links and addresses of vegetariano restaurantes in Buenos Aires...

• Bodhi Restaurant Vegetariano - Chile 1763
• Bio Restaurant Organico Vegetariano - Humboldt 2199, Palermo
• Union Vegetarian de Argentina (20+ restaurants listed!): http://www.uva.org.ar/restau.html

If we make it to any of these, I will post reviews.

Reef

I found this guy at the Reef store in Palermo, BA. I think it may be last year's model, but it's leather free and it was on sale (under $30 US!). They didn't have my size, so maybe I can find it later. Too bad I forget the model name. Very lightweight; it would make a good summer shoe.

Pablo is Staying!

Ok, I'll admit that I was counting the money the Rapids would have free if Pablo Mastroeni stuck to his promise of heading to Europe after this year, and was kind of looking forward to it. That's because I thought Pablo deserves to be at the top level of soccer, and we need some salary-cap room for a proven striker. Now that I know that he is staying in Colorado, I am even more excited for 2009. It shows how much confidence Gary Smith has instilled in the team. If a player of Pablo's caliber recognizes the potential for success in a club he has spent most of his career with, I have to believe there is something special happening.

I'll also admit that I was hoping John Spencer would be coach in 09, but GS will be just fine with me. I just hope he makes a few better line-up choices (bring back CG and Erpen, keep Bouna in the net!). The offseason will be fun. I'm glad that Conor got a call-up for the MNT game this week; he deserves it. Hopefully we'll find that second strike partner to help him pummel defenses next year. The Rapids need to make some moves, and GS needs to prove he is trade-savvy. We have a good core, but there are definitely some leaks. As of now, here are is my starting XI, including the spot that needs filling:

---------------------------------Bouna----------------------------------

-------------------Gibbs?--------Ugo------------Erpen-----------------

-------Cooke---------Mehdi------Pablo------C.Gomez--------Colin--------

----------------------Casey------?????-----------------------

At first I had this as a 4-4-2, but I remembered how brilliant Mehdi was when he finally got his shot. I think a Gomez/Ballouchi midfield would be among the classiest in the league. Our defense is solid enough with Pablo staying, that I think a 3-5-2 would work great. I definitely want 2 strikers, but hey I'm no coach.

Possible Spanish tutors

http://spanishbuenosaires.tripod.com/spanish.html
http://spanish-buenosaires.blogspot.com/
http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/lss/922054099.html
http://spanishovercoffee.blogspot.com/
http://spanishlanguagetoday.blogspot.com/

found on craigslist:
http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/lss/

Gibraltar

We finally found a decent vegan meal in Buenos Aires, and it just happened to be around the corner from our apartment. The San Telmo bar is called Gibraltar. We went there for drinks last night thanks to a recommendation from our Rough Guide, and we decided to check it out for lunch today. It is a British-pub style bar with an English menu, and at least some of the staff speaks English too. They have a couple of vegetarian options, which you have to specify to make sure you don't get pollo. Minnie got the Green Thai Curry, which is served with rice, and I ordered the Red Thai Curry, a noodle dish. The portions were huge, and in my opinion well worth the 20 pesos each. It was refreshing to find a Thai dish. Most of the restaurantes we have encountered seem to have the same dishes, so it was a huge relief to find something different. Both curries came with veggies like peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms. My red curry noodles had peanuts too. I won't say it was the best curry I've ever had, but it was the best meal I've had since getting to BA. Hot, hearty, spicy and delicious. Gibraltar is near the corner of Estados Unidos y Peru in San Telmo, and I recommend checking it out if you are in the neighborhood and want a good vegan meal. Click here for a map to Peru 895 and more info.

A Night on the Town in San Telmo

Tonight we attempt to see what BA nightlife is all about. Luckily, we don't have to go far. There is a decent-looking rock club right near us called Mitos Argentinos.

Hola!

Ok, so it's already day 2 here in Buenos Aires. It was a super-long trip and jetlag wiped me out for day 1. But I'm coming around, and so far I really like it here.

Before the trip, I had high hopes of staying as vegan as possible. I knew it would be difficult, but I was encouraged by my ability to pull it off in Las Vegas the last few times I visited. If you've ever tried to be vegan in Vegas, you know how hard that is. Also, I picked up two books that I figured would reinforce my cruelty-free resolve: The Ominvore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and The Whale Warriors by Peter Heller. Unfortunately, I must report that I have made several transgressions in the name of hunger... and it started on the plane. What can you do when the airline's website doesn't let you order a vegetarian meal? To make things worse, I must confess that Minnie and I were so hungry after getting into the apartment that we ate the first thing we could find, which was basically grilled ham and cheese.

I admit these things because I do not want to claim to be vegan if I can't be honest. However, I am committed to veganism, and one of my goals for this trip is to compile some tips for staying vegan while travelling. Hopefully that way others can succeed where I have failed. More on those tips later...

To follow the exploits of Minnie and I in South America for the next 3 months, check out our travel blog at minmark-sa.blogspot.com. We'll be posting all our photos and stories there. Gracias!

Rival Schools is back?

Apparently, Rival Schools have reunited this year, and are playing shows! Their only album, United by Fate (pictured at left), is a fav of mine, and I always wondered why they didn't make more. I don't follow a lot of band drama, but I do remember reading about how they were done for good a few years ago in Skyscraper or something. I just hope they do another record, and it stands up to their first. I'd also like to see them play again.


Rival Schools "Used for glue"

My 2009 Rapids Wishlist, Part I

These are some of the players I would like to see the Rapids' Front Office go after if they can this offseason. This is assuming Pablo Mastroeni will be gone (I'll miss him, but it will give us some $$ to work with), and that there is a chance Christian Gomez will want to be traded (maybe a slight chance).

These are all current MLS players, and I haven't thought much about trades to go along with the acquisitions, but I think they are in the realm of possibility. I would love to see some foreign-based players come into the fold too.

Strikers
1. Chris Rolfe
I was thinking about this guy before he lit up NYRB for 3 goals in the first half a couple weeks ago. The Rapids need a more reliable strike partner with Conor Casey. They should be willing to part with Omar and/or Jacob Peterson to get a forward of this caliber. He'll probably cost $100k per season, and Chicago probably won't let him go, as it seems like he is peaking and may be a contender for a USMT residency. He has a classy touch and good soccer brain like Conor, and I think they'd work well together. Tom McManus would make a solid 3rd striker option.


2. Maykel Galindo
I think he was injured almost all season this year, so he only had one goal. In 2007, however, he was #5 in the league with 12 goals in 28 games. There is a rumor that he and Preki don't get along, so he might be leaving Chivas USA soon. The rumor also has him going to Seattle. He is also in the $90k-100k range. It would be risky to get him, but if healthy, the 27-year-old should be able to put a bunch of balls in the net.

3. Dominic Oduro
FC Dallas' 3rd striker/super-sub. I don't know much about him, but I know he's fast, tall, and can score clutch goals, (like he almost did vs. the Rapids July 19th; the late goal was offsides). He's more affordable, around $35k, and would make a perfect swap for Omar. He's still young, but I've been impressed when I've seen him play.

The bottom line is that our striker list is not deep, especially with Herculez now gone. We need more talent up front, and I won't be surprised if the FO finally shells out some big bucks for a more marquee striker. I also won't be surprised if they act like we have everything we need.

I'll continue with my desirable mids and maybe defenders next time.

Rapids Top 10 Goals 2008

Great memories. One thing I notice from seeing Colin Clark's second goal on the list is his chemistry with Omar Cummings. Omar creates the goal, bringing it in the box and passing to Colin at the top of the 18. It's a simple high-success-rate play. Unfortunately, Omar does not always show that kind of composure in the box. He also had a beautiful cross vs Chivas late in the season, which Colin finished perfectly. It makes me hopeful for the future with Omar.

Now if only Colin could find an open man a little quicker! I love the way he attacks, and his confidence (he's one of my favorite Rapids), but to be a complete player he needs to create some more goals for others and rack up some assists.

Victory

I swear i had nightmares all night about Florida and Ohio flipping for McCain and going perfect in the other battlegrounds to take the lead. As soon as I woke up, I had to turn on CNN to make sure the dreams weren't real. Phew.

I am so proud that Colorado is now a blue state. It's almost as satisfying as Obama winning. Hopefully, it will give us a little more credibility; maybe we won't be considered part of the great red flyover anymore.

Obama's speech was great. I believe he has the ability to unite. More-so than anybody else, at least. A lot of Republicans are bitter and filled with hate. I must admit, I would be beyond bitter if the Sarah Palin Experiment had worked (and probably filled with hate). But hopefully, a lot of people will see the way O handles the job, and learn to respect him. He's got a lot of work to do, and it might take a while for his influence to do any good, but I have a lot of faith in that guy. Me and 64 Million others. Gotta love the new map.

I Want a Blowout

Maybe it's greedy, but I want Obama to win by a landslide tonight. Obama is a once-in-a-lifteime candidate. I want the election results to reflect a sea change in American politics, and I want it to open the eyes of conservatives. I would love to have a united country, but first a lot of people need to see why Obama is special and give him a chance to turn things around. Here's hoping.

Wish List

Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81

Vegan (synthetic suede and mesh upper).

$60

Beautiful.

I want.

Onitsuka Tiger

Post-Halloween Creepiness

This is Kristi Burton. She is redefining words for all her fellow Colorodoans! KB is the nut behind Amendment 48, which seeks to redefine "personhood" to include any fertilized egg. Adam Cayton-Holland did a great article on her in the Westword about 6 weeks ago. The issue had this portrait on the front, blown up to show off its glorious creepiness. Since the vote is tomorrow, I had to post the link, if only to document how scary pro-lifers can be. Check out the article.

Goldfarb Gets Nailed

I've never actually witnessed one of those biased talking heads get "nailed" (a la Stephen Colbert) until I saw this on CNN last week. This dude Michael Goldfarb (a "McCain Campaign Nat'l Spokesman") gets in the tv box to bash Obama and fearmonger in that classy Republican way, and Rick Sanchez (CNN anchor) calls him on his BS. The McCain campaign is all about trying to tie O to Rashid Khalidi, and makes the claim that O has a bunch of anti-semitic friends. Sanchez tries to get him to name one more of these alleged friends, and he gets just flummoxed. He can't think of one, so he tries to make some TV magic. I don't think it worked. If you don't want to watch the whole youtube, skip to the 5:00 mark.

Nailed.

Obama for the Future

In fact, I already did. Early voting is the way to go. Also: No on 48. It is a joke.

90th Minute Man

First off, I'm a Colorado Rapids fan through and through. It kills me to post this, but this is one of the sickest goals I've seen in MLS all year, and it deserves to be seen again and again. The scorer in question is none other than Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan, the man who hammered the final nail into the Rapids' coffin last week. RSL is loving this guy. I can't hate him though, when he's bringing this kind of class to the league. 90th minute again. Oi.

Initiation

5 days until election. 12 days until I depart for Buenos Aires. If Obama does not win, I'm staying there.