Good Old Days II

The Big Apple

The Griswold's (that's us) are headed to New York City next month.  I love New York.  Kim and I spent a good amount of time there when brother Todd lived in Greenwich Village.  In fact it was also Charlie's first vacation...although he was still riding around in utero.  

What I realize as we plan our trip and mention it to friends is that our family travels very different from other families.  For instance...everyone who we talk to asks us what Broadway play we will be seeing.  Never really dawned on me to see a Broadway play.  Kim and I like the Off-Broadway and, better still, the Off-Off-Broadway listings.  Now that's exciting.  You really don't know what you're getting when you walk into some of those ramshackle theaters.  I remember watching 'Vampire Lesbians of Sodom' back in the summer of 1986 in a 50 seat theater next to a bar with paper thin walls.  How can that not be fun?

And don't think it's just me trying to save a buck (Robert).  If I was trying to save a buck I'd go to Detroit.  Sure, I did spend a couple of hours last night trying to find some good high school basketball in Manhattan...but not because it would be cheap but because it would be exciting to see that culture.   And, it's not just me.  I asked the kids what they want to see.  Charlie was first back with a request.  There's a guy who gives 'urban foraging' tours of New York.  The guy takes you on a hike and shows you where to find food (growing not in dumpsters) around the city.  Willy, wants to stand in line for Letterman and Audrey just wants a place with plenty of mirrors.  

As for eats...Charlie's scoping out places for us this weekend.  I could live on slices of pizza while I'm there...and just might.  I know I want to got to John's Pizza...best I've ever eaten.  

More as we get closer and pictures when we're there.

The Other Side

Not sure how big of a story this is in the States...but the "Buy American" provision in the stimulus package is fairly big news up here.  If you haven't been following, the law basically says that large government or government sponsored contracts in The States must go to American companies.  The goal, of course, is that Americans want to build up industries and create jobs at home.  If the price and quality are comparable, its really hard to argue with that rationale...unless of course they carry it further and force you to drive a Chevy.

But there's another side.  Most people know that the US and Canada are huge trading partners...the largest in the world in fact...over $1.5 billion...each day!  The inequality of the relationship is, however, that we (the Americans) have a much larger impact on the Canadian economy than they do on ours.  76% of everything they export goes to The States.  65% of what they import comes from The States.  If they don't like the new law there isn't a lot they can do...and there is the problem with being our neighbor.

See...the issue is that we block the Canadians out of our system and bidding but they don't block us out.  They can't really.  So, we continue to get huge contracts up here while their companies just meet locked doors when they try to go south.  You can imagine that they don't think that's fair.  But what to do?  There are lots of areas where they need things that Americans provide and at the prices that we can provide them...especially now with the relatively weak US dollar.

Look...these issues are far beyond scope of understanding.  Of course that doesn't stop me from commenting.  I really only have one concern when it comes to the cross boarder trading.  I only want to know when Canada is going to start to import good pizza and Mexican food.  Whatever's holding that up is much more of a concern to me than huge construction contracts.

Generation Gap

Tomorrow - the 14th - is Charlie's 21st birthday.  That is hard to believe...not so hard to believe that he's that old but hard to believe that a young guy like me would have a kid that age.  As is the custom around this family no one expects a card from the parental units.  For whatever reason, that isn't a tradition we've ever followed.  The best Cheese can hope for is an email saying Happy Birthday from mom and dad.  I don't even think we'll get to talk to him as he'll be in New York City for the day with his architecture class.

Fortunately, Charlie has grandmothers who have both requested his address to send, not just cards, but a boxes of goodies.  The difference between the two grandmas is evident in how they approached this.  My mom (the good grandma) asked for his address a couple of weeks ago and sent a box filled with all sorts of food, treats and a nice check.  G-Pat, the other grandma, called last night wondering what his address was.  She'd just bought a case of beer and wanted to send Charlie a six-pack.  She's been trying to get him to drink since he was 12 but he's resisted.  She also tucked in a little note telling him what the beer and shipping cost and asked him to send her a check.

Well that explains a lot

Robert and I are about as opposite as you can get.  People are always curious how it is we became friends.  For instance, last night's party for a few select friends/clients probably set Robert back a couple of grand.  I on the other hand was there for the free meal and saddened deeply when I discovered Kim had to buy a new pair of shoes to be presentable at the Granite Club...so much for a free lunch.

Well...I ran across this article buried in today's Star that goes a long way towards explaining our differences and the reasons behind them.  Have a read.

Rationale

Both Aunt Joanie and McLady Sarah commented on my car post and wondered why I'm not considering an American car.  Here's a link to the US News and World Report that lists the top 36 'Affordable Small Cars'  An affordable small car was exactly what I was looking for.  Where did the American cars rank?

#16 Pontiac Vibe

#21 Chevy Cobalt

#26 Ford Focus

#34 Chevy Aveo

#35 Pontiac G5

#36 Dodge Caliber

OK...so, I'm not sure this needs any further explanation but here goes.  #16 and #36 are Pontiacs. If you recall, GM will stop making Pontiacs this year.  I don't really want to buy a car that's been discontinued.  The Cobalt, #21, is decent car.  That's what I hit the deer with.  I like the Cobalt OK but I don't like GM.  They were first in line for the bailout money.  Ford figured out a way to do without a government handout.  Why couldn't GM?  #34 is another Chevy and also a sardine can.  #36 is what Kim's driving now through a fluke set of circumstance.  That leaves #26...the Ford Focus.  To tell the truth I didn't even drive a Focus.  I don't like the way they look and, frankly, I don't intend to spend good money on a car that ranks #26 just because it is American made.  Nope...in the end it looks like we're going for the #1 on the list.  It's there for a reason.  If Americans want me to buy an American car than they should build a good one.

Thunder

Besides having one of the best names in Husker history - not counting I. M. Hipp - Thunder Collins was a pretty good running back.  So, the question is 'What goes wrong with these guys?'  Like Lawrence Phillips I seem to remember that Thunder's background was rough.  But what else can a football program do?  You give them some structure.  You give them some focus.  You feed them.  You make them part of the team.  I'm a big believer in the power of culture.  Isn't the Husker culture enough?  Or, do I not know what the true Husker culture is?  In any case...what a waste.  130 years in prison is a long long time.

Real Canadian

If you have never had the good fortune to meet a real Canadian you're about to get your chance.  Do you know the show ""30 Rock"?   It's a parody of Saturday Night Live.  Tina Fey (of Sarah Palin fame) created it and starts in it.  She's great...but she's not the Canadian.  The Canadian character debuts tonight.  He's the guy in the picture.  His name is Cheyenne Jackson.  He was born in Washington.  He's American.  He must be a great actor however.  I'm sure he'll portray all of the subtleties that make up the Canadian persona to a T.  He begins tonight.  I'm sure it will be fantastic.

Aaron Time

Another interesting conversation with Aaron this morning.  We were in the car and the radio program had an interview with a researcher studying Black academic achievement.  We caught the part where they were describing really bright young Black kids who, at around grade 7 or 8, started to drop dramatically in their academics.  The cause?  Their peers were telling them that getting good grades, answering questions in class and generally behaving well were all signs of 'acting White'.  That discussion led to one about the all Black AfriCentric school in Toronto.  Can anyone out there help me with these discussions?  It made no sense at all to him...which, I believe, is a very good things

And another one...

McLady Challenge

Reading the paper today and came across an article talking about the White House chef.  Seems President Obama is a real 'pie guy'.  Well...I've been known to like the pies as well.  I like to eat them.  I like to make them.  But as all pie people know...the crust is the key.  It's really hard to make a good flaky crust.  I trust that this guy - Chef Yosses - knows what he's doing.  So here's the McLady Challenge.  This article has the Chef's crust recipe in it.  The challenge is for the McLadys to either make this recipe or their own and enter a pie judging contest.  Yours truly, of course, will be judge and keeper of the leftovers.  Up for the challenge McLadys?