freshly squeezed

Recently discovered a wonderful invention hiding way in the back of our cupboards (well, our roommate's cupboards) - an electric orange juicer. It needed a good scrubbin' (the roommate is not a kitchen-minded kind of guy), but since a couple of kilos of oranges can be found down here for less than one American greenback, it makes perfect sense that I should be drinking this stuff every day. Which I am, now. Fresh-made orange juice is a wonderful, special, yummy treat. My less-than-tolerant-of-pulp half complains about the pulp, but any criticisms of my delicious orange juice just wash away like pulp from my hands afterwards.

Really, why would you go to the store and buy orange juice here? It's about twice the price and has large hunks of sugar. Probably bees, too.

a shady bunch, those words

GUY: Excuse me sir, rush hour is over.

ME: Is that so? You must be new to the area or something, because around here traffic starts getting bad around four and usually doesn't let up until about 7:30.

GUY: No, it's from five until six. One hour long, why do you think they call it rush HOUR?

ME: Why do they call it taking a crap when you're really leaving one? Semantics can be tricky.

Oh internets, you make me laugh. Especially when you give me funny, angry taxi-dispatchers

EIGHT of them?

I was explaining the Twelve Days of Christmas to a client who had never heard the song before last night, as we were talking about the rising cost of the song. We went through each of the gifts, and when she read eight maids a-milking, she simply reached for her own breast with a slightly confused and horrified expression on her face. No words were necessary to convey her thoughts...

selling out canada

The Conservative government has sold out the Canadian robotics industry with its latest decision. Essentially, they've turned down a request to cooperate with the European Space Agency (ESA) to use Canada's world-renowned robotics expertise in the next Mars exploration project, planned for 2015. According to the article, it wouldn't even necessitate added funding, just a shift in funding - $100m over the next ten years from other projects.

CBC has had a number of reader responses, mostly leaning towards supporting the project. There are few that speak of the ESA's dicey record (a notable point - maybe that's why they're coming to Canada? NASA's lost stuff, too), and others that congratulate the Conservative government for not wasting taxpayer money, something I take issue with. The money is being spent in the CSA anyway, it's not like it'll go to health care anyway. Secondly, and more important, there are letters from engineers and scientists abroad who repeatedly call this the Avro of today and express their reluctance to return if decisions like this are indicative. Yes, we recovered from the Avro, but does Canada want to lose those minds again, especially at this time as technology seems to be at the forefront of everything?

christmas down south

Christmas down here just isn't.

First, some background. Christmas in Argentina is a very family-oriented event. Christmas Eve, the family gathers together for dinner and sobre mesa (literally, over-the-table) until midnight, when Christmas arrives and gifts are open. Santa isn't really believed in* - students have mine have told me that they neither believed in nor cared about him when they were kids - so stockings are not hung by the chimney with care. Christmas Day is spent sleeping in, eating a lot of food and candy, and it's done.

That said, there is no commercialization of Christmas down here. No carols at all (they're English, remember?), no decorations anywhere (pine trees aren't exactly common here), decent cards are nearly impossible to find, and everyone's wearing shorts and tee-shirts. How's that different from Taiwan? I think it's different because Taiwan doesn't celebrate it - all they have is the commercialization. (That, and Taiwan had wonderfully bizarre Christmas cards.) The stores love it, English schools use it as a vehicle for teaching and performance, the school year better reflects the 'traditional' Christmas of the northern hemisphere. Here, despite the fact that it is a very Catholic country**, a lot of people have told me they don't go to church, even for Christmas. The school year is finishing up about now (any time from the 7th to the 20th, depending on the level and the school), and teachers, I believe, are more concerned with preparing for tests than Christmas projects. (Think - despite the fact that the passing of fall, winter, and spring were all marked with plenty of stuff on the walls, how many teachers did any projects for summer?)

While it is nice to avoid Christmas bleeding out of every pore of every retailer as you walk down the street, I'm a big carol fan, and not having any makes me a little sad. Flickr friends' pictures also reflect the season. Since it seems to be all or none, I guess I'll take my none and play carols off my iPod as the humidity settles upon the city like an invisible blanket of reverse snow.

*The kids go nuts for Three Kings Day here (or Día de los Tres Reyes Magos - Day of the Three Magi), though. Celebrated January 6th, all children are supposed to leave their shoes outside as receptacles for the presents and food the visiting Magi will leave, along with a bowl of water and some grass for their camels. This, this they believe in, and religiously write their letters to the three Magi and make sure there's enough grass and the shoes are easy to find.

**Until 1994, the president had to be Catholic by law - in the late 80s, the president, Carlos Menem (responsible for a good chunk of the debt that brought on the crisis of December 2001), raised Muslim, converted when he was elected.

...the next day...

I forgot to mention, there does seem to be a more-than-I'm-used-to level of nativity scenes (or creches, as I've found they're called) here, some close to churches, some in the middle of parks, as Chris points out in her photoblog. Also, my good friend Scott, who's currently in the Czech Republic, discusses his Christmas observations. And who could forget the tales of Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, as told by David Sedaris?

leaving the first world

Having spent most of the last year traveling in countries that are, by far, not first world (Argentina, while pushing how beautiful and modern Buenos Aires is, is definitely not a first-world nation, having a sizable portion of the population living in what would be defined as poverty by the UN), I want to get the word out on something that may be obvious: the rest of the world is not a clean, quiet place. Admittedly, there are places within Canada, the US, and Europe that look like they may be part of a war zone, or pockets of wealth in Brazil (although the big gates surrounding them are hard to miss), but in general, be prepared for a shock when you leave these traditionally rich nations.

I don't want to scare anyone off traveling to any place where everything isn't in tip-top condition - I believe that everyone should, as a matter of fact, visit these places more to educate themselves and bring in the tourist dollars that so many economies seem dependent on now (that's a whole other discussion, though). I'm not even writing about abject poverty that you may see in these countries, though in many places, it's readily apparent and has to be willfully blocked out. No, I want to talk about what you see on the street every day, and how a lot of the world thinks about the environment: they don't.

In most of the world, things like fresh water in your house and sanitation are usually pipe dreams. In larger centres, depending on the country (and which area of town), it can be hit-and-miss - the only place in SE Asia that I drank water from the tap was in Singapore. Everywhere else, it was strongly advised against, even in Taiwan, due to high amounts of industrial metal and such. Here in Buenos Aires, you can drink the water, but that's one of maybe three or four cities in the country that can boast that privilege.

One of the things that gets me down the most (especially after Taiwan, which had no public garbage cans) is the disregard for public space. People throw trash anywhere and everywhere, even if they are standing right next to a garbage can (I've seen it). An American friend of mine said he never littered before coming here, but has developed the habit just because everyone else does. There are little bits of garbage everywhere you go - cigarette wrappers, transit tickets, paper, food, dog shit (no one picks up here), you name it. It doesn't sound like much, but there is absolutely no avoiding it anywhere in the city. And really, it just creates more problems for the environment down here, already dealing with so much pollution.

That's a good subject, too. As most second- and third-world countries are doing some of the dirty work of the first-world nations thanks to their (generally) less stringent rules, there's a lot more of the bad stuff around. The river in one section of town called La Boca is one of the most polluted on the continent for sure, maybe more. The government has recently promised (for the third time in as many decades) that it will clean up the water, as health problems are staggeringly higher there than in the rest of the city. It needs it, as it has never been cleaned since it was created in the early 1800s. Vehicles also are not as well maintained (witness Buenos Aires' buses, due to be upgraded around 2001, as they were already 20 years old, now extended to who knows when, still belching out noxious exhaust as they travel hundreds of kilometers around the city daily), and this leads to more air, and also noise, pollution. Again, little care for the environment, because when you're choosing whether to be able to feed yourself and your family (there is still a lot of poverty here, so this can be a choice for many) or to be a little easier on the environment, the choice is made for you.

Even with this, though, I see less respect for the environment in poorer countries. Education is the key, I believe. I think people would change if they knew the garbage they were dumping into the river would affect their drinking water. If you make it personal to someone, suddenly they care - when it's the general public's, it's someone else's problem. The litter thing has to be what drives me up the wall the most, as it is the most common. I've tried to make my point, silent and not, and about all it's gotten is dirty looks and cold shoulders. I'm at an impasse on that one.

None of this is to say that being abroad is a terrible, dirty experience. In fact, I generally like the fact that I live in a place where not everything has to be scrubbed until it shines, or doused in anti-bacterial detergent. I didn't get sick from street food once in Taiwan, no matter how long that meat had been out for. The people I've met, despite their littering tendencies, tend to be incredibly cool and friendly and helpful. It's just one of those habits that you don't realize you have because you've never known any different, and they're not going to change this small, but automatic, part of their life for me, some foreigner who can't even conjugate his verbs right. But I'll keep trying.

this is not a sad song

Last night, Chris and I went to a Fiesta de Fin del Año (End of Year Party - they don't even have Christmas parties down here!) for the choir that I sing with. The host has been doing music for quite some time, and there was a lot of talent at the party. The last couple of hours were completely taken up with everyone in the room taking turns performing, which was absolutely terrific. I heard tangos from the 40s, a love song written from prison that got the inmate executed after the guards misunderstood his intent, piano pieces, choral pieces, a flute performance, and even a couple of love songs by Jewel. I represented by bringing what I termed a 'traditional' Canadian folk song - The Logdriver's Waltz (I even found out what logdriver is in Spanish, though I don't remember it now. As to the traditional part, anyone my age should know it as one of the pinnacles of classic Canadian animation, along with The Cat Came Back and The Big Snit.) As I sat down, someone commented (in Spanish), "Finally, something happy!" I guess held up against songs that talk about children dying and unrequited love (all tangoes are about unrequited love. That or bygone days of youth. Each and every one, I kid you not), logdrivers are a fairly chipper bunch.

happy crossword puzzle day!

Yes, as the Earth hits its aphelion (and we enter into the hottest weather down here), we can also celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the first crossword puzzle. Awwww. Also, were you aware that Yule words (and eating ham at Christmas) is a Norse tradition? Neither was I.

Also, Deathly Hallows? Meh. I still like the sound of Harry Potter and the Black Azar. I mean, it inspired an email address AND sounds pretty nifty, as far as I'm concerned.

felices fiestas

Felices Fiestas to all out there, on- and off-line (yeah, they say this instead of Feliz Navidad down here). I hope all of your holidays are fun, festive, and filled with friends and/or family. Take care out there, wherever you are, don't drink and drive this season, and tell your loved ones you love them. Believe me, you never know when your last chance may come.

To lighten things up, if you're hanging around your computer for an hour and a half or so and looking for something to do, why not head over to Google Video and check out an Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode entitled, simply, "Santa Claus". More appropriately, it should be "Santa vs. Satan", and it should be noted it was done in Mexico, with Santa joining forces with Jesus (Jesus not shown) to defeat the devil himself at Christmas.

If you don't have all that time, how about a short, brash MST3K song on Canada? Chris says its the unofficial national anthem of some states.

Lastly, there was a live re-enactment of the Story of the Nativity at the Church around the corner, complete with angels, dancing, and live newborn at the end! It was pretty cool, actually.

Merry Christmas, all.

la fantasma of christmas past

if I look angry, it's because it was so bright

Well, with the first Christmas here nearly done, I thought a little peek into what a typical Christmas is like down here might be appreciated.

We headed out this year for Christmas to our friends' house out in the suburbs. We had visited them before (when they got married, for instance), and they had invited us to spend the holiday with them and their family.
We arrived a little early and, after a little chatting and a little wine, actually had a nap to prepare ourselves for the festivities that night. In keeping with Argentine tradition, dinner wasn't to start until sometime after nine (we didn't get going until around ten or so). Before, we had sat around talking, looking at pictures, and drinking - all wonderful Christmas traditions. Dinner was a mix of foods familiar to us - turkey, rolls, salad - with the addition of Argentine comfort Christmas food - Russian salad, empanadas, stuffed tomatoes, and more. I brought egg nog along, using a simple recipe I found online (I also add cinnamon and a few cloves) and have been introducing to as many Argentines as possible (it's gotten a mixed reaction, though generally a favourable one).

Dessert was a multi-stage affair, consisting first of pan dulce, a round loaf of bread baked with fruit and nuts inside (rather like a taller, more circular, drier fruitcake, though they have that down here, too), accompanied by dried fruit, nuts, candies, and various other treats. By this point, I was about filled to bursting, which was when they brought out the fruit salad, a common desset/snack in these parts, and ice cream. All of this was fortified with lots of drink - beer, wine, sangria, pop, juice, water, egg nog, and so the list goes on.

As midnight hit, everyone stood up and toasted one another, with various calls ringing around the table - to health, to friends, to family near and far, to the motherland, to you and you and you you and you. Then the fireworks began.

Yes, I have to say that this is the first Christmas I've celebrated where fireworks have been involved. It was worth of China - about an hour and a half of constant fireworks streaking and screaming and thundering all around us, near and far, which we watched for a while from the roof of the house. They were all around us - a few were from the local government, but most had been bought at roadside kioskos in preparation for the night.

Christmas is a time, like most cultures that celebrate it, that champions the family here. Everyone goes home and has dinner with their family (it's echoed again New Year's Eve, though some do it with friends then instead). I had a terrific time with this family, and felt honoured to have them invite me into their home to share this special time with them.

present for the eyes

I've always been a big fan of M.C. Escher

big shakes, everyone's ok

If you haven't heard, Taiwan was hit by a couple of earthquakes today - the first was a 6.7/7.1 (depending on who you ask and where it was measured), followed by an aftershock of 7.1. Casualties, luckily, were few - one person died in Pingdeng in the south (near Kaohsiung), unfortunately, and a few dozen were hurt. Reports from friends say it just knocked stuff down and gave everyone a good scare. Roads are a little torn up and phone lines are supposedly down, but this one seems relatively tame compared to the quake of 9/21/99 that killed almost 2500.

My thoughts are with you guys out there.

later

I guess there have been four earthquakes now - the first and three aftershocks. They're getting less frequent, but I'm sure it's still unnerving over there.

another update 12/27

The two initial quakes were about a minute and a half each, which, if you've ever been in an earthquake is a really, really long time to be shaking. The Taipei Times finally has their report up on the earthquake, though it's a little thin.

how to properly set up your christmas tree

It may be late for this year, but nothing beats being ready for next year's tree! For all those who have a perfectionist slant to them, I give you Happy Holiday Plans, Specs, and Evaluations (.pdf file).

how to tell when a relationship is over

Depict is a great site where people tell a story in 90 seconds. Great time waster. Is your relationship over?