The return of El Clasico

On Sunday, November 29 two great teams will meet once again in one of the most enduring and heated rivalries in the world. The Yankees-Red Sox rivlary pales in comparison to the emotions inspired by the Real Madrid-Barcelona matches. In what promises to be a no-holds barred encounter featuring some of the best players in the world, this game is sure to hold the attention of the world. I enjoyed Thanksgiving yesterday and now await El Clasico. It doesn't get better than this.

Thanksgiving (1956) by e.e. cummings

THANKSGIVING (1956)

a monstering horror swallows
this unworld me by you
as the god of our fathers' fathers bows
to a which that walks like a who

but the voice-with-a-smile of democracy
announces night & day
"all poor little peoples that want to be free
just trust in the u s a"

suddenly uprose hungary
and she gave a terrible cry
"no slave's unlife shall murder me
for i will freely die"

she cried so high thermopylae
heard her and marathon
and all prehuman history
and finally The UN

"be quiet little hungary
and do as you are bid
a good kind bear is angary
we fear for the quo pro quid"

uncle sam shrugs his pretty
pink shoulders you know how
and he twitches a liberal titty
and lisps "i'm busy right now"

so rah-rah-rah- democracy
let's all be thankful as hell
and bury the statue of liberty
(because it begins to smell)

Thanksgiving Day Prayer by e.e. cummings

Thanksgiving Prayer

Father we thank thee for this food
for health, strength, and all
things good. May others all these blessings
share, and hearts be grateful
everywhere.
I thank you God for most this amazing day;
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;
and for everything which is infinite which is yet.

- E. E. Cummings

Samoud

Samoud is the Arabic word for 'steadfastness' and has been interpreted as the 'third way' of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is not violent, but it does not acquiesce readily to proposals demands made to a people who hold samoud to be one of its most cherished principles.

Tunnel Vision in Detroit

I always enjoy travelling through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. It is a clean and very efficient operation. But the part I like the best is walking through 'The Tunnel' that connects the concourses. In an incredible architectural accomplishment, the designers created a passageway with elongated transparent glass panels on the sides. The light from the panels constantly changes, while New Age music is played and you look ahead through different hues of red, green, blue and purple. For me, the experience never gets tired and it always makes me smile. If you have not been to Detroit, you might have to go just to see this!

Nativism is alive and well

Although I am not a dedicated follower of long-distance running I have always been impressed by the turnouts at the Boston and New York marathons. I do know that is has been many years since an American has won a marathon and I was elated to learn that Meb Keflezighi, became the first American man to win the New York City marathon in nearly 30 years. Unfortunately, I also learned that racism and nativism are still with us as numerous people on online forums question his 'Americanness.' He was born in Ethiopia and emigrated to the United States when he was 12. It was here in the United States where he received all this long-distance training, but there are still those who dispute his 'Americanness.' It seems we still have much work to do to eradicate racism and nativism. How sad.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/sports/03runner.html?_r=1

Laila's Birthday

Yesterday I attended the final screening for the Palestine Film Festival, which featured some cinematic gems. The film I saw is called "Laila's Birthday" and is directed by Rashid Masharawi. It details the adventures that a taxi driver must go through/endure to make sure he returns home on time for his daughter's birthday. It is a wonderful film with some comedic elements in it. What I liked about it is that it put on display daily life in Palestine; very little focus is placed on the occupation. This is a nice touch. Check out a clip from the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hFLmBzGMjI