November 2009 Archives

Two immigration lines took over an hour to process 25 people, three people couldn't get my safe open, the internet is charged by the megabyte, I had to buy an adapter for the power outlet as none out of the five I carry work here, hotel security consists of a $1.95 bedroom door knob, four TV channels (two of which have a giant banner roaming the screen that says we are not allowed to watch this cable channel in our region), and chicken liver was a main course for breakfast. But no worries, TIA

After being stopped every ten feet by two to four Venezuelan military, drilled in Spanish, and thrown in secondary for extra screening I was quite pleased to leave the Caracas airport.  I land in Frankfurt and quickly make it through the five kilometer obstacle course to baggage.  Arriving early I sit down and wait while the rest of the flight arrives.  The carousel eventually starts up; I walk to the far side and am pleasantly surprised to see my first bag coming round the corner.  I grab it, pack my duty free rum, and start zipping it up when I spot my second bag coming around.  I pick it up and as I start walking away with both bags I suddenly become aware that 200 people are staring at me.  The carousel continues to go around and around but not another bag is on it.  I am pretty sure if I listened closely I could have learned the German for "Who the F is that?"

I know political pundits have to analyze every microscopic thing and paint some 'big picture' out of it, but I have a hard time believing we can learn to much from these off-year elections.  Everyone knew Virgina would elect the GOP governor, Corzine was deeply unpopular, etc.  Turnout was so low that it's hard to gauge much from it; in low turnout elections, the angrier electorate always wins.  The much ballyhooed NY race was so atypical that I don't think much can be gleaned from it, though I desperately hope it means that the teabagger wing of the GOP is running out of steam and the more rational and pragmatic Republicans can reassert some control over their party. The opposition party plays an invaluable role in our system, so when it goes insane, it skews everything.