Leaky Faucets

Seems like almost everyone in this town is into basketball, including a couple of priests I met last week.   This gives me something to talk about with new people that I meet when we otherwise have little in common.  Everyone is into the NBA playoffs, which unfortunately are not on TV often in Cebu City since Basketball TV, which broadcasts games live almost every day, was recently dropped by one of the local providers to the collective dismay of the entire sports fan base in the city.   We just got cable last week and of course there is no Basketball TV.  We have three sports channels including ESPN Philippines and Star Sports, which broadcast a few live games per week but the Cavs-Celtics game that was supposed to be on this morning, was not.  At least, thanks to the live radio broadcasts on nba.com, I can listen to all the games with Cavaliers announcer Joe Tait, who has been doing the Cavs games my whole life.   Gives me a little sense of home.

The following appeared in an article about a Louisiana campus shooting on reuters.com:

Mass shootings are not particularly rare in the United States, where the gun-ownership lobby is politically influential and gun control is far less strict than in many countries.

Yep, that’s right. Monday. Here in the Philippines the game kicked off around 7:30 am Monday morning. We stayed out at Plantation Bay Resort last night since we were offered a free room. The resort is about 30 minutes away from the Bravio Poker Room where we watched the game so we had to wake up really freakin’ early for the big game. My whole life-well at least since 1979, the first Super Bowl I remember watching-I’ve been accustomed to staying up pretty late to on a Sunday night to watch the game, but this morning I had to set the alarm for 5:45 a.m. in order to make kickoff. The early start time and the fact that it’s Monday made it an odd experience.

That, and watching it in a country where very few people care about the game of American football. NBA basketball is beloved here as is boxing but not football or baseball. That said, the atmosphere was pretty fun at Bravio. There were about 25 people there-mostly American expats along with some Filipinos. My table featured Aya, my brother-in-law Gahum and Tito Antolin, a family friend who seems to be around almost every day. Aya paid scant attention throughout the game but she enjoyed the free wi-fi access and managed to get a lot of work done on an office design she’s doing. She finally focused on the game during the waning seconds when I exhorted her to pay attention because the Giants were about to pull it off. Gahum isn’t really a sports fan but he lived in New Jersey for five years and was excited about the Giants. I’m glad he was able to get his ass out of bed this morning because we needed him to drive there. He’s a night person who rarely wakes up early; in fact, he was out playing pool last night until 5 am. Bravio was his idea. I was searching the web for places to watch the game in Cebu and stumbled on a sports bar called Badger’s (perhaps owned by someone who spent time in Wisconsin?) supposedly frequented by foreigners. Gahum found out that Bravio , where he plays poker, would be showing the game, which was only available on the Solar Sports channel via satellite. Tito Antolin was very interested in the game as well, though he had no rooting interest. He has seen football before but never a whole game, and spent most of the time asking me fundamental questions about the game; I didn’t mind explaining the significance of the yellow line on the screen, scoring, penalties, touchbacks, etc., though I did kind of miss watching the game with someone who could discuss its intricacies.

The Bravio crowd mostly consisted of Giants fans with only one person in a Pats jersey. There was a guy with a Shawn Alexander Seahawks jersey and another guy who said he was from Dallas and didn’t like either team but especially despised the Giants since they beat his Cowboys. I was rooting for the Giants. My real allegiance will always be with my hometown Browns but I grew to like both the Giants and Jets in my 10 years in New York. It really took hold during my first few years there in the late 90s-the interim period after the Browns moved to Baltimore and before the new team started. Some of the New York teams I don’t like-particularly the Yankees and Knicks-but I’m at least neutral on the others. As for the Pats, I didn’t want to see them undefeated. I’ve also developed a real dislike for Boston, partly because of the obnoxious Red Sox fans. Going into the game I felt the Giants had a chance, but I was amazed at how well the defense played. They were all over Brady. Actually, I think the entire defense should have been given the MVP rather than Manning, who played a solid but certainly not spectacular game. He did make some clutch plays on that last drive, though. All in all, it was one of the best–if not the best–Super Bowls I’ve ever seen, partly probably because I was pleased with the outcome and also because I just miss football over here. It was the first postseason game I got to see this year, other than part of a replay of the Giants-Packers game. (We don’t have a TV yet, but I plan to get one in the next month or so along with a satellite so I can be ready for next year.)

Another difference in watching the game in the Philippines is the food. No wings, pizza, nachos or beer this early in the morning. Instead they served a substantial breakfast for Php 200 ($5). They billed it as an American breakfast in honor of this quintessentially American event, but actually it was only part American. Pancakes and bacon and fruit. The Filipino part included garlic fried rice. There was also a side of baked beans, which I think is actually British. Beans and toast I think. The food was decent but the coffee was lousy. Nescafe instant 3 in 1 coffee. Just add hot water. Sickeningly sweet. Bravio doesn’t served “brewed” coffee apparently. Don’t think they’re usually open in the morning.

As for the much-hyped Super Bowl commercials, they didn’t make the translation. The spots were all local and were mainly from two companies: Alaska, maker of a powdered milk drink, and JVC. I don’t really care about missing the commercials like some who look forward to them. I’m just glad I got to see the whole game this year. Last Super Bowl Sunday, Aya and I went to the hospital at half time so that she could be induced into labor. Ana was born about 27 hours later. Her first birthday is Wednesday.

When I sat down in the chair to wait for Francis to cut my hair this afternoon, one of his assistants handed me a magazine implying that I would have to wait a while. No problem. I don’t mind passing a little time reading a magazine. But she gave me the wrong magazine. She assumed that because I’m a man that I’m into cars so she gave me Car and Driver or something like that; I didn’t even look at the cover long enough to get the title because I’m so not into cars. Don’t mind riding in them but could care less about reading articles about them. Actually, there are very few subjects that I am less interested in. (Many of Aya’s cousins, on the other hand, love cars and talking about them, which is why I have little to talk about with them.)

I immediately put down the car magazine and rifled through the stack of periodicals to find something more pleasing. The collection consisted mostly of fashion magazines-which I’d definitely choose before cars-and a few celebrity titles. I ended up grabbing the in-flight magazine for Silk Air because of the colorful cover and lead story on Kathmandu. I was about to open it when I was told it was my turn.

This was the first time I’ve had my hair cut without the use of clippers in at least 5 or 6 years. The last few years I went to Moon Barber Shop in Jackson Heights for the quick and cheap $8 buzz. Before that, Paul shaved my head for free. The last place that actually cut my hair was on West 23^rd Street in Manhattan, across from my old office at Bozell. A nice Thai lady named Sunee used to cut my hair. She was married to a judge in New Jersey. When I switched jobs and moved to midtown I still went back there a few times. But it got to be a pain to go down there, and when Paul moved to New York, I would go to his apartment to get my haircut. Since I’m in a new country now, I decided maybe I should do something different. (We’re taking a family portrait tomorrow so I thought I should like clean and neat.) The whole family goes to Francis, who owns Bridges at JY Square. I told him that I wanted a no-hassle do-no gel or other products and no need for any maintenance other than a quick run-through with a towel. He got it and went right to work using mostly scissors and a comb. I was very pleased with the final result-I think it’s the best haircut I’ve ever gotten. It’s really not that much different than the buzz but I think it will grow back nicer. And even better, he didn’t try to talk to me at all while cutting my hair.

Aya and I saw Gogol Bordello last night at the House of Blues in downtown Cleveland. Our dinner ran long so we rushed to make it on time and ended up missing the first few songs. Still, we saw well over an hour of frenetic energy, well-orchestrated chaos and great music. Definitely one of the best live shows I’ve seen in a while. With nine members-not always on the stage together-the band created a beautiful cacophony of punk, traditional Eastern European gypsy music and many other types of music all mixed together with instruments you don’t see everyday in a rock atmosphere. Violins, accordions, cymbals, dancers. Of course, there were guitars, a bass and drums.

Singer Eugene Hutz is a tremendous showman. It was a great coincidence that they happened to be playing in Cleveland the same time that we are here. I’ve always wanted to see them in New York, but they always seem to be on tour elsewhere so I never had the opportunity. I wasn’t sure what kind of crowd would show up for them in Cleveland, even though I know they have a pretty big following. I was pleased to see a few hundred people-most of who seemed to be having a good time. I was reminded that Cleveland is a music-oriented city and people will show up to see good live music. Since I went to my first punk show in Cleveland 20 years ago this summer, I’ve seen a lot of great live shows, and much of them were in Cleveland. (In case you are wondering, that first show featured Half Life, the Plague, Knifedance, Blowout and Blank Schatz.)

I first heard of these guys a few years ago through the book “Crossing The Boulevard,” which chronicles the diverse stories of immigrants from all over the world who all came to Queens, New York. Queens Library had an exhibit on the book and a few of the guys-I think it was the accordion and violin player-came to the opening and performed a few instrumentals, much more low-key than anything I saw last night. I helped them find the F train, which they had to take all the way to the other end near Coney Island I recall. Other than that, I didn’t talk to them much.

Actually, I wasn’t sure we’d go at all because these days Aya often changes her mind about going to things like this. Even before she was pregnant, she did that. Tiredness was the usual reason. But she ended up loving it too, saying it was one of her two favorite concerts-the other being Radiohead. (Of course, she has only been to a handful of concerts.) It reminded us both of our early days together, days when we both did things to please the other until I relationship was cemented. She went to see the Italian punk band Raw Power at CBGB with me and later braved a Slayer concert at Roseland. But, a few weeks ago she declined my offer to see Manu Chao in Prospect Park and we had a brief spat about it. I was upset because we no longer shared this, but perhaps more because I don’t have many friends in New York anymore who would go to a concert like this with me. Last year, I saw Manu by myself, but didn’t want to do that again even though I had a great time and get buzzed from the contact. Now, Aya wants to see Gogol live again and perhaps other shows will follow. Of course, in New York we have to pay for a baby sitter and arrange it in advance, so there won’t be any spontaneous concert-going and the band better be worth the outlay for childcare. I think this was my first show since Ana was born and I gotta tell you it was quite liberating.

As I write this, I’m listening to NPR’s live broadcast of Gogol Bordello’s show at the 9:30 Club in DC. (I went to the 9:30 many times during college when it was in the old cramped quarters on F Street. Now, it’s a huge venue I believe.) This is pretty cool. I never knew that NPR did this. You can check it out later because it will be archived here. The song that is playing now-”Start Wearing Purple”-was definitely the biggest crowd pleaser and appears to be their most popular song. It was in the movie “Everything is Illuminated” which included singer Hutz in a prominent and quite comic role. In “Purple,” he refers to himself as a clown, and he definitely lives up to that live, although clearly, that is only one part of his persona.

Anyway, check out the band and go see them live. It’s a must.

So ESPN has this new mini-series starting tonight called “The Bronx is Burning”.  I saw a promo for it on the subway yesterday, and the funny thing about it is the bridge depicted is none other than the Brooklyn Bridge, which for those of you not familiar with the geography of this here city, connects Brooklyn and lower Manhattan.  It does not go anywhere near the Bronx.  Why didn’t ESPN use a picture of the Triboro or the Willis Avenue or the Throgs Neck bridge?  All of these do in fact connect the Bronx to one of the other boroughs.  Is this just laziness on the part of the marketers?  Do they not care about accuracy?  Does anyone but me see the problem here?  Why bother making a movie about the Bronx and then short change it like this?  Brooklyn hasn’t had a major league team since 1957 and as far as I know the Yankees have never played in Brooklyn.

By the way, and this is a total non-sequitor, I hate the Yankees with all my heart and I hope they lose every game from here to eternity or at least until George Steinbrenner can’t take it any more and fires himself.  Just thought that needed to be said.

Enough about Don Imus already.  I want to hear more about the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s baby.  That story has received hardly any coverage.  What gives?

And, what has Michael Jackson been up to lately?  There haven’t been any recent accusations. 

Why should we be subjected to a barrage of stories about a boring, washed-up radio host when there are much more important things that the media should be covering.

Am I getting old or is punk becoming more accepted by the mainstream? Or both? These questions were prompted by my shocked viewing of a new AARP commercial yesterday featuring the Buzzcocks’ “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays.” Admittedly, the song is pretty poppy and certainly palatable to the mainstream, but the Buzzcocks never were mainstream. Apparently, the people this ad is aimed at are both near retirement and around the same age as the band. I grew up listening to them although this song came out when I was six. Current retirees would most likely be too old to have listened to the Buzzcocks. Other old punk songs have turned up in commercials such as Nike’s use of the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy”and the Royal Caribbean cruise line’s misuse of Iggy’s “Lust for Life.”  I guess there comes a time when aging punk rockers need money so they sell their songs to anyone who has the money and wants to appear to be a hip brand. But AARP?

How legitimate can a newspaper be if they substitute advertising for editorial on the front page?  The Daily News today included an ad for Boost Mobile on both the front and back cover.  The front of the tabloid is usually devoted to a sensationalistic headline while the back is reserved for sports.  I believe this is called a cover wrap, and it is the latest example of advertising trumping everything else in this country.  Everything is for sale, especially in the struggling newspaper industry.  If The New York Times starts putting ads on their page one, the industry’s apocalypse will be close at hand.

Finally they’re covering the anti-war protests in the media.  The front page of am New York, the free daily newspaper, featured a photo of yesterday’s protest in Manhattan.  Back at the beginning of the anti-Iraq movement (I was at a rally in February 2003 before the first bombs were dropped), there was little coverage in the mainstream media.  I guess this is another sign that the anti-war movement is going mainstream.  Not that Bush cares or will even notices.  He doesn’t read the news anyway.