The Road to Oktoberfest

In the months leading up to my time here in Italy I've been talking about Oktoberfest. It was the one trip that I had to do, not just for the beer. I could drink beer anywhere. Oktoberfest isn't about the beer, but the mobilization of thousands of people of all colors and nations converging in one place to have a good time.

Upon arrival in Italy, it seemed like everyone was a skeptic about making the trip to Munich for Oktoberfest. Everyone had an alarmist mentality. They would warn me of extremely expensive hotels, airfare and train tickets. With all the skeptics you might have thought that a trip to Munich was impossible. Yet, it seemed like everyone around me was going. They were getting there by bus, train and plane. They found transportation and some even found accommodations as late as a week in advance.

Maybe it was the fear of missing out on something I had anticipated for so long, or the frustration of letting the skeptics and alarmists rob me of my hope. But as I sat at dinner with friends on Wednesday night I made the final decision that I was going to find a way to Oktoberfest.

It turns out by that point (Wednesday night) the trains and planes were completely booked. About 20 hours later I was in a parking lot learning how to drive stick shift in a Fiat Panda. And just hours after that a friend and I were on the road to Munich-- windows rolled down, "Hotel California" blaring from the little blue Panda as we raced down the Autobahn.

Rule #20

The "O.K." hand gesture is not universally accepted

The Arancino

Two weeks ago on an overnight train to Sicily I met a guy who told me not to leave without trying an arancino. He described them as "fried, breaded balls of cheesy risotto with a meat and cheese center". My eyes lit up as I quickly began to aggressively interrogate him about. From that point on I was on a mission to find them and learn as much as I could about them.

That weekend I had the privilege of sinking my teeth into one of the greatest fried inventions I've ever tasted (topping the deep-fried Snickers).

These little orange balls that actually get their name from the Italian word for orange (arancia) were amazing. They are a popular Sicilian snack that are usually stuffed with either beef and ragu sauce or proscuitto and butter. Both were equally delicious.

Why This Election Should Be a Landslide: Episode 2

He's breaking out the big guns!

President Clinton has stated that he will join Senator Clinton and begin campaigning for Senator Obama following the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting on September 23rd and 24th.

Read More Here

Tu, Forse Non Essenzialmente Tu

Great track by Rino Gaetano. The title translated means "You, but not essentially you"

Why This Election Should Be A Landslide: Episode 1

Here is some special commentary. Notice how Keith uses real quotes, real clips from the Republican National Convention (RNC). These things actually happened and he is commenting on them, explaining how and why the actions of the Republican Party and John Mcain are related to the comments he is making.

It seems like a pretty simple concept to grasp, yet so many people have trouble distinguishing good argumentation that is delivered with emotion from talking points and ideas like "Obama is a terrorist because he was born a Muslim.. blah blah blah...once a Muslim always a Muslim". These things are not one and the same. Some people even try to "argue" that "Obama doesn't love America because there's no flag on his airplane".

Something that is always important to me is understanding things in many ways, from many angles and perspectives.

I don't disagree with every Republican. Nor do I agree with every Democrat. I've said before that you can't feel strongly about something you don't know much about. When it comes to politics people tend to forget this and pretend that a handful of issues completely define a political party. The truth is that In fact, the two-party system naturally tends to cater to those with centrist preferences. Many Americans are torn between the social polices of one party and the economic policies of the other. Simply put, things are never black and white (no pun intended).


Enjoy this clip and the posts that will follow. I can only hope to provide information so that you too can more confidently support the candidate who will best serve you.... and for all but 2% of America I'll give you a hint as to who that will be... his name rhymes with "Yo Mama".

My Current TV Debut! (where's my 30 seconds of applause?)

I haven't really watched TV in nearly two years. With the internet and DVR I've lost the urge for good ol' channel surfing. Of course, I tune in for sports events (e.g. Superbowl, Olympics, US Open, college football) or special programming like the State of the Union Address and the season finale of Entourage.

However this past summer I was introduced to Current TV. My brothers were huge fans and when I was home for the summer I got hooked. They don't have commercials, a majority of the programming is created independently by users and broadcasted via the website Current.com. What I like best is the catchy electronic beats they play in the segues. In all seriousness, the channel is a gem because it is far removed from its large cable television competitors. Its not CNN or CNBC and sure as hell isn't Fox.

Current TV thrives on viewer feedback and in return have engineered a unique product. What you watch is what you create, what you think, and what you (primarily young adults) have asked to see. Think of it as the youth of the world's answer to tainted mainstream media torrent. If you can remember what watching MTV used to feel like before TRL, then you'll be pleasantly surprised when you tune in.

Sign up. Comment. Contribute.


And watch this clip of Current News featuring my commentary! Woo Hoo! BYRONTOSAURUS!

Wow

The ugly reality of today's politics is that most people who try to justify their support for the Republican presidential candidate do so by putting down the opponents rather than supporting their own. Republicans at the National Convention chanted "Zero! Zero! Zero!" referring to Senator Obama's "executive" experience. Their are a dozen things one could say to criticize this year's Republican Presidential Nominees but that wasn't the focus in Denver last week. No one in the fully packed stadium even thought of Mcain in the moments before Senator Obama spoke. They didn't need to. In my eyes the show that the Republican party put on earlier this week was beyond aggravating, but disheartening. Sarah Pailin's speech was the ugliest thing I've ever seen muttered from an ex-beauty queen's mouth. She showed me a candidate full of hate, with an outlook on politics that is frankly dangerous for the future of America; the type of politics that brews hate, strikes fear and will continue to let our country down.

While republicans chant "Zero!" they overlook the blunder of the first executive decision made by their "Maverick". If Mcain's strength and leadership allowed for a woman like Sarah Palin to enter the national spotlight then what else can we expect from him if he is elected president?


More to come on the bizarre argument for Mcain's "Economic Policy"...

Rule #19

There is no shame whatsoever in wanting to listen to Andrea Bocelli.

30 Seconds of Applause

I took a course on instructing elementary education. We studied the intellectual, emotional and social development of children. Most people took the course because it allowed you to leave campus and work at local elementary schools.

Our teacher, Ms. Swanson believed that children who were applauded, were happier. She believed that if a child received at least thirty seconds of praise, applause or positive recognition a day then they would gain confidence and significantly aide their social and emotional development.

So everyday as we filed into class and made our way to our seats she would pick someone out and ask them to remain standing. That person would stand for thirty seconds as the class cheered, clapped and praised them.

Rule #18

There is a big difference between living somewhere and studying somewhere. You live in place when you pay rent there, otherwise you are just visiting.

New NYU Athetlics Home Page

One thing that almost stopped me from studying in Italy this semester was how much I love to wrestle and compete. On our wrestling team we communicate mainly through mass emails. While I prepare to begin classes abroad I frequently read through the teams' correspondence. Although ultimately I feel I have made the right decision by coming here, I often think about the one thing that motivated me to move across the country three years ago. I always remember that without wrestling and the wrestling community I might not have had the opportunities and experience that I enjoy across the world.

On that note. Check out the sweet home page that NYU athletics launched a few days ago.

gonyuathletics.com

Pros: Photos in the athlete profile, great new interface

Cons: Ugly new Bobcat mascot guy, they listed my home town as "Covina" : (

Top 10 Pizza Toppings

As job training comes to an end in Tuscany I've had little time to produce a thoughtful top ten list. So many new sights and tastes have made the past few days a blur.

One thing I have taken note of are my favorite pizza toppings. Everyone everywhere loves pizza. The down side to this is that most people have their own style or idea of what a pizza is. This makes it hard to be a passionate pizza lover. How could I compare a deep dish Dominos pizza with bacon and pepperoni to a pie from John's in NYC? Or even better how can I compare a slice of Bayou Beast from Two Boot's to pizze tagliato margherita off the streets of Florence?

Long story short, it's a tough call but internationaly these toppings have never disappointed.

1. Salami picante (spicy salami)

2. Sausage

3. Fresh Mozzarella

4. Onion

5. Ham/ Prosciutto Cotto

6. Mushrooms

7. Artichokes

8. Fresh Tomato

9. Bacon (of Course)

10. Peppers

This is Exactly how Plato and Socrates Sounded...

Courtesy of Pudding...

Recognize this genius? This is our good old friend "Bill O" before he jumped on to the scene at America's "fair and balanced" news channel. Inside Edition is where the journalist who really know what they're talking about start off.

Nothing Compares 2 U

Last night I could not stop thinking of the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. And when this song came on my iPod I couldn't stop laughing. So if you're within a 4 mile radius of a Carl's Jr. go get one!!! Cherish them.

Usher is Back

Oggi io Vado a Firenze

Today I'm leaving to Italy to start job training for a position I took with my school. Initially I mentioned I would be relocating to London. However that option proved to be academically incompatible with my 2 remaining required courses.... I thought my hopes of European adventures were crushed, but after a week of being turned away from a dozen different counselors and deans I found a great compromise. To compensate for having to change sites I got a job that offers free housing and meals. 

But the point of this post is really to say "Arrivederci!" and you can be sure I'll be posting about some of these European adventures... So what do I have up my sleeve for the next few months? I'm thinking Oktoberfest (aka Bay to Breakers in lederhosens), taking London by storm and some of the latest italian food trends.
Keep you posted.

Top 10 Worst Things About Flying

Instead of wasting my time writing a post about how much I hated my travel experience with US Airways yesterday, I decided to quickly point out 10 things that make flying a little more miserable than it really needs to be.

10. Being randomly selected to get your bags swiped for explosive powder-- ??

9. Taking off your shoes at the metal detector -- By now the bomber knows not to hide things in the shoes

8. The "no liquids in your carry-0n rule"

7.  The middle seat

6. Having to board in "Zones"

5. People who crowd the gate before they call their zone

4. People who are way too overdressed for traveling

3. Really loud crying toddlers (Not Babies... Toddlers. The ones that are old enough to eek out that fake crying/whine when they run out of genuine tears)

2.  Passive aggressive flight attendants who think you can't tell they hate being nice all the time

1. Poorly dubbed in-flight movies that had to be edited so that they were rated PG 

Rule #17

Never fly US AIRWAYS

Story to follow... I'm en route, stuck in Charlotte.