Tuesday, February 20, 2007

"1491" meets a "Flat World"

After reading half of The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, and listening to Charles C. Mann lecture on his recent bestseller, 1491: New revelations of the Americas before Columbus; I have become to understand more about a world that belongs to everyone. For too long have certain societies and certain histories been selectively available for mass consumption. With cross-disciplinary research by collaborating scientists, anthropologists, ecologists and historians, Mann has unearthed and uncovered a wealth of incredible new insights and knowledge and the flat world’s connectivity means that these revelations are not lost on paper but spread by wires and satellite to the world. The context of these facts is unmistakable. Facts can be hidden no longer. Only those nations with their leaders’ heads-in-the-sand won’t be able predict the implications of this. There will be no more Tiananmen Square massacres that won’t see immediate exposure and events such as Abu Ghraib cannot be brushed under the rug. We are heading towards a future of global digitization and the prospects for true democracy around the world are more promising than any show of force America can export. “You can’t stop the signal, Mal”.

http://www.amazon.com/World-Flat-Updated-Expanded-Twenty-first/dp/0374292795/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1078576-3763925?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173051153&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1078576-3763925?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173051384&sr=1-1

Monday, February 19, 2007

Going South...

To go south: "To abscond, to disappear to Mexico or Texas reinforced by Native American belief that the soul journeys south after death.

The American South has long been a curiosity. Overturned after the Civil War, but never really defeated in the heart, the south is now disappearing one state at a time. All of the fringes of the south are being encroached upon by the expanses of American corporations and the rest of Americans: The Research Triangle in North Carolina has become a collection of northern settlements for American high-tech interests [see acronyms for Cary, NC]; Northern Virginia, once the leader of the antebellum south, is a suburb of Washington, DC and scarcely retains a southern identity; Murtle Beach, Hilton Head and the rest of South Carolina's beaches have become an alternative vacation spots for non-southerners; Asheville, North Carolina is becoming an alternative retirement destination for Florida; Atlanta, once the railroad hub of the Old South, is now one of several international airline hubs of America (Delta); Florida was the retirement location for New Yorkers and now ground zero for those Americans looking for new opportunities and for other northerners escaping the harsh winters. Once, just south Florida was fair game, but now even northern Florida cities such as Tallahassee and Jacksonville are fair game. Before Katrina crossed the shorelines of SE Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama, it appeared as if the American Riviera would be the next real estate blowup. As the next generation of carpetbaggers descends upon the south, it is interesting to examine the concept of "south" that transcends national bounds and puts what we may call the "second reconstruction" into a larger context.

The English word south [Old English: "suð" ('ð' is pronounced 'th') ] itself comes not from latin but rather curiously from Nordic through a Proto-German word (sunthaz) meaning "in the south" with a similar root to sunnun, "a place in the sun". This is possibly because the south side of a street would typically receive more sunlight on their entrances than those facing them on the other side. While the root definition of south rooted in the sun may not be eye-popping excitement, it is atleast interesting that the origin of all the western romance languages for the word "south" come from the Germanic base rather than the latin. The latin word for "south" (L. australis) appears in two examples I can think of in modern language in the form of the nation states, Australia and Austria. Both of these names are interesting for separate reasons. Austria's name is really from the German "österreich" meaning "eastern empire" and although superficially it could have mean "southern land", it has no relation to a latin origin. Australia, on the other hand, was named Terra Australis (16th c.) or "southern land". However, just to confuse the etymology of Australia further, on May 14, 1606, Pedro Fernandes de Queiros landed at Vanuatu and claimed possession of the lands to the south pole (he assumed the land continued to the south pole) for the Spanish monarchy. He named the lands Austrialía del Espíritu Santo after the House of Austria for which in Spain, the Hapsburgs were known. It seems although Austria was the original basis for the nation's name, its transition to the southern land was a result of the Spanish spelling for Austria (from österreich)! After all that, both prominent hopefuls of latin stems, disappoint. It is this German notion of South which prevails in western Europe and dutifully the Italian, Spanish and French languages take note.

The US does not have a monopoly on cultural disparities between northern and southern, worker and peasant, and wealthy and poor. North can be characterized as being urban, cultured and industrialized while south can be described as being provincial, rural and backward. Of course these descriptions have everything to do with where one may be from as I could just as easily described north as being unfriendly, filthy and greedy and south as being quite the opposite; warm, welcoming and generous. With these descriptions, the country, in this case being the US, can be replaced with many nations and places but here, specifically two. Italy provides an interesting parralel to the US in that instead of a civil war, it was unification that was divisive. France, is more of a reflection of an urban-rural conflict but the differences in dialects and at one time, language, mirror a narrowing gap in culture that is now merging. Paris will always be Paris, and likewise for the provinces, but the difference has been substantiated in recent years by location rather than culture.

Italy certainly has a marvelous history of empire and enlightenment. Ancient Roman ingenuity and Renaissance creativity and discovery, propelled Italians to the forefront of technology and learning. After, regions were governed by stagnating municipalities, and Italy remained fragmented. In the 19th century, the cities of northern Italy, dreamed of tying together all of these city-states under one Italian flag and stepping on to the political and economic scene of Europe's industrializing nations. There was only one problem to that plan of unification: All of Italy's regions were somewhat different, reflected by each region’s distinct dialect (sometimes a different language entirely) and local customs, which were especially transparent with culinary cultivations and local varietals of Vitis vinifera. Thus, we have alla bolognese or alla toscana when regarding regional food styles and Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Montepulciano to name a few varietals of grape. These distinctions took a long time to develop and then were then instantly thrown together. Unification, led by wealthy liberals of the northern cities, delineated the clear differences of these regions but particularly the north and south, between the royal Piedmontese in the north and the impoverished Sicilians to the south. This was frequently mean-spirited as providing a contrast for how modern the north was compared to the backward south. In 1860, A general from the north, reporting on the conditions of the south to Count Cavour in Piedmont wrote, "This is not Italy. This is Africa!".3 By unifying Italy, both the north and south did not become closer in culture and politics, instead, the process "accentuated their differences".

"Massimo d'Azeglio [one of Cavour's ministers, following Italian unification]: “…having created Italy, all that remained was to create Italians."
With the many different regions and cultures spread throughout this new state of Italy, many speaking mutual imcomprehensible dialects of "Italian", eating different foods, and each celebrating its own regional and local customs, it was not clear what was meant by "Italian". This concept is lost on the world but not to Italians. This is apparent in Italian food. If traveling abroad to America for example, the majority of Italians would not consider most Italian-American restaurants to be Italian food, rather they would consider it International. This is because the menu comprised of many different national styles, Tuscan, Neapolitan, Sicilian etc. Food and Language are two of the many differences that pull Italians apart.

"L’Europe finit à Naples." (Europe ends at Naples) Il Mezzogiorno
The south of Italy served the north as an example of how far advanced (northern) Italy had become from their agrarian past. The world had shifted from the Mediterranean to Central and Northern Europe. In the past, conquest and conduct had tended to face southwards, positioning Rome and Naples with vast importance. While the scientific enlightenment and industrial revolution promoting Eurocentrism and nationalism, Italians grabbed all principalities together, used Rome as a swivel and repositioned itself facing north. No longer was Italy's wealth determined by its contact with the Orient, it's toehold in Europe would carry on the torch. However, even after the unification in 1860, the south was left woefully behind and the "Southern Question" developed as a result. Rather than a question, the situation is more problematic and painful than mere inquiry. Two-thirds of all poor Italian families are in the south. Of the 20.7 million people (36.1% of Italians) living in southern Italy, 7.3 million (35.4%) are poor, living on less than €521 per month. Some 4.6 million of these people (63.3%) are extremely poor, living on less than €435 per month. If southern Italy were independent of northern Italy, it would have the highest poverty rate in Europe. Healthcare is suffering as a result. Four times the average new-born death occurs in southern Italy. Those in need of medical treatment frequently travel north for what are perceived as better quality facilities, even though medical treatment in Italy is free. Italy’s National Health Service (NHS) ranks second on the World Health Report’s best health care systems, but also ranks first in dissatisfaction among Italians. Predictably, only 19% of Sicilians were satisfied with the NHS.

France and Occitania (Lingua d'oc)
France could not be a better state to describe a cultural shift between the primate city of Paris, and the rest of France, but especially a shift to that of southern France. There are many contrasts of Paris in the north with the provinces of the south. And as we can see from the case of Italy, there can be no more appropriate indicator than languages to determine cultural borders. Up until the turn of the century (19-20th c.), people in southern France still spoke a Gallic dialect different from that of the north. They spoke a regional blend of lingua d'oc or "language of yes" (from the word for "yes" in the south, oc) and modern French, which was based from lingua d'oïl (from the word for "yes", in this case oui). From this language bears the name of a great portion of southern France, Occitania. We also get the province Languedoc-Roussilon, formerly the territory of a county independent from the French kings. Already in the names of these regions language becomes a disparity. Gradually, the French bridged that gap and because of a strong central government and sound communication with its provinces, the influence of Paris swept across the country.

Provence
Named by conquering Romans, nostra provincia, our conquered land, because it was the first province outside of the Italian peninsula, modern Provence in southern France retained its unique seaside rural identity through invasion after conquest in the wake of Roman rule up until the second half of the 20th century. The blend of poor to mediocre soils could not sustain large populations until technological innovation reduced the need for farm labor and the land became suited for a relatively novel human activity: travel and leisure. With less than 30 days of rainfall per year, and mild winter temperatures, Provence has benefitted with ideal conditions for vacationing. However, those tied to the land through agriculture have not. Recently, housing construction along the Mediterranean coast from Provence to Languedoc-Roussilon has increased dramatically, but somehow I don’t believe that it is Provençal families that are lining up to buy the beachfront condos and coastal villas. Long been known for its small medieval towns, slow pace of life, and agricultural fields, Provence has been besieged (again) by developers looking to escape the over-hyped, excessively-wealthy pleasure playgrounds of the French Riviera cities such as Nice and Cannes. Within the last decade an artificial coastline has replaced the old natural one with less than a raised brow.

Efficient water-delivery systems, rapid transport of goods and services, and telecommunications and the internet have allowed human settlement outside of these traditionally restricting limitations. The Romans conquered water-delivery systems in their great stone aqueducts. Perhaps no better example exists than the Pond du gard, a massive three-tiered stone aqueduct bridging the River Gardon to supply nearby Nimes in the modern region of Languedoc-Roussilon. Rapid transport of goods and services continues to be improved upon with every technological innovation. Starting with water transport and the wheel, to the railroad and the automobile, and finally, the aeroplane, goods can be sent nearly everywhere on the planet. Rapid transport has allowed goods and services to spread but it is the internet and phone lines which has allowed instant connectivity to the world. This means work can be done from anywhere wired. It is not necessary any longer for an Italian to do business in Torino when one can enjoy the sun of Sicily or to be in grey Paris in the crisp winter when in France one can enjoy the mild temperatures of Aix or Nice. The same questions can be asked of the northern US. Why north when there is south?

With all the talk of global warming so prevalent in summer months harping on every record high temperature (and for good reason) it is easy to forget the north gets cold and I mean very cold. This winter took some time to get going, but now, the frigid air has hit us full force. For older Americans living in the north, just one harsh winter stands in the way of their departure for a warmer climate down south. For businesses and factories, the south was out of the question because of its incapacitating summers. However, innovations in air conditioning and with resentment ebbing every year since the civil war ended two centuries ago, the south is ripe for invasion again.

What does it mean for the residents of these “southern” regions when there is a flux of people migrating and immigrating to their towns and communities from other regions? One thing is for sure: Local customs and traditions are gradually erased as change is necessary for advancement. Old neighborhoods will be destroyed for new ones and small buildings will be replaced by bigger ones. Roads will be widened for more parking and some will become two lanes. Strip mall development will suck the old town’s life blood dry and people will be drawn to mega Walmarts and McDonalds rather than the local appliance stores and restaurants. Wait a second, this has already happened in almost every town in America. So much so, that most towns are not distinguished by any pertinent landmark or square, just by similar parking lot after parking lot. Each town loses its identity by welcoming in these outside influences.

For good or bad, while globalization flattens the world as Thomas Friedman writes, nationalization, if you will, flattens the barriers from each state creating intense forces that hasten the melting pot. The local flavors are diminished. Culture and custom are lost. No longer can celebrate holidays of local importance because corporations are run on a national schedule and don’t partake in regional holidays. History is dismissed and we all learn to march to one drum and tap to one beat. And with the change, a new culture and society is bred more apt to be better equipped to deal with the daunting change of pace that the modern world not only offers, but forces upon us. There is no time to lament. Capitalism has chosen the paths we must take and the survival of each society is dependent on how quickly and successfully they are to adapt to these changes. The Riviera will continue becoming developed and the old ways of locals unchanged for thousands of years will finally be forced, not at gunpoint, but by fiber optics, to either adapt or move away. There will be a time when the Mezzogiorno and Sicily will enter the 21st century because of high-speed internet, not high-speed trains. These changes are almost inevitable because the cheaper land and labor costs will allow them to compete with the steep costs of doing business in European markets. There is only so much stereotype and discrimination can disrupt economy.

In large measure this transition has happened. America has already seen a substantial change to the south. The research triangle in North Carolina contains the highest number of Ph.D's per capita in the US and is the biggest research park in the world. Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, AL is 3rd in Ph.D's and the world's fourth largest research park. Parts of the south boast some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Automobile manufacturing from Mercedes and BMW have located factories in the south. Corporations have relocated their corporate offices to the south. Surprisingly, Alabama ranks 21st nationally with the number of corporate headquarters in the state.

But with all this attention on the south, be it in Europe or the US, there has been things that have not changed. The growth in the south stands for opportunity. And in opportunity lies redemption. Going south has meant now more than ever, a place to disappear and begin again.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=south&searchmode=none&p=0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy#Geography http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/9195/9195.intro.html http://ressources.ciheam.org/om/pdf/a15/92605078.pdf http://www.iht.com/articles/2000/09/15/trprov.t.php http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1188255
Eurostat. The social situation in the European Union. 2004 http://reports.eea.europa.eu/eea_report_2006_6/en/eea_report_6_2006.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Notes on US Soccer’s victory over Mexico in Glendale, AZ., Feb 8, 2007.

The US has dominated Mexico in soccer, winning the last two matches by identical 2-0 scores. In the latest round of this international rivalry, the Americans blanked the Mexicans with one set-piece goal off a corner and the other, a deflection off of an official that took a decided American bias and landed to the foot of striker Landon Donovan who sidestepped Mexican goalkeeper, Oswaldo Sanchez, and netted the clincher in the 1st minute of stoppage-time. The Mexican frustration was demonstrated after the game-winner as Sanchez tried to foot swipe Eddie Johnson running to celebrate with Donovan. Moments later the whistle was blown, the Mexican team walked from the field without shaking hands, and 50,000 of the near 65,000 fans in Glendale, Arizona were left to retreat to their homes, unhappy.

Wait, did I say 50,000 of the 65,000 fans were supporting Mexico? Surprised? Not really. As the rivalry grows between the American and Mexican soccer worlds, American fans certainly haven’t. While a few thousand fans were there in red, white and blue to offset the hue of los Tricolores, they were heavily outnumbered. Essentially it was a home game outside of Mexico City’s Azteca stadium. Mexican fans flocked from all over the United States (Mexico and Canada) to see a game, which to Mexicans, means so much more than just futbol. Beating the United States would give Mexican-Americans and immigrants intense pride (pages could be written about any kind of Mexican victory at the expense of Americans) as well as lift the goat that has cursed the Mexicans playing on US soil this century. [US 7-0-1 vs Mexico at home since 2000]

With the Mexican players in-season (in Mexican leagues and in Europe) and the American players’ seasons ending in late fall, this victory seems even odder. With a huge pro-Mexican crowd with their players in mid-season form, the Mexicans coming up short was sadly, not wholly unexpected. Simply put, they haven’t scored in almost 800 minutes on American soil. That is not a strong way to pave the groundwork for victory, lest to say, that they should not expect to win without scoring. However, they outplayed the Americans for large stretches of the game, and had numerous scoring opportunities that were thwarted by a mix of good (but not great) defensive stops and off-sides flags. They had chances to score but simply didn’t.

Watching the Mexican team last night, I thought of talented young baseball players trying so hard to hit the baseball they inevitably would fail to hit it. It seemed that with all the intensity of their play, collectively, they were trying too hard to score. Sometimes some finesse in sports outranks pure intensity and the Mexican determination outdid themselves. The Mexican team played well, and the Americans scored all the goals. It seems that the Mexican team has continually failed to realize that the American strategy is based on counterattacking. The Mexican players, coaches and media can go ahead and blame chance or luck, but without a changeup in game plan, the Mexicans will continue to play into American hands, err feet.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Promotion and Responsibility

Staying at a hotel in CT, I noticed a blonde-haired woman dressed in a tidy grey suit excitedly given orders, recommendations and instructions at such a frantic pace, I hardly recognized her. Although I recalled her Boston accent and energetic manner, seeing her giving instructions (not recommendations) to other employees was strange. Usually playful and willing to bend and break rules for our group, the grey suit spelled out the end to that. With quick smile and "hello" she recognized me in the dining room in front of my laptop, but quickly reverted back to supervisor, warning one banquet employee that her hoops need to be changed.

I knew they had been asking her for months to take on more responsibility and a promotion to managing the banquet staff. This means she finally had given up resisting and had taken the opportunity. When she had finished with her troops, she welcomed me with her usual warm, inviting way and hugged me. She explained about her new position and said it was easier taking on the promotion than dealing with the hotel constantly asking her about taking it. After showing me her task list and confiding to me a few minor complaints, she was off again, cleaning this, arranging that and giving more instructions.

Responsibility is a mean deal. Personality traits that were endearing as a co-worker can be unbearable as a boss. Once, there was kinship between workers and a feeling of being in it together. After, the responsibility of management supercedes friendship and instead, the new supervisor becomes the enemy. Workers choose not to complain about work details in front of their new boss and a wedge begins to grow in the place of their former working friendship.

I saw the beginnings of that today. Some of the other members of the hotel staff were already motioning away from her view how crazy their new boss (old friend) is, frantic about getting everything accomplished under her watch. Before, when things did not get accomplished or they got accomplished in a way that was not correct, the blame was spread out among several members of the staff. With a manager in place of the banquet staff, blame is now fixed on one individual. Therefore, the shared responsibility becomes the responsibility of one.

The new boss must be able to conduct his/her workers in a effective manner to make sure things get done right. Whether or not they are successful is determined by how well they can get workers to accomplish customer and management's needs and requests along company guidelines. Good luck to my friend, and I hope that her allegiance to co-workers does not cloud her better judgment getting tasks completed or that her new promotion doesn't force her to forget how it was on the banquet staff.