The Democracy Debate

So yesterday, voters across the nation hit the polling stations.

Here in New York, Michael Bloomberg won an unprecedented third term as Mayor of New York City, although the race was much closer than anybody anticipated.

Democratic candidate Bill Thompson ended up netting 46% of the vote - almost ten points more than anybody had expected. That still wasn't enough to usurp Independent incumbent Bloomberg and that was something the whole city should be grateful for. Bloomberg was undeniably the superior candidate.

In New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie managed to pull victory out of the hat - nailing incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine by four and a half percentage points. Many people had expected Christie's campaign to be derailed by the popularity of Independent candidate Chris Daggett - who'd polled as high as 20% in the weeks prior to the vote. However, in the end less than 6% of people voted for Daggett and those that didn't invariably supported Christie.

In upstate New York, the right-wing suffered a deliciously well-deserved defeat in the special congressional election. The original race was supposed to be between Democratic candidate Bill Owens and moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava - one of the few women in the GOP. However, hard-line conservatives within the party - including vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and right-wing television hack Glenn Beck - fought bitterly to oust Scozzafava because of her support for gay equality and abortion rights (which mad her an 'unacceptable' candidate, despite her having the full support of local party members.)

A tearful Scozzafava stood down from the race, to be replaced by hard-line Conservative Douglas Hoffman. However, the voters soundly rejected his conservative rhetoric and Bill Owens won an election that would clearly have gone to Scozzafava if the Republicans hadn't been so pig-headed about ousting her. Their loss is their fault.

Most disappointingly of all, voters in Maine supported 'Question 1' - a motion to overturn the court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in that state. It was a close battle - with 47% of voters supporting marriage equality - but the message was clear. Just like California before it, the majority of residents still weren't behind gay marriage.

All in all, there were a mixed bag of results. Personally, I was very happy with the results in New York - both in the mayoral elections and the upstate congressional election. Michael Bloomberg is an honest and pragmatic politician with the city's best interests at heart, while the extreme right-wing of the Republican party needed a firm and unequivocal bitchslap to remind them that America is a nation of moderates - not fire-breathing, Bible-beating wackos!

The New Jersey election was another matter. I was no fan of Christie, as readers of Militant Ginger already know. But my candidate, independent Chris Daggett, was never in with much of a shot. The race was always between Corzine and Christie and as much as I disliked both of them, if I had to give it to either, I guess Christie would be my choice.

I dislike many of his hypocritical social policies and if his record as US Attorney is anything to go by, he's a big, fat, corrupt sleazeball. However, his campaign was centered around the financial mess that New Jersey is in - the rocketing tax rates and gaping budget deficit. If he concentrates on fixing those problems, perhaps The Garden State is still in with a shot of redemption.

As for Maine? It's disappointing. Just like with Proposition 8 in California, I find it ridiculous that the right-wing wasted so much money, energy and time to take away the rights of other people. 'Protecting' marriage is a farce. Same-sex marriage actually supports monogamy and commitment - while the 'institution' that the right wing are trying to 'protect' is a broken system that ends in divorce in the majority of cases.

But the people spoke - and even if you don't agree with what they said, it's important that we at least live in a country that gives them a chance to say it. Compare American democracy to what transpires in Europe - in which a states-wide 'constitution' is ratified without letting the majority of voters ever have a say in it. Why? Because if democracy was allowed to run it's course - and the people of Europe were actually given a vote - the treaty would be soundly and irrevocably voted down.

America is at least a country in which the people have a voice - and the government is transparent enough to let them use it, even if that means the 'people' don't always end up making the 'right' decision.

Snow Joke!

Last night, we had five or six inches of fluffy white snow.

That meant it was time to break out the shovel.

Shoveling snow is a fact of life in the north eastern United States. Back in England, I never really experienced more than a few inches of snow at any one time. In New York, a few hours of snowfall can leave you having to literally dig your way out of your front door.

Some people scoff at the notion of global warming when they see all this snow. I'll tell you one thing, though. Despite a load of the white stuff falling several times this winter, it's normally gone within a few hours. That never used to happen.

Even as recently as when I was visiting Long Island (back in 2002) the snow would come down heavy and stay there for days. Townships would often run out of their 'snow budget' in December and then not have the money to salt the roads when the snow came down again in January and February.

It a documented fact that 'snow days' are getting rare. Apparently the rising world temperatures aren't making winters any less cold - but they're chipping days off the beginning and end of winter - steadily making the cold season shorter and shorter.

Personally, I can't wait. Although I used to get so excited by snow when I was a kid, the novelty soon wears off when the roads are slushy and just getting to the end of your driveway is an Arctic adventure.

Look at all the snow I cleared!

68 Degrees in New York City

Last week, the Global Warming Disinformation Squad (who spread the lie that Global Warming is a liberal conspiracy) clapped their hands like excited seals. A protest held in Maryland to draw attention to the rising world temperature was hit by a very ironic shower of snowflakes.

"Global warming indeed!" They scoffed, donning their gloves and mittens. But a flurry of snowflakes in February - especially in Maryland of all places - isn't exactly a nail in the coffin of Global Warming theory.

If the Global Warming skeptics really want us to examine the weather, let's just take a look outside the window. Here we are, in the early days of February - and the weather in New York city would be more usual in September or October.

It was an astonishing 68 degrees today - Room temperature! Just five years ago, New Yorkers were huddled inside while inches of snow filled the roads. Today, people are out in t-shirts, while those of us in heavy coats are schvitzing!

It's very difficult to ignore Global Warming when we're living right in the midst of it.

The Giants Make History

If there was ever an American Football came to cut my teeth with, it was this one.

Watching the tactical battle between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants was nail-biting stuff. In a fiercely competitive game, the Giants set out on the offensive, scoring a field goal in the first quarter. They stayed on top of the Patriots throughout the next two quarters, until a second touchdown by New England seemed to guarantee defeat.

In fact, it wasn't until the last minute of the game - literally seconds before the final whistle - that an amazing lob across the field won the Giants an astounding 80 yards of turf - and enabled them to hammer home a vital touchdown that edged them three points over the (until then) undefeated Patriots.

On the brink of an undefeated season - something that hadn't been seen for 35 years - the Patriots had victory snatched away from them by the plucky New Yorkers. THIS was the game people will be talking about for years to come.

I had the good fortune to enjoy the competition in the company of some die-hard Giants fans. when that final touchdown was scored, you could hear their cheers all the way in Arizona.

I'm still not quite sure I understand the finer details of the sport - but I'll tell you this much. It's a thousand times more exciting than the average tepid game of Premiership Soccer.

History in the Making...

Tonight is the 42nd Superbowl - ending the NFL season and pitching undefeated favourites the New England Patriots against tough, but tempered rivals the New York Giants.

It's an enormously important game - and here in New Jersey we're all rooting for our home team (New Jersey doesn't have it's own NFL team, so we root for next-door's Jets and Giants.)

The reason why this game is so important is because the Patriot's astounding success this season. They are undefeated after 18 games. If they win the Superbowl, they'll not only capture football's most sought-after prize - they'll also have achieved a straight-run of success not seen since the 1972 Miami Dolphins took the cup after an undefeated season.

It's hardly a David and Goliath story, since the Giants haven't had too disappointing a season themselves, winning thirteen of their eighteen games. However, calculating the odds based on the team's performance this season, it's clear that defeating the Patriots will be a challenge.

I'm off to watch the match with my brothers-in-law. I'm no great football fan, but I'm quite excited to see our home-team in the running. The NFL is a much more entertaining championship to watch than, say, the soccer World Cup. In 'European football' (as I've been reduced to calling it) the ninety minute kickaround generally ends with a penalty shootout - thereby eliminating all the strategy and competition and reducing the match to a random game of chance.

At least with American football, the outcome is never predetermined, the scores can always change and when victory is decided, it's normally decisive.

If the Americans know anything, it's spectator sports - and tonight's Superbowl XLII promises to be the ultimate example of that.

Giants come to London...

The good people of London were shocked this weekend.

"Giants?" They asked. "Battling Dolphins?"

Expecting something from a Godzilla movie (or possibly an episode of The Goodies) they dutifully lined up at the new Wembley Stadium and watched NFL legends the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants battle it out for... Well, I'm not quite sure.

What the American Football match was FOR was not important. What was important was that two legendary National Football League teams had crossed the Atlantic for a groundbreaking grudge-match on British soil.

It was a trial run, to see if the NFL could successfully make the transition from an American institution to a global phenomenon. Two of the greatest football teams in American history were matched against each other (both the Giants and the Dolphins have won two Superbowls) and the reaction was carefully gauged, to see if a future European transition might be successful.

And what was the reaction?

Curiosity. Confusion. A certain amount of ridicule.

American Football is such a spectacle in comparison to British sports. The armour and uniforms. The cheerleaders and half-time shows. You really do get your money's worth at an NFL game, but I suspect the British mentality will never quite gel with the concept.

Soccer (what we Brits call football, because you play it with your feet) dominates the sports scene. It'll take more than a few burly Americans to knock that institution off it's pedestal. And rugby? The closest comparison to American football?

Well, in Europe we joke that American Football players get modelling contracts, while rugby players wind up with cauliflower ears and broken noses. While the games themselves are quite similar, the way they're played is very different.

American footballers are larger, stronger and more powerful - able to perform astounding feats of speed and strength during the very short 'plays' of the game.

Rugby players, on the other hand, are tough and fast, but those attributes are tempered by stamina and grit. An American football game gets stopped and started many times, giving their athletes a chance to catch their breath. Rugby players just keep on going.

Rugby is a brutal, but unpretentious game. There are no cheerleaders or fancy costumes. It's toned down and much more in keeping with the British mentality. Like very small children, we Brits are overstimulated when confronted with the pomp, ceremony and showmanship of the National Football League of America.

So while I admire the American sport and the incredible athletes who play it, I don't think it will ever catch on in England. On the surface of it, we're too reserved and self conscious to enjoy the spectacle of an NFL game - and if we secretly did, we'd all be far too snobbish to admit it.

The Giants won 13-10 against the Dolphins in yesterday's game.

Channing Crowder, defensive back for the Miami Dolphins, admitted he wasn't aware that people spoke English in London - proving conclusively that a football scholarship from the University of Miami isn't really all that academically impressive.

Subway Psychology

"A person is smart. People are dumb."

Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) Men in Black

If aliens landed on Earth, what would their impression be?

Not very positive, if their landing zone was anywhere near a Subway station during rush hour.

Something about public transport brings out the worst in people. We transform from rational, intelligent beings into selfish, stubborn creatures as soon as we disappear underground.

Humanity has sent man to the moon and split the atom, yet stick sixty of us in a subway car and suddenly we're just animals again. We bustle and nudge aside other passengers on the platform. We desperately try to cram three hundred people into a carriage designed for sixty.

Today, a fat man tried to squeeze himself into the overstuffed compartment of the Uptown E Train, his ample backside squished between the carriage doors. His hefty buttocks were preventing the door from shutting, but he feigned innocence and astonishment when the conductor demanded: "Stand CLEAR of the door, Sir."

Riding twenty blocks uptown wasn't a very pleasant experience. Thank goodness I'm tall. A lot of the shorter people on the train found themselves eye-to-armpit or worse.

But, of course, acting idiotic on public transport is not an American invention. New Yorkers might be thoughtless and selfish as they wage their war against the other commuters, but they know the all-important rule. Don't do anything that might delay the train.

The greatest example of subway stupidity I've witnessed was on the Paris Metro, when the sliding doors simply refused to close because so many people were stuffed into the compartment.

"Move forward!" The conductor demanded. "Make room for the doors to close!"

As the passengers in the compartment breathed in and shuffled forward, they created about six inches of free space for the doors to close. Except before they could, an entire wave of eager passengers stepped off the platform to fill the newly vacated space.

If looks could kill, that conductor would be France's greatest serial killer.

A Day that will Live in Infamy

The attacks of September 11th 2001 will always be the ‘Where Were You When…?’ of my generation.

Especially here in New York. At work today, there was a subdued atmosphere. Nobody living or working this close to the Big Apple managed to escape the tragedy of 9/11 untouched, so absolutely everybody I meet and talked to had a vivid story behind what happened that fateful Tuesday morning.

9/11 made the world change. From the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Centre emerged a ‘War on Terror’ that took America down the path towards conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The lackadaisical presidency of President Bush was transformed into his rugged White House War Machine – support or hatred for which divided the nation.

Images of orange jump suits and rows of coffins draped in the Stars-and-Stripes appeared on our TV sets.

Gitmo. The Patriot Act. Operation Enduring Freedom. Misunderestimated. All these words entered our common vocabulary as a result of al-Qiada’s brutal and cowardly attack.

But as one of my colleagues told me today – it’s not the time to think about any of that.

He is pretty liberal leaning. He has a lot of unanswered questions about what happened before and after 9/11 and where it’s taken the country he loves. But today, none of that matters.

He said it’s time to remember those who passed away in the tragedy. We can question the ‘why’ and the ‘who’ afterwards.

Almost 3,000 people were murdered that fateful morning and via ‘six degrees of separation,’ that leaves very few Americans untouched by the tragedy. The attacks left widows and orphans across the United States. On this date, it’s our duty to remember them.

246 plane passengers.
2,200 civilians at the World Trade Centre
125 at the Pentagon
343 FDNY Firefighters
23 NYPD Police Officers
37 Port Authority Police Officers

2,974 murdered people.

We will remember you.

Sword Play

Okay, I'll admit it. I got bitten by the Renaissance bug BAD.

Ever since I came back, I've been inspired by the fun and enthusiasm of the "Rennies" - apparently the correct term for hard core Renaissance Faire attendees (is that like the term 'Trekkies?') We'll definitely be attending any other local events when they happen.

There'll be no surprise about the aspect of Renaissance Faires I liked the best.


Well, second best, after the bustiers. It was the sword fighting.

Attending a Renn Faire gives everybody the chance to carry around a sword. It's part of the outfit. It's part of the lifestyle. It's part of the over compensation in some people's cases.

But at a Faire, the only people who whip them out (the swords I mean) are the trained and trusted members of the Faire staff. Because even if your mighty blades are 'safety' blunted, you can still give somebody a near fatal crack on the skull with one (and the pointy bits are more than capable of making shish-kebab out of anybody.)

Sword fighting is kept very sensibly behind the safety curtains. You'll see it on stage. You'll see it in skits. What you won't see are regular Rennies slapping each other silly with three feet long lengths of steel. But that's what makes it so exciting.

As soon as I saw some of the Renn Faire players dueling to the death, I was inspired to learn the art of stage combat and do some swashbuckling myself. But what is involved in a project like that?

Well, there are actually more stringent rules in place about becoming a stage combateer than there are rules about gun ownership (in many states, at least.) To get up on stage and thrill the masses with your daring exploits, it's necessary to pass certification by the Society of American Fight Directors. Their examiners will test candidates and only on successfully proving your skills can you earn one of the coveted SAFD certificates which enables you to legitimately start slinging your steel about.

There are eight techniques in stage combat. Rapier and Dagger, Single Sword, Broadsword, Broadsword and Shield, Small Sword, Knife, Quarterstaff and Unarmed.

To pass certification in any of these weapons, you'll need to undergo thirty hours of training by an SAFD certified instructor. Then, by preparation of a brief staged combat, you'll be tested in each weapon by an instructor.

It's a pretty major commitment - but there are certainly opportunities for those who attain those certificates. Hollywood movies still seem to involve plenty of fight scenes!

You can find out about the SAFD here.

You can learn about SAFD training in New York here.

So once you're on the road to becoming a master swordsman, what about your weapon?

I've collected swords for years - I have several at home I picked up in junk and antique shops when I was living in Plymouth. Would those be suitable for staged combat?

The answer is 'maybe.' Vague, aren't I?

The truth is, not all swords are the same - especially not these days. It's possible to buy fake samurai swords for £20 down at the Blackbush market, but that doesn't mean they're any good.
Most decorative swords are made out of stainless steel. Some are even sharpened, so they look like deadly weapons. However, stainless steel simply isn't up to the rigors of stage combat. The first time a SS blade meets another, most likely they'll both shatter.

Stage combat swords are made out of high carbon steel, with much more flexibility in the steel than regular stainless. It's these swords that can handle the abuse and that explains why high carbon weapons are worth so much more than stainless display pieces.

Stage combat swords are easy to get. They're available by mail order from several online companies. One company, Stage Steel, even design swords especially for stage combat.

They do tend to be more expensive than stainless steel replicas, but that price is worth paying. Buy a display sword and start dueling with your buddy and at best, both your swords will shatter. At worse, they'll shatter and the shards will pierce something soft and fleshy.

Back in the City

This week has been something of an adventure - hence the lack of blog posts.

The most exciting thing that happened to me must have been my return to New York. In almost three months of being back in America, I've failed to visit New York City even once, which is shocking. But I had a job interview on Avenue of the Americas and I got to see the city that I fell in love with once again.

Like it's always done, New York blew me away with the sheer size and scale of the place. I was up around 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue. That's where the big business is done and the buildings suggest that, all being tall, no-nonsense geometric shapes. Gazing up at them made you dizzy.

It's a nice part of town. There's MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art. You can see The Rock, which is the local name for the Rockefeller Centre and the headquarters of NBC. If you've ever in the town, there's a view from the 'top of the Rock' that rivals the Empire State, so it's worth a visit. Plus there's the famous Radio City, which I got to see from ground level and from the 36th floor of one of the big tower blocks.

Around the back of 'The Rock' was something I hadn't seen since we left Winchester - a farmer's market! Most of the produce came from local states like Jersey and Pennsylvania.

It was fun and exciting to be back. It made me sad that I didn't make the effort to head to Manhattan earlier. But at least this time, I had a reason for going - and nothing marks you as a tourist more quickly than not storming down the New York sidewalks like you've got a purpose.

New York Renaissance Faire 2007

This weekend, we visited the amazing New York Renaissance Faire - an enormous exhibition celebrating the good 'olde' days.

Located in Sterling Forest, just outside Tuxedo in upstate New York, the whole event sounded like a lot of fun. In order to attend, however, it was necessary to dress the part. Nothing makes you stick out more than sneakers and a t-shirt!

For me, that meant another chance to wear the kilt (and I watched Highlander the night before to get in the mood.) Tina and our friends went for more fashionable attire. You can see below what this season's Well Dressed Wench is wearing...

The faire itself takes place in a custom built arena deep in the rolling oak forests of upstate New York. There's an entire village there, which the participants call "the shire." It comes complete with pubs, restaurants, shops and a jousting arena, plus handy street signs and road names (the 'privies' are located on Spend Penny Lane) to prevent anybody getting lost.

The first thing you notice about the faire is how enthusiastic the participants are. There is a permanent cast wandering about, featuring Queen Elizabeth I, Robin Hood and his Merry Men and various Squires, Serfs and wenches.

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However, the people attending the fair tend to be fully costumed and in character too. British accents abound (of varying degrees of quality) and some truly outstanding costumes make it difficult to tell the difference between the enthusiastic visitors and the people who work there.

The historical period in which the fair is set is very loose. Although the period is supposed to be vaguely Elizabethan (hence Her Majesty wandering about) you will see Vikings and Highlanders brushing shoulders with pirates and even Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

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The emphasis is on having fun and getting into character, rather than keeping everything historically accurate. As one person described it to me: This is medieval period how it was meant to be - with no bigotry, racism or open sewers.

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Bearing that in mind Tina and I went off to explore.

Annie met her heartthrob, the dashing Captain Jack Sparrow.

Tina decided to try her hand at a bit of archery.

I went hunting for the Loch Ness Monster!

Tina then got friendly with a local pirate. Very friendly!

A Viking and I discussed the dire state of the long boat industry.

Tina visited a local pub, where she was introduced to the way medieval people apparently drank mead. I'm not quite sure I entirely believed that one. The mead was delicious, though.

Throughout the day, events and theatre kept us entertained. One of the most dramatic shows was the jousting, which was thrilling stuff even if it came across as a bit choreographed (which is presumably the only way you can do it safely.)

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You could even buy pennants to support your favourite knight, with the proceeds going to the upkeep of the horses.

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Unfortunately, my favourite, named after the fictional Ulric Von Lichtenstein from the movie A Knight's Tale, fared very poorly.

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Two of the other riders were inexplicably named Francis 'Ducky' Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh, after two of England's greatest naval heroes (who presumably weren't great jousters.)

Although it wasn't on the same epic scale as the jousting, one of the highlights of the faire was a short play called The Perfect Scoundrels, which was performed enthusiastically by two actors with highly convincing British accents (even by my standards.)

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It appealed to me because it was very much in the mould of a British pantomime, right down to trainee thief Thomas actually turning out to be a girl disguised as a boy.

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There were cracking one liners aimed at the adult audience (at one point, Tom accuses his mentor of having 'fingers stickier than Lady Godiva's saddle.') There was audience participation for the kids (when one of the Scoundrels barks out: "If it's not nailed down?" the audience responds in chorus: "It's free!") Plus, most importantly, there was loads of thrilling sword fighting, beautifully choreographed and lots of fun to watch.

After enjoying the action for a while, Tina and I decided to be part of it ourselves again, so we continued to explore.

Tina tried out as a mature student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I asked the important question: Does this club make my bum look big?

I took time out to appreciate the Fair's plentiful supply of delicious beer - which normally results in where all four of us ended our day.

In the pillory!

I had enormous fun. Really, it was probably the best day I've had since coming back to America.

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Because everybody - guest, employee and vendor - got into the spirit of the faire, it made it a far more interesting experience than a sanitized Disney theme park or stale museum.

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Renaissance really seems to be a lifestyle, into which people immerse themselves entirely. Creating a medieval persona. Buying the costume. Learning the skills and perfecting the accent. It's a wonderful, liberating thing.

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Having encountered Asian knights and African American Highlanders at the faire, I realise now that Renaissance creates a micro society that seems to recognize no boundaries of age or race.

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You don't have to be who you are. You can be who you want to be. And the more you believe in the noble (or dastardly) persona you create, the more rewarding the whole thing is.

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Notes

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The New York Renaissance Faire continues every weekend and US Labor Day until the 23rd September. It's located in Sterling Forest, Tuxedo NY and is very easy to find. Admission is $20 and costumes can be rented for the occasion (because if you wear capris and a tank top you'll just look dumb.)

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The Perfect Scoundrels was written by Katherine Harte and Nathan DeCoux and performed by Nathan Decoux and Emily Rouch. Presumably they're not available for Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, so don't ask. They carry swords.

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Out of the myriad traders at the faire, the ones that really grabbed our attention were:

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Knightly Endeavors - http://www.knightly.com/

Earthtone Instruments - http://www.earthtoneinstruments.com/

Black Prince Armory - http://www.blackprincearmory.net/

Sphere Play - http://www.tryouttoys.com/

Hollow Earth Swordworks - http://www.hollowearthswordworks.com/

Madd Hatter - http://www.maddhatterhats.com/

Medieval Metal - http://www.hairtwisters.com/

Foolonastick - http://www.jakes-toys.com/

Highland Secrets of Suzanne - http://www.highlandsecrets.com/

Cloud McCleod - http://www.rareearthflutes.com/

Heart's Delight - http://www.heartsdelightclothiers.com/

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There were many, many more (like the wonderful Crow's Nest, where we met the pirate Tina is dallying with above) but many didn't have websites.

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After all, this is the middle ages!