Hating on House Hunters International

I've never liked House Hunters International much, but more because of philosophical reasons than anything else. It pains me to see some small-minded Americans acting like ... well, small-minded Americans and all that the stereotype implies. They expect things their way, constantly comparing things to how things are in the US.

Wake up call: You're not in Kansas anymore, asshole, let alone the US! You don't go to Morocco looking for a riad with modern amenities for a cheap price. You don't go to metropolitan Asian city and complain how there's no backyard space. You don't complain about how small rooms are in urban European cities. And you don't find areas full of other ex-pat Americans to live because you're afraid of mingling with the locals! You are lucky enough to have the experience of traveling and living abroad but you're narrow-minded and full of yourself to try to experience life as a local.

And now to top if all off, the show is completely fake. I think a lot of people already were aware of this, but it was news to me. Apparently, the whole "take me to three or four different locations and I'll choose one at the end" is all a set-up. The clients have already chosen the house and are already in escrow. They get paid $500 for the filming, and only have to go through the motions of being taken from one place to another. $500 is still $500 so good for the home purchaser, but for HGTV to build the show on the premise that it's real, that kind of makes it the opposite.

Petit pays je t'aime beaucoup ...

Cesaria Evora, the barefoot diva, passed away today. She is one of my favorite singers, with a deep, soulful voice. It didn't matter that she sang in creole--despite whatever language you speak, her voice can stir your emotions and rumble the foundation of your soul. Au revoir, Cesaria. May I one day watch you sing Petit Pays in that French cafe in the clouds.

The anti-Santa

Check out this pretty cool news story from NPR about a little known fact about Christmas celebrations: the anti-Saint Nicholas. Introducing the Krampus, the bad cop to Saint Nick's good cop, the Yang to Santa's Yin. Whereas Santa gives gifts to the good kids, Krampus punishes the bad ones ... by snatching them up in a basket and bringing them back home to devour for Christmas dinner. Nice.

St. Nicholas and Krampus
(Picture from Wikipedia.org)

This unique folkloric tradition takes hold among the Alpine countries in Europe--parts of Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Looking from the expression of the kids in the picture to the left, this is waaay more effective than threatening little Timmy that Santa won't give him a toy firetruck if he's bad. "The Krampus will come by and snatch your whiny ass if you don't shut the hell up!" I have to remember this when we have kids.

Urban planning around the world

Urban planning and development is the merging point of transportation policy, artistic design, political economy and sociology. We all hear the generalization that Europe (and some Asian nations) is more "walkable" or "pedestrian friendly," that its transit system is so much better than the US'. But what does that mean, how and why is it like that? What in a people's history, economy, politics and social thinking that differs from the general US population's that allows this? A new blog by a buddy of mine looks at travel and urban planning.

My friend, Winnie, is a global thinker and a world traveler, like me. She's also an urban planning nut, which I'm sorta. She's also an amateur photographer, like me. (Yeah, she's pretty cool.) Her new blog/portfolio that merges all three of these passions of hers--very interesting and academically stimulating stuff. Check it out: http://winniewfong.wordpress.com/.

On that same note, take a peek at http://www.theatlanticcities.com/, a website that examines many of the same issues by the Atlantic Monthly, thanks to Richard Florida of "creative class" fame.