I Live HERE!

While I do understand the gravity of my current living situation (dead center London) every now and then I am reminded just how amazing it is. The Boston Globe just published 24 new incredible shots of London and I just had to share. I also took a few and added arrows to indicate where I live in correlation to major landmarks. You know, like Big Ben (which I can hear chime every hour on the hour). Click them to enlarge the images. Go London!




I'm away for the weekend, so enjoy yours!

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Kyle Taylor

Old Habits Don't Die

The notion of "why can't we all just get along?" is wonderful. Beautiful. Perfect. But it's not realistic. I'm probably going to be labeled a cynic for writing this, but it's time we get real. Democrats and Republicans aren't going to agree on everything. Not only is that ok, I would argue it's preferable. Mind you, this notion is applicable to any country in which multiple parties exist - Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem, Christian Dem and Social Dem, etc.

Barack Obama promised a new era of bipartisan collaboration that "puts politics aside to do the American people's business." He went on to say:

"I hope I've communicated a sincere desire to get good ideas from everybody. And my attitude is that this is the first major piece of legislation we've been working on the Hill, and over time some of these habits of consultation and mutual respect will take over. But, you know, old habits die hard."

Here are the problems with this:

1. President Obama is being just as political as the Republicans by preparing a piece of legislation that is inherently Democratic in nature then using it to suggest Republicans should be "less political." He's basically saying, "look, this is the right way and if you don't agree then you're making it political." Granted, I'm fine with it because I believe in Democratic ideals and think tax cuts have proven over the past 8 years to be the most ineffective way on the planet to spur economic growth, favoring the wealthy who don't reinvest and create jobs but instead buy private planes and 11 houses. Yes, that was a dig on McCain.

2. These aren't "habits" we're talking about, they're World views, value sets and political philosophies. They're rooted in a lifetime of considering domestic, social, moral and international issues then deciding how to best solve those issues. Again, I'm completely biased here and for the most part, agree with the Democratic framework on this, so I'm very very pleased with the direction we're moving in. Couple that with the complete failure of the last eight years and you wonder how anyone could still believe in the Republican philosophy (though some would argue it really wasn't Republican). Nevertheless, people do, and it is all but impossible to get half of a country to adopt an entirely new World view over night simply because one man says it's the right thing to do. Society has never and will never work that way. These value sets are shaped over generations, passed down from parent to child again and again and again. Granted, that doesn't mean they're right (that is, I do believe there are absolute truths - equality for all, liberty, freedom, etc.), but they simply are, and they have been for a really long time. Bottom line, the expectation that we'll all agree is fundamentally impossible to attain.

3. Despite everything, 58 MILLION people still voted for John McCain. That means 46% of all voters, with all the facts in, still thought John McCain's course of action was better. The US is trapped in a two-party system that makes every issue black or white, left or right, agree or disagree. To change that would be to change our entire political culture. Yes, President Obama has suggested he is the man to do it, but he is still a Democrat who holds Democratic principles and who will [hopefully] never be a Republican, and that's FINE, just as it's fine for Republicans to feel completely the opposite (though I would argue they're wrong using a great deal of quantitative and qualitative research that proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Republican economic, social and international policies are rarely - if ever - successful).

In discussing the economic stimulus he said:

“We're not going to get 100 percent agreement, and we might not even get 50 percent agreement, but I do think people appreciate me walking them through my thought process on this."

Even if we get 0% Republicans, that's fine, and at some level, should be expected. If you're coming at problems from entirely different places, shouldn't we simply acknowledge that we're not going to agree? Look, Bush had 8 years to prove his philosophy and we all watched at is failed miserably. Now Obama has [hopefully] 8 years to prove that a Democratic philosophy works better (the same way FDR, LBJ and Clinton did some 60, 40 and 10 years ago). If we do it, hopefully people will realize that and continue on the same trajectory. If not, we'll head right back into the Republican doldrums, as happened after FDR, LBJ and Clinton. It seems to be entirely cyclical - Republicans crash and burn an entire nation and let Conservative values hold us back, a Democrat sweeps in and makes a great deal of progress, Republicans come back in and keep us there for a solid 20 years or more, Democrat sweeps in and edges us forward again. My only hope is that this time, we don't fall back into a Republican doldrum.

So then, my advice to President Obama - keep consulting and explaining to Republicans why what you want to do is the best idea a) because it's the right thing to do b) because it looks great to the American people. Then, after you've consulted your heart out, just do what's right. That's why the other 66 million of us voted for you.

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Kyle Taylor

Photo From: http://www.bestofbarack.com/images/barack-obama-custom-sneakers-1.jpg

Scientology What?

I was wandering through Central London yesterday and stumbled upon a group of people handing out slips about their protest of Scientology because, they said, of the Church's "fair-game policy, their tax-exempt status and their history of human rights violations." I had always heard some interesting things about said "religion" (usually about aliens and space ships), but was not all that familiar with these more serious charges. A quick google search revealed the following:

With regard to "Fair-game policies," it appears that in 1965 L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology, formulated the "Fair Game Law", which states how to deal with people who interfere with Scientology's activities. These problematic people, called suppressive persons, could be considered "fair game" for retaliation. He declared:

"The homes, property, places and abodes of persons who have been active in attempting to: suppress Scientology or Scientologists are all beyond any protection of Scientology Ethics, unless absolved by later Ethics or an amnesty ... this Policy Letter extends to suppressive non-Scientology wives and husbands and parents, or other family members or hostile groups or even close friends."

Basically, if you say something bad about us all ethics go out the window and we can destroy your life if we want to. WHOA. Although he was forced to rescind that statement in 1968, "The Church has retained an aggressive policy towards those it perceives as its enemies, and argued as late as 1985 that retributive action against "enemies of Scientology" should be considered a Constitutionally-protected "core practice" of Scientology. Double WHOA.

As for the other charges, it is indeed classified as a non-profit, despite raking in upwards of one billion dollars, according to some estimations. One site I found said that full membership costs $380,000. You know, it's just like other religions. Oh wait, no it's not.

Eek, should I be worried about this post? Am I now "fair game?" Oh well, at least these video clips are funny. My favorite moment is when Tom Cruise salutes a portrait of Hubbard while mumbling something in secret Scientology language.

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Kyle Taylor

What, Exactly Are We Stimulating?

It's only day 3 and already the "come on, lets all be friends in the name of America" attitude is slowly rolling down a long, steep hill. While I don't think that's a bad thing (more on this in a later entry) I do think it's important to start paying very close attention to this Economic Stimulus Plan. Why? Because Congress has acknowledged they've only read 40% of it and it's being driven by statements like "we're going to create 4 million jobs by next Wednesday" and "these banks need saving."

Whatever happened to people in this whole process? We're bailing out banks, supporting institutions, ensuring the stability of our financial sector, etc. etc. etc. Furthermore, Bernie Madoff, who stole roughly $50 billion doesn't go to jail - he gets house arrest. I mean, what message is that sending? "Wow, you stole lots of money. Shame on you. Now sit in this luxury apartment, eat fancy food, watch TV and think about what you've done!"

Meanwhile, less than 30% of Americans even invest in the stock market and a majority of 35-55 year olds say they're actually experiencing a "negative savings rate," which is a nice way of saying they're losing money. Meanwhile, we're giving banks money?

I'm all for stability but I think it's crucial that economic stimulus focus on meeting people's basic needs, and because every bit of rhetoric thus far has focused on pretty buzz words, I can't tell you (and apparently Congress can't tell you either) what exactly we're going to be stimulating. In all, total spending will pass $1.5 TRILLION. I can't even fathom that much money. Mind you, it was apparently excessive spending that got us to this point in the first place. Heck, as long as we can just print more money we may as well, right?

Bottom line, pay attention and hold people accountable. If I remember correctly, it was Ben Bernanke's press secretary who, when asked how they picked the $700 billion amount for the bailout said: "we wanted a really big number. You know, so it really seemed good." No irony. No sarcasm. No sense.

Note: The image came from here and was the first thing that showed up when I did a google search for "stimulus."

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Kyle Taylor

Because You Have To Complain About Something...

Just when you think dialogue might actually be maturing, evolving and changing, a story like this turns up to slap some sense right back into you.

Apparently Christians are now upset because President Obama referred to an America inclusive of "non-believers." Um, I'm sorry, what?!?! Backed by numerous Christian leaders, these individuals go on to explain that America is a "Christian Nation" and that Obama is now attacking "American values." Funny, I thought American values involved separation of church and state, freedom of religion, liberty and justice for all and something about equal rights. I must have been mistaken.

Believe it or not Protestants, you only represent 50% of the country, which means there's that "other half" who have somehow managed to live all these years celebrating a different religion or no religion at all. It continues to shock me that in the same year we saw real change by electing our first minority president people are still finding ways to ensure "majority rule" by pushing their dominant faith, dominant sexual orientation and dominant gender perspectives on the rest of the nation (and often, the rest of the World).

The only thing we all have in common is that each of us is marginalized in some way. Rather than attempt to rank which minority status is "worse off" or "destroying the fiber of America," why not look at these other individuals who aren't just like you and think, "hey, I'm x and I know what it's like to feel lesser than everyone else. He or she is y, which is different than x, but still makes them a minority. That must feel very similar. I'll empathize with them and be supportive."

Now, is that really so difficult? Barack Obama was elected because of his promise to re-unite America and remind us that "We Are One." He is every American's President regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or political affiliation. Similary, The United States is every American's country regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or political affiliation. We constantly go on about how that makes us "better than the rest" so lets start living these values, people. Come on!

The article, in case the link doesn't work: http://news.aol.com/article/obamas-nonbeliever-nod-unsettles-some/316339?icid=200100397x1217174047x1201143706

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Kyle Taylor

Shout out to my Mom for sending that article along and getting equally enraged.

What I Missed In London...

So apparently things got a little cra-zay at LSE while I was attending the inauguration. I got back to find an email from the Student Union that reads as follows:

Good campus relations

(Blah Blah Blah, Ok, that's good.)

Upcoming protests

(Blah Blah Blah, Ok, people protest a lot here. Same as American University.)

Occupation of the Old Theatre

As you may already be aware, the Old Theatre is currently being occupied by students from Palestine Society. Their demands can be read here. The Students’ Union is mediating between the protestors and the School. Howard Davies has issued a response, which can be read here. The Students’ Union defends the right of students to protest peacefully.

WHAT?!?! A student group is "occupying" a classroom? That puts AU to shame! I'm not going to comment on the issue itself, beyond acknowledging that I was quite surprised to find this note in my inbox. If you're interested, here is a link to the entire dialogue that occurred. The occupation of the Old Theatre is now, as far as I know, over.

Man, what a week!

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Kyle Taylor

First Pictures, Now The Story

It all started at 7am, when fiver weary troopers arose to toast, juice and coffee (minus the coffee for me) before beginning our trek down to the National Mall. One said trooper had a ticket, so she veered off in an effort to get closer. The rest of us rendezvoused with 9 other trooper-like folks and continued on our journey.


Brilliantly, the organizers funneled everyone onto one main drag, which kept foot traffic moving. Things were full but calm. Overwhelming but reserved. We managed to canoodle all 13 of us into a perfect spot just steps from the Washington Monument. A jumbo-tron was just to our left, the dome of the Capitol visible on the horizon. Three hours to go and every square inch of space is nearly full.

An hour passes and the freezing temperatures start to take a toll on our toes. Fortunately, people were beginning to arrive, which allowed for collective "cheering and booing, depending on who emerged. Actually, only one person solicited boos. I'll leave that to you to determine.

Every time they go to a shot of Obama, his motorcade or someone who looks like Obama, people go crazy! The environment is electric. 11:30am finally rolls around. President Elect Obama emerges. It's go time.


This is the moment where everything starts to feel like it's happening in slow motion. Invocation creepy, as Warren gutturally expounds the names of the first children: "Sashaaaaaa and Maliaaaaa." Just take the oath. Aretha's voice booms and people are overwhelmed. Just take the oath. Biden is sworn in. Please just take the oath! Finally, at 12:02pm Chief Justice Roberts stumbles through the oath of office, Obama kindly repeating what he has said even though it's incorrect (now that's class). And just like that, Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States.

People go crazy! I am in a state of shock. Could it be? Is George W. Bush really no longer the President? He has reigned my entire adult life and I don't quite know how to digest a Bush-less world. More than anything, I am relieved. Relieved that it has finally happened. Relieved that Bush will go back to chopping trees or starting fires with sticks or something. Relieved that a brilliant, inspirational man is now at the helm.

The speech scores big with most of the crowd. The 40 and overs are crying. Still, a peaceful calm weights on the crowd. A unified sense of "woosh, we can relax now. It finally happened." Then, just as all 2 million of us tromped in, we tromp right back out. National Guardsman direct our path, smiles on their faces. They're gunless. I am further confused. We top it all off with an All-American cheeseburger from Five Guys.


At home we watch the parade and rest up, only to learn of the events that followed - Ted Kennedy and Bobby Byrd falling ill. Hillary Clinton sticking it to some rogue Republican Senator who is questioning the philanthropic work of the Clinton Global Initiative. Toasts. Applause. A parade. Balls. A new way forward.

Oh what a day. Oh. What. A. Day.

UPDATE: And oh what a week. Within 48 hours we begin to close Guantanamo, put an end to secret CIA interrogations, reinstate habeas corpus and freeze White House staff salaries. Booya-kasha!

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Kyle Taylor

Inauguration Photos!

Just running out, but posted tons of pics from the big celebration on flickr here. A more thorough update after I celebrate!



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Kyle

BBC Radio Appearance Part 2

BBC Radio welcomed me once more Monday afternoon, this time from the National Mall! We took questions from the World over about whether or not expectations have been set too high for the incoming President. I was the "middle of the road" perspective. Yes they've been set high, but at no fault to Obama himself, who has been working tirelessly to explain that change takes time and must involve each and every one of us. You can listen to it on their website here. Click the "podcast" or "listen" link on the right.

The link, in case the embed doesn't work: http://worldhaveyoursay.wordpress.com/

More news soon!

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Kyle Taylor

Rockin' For America

It was easily the biggest concert of the year. Garth Brooks, Ellen, John Mellencamp, Bon Jovi, Queen Latifah, Bruce Springsteen, Shakira, Usher, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Bono, Beyonce, Jack Black, Laura Linney, Tom Hanks, Josh Groban, Joe Biden and yes, even Barack Obama. Two hours. One million people. The Lincoln Memorial. Hot Dogs. It was an All-American afternoon and I was right near the front, just off to the left. Magical.


Yes it was cold and yes we were standing for about 6 hours, but it was worth every minute. I walked from where I was staying (nearly 2 miles) and found roughly 1 million people staking out a spot or waiting to get through security in anticipation of staking out a spot. Contrary to what most were anticipating, it wasn't overwhelming, it wasn't stressful and it wasn't scary. People were jubilant. Excited. Relieved. The security guards (it did feel like we were in Baghdad's Green Zone) were friendly. Crowds were [fairly] orderly and everyone was just taking in the amazing moment.

My fear has always been and still remains that people believe at some level that they have elected, as the good Reverend said yesterday, "not a man, but a Messiah." With that framework we as a people are setting him up for failure. Obama took that to task in his remarks, noting that change takes time and must involve each and every one of us. Whether people were hearing him is another question, but I do hope so. For now, I think most are embracing the overwhelming sense of euphoria that has filled the usually quiet city. Come Wednesday though, it's go time. The struggle wasn't won on election day, and the office - the institution of Democracy - is bigger than any one man. Let's just remember that.

Here are some of my shots from the concert. Tomorrow is the big day! GOBAMERICA.
























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Kyle Taylor

Let The Crazy Commence!

I've been in DC for a few days now but today marks the beginning of "official" Inauguration events. Until Saturday evening the future President wasn't in the District and now having some context, it should have been more obvious. As I sit here writing - roughly 15 blocks from the National Mall - helicopters are whirling overhead. Police cars cruise down the street about every 5 minutes. There are even men with guns standing on the corner. And that's 15 blocks away!

While there was no indication of extra people on Thursday and Friday, they started to arrive in droves yesterday afternoon, and all decided to go to the same 4 venues last night. The energy is off the charts. This city is alive.

Today we're walking down to the National Mall for the big concert - every famous person on earth singing songs about America! They're expecting 1 million people and there are five entrances. Woo!


The "obstacles" seem to be buses and the weather. 10,000 charter buses are converging on the city in the next 24 hours. Yes, you read that right. Now, where are they going? They're actually turning city streets into parking lots. SOLID MASS OF BUS. As for the weather, it was -11 degrees Friday with windchill. I have never in my life been so cold! Still, we're braving it because this is a once in a lifetime experience.

My only note to the "out-of-towners:" When riding escalators on the subway, stand to the right and walk to the left. Thanks!

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Kyle Taylor

Madame Secretary

How sweet does that sound? For anyone who managed to see her confirmation hearing yesterday, you were probably aware of two major themes:

1. It was a love-fest all around. Democrats were lovin' on her nad even Republican's were lovin' on her. At one point Dick Luger, the senior Republican, called her "the epitome of a big-leaguer." Yes please.

2. She was SO PREPARED. Word on the street is that she has spent the last two weeks researching, studying and reading every brief the State Department produced. She also met with every member of the Foreign Relations Committee IN PERSON.

While I'm not going to get into too much detail, all I'll say is that it was 6 hours of real intelligent people talking about really important issues in really nuanced ways. Elite? I think not. Just bright. Now that's who I want at the helm of Diplomacy! My two favorite quotes:

"I am proud to be an American at the dawning of this new American moment."

“Foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principles and pragmatism, not rigid ideology, on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice."

Now, tell me again why having intelligent people in charge is bad?

This is an article talking more about her prep work.

Here is one on "Hillary Clinton Reimagined."

Here's a video recap of the hearing.

Okay, en route to DC for the Inauguration!

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Kyle Taylor

Photo of Hillary from the Washington Post Article

Photo Adventures: London

In light of my recent cabin fever and school stressing, I decided to reinvest in this great city I now call home. Armed with the new Canon Digital SLR (Thank you Santa and Mrs. Claus) I've been hitting the town to capture every perfect site in this idyllic, brilliant, inspiring city. I'm posting them all on my flick site in the "LSE in London" folder (sorted by neighborhood), though I'll include some here as well every now and again. Off to DC tomorrow to witness my President being sworn in. Can't wait! More on that soon.



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Kyle Taylor

An Attack On Intellectualism

It's a frightening day when you realize that being intelligent and valuing an education has become a negative in the United States. It all began with Sarah Palin - 5 schools before a college degree and no postgraduate work, but if you said a word about it you were being "elitist" and "cruel," as if that was no to decide whether or not a person should be entrusted with the fate of the free world. I agree that it's not the only criteria, but what, exactly, is wrong with getting an education?

Now, once again, she's back on her high horse saying reporters "mistreated" her during the campaign. Recent quotes include such zingers as "The mama grizzly rises up in me, hearing things like that," whilst referring to recent criticism of her teenage daughter's pregnancy and subsequent marriage. While her kids are not necessary up for discussion, she is, and so should her intelligence. Now the media are elite for asking hard questions, Obama was elite for going to Harvard and the country is just full of "liberal elites." Replace elite with intelligent and you've got "the media are intelligent for asking hard questions, Obama was intelligent for going to Harvard and the country is just full of "liberal intelligent people." How terrible!

It's an attack on intellectualism, and it isn't the first time this has happened. Look back to Pol Pot's Cambodia, just to name one. Things are going downhill, those in need are vulnerable and all of a sudden it's time to blame educated people who are "distant" and "don't understand" because they're just so educated and "high and mighty," rather than think "hey, why don't I try and get an education as well, so I can be intelligent, make educated decisions and create a better future for myself and those around me?"

It hasn't come to the surface just yet, but it's a bubbling and I'm scared for all of us. Yes, there are problems with access to education, and that's something that needs serious attention. Still, that doesn't mean the best thing to do is attack anyone who does have one. Meanwhile, it seems to be increasingly cool to plead ignorance and want a leader who does the same. Now that is frightening.

Part two emerged just today, with "Joe The Plumber" reporting live from Israel on the current escalation of violence. He offered such telling insights as "when someone hits me, I'm going to unload on the boy." When discussing the situation for Israeli's in southern Israel he said “I’m sure they’re taking quick showers, I know I would. So you can’t plan your day, you can’t take a picnic.“ Mortars are being launched and he's talking about planning a picnic?

Hundreds of people are dead and at the root of it is a conflict that is hundreds of years old, of which Joe has no knowledge, but you can't say anything about that because then you're being elite (read: intelligent). Well I'm over that. Let's get a few things straight. Joe the Plumber has no idea what's happening in the Middle East and should not be given a platform by the likes of even CNN, who are reporting on his reporting, which is in and of itself a major problem.

It's alright that people are experts in subjects then use that expertise to explain a situation or do something about it. Rather than get irritated, maybe just try and learn something from them. What's more, why doesn't the media get back to doing it's job - reporting real news. By telling stories like this they're legitimizing this attack on education. What else did Joe have to say? Oh, just that the media have no business reporting war. Why, you ask? Because it makes "the war" unpopular and then it's harder to fight it. And where did he make this statement? While reporting on war!

I can only hope there isn't some broader agreement on this absurd notion. While I in no way believe the mass media have done a good job of reporting conflict these past 8 years, I can't even imagine where we might be had all of this been simply happening with no watchful eye. What about Abu Ghraib? Guantanamo Bay? The list goes on and on. Still, there it is once again - advocating for ignorance. For staying in the dark and not seeking anything beyond your own immediate World. Does that really sound ideal to you?

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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Kyle Taylor

My Brilliant Friend

I have a friend who is too smart for her own good. She draws these AMAZING charts on her blog that track everything from New Year's Resolutions to Twilight Appreciation. Well, she has just topped herself in introducing an official Mortal Combat bracket tracking the Obama Administration. That's all I'll say. While I am finishing term papers, enjoy her hilarity by clicking here.

The direct link:

http://chartography.wordpress.com/

P.S. We also share a birthday (same year!)

'Millionaire' Contestant Makes Worst Use Of Lifelines Ever

NEW YORK - Idaho resident Kathy Evans brought humiliation to her friends and family Tuesday when she set a new standard for stupidity with her appearance on the popular TV show, 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.'

It seems that Evans, a 32-year- old wife and mother of two, got stuck on the first question, and proceeded to make what fans of the show are dubbing 'the absolute worst use of lifelines ever.'
After being introduced to the show's host Meredith Vieira, Evans assured her that she was ready to play, whereupon she was posed with an extremely easy $100 question. The question was: 'Which of the following is the largest?'

A) A Peanut
B) An Elephant
C) The Moon
D) Hey, who you calling large?

Immediately Mrs. Evans was struck with an all consuming panic as she realized that this was a question to which she did not readily know the answer.
'Hmm, oh boy, that's a toughie,' said Evans, as Vieira did her level best to hide her disbelief and disgust. 'I mean, I'm sure I've heard of some of these things before, but I have no idea how large they would be.'
Evans made the decision to use the first of her three lifelines, the 5 0/50. Answers A and D were removed, leaving her to decide which was bigger, an elephant or the moon. However, faced with an incredibly easy question, Evans still remained unsure.
'Oh! It removed the two I was leaning towards!' exclaimed Evans. 'Darn. I think I better phone a friend.'
Using the second of her two lifelines on the first question, Mrs. Evans asked to be connected with her friend Betsy, who is an office assistant.
'Hi Betsy! How are you? This is Kathy! I'm on TV!' said Evans, wasting the first seven seconds of her call. 'Ok, I got an important question. Which of the following is the largest? B, an elephant, or C, the moon. 15 seconds hun.'
Betsy quickly replied that the answer was C, the moon. Evans proceeded to argue with her friend for the remaining ten seconds.
'Come on Betsy, are you sure?' said Evans. 'How sure are you? Duh, that can't be it.'
To everyone's astonishment, the m oronic Evans declined to take her friend's advice and pick 'The Moon.'
'I just don't know if I can trust Betsy. She's not all that bright. So I think I'd like to ask the audience,' said Evans.
Asked to vote on the correct answer, the audience returned 98% in favor of answer C, 'The Moon.' Having used up all her lifelines, Evans then made the dumbest choice of her life.
'Wow, seems like everybody is against what I'm thinking,' said the too-stupid -to-live Evans. 'But you know, sometimes you just got to go with your gut. So, let's see. For which is larger, an elephant or the moon, I'm going to have to go with B, an elephant. Final answer.'
Evans sat before the dumbfounded audience, the only one waiting with bated breath, and was told that she was wrong, and that the answer was in fact, C, 'The Moon.'