On the front page of every Economist worldwide…

America is doing well for itself.

 

The Pound

and I don’t mean the British currency.

This article talks about how the Obamas are revolutionizing campaigning by bringing the “pound” (the “fist bump”, the, as the New York Times calls it, “Closed-fisted high five,” or the “fist-to-fist thumbs-up”) to pop culture.  Already popular in sports (the British golfers love to make fun of how Tiger always fist-pounds his caddie after a great shot, and it’s more popular in team sports)–it’s penetrating pop culture now.

ERB

 

This Week

I’ve been a bit quiet this week, as I’m reviewing for my exam on Monday.  Oxford has very few evaluations throughout the year—just a three-hour exam where anything from the term is fair game.  I’ve been tackling questions such as:
What are the main factors of democratic stability?
Do federal systems encourage or discourage majority representation?
What are the main causal effects of electoral law?
“There are no perfect ways to compare governments; just strategies that work better or worse under certain circumstances.  Discuss.”
And much more.  This is what I’ve been learning in class this year.

Earlier this week, I spent the day in London.  I went in the morning to get my visa to travel to India, and I stayed the rest of the day. We’ve got our finals coming up in a bit, and London is a great place to get some work done, if you know where to go.  I could walk around London without running into anyone I knew—a welcome distraction.

St.-Martins-in-the-Fields is a famous old church right by Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.  It is home of some of London’s most historic moments, and served as one of the largest bomb shelters during the Blitz.  In the basement, the crypt—with vaulted ceilings and tombstones—has a café with bottled Cokes and free wireless internet.  Enough to make me happy!

And Wednesday, we had a fundraiser for the project I am working on now: Vote From Home (more on this in a bit).  We raised over $1,000, so it was very exciting!

ERB

 

I just got this e-mail from a friend in Africa who speaks about twenty words of English

can I vote for Obama? How?

All the world wants this change for your country.

 

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Cooper Swift, my friend who is now the 2008 canoe poling national champion for the Intermediate Slalom and Intermediate Wildwater.  He beat contenders from all across the country over the weekend in Missouri. Way to go!

 

Obama is the nominee

I don’t know where to start.

Although Hillary hasn’t dropped out yet, the international media is overwhelmingly declaring it “Over.”

I have received e-mails today from China, the Middle East, and across Europe–the places I’ve traveled this year and the people I’ve met–congratulating me on the Obama win.  One reads, “We’re just excited as you are.”  One e-mail from the middle of Europe reads, “You should see how happy people are here.”

I love my country very much, and it’s amazing to see the rest of the world responding the way they are.

Living abroad and studying our country in the global context this year, I am consistently faced with one theme: we have big problems.  But we also have the greatest country in the world.  The line around the U.S. Embassy in London stretches for hours, as people await their chance to enter our country.  We do so much that is the envy of political scientists and citizens everywhere.  But we face a lot of problems, and it’s going to take a lot of will to get through those problems.

I think of how I felt this January, just five months ago, in a cold gym in Iowa with thousands of people chanting, “We’ve got hope.”  It will take more than hope; it will take a commitment from a lot of people to do what’s not always easy.  Obama is not perfect–the last five months have shown that–and he’s not going to change everything completely, but he is very, very good.  And that’s a start.

“Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”

–Barack Obama last night

 

Alcohol is now banned on the subways in London

and people throw big parties in subway cars.

 

NBA Finals

For a NBA fan in the US–I am excited beyond belief.

Lakers-Celtics.

I know I was a toddler when they last played, but I’ve watched enough ESPN Classic and know enough history to be fired up.

Check this out.

 

Ross on the BBC

It was great fun!

First of all, the British made fun of me, but complimented my taste in graduate programs, saying I could have gone to the Ivy Leagues but came for a “real” graduate school.

They assumed that I knew nothing about “soccer”, as they derisively called it, and were stunned when I knew a little bit. Then they asked me why “football” was becoming more popular in America, and if it was due to David Beckham.  I said no, not really, but Beckham made the ESPNs of the world pick it up.  I said a few things:
1) Most 25-year-olds and less in America played soccer as a child.  This is not true of older generations.  We are more familiar with the game and like it more as a result because we understand it better.  Generational replacement is driving popularity.
2) Women’s sports–soccer is a big-time girl’s sport, and women are becoming more involved
3) High-profile things like Beckham and World Cup 2002 success.

They asked me my favorite team, I said that Arsenal was my favorite.  I love Arsene Wenger, their manager, and the style of soccer he plays–it’s the most fun to watch.

Then we started talking about America.  They said they went to the World Cup USA 1994 and had a fantastic time, and I said “we Americans, hosting is what we do best!”

Finally, they asked for a prediction.  I said that America “face stiff questions” (common British phrase, I said it tongue-in-cheek), but then said “I am a true patriot and love my country.  I expect a reprise of 1776!”

EXPLOSIVE laughter from the commentators.

ERB

 

US v. England

Tomorrow I am going to be on the BBC!  The US plays (or as the British say, the US “play”) England in football, and I am going to be the Sample Foreigner Interviewed To Talk About His Team.

Will I be knowledgeable?

Will I be a cavalier cowboy?

Will I confuse “football” with “American football”?

Will I use British sayings?

Will I refer to the number of “caps” a player has?

We’ll see!