CARACAS, Venezuela–As noted previously, Venezuela, the hybrid home of fast-forwarding, sloppy socialism, is a land of contrasts. Rain forests and skyscrapers. Oil wealth and nasty slums. Spanish scions and African ancestors. Capitalists and campesinos. There’s another contrast. This one’s made in America. It’s a foreign policy artifact that’s at least at odds with the spirit [...]
The crowd at the corner of MLK Boulevard and Himes Avenue — not counting two uniformed police officers and one in plain clothes — numbered about 60 people. Their nationalities-in-solidarity: Venezuelan and Cuban. Their signs: hardly nuanced – most notably “Chavez = Castro + Hitler.” Their ardent message: Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s easily demonized, polarizing president, [...]
For most folks, a fortnight out of the country means, among other things, a local news blackout – and a cancellation of newspapers. Given the nature of news, it’s, frankly, part of the allure — if not a flat-out inducement — to travel more. What’s the point of getting away from it all if you [...]
He’s the Bay Area’s best known sports figure not named Barber, Blake, Dungy or Lecavalier. His name — Dan Wheldon — is actually best known nationally and internationally. It’s what happens when you’ve won the Indianapolis 500. It’s what happens when you’ve been nominated by ESPN for its “Hottest Male Athlete” award. And it’s what [...]
As this historic Democratic primary rages on, the battle of words ratchets up. While words are seemingly the coin of the realm to Barack Obama, the Change-Agent/Template Candidate, they’ve become shorthand for shallowness to Hillary Clinton, the self-proclaimed voice of experience. Words, to be sure, are not more important than actions, solutions, Day 1 readiness [...]
