Somebodyisfromhere.com's Housekeeping

Somebodyisfromhere.com is grooming himself for a trip to Florida this weekend. He'll be flying into Tampa this evening, hitting the beach tomorrow, and hitting a spring training game in Clearwater on Sunday. Fun is expected.

 Along with spring training, Somebodyisfromhere.com looks to spend a significant time watching the NCAA tournamenet. Villanova, which is 10 mins away from his house, has advanced to the Elite Eight...and they beat Duke to get there. Somebodyisfromhere.com hates Duke, but in fairness, he also hates UNC. Go Wildcats.

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Somebodyisfromhere.com just read Fareed Zakaria's interesting article on Radical Islam. Anybody, who has seen him on the Daily Show knows Zakaria is intelligent and forward thinking...

"Pakistan's Swat valley is quiet once again. Often compared to Switzerland for its stunning landscape of mountains and meadows, Swat became a war zone over the past two years as Taliban fighters waged fierce battles against Army troops."

(more here:  http://www.newsweek.com/id/187093 )

Switzerland?  Really? The non judgemental Somebodyisfromhere.com wonders if this is true. Let's see...

Wiki has a beautiful Picture of Malam Jabba, a ski resort in the region. Of course, this ends much like youd expect...

"There was a popular ski resort in Swat at Malam Jabba, 40 km north east of Saidu Sharif, closed in 2007 due to the decreasing ability of the Pakistani government to maintain security in the region. In June 2008, the ski resort was burned down by militants."

(more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swat,_Pakistan)

 "One of the busiest squares, Grain Chowk, was renamed by shopkeepers as Khooni (bloody) Chowk because when they come to their shops in the morning, they find four or five bodies hung over the poles or trees. The bodies are usually headless."

(more: http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2009/01/200912512351598892.html)

pic mountain (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3f95iVVUx6I/R1K9U6NHeiI/AAAAAAAADrU/IeMZuHUJRlg/s1600-R/beautiful+mountains+of+swat+valley.jpg)

ski resort (http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2395457-Swat_Valley_Mini_Switzerland_of_Pakistan-Pakistan.jpg)

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (46) | TrackBacks (0)

Is it time to rethink policy towards Cuba?

Fifty years of animosity cannot be set aside in a stroke, but now is the time for Washington to act. Much of the initiative lies with the new president. President Obama, could, for example, make good on campaign promises to allow Cuban-Americans to freely remit funds to relatives in Cuba and to visit them regularly, and could loosen travel restrictions for others as well. (Some of these measures can be found in legislation currently working its way through Congress.) Obama could also initiate technical contacts. Each country already maintains an "interests section," a small embassy by another name, in the other's capital. They also share information about weather. But they could resume exchanges on such common challenges as migration and drug interdiction, and initiate them on homeland security and counterterrorism.

Going beyond this and dealing with the basics of the embargo—or removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism—would likely require congressional approval. Current law, though, makes it almost impossible to take such steps. It requires that Cuba effectively become a functioning democracy before sanctions can be lifted. But it's precisely engagement that is far more likely to reform Cuba. Preconditions are an obstacle to effective foreign policy.

The Obama administration has a great opportunity to begin modifying U.S. policy before or during the Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Trinidad. A new U.S. policy would not only increase U.S. influence in Cuba, but it probably would also be the single most powerful way in which Obama could improve the U.S.'s standing throughout the Western Hemisphere. The United States can engage with China and Russia, not to mention North Korea, Syria and even Iran. Surely it ought to be able to do so with Cuba.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/188147/page/2

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (47) | TrackBacks (0)

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It's nearing St Patirck's Day and therefore it's the season for Shamrock Shakes and Irish Potatoes. Somebodyisfromhere.com has learned that McDonald's doesn't serve the Shamrock shake at all stores and finds this troublesome. Worse, however, is the fact that, Irish Potatoes, a delicious snack, might be something only he is familiar with. Well, not him, but his area and he is sad for the rest of the world for missing out.

 Wikie says.

Irish Potato Candy is a Philadelphia delicacy though it is neither Irish nor a potato.

It is an extremely sweet treat, generally made up of some blend of coconut, confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk or cream. These treats are about the size of a large marble and are quite popular around St. Patrick's Day. Oh Ryan's makes the largest distribution of Irish Potatoes, delivering them to major chains and smaller candy stores throughout the nation, though most of the deliveries are focused in the Philadelphia area.

Many people believe that the Irish Potato was created as a commemoration of the Irish Potato Famine.

recipe/picture:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Potato-Candy/Detail.aspx

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (243) | TrackBacks (0)

With the Rocky Mountain paper going out of business, a lot has been made about the trouble of the industry. Well that trouble no doubt exists. Still, nationally, there has been an effort  to group in somebodyisfromherecom's favorite paper the Philadelphia Inquirer. Recently, as the national news would have you believe, both The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News filed for bankruptcy. Which paints a devasting picture for the cities newspaper business. Except, they are the same company and thus filed for the same reason. The two papers are generally run differently with different staffs. They do not appear to be in any imediate danger of going under. Instead, it was just financial manuevering. Long term prospects...who knows?

Then comes this news. The company announced that the Daily News will be released as a "unique" edition of the Inquirer. The papers will still be released separately, but this enables them to save $500,000 on Associated Press fess as well as some advertising fees. It's a move that almost reaks of desperation if it didn't come off as so obvious it should have been done years ago. It looks like the industry has to get smarter and Somebodyisfromhere.com is glad his favorite newspapers are.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090303_Daily_News_will_become_edition_of_Inquirer.html 

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0)

Somebodyisfromhere.com wrote a story awhile back about Philly Sports. He watched it up close for years and felt like writing, in a sense, as an answer to the national media who say the fans are unduly mean. (http://somebodyisfromhere.com/PhillySports.html)

This article came to his mind this weekend when Brain Dawkins left the Eagles after 13 years with the team. Dawkins got Phildadelphia. To a degree, it seems like you just get it or you dont. He knew what fans wanted to hear. he also knew what they want to see. unapologetic hard work and no scape goating. in contrast donovan mcnabb doesnt get it. after more than a decade in the league he often appears bitter. bitter about being benched. bitter about being booed draft day. this perception gets carried out nationally where reporters say who mistreated mcnabb is. sure he gets booed but he is also, according to polls, the cities most popular quarterback ever. behind jaworski, behind cunningham. this is never a part of the focus.

this week pat burrell's tampa bay devil rays played the phillies in spring training. here is another player who got the city during his stint here. burrell a notorious slumper always took responsibilty. never blamed anybody else. his last interaction with the team was when he led the world series parade down broad street.

meanwhile, jimmy rollins doesnt get it. sure, he takes on new york in the media. that get's the city, with its inferiority complex going, but then he calls the team front runners (http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080814_Rollins_calls_Philly_fans_front-runners.html) a year after the town got behind him during his mvp season.

it doesn't seem to hard to get philadelphia, but some get it and other people just don't. years from now, long after they hang up some other citie's home jersey, they will be beloved. 

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (44) | TrackBacks (0)

you travel to europe, France especially, and the thought will cross your mind, "wait, i have to pay to use the bathroom" it's an odd sensation. well recently Ryanair, the cheapest airline around ( i once flew from london to spain for a Single pound(plus taxes). well they thought they would start charging for the bathroom.

 http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=63417699.blog

Posted by Somebodyisfromhere.com at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)