duds of culture

My chemisty professor, Dr. Vaz, Dr. Apollo Vaz, is from Pakistan. As Dave Porter and I sorted years ago, you have your cricket-playing nations of the world, and then you got the rest. The primary benefit of being a cricket-playing nation is your position relative to the Queen when Remembrance Day comes in November. Your emissary has a better seat...luxury boxes of a sort. A cursory review of wicket-loving locales: England, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, Australia, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Wales, Scotland. Yes, I'm missing some, but if you aren't on that list then the Queen isn't, or never was, your head-of-state. Not only do these nations compete at cricket but they blend very nicely into the atmosphere that is the business paperdoll kingdom of England. This isn't a good or bad thing, just an observation. The dress of professionals in England, and the cricketeers at large, is deafeningly similar. I'd say 'continental' but that's not right, nor true. Dr. Vaz dresses in that European/sub-continent/cricket style: pleated, cuffed slacks and open collar long-sleeve shirts. I imagine there's a tie while at hospital during the day but it's more casual in the classroom. The blend of colors is very interesting and something you cannot buy in America. Those colors remind of a 128 crayon box, not the horribly inadequate 24 or 48 that my kind get by on. This is stuff that you need a shopping destination of London or Islamabad to buy. I quite like it because it's so different than the standard Tom DeLay-power suit that thrives in America.

Boston is whole 'nother joint. I spent a fleeting few hours involved with Logan airport and the type of folk you see in the terminal. I think major airports represent a nice cross section of what you might see in the greater Metro area. I think I've the ability to eliminate those that are clearly imposters, visitors, and transients. Coming into Logan last week I decided that Boston is made up of professors (and their associated progeny) and punkers. London punkers, no less. You get a feel for both in the photos above. Speaking of duds; the baggage claim at Logan is the worst thing ever! My first movement through that airport and it jumps above Atlanta Hartfsield and the Phoenix AirGarage on my list of most awful places in the world. At least on my way out it was 4:30am so it didn't seem so bad....aside from the detour through downtown Beantown that takes you somewhere out somewhere....and then ceases to post signs. I ended up somewhere near the early stomping grounds of the New Kids.

I've a fine story about my wonderful holiday...

soon enough.

t