the old cynicism is still there
You may have noticed a marked lack of cultural criticism directed towards San Francisco and this screwed up country in general as of late. Don't worry, it's all still there. It's just that having a boyfriend tends to temper my vitriol. Apologies.
One phrase though, tonight, reading in the New York Times, triggered that old feeling that pretty much most of the values I hold are in obvious conflict with the cultural belief systems in the United States. In an interview with Dutch designer Lucas Ossendrijver, he states, "In the Netherlands, even if a cyclist causes an accident with a car, it’s always the motorist’s fault, because the cyclist is much more vulnerable." This view is in complete opposition to that of Americans. If a bicycle gets in the way of a giant SUV, here in America, it's of course the bicyclist's fault. It's written in city law that bikes should think of themselves as equals to cars. This is absurd! A motorist can run over ten bicyclists before they even a notice a dent in their Ford. How can anyone in their right mind consider them equals?
On a nicer note, Ossendrijver namechecks one of my favorite pubs in Paris, the Pop-In.