Baracky, the film

This is classic. Pay special attention to Hillary Clinton's famous "shame on you" tirade against Barack Obama, which features her supporter, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, angrily nodding his head in agreement with the New York senator's carefully and pathetically staged diatribe. I can almost picture the rehearsal: "No, Ted, you're not nodding sharply enough. You don't look pissed off enough. Let's try this again."

Mere sound bytes of Clinton's ugliness throughout the course of this primary season are enough to make me fear I'll lose the lasagna I had for dinner. Regardless of the outcome of this soap opera, I hope others will join me in never casting a vote for the candidate whose campaign has turned into a personal crusade.

The times, they are a-changin'

Or at least this site is, at any rate. After nearly two years, I decided its address was rather unmemorable and unremarkable. (Living in America 2? Was it the offspring or reincarnation of the first? Nope, neither. It was the consequence of someone else who had a clever idea for a blog name before I did.) So, I bought a new domain. Hopefully it will stick with you like that one Justin Timberlake song that you publicly ridicule but secretly blast and sing along with when you're alone in the car.

In any case, friends, please update your bookmarks to www.evergreenspeak.com. No worries if you forget to do that, though — those who use the old address will be redirected.

So, you ask, what's with the new name? Well, there are principally four reasons:

• I initially thought it was clever and catchy. I was probably wrong.
• Washington, where I live at the moment, is known as the Evergreen State. I tried to make the header banner reflect that. There you go.
• I'm a bit of an environmental nerd. Ever green, so to speak. Get it?
• The domain was available. Nothing sexy about that — or about this blog, for that matter.

As always, thanks to everyone who stops by and comments on occasion. Apart from your contributions, I'd be talking to myself. Trust me when I say I do enough of that already.

Why local, microbrewed beer is always better

Perhaps it's a question best answered using analogies.

Drinking a locally brewed craft beer is like strolling through the historical district of a city, where carefully preserved, charming old homes are matched by well-kept gardens and walkways with unique architecture and mature vegetation. Drinking a mass-produced beer is like speeding through a cookie-cutter subdivision in suburbia, where each house is a clone of the next.

A microbrewed beer is like having a meal at the corner bistro, where only fresh, organic, locally produced ingredients are used. A big-name beer is like eating breakfast at IHOP.

Ordering a seasonal pint at a brewpub is like making reservations at a bed-and-breakfast, where you're never quite sure what you'll get until you arrive. Ordering a Budweiser at Applebee's is like checking into a Motel 6 for the night — you knew what to expect before you even knew a Motel 6 was at that particular freeway exit.

Trying a craft beer you've never had before is like setting foot in a foreign land for the first time. Trying a Heineken is like living in Ohio and going to Indiana for vacation.

Does this make sense? Any that I missed?

An anniversary I thought I'd never reach

Today marks the one-year anniversary of my first day of employment with World Vision. That's crazy to me. As I get older, measurements of time seem to become incrementally shorter — years like weeks, weeks like days, days like hours, and hours like minutes. I'm sure I'll reach a point when a decade seems like a year. In any case, it seems impossible to reconcile the notion that 12 months have already passed since I made this transition.

That's largely because when I first arrived in the Northwest, I never thought I'd last a year here, or anything close to that. I was miserable as hell — a young, unmarried guy living in an unfamiliar place where I had neither family nor friends within 2,000 miles. I knew it would be hard, but I never knew it would be that hard. I started seeking a Plan B almost immediately. In the absence of people to connect with, physical places have no soul. It's a stark reality I discovered in no time, and it's a lesson to remember — to always be grateful for and never take for granted the people in your life. Where would you be without them?

One year later, I'm hardly Mr. Popular in these parts, and that's OK. I've met people here in the past 12 months who have become close friends and added meaning to this chapter of my life. Friends who selflessly gave up a Friday night to help me move — and understood when I undid that move just four short days later. A boss who twice lent me his truck, free of charge, for the same purpose. One colleague who shares my sarcastic and often infantile sense of humor, enjoyment of microbrews, and connection to the Midwest. Another who also just so happens to have roots on the tiny, unknown island in Lake Michigan where my parents now own a summer home. The list goes on.

I've heard the saying that "life is what happens while you're making other plans." That's very true. I'd be foolish at this point to make any more categorical predictions about where I'll be or what I'll be doing at specific points in the future. The past year has taught me the futility of such a mindset. Instead, it's best to simply take life as it comes — and the lessons that follow. This journey isn't over, and it won't be without its rough spots. But it will be a continuous learning experience, made possible by one constant — family and friends back home whose support made the journey possible in the first place. These are people I miss as much now as the day I first left. If you're among them, please do keep in touch.

Be nice, for Oklahoma's sake

The buzz around here lately has been news of the Seattle SuperSonics' likely move to Oklahoma City, following a drawn-out battle with the team's owner that is too convoluted and high on drama to recount in this blog post. The short story is that the NBA Board of Governors approved the move last Friday, pending resolution of a lawsuit filed by the city of Seattle that would force the team to stay put for the next two seasons (the remainder of its lease on KeyArena). Clearly, city and state officials view this snafu as a source of civic humiliation for Seattle.

To be honest, I haven't paid any attention to the SuperSonics since the team unsuccessfully challenged the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA finals, and I'd be at a loss to name a single player on the team today. I suspect many others would be as well, because frankly, the Sonics suck. With that in mind, I've not lost any sleep over this soap opera. I'll probably be the last to notice when the team does finally pack up and leave town.

For anyone who is upset: Consider it from a different perspective. Think about where the team is going. Seriously, Oklahoma is one city (and state) that desperately needs something to brag about. Let them have the team. I trust it'll be the first source of pride for that place in a very, very long time.

Sorry, Oklahoma fans, I don't mean to sound elitist. But sometimes the truth just needs to be spoken.

First Goose Island pub to close

I was saddened by this headline, which reports that the original Goose Island brewpub on Clybourn Street in Chicago will close by the end of this year, citing rent increases in a part of town that apparently has become too hip.

This pub is a place where I've enjoyed fine brews with family and friends on several occasions. There's another Goose Island pub in the Wrigleyville neighborhood, which will thankfully remain open. Nonetheless, it's disappointing to see the closure of an establishment that held strong for 20 years and served up a line of craft beers that remain among my favorites. (Goose Island isn't for sale anywhere in the state of Washington, making it one flavor of the Midwest that I deeply miss.)

The reason for the pub shutting its doors is both ironic and surprising to me — ironic because rent increases in this trendy neighborhood are driving out the very type of business that the area needs to maintain its trendiness; and surprising because the Clybourn pub always seemed popular enough that one would expect it capable of absorbing a financial setback like this. The rent hike must have been insane.

Here's a piece of trivia about Goose Island that I didn't previously know: It was started by an alumnus of the University of Iowa, also my alma mater. Perhaps I could save a few dollars to take over the lease at 1800 North Clybourn and continue the tradition. Imagine the possibilities.

A majestic spring weekend

This past weekend was easily the most gorgeous weather we've had here in the Pacific Northwest since last summer — nary a cloud in the sky, and unseasonably warm temperatures hovering around the 80-degree mark. On Friday, I joined some friends for happy hour at Salty's, a terrific seafood restaurant with outdoor seating built on a pier over Puget Sound.

On Saturday, I drove down to Olympia to visit a friend who lives there and take in some brewpubs I'd never visited. Remarkably small and low-key for being the capital city of a major state, it's a friendly and charming town whose character is akin to that of a hippie commune. The downtown area is full of independent bookstores, coffee shops, art galleries, pubs, and eateries, all within easy walking distance of the State Capitol campus. There are lots of tie-dyed shirts, rainbow flags, and bumper stickers recommending more trees and less Bush. I enjoyed it immensely. My friend was kind enough to provide a free place for me to stay on Saturday evening; I was leery of the hour-long drive back home following our libations.

Speaking of, we stopped by two brewpubs. One was the Spar Cafe, part of the Oregon-based McMenamins family of breweries, where we enjoyed a fine German-style Kolsch. The other was the Fish Brewing Company, a local favorite featuring several excellent organic and cask-conditioned ales on tap (I partook of both). For dinner, we ate outdoors along the Olympia waterfront boardwalk at a place called the Budd Bay Cafe, which offered great seafood and views of the sun setting over the bay and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Gorgeous beyond description.

Does Hillary Clinton read this blog?

I recently argued that the unrelenting animosity between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is playing right into the hands of their shared rival for the presidency, Sen. John McCain, who shouldn't even have a prayer this year. I swear I didn't pay Clinton to prove my point for me — but nonetheless, she did so brilliantly this weekend, pointedly calling the Illinois senator "elitist" and "out of touch" and contrasting that with the self-proclaimed "Midwestern values" she supposedly acquired from being born in Chicago. This comes after Obama made an ill-conceived remark about Middle American voters being "bitter" and "cling[ing]" to single issues like "guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them..."

Out of courtesy for the former First Lady, I'll omit any lengthy discussion of the glaring irony behind her portrayal of Obama as the elitist — or, for that matter, the humor implicit in her assertion to Indiana voters that she's just a good ol' Midwestern girl. Instead, I'll zero in on the implications of Clinton's latest script. Such comments don't just pay service (and perhaps allegiance?) to the GOP nominee-in-waiting — who likewise issued a statement lambasting Obama for his poor choice of words — but they also serve as compelling evidence that Hillary Clinton's efforts are focused neither on victory for the Democratic Party, nor (much more importantly) victory for America. Hillary's efforts are focused on victory for Hillary. After all, why else would she publicly renounce a colleague from her own political party as being "elitist" and "out of touch" — especially when the ultimate goal is supposedly to reclaim Democratic control of the White House, and her colleague may very well be the best hope of achieving that?

Indeed, Obama has likewise slung his share of mud. Nonetheless, Clinton's recent statements are especially egregious, because they're focused not on substance but on a sound byte. Her criticism of her opponent has nothing to do with the issues or his positions. Instead, she's exploiting candid remarks made by Obama — which were clearly interpreted in ways he didn't intend — and using it to make categorical claims about his character while drawing specious insinuations about her own. When sound bytes trump substance in politics, everyone loses.

Speaking of losing: The Democrats continue to marvelously demonstrate their incompetence in all matters — except squandering an election-year victory that should be theirs for the taking.

Time to make fun of a stupid law

As a parent, which option is more responsible — to teach your son good hygiene habits, or to simply keep him home-schooled and living in a sterile environment until college age, fearing the germs he'd be exposed to in the presence of other children? Similarly, would you feel safer if your daughter had been taught how to drive a car, including extensive behind-the-wheel experience, defensive road techniques, and classroom sessions before reaching her 16th birthday? Or would it be preferable to simply hand her a set of car keys for the first time ever on that evening — and trust that her best instincts would substitute for the training she had been denied in the months preceding?

I'm always stunned by the stupidity of America's drinking-age laws, and more to the point, how seriously people take them. This hysteria-inducing, one-sided article is but one example. The gist of it is the same as so many others: "People under 21 are still drinking! We need to stop them all immediately before they all kill themselves and us! Their brains are still developing, dammit! Be terrified — your child could be the next victim of strong drink!"

I'll give the "brains-still-developing" argument the benefit of the doubt and assume that all booze-chugging youth in nations abroad have become vegetables. After all, the United States is the only country I know of that enforces a legal age as high as 21 with such draconian sanctions for violators. Do American brains develop at a slower rate than, say, Canadian craniums? That's a less-than-flattering message to convey about ourselves. Our neighbors just two hours to the north in British Columbia must be chuckling. There, a child of 19 can hobble up to the bar and place an order. (The article conveniently omits mention of this disparity.)

But back to my original analogies. If your kid truly waited until his 21st birthday to take that first sip, would you honestly expect him to know how to handle it responsibly? I sure as hell wouldn't. That, in my view, is far scarier than any 17-year-old who has some wine with her parents at a restaurant.

Styrofoam bans just the beginning

Last summer, I applauded the decision by San Francisco's mayor to stop buying bottled water for his city's offices as an environmental policy. So I was pleased last month to read that the city of Seattle will follow suit and cease purchasing the plastic bottles that tragically end up in landfills most of the time. More recently, I heard about another proposal floated by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels that would place a 20-cent "green" tax on disposable grocery bags — paper or plastic — and impose an all-out ban on Styrofoam containers at restaurants and coffee shops.

As an unabashed environmentalist who nevertheless has room for improvement in my own lifestyle choices, I always support these initiatives that stand to reduce waste, protect natural resources, and cut back on carbon footprints. But I worry that such policies will become mere token gestures if not taken seriously and implemented everywhere. I don't just want to see bans on foam containers and water bottles in San Francisco and Seattle; these cities should be just the beginning. I also want to see such bans in effect in places like Dallas, Houston, Detroit, and St. Louis. As well-intended as these initiatives are, they need to be widespread practice if they are to have any effect.

Furthermore, environmental protection needs to be a holistic effort. It needs to transform the identity and infrastructure of entire urban centers, not just the people who live within them. Encouraging changes in individual behavior — such as use of fabric grocery bags and drinking water from the tap instead of a bottle — is a good start, but reform needs to go far beyond that. If we want to produce meaningful results against global warming in our cities, let's talk about sustainable practices that not only benefit the natural environment, but quality of life for everyone:

• Reducing dependence on the automobile by creating an infrastructure that encourages walking, biking, or riding public transit instead of driving
• Establishing and maintaining urban growth boundaries to clamp down on sprawl, traffic jams, and destruction of natural areas that surround a metropolitan area
• Implementing and maintaining a recycling program that is easy to use, reduces the city's waste output, and encourages residents to become environmentally conscious

Bowling for votes — or not

On April Fools Day, Hillary Clinton walked into a news conference and apparently acted as though she had a pivotal announcement to make. Instead of addressing the issue that some may have anticipated (and hoped) she would address, Clinton challenged her rival to a bowling match, according to NPR. This was a clear reference to Barack Obama's recent abysmal score of 37 during a campaign stop at a bowling alley in Pennsylvania.

Now, by my own admission, I'm a terrible bowler — but even I would have to try to achieve a score as low as what Obama managed last weekend. It almost makes me wonder whether he purposely played a bad game so he could issue the quip afterward: "My economic plan is better than my bowling." Or perhaps he knew he'd screw it up — and knew he'd have to have a clever recovery line to deliver in the aftermath.

I remain an Obama supporter to the end, but seriously, a 37? I'd say the senator from Illinois has some work to do on his game.