Saturday, March 16, 2024

Ben Grum for Lake County Board

 

Photo with the candidate

One of the rewards of teaching is the memorable and impressive students I have had the pleasure knowing in the one or two classes they take with me.  One of the memorable graduate students is Ben Grum.  He was a student in my SBNM 5411 Quantitative Decision Making course.  He took the class July and August of 2020 which was during the worst of the COVID pandemic.  So, we never met face-to-face.  We did, however, interact quite a bit online and have a few phone conversations.  Ben was among the best students I have had in that class.  He was hardworking, curious, smart, and his papers and Excel work were very well done. 

I have the students, especially in online classes, introduce themselves in discussion posts.  Ben noted that he was a detective in the Lake Forest Police Department where I live.  This was very cool for two reasons.  I never had a police officer in a class and I live in Lake Forest.  I felt a bit safer knowing we had someone on our police force with Ben’s fine qualities. 

We get a free newsletter in the mail of local news and events.  It is the Lake Forests/Lake Bluff edition of the Lake County Gazette.  In early February there was article, Lake Forest police commander Ben Grum takes on Lake County Board race.  I was delighted, and not really surprised, to see that Ben was running for political office and had risen to the rank of commander in the Police Department. 

Shortly thereafter, I got an email announcement that Ben was having an event, I assume to kick-off his campaign.  I bought a two tickets and we attended the “Grum for Lake County Country Music Event at The Farm” in Lake Bluff.  Remember that we met in an online class in the depths of the pandemic and had never met in person.  It was wonderful to finally meet Ben as well as his lovely wife and mother.  What a great gathering.  Good thing we went early, as later it was almost impossible to find a parking spot at The Farm.  The Cowboy Co. Band rocked the joint and it was a good time.  People, the friends and supporter of Ben, were all happy to be there.

Ben is running his campaign on a four-plank platform all of which appeal to me as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate.

Public Safety:
In a time when people question their safety and security, and the State of Illinois is passing legislation that is consistently inhibiting law enforcement Ben. will be dedicated to doing what is possible on a County level to ensure the safety and security of all Lake County residents and visitors.

 

Taxes:
Taxes in Lake County are out of control and are negatively impacting our lowest-income homeowners disproportionally. Ben vows to not vote for a property tax increase and to repeal the gas tax. Instead, Ben will adamantly push for third-party audits countywide much like we see in private business to ensure the county operates efficiently. 

 

Local Control:
Ben Grum recognizes that decisions made closest to the community are often the most informed and accountable. As a county board member, he champions leaving local matters to local governments and, when feasible, to the voters themselves. Ben opposes personal biases influencing decisions, exemplified in recent instances like the attempted Lake Bluff Golf Course closure, advocating for transparent, community-driven governance.


Economic Development:
To foster a vibrant and thriving Lake County, collaboration with business leaders and entrepreneurs is paramount. Ben Grum's approach involves job creation and revenue generation through sales tax, avoiding burdensome income or property taxes. Addressing the migration of businesses to Wisconsin, Ben aims to eradicate anti-business policies that hinder growth within our county.

Ben is a double degree holder from North Park University and specifically the School of Business and Nonprofit Management in which I am a faculty member.  He got a BA in Business in 2011 and his MBA with an HR Certificate in 2022.  As stated on our website:

The mission of North Park University, as the University of the Evangelical Covenant Church, is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Ben is certainly has embraced this mission and is living a life of significance and service.  I am proud of and happy for Ben.  He most certainly has my endorsement and vote.

 

 


 


 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Sprung Forward

 

Changing the time at Stonehenge


At 2 am this morning, it became 3 am.

It was the annual spring ritual to move to daylight savings time to give us more daylight into later into the evening.  We will return to standard time in the fall.

Ever since November 18, 1883, when the US and Canadian railroads created time zones and standardized time within the zones, there has been controversy.  In 1908, the Canadians in Thunder Bay, Ontario implemented the bright idea of daylight savings time (DST) to the longer daylight hours of the summer to the evening hours.  In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act which allowed the states to decide if they wanted to adopt daylight savings time or not.  The only proviso was the decision had to be applied statewide and the annual spring-ahead and fall-back dates were standardized across the country. 

From the first ‘standardization’ of time and the first notions of shifting to and from DST, people have had issues with it.  People on the edges of the time zones are more vocal about the standardization.  The number of those disgruntled with DST ebbs and flows.  It seems to have flared up in the US as we seem to look for more things to be upset and polarized about.

Me?  I am OK with it and the few days it takes to adapt to it.  Mostly, I like it because I can post the same cartoons and memes twice a year as I have here. 

It is just 9 am here in Chicagoland.  But for the ‘Spring forward’ it would be 8 am.  Honestly, I can only tell the difference at the beginnings and ends of the days when it is either lighter in the morning and darker earlier in the evening or vice-versa.  The main reasons people complain are:

For 74% of respondents, the solution seems clear: they support the idea of ending DST entirely. They believe it to be a waste of time and money, with minimal energy savings and inconsistent sunrise times. Alarmingly, some argue that it may even contribute to an increase in traffic incidents. ~ northjersey.com

 

Health. Experts in circadian rhythms and sleep have warned about the negative health implications of DST. DST reduces sleep time and causes an increased mismatch between the body clock and local time, a condition called social jetlag. ~ wikipedia

 

In addition to sleep loss, people are at greater risk of mood disturbance, suicide, and being involved in traffic accidents during both bi-annual transition periods. However, experts suggest that long term, there is a reduction of accidents as more people drive home from work in daylight. ~ sleepfoundation.org

Honestly, I am OK with daylight savings time.  Really, an hour change in the spring and again in the fall is not hard to adjust to.  I am a bit, only a bit mind you, amazed and mystified about when others complain about it. 

Should we abolish daylight saving time?  Modify it?  I have a few ideas.

First, maybe the world adapts a global time zone.  Let’s all, the whole world, move to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).  It is historical.  It is British and hearkens back to the days of the British Empire (and I am not really an anglophile).  Per the GMT website:

Greenwich Mean Time or GMT is the mean (average) solar time at the Greenwich Meridian or Prime Meridian, 0 degrees longitude.

The time displayed by the Shepherd Gate Clock at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, is always GMT. When the sun is at its highest point exactly above the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory, it is 12:00 noon at Greenwich.

I live in Chicago.  I get up at 5 am which would 1000.  I start class at 8 which would be 1300.  If lunch was normally at noon… I would be having lunch at high 1800.  If someone in Bishkek said he would call me at 1930, there would be no question as when that might be.  I would clarify if it was Bishkek time or Chicago time, I wouldn’t have to add or subtract hours.  Time miscalculations would not be the cause of missing the call.  Time is relative anyway.  We would get used to it after a decade or two.  If the world were to move to such a universal time, the US would probably not join in.  After all, the whole world moved to the metric system, and we still haven’t.

The other idea is we can all have our own personal time.  This might appeal to our uniquely American obsession with individualism.  We are after all, each and every one of us, unique valued and special snowflakes.  So, here is the idea.  Since almost every clock or watch that matters internet capable, everyone can set their own time standard.  Me?  I want dawn to 6 am wherever I am… because… well, there is a very small vestige of a farming heritage in my psyche.  My time management app would simply adjust all my clocks (phone, watch, laptops, car, etc) to that dawn is 6 am standard based on longitude and latitude.  Every day 6 am would vary by a few seconds as days get longer or shorter.  Like the speedometer in my car that displays mph and kmph, every watch would display my personal time whatever the local time is.  This would certainly be ridiculously confusing.  If I wake up at 5 am on school days and sunrise was at 7:12 (which would be the new 6 am on that day), my alarm clock would wake me at 3:48 am.  See?  It is pretty simple.  Well actually not.  I am sure I would be early or late or just plain miss altogether classes and other appointments.  It is a small price to pay for GMT to mean Gavoor Mean Time for me.

Or… we could just leave things alone and either complain about it or have a little fun with it twice a year.

 



Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Hachig Kazarian’s new book a must-read for Western Armenian music lovers

 

Western Armenian Music: From Asia Minor to the United States
By Hachig Kazarian
Published by The Press at Fresno State University
Publication date: 2023

Hachig Kazarian has penned a wonderful book, Western Armenian Music: From Asia Minor to the United States. It is the 18th book in Fresno State’s Armenian Series, first edited by Dikran Kouymjian (1986-2008) and then by Barlow Der Mugrdechian since Kouymjian’s retirement. 

Most of us know of Hachig Kazarian. How could we not? He is known for his masterful clarinet playing at Armenian gatherings all around the United States since the 1960s. He is arguably the best there ever was in this country – the GOAT in modern parlance. We know him from the many albums he has recorded, from Passport East with the Hye Tone band in Detroit to the series of Kef Time albums with Buddy Sarkisian and Richard Hagopian. His iconic album, in my view, is The Exciting Sounds of Hachig Kazarian, featuring “Govand.” This one track inspired countless numbers of young Armenians of my generation to take up the clarinet. Some have gotten pretty darn good themselves, but Hachig is still in a class by himself. 

This is Hachig’s first book. The 500-page book is in part a scholarly treatment of Western Armenian music and in part a memoir of his years performing.

The book is divided into six sections: The Quandary of Western Armenian Music (chapters 1-4), The Understanding of Western Armenian Music and Dance (chapters 5-9), The Plight of Western Armenian Music (chapters 10-11), Traditional Western Armenian Bands in the United States (chapter 12), Armenian Village Folk Dance Melodies (chapter 13) and Musicological Developments in Armenian Musical Notation and Understanding the Armenian Modal System (chapters 14-15).

Hachig stakes out a place for Western Armenian music in a way that many of its musicians see it. It is its own genre worthy of being celebrated and preserved. After the Genocide, Beirut became a de facto center for Western Armenian culture. Its intelligentsia led a movement to rid the language of Turkish words. In their zeal to define what is purely Armenian, they also stripped folk music of the modal tones that made the music sound “oriental” or Turkish. 

Gomidas Vartabed, thankfully, captured and wrote down many of the melodies, songs and dances of Western Armenia. As a people, we have deified Gomidas. Another prominent Armenian ethnomusicologist once told me that Gomidas preserved the modal elements in his work, but others have cleansed the modal elements. “Kele-Kele” and “Groong” are often performed by operatic singers accompanied by orchestras or pianists. It is the purification of what villagers might have sung in the fields or after a hard day’s labor around the hearth. Both are worthy, but the core should not be lost forever, in favor of the concert hall.

The Beirut Armenians preserved and cleansed the Western Armenian language and thought they were doing the same for music. In reality, they faced the West, and that view defined the evolution of Armenian music in Beirut. In the U.S., it was harder to preserve the language, so music was another way of staying tethered to our rich culture.  

Armenians started coming to the U.S. after the Hamidian massacres, and the bulk of Armenians came after 1915. For the most part, Armenians migrated to the U.S. from villages. When they gathered in getrons (centers), clubs and churches, they brought their foods, dialects, customs, music and dances with them. The dances, music and melodies of Van were preserved in Detroit, where large numbers of Vanetsis lived. Hachig’s grandfather, for whom he is named, was an expert in these dances and melodies and made sure his grandson knew the music that they brought from “the old country.” As Beirut turned westward, we in the U.S. turned eastward, trying to capture, preserve and build upon the music and dances that our parents or grandparents brought with them. 

As Hachig notes in his chapter on Gomidas: “Unfortunately, village folk music was already alien to the wealthy elite Armenians who didn’t like, and looked down upon, village music. Gomidas and his compositions were revered by the Armenians in Constantinople who loved his art songs and choral arrangements as the only true form of Armenian music. Without realizing it, Gomidas’ new polyphonic selections seemed to debase the existing monophonic village folk music that had survived for centuries.”

It may be uncomfortable for some to read any criticism of Gomidas. But Hachig makes a case that all of us should consider. In discussing the cultural appropriation of Western Armenian music and dance, he argues that this music is ours, and we have to embrace and preserve it. It is not just Armenian American, or deghatsi, music, but Western Armenian village music. This music overlaps greatly with kef music, which tends to include Turkish and other Middle Eastern music. Yet Hachig is referring to the village songs and dances of Western Armenia, occupied by Turkey.

Assuming we can all agree on preserving and promoting the village music of Western Armenia, there is still the question of the “oriental” sound. Should we purify it and strip out those pesky microtones to make it more Western?  Hachig argues against this. The Armenian modal system is rooted in the sharagans of the Badarak

As Hachig notes: “In the strictest definition, the modal systems of Armenian folk and sacred music are derived from melody types that are collectively referred to as Octoechoes… The Ut Tsayn (meaning eight tone) system, also referred to as Octoechoes when used by the Armenian church, was created by Stepanos Siunetzi (685-735).” 

This modal system is not uniquely Armenian. It is regional and shared by Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Jews, and yes, the Turks, who adopted it when they conquered the region. We should embrace this modal system as well as the polyphonic that is so often used in Armenian popular, sacred and classical music these days. It makes no sense to exclude parts of our culture. It makes even less sense when others are appropriating it and calling it their own. 

Hachig also explores the musical notation system created by Armenians over the years. The khaz system was established in the seventh century using letters and symbols. In the early 1800s, Hampartsoum Limonjian developed an even better system. His “Hampartsoun nota” became the standard until the 1920s, when Western staff notation became dominant in both Armenian sacred and Turkish classical music. Hampartsoum nota was important to “preserve and unify the melodies and style of Armenian sacred and folk music. It was the leading contributing factor to the preservation of Turkish classical and folk music.” Before reading Hachig’s explanation of Hampartsoum nota, it looked like a cross between Arabic script and Braille to me. After reading his explanation, I felt I could actually learn it.                   

Chapter 12 may be the most interesting chapter in the book for fans of Western Armenian music. Hachig writes about the bands started in the 1940s by the children of first-generation Armenian immigrants. Hachig admired or performed with these bands, and their members are his contemporaries. They include: The Artie Barsamian Orchestra of Boston, The Nor-Ikes Band of New York City, The Vosbikian Band of Philadelphia, The Aramite Band of Worcester, The Arax Band of Detroit, The Hye-Tones Band of Detroit, The Kef Time Band, The New Jersey Orientals, The El Jazaire “Night Club Band,” The Arax Band of New Jersey/NYC and The All-Star Band.

In Chapter 13, Hachig provides musical notation for 129 folk-dance melodies of the villages of Western Armenia. We owe Hachig a thank you for doing this.

The book is full of photos of bands, musicians, 78 rpm labels, album covers and both Western and Hampartsoum musical notation. The importance of capturing the history of Western Armenian music is evident in two photos of first-generation bands in Detroit. In photos of the Dertad Toukhoian band in 1953 and the Yervant Gerjekian band in 1949, the last names of some of the musicians are no longer known.

Hachig Kazarian

Hachig was born and raised in Detroit. He played a clarinet his father had come across in his first workplace at an early age and began lessons in the fourth grade. His grandfather’s friend, Haig Krikorian, was visiting one day, heard young Hachig practicing and offered to teach him Armenian music.  

Hachig graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Julliard from 1960-66. In New York, he met and performed with many Armenian musicians. He writes, “My goal was to be an orchestral clarinetist. However, during my junior year of college, loving Armenian and Middle Eastern music so much, I decided to be close to the Armenian community and have an Armenian family.”  

He returned to Detroit, earned degrees in Music Education and Music History and Ethnomusicology from Eastern Michigan University, and began a career teaching middle and high school students. He married his Detroit AYF sweetheart, Christine née Aranosian, and they created a beautiful Armenian family. He moved to Las Vegas for the last segment of his teaching career and returned to Detroit several years ago. Sadly, Christine passed away in October 2023, just as this book was being published.

This book is encyclopedic. It covers a vast array of topics, including the origins of the music of the Armenian national anthem. It is an important resource for historians and ethnomusicologists. It also has a wide appeal for anyone interested in any and all things Armenian. It is a must read for anyone who loves Western Armenian village music. 

There are a few things I wish were more extensive. First and foremost, I think the book needs a more detailed index. Fresno State Press might have insisted and helped in this regard. Secondly, in the preface a companion website is provided, westernarmenianmusic.com, where “all musical examples may be heard.” I was excited and expected to find all 129 of the pieces from Chapter 13 to be there. There are only 10 songs on the website, including an old 78 recording of Mer Hairenik. I am sure there are talented musicians in our community who would love to help Hachig record tracks for this website or maybe for a companion YouTube channel.

This is a very important book. It belongs on the bookshelf of any Armenian with a library of Armenian books. I hope it inspires more scholarship on Western Armenian village music and how it has survived and evolved in the United States. We owe Hachig a huge thank you for writing it.

You can purchase the book from westernarmenianmusic.com, Abril Bookstore, NAASR or Amazon.

===

First published in the Armenian Weekly on March 6, 2024

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Chidem Inch: Watching “Armenia, My Home”

Aerial view of Dilijan Armenia (Photo: So Much Film)

Armenia, My Home is simply a wonderful documentary – another Armenian-themed documentary by Andrew Goldberg. It is a beautiful testimony and tribute from an American-Armenian point of view to what it means to be Armenian and what Armenia means to all of us here in the diaspora.

Andrea Martin is the primary narrator. She had lots of help from Ronald Suny, Chris Bohjalian, Eric Bogosian, Herand and Yeraz Markarian, Salpi Ghazarian, Vahe Berberian, Dottie Bengoian, Michael Aram and Peter Balakian, an august cast of talking heads who offer their perspectives and heartfelt thoughts to this very well-crafted film. I would love for all my non-Armenian friends to see this film so they can better understand where my soul and heart are tethered. The sentiments of the narrators, for the most part, express what each and every Armenian might say. Beyond the narration, the soundtrack includes Armenian musicians Ara Dinkjian, Zulal (the trio that includes Yeraz Markarian) and Ara Topouzian and beautiful duduk and church music from Armenia.

There was a long and impressive segment on Mount Ararat and how central it is to the very concept of being Armenian. It is in our DNA. As noted in the film (and my previous article, Chidem Inch: The mountain once known as…), this mountain, our mountain, the symbol of our nation, lies just outside the border of our country.

The film is visually stunning. The camerawork shows the beauty of Armenian church architecture and the magnificent countryside from Sevan to Aragats and Yerevan. It even shows the humble homes of the countryside and poor neighborhoods of Yerevan. The use of drone photography gives movement and panorama to this beautiful film.

I would love for all my non-Armenian friends to see this film so they can better understand where my soul and heart are tethered.

Andrew Goldberg is a true friend of the Armenian people. His company, Two Cats Production, is based in New York. His documentaries are often aired on and sometimes in collaboration with PBS. This is not his first Armenian documentary. His previous films are: The Armenian Genocide (2000 and 2006), The Armenians, A Story of Survival (2001) and Images of The Armenian Spirit (2003). His other films include: A Yiddish World Remembered (2002), They Came to America (2003), Proud to Serve: The Men and Women of the U.S. Army (2004) and Jerusalem: Center of the World (2009).

When asked why he makes documentaries on Armenian themes, Goldberg said, “I love telling stories that are underreported and not being told…” He went on to note that the Armenians are a people who have fought through many difficulties to survive and have contributed to business, science and the arts. 

The film is very current and covers Artsakh, including the loss of Artsakh. It includes footage of bombed-out homes and the caravan of cars leaving their homes and a land now devoid of Armenians for the first time in over 1,000 years.

I view this beautiful film, Armenia, My Home, and Goldberg’s other Armenian-themed films as Armenian national treasures. It is, somehow, more impressive when the auteur is not Armenian. This is not to take away from Armenian artists, but there is something special when we are honored and celebrated by a non-Armenian. If it were up to me, I would bestow honorary Armenian citizenship on Andrew Goldberg. 

This documentary is a must see.

Andrew Goldberg


===

This piece was first published March 5, 2024 in the Armenian Weekly.

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Wild Swings in the Weather

 

     There are a lot of memes this past week about experiencing all four seasons in one day.  The weather around the Midwest and the Northeast cannot decide if it is still Winter or Spring.  On Friday evening February 23rd, the temperature hit a high of 48 degrees.  That evening, the weather changed becoming cold, blustery, and it snowed.  We had like 3 inches in short order.  The next day, we did not get above freezing.  The nest day it all melted.  By Tuesday, we had a high of 61 degrees.  On Wednesday, it was 70.  We drove down to Lake Michigan in our summer car with the top down and had dinner in the car overlooking the beautiful lake.  We really could not believe that driving around in shirtsleeves on February 27. 

On that very same Wednesday evening, a cold front came through.  Severe weather was predicted including hail and possible tornadoes.  Tornadoes in February?  Yes.  We were watching Armenia, My Home on Milwaukee’s PBS station.  It was interrupted twice with both tornado watches and warnings.  In the middle of the second interruption, the warning sirens went off at our local fire station.  We should have probably gone to the basement… but we didn’t.

On Wednesday, the temperature never broke 30 and it was downright cold especially in the morning when I drove to school for my 8 am class.


Though it was a mere 55 degrees today, Saturday, March 2nd, I decided to go for another drive.  The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  I put on a jacket, took out my summer car, put the top down, and set out.  I grabbed a cup of coffee from Starbucks, lit up a cigar, put on some Armenian music and cruised around town.  It was perfect.  I drove down to the lake again, stopped by the gravesite of an old friend, and jumped on the highway and drove up to Waukegan and back.  I may have been over the speed limit… several times… by large margins.

I loved the weather today.  What’s not to like?  It was beautiful.  Though none of the trees have budded, the first flowers, daffodils, have already sprouted about two inches.  No matter what the groundhog prognosticated, it is clear that we are having an early spring.  The Canadian geese are already back and honking up a storm at North Park.  I even saw a few moths flying around our porch light. 

As much as I am enjoying this early spring weather.  I worry about these wild swings in weather.  It seems like what us quality management types would refer to as a system out of control.  It certainly is a system that can’t decide if it is Winter or Spring.  I haven’t done any calculations, but I am certain these wild swings in temperatures would qualify for what we call special cause variation. 

Some scientists are concerned about the planet being near a tipping point.  By that they mean, where the changes stop being gradual, abruptly leap to a new state.  The warning is that the new state will not favor agriculture and hence mankind.  I am not sure whether to buy into these ominous forecasts because the weather is a very complex thing to model.  But the changes we have experienced in the past week and very mild winter make those forecasts more plausible.

All this being said, I am still sharing a few photos from my most pleasant excursion today on this lovely Spring day.

 

 
 

 

 

 

Happy 90th to The Armenian Weekly

Per the internet, the first Armenian language newspaper ever published was Azdarar.  It was first published on October 16, 1794 in Madras, India. The first Armenian language newspaper in the United States was the Hairenik that began publication in 1899 in Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1932, the Hairenik included an English language column. It was so popular that an English language newspaper, Hairenik Weekly, began publication on March 1, 1934. In 1969, the Hairenik Weekly was renamed The Armenian Weekly.

Today, March 1, is the 90th birthday of the paper that is a part of so many of our lives. In its modern format, both print and online, it is a source of news of all things Armenian that are simply not covered in the mainstream U.S. press. The Weekly, over the years, has been led by dedicated editors and staff. Working at the Weekly is a labor of love. The contributors and columnists are equally dedicated. Great writers got their start in the Hairenik family of publications. Some of William Saroyan’s early short stories were published in the Hairenik.

When I think of this wonderful paper, I think of editors James Mandalian (35 years) and Jimmy Tashjian (36 years). I think of the shorter tenure editors who came after, many of whom I knew and admired: Tom Vartabedian, Mimi Parseghian, Georgi Bargamian, Antranig Kasbarian, Vahe Habeshian, Jason Sohigian, Khatchig Mouradian, Nanore Barsoumian, Rupen Janbazian and now, Pauline Getzoyan. The editors were mentors and friends to many. Tom Vartabedian was certainly a friend and mentor of mine. I would not be writing for the Weekly as much as I do if it wasn’t for Tom getting me involved and encouraging me all along the way. Being a part of the AYF Olympics reporting and photography crew is a true labor of love. The current editor, Pauline Getzoyan, picked up where Tom left off. She is nurturing and encouraging to everyone. 

Beyond and behind the editors are the hale and hearty, almost anonymous staff that edit articles, lay out the paper, fact check, create graphics and process photos, and I am probably only scratching the surface. I think of the contributors and columnists like my great uncle Rouben Gavoor, Tom Vartabedian, C.K. Garabed and now, my AYF contemporary, Stepan Piligian. 

I have read pieces in the Weekly that made me laugh, made me cry, made me angry at an injustice, made me angry as only Armenians can be from an opinion we disagree with, and kept me informed of the comings and goings, events and passings in our community. Once I started subscribing, I never stopped, and I encourage everyone to do so…even more so since everything is presented online for free.

==

First published in The Armenian Weekly on 3-1-24

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Britannia Rules the Waves?

 

historic-uk.com

Per usual, I was listening to NPR on my way into North Park University.  There was a report of the missile and drone attack on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.  The Houthi rebels in Yemen are responsible and doing it to show support for the Palestinians in the ongoing onslaught by Israel.  The attacks began on January 12.  There have been 57 attacks on ships since then.  The damage has been limited.  A recent attack on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer caused a large oil spill that in 18 miles long is by far the worst.  The ship is taking water and there are environmental concerns from the oil and even more if the fertilizer spills into the sea.

The part of the report that really caught my attention was when they talked about who in the West was defending the shipping against the attacks.  As expected, they noted that the US is taking the lead.  They talked about other countries and their inability to provide much assistance because their fleets are downsized to a minimum and lacking sailors.  One country they called out was the UK saying that their fleet size was smaller than during the Revolution of the American Colonies. 

What?

This is the UK.  Britain.  England.  The Royal Navy was the backbone of the military that built and sustained an empire that the sun never set on.  A famous song popped into my head.  This song was featured in every swashbuckling, seafaring, war movie ever made where the Royal Navy saved the day:  Rule Britannia!  This patriotic song with a grand melody extolling that “Britannia rules the waves.”  (For some reason, I thought it was always “Hail Britannia, Britannia rules the waves.”)  I was a bit disappointed that Britannia no longer ruled the waves.

Per the graphic above and worldpopulationreview.com, the UK does indeed have less ships than they did during American Revolution.  In 1800, there were 285 warships in the Royal Navy.  Today they have 117.  It is totally unfair to compare the sailing warships of 1800 that used muzzle loading cannons to the higher tech ships of today that includes aircraft carriers, submarine, and surface warships that are armed with missiles, torpedoes, and conventional guns. But it is a fact that the Royal Navy has less ships today than they had in 1800.

Where does the Royal Navy stand today relative to other counties.  If number of warships is  the only measure, the Royal Navy is not in the top ten.  They Royal Navy is tied with Bangladesh for 30th place.  Countries like landlocked Bolivia have more warships than the Royal Navy.  Using the same measure, number of warships here is the top ten Navies in the world:

 

worldpopulationreview. com

The US is ranked 4th behind Russia, China, and North Korea.  Sri Lanka is ranked 10th.  Maybe number of warships is not the best measure of naval power.  Clearly, the 117 Royal Navy warships of today would wipe the 285 warships of Royal Navy of 1800.  As for Sri Lanka, they have zero aircraft carriers, destroyers, or submarines and 5 frigates among their 270 warships.  The Royal Navy has 2 aircraft carriers, 6 destroyers, 11 frigates, and 10 submarines.  I would imagine 1 UK carrier group would make quick work of the entire Sri Lankan Navy.

The worldpopulationreview.com, which is the source for all current day numbers, prefers another measure to rank navies:  total tonnage.   By this measure, the US is #1 followed Russia, China, Japan, and the UK.  The measure of total tonnage gives more emphasis to the larger ships and often more sophisticated ships.  The bulk of the Sri Lankan navy are smaller coastal gunboats.  Here is their forecast of the top five navies in 2030.

  1. United States - The U.S. is expected to remain the dominant global naval power in 2030, thanks to an unmatched combination of sheer tonnage and technological advancement. The U.S. Navy doesn't just have many ships, it has many massive, cutting-edge ships.
  2. United Kingdom - While the U.K.'s total number of ships is expected to decline, the addition of two new aircraft carriers and the progressive updating of its submarine fleet should establish the U.K. as the #2 maritime power.
  3. China - The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet is older, but larger in number (if not tonnage) fleet than the U.S. Navy fleet, and the PLAN has ambitious plans to keep adding more and more vessels.
  4. India - Another Asian country expanding its naval presence, India should have three operating aircraft carriers by 2030, collectively capable of deploying 110-120 aircraft.
  5. Russia - This superpower's aging fleet is likely to suffer some budget constraints as older equipment is decommissioned, but Russia is still expected to have eight ballistic missile submarines (with 20 missiles each) patrolling the seas in 2030.

So, while Britannia no longer rules the waves, their small number of ships can still pack a wallop. 

 



 

 

Sunday, February 25, 2024

The Changing Landscape of College Football

Beyond the changes at Michigan and the Big Ten, the winds of change are have changed big time college football. From the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies to the buzz around the transfer portal, the continued league consolidation, and the expansion of the playoff format to 12 teams which begins with the 2024 season, it's clear that the game many of us love had undergone a metamorphosis. But as with any transformation, there are plusses, minuses, and any number armchair experts swirling around these shifts. Here are my thoughts on this.

 

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL):  College football has always been a money maker for the schools, coaches, and the networks.  Let’s face it:  it is a business.  The athletes are finally getting their slice of the pie, thanks to NIL. It's a game-changer, no doubt. Athletes can now cash in on their personal brand, turning their hard-earned popularity into tangible opportunities. From endorsement deals to social media partnerships, the possibilities are endless. And let's not forget the ripple effect: this could usher in a new era of college sports, with heightened visibility and, dare I say, profitability.  Players can make millions in college and there will be some incentive for players not quite NFL ready to spend another year in college. 

There is also a dark side to this shiny coin. Can teams with big pockets lure players from other teams to transfer to their school?  Will there be some need for regulations to keep this from getting out of hand?  Maybe a salary cap is needed because NIL is shaping up to be a salary.  Some players with big NIL pay days, like premier running backs, have shared their NIL pay with their linemen.

Transfer Portal:  Ah, the transfer portal – college football’s version of free agency? It depends on who you ask. On one hand, it's a lifeline for athletes seeking greener pastures. A chance to hit the reset button, to find a new home where their talents will be appreciated, and they can get a starting position or simply more playing time. It's a game of musical chairs, with athletes shuffling from one program to the next in pursuit of their dreams:  college glory and the NFL. Let’s face it, college players can play for a team four or five years max.  The portal already has many players only wearing a uniform for one or two years.  Some players have transferred more than once. For teams with coaching changes, players will hit the portal if they don’t think they won’t fit into the philosophy of the incoming coaching staff.  The transfer portal has the potential to shake the very foundations of college programs, leaving coaches scrambling to piece together a cohesive squad. Ohio State forced their 2023 quarterback, Kyle McCord, into the portal.  They used the portal then to bring other, they believe better, quarterback talent to Columbus. 

League Consolidation:  League consolidation has been led by the SEC and the Big 10.  The college football landscape is at a crossroads. On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer – fewer conferences, more competition.  If we scratch beneath the surface, there are issues. For starters, what happens to the smaller teams? So far, teams have only added teams to conferences.  Is ejecting or demoting teams as they do in Premier League soccer by in the future?   Let's not overlook the logistical nightmare of reshuffling conferences and rivalries. Traditionalists are up in arms, fearing the loss of cherished matchups and traditions. Consolidation is more likely being pushed by the broadcasting networks.  Fans will grumble at first but get used to it within a year or two. 

Again looking at the Big Ten, what are Pac 10 teams doing in our conference. This is being asked by Big 10 and Pac 10 fans I know.  My football guru buddy, Jack, speculates there may be a Super League of 30 teams soon independent of the NCAA.  If we use the term Premier League, the UK soccer model would apply nicely.

12-Team Playoff:  Last but not least, let's talk playoffs. The expansion to 12 teams has everyone buzzing – and for good reason. More teams, more drama, more excitement – what's not to love? It's the ultimate underdog story, with Cinderella teams vying for a shot at glory. But hold onto your hats, folks. With great power comes great responsibility, and an expanded playoff format is no exception. Will it dilute the significance of the regular season? Will it lead to lopsided matchups and blowouts? And let's not forget about the toll it will take on the players – both physically and academically. The road to the national championship may be paved with gold, but it's also fraught with peril.

In the ever-changing world of college football, one thing is clear: change is inevitable. But as we navigate these uncharted waters, let's not lose sight of what makes this game great – the passion, the tradition, the camaraderie. Yes, the tides may be shifting, but the heart and soul of college football will always remain the same. So, let's embrace the changes, but let's do so with caution and care. After all, the future of college football depends on it.

Michigan Football After Winning it All

 

Harbaugh and Moore


My last post about MichiganFootball was a celebration of the  National Championship.  It was an amazing run from a solid team.  The key players and coach of this team are already in the Wolverine Pantheon.  The fan base was ecstatic, and it was something quite special given the tough times of the Rich Rodriquez and Brady Hoke coaching eras.

We celebrated and basked in the glow of the National Championship for about a week.  It became evident by the end of that week that Jim Harbaugh was going to return to the NFL.  He did just that.  With Harbaugh’s departure, the best players who still had eligibility, e.g. quarterback J.J. McCarthy, opted for the NFL draft.  Large segments of the fan base went and, allow me to use a technical term here, nuts.  They blamed the Michigan AD for not signing Harbaugh to a new contract and called for his job.  Many dissed Harbaugh for not being a true ‘Michigan man’ and abandoning the program.

First, many of the fans are all emotion.  We live and die with their team.  Losses can be really tough to take.  When it comes to a rivalry game like Michigan-Ohio State, a loss is agonizing with a depression that lasts for months.  String a few losses together?  Then you have fanbase apoplexy.  We experienced that earlier this century, Ohio State fans are experiencing it right now.

There are certainly emotional components for coaches and players as well.  Team spirit, alignment, and cohesiveness is necessary for a football team to commit to a system to prepare well and play at a high level.  Emotion is component but only a component. For players and coaches on elite teams, college football is their job and potentially their career and livelihoods.  There is money involved and lots of it, more so with NIL for the players.  Who can blame any coach or any player acting in their own self-interest, when millions of dollars are involved?

Harbaugh brought a National Championship to Michigan, his alma mater.  I wished he had stayed and created a dynasty.  I cannot disparage him for making a move that allows him to pursue becoming a Super Bowl Championship coach at a significantly higher salary.   I love where I teach, but for an opportunity to make anywhere north of 20% more… I am gone. 

Michigan took a few days and named their offensive coordinator, Sherrone Moore, as their new head coach.  Moore was a popular and obvious choice to the fan base as was the head coach of four games this season while Harbaugh was out due to the alleged cheating scandal.  While I am happy with the selection of Moore, only time will tell how well he does.  He has said the right things about continuing to be a hard-hitting tough football team that wants to continue a winning tradition… especially over the big rivals.

In the next few weeks after his departure, as is common in football, Harbaugh took several key assistants to San Diego including the defensive coordinator and the strength coach.  Running backs coach, Mike Hart, left presumably because he didn’t the top job.  A few more players hit the portal and a key recruit backed out of his commitment.  Moore had to work hard fill his coaching staff and solidify the roster.   

While all of this was happening with Michigan, Ohio State spent like crazy securing transfer quarterbacks and other players.  They also opened up the purse strings and hired UCLA head coach, Chip Kelly, to be their offensive coordinator.  Ryan Day is fighting for his job and doesn’t want to lose to Michigan for a fourth year in a row.  Beyond even that, they want to win a National Championship and re-establish their dynasty (which of select number of teams doesn’t want the same).  The rivalry has certainly revved up.

The 2024 season will feature two major changes for Michigan and the Big Ten.  It will be the first season for UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon in the Big Ten which now numbers 18 team.  New conference members USC, Oregon, and Washington are on Michigan’s schedule along with Texas and, of course, the big rivalries of Michigan State and Ohio State.  Michigan will have one of the toughest schedules in the country.  Will we go undefeated and win a back-to-back National Championship?  That would be an unbelievable feat given the changes in personnel in the program.  In February, six months before the season starts and trying to digest all of these changes, I have more hopes for next season than anything definitive.  Given our schedule one to three losses is not out of the question.  My guess is that if we are undefeated or have one loss, we should get in the playoffs which are now expanded to 12 teams.  Two or more losses, probably not.

Bravo to winning the Natty last year.  Best wishes to the coaches and players that moved on.  Wishing Coach Moore and the team success moving forward.  Go Blue!