The Maverick Tribe

Those of you Mavericktribesmen and -women who hang out with me on a regular basis know that my latest pursuit that I simply won't shut up about is capoeira.  Capoeira is a martial artform developed and practiced in Brazil by slaves of African descent (most are thought to trace their roots to Angola, and capoeira is probably derived from cultural traditions practiced there).  Stories about capoeira's genesis differ, but one theory holds that the slaves wanted to practice their fighting skills without their Portuguese slaveowners knowing, so they disguised their practice as a song and dance routine.  The art of capoeira is the result.

So anyway, in a couple weeks I'll be participating in my capoeira school's Batizado ("baptism"), where I'll be getting my color cord (similar to a particular color belt in karate).  At this time I'll be officially christened "Calango".   Don't ask me why I got this name... calango is the portuguese word for a type of lizard.  Is there something about me that's reptilian?  Well at least I didn't get Pao de Azucar ("sugarloaf"), which was (somewhat callously) given to a fellow newbie who is, shall we say, a tad on the chunky side.

Here's a taste of capoeira heavy on the acrobatics:

Here's a short reel about my school:

When Fox News isn't engaging in political pornography, they're indulging in a little good ol' fashioned T&A porn:

What's my obsession with Robert Reich all about, you might ask.  I dunno, I just think he's the coolest economist around... cooler even than those guys who wrote Freakonomics.  Also I recently attended an information session on UC Berkeley's Master of Public Policy program, the school he currently teaches at.  Given Prof. Reich's celebrity status, I figured I wouldn't be running into him, but I was wrong.  He was there and he gave a short talk.  The guy is totally deadpan.  Here are some exerpts.

On Hillary Rodham Clinton:

Back in 1967 I went on a date with one of the current presidential candidates.  Hint:  it's the only one that's a woman.  I don't remember anything about the date except that at the movies she wanted a lot of butter on her popcorn.  Significant?  You decide.

On the current TV and film writers strike:

I'm supposed to be on a plane right now to New York to appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  But because of the writers strike, my trip got cancelled.  Now, as a former Secretary of Labor, I'm sympathetic with their cause, but between you and me, I'm pissed.

On the public policy school he works for:

The only reason I'm here at this late hour is because the dean is a real slavedriver.  Other than that, it's an excellent school.