The Greeks still want their missing marbles

"We stole this... We actually didn't steal that" made for entertaining commentary from my friend and unffocial British Museum guide Steve.

The museum's 94 galleries chronicle three ancient civilizations: Egypt, Assyria and Greece -- and the Greeks are still fuming about the Elgin Marbles. In fact, the ongoing dispute was the subject of a recent article in The New York Times.

They could have gone to Scotland
Originally part of The Parthenon in Athens, the marble sculptures were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin and sold to the British government during the early 19th Century. Elgin, who eventually became the British ambassador to Constantinople, at first intended the marbles as decoration for his private residence in Scotland, according to the NYT article.

The marbles sustained serious damage in 1687 (hence the missing heads) when the Greeks were at war with the Ottomon Empire, so prevention of further deterioriation has always been one argument for keeping them where they are.

The photo below shows the pediment sculptures, originally above the columns at The Parthenon's main entrance. The statue at far right is Hebe, cup-bearer of the gods. The setting, according to Rick Steves' London 2012, is an Olympian banquet where Athena, godness of wisdom, is born fully formed from Zeus' brain.

While the Elgin marbles were high on my list of must-see British Museum attractions, Steve also suggested a walk through the Sutton Hoo exhibit. That's the topic for the next post. You follow by email or subscribe if you'd like to be notified when it's published.

Doping: Cultural pressure vs. individual decision

With athletes from at least eight countries expelled -- for doping -- from the 2012 Olympic Games, we take a quick look at two cross-cultural variables: societal cynicism and corruption.

The eight countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Morocco, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

If a cultural basis underlies this sort of activity, we would expect to see correlations on these measures -- and we do.

Societal cynicism (SC)
This construct comes from noted cross-cultural researcher Michael Harris Bond and colleaugues. It refers to the collective societal belief that "the world produces malignant outcomes" and that "being manipulative is an effective general strategy for getting ahead of others."

Note that SC refers to the society -- not to specific individuals.

The graph below shows that among the 45 countries Bond et al., studied, Greece and Russia rank 7th and 15th in SC, respectively. On the low end, we have Olympics-host country Great Britain, followed by the U.S.

Corruption
A look below at corruption shows something similar. Measures of this variable come from Transparency International (2010), and they reveal clearly apparent differences in corruption between U.K./U.S. corruption perceptions vs. those of expelled athletes' home countries. A score of 10 equal no corruption.

But what does it mean?
Quite simply, it means that it's not suprising to expect the use of illegal, performance-enhancing substances to come from countries where SC and corruption are high. Going a bit further, my suspicion is that these practices may be more a reflection of societal pressures and norms than personal choice.

Contrast this with the U.S. So far, no U.S. athletes have tested positive for doping during the current Games, but we need look no further than our national passtime -- professional baseball -- to be reminded that it happens.

But why?
Again, supposition.. but since we can't invoke extremes of societal cynicism or corruption, I'm inclined to turn to personal factors, such as individual choice or possibly the hidden aspects of sub-cultures associated with the sport.

So if the inclination as a spectator is to judge the expelled athletes as individuals more so than victims of their cuture-of-origin, I'm not so sure that's an easy call.

Do you want chips with that?

Let's get this thing about chips and french fries straightened out before we go any further. (Or as the British would say, let's get it "sorted" -- not "sorted out" just "sorted.")

As I was soon to learn, it's not quite as simple as "french fries" in the U.S. being the same thing as "chips" in England.

British chips are actually more like what we refer to in the U.S. as "steak fries," though maybe not quite that wide and thick. As my friend and fellow graduating pal Steve explained, British french fries are different than British chips because British french fries are skinny -- and skinny french fries are not "chips." French fries in England are more like McDonald's fries in the U.S.

The British actually do have what we think of as "chips" (as in potato chips), but they're called "crisps."

But anyway...

Meeting Steve
I was so excited to meet Steve because we had begun our organizational psychology master's program at the same time way back in 2007 -- and were actually in the same conferencing group of newbie first-years. After years of conferencing, emailing and commiserating before exams, we were finally going to meet in person -- and we did -- around noon in front of Big Ben on the Sunday before Tuesday's graduation ceremony last March at the Barbican Center.

Steve is British by birth, but he lives with his wife and young daughter in Geneva, Switzerland, where he is an IT specialist with the World Trade Organization. The goal was never stated, but it was as though he was determined to prove that the word "hospitality" belongs right behind the word "British."

Not only did he set aside Sunday afternoon and Monday to help me get acquainted with London, he insisted on treating me to a traditional British lunch in a British pub.

Peas? Yes, please
Which brings us to the chips, the fish and an unexpected side dish -- peas.

Yes, peas. They are standard fare on the plate with fish and chips in London, sometimes on their own and without seasoning, but other times mashed, well-seasoned and delicious. And, oh my goodness, the fish is absoutely the best.

After lunch, we walked over to Buckingham Palace. The crowds were milling, and the clouds had dissipated to reveal a glorious sunny Sunday afternoon in London. But wasn't London always supposed to be rainy?

Guess not.

Above: The Victoria Memorial, located in the Queen's Gardens, in front of Buckingham Palace. Below: My friend and fellow graduating student Steve in front of the gates to Buckingham Palace. This was the staging area for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jublibee celebration last month.

Below: The columns at upper right frame the balcony

where the royals stand when they appear before the public.

Below: Wasn't the right time for the changing-of-the-guard ceremony. Taken through a space

 in the gate, this was the the closest shot I could get of the only guards I saw.

Below: Hyde Park at dusk. After Steve caught the train back to Woking, where he was

staying at his sister's, I decided to see if I could find Speakers' Corner at Hyde Park.

 Had to head back, though, because it was getting too dark.

Below: This is the entrance to my room at the (not-that) Four Seasons, a boutique hotel with no elevator. Check-in was actually on the other side of the street. More about the accommodations later. So many of the buildings have the same white-stone-block facade, and you never know what's behind unless you find a sign. Might be a hotel, might be a restaurant, might even be a Pilates studio.

Behold the London Eye

From afar and also close-up, the London Eye is quite spectacular -- and according to the BBC, the Olympic flame will take a spin on this London mega-landmark before it ignites the Olympic torch and officially declares the 2012 Games open for competition.

Erected in 2000, the 443-foot high observation wheel ferries human cargo on a 30-minute ride, which -- on a clear day -- affords a 25-mile panoramic view of its London surroundings. The close-up view above is provided to illustrate the enormity of this attraction. Each of the 32 capsules holds up to 25 people, and here, below, is a view of this London South Bank landmark from the north side of the River Thames.

How's that for romance?
Fans of the U.S. ABC TV series "The Bachelorette" may remember an episode earlier this season where bachelorette Emily and her date shared a romantic evening dining in their own capsule as The Eye revolved. Anyone with the resources can actually book something similar, as the company that manages the eye offers all sorts of exclusive experiences including private capsules, cupid and otherwise. For the rest of us, the price of a single standard ticket is about $30 USD, depending on the currency exchange rate.

A comment about the overcast background is called for here because Sunday (Day 2 of my visit) was actually the only overcast day I remember, and even so, the sun was just about to break through.

Hail Boudicca
Before we leave the north and south banks of The Thames, I would also like to call your attention to work of art that's difficult to miss: Boadicea, also known as "Boudicca." A woman well ahead of her time, she is known historically as a warrior queen who led her tribe against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire.

And here below, Boudicca is juxtaposed against The Eye, though the shot is a bit misleading because you don't really see The Thames, which actually separates the two.

Finally, here's the The Eye as you approach on foot after crossing The Thames.

I didn't manage a turn on The Eye this trip, but no regrets -- because, instead, I enjoyed the British Museum with Steve, the Tate Modern Museum and the London Bridge area with my fellow student and friend Dianne, a West End threatre production of  "War Horse" and, most important graduation.

Next up: Meeting Steve and enjoying a traditional British lunch in a British pub.

The Biggest of Bens

Big Ben is actually not the clock or the tower -- but instead -- refers to the bell inside the tower.

The tower anchors one end of the Houses of Parliament, and it's all just downright impressive. As soon as you emerge from the Westminster underground (tube) station, Big Ben is pretty much in your face or "just there" as the British say. It rings on the quarter hour, and you can't not notice.

What better place to start a tour of a city you've never been to and meet a friend you've never met. My fellow graduating student and friend-from-afar Steve was flying over from Geneva, and our plans were to meet at Big Ben at 11 a.m.

Big Ben and Parliament alone were enough to take in, but the most fun -- and wonderful-- aspect of the setting was grasping the relationship of the river Thames (prounouced "Tims") to the setting. It's an issue of proportions and reference points, really, perhaps best explained in contrast to the beautiful Ohio river whose bend embraces the Midwestern U.S. city where I live.

A Beautiful River vs. an Intimate River
The Ohio, which means "good river" in native American Iroquis language, later translated to "beautiful river" by the French, is about 3,330 feet wide at the Indiana-Kentucky border. It's not a short walk... In fact, you just don't see people on foot crossing the parallel twin bridges that link the city where I live to Kentucky.

So when I read in the guidebooks about walking across the bridge over the Thames, I was not picturing a stroll.

If such a thing as a river can be intimate, then the Thames fits that description.

It's only about 825 feet wide, roughly one-quarter the width of the Ohio. So many London-reknown attractions are "right there" (if not "just there") within walking distance. On one side, there's Ben Big and Parliament with Westminter Abbey and Buckingham Palace not too far -- and on the other, the London Eye, the aquarium and the unique feel that you only get in the old, old part of the city's London Bridge area.

Steve's arrival from Geneva was delayed an hour, so I had an opportunity to do bit more exploring, but we'll leave that for the next post. For now, here are my best shots of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Above: My favorite shot of Big Ben; below: Ben Ben as it anchors the Houses of Parliament

Below: Parliament courtyard shot through a link in the fence.

Pretty happy with the composition of this one.

Below: Parliament courtyard, another view. Notice the bicyles.

I wonder if they belong to the members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons.

Below: Parliament and Big Ben from the south side of the Thames. The skies are starting to clear.

Finding Birkbeck

Still committed to staying awake till British bedtime, I left the Barbican and decided to try to find Birkbeck College and the University of London.

The University of London actually consists of 19 self-governing colleges, including Birkbeck College, from which my master's in organizational psychology is offered through the university's International Programmes.

The two entities are actually housed across the street from one another in a section of central London called "Bloomsbury," where the must-see British Museum is also located.

Don't I know you?
What made this particular Saturday in London so timely was that Birkbeck was having a seminar for students still working their way through the program. Our program coordinator, Lee, had invited any early-appearing graduates to stop by, which I did.

Quietly, I took a seat in the back of the room as the afternoon session continued -- and began matching the speakers at the front of the room with photos of the instructors that I knew through conferencing but had never actually met. That had to be Andrew.... Must be Chris presenting... So that's Wanda... And Lee... of course, couldn't be anyone else.

How, I'm not sure, but Lee recognized me, and she introduced me to the seminar attendees as one of the students who would be graduating this coming Tuesday. Meeting the tutors who had provided so much guidance for five years was just extraordinary, and what a surprise to find that two of my friends were among the attendees: Tiia-Riia (Finnish-born, living working in Switzerland) and Fernando (born in Brazil but careered in Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, France and Italy).

These first-year students, most of whom seemed to be already well-launched in their careers, had made the trip not only from Europe, but also from Russia and South Africa, and it was my pleasure to meet many among this extraordinary group.

Pub crawl (well, not exactly)
After the seminar and reception, those of us who did not have to leave, walked to a pub for dinner -- and it was during that brief journey that I narrowly missed getting hit by a bus. London is so vibrant and fast-moving... Things happen quickly, and although streets can be crossed quite safely, animated conversation is a bit of a distraction.

British pubs are a thing all their own -- and maybe the subject of a future post. I ordered something called "deviled whitebait," which turned out to be tiny little fish, deep fried and salty, with their innards gutted out. Accompanied by a shared bottle of French white Sancerre, this meal was quite different than the salad and oakey California chardonnay I usually order back home in Indiana. And that is the point, really... Why travel if you aren't willing to try new things, even if you're not quite sure what they are?

What a delightful evening and what a great first day in London.

Sleep, finally.

Tomorrow was going to be equally eventful -- with plans to meet fellow-graduate Steve at Big Ben.

University of London (above), Birkbeck College (below)

Not 'that' Four Seasons

Someday, I would really like to return to London and stay in a hotel that has an elevator, air conditioning, a restaurant and bar, and all of itself on the same side of the street.

But this trip required economizing, so I was very lucky to book a room at a nice little "boutique" hotel called "The Four Seasons." Just a few blocks from the Baker Street tube station, it had almost everything I needed, and the staff were absolutely terrific in finding a room for me, even though I arrived a few hours before check-in time.

I'll write more about the hotel a bit later on, but for now, let's go back to the challenge of how to stay awake another 13 hours (till British bedtime) in order to minimize jet lag due to lack of sleep.

Goal-setting theory
Goal-setting theory and evidence, which we studied in the module Motivation and Performance, supports that goals are motivating if they are specific, obtainable and, among other things, if feedback is near-term.

My single over-arching goal and sole reason for going to London was to graduate. Once there, the goal shifted to actually getting myself to the ceremony on Tuesday morning at the Barbican Center.

So, what better sleep-postponing activity than to make certain I could find my way to the Barbican, learning the underground (tube) in the process. It's actually very easy, but since we don't have anything even remotely like it in the medium-size Midwestern city where I live, some time on the underground seemed like a wise investment. The travel books advised purchasing a 7-day Travelcard if you're staying that long and planning on going here and there on a whim -- so that's what I did. It's really the best deal, costing about $68 USD, preshipped to my home in the U.S. before departure. Not bad for a week's travel, and it also covered the bus system and part of the overground (trains).

The Barbican
For the past few years, I've watched graduation streaming live from The Barbican. But still, I was not prepared for the rush of emotion that hit when I walked through the entrance. Of course, I reacted on a personal level because that's what you do when you're about to reach out and grab a dream and still can't quite believe it.

But the Barbican is really something worth knowing about on its own merit. Historically, it's significant because it was constructed on a site most heavily bombed during World War II, in a way, not unlike our U.S. 9/11 memorial rising from the ashes in New York City.

But besides that, the Barbican is in the oldest (and most historic part) of London, which is called "The City," and it's described on the facility's Website as "Europe's largest multi-arts and conference venue, presenting a diverse range of art, music, threatre, dance, film and creative learning" and also "home to the London Symphony Orchestra."

So, I walked around bit and took in a mind-blowing exhibit that I may get a chance to describe later on, but for now, here are just a few photos.

Just off the Barbican tube exit, walking to the Barbican Center

The Barbican from a distance.

Barbican Center main entrance

Skipping ahead to Tuesday morning: A sneak peak at the stage set for graduation

A controversy already

Already we have a controversy.

Still 14 days to go, and it seems that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has drawn wrath and ire because the U.S. team's opening and closing ceremony uniforms were manufactured not in the U.S. but in China.

It's too late to change for the forthcoming Games, but CNN is reporting that the 2014 USA uniforms will be manufactured in the U.S.

While this is not the sort of controversy that I can put metrics around, it does illustrate how the tentacles of globalization continue to configue within-country decisions.

Globalization is here to stay, but we're only just starting to see the pendulum swing back in ways that weaken China's attractiveness as a manufacturer vs. the U.S. You may not have heard the term "backsourcing" yet, but it refers to the decision to return outsourced production back to the home country or, in some cases, to employee- rather than contractor-capabilities.

And it's already happening.

Driving the mini-trend
So far, it seems that two reasons are driving this back-to-home-country, mini-trend. 1) Wages in China are rising, which means that the profit margins aren't as attractive as they once were, and 2) China doesn't have the quality control that we do in the U.S., most notably for consumer and pet products so far.

Not that long ago, a filler/additive called melamine was responsible for pet and infant deaths because it was used during the manufacturing process. So, while we may not care all that much if our clothing comes apart at the seams sooner rather than later -- or doesn't wash very well, it does seem to matter when babies and pets die.

Based on the way organzational life seems to work, I really doubt that anyone outside designer Ralph Lauren's organization even gave that second thought to where the U.S. uniforms were being manufactured. But somebody somewhere figured it was worth ferreting out, so now it has surfaced.

 *****
As for yesterday's post about my plans to stay awake for 13 more hours during my first day in London, yes, I did manage to do it -- and despite almost getting run over by a bus, it was grand.

More later...

Getting there

Of course I overpacked.

Ordinarily, that sort of error is not a huge deal. However, none of the four otherwise excellent guidebooks I devoured during the three months before leaving for London mentioned an important detail:

Many of the tube (underground) and train stations don't have "lifts," which is the British term for the "elevators" that we Americans take if we are going to or from subterranean places to higher ones.

So thank goodness, my embarrassment was only shared with people I didn't know and would never see again as I lugged my full-size, heavy suitcase up and down step-by-step at Paddington Station and again at Baker Street. A few kind souls stopped to help, and I let them. After almost 24 hours without sleep, I didn't care what I looked like or who saw me. I was just grateful for the assist.

But how to stay awake another 13 or so hours?

My seasoned-traveler friends advised to stay up till British bedtime, or else it would take days to adjust to the time difference. It was only 7 a.m. London time but 1 a.m. Indiana time, and I had been up since 3 a.m. the previous day. The week before, it had seemed like such a good idea to try to get my body on London time, going to bed around 9 p.m. and getting up at 3 to 4 a.m. -- but being able to sleep on the flight over was part of that plan.

Unfortunately, it was part of the plan that didn't happen because I was just too excited.

After five years of intense study that still defies description, plus the yearly anxiety of waiting 3 months to get that "pass" email, I was in London -- about to graduate -- and for the first time, meet in person some of the dear friends known only so far by email and conferencing.

The next part of the plan was clear. I would just get to my hotel, and even if I couldn't check in yet, at least I could start to figure out the rest of that Saturday.

London!

Customs at Heathrow Airport