Arms of John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford. The 3 scallop shells in-chief may be a reference to the family's trade of carrying pilgrims to Bordeaux, en route toSantiago de Compostela

Wikipedia user Glasperlenspiel lives in Berkeley, California.

Bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. My particular interests are the politics and economics of South America, particularly Colombia. Associate's degree from Pasadena City College.

I grew up in Burbank, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. My first language was English, but I also speak French and Spanish. My username comes from the title of The Glass Bead Game, the great novel by Hermann Hesse. I enjoy road cycling, literature, fencing, classical guitar, and wikipedia.

Right now I work in enterprise risk management for a renewable energy company. Previously I worked for a public transportation agency in the San Francisco Bay Area and a couple of construction companies. I began my career as an underwriter for an insurance company, specialized in marine insurance.