Sanity Hearing

Book Review: Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs

Wendy recently loaned me this book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman, a book which I devoured in a pretty rapid reading.  Although in some respects there are a lot of essay writing authors on the scene right now- David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs come to mind right off the bat, I found this book uniquely funny.  Klosterman examines post-modern culture in a funny and frank manner that is itself ironically post-modern.  The book is essentially a series of essays in which Klosterman rants and raves in a generation X style of Dave Barry, describing his addiction to the virtual life game The Sims, his hatred of people who hate country music, his visit to the Association of Rock Critics convention, and other somewhat mundane events that he casts in a zany and comical light.  If nothing else, Klosterman gives insight into the deeper meanings of pop culture and its relationship to Generation X that one would not find else where or in such an entertaining form.

Gay Marriage Debate

For those of you with an opinion on one side or the other of the gay marriage issue, I strongly suggest you read the recent posts on the Beck-Posner-Blog.  While I think Posner can be somewhat insane at times, the recent posts have some pretty interesting thoughts on the issue as well as information about the trends internationally.  All of this should seem particularly relevant as well with the impending confimation hearings of John Roberts Jr.

In terms of Roberts, I heard a particularly idiotic quote on NPR this morning about Roberts, something to the effect that because he is a brilliant legal mind he will be a great Supreme Court justice-- all I have to say to that is one thing: Antonin Scalia.

Biography

I remember when I was in eigth grade for my social studies class I had to do this project that was essentially a amatuer biography of three people, one of which had to be me.  I remember I did my brother Bill and my Dad.  The whole experience was actually really interesting and it was something that shockingly enough resulted in me learning, knowing, and remembering an incredible amount about my Dad and his life that I never would have known otherwise.  I learned things I imagine only some kids know about there parents, like the fact my Dad sold his car to pay for a plane ticket for his wife and my older sister to get to Pittsburg when the firm he worked for in Denver fired him when they lost their biggest client, Marathon Oil.  Also I remember that he said when he arrived at the firm in Pittsburg he had to ask for an advance on his first paycheck just to get a place to stay, which he described as, "One of the most humiliating moments of my life."  I also remember a lot of funnier stories, but also some strange reflections on things like how he felt when my sister, his first child was born ("Sobering.  Because I realized I was actually responsible for someone else.")

I won't attempt to recreate the whole biography thing here, but for some reason I have been thinking about jobs and graduating from law school lately.  It leads me to reiterate a belief I have held for some time-- there are not enough biographies of "normal people".  Personally, I love to read and I especially love biographies.  To name a few I really liked- one on T.E. Lawrence, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, and Titan- the biography of John D. Rockefellar were all quite good.  I think in part some of our fascination with these books is that we look for insight into how these people lived such remarkable lives and sometimes, how they obtained success.  I believe though, that there is a popular misconception that "normal" people live boring lives.  Truthfully, I think normal people biographies would be even MORE fascinating and helpful.  As much as I find the stories about Teddy Roosevelt inspring, I would just as much like to know the story of the life of a Boston Trial attorney, or a Providence publisher, or a Rutland organic farmer.  Proof of this should be in books like A Civil Action, which to a large extent is just such a book, only with a depressing ending.  In the mean time I suppose we just need to listen to what our parents have to say...but I just feel likes books might be more convienient-- plus books can't have too much to drink.

Raving Over Rove

To begin with, the key problem I have with Karl Rove is what he stands for- and I am not talking about his politics.  The fact that Karl Rove represents a so-called neo-conservative political agenda still factors in only in a minor sense when I consider why I dislike him.  Instead, what bothers me about Rove is the fact that to me he represents a trend in politics that is everything I find wrong with recent trends in politics, most notably candidates that do not actually stand for anything but instead manufacture a stance on a variety of issues that they feel are most likely to win them the election.  I realize that political corruption and pandering to interest groups is nothing new in the United States.  After all one of the concern of the Federalists was that so called "factions" would dominate American politics and of course there were the powerful political bosses of the 1800's like Boss Tweed in New York City.  Nonetheless, I think in recent elections, probably starting with Ronald Reagan, candidates have  increasingly stood for only a vague agenda initially and then only focused on issues specific issues once doing so appeared clearly politically expedient.  Granted, I understand that pleasing people with their policies makes some sense in theory in a democracy.  Popular and elected or reelected politicians are doing the will of the people because if their policies did not reflect what people wanted they wouldn't get elected in the first place.  The downside of this type of thinking is in part what many conservatives criticized the Clinton administration for- a lack of leadership on tough issues that might result in unpopular public opinion. 

I'll admit that the Bush administration has certainly taken on plenty of issues that engender negative public opinion; however, it does not change the fact that Karl Rove strikes me as the architect of an administration policy aimed primarily at getting republican candidates elected at the expense of positive social and economic policy.

The recent flare up over Rove's alleged involvment in the Plame Scandal should concern everyone.  For one thing, it shows a major lack of accountability on the part of the Bush Administration.  Initially Bush had claimed that if anyone at all was found to have a connection with the leak of the CIA operative's name to the press, then that person would be let go from the administration; however, now Bush is stating that they will wait until the investigation into this "very serious matter," is over before the administration takes any action.  The message here should be clear: they plan to stall for as long as possible, hopefully until Bush's term is close to being over and if Whitewater is any roadmap- an investigation could clearly take that long.

Pissed About Pennies

It was tuesday afternoon.  I stepped outside of my office into the heat and sunshine and began walking in a loop around the front of the building.  I had received my new free cell phone yesteday and obviously I was excited to make a few lunchtime phone calls.   After just two or three minutes of walking I realized what a terrible head I have for numbers and came to the conclusion that I only knew about 3 or 4 numbers by memory.  After a number of failed attempts to call three or four people, I called Derek, whose voicemail I actually reached- a good sign that I remembered his number.  I left Derek a short number and then called my mom to see how she was doing.

Later when I returned to my desk after chatting with the mom for a while, I received a voicemail on my confusing new phone from Derek.  Apparently he had been unable to answer his phone previously because he was cruising along the Mass Turnpike when it occurred to him he would need to pay a toll, and alas, he did not have any cash with him.  Thus, he apparently pulled over at a rest stop and began counting out pennies from the ashtray in his outrageously yellow car.  He then had to exchange the pennies at the rest stop store because the Pike will not take pennies as payment.  Derek's message ended by expressing his feeling that this failure to accept pennies was, "unconstitutional".  Of course I was at first concerned that after three years of law school Derek considered this "unconstitutional", but then I turned to considering the more important question of pennies- that's right pennies.

Have pennies simply been relegated to the vast cultural trash heap of the past?  Something we pick up for good luck or throw in fountains?  Most people I know, including myself, have vast jars of pennies in their room, have pennies, filling the ash trays of their car and the bottom of book bags and change purses.  More and more pennies don't seem to even be accepted as legal tender in places where other change is still taken.  The maddening reality of this situation is that the federal government is breaking their deal, so far as I am concerned-- if pennies are actually legal tender for all debts public and private, then by god I should be able to fill a parking meter with the little buggers-- even if it takes me two hours.

One major concern I have witht he penny problem is the income people are receiving, but not investing or spending- this can't possibly be good for the economy.  On top of that most people would gladly even accept a small dip in value if they could somehow use their pennies for some actual purpose other than jar filling.  My suggestion is one of the following: 

1.  Campaign finance:  People always seem to always want to change the situation with campaign finance, such as providing more funding for third party or underfunded candidates.  What better way to kill two birds with one stone-- all campaigns must be funded with pennies.  The way I see it, this will keep politicians and their campaigns focused on rolling up the pennies rather than attacking each other or saying ridiculous things.  In addition, we will more than likely not have to be concerned with corruption because most extremely wealthy people or enron executives keep their funds in electronic form as opposed to penny form, thus I feel their influence would become limited.

2.  Repaying national debt:  Ever try to pay someone back with pennies?  One time my brother Michael lost a bet to me on and tried to pay me entirely in pennies (well, mostly pennies).  Since I am a real bastard, I took the pennies just to prove a point (he lost the bet), but a lot of people would be like, "Forget it- I don't care."  Try it some time- walk into a gas station and attempt to pay for a tank of gas with unrolled pennies-- they will not be pleased.  I suggest we start doing this with our foreign bond holders such as China and Japan.  When we start trying to pay them back entirely in unrolled pennies, I picture these creditors reacting by just telling us to pay later.

3.  Keep Bono busy:  Listen, I am a big a U2 fan as anyone if we are talking about the old stuff- like z00ropa or Joshua Tree, but Bono has gone insane- face it.  Not only has he started his own hedge fund, he never seems to shut up about third world debt relief.  Not that I have anything against this cause- in fact I support it.  I just remember a couple months ago I was in the gym watching CNBC with the sound off when I saw some sort of economic conference and in walks some U.S. diplomat, Bill Gates, and...Bono with a feather boa and some ridiculous looking glasses that make him look like a WWF character.  My feeling is that by just donating all our pennies to Bono, we would keep him busy rolling them up in his castle somewhere in Ireland instead of appearing in public.  Everyone wins.

4.  Parking meters:  I am telling you- constitutional amendment: all parking meters MUST accept pennies.  Paying for parking is absolutely ridiculous, but more and more I see these "Quarters Only" meters, which is just absolutely cruel.  On top of that a recent front page Boston Herald article reported that the boston parking authority has failed to collect revenue in the tens fo MILLIONS.  The solution: ACCEPT PENNIES.  I am telling you, there will be no problem collecting parking fees if you accept pennies.  In fact people will gladly park in metered spots and pay just so they can get rid of the little copper discs.  Problem SOLVED.

Derk for Rep.

I've known Derek since I was about 5 years old.  Growing up involved all the usual storied of little league baseball, pool parties in the summer, and ski club in the winter.  I would like to think we were always a dynamic team- I am not exactly sure what my role was, but Derek was certainly the gregarious actor, he seemed to always be putting on some sort of show even if it was just in everyday interactions.  I suppose perhaps that's why in elementary school when I wrote up a comedy skit for the talent show in front of the whole school called "The Purple Hatted Chef" lampooning the popular celebrity chefs, Derek was my logical partner in Crime. 

Needless to say, I did not go on to do much acting.  My comedy writing experience has been limited to making fun of teachers and people I don't like since that point on, although Derek went on to act in high school and college.

It seems ironic to me that Derek has told me that one of the reasons he applied to law school was that over Christmas break of our senior year of college I talked him into it.  I did not apply to law school after college.  I was uninterested and I had done poorly on the LSATs when I took them in college.  The next year Derek and I both were in Suffield.  I was looking for any work I could find and so was Derek, though he was starting law school at UConn at night.  After not very long Derek found a job working in public relations for the Jewish Federation of greater Hartford, an ironic job for an irish catholic boy, and I found a job doing customer service in the claims department for GE's insurance business in Hartford.

I remember Derek and I emailing every day while at work.  About all sorts of things- politics, work, being ridiculously poor, women (or our lack thereof).  In many ways those emails provided the basis for decisions that would shape the next few years of my life.  I decided I could not stand my job at GE.  Though talking to angry strangers on the phone thickened my skin a bit, I decided I did not like telling cancer patients we couldn't pay their disability because it was a pre-existing condition.  If anything I felt I was fairly good at writing and understanding issues- if Derek (and Natalie) could work and go to law school nights, so could I. 

In the end, I did not get my first choice, which was to go to UConn, but as you know I did get into law school.  Derek ended up working on the Lieberman campaign and I ended up working for Fidelity for much of my first year of law school and we often griped to each other about the lousy situation of working and trying to go to school as well. 

It seems almost surreal to me that things have come so far.  Today I am only a month or so away from starting my last year of law school and it only feels like I was starting it yesterday (thank god I am not though).  Last night Derek was in Providence and we went and had a beer and watched part of the All star game.  As Derek outlined some of the technical aspects of setting up his exploratory committee for running for state representative and I asked questions and made one or two comments, it seemed crazy that this was finally happening.

I guess it seems mundane to many people.  I suppose most kids dream about becoming rockstars, being in a band, or playing professional sports.  I guess a common bond for Derek and I and a few of my other close friends is that our dreams tended to be more of the variety of working in politics one day, being a judge or a senator.  Honestly, I still feel more attraction to doing something like this than being a Bono wannabee premadonna anyday.  In no small part I think it is because as much as their is an aspect of ambition to these dreams, I also truly believe that what we have in mind is to make the world a truly better place. 

Derek and I have long fought about politics, but essentially I think we have the same goal- which is to make our world a better place.  What's exciting to me is that Derek's campaign is in many ways a sign to me that we CAN make a difference and play an active role- even if it starts with very smal steps.  I wish Derek the best of luck and I hope you will all stay tuned for updates as they develop.

Anonymity

Yesterday someone made a comment on my post about "Marcy".  The commenter made some good observations and criticism-- for the most part pointing out that my post was likely a bit too critical.  My only defense is that this webpage is something I do for fun, a chance to practice writing and hopefully be funny or inciteful once and a while. 

What irks me is that the commenter chose to remain anonymous.  Frankly I am not going to bother changing the whole commenting settings, because people will just make up fake email addresses or something to that effect.  As I mentioned in my reply, most people who read this page are either readers of other blogs, online forums, friends of mine, or people who have found the page through my email signature or some other random venue.  Of those three groups I have a very hard time understanding a reluctance to identify authorship.  While you may feel remaining anonymous is somehow important, it takes away from the credibility of your comments and it causes me to question what motivates your making them.

Summer Exam Time Post I

So if you are anything like me, you are probably surprised that summer exam time is upon us.  I imagine that many of you who are a.  not law students or b. not night students are not familiar with summer classes, least of all summer law school classes. 

In college there were always a group of friends of mine who would stay in lancaster and live rent free at the frat house and take summer classes along with the rest of the slackers (most importantly to those guys- female lushes who didn't get summer jobs).  It seems like every year I asked my mom if I could take summer classes, but every year she denied me the funding and I went home to work a glamorous summer job such as working in an aluminum foundry- experiences that have made me the man I am today.  From what I gathered the summer classes these guys took were a pretty big joke.  I am basing this on the fact that this is almost an exact quote from my friend Fonz who stayed one or two summers: "Summer classes are a !@#%ing joke mang." *
(*He may have used the word "Dawg" instead of "Mang")

So essentially people seem to have the perception that summer classes are basically a huge joke and a chance for easy grades, which tragically is not completely the case with law school.  The key advantage to summer classes is that they cover a lot of material in a very short period of time so there is far less time to forget information, which is a positive thing is you are someone like me who relies heavily on memory and understanding as opposed to diligent note taking or outlining.  The disadvantages of summer classes are numerous.  First of all, mentally part of you has decided you are on vacation, no matter how hard you fight it.  After finishing up with a full load of 4 or 5 or even 6 exams it's very hard to tell yourself you need to get right back into it again.  Even after fall exams you have a christmas break followed by 4 or 5 months of class before the next barrage of exams.  The situation is different with the summer classes because there is very little time and thus little margin for error in terms of slacking off for a week or two.  Second, pretty much all summer school students are also working.  For me it was an unpleasant reminder of what first year was like trying to work and go to school at the same time.  Even though the overlap between my internship and classes has been less than a month so far, it has nonetheless meant a busier schedule that I enjoy.  If nothing else I have renewed respect for people like Matt who manage to keep performing in this type of situation.  Personally, I find the situation more difficult to manage.  I would rather stay at school  from 8 or 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. or later every day than work 8 hours and then fight traffic and spend three hours or so at aschool until 9...call me wimpy if you'd like.

The final difference between summer exam time and spring or fall exam time is (as you might expect with me) the question of motivation.  Every semester I have a strong feeling of just "Wanting it to be over," but generally that feeling masks a stronger desire to actually do well.  Summer exams are like the 6 miles or so after "The Wall" at mile 20 of a marathon, my greatest concern is finishing without serious injury.

Seeds

Recently I have become overwhelmly addicted to sunflower seeds.  I sit at my desk all day and try to nonchalantly spit the empty husks into a styrofoam cup.  The whole process is much much harder than you probably think, as I have a high standard of decorum people expect from me so even if they do see my sunflower husks, they need to see them in a classy and intelligent light, which is of course challenging.

Eating sunflower seeds has several attractions for me:

1.  I am never full yet I am never not full.  It's as if I have achieved what those breatharian whackos are aiming for where I get all the nutrients I need just from breathing the air.

2.  I look a baseball manager.  Or at least I think I do.  Chances are I do not, but it makes me feel less nerdy and a lot cooler and tough about looking at government contracts all day in a cube, so whatever works right?

3. Some people think I am "dipping". I know, two seconds ago I said I was aiming to NOT look like I am dipping, but so what- even if I DO, I still think that is pretty cool and it has the side effect of intimidating the other interns in my office...or grossing them out.  Either way...

The only real problem I have run into is the decision between Planters brand and David Brand.

The advantage of the planters is that the seeds come in a resealable bag that does not have Derk Jeter on it.  The downside is that occasionally there are tiny wooden things in the bag that are seemingly not seeds, which I am not totally crazy about. Also Planters only comes in original flavor, which can get boring when that flavor is in your mouth approximately 8 hours a day minus when you're drinking coffee.  To recap:  Positives: resealable bag, Jeter-free.  Downsides: foreign objects, limited flavors.

David Brand is probably what people recognize and what I started off with eating recently.  I stopped eating them and tried the planters for the obvious reason that I was tried of having Derek Jeter's evil gaze stare at all day on my desk.  David seems less salty and the flavor is generally better than any other brands I've tried, plus they come in alternative flavors like BBQ and Jalepeno, which are obvious pluses.  Also I have yet to find any foriegn objects with the frequency I've found them in the planters,. though I am sure I have consumed pounds of dried and roasted microscopic insect parts.  My biggest gripe with the David seeds is that the bag is made from a flimsy material that rips too easily and is not resealable.  To recap: Positives: Generally Foriegn object free, flavors.  Downsides:  Questionable bag material, Jeter.

Reflections on 10 Commandments Supreme Court Decision

Recently there has been some criticism of the Supreme Court's decision to not allow a judge to post the 10 Commandments in his court room.  Some sample comments from one conservative talking head:

— We CAN distribute Korans to aspiring terrorists at Guantanamo. — U.S. military

— we CAN support a governor of Arkansas to state employee, begging, "Kiss it."

— we CAN support (with our TAX $$$$) Close-up photos of women's vaginas plastered all over a portrait of the Virgin Mary — Brooklyn Museum of Art

...and a photo of a woman breastfeeding an infant, titled "Jesus Sucks." — NEA-funded performance

...and a photo of a newborn infant with its mouth open titled to suggest the infant was available for oral sex. — NEA-funded performance

...and a "F—- a Fetus" poster showing an unborn baby with the caption: "For all you folks who consider a fetus more valuable than a woman, have a fetus cook for you, have a fetus affair, go to a fetus' house to ease your sexual frustration." — NEA-funded performance

...and a performance of giant bloody tampons, satanic bunnies, three-foot feces and vibrators. — NEA-funded performance

...and a novel depicting the sexual molestation of a group of 10 children in a pedophile's garage, including acts of bestiality, with the children commenting on how much they enjoyed the pedophilia. — NEA-funded publisher

...and Christ submerged in a jar of urine. — NEA-funded exhibit

...and a female performer inserting a speculum into her vagina and inviting audience members on stage to view her cervix with a flashlight. — NEA-funded performance

...and a performance of large, sexually explicit props covered with Bibles performing a wide variety of sex acts and concluding with a mass Bible-burning. — NEA-funded performance

...and a show titled "DEGENERATE WITH A CAPITAL D" featuring a display of the remains of the artist's own aborted baby. — NEA-funded exhibit

...and a play titled "Sincerity Forever," depicting Christ using obscenities and endorsing any and all types of sexual activities as consistent with Biblical teaching. — NEA-funded exhibit

...and a Essay describing then-New York Cardinal John O'Connor as a "fat cannibal from that house of walking swastikas up on Fifth Avenue." Also photographs of men performing oral sex, anal sex, oral-anal sex and masturbation. — NEA-funded exhibit

That's the America you live in! A country founded on a compact with God, forged from the idea that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights is now a country where taxpayers can be forced to subsidize "artistic" exhibits of aborted fetuses. But don't start thinking about putting up a Ten Commandments display. That's offensive!

I don't want to hear any jabberwocky from the Court TV amateurs about "the establishment of religion." (1) A Ten Commandments monument does not establish a religion. (2) The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making any law "respecting" an establishment of religion — meaning Congress cannot make a law establishing a religion, nor can it make a law prohibiting the states from establishing a religion. We've been through this a million times.

Now the Supreme Court is itching to ban the Pledge of Allegiance because of its offensive reference to one nation "under God." (Perhaps that "God" stuff could be replaced with a vulgar sexual reference.) But with the court looking like a geriatric ward these days, they don't want to alarm Americans right before a battle over the next Supreme Court nominee. Be alarmed. This is what it's about.

My Thoughts:

My opinion is that so called "originalist" legal thought can be highly dangerous, which seems to be where this line of commentary is headed.  The "founding fathers" were by many respects dynamic men with incredible forsight to set up institutions like a national bank with a system of national debt, a bill of rights, a flexible constitution, and I could go on.  However, there are certain things that some of them believed that I simply do not agree with, or at the very least do not agree should be part of our government today.  Do not forget that many of these same men were slave owners, did not support the right of women to vote or even own property, and were probably strongly prejuduiced against non-protestant let alone non-christain religion.

The real success story of American government and our constitution has been the flexibility of the document over time in order to continue to adapt to the current social climate while simultaneously protecting citizen's rights.  The beauty of the constitution and our government is NOT to hold us in a 1700's regime of civil rights and social thinking.

In addition, the comparison between the NEA funded art and the recent anit-10 com. in courthouses decision is absolutely awful.  I fail to see them as parallel issues.  As already pointed out by others, the 10 commandment issue has to do with the formal endorsement of religion by the government, it should seem fairly elementary why putting up the ten commandments in a court room might indicate a religious bias towards non judeo-christian litigants.  The artwork, while we could argue over the completely seperate obscenity issue, has little to do with government formal endorsing religion.  State funded museums collect valuable artwork of significance in any number of religions, but no one mistakes this for an endorsement of religion.