I might be giving away too much here,

stiff arm
Originally uploaded by cerf.sauvage.

but I just love this photo.

Go Bears!

"The Emperor's Children" by Claire Messud-a Recommendation

In late August, The Economist gave this novel a glittering page-long review. While I am hesitant to read anything that deals with September 11 (non-fiction seems too real and too spun these days, and any fiction seems disrespectful), I was intrigued. So much so, I pre-ordered it off of Amazon, a new event for me.

This is one of the better modern novels I have read in a long time. It follows a a group of friends from college (Brown) who are now in their thirties for about seven months, March through November of 2001 (thus lopsidedly straddling September 11). The characters' relationships with one another wax and wane as significant others enter the picture, and as jobs become frustrating or non-existent. Each character is prone to intricate self-reflection.

This book paints a picture of post-modern American life that (to me) hasn't been captured before (even absent the appearance of September 11) . Marina is the daughter of a prominent liberal pundit and commentator. Her friend Danielle has the most prominent and stable job, but is way over-skilled for the position she holds. Marina, born silver-spoon in mouth and blessed with good looks, struggles with completing a book deal that everyone really assumes she got because of who her father is. Though Marina's father, Murray, became well-known as a liberal journalist in the 1960s, he is still in demand as a lecturer and commentator. Through the book, however, it emerges that the man has had very few new ideas since his heyday and that he has just been republishing and recycling the same thoughts over and over.

I think the interesting thing is that each character seems to acknowledge in some way that he/she is (to borrow from Catcher in the Rye) a phony. Murray eventually asks himself if he is actually the genius that everyone thinks (or pretends to think) he is. Danielle knows that her job is not as interesting as she makes it out to be, but feels comfortable in the fact that while Marina is the rich and pretty one, she is the smart one with the stable job.

Messud does a wonderful job of capturing the malaise of the young, educated, and unfulfilled. She aptly portrays familiar human sentiments of the now; how everyone thinks that the undeserving often succeed but that they themselves are always entitled to have more: how often we become willing subsribers to systems (capitalism, class, mores) that we once abhored: or how habituated we have become to being forced to participate in systems or play roles unwillingly, just to get by.

The events of September 11 provide a shock to the characters, but each in a different way. Interestingly, it mostly prompts more navel-gazing in the characters, rather than any sort of external aggression.

I really haven't given too much away here. My only "critique" if you could call it that, is that the dialogue is too refined. No one really "talks like that." Even the over-educated. That said, I don't think Messud could have developed this story or painted the images she did any other way. Her prose and character development is amazing.

NY TIMES REVIEW (much better than mine)

Eat My Shorts, Kim Jong-Il

I was listening to NPR yesterday morning while they were reporting on the international community's reaction to the underground nuclear test that North Korea conducted. They had some brief audio of UN ambassador John Bolton's statement and his answers to a few questions posed by the media. I wasn't sure because I was wandering around my apartment, but I could have sworn that when he was asked if the US had actually provoked North Korea's nuclear ambitions by including them in the "axis of evil," he responded by saying "get a life." Surely I must have misheard.

I was looking at the news today, and lo and behold, there it was in the Guardian (full article):

Mr Bolton dismissed the notion that Pyongyang was driven to carry out a nuclear test by being labelled as part of the "axis of evil", saying those who believed this should "get a life".

Now I'm not saying that North Korea became a rogue state because Bush cavalierly included him in his now infamous "axis of evil" speech, but surely our F*CKING AMBASSADOR TO THE UN could come up with a more diplomatic, if not more relevant, response to this question than an out-of-date colloquial expression. If this is how he addresses the public, lord only knows how he speaks privately.

Bolton receiving Senate confirmation? As if! Well, maybe he'll get it. Not!

MOMA

IMG_0764
Originally uploaded by cerf.sauvage.

We also got a chance to go see the MOMA in its new (to us anyhow) location. It's exquisite. The collection really is amazing.

I don't know why, but I have this thing for Jasper Johns. I don't really love Pop Art generally, though I do like it and respect its ironic critique of consumer society. I heard this story of an interview he gave once, that went something like this (paraphrasing from memory):

"But why do you use the stencils (Johns frequently used stenciled numbers in his work)? Is it because you like them or is it just because the stencils come that way?

"That's what I like about them...that they come that way."

I thought that was just a delicious answer.

But in any event, it was moving to see some of his (and others') more famous work up close, such as this well-known piece "Flag."

I don't know the girl in front of it. She was just there and I thought it gave some sense of scale. I highly recommend going if you are in town. On Friday nights it's free from 4-8.

Going Back to Brooklyn...

I went and visited the GF in the NYC for a nice long weekend. She lives in a cute apartment in a nice part of Brooklyn. Two blocks one way, and it's quaint little patisseries and boutiques, the other way is gun shots and crack deals. One learns quickly which subway stop to frequent.

We had a bit of a melt down one night (I'll probably have to do a whole separate post on it to really talk about it), but other than that it was great to see her and I realized that I truly miss and love her. These are not words I throw around.

I think I might need a change of scenery anyway. I've been in the bay area for a long time now. Why am I not already in New York, you ask? Here's is a short list.

1. She didn't decide which grad school to attend until about a month before classes started, so I wasn't sure she was even going to New York (LA was also a possibility).

2. I am a new attorney, getting my feet wet. I'm not particularly good at what I do, and finding a job in a city where I don't know anyone (in the legal field at least) is frightening. The idea of taking another bar exam (which I might or might not have to do, granted) also makes me physically ill (it gives me the taste of coffee on the back of my throat).

3. Word on the street is that attorneys work crazy hours in New York. I might see more of her and the city if I just visited every six weeks or so.

4. Moving for somebody makes me nervous. While I am cognizant of it, I'm afraid if things went south for me (or us) I would (un)consciously resent her for making me move out there.

I'm starting to think that I really want to go though...or at least give it an honest shot.

My favorite New York story of the trip. I called a car service to take me to LaGuardia. This kid in baggy pants and a Yankees cap pulled up blasting music that I could only imagine was "Chingy" or something like that (I'm lame and out of touch, give me a fuckin' break here). I wasn't sure if this was the right car or not (little if any labels or markings on the van), but then he said " You goin' to the airport or what (question mark intentionally omitted)." Ah yes, this must be my ride.

He started yelling racial slurs at the guy in the car in front of us, who must have cut him off before he picked me up or something (I think my driver was latino, but I couldn't be sure). He turned up some hip hop track on the radio and asked me "you understand this? You feel this?" I said that I did, but I think he could tell I was lying.

He asked me how long my flight was. I said about five hours. "Fuck, I couldn't fly no five hours without smoking a blunt first.....hey, you wanna smoke? I already got it all rolled up." I declined telling him that I really did need to find my plane and that hanging out in the Cinnabon for 4 hours would not get me back to SF any quicker.

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

"Not at all"

We then got into a conversation about our respective "bitches." It was actually kind of...nice.... I told him how my GF gets jealous of other girls in my life, and that the irony was that while my past is flecked with infidelities, I haven't even thought about cheating on the current GF and wouldn't.

"Yo, I feel you. My girl is the same way. I told her, 'you know I used to be a playa, but I ain't foolin' around wit any other girls.' But now that I told her and came clean, bitch is crazy right? She's all up in my shit now and don't trust me."

He dropped me in the alternative drop off so that we could avoid the cops prowling the curb side. He gave me his card and said that if I ever "need to talk" to give him a ring.

As I staggered through security, somewhat confused, but at ease, I realized that I had a nice second-hand high.

For the Geek in You that Just Can't Wait

Supreme Court Transcripts are now available on the same day as oral argument. No more checking back weeks later to hear how Scalia and Ginsburg had an ideological argument with each another by asking rhetorical and hyperbolic questions of poor unsuspecting counsel.

The Supremes have already granted cert in a few interesting cases. Having the two newbies (Roberts/Alito) on this Court with two cases regarding the partial birth abortion ban on the docket makes me fidget.

Meanwhile, Back in the Former Yugoslavia...

Hope.

On October 3, with a 55% voter turn-out, Bosnia and Herzegovina elected their three presidents (Bosnian, Croat, Serb) with no scandals, and with International Observers declaring that it was free and fair. Congratulations to Haris Silajdzic, Nebojsa Radmanovic, and Zeljko Komsic.

None of the new presidents are from the nationalist parties that have historically won these elections. In fact, many Muslims voted for Zeljko Komsic, a more centrist Croat. Croat nationalists acknowledge that Komsic was elected legally, but they contest his legitimacy as leader.

While Radmanovic's party does seem to support secession of the Republika Srpska, there seems to be hope that the three presidents will be able to get along and help move Bosnia and Herzegovina forward. As one voter put it, "It is the first time that we have three presidents with class."

See full article from Le Monde.

Great Song, Great Film

I mentioned Nouvelle Vague before, and then I found this great little video of one of their songs. I don't know if the band did this themselves, mais ça tombe bien. The group's new album "Band à Part" shares the name of a Jean-Luc Godard film from the 60s (In English, known as "The Outsiders"). This is actually a scene from that film. Uncanny, non? As if they were made for each other.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQZPozjCX8

Whatever happened to morals and values, INDEED!

This is complete plagiarism, but I just couldn't help but love this bit of, um, "news."

From US Weekly Today:

Nick Cheated on Paris with Pieces of Ashlee Simpson

Now we know why they don’t call them Backstreet Men. When Backstreet Boy Nick Carter learned that Paris Hilton was cheating on him with Sophia Bush's fiancé, Chad Michael Murray, he took the mature approach. According to PageSix, he waited until his then-girlfriend jetted off to Australia and then hooked up with Ashlee Simpson. "I'd fallen head over heels with this chick. Then, all of a sudden, three months go by and I got people telling me, 'Nick, you know what Paris is doing to you,' and I got a little upset," Carter said. "So then I just decided to fight back a little bit and started doing my own thing again. The result is I hooked up with Ashlee Simpson. When Paris came back from Australia, they talked to each other and she found out about it. "So I brought it up to her and said, 'You know what I did, and now it's your turn. Why don't you tell me what you did.' And she goes, 'I never did anything! I never cheated on you.' I had kind of started to really like Ashlee and I was thinking about the dating stage, then before you know it, f--king b-tch-face comes back." Carter, 26, told the New York Post he has no regrets, but the experience with Hilton left a bitter taste in his mouth. "I got so burnt over that whole Paris [bleep] with all this swinging and switching. Whatever happened to morals and values?"

Celebreties are hilarious. Look at this stuff. I truly don't understand the fascination with any of these people. Nick Carter? The Backstreet Boys? Why are we still talking about this? I also think Paris looks like a cross-eyed bird, who, because of her ocular deficiency, cannot get enough to eat. I'd be all over Ass-lee and her new nose. I bet I'd have a better chance with her sister though. She seems like she's a bit desperate of late.

By George I Think They've Got It!

Sometimes I feel lawyers get a bad rap. There are a few bad apples (I've met some mealy red-delicious in my day, believe you me), but generally I don't think lawyers are as bad as everyone makes them out to be. They are generally over-worked and sometimes a bit too argumentative, but other than that, I think lawyers have what it takes to be good people.

So when I read this article, I was somewhat torn. Apparently, young associates, with their crazy tattoos and nonchalant manner, are a threat to the good ol'' boy club of law firms. So much so, that they now hire outside help to train them the social graces that is befitting of the upper classes.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's nice for a law firm to pay for a class that teaches you about wine, but it's the end that frightens me. They're creating associate robots. Apparently, it's not ok to be ignorant about wine, have tattoos, or dress in anything but proper attire. How about having a diversity of ideas and perspectives? Don't get me wrong, some of the attorneys I've met have pretty poor social skills, but forcing them to take a class on etiquette and proper behavior? This whole thing smacks of Pygmalion. As in, you could be the most brilliant legal mind this side of Greenwich Mean Time, but it just won't do if you can't play golf and tell that funny story about when you and your Lacrosse team went up to your parents summer home on the cape. Remember that? Oh, James, bring the car around will you? It's so hard to find good help these days.

I Have a Nip/Tuck Problem

I don't know if it's the fact that I secretly admire Dr. Christian Troy, the fact that I resent myself for secretly admiring Dr. Christian Troy, or just the unpredictable insanity that attracts me, but this is the only show that has ever religiously commandeered my attention once a week.

It had me at "Tell me what you don't like about yourself." No...rather, it had me at the first show of the first season, when Christian bangs the girl who waters the plants (and they basically show it) and they play a Bebel Gilberto song, Sem Contenção, a personal favorite. The Gotan Project also seems to be a regular feature on the show now too, which I enjoy independently, but I think goes great with the show.

I love it for the girls that turn out to be boys, and the girls who are obviously boys who teach us a little something about ourselves, boy or girl (Insert Blur song here).

I love watching Christian be Christian, periodically displaying a conscience. I like watching Sean be a hypocrite. I love how Matt has so many fucking issues (Why is it always the rich kids that are messed up in the head?). And poor, poor Annie, who always seems to get punished for seeming well-adjusted.

Last night they played a song by Nouvelle Vague, another one of my favorites. Maybe it just makes me feel cool that I recognize the music and it thus reaffirms the relevance of my own existence. Hmmmm....what would Brooke Shields say about that?

Or perhaps I should ask myself, "WWXD?"

That's right, "What Would Xenu Do?" as they are now dealing with Scientology. Could it get any battier? I mean better?

Epilogue to My Mugging

So yeah. I was walking home around 11:30pm on Friday. About two blocks from home, a guy who was walking in front of me spun around and pulled a gun on me.

I hesitated, and looked around, but no one else was in sight. Seeing my hesitation, he waved the gun in my face and said "this ain't no game." I gave him my bag, which had my wallet and ipod in it. He took my phone but let me keep my keys (thank god). He ran off and I flagged down a pickup that was coming. The guys inside let me call 911. About 15 seconds later a cop drove around the corner (coincidentally I think). I didn't see where he went, but based on what the guys in the pickup said (as far as I can remember), I think he might have gotten into a waiting car and took off. The police swarmed the area, but no luck.

I was impressed with the police response that night, but the follow up has been pretty poor. I was told to call the robbery department today (Monday). I called at 9:30, but the lady said they hadn't processed any of the reports yet. I called back a few hours later, and she asked me "what information do you want?" I told her that the officer who took my statement said to follow up. She said "well we haven't arrested anyone yet, so we don't have anything new."

Most of my day at work was spent figuring out how to get a new phone, making an appointment at the DMV, etc. I'm still a little frazzled, but mostly just irritated. Irritated that I have to get a new ID, new membership card to my gym, etc. I guess that's petty, I mean at least I didn't get shot.

I think I'm just kind of frustrated with humanity; that people do this, and that you can work hard, pay rent and do everything right but then in a split second, someone can take everything from you.

My girlfriend got held up about 6 months ago in a different part of the city. Those guys were never caught. We both live in pretty nice areas. In my girlfriend's old neighborhood they called a town hall meeting because there were several people who were robbed, and a few burglaries where the people were home. I think SF is getting more dangerous. I think she's safer in Brooklyn. Seriously.

Apologies

I just got robbed at gun point in this fair city, so it's probably going to be a while before I post anything else. I'm fine, but la vie quotidienne is going to be more of a hassle for the days to come, so I am guessing I won't be on here for a while. So for those of you who read this (perhaps all 3 of you), I apologize in advance.

A Right Without a Remedy.....

I'm not sure why everyone is reporting that the "compromise" between Bush and the rebel GOP Senators on the interrogation and questioning of detainees is win/win. Seems to me like the Senators completely caved on the Geneva Conventions. Bush wanted to redefine what was prohibited, and from my reading of the compromise, it does just that; it narrowly defines the conduct that would lead to a breach of the Geneva Conventions. I'm not sure where they got these definitions, but it does seem to give the CIA a lot of leeway to go ahead with some of the more controversial techniques.

Not only does it limit the definition of "grave breaches," it also gives the president the exclusive right to promulgate any additional rules regarding the Geneva Conventions that are not grave breaches (i.e., higher standards). So unless Congress changes this law, only the president can extend the offenses punishable as breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Yeah, I'm sure he'll get right on that.

It also states that

"[n]o person may invoke the Geneva Conventions or any protocols thereto in any habeas or civil action or proceeding."

So basically, and correct me if I'm wrong here, the only way the Geneva Conventions can be enforced is if the Attorney General decides to bring criminal charges. Detainees cannot affirmatively use the Geneva Conventions. It does seem that this renders the Geneva Conventions meaningless if the administration du jour decides not to press charges. How does that old adage go? A right without a remedy is no right at all.

It goes on to state that

"[n]o foreign or international sources of law shall supply a basis for a rule of decision in the courts of the United States in interpreting the prohibitions enumerated in subsection 2441(d).

I think this means that courts cannot cite to international or foreign decisions for their rulings. This seems extreme given that foreign and int'l decisions could provide guidance as to how to apply the conventions to specific factual situations (assuming any of this is actually enforced). Why limit ourselves to our own scarce jurisprudence on the subject when other jurisdictions have been interpreting the conventions for years? This self-inflicted myopia is appalling.

I'm going to stop here because my blog has been way too serious of late. Much better analyses than I could ever have done can be found over at national security advisor and balkanization.

And another thing

Ahmadinejad also stated this

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of the IAEA and is committed to the NPT. All our nuclear activities are transparent, peaceful and under the watchful eyes of IAEA inspectors. Why then are there objections to our legally recognized rights?

which I heard him reiterate on an interview with Anderson Cooper. That Iran is in full compliance with everything and that it is not fair to deprive Iran of nuclear energy. The latest report from the IAEA sates, however,

27. Iran has been providing the Agency with access to nuclear material and facilities, and has provided the required reports. Although Iran has provided the Agency with some information concerning product assays at PFEP, Iran continues to decline Agency access to certain operating records at PFEP.

28. Iran has not addressed the long outstanding verification issues or provided the necessary transparency to remove uncertainties associated with some of its activities. Iran has not suspended its enrichment related activities; nor has Iran acted in accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol.

That's NOT the same thing there Mahmoud.

Fire, Brimstone, and the Twelfth Imam

I had a chance to read the transcripts of the speeches that Bush, Chavez, and Ahmadinejad made before the General Assembly of the United Nations. Bush's was fairly predictable, but Chavez and Ahmadinejad had some truly interesting remarks.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad made some fair points. First, they criticized the United States for allowing the continued bombardment of Lebanon. By not agreeing to support an immediate ceasefire, the United States basically paralyzed the ability of the Security Council to do anything. I agree. I think the United States' policy during the destruction of Lebanon was horrific.

Second, they both believe that the composition of the Security Council is out-dated. I think this is a fair criticism. The Security Council is made up of the victorious countries from WWII. The five permanent members no longer reflect the balance of power in the world, and it should be opened up. Its decisions, which are already starting to be see with a sceptical view, will truly begin to lack any sort of legitimacy as the developing world begins to throw its weight around in other weights (trade, regional organizations, etc.)

Chavez and Ahmadinejad made some other more memorable remarks though. Chavez stated

The devil, the devil himself, is right in the house. And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself] And it sells of sulfur still today." Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.

(full transcript). Now I'm no fan of Bush myself, but I think calling any world leader "the devil" is inappropriate diplomatic decorum. Mr. Chavez, I think you made some good points. I have visited Caracas and you have a beautiful country with great music. I also applaud your program of redistributing your nation's oil wealth. I wish Halliburton would follow suit. But calling someone the devil doesn't help any more than referring to countries as taking part in the "axis of evil." They are both examples of meaningless hyperbolic rhetoric.

Ahmadinejad also dropped a gem. He stated

O, Almighty God, all men and women are your creatures and you have ordained their guidance and salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirsts for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by you, and make us among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause

For those of you who are not familiar with Islam (my familiarity is only passing, so correct me if I'm wrong here), this needs a little context. In Shi'a Islam (the kind practiced in Iran), they believe that the descendants of the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), called imams, were all secretly murdered (by the Sunni, those who refused the legitimacy of the Prophet's cousin as rightful ruler). All except one. Shi'ites believe that the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al Muntazar, “The Awaited One,” escaped and disappeared, and that he will return on Judgment Day. Similar to the role played by the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is to whom Ahmadinejad is referring to when he says "perfect human being promised to all."

So in essence, it seems that Ahmadinejad is asking for the Apocalypse. Now I'm not sure if this is how Shi'ites normally end their speeches (Bush said "God bless you"), or if he were just wishing in his own way for the world to be made perfect, but coming from a man who says that his country has the right to nuclear materials, all talk of Armageddon should be post-poned for a different debate I think.

All of this "God" and "Devil" and "Twelfth Imam" stuff scares me. And I really don't think it has a place on the floor of the United Nations.

Subtle, Time Magazine, Really F'ing Subtle

My mom gave me a subscription to Time magazine this year. I didn't ask for it, mind you, I think she got it for free and just has it delivered to me. Normally, I find Time to be a bit light on substance, even on rather pedestrian subjects, such as this one.

They have some interesting articles that are short enough for the bathroom, and I like that one page they have with a random assortment of statistics, numbers, and interesting quotes of the week. Sometimes, though, I find their covers a bit much. Like this one.

While I agree that al-Zarqawi was a pretty evil person, we KILLED him. We aren't bowling here. We shot a f'ing missile into a bunker and KILLED him. I think that just putting a cross over his mug perpetuates the simplistic outlook that many of us harbor over the war on terror: "Hey maybe if we just get all the main bad guys, it'll all go away. Here's one, check him off, yee haa!" I also just find it crude and disrespectful, not of Zarqawi himself, but just of life in general. Killing people should be considered a necessarily evil...not something to put on a "to do" list and then cross off.

But this week's takes the cake.

That's right, "What War With Iran Would Look Like." What the hell kind of cover is this? What would a war "look like?!?!" That's an awful casual reference to war...like "hey, how does this war look on me? Do you think it will deter further terrorist acts or does it just make my hips look big?" I can understand how one nutball journalist might think this is a good cover for a magazine. But the entire publication? What are we trying to do here? All subjects should be open for discussion, but plainly asking what war with Iran would "look like" right under a picture of Ahmadinejad is incredibly brazen and, I would posit, irresponsible. The parenthetical ("and how to avoid it") is not sufficient to take the punch out of the hawkish question.

Maybe Time is now run by the boss of the Daily Bugle from Spiderman, you know that guy who makes covers that depict Spiderman in a menacing light just to sell papers? That guy?

A New Sun Is Rising in the Empire of the Rising Sun and the Empire Upon Which the Sun Never Sets (whew!)

Tomorrow the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan will elect a new leader, and at the end of the month Junichiro Koizumi will officially stand down as prime minister. Koizumi has become the face of Japan for as long as I can remember (well since 2001, like I said before, I can never remember to take my ginko biloba). With his crazy hiar and very unjapanese-like disdain for conformity, he has changed japan for the better. His greatest contribution, I think, was his charisma and ability to appeal to the people. By speaking to the electorate directly, Koizumi went over the heads of the insulated Japanese politicians who used to make decisions between themselves, and thusly empowered the democratic system.

Tony Blair is now being criticized by his own party for not stepping down soon enough. Blair has been in office since 1997 (even ginko biloba would not help me remember that).

Regardless of what you think of these men, the faces of two of the most influential countries in the world are soon to change. Not to be a fear monger myself, but with change there is uncertainty, and the change of the leadership of these countries will have profound effects around the world.

Wedding in Sonoma

My girlfriend and I attended a wedding in Sonoma this weekend. It was beautiful weather up there, but I drank too many of the crushed and fermented version of these.

These are Merlot grapes.

Highlight of the wedding/reception. The groom is a bit of a wine/spirit freak. In the early evening, they served several varieties of port chosen specifically to go with the chocolate covered strawberries they also served. Pretty magic.

I still can't figure it out first year....

I can't comment on your page. It's impossible. I loved your experience with freecycle though...

I can't believe the twit who was trying to guilt you into giving him/her the new one! It's FREE for f's sake! The nerve! If they have enough time to guilt other people, maybe they should work on getting a better paying job.

Oh my god...I just channeled my father. I am so sorry.

If freecycle is at all like craigslist, there are nutjobs aplenty! Good for you for trying to give stuff away.

P.S. If you have a spare HD TV, my church needs one :)