f/k/a . . .

William J. “Bill” Higginson (1938 - 2008)

Bill Higginson, a man who helped bring haiku and linked-form Japanese poetry to the English-language world, and who was an admired friend and mentor to scores of “haijin”, died today. Bill was a Poet, Translator, Author, Workshop Leader, Editor, and Teacher, but the sum was much more than the parts.  He was a charter member and past president of the Haiku Society of America. I was not fortunate enough to know Bill personally, but the affection and respect with which he is held by many of my haiku friends tells me how deeply he will be missed.

Holding the water,
held by it __
the dark mud

writing again
the tea water
boiled dry

from the sandy beach
I stumble into
path firefly

… by William J. Higginson
“Holding the water” — Haiku West 3/2; The Haiku Anthology (3rd Ed)
“writing again” - The Haiku Anthology (2nd, 3rd Eds.)
“from the sandy beach” - HIA

As Curtis Dunlap noted at his Tobacco Road weblog this evening, just about every serious haiku poet has a copy of The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku (1985), which Bill wrote with his wife and collaborator, Penny Harter. It was my first introduction to the history and aesthetics of haiku.  Bill’s love of renku and his many contributions to the genre can be seen at his Renku Home website. You will find a brief literary and academic bio, here, and much more at Bill’s 2HWeb “gateway” site.

Those who know Bill well will surely have much more to say about the haiku legend, the friend and teacher.  His loving wife Penny sent a message to Curtis Dunlap today about Bill’s last day and plans for memorial services, which you can find at Tobacco Road.

Any of Bill’s friends, students, or admirers who would like to leave a message or a poem celebrating his life or mourning his death, is welcome to do so in our Comment section. [Because Comments are moderated, there may be a delay before yours is posted.] My most sincere condolences go out to Penny and the rest of Bill’s family, and to all of his friends.

– You can share this post with this Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/fkaBillHigginson –

clouds encircle
an almost-full moon –
we follow his footsteps

…. by dagosan (In mem., Bill Higginson, October 11, 2008)

. . . . . . .

– sunset over the Mohawk River, Schenectady, NY, October 11, 2008; by dag –

Dear Publisher, Pundit, Pub Patron & Political Junkie:

Trust us, the term “battleground state” can’t be found anywhere in the U.S. Constitution.  But, you keep using it every chance you get (e.g., here, here and even there), to the exclusion of some very fine — and often more precise and interesting — words.

You’re probably way too busy to pick up a thesaurus during this last month before the election.  So, the f/k/a Gang has compiled for you a full buffet of words and phrases that might be substituted for the annoyingly ubiquitous presidential campaign b-word, in the various situations where neither of the major party candidates yet has an insurmountable lead in a particular state and they’re both fighting to win its electoral votes.

The words are presented in no particular order, to preserve and provoke your creative freedom (and save us the bother of categorization).  Please don’t thank us for the list; we thank you in advance for using it. Of course, we’d appreciate any additional family-friendly words left in our Comment section to describe states or voters formerly known as “battleground.”

s/ the f/k/a Gang

. . . . toss-up, close, even, hotly-contested, swing, purple, uncommitted, doubtful

last-ditch, contended, undecided, indecisive, seesaw, hot, unsafe, rainbow,
margin-of-error, tight race, unpredictable, iffy, in dubio, indeterminable

fickle, coy, available, obtainable, persuadable,  
unpersuaded, disputed, doubtful, coin-flip, balanced, even-odds, in play

combat zone, dogfight, open, unsettled, noncommittal, inscrutable
eleventh-hour, too-close-to-call, neck and neck, photo-finish, tug-of-war

front line, challenged, disputed, unsettled, closely-contested
winnable, attainable, achievable, potential, feasible, possible, within reach

locked in a staring contest
me…
and a frog

… by Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue

p.s. Below the fold: A good summary of the concept of “battleground” or “swing” state from Wikipedia, plus a few haiku from Master Issa.

(more…)

Both Halloween and Election Day are coming.  So, we’re not at all surprised that politicians across the nation are once again posing as Heroes in the fight against the Great Sex Offender Trick-or-Treat Bogeyman.  Under the banner of protecting children, they’re restricting the actions of all sex offenders on Halloween, and sending out hordes of probation officers to make sure they stay in their homes (and, in some states, target themselves by posting “No Candy Here” signs), while expecting sheriff and police officials to monitor sex offender compliance on an already especially busy night.

We’ve covered this topic before at length here at f/k/a.  See our 2005 piece “halloween tricks: pols vs. sex offenders,” and last year’s “hauntingly familiar,” pointing out that there has been no reported Halloween sex crimes against trick-or-treaters in the United States (or Canada) since the infamous 1973 Fond du Lac Halloween Murder, when a person who had never been convicted of a sex crime victimized an unaccompanied 9-year-old girl. We’ve said it before:

Halloween Sex Bogeyman laws and restrictions have far too many costs, are far too likely to create a false sense of security among parents, and seem certain to have no real effects, other than giving grandstanding politicians a boost in the polls — and helping marauding bands of adolescent pranksters and more ominous vigilantes find unsympathetic targets.

So, it’s good to see that the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri is challenging a new Missouri law that, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says:

“convicted sex offenders must ‘avoid all Halloween-related contact with children’ by staying inside their homes from 5 to 10:30 p.m. ‘unless there is just cause to leave,’ such as a job or emergency.

“They also must keep outside lights off and post a sign that says ‘no candy or treats at this residence.

A violation of the law is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail.  Sen. Brad Lager, R-Maryville, who added the two Halloween provisions to a broader sex offender bill, said he did it because a constituent suggested it.  Here’s how the law is defended by Missouri police, per KOAM TV:

Sgt. Mike Watson from the Missouri State Highway Patrol explains why this new piece of legislation gives parents and kids a better piece of mind when they’re out and about:

“Just like any other activity at night, you want to keep your children safe,” Sgt. Watson says.  “Now, obviously that means you want to keep your children close by knowing where they’re going and paying attention.

“I think part of the information - getting this out lets them know that if there’s a sign in the yard what that does mean.”

[Ed. note: We don't know whether "giving piece of mind" is just an interesting homonym mistake, or a telling explanation for the law.  For an articulate argument against such laws see the Comment by Mrs. K, a survivor of childhood sex abuse, at the 7-KHQA website.  Meanwhile, a comment at the Sex Offender Issues blog wonders if we should restrict everyone with a DUI conviction to their homes on New Year's Eve (St. Patrick's Day, too).]

The ACLU lawsuit argues that the law is an arbitrary and overly-vague bit of ex-post-facto punishment.  The Post-Dispatch reports, in “Sex offenders challenge Mo. law banning them from Halloween activities” (Oct. 8, 2008 ):

The ACLU legal director, Tony Rothert, said offenders can’t be sure of their status even with their own children or grandchildren. He said the terms “Halloween-related contact” and “avoid” and “just cause” are not clear.

The law could even endanger sex offenders, Rothert said, by requiring them to post signs that could make them targets.

“There’s already pranks on Halloween,” Rothert said. “If someone wants to harass you and cause you problems that night, you can’t even turn your lights on.”

A spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt lives up to his surname, with this illuminating reaction to the ACLU suit:

“We’re not surprised that they’re now suing the governor to make it easier to victimize children.”

Gosh darn, Gov. Blunt, you really are a hero!

.. . good and bad ways to target a house . ..

If you want to spend time and resources to target houses on Halloween, we suggest you support the efforts of Target House for kids with cancer, rather than joining the sex offender vigilantes or following Chubby on his merry rounds.  And, if you are a parent who takes your responsibilities seriously, we strongly urge you to go with your children as they trick-or-treat this year — and don’t leave them alone with mom’s creepy boyfriend or any weird uncles, who are far more likely to molest them than are convicted sex offenders.

afterwords (Oct. 11, 2008): A fifteen year old girl in Newark, OH faces being labelled a “sex offender”  — and therefore missing Halloween activities for years to come — for sending naked cellphone photos of herself (a minor) to other minors. See “Kids who photograph themselves naked are child pornographers and sex offenders in Ohio” (BoingBoing, October 10, 2008)

- by the way: We’ve done a couple dozen posts about restrictions on where sex offenders may reside, starting with this post, which has a list of links to related pieces -

goblins at the door
in the darkness behind them
a cigarette flares

battery weakened
the low, slow laughter
of a demon

……………… by John Stevenson (who turns 60 today; see our post) from Some of the Silence

halloween
i only tell the priest
so much

………………… by ed markowski

John Stevenson turns 60 today, October 9, 2008.  You may recall that we made a very big deal over Yu Chang’s 70th birthday back in August.  However, living to sixty isn’t all that impressive in 21st Century America.  It’s not John Stevenson’s age we’re impressed with, but the way he’s lived his six decades and enhanced our lives.  We celebrate sixty years well-lived and anticipate and wish him many more — filled with much accomplishment, joy, and friendship.

John Stevenson made his first appearance at f/k/a in March 2005.  If necessary, you can learn a bit of the record of this much-acclaimed haiku poet and editor at that first post, and here.  Suffice to say, if the haikai community gave out Lifetime Achievement Awards he’d already have one on his shelf.

summit view
my friend
examines his shoes

… by Hilary Tann - The Heron’s Nest IV #1

John’s love for the art and craft of haiku (and related literary forms, like renku) has enthused others and created deep bonds of friendship and admiration.   He’s fully present in all he does — as poet, actor, kayaker, parent, friend, movie-goer, dinner companion, and much more (including, over the past couple of years, bocce player).   It’s his being fully there that makes John’s friends want to be at his side.

I’ve already said more than I intended.  The poems in this post were chosen by a few of John’s close haiku friends because they spoke to the poet of John and his spirit.  Click to enlarge the sparkling photographs, which were taken by his inveterate kayaking companion, Yu Chang (who has a lot of pictures of John’s back).  Speaking for many others, Yu says:

John is not only a very good friend,
but also a source of my inspiration.

autumn colors
we paddle closer
to the mountain

another spring
the nameless shoot
still nameless

star gazing
he pulls another chair
on the floating dock

… by Yu Chang

autumn night
in the white beard
60 birthdays

autumn settles
dark frosting
on a white beard

autumn evening
in the white of his beard
another birthday

. . . . by Roberta Beary

staring down
into stamens
of a water lily

ahead
one paddle
above the reeds

……. by Hilary Tann, who says:

John –  thinking of our Upstate Dim Sum camaraderie at Tai Pan
or renku at Onawa … Happy Day! Hilary

a kayak
on the roof rack–
long way home

…. by Peggy Willis Lyles

even the mime
sings along -
the glow of sixty candles

cake crumbs
on index cards –
the editor’s chair

.. by dagosan

winding road –
under the influence
of a strawberry moon

…… by David Giacalone - The Heron’s Nest VII: 4

autumn colors-
his train
on time

… by Tom Clausen

Happy 60th Birthday, John!

–  find links to hundreds of his poems here - -

.. . . . no, not last night’s soporific Presidential Debate (nor our simultaneous finger-puppet townhall meeting).

cloud and fog–
into my sleeves
they go

in the river fog
a boisterous noise…
tea-picking song

… by Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue

– photos by David Giacalone, Riverside Park, Schenectady NY, Oct. 8, 2008 –

We’re talking about the far more inspiring Mohawk River, as seen around 8:30 this morning at Riverside Park, along Schenectady’s Stockade neighborhood.  While waiting for a load of laundry to dry, the f/k/a Gang headed out and snapped a few photos, which we’re sharing with our readers (click on each for larger versions), along with fog haiku and senryu from our Honored Guest Poets.  Enjoy.

in and out of fog
driving him
to the home

… by w.f. owen - Haiku Notebook (Lulu Press, 2007)

morning fog. . .
a mash of wild apples
on the road

……… by tom clausen from being there (Swamp Press, 2005)

pea soup fog
the sound of a map
unfolding beside me

winter fog
everyone crowds around
the mime

… by Ed Markowski -  Haiku Sun (Issue X, Jan. 2004)

through a hole
in the fog     billboard girl’s
radiant face

… by George Swede - Almost Unseen (Brooks Books, 2000)

fog all day
the whiteness
in my ears

… by Alice Frampton -  Frogpond XXIV:2

fog on the bridge
this small truck
for all our belongings

soft leather
on an old baseball
spring fog

…. by paul m.
“fog on the bridge” - from called home (Red Moon Press, 2006)
“soft leather” -  A New Resonance 2: ; Frogpond XXII:2

first date
a stroll
in a fog

… by dagosan

waiting for you
another pair of headlights
through the fog

.. by Yu Chang from Upstate Dim Sum (2003/I)

morning fog
a midwife wipes the eyes
of a newborn

… by Andrew Riutta - Tinywords.com (Aug. 23, 2007)

….

Thick fog lifts -
unfortunately, I am where
I thought I was

… by George Swede -  Simply Haiku Winter 2006 (vol 4 no 4)

There’s an article in today’s New York Times that deserves our attention and contemplation.  It’s titled “In ‘Sweetie’ and ‘Dear,’ a Hurt for the Elderly” (October 7, 2008).  Reporter John Leland targets elderspeak –  “the sweetly belittling form of address that has always rankled older people” — and, in particular, people “who address any elderly person as ‘dear’.”

The article points out that many older persons very much resent being called “Sweetie” or “Dearie,” even when the speaker is trying to be nice or to sound caring.  With their implication that the elderly are somehow less than competent or capable, such terms of endearment (especially from strangers or service providers) are condescending.  Worse, according to the Times:

“Now studies are finding that the insults can have health consequences, especially if people mutely accept the attitudes behind them, said Becca Levy, an associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at Yale University, who studies the health effects of such messages on elderly people.

“Those little insults can lead to more negative images of aging,” Dr. Levy said. “And those who have more negative images of aging have worse functional health over time, including lower rates of survival.”

“Despite such research, the worst offenders are often health care workers . . . “

The point is very well taken and should be kept in mind when talking with older persons.  Of course, I hope lawyers aren’t guilty of using elderspeak when practicing Elderlaw.

This article is a good opportunity to ask even our close relatives and friends whether they would prefer that we drop the Dears and Sweeties.   Surprisingly, our congenitally cranky Prof. Yabut agrees with the sentiment voiced in the NYT article by Oregonian Jan Rowell:

“Not all older people object to being called sweetie or dear, and some, like Jan Rowell, 61, of West Linn, Ore., say they appreciate the underlying warmth. ‘We’re all reaching across the chasm,’ Ms. Rowell said. ‘If someone calls us sweetie or honey, it’s not diminishing us; it’s just their way to connect, in a positive way.’

“She added, ‘What would reinforce negative stereotypes is the idea that old people are filled with pet peeves, taking offense at innocent attempts to be friendly’.”

senior discount day
an eighty year old man
packs my groceries

…. by ed markowski

.. Psst: Boomers don’t like it either .. ..

A couple of recent incidents from my own life made me very aware — at age 58 — that terms of address can come with irksome aging implications.  Last Spring, a 20-something stranger in my neighborhood park twice called me “Pops.”  It did not sound like a term of respect or endearment.  It was at least a decade premature and ran contrary to the youthful self-image that resides in my psyche.  Worse, the thought arose “it’s not going to get any better.”

the um in her voice
before offering me
the senior discount

….. by Carolyn Hall - A New Resonance 2; Frogpond XXIII:2

Similarly, a couple weeks ago, in two separate incidents on the same morning, two young women I had never met called me “Dear” and deferred to me as I was entering a building — first at a supermarket, then at my doctor’s office.  Frankly, rightly or wrongly, my male ego felt diminished: they weren’t just saying I was a lot older than them, they were implying I was over the hill, non-threatening, genderless.

Discovery channel -
an older male vanquished
heads for the hills

… by Tom Clausen - Upstate Dim Sum (2003/II)

.. (1971) ..  in my mind I’m still 19 .. (2008) ..

In a related event, last month my lovely friend Sharon, who is 47 and looks 37, opined that many men well over forty “go around thinking they’re still 19.”  I confessed to her that I had in fact recently said to myself, “When I walk around, I feel just like I did at 19 — at least until my knee hurts or I catch my reflection in a window.”  To be honest, having been through quite a few ordeals the past few decades, it’s great that my spirit — unless reminded otherwise — still feels like it did when I was in college.  It would, of course, be wonderful not to be reminded otherwise any more often than absolutely necessary, when I deal with younger folk.

Nonetheless, I hope I’ll keep in mind the words of Warren Cassell, of Portland, Ore., in today’s NYT article:

“I’m irked by it, but I can’t think about it that much. There are too many more important things to think about.”

Well, this “quickie” post sure got long.  I’ll say “so long” with a few more one-breath poems from my friends.

the aging gourd
and I
cast our shadows

. . . . . . . . . . by Kobayashi Issa (David G. Lanoue, translator)

Valentine kisses -
trying it with and without
dentures

. . . . by dagosan

mother’s day
a nurse unties
the restraints

.. by Roberta Beary - The Unworn Necklace: Haiku and Senryu (Snapshot Press 2007)

warming up
over a cup of tea
my mother-in-law

………  by Tom Painting - Frogpond XXXI:1 (Winter 2008)

calling home–
the color of mother’s voice
before her words

………………… by Hilary Tann, in “dust of summers: RMA 2007”; orig. pub. The Heron’s Nest IX:4

visiting mother—
again she finds
my first grey hair

. . . . by Michael Dylan Welch - TAO

in the attic
grandpa searches
for his marbles

… by w.f. own - Haiku Notebook (2007)

clouded moon
an old man
ebbs away

.. by Matt Morden - Morden Haiku (January 31, 2007)

A planned quick mea culpa over forgetting to post about this year’s Banned Books Week — September 27 to October 4, 2008 — was complicated yesterday, when I saw an editorial in the Schenectady Sunday Gazette headlined “No good reason to pull library book in Galway” (October 5, 2008). (see our 2007 BBW post last year)

Referring to a story published October 3rd by the Gazette, the Editors explained that the trustees of the Galway Public Library (in the Saratoga County Town of Galway, New York, which has a population under 4000 and is located about 12 miles north of Schenectady), have at least temporarily pulled from its shelves the book Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out: stuff you need to know about your body, sex, and dating” (Health Communications, by Melisa Holmes, M.D. and Trish Hutchison, M.D., 2008). Hang-Ups is part of the Girlology series of books aimed at pre-teen and teenage girls.  The Gazette editorial starts:

“Maybe Galway Public Library officials deserve some benefit of the doubt for agreeing to temporarily remove from their shelves a popular book on teen sexuality that a patron complained about, citing “factual errors, philosophy and perceived bias.” But not a whole lot, frankly — and none if they don’t hurry up and put the book back, where it belongs.

“It’s one thing to forbid your child to read a book you don’t like or agree with, or to bring it into your home; it’s entirely another to try to impose such a judgment or moral standard on the public — especially in a library, whose function is to make as much information, including opinion, on as many subjects as available as possible.”

The editorial makes other important points, including:

• “Even if the book in question — “Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out: Stuff You Need to Know About Your Body, Sex & Dating” — did contain factual errors, removing it from circulation hardly seems like the proper response. Lots of books, including many good ones, have mistakes in them.”
• “Then there’s this: What constitutes a mistake can be a matter of opinion; who decides? And where does one draw the line as to which mistakes are tolerable and which are not?”

Like a large proportion of all books that targeted for removal from libraries and schools, Hang-Ups deals with teen sexuality.  The Gazette notes that “Teen sexuality, and how to teach about sex to one’s children, is a highly personal and — for some parents — ideological issue that shouldn’t be decided by one member of a community, or even a committee.”  The editorial correctly asserts that:

“If parents have reservations about the methods advocated by a particular author (in this case, two women doctors with teen children), they should instruct or even order their children to steer clear. But it shouldn’t be their decision to make for the rest of the community.”

The Gazette news article about the controversy in Galway reported:

“[Library Director Ashley] Poulin said a copy of the book was delivered to Dr. Anneke Pribis at the Galway Family Health clinic. ‘We’ve asked Dr. Pribis to read the book to see if it is medically accurate,’ Poulin said. ‘We haven’t heard back from Anneke yet’.”

Dr. Pribis, a family practitioner in Galway, has been asked to pass judgment on a book written by a two well-known experts on subjects related to juvenile gynecology and teenage sexuality (find more info on the authors here).  I haven’t been able to find information online about the complaining parent/patron, Patti Venditti, but I would not be surprised to learn that her concerns have more to do with its “philosophy and perceived bias” than with the inaccuracy of any medical information provided in Hang-Ups. (Ms. Venditti is invited to tell us more about her concerns by leaving a Comment below.)

My quick online research about Hang-Ups uncovered only positive reviews of the book.  For example, seven parents reviewed the book at The Parent Bloggers Network, and the post summarizing the reviews says:

“The consensus among the bloggers who reviewed Girlology: Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out is that we all wish we’d had this book when we were growing up.

And this blogger summed it up beautifully:

“Is this book for you? If you’re a teenage girl? Yes. If you’re the mother, father, friend, teacher, or confidant of a teenage girl? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.“

Hang-Ups also got a rave positive review by a parent at the Scrutiny by the Masses weblog.

My concern is with the willingness of the Library trustees in Galway to pull the book pending their final determination. One trustee told the Gazette that this is the first time they’ve had such a complaint in the history of the Galway Public Library, which was founded in 1998.  It’s clear the trustees either have, or were aware of, no procedure for handling a request that a book be removed from the Library. This is the full treatment of Ms. Venditti’s complaint from the August 2008 Minutes of the Library Board of Directors (Aug. 6, 2008):

Public Comment:  Patti Venditti, a Galway library patron and mother, brought up concerns about a book in the library’s collection, Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups and Holding Out, due to factual errors, philosophy and perceived bias. Ashley [Poulin, Library Director] will provide Patti with a form to fill out for possible culling of the book.  Arlene [Rhodes] moved and Laura [Sakala] seconded that the book be removed from circulation pending determination.  The motion carried.  Patti will be taking the book home with her for use in completing the form.

Yes, that’s right: On the basis one person’s concerns, a popular and much-praised book was taken from the Galway Library shelves “for possible culling” (and handed over to the complainant to help her write up her complaints).  This seems a far cry from the American Library Association’s policy on Free Access to Libraries for Minors (June 30 1972), which the NYS Public Library Department recommends for adoption by all public libraries in this State.

good-news update (October 10, 2008): In an email to me this afternoon, Ashley Poulin, Director of the Galway Library informs me that “The review has been completed and the determination was made to keep [Hang-Ups] on the shelf.”

Here are two pertinent excerpts from the ALA policy on access for minors:

1. “Restrictions are often initiated under the assumption that certain materials are ‘harmful’ to minors, or in an effort to avoid controversy with parents who might think so. The librarian who would restrict the access of minors to materials and services because of actual or suspected parental objection should bear in mind that he is not in loco parentis in his position as librarian. Individual intellectual levels and family backgrounds are significant factors not accommodated by a uniform policy based upon age.”
2. “The American Library Association holds that it is the parent-and only the parent-who may restrict his children and only his children-from access to library materials and services. The parent who would rather his child did not have access to certain materials should so advise the child.”

By the Way: The online catalog for our regional Library System shows that the Schenectady County Public Library has 3 copies of Girology’s Hang-Ups book; and that Galway Public Library’s single copy is “Out (due: 10/15/08).”

It’s difficult to image any valid reason for keeping Hang-Ups off the shelves at the Galway Public Library, or any other public or school library.  This incident a few miles down the road demonstrates the continued need to celebrate Banned Books Week — to educate the public and public servants about both the importance of free speech (and access to information) and the responsibility of parents to monitor what their children read (as opposed to asking their librarians to act in loco parentis).

At the Banned Books Week website, you’ll find information about books and authors have been most challenged in recent years, along with quite a few ideas about how you can help protect free speech and access (e.g., visiting the linked pro-censorship sites is an eye-opening experience).

The ALA and other sponsors of BBW want you to know that:

“More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. People challenge books that they say are too sexual or too violent. They object to profanity and slang, and protest against offensive portrayals of racial or religious groups–or positive portrayals of homosexuals. Their targets range from books that explore the latest problems to classic and beloved works of American literature.”

- some of the many acclaimed books targeted for banishment in the past two decades -

The Top Ten Challenged Authors from 1990 - 2004 were:

1. Alvin Schwartz  2. Judy Blume  3. Robert Cormier 4. J.K. Rowling 5. Michael Willhoite
6. Katherine Paterson 7. Stephen King 8. Maya Angelou 9. R.L. Stine 10. John Steinbeck

Please don’t let the passing of Banned Books Week keep you from getting involved.  The Galway Public Library expects to issue its judgment on Hang Ups in November, and similar decisions are made year-round in hundreds of communities, of all sizes, across the nation.

The f/k/a Gang has run out of time for posting today.  Rather than dig up new haiku and senryu, here are some of the poems we found for our post about BBW 2007, which featured the book “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” (Candlewick 2005), by Carolyn Mackler (which was high on the list of challenged books in 2006, due to its sexual content, offensive language, and purported purported anti-family message and age group unsuitability):

after school meeting
collage clouds turn
round and round

big enough
to pedal home on
winter moon

……………………… by Matt Morden - from Morden Haiku

family picnic
the new wife’s rump
bigger than mine

earth tremor
the teapot sings
off-key

…… by Roberta Beary - from The Unworn Necklace (Snapshots Press, 2007; order); “family picnic” - Modern Haiku (favorite senryu award, 2003)

p.s. Free speech is just as important auf Deutsch.  In this week’s Blawg Review #180 we’re reminded that the White House has declared today to be German-American Heritage Day.  Law Pundit Andis Kaulis presents many interesting facts for those who only think of Bier und Oktober Fest this time of year, including the surprise (to many of us) that “German Americans make up the largest acknowledged ancestry group in America, even larger than the Irish and the English.“  Thanks to Andis for including our post on Ladies’ Nights in his list of notable recent blawg postings.

Speaking of libraries, laws, and access to information, check out Laura Orr’s important piece at Oregon Legal Research, “Let’s Kill All the Law Libraries” (Oct. 3, 2008)

. . Roy Den Hollander vs. Ladies’ Night .. ..

peering into
the deep well, two boys
talk about girls

…… by George Swede - The Heron’s Nest

Federal District Court Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum (who’ll be 80 years old next year) bounced avowed anti-feminist Roy Den Hollander from her Manhattan courtroom last Monday — rejecting his claim that bars and night clubs holding ladies’ nights (where women are offered free or reduced-price admission or drinks) are engaged in unconstitutional gender discrimination against males under the Equal Protection Clause.  See “Judge to anti-feminist: Ladies’ night is alright” (AP, Sept. 30, 2008; “Ladies Night OKd by judge” (New York Daily News, Sept. 30, 2008).

• Click for Hollander’s Complaint in the lawsuit, which was brought as a class action on behalf of all similarly-situated males, and related Press Releases.

Judge Cedarbaum reminded Hollander that the 14th Amendment refers to state action not private action and that private clubs — such as defendants A.E.R., Lotus, Sol, China Club, and the Copacabana — can charge patrons whatever they wish.  Hollander had argued that bars with liquor licenses are so heavily-regulated their conduct should be deemed state action.  In response, as Bob Ambrogi notes at  Legal Blog Watch:

“Hollander dismissed the dismissal, calling the judge a feminist and describing her ruling as consistent with the anti-male discrimination embedded in many American institutions. ‘This lawsuit would have put an end to guys financially subsidizing girls to party at nightclubs,’ he told the New York Daily News.”

Of course, claims that Ladies’ Nights are unfair to male patrons are not new.  E.g., see the Baltimore Sun article, “New Jersey Division on Civil Rights Rules Ladies Night Promotions Are Unfair, Men Not Treated Equally,” June 17, 2004, which also tells of a 1995 finding of unfair treatment by the Maryland Commission on Human Relations. (via Consuming Interest blog) Walter Olson has covered the ladies’ night topic for years at Overlawyered.com, and succinctly states the crux of Hollander’s case at Overlawyered.com (Sept. 30, 2008):

“Although lawsuits against “Ladies’ Nights” discounts have prevailed in California and Colorado, . . . Hollander was advancing the relatively unusual argument that the discounts were unconstitutional, which failed when the judge declined to find that they constituted state action; earlier lawsuits against the discounts have generally been based on anti-discrimination statutes, and the case might have come out very differently had those theories been relied on.”

Observers have very different reactions to legal attacks on Ladies’ Nights.  The mates at Antimisandry.com strongly disagree with Judge Cedarbaum.  See “Feminist judge again sides with privileged princesses..” (October 1, 2008).  Meanwhile, Prof. Ann Bartow of the Feminist Law Professor weblog appears to like the Judge’s conclusion, but says the court decision “somewhat creepily notes: ‘The nightclubs said the prices charged to men aren’t so burdensome that they amount to denying them entry and male customers actually might benefit from ladies’ nights because so many women attend’.”  She then muses:

“For an uncomfortable thought exercise, decide how you feel about all this, and then contemplate how your views of this situation might (or might not) change if the admissions or drink price differential was linked to race rather than gender.”

AARP and parents with young children might also worry about Ladies’ Nights law suits.  As The Gothamist, reported in “It’s Ladies’ Night And There’s a Legal Fight” (Dec. 17, 2007):

Deborah Swindells Donovan, a lawyer for Lotus, filed papers arguing that the “frivolous” lawsuit is based on an “ill-conceived theory. [If it] is applied to restaurants, then ‘early bird’ specials for the elderly or promotions allowing children to eat free would be discriminatory on the basis of age.”

tavern’s square tank
fish swimming
in circles

…………… by George Swede - Frogpond XXXI:1 (Winter 2008)

early bird special
rubbing elbows
with a stranger

…… by Yu Chang - Upstate Dim Sum (2004/II)

The professors at The Volokh Conspiracy weblog got a little more precise in their legal arguments when they heard about Hollanders’ suit in July 2007.  Illya Somin argued, presaging Judge Cedarbaum, that ladies’ nights are not unlawful gender discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.  Prof. Somin — blending practicality and the law — also went into some depth explaining why Hollander’s suit would not be an appropriate class action on behalf of men. Under Rules 23 (A)(4) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure the court is requred to ensure that the class representative “will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.”  Somin (correctly) argues:

“Hollander clearly fails to meet this requirement because many of the members of the class in question (”men charged more money or burdened by stricter time restraints than women” at the night clubs in question) actually benefit from these practices.

“At the risk of belaboring the obvious, a key purpose of ladies nights at night clubs is to benefit (heterosexual) men. Many night clubs and bars become relatively unappealing to men because the male-female ratio is too high, reducing male patrons’ chances of picking up a date. By attracting more women [Ed. Note: and helping to ensure they are highly inebriated], ladies’ nights improve the dating odds for male patrons. . . . Many, perhaps the vast majority, of the men in the class Hollender proposes to represent have interests diametrically opposed to the result he seeks to achieve. For that reason, the district court should refuse to certify his proposed class.”

getting drunk
on my arm
the tavern mosquitoes

……. by David G. Lanoue - from Haiku Guy: a novel

A Steve Chapman piece two weeks ago at Reason.com rekindled the debate for many in the blogisphere. In “Ladies’ Nights and the ‘Cancer of Discrimination’” (September 18, 2008) Chapman opines that “When it comes to relations between the sexes, a little common sense goes a long way,” and therefore “it should not be sex discrimination to offer favors to one sex in order to benefit people of both sexes.”  On behalf of a lot of us regular guys, Chapman points out:

“Why, after all, would a bar offer discounts to women? Not because the owner harbors a deep-seated hostility toward men, perpetuating centuries of oppression. People who run such establishments understand that a lot of men patronize taverns partly to meet women, and that they will come more often and stay longer if women are abundant than if they are scarce.”

happy hour
the bartender cashes
my unemployment check

….. by Ed Markowski

In response to those who, like George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf, consider Ladies’ Nights no more defensible than charging whites less than blacks ["Whities' Nights"?], Chapman sensibly says:

“But context is crucial, and relations between the sexes are different from relations between the races. We don’t accept racially segregated restrooms, but we do accept sexually segregated restrooms. All-white colleges would be offensive, but all-female schools are not.

“Charging whites less than blacks would suggest a desire to drive away black customers because of racial animus. Charging women less than men suggests nothing comparable.”

The Reason.com article got Prof. Somin to take up the subject again, in “Should Ladies’ Nights in Bars Be Outlawed Because they Discriminate Against Men?” (Volokh Conspiracy, Sept. 18, 2008).  His new post generated some interesting comments on the law and policy, and Ilya reminds those who were wondering about using federal civil rights statutes that:

“ Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 only bans discrimination in places of public accommodation on “the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin.” It doesn’t forbid sex discrimination. Therefore, ladies nights in bars are perfectly legal, at least so far as Title II is concerned.”

.. Roy Den Hollander is single these days [fair warning: he tends "to be attracted to black and Latin chicks, and Asian chicks'] and goes to clubs.  However, an entertaining in-depth piece in The New Yorker, “Hey, LA-A-A-DIES!” (by Lauren Collins, August 6, 2007), notes:

“[Hollander] was unfazed by the notion that, as a hound dog, his fight to defeminize clubs was perhaps counter to his self-interest.”

Asked in 2007 what he pictured would happen should he win his case, Hollander told The New Yorker:

“What I think will happen,” he said, “is that clubs will reduce the price for guys and increase it for girls. Every guy will have ten or fifteen more dollars in his pocket, which the girls will then manipulate into getting more drinks out of him. If they drink more, they’ll have more fun, and so will us guys. And then when she wakes up in the morning she’ll be able to do what she always does: blame the man.”

closing time  –
her eyes linger
on the rusted fender

…………….. by dagosan

The f/k/a Gang admits that we’ve been out of the Date Bar Scene a long time.  [For example, we've never heard of (much less heard) any of the Top Ten Stripper Songs of the Moment, collected with videos at the Crossfade weblog (Sept. 30, 2008)]  So, we hope our younger or hipper readers, including the lawyer denizens of Above the Law, will let us know both how they feel about any ban on Ladies’ Nights (from a legal or policy perspective), and whether the current economics and demographics of the bar scene make Ladies’ Nights an effective tool for bar and club owners.

We’re certain of one thing, after decades of conversations in saloons, classrooms, bedrooms, lawyer lounges, and dining rooms, with  people inside or out of the legal profession: Drafting a law (statute, regulation, or constitutional provision) that puts into practice general principles against discrimination and unfair or unequal treatment is not as easy as many of my relatives and friends seem to think. Almost every attempt to capture the principle of Gender Equality will seem either over-inclusive or under-inclusive to some groups or individuals.

All forms of gender discrimination (treating one gender differently than the other) are not equal or equally insidious.  Some respect valid gender differences, and some — like Ladies’ Nights — represent either insignificant or easily-avoided “injury” to one gender or the other, or in fact benefit many members of both genders.

Turning such differential treatment into a lawsuit does little to help move our society toward gender fairness.  Rather than trying to stop Ladies’ Nights with a lawsuit, I hope disgruntled males (who either dislike “subsidizing” female patrons or simply do not care whether a bar has more females in it) will take their business to establishments not holding a Ladies’ Night.  Of course, if the club with gender-equal prices does very little business on nights when few woman come through the doors, drinks at those places might actually cost more than at the bars with the long Ladies’ Night lines.

Roy den Hollander has more of his gender equality cases pending and planned. Somehow, I’m betting that few of the guys who resent Ladies’ Nights are going to respond to this plea for contributions at his website:

“I’m sure a lot of you guys out there have done well yet have been raked over the coals by females and this culture.  If you want to do something about it, help finance these and future cases protecting your rights.”

mud-spattered pickup-
four dogs watch
the tavern door

. . . by Billie Wilson - The Heron’s Nest (February 2001)

twisting the cap
from another beer . . .
jimmy’s front teeth

….. by ed markowski

. Susan Friery, M.D., Esq. & Carol Abdelmesseh, Esq. .. 

We told you about the Boston-area 2009 Beautiful Lawyers Calendar back on September 13th. Its launch party was held last night, at Boston’s Revolution Rock Club, and the promised Photo Gallery is now online. The images presented may help keep our minds off of lawyers who smuggle heroin to imprisoned clients, or attempt to commit travel expense fraud.

In the Beautiful Lawyers Photo Gallery, you’ll currently find six of the Calendar lawyers in about a dozen different thumbnail-sized photos, most of which appear twice.

You may recall that Howie Altholtz, the marketing director at the Boston law firm Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, spearheaded the calendar project. According to the Boston Channel, “The goal is to lighten up the image of Hub lawyers a bit and help out a few charities such as the MSPCA, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Rosie’s Place, the United Way and the American Cancer Society, all of which receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar.”

Altholtz told the Boston Herald, “We were trying to capture the style and spirit of Mass. lawyers. We wanted people with really interesting stories and they are all from major, high-profile firms.”  “Calendar’s legal babes raise the bar” (Boston Herald, September 18, 2008)

If you’d like to see more (and much larger) images from the calendar, the Boston Channel website has an article, “Calendar Highlights Hub’s ‘Most Beautiful’ Lawyers” (WCVB tv, Sept. 29, 2008), that includes a six-photo slide show.  Liberty Mutual corporate counsel Wendy Savage again provides the pin-up glamor shot:

.. Wendy Savage, Esq.

mid-argument -
opposing counsel
crosses her legs

. . . by dagosan

Also featured in the slide show are Susan Friery, M.D., Esq. (Medical Consultant, Senior Associate, Kreindler & Kriendler); Steven Long (solo practitioner); Jarrett Barrios (former state senator, now president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation); Christopher Kroon (of Duane Morris); and Carol Abdelmesseh, Esq. (Massachusetts Department of Revenue Office of Appeals).

In the 2009 Beautiful Lawyers Calendar you will find, according to the Boston Herald: Jarrett Barrios pictured in his kitchen cooking; Wendy Savage striking a fashion-model pose; Kimberly Herman, a partner and intellectual property lawyer at Sullivan & Worcester, pictured with her two kids; and Chris Kroon (also an intellectual property attorney) pictured with the tool box he uses to to rebuild sports cars.  In addition, Carol Abdelmesseh can be found dancing in a lovely pink dress.

The f/k/a Gang doesn’t know the surname of two of the lawyers found in the Calendar’s Photo Gallery:  Elaine and Ingrid.  Click to see their portraits and let us know more about either of the lawyers, as well as any others who we have not yet been able to identify from the web.

Prof. Yabut again reminds us that you’ll have to pay $19.95 to purchase the 2009 Beautiful Lawyers Calendar.  Despite developing a crush on a few of the featured Lady Lawyers, our in-house skinflint and curmudgeon is still skeptical about coughing up a sawbuck for a wall calendar displaying lawyers — even beautiful ones.  You can all make up your own minds, of course.  Remember, a portion of the proceeds will go to some pretty good causes.

sua sponte –
madame justice
catches me staring

. . . by dagosan

p.s. Speaking of lovely and multi-faceted lawyers, “our” Roberta Beary, of the Washington D.C. Bar, just had two poems honored in the haiku portion of the 2008 MiniWords Competition:

towpath -
a blue heron shifts
the twilight

pink sky -
another name added
to the monument

……………………… by Roberta Beary
“towpath” - 3rd Place, 2008 MiniWords Competition
“pink sky” - Commended, 2008 MiniWords Competition

.. ..

.. Paris and Jessica can keep doing it in their cars ..

A sensible law that would have banned driving with a pet in your lap was vetoed a few days ago by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has previously supported bans on texting while driving and driving with a cellphone in your hand.  (AP report, Sept. 28, 2008; and npr’s Morning Edition, Sept. 29, 2008)   As f/k/a has campaigned for laws prohibiting DWP and DWT, we perked up our ears and decided to sniff out the story behind Arnold’s veto. (And, as we’re also putting off writing a much more complicated and serious piece, this posting grew into a major production.)

A primary source for this post is the article “Schwarzenegger vetoes bill forbidding drivers to hold pets” (Sept. 28, 2008), in the Sunday Sacramento Bee, which has the most thorough discussion we’ve been able to locate on the context and pros and cons of the Bill, AB 2233.  The ban included a base fine of $35, which could have risen to $150 with state and county fees.  According to the London Telegraph,

“The driving-with-animals bill was backed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles but ridiculed as the ‘Paris Hilton bill’ by critics who described it as unwarranted interference by government.”

The law in question has been derisively called the “Paris Hilton bill,” because many celebrities are among the folk who are so attached to their pets and so self-absorbed, they’re willing to endanger the animal and others on the road in order to keep them snuggled in their laps while maneuvering large, fast-moving objects down our highways.   Predictably, according to the Bee, “Talk show host Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives ridiculed the lap-dog measure as excessive government” and a deprivation of some important liberty.  Nonetheless, Gov. Schwarzenegger has given no indication that he opposed the law on its merits.  Instead, the veto — among dozens more this signing period — was part of his current policy to sign only “highest priority” laws so long as the California Legislature fails to pass a much-delayed budget.

Disclaimer: The f/k/a Gang has not examined the 114 bills Arnold did sign on Saturday, to compare their urgency and importance to AB 2233 and the 94 other bills he vetoed.

lightning flash–
only the dog’s face
is innocent

……… by Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue

traffic jam
the nodding dog
springs to life

.. by Matt Morden - Morden Haiku (October 5, 2005)

Granted, this bill would not have been my own highest legislative priority this year, but it is not frivolous, and once the work has been done to get it to the Governor’s desk, it should have been signed.   (If we only did the most important things in life, an awful lot of worthwhile efforts would never be made.) The bill’s author, Assemblyman Bill Maze, who appears to be a conservative Republican from Visalia, has sponsored a lot of legislation.  He proposed AB 2233 after seeing a Tulare County woman driving with three dogs on her lap.

Maze argues: “You’ve got a live animal that has a mind of its own . . . It can get tangled in the steering wheel or pinned between your knees. It can create a real hazard for yourself and everyone else.”

And, the Bee reports:

• “A traffic collision at 40 mph can hurtle a 25-pound dog through a vehicle with the force of a 1,000-pound object, according to a legislative analysis of the bill.”
• “California Highway Patrol statistics show that four people were killed and 346 others injured in collisions from 2001 to 2007 due to driver inattention caused by an animal. No breakdown exists of how many were in their owner’s lap.” And,
• “Nationwide Mutual Insurance found in a 2006 survey that 8 percent of drivers had held a pet while behind the wheel.”

• “State law currently allows drivers to be cited if their vision is obstructed or a distraction causes them to violate a rule of the road – but not simply for holding an animal. . . . Pets must be secured in the back of a pickup but can roam freely inside a vehicle.”

Opponents say the bill amounts to excessive nannyism, and that such matters need to be left to the common sense judgment of the individual.  Of course, that’s the problem in the America of the 21st Centry:  Far too many people either have absolutely no common sense or choose to ignore it and follow their personal whim, regardless of the risk created for injury to others.

pickup truck
an old retriever
laps the wind

… by Tom Painting -  The Heron’s Nest 5.5 (May 2003)

.. According to the Bee, critics of the lapdog driving ban also insist that “Quieting a whining or scared pet on your lap, while driving, can be safer than to be distracted by an animal’s barking, fidgeting or misbehavior in a back seat.”  Of course, that proves too much — we wouldn’t buy this argument if it were a child or significant other who was misbehaving.  More to the point, it suggests a very good reason why a pet that is likely to be fidgety or upset while in a car should either be left at home or safely secured in a seat.

In an AutoBlog posting called “Governator vetos ban on lap-dogs while driving” (Sept. 29, 2008), Jonathan Ramsey observed yesterday:

“While we understand the spirit of the veto — California does have much bigger issues to deal with than lapdogs — we do sometimes wonder why a 40-pound kid has to be in a child seat, but a 40-pound, unpredictable animal can take a nap between you and the steering wheel.”

Heather at The Food Bowl weblog went into more detail, when the bill first got publicity last Spring, in her post “No More Doggies Out the Window” (May 13, 2008):

.. ….”To be honest I think this is a good move. Keeping your pet restrained either in a carrier or pet-specific seat harness while in a moving vehicle not only keeps them safe but you as well.

“Restraining your pet helps you concentrate, and what happens if you’re in an accident? Your pet could be injured from the impact (and so could you with a now-flying canine in the car!) or if it manages to get out of the car it could run away. Do you really need Fluffy on your lap for that ten minute drive?”

Similarly, when the legislation was proposed, a post at Pet Industry Insight, a weblog of the American Pet Products Association, explained:

“The issue of concern is that lapdogs are distracting and could put motorists at risk. A live animal can scamper between the driver and the steering wheel or underneath the brake pedal causing major driving implications. Not only are unrestrained pets a threat to the driver, but they too, face danger if not buckled in. Pets see the same risk a child (or any passenger for that matter) would if an accident occurred, which is why if Maze’s bill passes, drivers caught with their Chihuahuas or Poodles unrestrained will pay a penalty.”

Pet Industry Insight (which, naturally, promotes pet-related products) then asks: “So how should drivers keep their pets in place if they can’t be on their laps or in the passenger seat?” [for the answer, and much more, including some haiku and senryu, go below the fold]

(more…)

.. click for printable calendar pages ..

Haiga are pictures (paintings, sketches, or photos) that incorporate a subtly-linked haiku or similar poem. It’s not too late to enjoy f/k/a’s free “haiga calendars” — the “artsy” Giacalone Bros. Haiga Calendar 2008 (with photos taken by my brother Arthur) and the nostalgic fka Haiga Memories Calendar 2008 (with shots snapped in the 1950’s by Mama Giacalone).  The poetry is written by your Editor, “dagosan”.  Click on “more” to go below the fold, where you will find larger images, the text of October’s poems, and links to the original haiga used for the October calendars.

(more…)

. . “Fast Eddie” Felson and “Slow Sarah” Palin . .

Two of the big stories on the Sunday morning tv news shows — the much-lamented death of Paul Newman and the much-savaged interview of Sarah Palin — blurred for me today. Talk of Newman’s career brought to mind his famous character “Fast Eddie” Felson from the 1961 movie “The Hustler,” and the encore “The Color of Money” (1986). And, all the commentary on Palin’s faltering performance in her one-on-one with Katie Kouric reminded me that the Great Pre-Debate Low Expectations Game is in full swing.

Hustlers are willing to lose a bit to lower expectations and lull their opponents into overconfidence.  Sarah Palin probably plays a pretty good game of pool, and she just might be pullin’ a Felson in anticipation of her really big-stakes match next Thursday, in St. Louis, at the Vice Presidential Debate with Sen. Joe Biden.  She’ll be heading to the podium next Friday with expectations lower than a snake’s belly, and heading toward the level of a gopher’s behind.  If Gov. Palin convinces the nation she can either walk or chew-gum, she will be hailed as passing muster and vastly out-performing the predictions of pundits across the political spectrum.

Beating the odds and expectations seems to be what the debates are all about in the media.  Sarah Palin will surely surpass all expectations — perhaps rising to the heady heights of mediocrity.  Joe Biden’s my candidate, and I sure hope he isn’t underestimating his Republican opponent.  If Joe’s feeling cocky, he probably should watch the YouTube videos of the First Game and the Final Game between Fast Eddie and Minnesota Fats.

The TinyURL for this post is http://tinyurl.com/PalinFelson . For more, see the Daily Kos posting, “watch out for the Palin expectations trap” Sept. 28, 2008; and find a video of the entire 2006 Alaska Gubernatorial Debate at The New Argument.

[Speaking of Debates, don't miss our finger-puppet "presidential debate redux," which asks a lot of questions Barack forgot.]

update (October 3, 2008): Darn right. She didn’t run the table, but the oft-winking Gov. Palin exceeded all those low expectations and stays in contention for the big prize. (See New York Times, “The Vice-Presidential Debate“) As David Brooks said today, in “The Palin Rebound,” “By the end of the debate, most Republicans were not crouching behind the couch, but standing on it. The race has not been transformed, but few could have expected as vibrant and tactically clever a performance as the one Sarah Palin turned in Thursday night.”

grown wild
the spot where I buried
the last of my pets

flickering buzz
of the pool hall sign
summer night

……………………… by John Stevenson -  The Heron’s Nest (December 2007)

p.s. Paul Newman has long been my favorite actor from my parents’ generation — even before I could relate to his character in Nobody’s Fool.  The f/k/a Gang is going to eschew further posting this evening and curl up on the futon with a tape of his 1982 movie “The Verdict,” which is near the top of every “best films about lawyers” list I’ve ever seen (e.g., our prior post).  You will indeed be missed, Mr. Newman.

. . they’re free and frequent . .

. . and fleeting . .

.. . . they make us look again at everyday sights .. ..

H