f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

  We didn’t get to take Art History at the G.U. School of Foreign Service back in the late 1960’s, so I’m not sure whether I ever “knew” that ancient Greek and Roman statuary used to be painted. But, now I know, thanks to a great article in the latest Harvard Magazine, “Dazzlers: Ancients reborn in bright array” (Nov-Dec 2007), which includes photos of works appearing in the exhibit Gods in Color: Painted Sculpture of Classical Antiquity, which is at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum through January 20, 2008. The exhibit presents 22 painted, full-size copies of Greek and Roman originals.

According to the article, which quotes Susanne Ebbinghaus, Hanfmann curator of ancient art at the Harvard University Art Museums:

   The color reconstructions are based on close examination of the originals and on scientific analysis of the scarce traces of paint remaining on them. Ultraviolet light, says Ebbinghaus, “brings out ‘paint ghosts,’ differences in the surface structure of the stone caused by different paints and by the weathering of the paints. It can often give you an idea of patterns, even if no pigments survive.”

“We now assume that almost all Greek marble sculpture was painted,” she says. “These reconstructions can only be approximations,” but at least they dispel a popular misconception—that most statues of antiquity were plain old white. Plain would not be thought ideal until the Renaissance.

statues in the square
the raised hand of the war hero
fills with snow

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

The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor presents an excellent mini-history of Halloween today (October 31, 2007). The Celts believed Halloween was the day of the year when spirits, ghosts, faeries, and goblins walked the earth. And, “Historians believe that they dressed up as ghost and goblins to scare away the spirits, and they would put food and wine on their doorstep for the spirits of family members who had come back to visit the home.” Apparently, “Pope Gregory III turned Halloween into a Christian holiday” (but it didn’t quite work out as he planned). Indeed, “It wasn’t until the early 20th century that Halloween became a holiday for children.” However:

“Tonight, about 70 percent of American households will open their doors and offer candy to children, and Halloween parties are becoming increasingly popular among adults. It’s the one day a year that people can freely dress as the opposite gender, as criminals, superheroes, celebrities, animals, or even inanimate objects. But retailers report that the most popular costumes remain some variation on witches, ghosts, and devils.”

With all sorts of grinches out there trying to put a politically-or-religously correct damper on Halloween, we make out annual plea to “let the kids enjoy Halloween“. (You’ll find a bagful of Halloween-themed haiku and senryu by clicking that link.)

halloween twilight
again this year my son waits
alone by the door

easter brunch
his daughter’s hair
a new shade of pink

……………………… by Roberta Beary, The Unworn Necklace (2007)
“halloween twilight” – 1st place, Tokutomi Memorial Haiku Contest 2006
“easter brunch” – Modern Haiku (Fall 2007)

“No Costume No Treat”
goth kids
at my door

…………………….. dagosan – see the original haiga at MagnaPoetsJF

Looking for some theory on why we like scary stories? In “The Horror and the Beauty” (Harvard Magazine, by Craig Lambert, November-December 2007) you can read about Maria Tatar, who “explores the dazzle and the ‘dark side, in fairy tales—and why we read them.” It’s an interesting piece. I find this little glimpse at academia kinda scary:

“Tatar’s passions for the Brothers Grimm and Anne Frank stayed with her, but at Princeton in the late 1960s, she discovered that both were verboten at the graduate level. “The Grimms were off limits because fairy tales were not deemed worthy of scholarly attention,” she explains, “and studying the Holocaust was taboo because it raised too many anxieties about the status of German culture in the academy.”

“Why always the pathological?” Tatar has a ready answer. “It seems so much more interesting than the good, the true, and the beautiful. Trying to understand why things go wrong seems to me more productive than just focusing on what is right.”

winter solstice
our son reads a fairy tale
to his unborn son

sleeping bats–
an echo suggests
the depth of the cave

………………………………………………………. by Peggy Lyles
“winter solstice” – To Hear the Rain (Brooks Books, 20020
“sleeping bats” – Frogpond XXVIII: 3 (2005)

 

It’s traditional to ask what our Halloween costume choice tells us about ourselves. In a twist, a recent New York Times article asks what a candidate’s choice of fashion gear says about their campaign and their psyches. See “Their Looks for Fall 2008” (Oct. 25, 2007).

halloween party —
the shrink can’t decide:
tarts or cheese cake?

…………………………………….. by dagosan –

An all-too-familiar combination of not enough time and not enough energy has the f/k/a Gang feeling particularly cranky today. So, we’re spreading the misery by sharing a quickie-complaint or two (or more) that have been accumulating on our To-Blog list. As usual lately, we’ll be posting in spurts, so come on back later tonight for more.

update (Oct. 30, 2007) We could use an Assignment Editor here at f/k/a — perhaps “TasksterEsq.” Then, we might just remember to remind ourselves and our readers, in a timely manner, of important events, holidays, commemorations, etc. For instance, a nice heads-up would have been helpful about Wellcat.com ‘s annual October 30th celebration of Haunted Refrigerator Night — a time to gather your courage and see “what evil lurks in the refrigerators of men . . . and women.” Around our place, some of the fridge to-do notes are haunted (and faded). Last year, f/k/a celebrated Haunted Regrigerator Day with some haiku and senryu, including:

new fridge
the motor’s faint hum
still there

home alone
sniffing leftovers
in the fridge

. . . . . . …………………. . . by Yu Chang – Upstate Dim Sum
from the Haibun “refrigerator” (Am. Haibun and Haiga 2)

october 30th
orange mold creeps across
a long dead rainbow trout

. . . . . . . . . by Ed Markowski
– Modern Haiku (Vol. 37.2, Autumn 2006)

Advanced warning would also have led us to commemorate October 30th as the 8th Create a Great Funeral Day. Thanks to Stephanie West Allen of Idealawg for inventing the event, and penning an accompanying Workbook. Although it’s an activity even less popular with single guys than refrigerator cleaning, I hope to get back to this important topic in the very near future.

Estupido! That’s the first word to come to mind when thinking about a weblawgger who writes more than a dozen posts about sex offenders, and never reads or links to the related commentary by KipEsquire at A Stitch in Haste. Check out his take on Halloween and Sex Offenders, and his thought-provoking look at the issues raised by the registry listing of minors under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, as seen through the Genarlow Wilson case. [Thanks to Ed at Blawg Review for the tip]

baby sparrow–
his face unaware
of his parents’ fights

scrawny frog, fight on!
Issa
to the rescue

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

A few days ago, we offered a big Bronx Cheer to all those New York Yankee fans who couldn’t bring themselves to cheer for the Boston Red Sox in this year’s World Series. The Bronx-Bombing Bad Losers surely went to bed miserable last night, when the Sox won the World Series in just four games, over the Colorado Rockies.

Therefore, although not a Rudy Giuliani fan, I was pleased last week when Rudy, a lifelong Yankee fan, said that he was rooting for the Red Sox, since he always backs the team from the Yankees’ league. It was not at all surprising, however, when the “New York media took Giuliani to task for his team turnabout. In front page placements, the New York Post called the former mayor a ‘Red Coat,’ and the New York Daily News proclaimed him a ‘traitor.’ (See “Giuliani shocks Yankee fans; backs Red Sox in World Series,” CNN.com, October 24, 2007)

October revival
all hands lift
to the foul ball

…………………………………………………………. by Jim Kacian
from – Piedmont Literary Review (Circa 1992)

On the other hand, I was shocked Saturday morning when National Public Radio’s Scot Simon took Giuliani to task for his position. See “New Yorker Rudy Giuliani Claims Boston Red Sox” (Weekend Edition Saturday, October 27, 2007) Simon’s Saturday hour on NPR is the only sports show I’ll keep turned on, if I should find it coming out of my radio. That’s because [although his laugh is really annoying] he usually brings an intelligent, often humorous, sometimes ironic, human-interest approach, to sports coverage. Thus, it was disappointing to hear low-EQ, childish intolerance coming out of Simon’s mouth about Rudy and the Red Sox:

“I don’t feel I have the right or sense to judge another man or woman’s religious faith, sexual orientation, or family relations.

“But I’m sorry: Yankee fans don’t root for the Red Sox. It would be like Sylvester rooting for Tweety. . . .

[T]his week’s declaration that he’s rooting for Boston in the World Series makes Mr. Giuliani sound positively Clintonesque. . . .

“If next year’s elections come down to a Clinton-Giuliani contest, it will be interesting to see two Yankee fans run against each other — claiming that really, they’re Red White Sox Dodgers Tigers Cubs Angels Marlins fans; depending on where they need the electoral votes.”

I’m sorry, Mr. Simon, but there is a great difference between a Clintonesque attempt to be a fan of each team from every electorally important state and the Giuliani decision that, as an American League fan, he wil vote for the AL pennant winner in the World Series — even if it is his Yankees’ historic rival Boston Red Sox. It’s even the politically courageous thing for Rudy to do, since he surely wants New York’s vote in the Presidential election next year (and is unlikely to win the Massachusetts vote under any scenario). Baseball might be a game for men who are still boys, but that doesn’t mean that its fans have to be cry-babies, who never grow up enough to act with grace when a league rival makes it to the World Series.

p.s. For the record: Born in Rochester, NY, I was an avid Yankee fan throughout my childhood, and never switched my allegiance over the decades when I lived out of State. The Yankees are still the nearest big league team to my current home in Schenectady, NY, and — although I don’t pay much attention to baseball during the regular season — I do root for them when they are in the playoffs, despite having gone to law school in the Boston area.

Season’s over, but don’t forget f/k/a‘s Baseball Haiku Page.

season’s end
every pennant on the stadium roof
pointing south

first red leaves
i swing late
on a change-up

rainy night
a hole in the radio
where a ballgame should be

………………………………… by ed markowski

October revival
all hands lift
to the foul ball

…………………………………………………………. by Jim Kacian
– from Piedmont Literary Review (Circa 1992)

crack of the bat
the outfielder circles
under the full moon

abandoned ballpark
gopher mound covers
home plate

……………………………………. by George Swede from Almost Unseen (Brooks Books, 2000)
“crack of the bat” – Baseball Haiku (2007)

opening day . . .
green of the field
through the ticket gates

……………………………………….………by Randy Brooks – Baseball Haiku (2007);
Past Time (1999)

Like the New York Times, we wonder why Your Editor’s former employer, the Federal Trade Commission is shirking its duty to protect the American consumer from Intel’s apparently misuse of its market power. See “F.T.C. Goes AWOL” (Editorial, Oct. 29, 2007). After noting that European antitrust authorities have accused Intel of “mproperly protecting its stranglehold of the microprocessor market by offering big discounts and rebates to computer makers who minimize the use of processors made by rival Advanced Micro Devices, and punishing those who stray with higher prices,” the NYT complains that the FTC “seems largely unconcerned . .. [and] is still holding back from opening a formal inquiry into the company’s practices.” They opine that:

“The F.T.C.’s Republican majority clearly shares the “starve the regulators and coddle industry” philosophy that has driven the Bush administration for seven years. It is bad for America’s consumers and it is bad for American business.”

If you’d like to learn more about the facts and policy of this case, you’re in luck: The American Antitrust Institute has issued AAI Working Paper #07-10, byNorman Hawker, which is titled “Wintel Under the Antitrust Microscope: A Comparison of the European Intel Case with the U.S. Microsoft Cases” (Oct. 29, 2007). In it, Hawker provides “a briefing that amplifies today’s NY Times editorial calling on the FTC to conduct a formal investigation of Intel.”

FTC Headquarters, Wash, D.C.

third day raking leaves —
the retiree breaks
for lunch

………………………. by david giacalone — see orig. haiga at MagnaPoets Japanese Form (Oct. 29, 2007)

And, why is the FTC spoiling our Halloween fun by warning consumers that “all contact lenses, even those that are cosmetic, require a prescription. Businesses that sell cosmetic lenses without requiring a prescription are violating the law”? Actually, because we do all need a good National Nanny at times. Check out Avoiding an Eyesore: What to Know Before You Buy Cosmetic Contacts.

halloween party —
the shrink dances with a witch
and a cheerleader

Poem: David Giacalone
Photo by Cynthia Miner (1992)

…………………………………………see the orig. haiga at MagnaPoetsJF (Oct. 28, 2007)

mistaken
for a mime —
the vampire ________

Poem: David Giacalone
Photo by Cynthia Miner (1992)

Help from My Friends: You’re invited to help me finish this haiga-haiku at MagnaPoets JF

Sorry, got to run and do a few errands. There will be more kvetsching here later this evening.

leisure time–
in cherry blossom shade
picking fights

escaping the fight outside
my hut’s
fireflies

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

Tonight’s full moon, which rises at about 6 P.M. on the East Coast, is called the Hunter’s Moon (and sometimes the Blood Moon). As the Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids explains:

“With trees loosing the leaves and fields being harvested, it’s easier for hunters to spot deer and other animals in the wild.”

Mike Lynch reports in his “Star Watch” column this week that tonight’s full moon is the closest and largest of the year. He amplifies:

“This month it works out that the full moon and perigee are at about the same time. Because the full moon is closer to Earth this month, its gravitational tug is a bit stronger. Not only does that have an amplifying effect on ocean tides, but it’s also argued that its effects on people and their behavior may be just a little more profound than a conventional full moon. Be careful out there!”

so orange!
tawny, she corrects
– Blood Moon

…………………………………………………….………….. by dagosan

[click for a larger image, by Lloyd Overcash]

You may recall that three years ago the Hunter’s Moon coincided with a Blood Moon lunar eclipse — and the even-rarer appearance of the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. We did a “live lunar eclipse webcast,”, and then did a “lunar eclipse haiku recap.”

clouds encircle
the full moon
– awaiting the hunter

pumpkin
floating on the river
Hunter’s Moon tonight

………………………………………………….……………………….. by dagosan

[orig.] Although we make no predictions on just when the Colorado Rockies will be eclipsed in World Series 2007 (and bemoan the childish Yankees fans who can’t bring themselves to cheer for the American League pennant-winners), here’s the last poem from dagosan‘s 2004 Lunar Eclipse sequence:

out of the shadow
red
stockings

……………………………………………

Query: Are Prof. Yabut and the rest of the f/k/a Gang the only fans of our Inadvertent Searchee pages? We’re often intrigued by the strange mix of serendipity and opportunity that search engines bring to writing and reading websites. Indeed, they bring over a thousand visitors a day to this humble little weblog — often by mistake, but frequently quite advertently, after we’ve written about a topic that truly troubled or inspired us. So, even if we’re merely entertaining ourselves, the f/k/a Gang plans to continue updating the adventures of the Google and Yahoo querists who land at our site. Below are some of the recent search engine queries that sent errant and avid searchers in our direction.

• [larger] The guy who Googled [farmer goose spanking] might have been your run-of-mill poultry pervert, but if he was looking to learn about Andrew Marsinko’s $7.5 million lawsuit over the use of his image on a greeting card, he actually came to the right place, when he clicked on our “kinky” post, which was the #1 result out of 665,700 for that Search.

• On a related topic, Mr. Goose was probably seeking absolution when he Googled [for the gander]. Clicking on the first result brought him to dagosan‘s haibun — short prose piece with a linked haiku — “bad for the gander.” As its title suggests, that gander’s goose was well cooked.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

• We’ve gotten used to being the #1 Google result when someone searches the Italo-American slang word “goomba” or “gumbah.” Even Prof. Yabut was surprised, however, when our discussion of agita and ADD ended up the top result for the rather arcane query [gumba deficit disorder].
• Being inflicted with a short attention span has taught the f/k/a Gang to be quite tolerant of the foibles of others. So, perhaps we earned our #2 slot (out of about 66 million results) in the Google query [how to treat all people], with our preachy post about immigrants and sex offenders. Of course, coming in second place keeps us humble, and might explain why the discussion about disbarring prominent New York attorney Jonathan A. Weinstein was only the #2 result for the search [self-aggrandize].

anniversary
the coolness of sand
under our umbrella

the pond ice
holding its own
midwinter rain

………………… by Tom Painting – from Frogpond XXX:3 (Fall 2007)

• I suppose Your Editor’s reputation for serial napping helps explain our top ranking in the Google search [advantages of sleeping late] — but, we admit that our post might not have been particularly helpful.
• [how do you blush?] is a perfectly respectable question, and we were humbly pleased to have an answer in our recent piece “what makes you blush?,” which was #1 of 2.5 million Google results.
• On the other hand, we surely — despite the aforementioned expertise relating to geese — were surely no help at all for the person who asked about [“restless cows” ]. They had to settle for this dreamy poem from our Honored Guest Poet Laryalee Fraser:
  • restless cows
    head toward the barn –
    milky way
  • ……………………………… by Laryalee Fraser – WHC Beginners

katydid–
caught by someone
waiting for the stars

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

• Finally, we couldn’t possibly answer the Yahoo! query [how often do lawyers lie?]; but our post about contingency fees probably earned its #1 slot, coming about as close as any of the other 8 million results could have.

Memorial Day–
smoke from far-off fires
makes it hurt to breathe

……………………………………. by Peggy Willis Lyles – from Frogpond XXX:3 (Fall 2007)

afterthought (7 PM): Here are a few Searchee blurbs we inadvertently left out when we posted a few hours ago:

It’s great to have a little venting or ‘splainin’ about a pet peeve discovered by readers new to f/k/a. So, we were happy to find the following links on our Referrer page:

• This post was #1 result for the Google search earlier this month for [ironic vs. coincidental]. Go here for our fuller discussion of this topic.
• Earlier today, someone who was wondering about [value billing lawyers] came to see our “value billing and lawyer ethics” (Jan. 28, 2004), thanks to our first-place showing out of about 2 million in that Google search.

   I don’t know if it was a fan of Lemuel Gulliver who was looking for [Lilliput sex], back on Oct. 8th, but mention of the haiku journal The Lilliput Review inadvertently landed our post on Ohio sex offender laws in the second slot in that Google search.

farewell party—
the sweetness of the cake
hard to swallow

……………………………………………… by Gary Hotham – (Missed Appointment, Lilliput Review, Modest Proposal Chapbooks 2007)

Making a tiny splash in the realm of pop culture is always nice. The lyrics from one of our favorite songs and a few lines of verse from a favorite old movie brought f/k/a some visitors this month:

• Harry Belafonte (1956) , Robert Palmer (1976), Rosanne Cash (1979), and C.J. Chenier (1995), among others, have recorded my theme song “Man Smart, Woman Smarter,” the classic tune written by Norman Span (a/k/a King Radio). Someone Googled the sad plight of the little boy and old man: [i can’t do what the big boys do old man sat down he cried too], and found our similar springtime lament, as it was the first result out of about two million.

“I can’t do
what the big boys do” –
Old man sat down, he cried too

Ain’t me, it’s the people that say
The men are leadin’ the women astray
But I say, that the women today
Are smarter than man in every way

• On October 3rd, there were 16 million results to the Google query [they seek him here]. I hope the searcher who clicked on the first result was another fan of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and Sir Percy Blakeney. and enjoyed our treatment of the movie and poem in the post “they seek him there.”

rusty blades –
she skates backwards
so we can chat

……………. by david giacalone – Frogpond (XXX:3, Fall 2007)

Unseasonably warm weather and unreasonable amounts of sex-offender-related hot air have thrown the f/k/a Gang off our usual content routine. So, this evening, I’m hoping to post more traditional fare. Given my continuing low level of energy and short attention span, I’ll be doing it in spurts. So, please come back later for more (including, an update on our strange and inspiring “inadvertent searchee” results; and new poetry by our Honored Guests from Frogpond).

Two subjects we first focused on in early 2004 were getting attention in cyberspace today:

1. We asked back in March 2004 whether legal marketing is spoofable. Now, Charon QC posts Marketing for Dummies? about an unusual marketing campaign at Eversheds (via Blawg Review #131); and, after the ABAJournal lists 50 ways to market your [small] law practice, Grant Griffiths thinks they forgot a big one, and Above the Law wants to know which of the fifty you think are the most ridiculous.
2. Meanwhile, the New York Times asks and answers “How Many Site Hits? Depends Who’s Counting” (Oct. 22, 2007). Back in Feb. 2004, ethicalEsq wrote “those misleading traffic stats” and “three times nothin’ is . . .“.

 

 

night in the hut
searching on the shelf
. . . katydid

– see our Inadvertent Searchee pages –

 

A little carny incest: The Carnival of the Captitalists #211 is being hosted this week by the Anonymous Editor of Blawg Review (the carnival of law-related weblogs). Although the ubiquitous Ed fears that “this granddaddy of blog carnivals is showing its age–and it’s not pretty,” he scoured the blogiverse for relevant and worthy offerings from recent weblog posting and certainly put some sparkle back on the CotC logo.

— One set of links worth clicking concerns the New York Times “Competing for Clients and paying by the click,” which was covered by Overlawyered.com, TortProfBlog and the WSJ Law Blog.

 

I think I hear him
grumble good morning
and grumble good morning back

…………………………………………………… Barry George, JD, from Frogpond XXX:3 (Fall 2007)

BusinessMeisterGuru: Meanwhile, the one and only David Maister — author of the upcoming Strategy and the Fat Smoker — presents this week’s Blawg Review — it’s #131 at his Passion, People and Principles weblog. Being humble and risk-averse, nonlawyer Maister “focused on issues relating to the business of law, rather than legal matters (which I am not qualified to judge.)” [Of course, I’ve never noticed prior Blawg Review hosts making legal judgments.] David presents recent posts on lawyer Marketing, Leadership, and Economics, and more. I was intrigued by this blurb and clicked on through:

“Michelle Golden, president of Golden Marketing is also an active member of the VeraSage Institute, which is committed to abolishing the billable hour. She reports on the advice given by another consultant on how to implement a value-pricing approach.”

What I found sounded an awful lot like more value-billing b.s. (see this and that prior post, for example), aimed at generating fees even higher than you can get from hourly billing (through what looks like price sensitivity manipulation). Oh, and I wonder if I’m the only one who wonders what the heck this bit of practical advice means: “Assign an intellectual capital task force. This team should inventory intellectual capital, then document, name and package it so that the firm can train to unique processes and price on value, rather than hours multiplied by dollars.”

………………. coming later tonight (unless I get a better offer): haiku from the brand new Frogpond, the journal of the Haiku Society of America: such as

tall spring grasses
a new path leads
to the old path

……………………… by Carolyn Hall

 

10 P.M. Frogpond break:

Alzheimer’s ward
the faded blue numbers
on a resident’s arm

……………………. by Pamela Miller Ness

after all these years
just the blip
of his heart monitor

lime-green moss
blowing from the pine
on the logging truck

……………….. by Michael Dylan Welch

warm day
tractor mud dries
on the country road

………………………….. by Hilary Tann

…………………………………………….. all from Frogpond XXX:3 (Fall 2007)

Plus (coming in the morning), answers to deep questions such as What’s the first Google result for the queries [farmer goose spanking] and [gumba deficit disorder]?

It’s rare that the third Saturday in October still feels like hammock weather here in Schenectady. A sunny weekend with temperatures in the 70’s has dispelled any illusion that the f/k/a Gang might do some heavy-duty punditry any time some. Instead, we’ll just post a few news-and-views Quickies and a stream of semi-conscious one-breath poems.

in the hammock
the undertaker dozes arms crossed
on his chest

……………….. by george swede from Almost Unseen (Brooks Books, 2000)

lazy slugs –
one in the hammock
watching one on the ground

…………………………………… by dagosan

“New face of vandalism?” (The Brooklyn Paper, Oct. 13, 2007)

As usual, a short stroll over to Walter and Frank’s Overlawyered cafe, turned up a couple interesting subjects for those wanting to wax poetic over a cup of java about the sorry state of the American legal system.

• Read about the “6-year-old girl in Park Slope, Brooklyn, [who] faces $300 fine for drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk ” (Oct. 19 roundup)

I know this wall scribbler’s
name…
autumn dusk

……………………. by ISSA, translated by David G. Lanoue

• And, have your suspicions confirmed, with “You mean it’s not the videogames?,” which points to new research suggesting that “It is not the cartoons that make your kids smack playmates or violently grab their toys but, rather, a lack of social skills, according to new research.” See “Taming Baby Rage: Why Are Some Kids So Angry?” (Scientific American, Oct. 16), which quotes Richard Tremblay, a professor of pediatrics, psychiatry and psychology at the University of Montreal, who says: “It’s a natural behavior and it’s surprising that the idea that children and adolescents learn aggression from the media is still relevant,” after spending more than two decades tracking 35,000 Canadian children (from age five months through their 20s) in search of the roots of physical aggression.

chalk dust
in the eraser trough
autumn chill

…………………………………. by Peggy Lyles – To Hear the Rain (Brooks Books, 2002)

twilight shadows
the outline of a child
in sidewalk chalk

………………. by Randy Brooks – snapshots haiku magazine #9 (2001)

“a flower,
not a dragonfly” —
she wags a small, chalky finger

…………………….. by dagosan

Run Out of Town on a Poll: New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer apparently decided it was about time to do some ‘splainin’ about his plan to grant driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. (see our prior post) He held a press conference yesterday announcing some big-gun support for his plan from Richard A. Clarke, the former White House counterterrorism czar. See “Former U.S. Terror Official Backs Spitzer’s License Plan” (New York Times, Oct. 20, 2007) Clarke didn’t appear at the press conference, but released a statement making a reasonable point:

“From a law enforcement and security perspective, it is far preferable for the state to know who is living in it and driving on its roads, and to have their photograph and their address on file, than to have large numbers of people living in our cities whose identity is totally unknown to the government.”

The NYT article reports that “Spitzer said he was unconcerned about a recent poll that showed that more than 70 percent of voters disapproved of his plan,”

“I don’t base security decisions about the state of New York based on polling numbers,” the governor said. He continued: “When I decide something is important for our security, I’ll do it if it’s right, if it’s constitutional, and it’s legal and it’s necessary. I also feel that those poll questions were structured in a way that was almost designed to get to that answer. I think if people listened to an articulation based on facts and based upon what we intend to do, they will recognize that this is smart security policy and probably support it.”

Meanwhile, “The usually vocal US Senator Charles Schumer Wednesday said he didn’t want to get involved with the state debate over whether illegal immigrants should be issued New York State driver’s licenses without possessing Social Security cards.” See “Schumer steers clear of New York debate over driver’s license policy change” (and see WNED-AM)

update (Oct. 21, 2007):  In New York’s Fight Over Driver’s Licenses, a New York Times editorial today says:  “What is getting lost in all the fury is that Mr. Spitzer’s plan is actually a practical step to make the state and the streets safer.”  . . . “Mr. Spitzer recently announced that New York would join eight other states that do not require licensed drivers to prove that they are in the country legally. Instead, prospective drivers will need to prove exactly who they are, that they can drive safely, that they have car insurance, and that they live in New York State.” . . . “The frustrations of the plan’s critics are understandable, but their quarrel is with Washington, which continues to avoid addressing the immigration problem head-on. Mr. Spitzer’s proposal for making driver’s licenses more broadly available is a calm injection of reason into a subject that has seen too little of it.”

Health Care 2008: The Kaiser Family Foundation has made it a lot easier to understand the health care issues addressed by the presidential candidates, at its comprehensive HealthCare08 website. Besides providing news and analysis, for example, it now allows you to create a Side-by-Side Summary 2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals. “This online tool allows users to customize side-by-sides by selecting as many as four candidates for comparison that can then be formatted into a printer-friendly pdf. The tool summarizes positions in four overall categories of access to health care coverage, cost containment, improving the quality of care and financing.” (via David Harlow at HealthBlog)

first autumn morning–
a fever-curing
kind of sky

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

Over My Near-Dead Body: You know I’m feeling especially lazy when I can’t get up the energy to write at length about the Tom Collins post this week at More Partner Income, titled “Surveys Show Most Law Firms Are Underpriced” (18 Oct 2007;via What About Clients?) He is unhappy about “Billing attorney downward adjustments prior [to] issuing client bills” and ‘unrequested or non-negotiated’ courtesy discounts.” As suggested here, hourly billing lawyers often have to make those adjustments to keep the automatic multiplication of a fee rate by “actual” hours worked from becoming an unreasonably excessive fee. Suffice it to say that Tom and I differ greatly on this topic and on the relationship between the price and the value of attorney services.

drift-covered hydrant —
the dog puts a halo
on my snow angel

…………………….. by dagosan

orig. Just a Year Ago: Western New York was melting its way out of 20 or 30 inches of snow (as memorialed by dagosan in the poems below, and related haiga). As much as I dislike hot and humid weather, my old bones are starting to dislike the excesses of winter even more — especially when they show up in the Fall. So, I’m going to do the only sane thing and head outside right now (well, right after a short nap) for a last shot at our October heatwave. Inside or out, please enjoy your weekend.

a foot of snow
a month too soon
candles for nightlights

. ………………………………. . haiga by Arthur Giacalone (photos) & David Giacalone (poetry); Simply Haiku Journal, Vol. 5 no. 1 (Spring 2007)

pumpkins and snowsuits
on the mudroom floor —
the ides of october

…………………….. by dagosan – click to see a related haiga photo/poem

sunday shorts monday moments If I don’t get this collection of quickie blurbs posted by midnight, I’m going to have to come up with an alliterative phrase using “w’s” for my diminuitive punditry and pointers. Here are a handful of news items and notions I just had to share before they got stale.

With a nice touch of topical serendipity, UNC-Chapel Hill law professor Eric Muller followed our Saturday posting on Violet de Cristoforo and her Japanese-American internment camp haiku with the announcement at his Is That Legal? weblog that “October 15 is the official publication date of my new book American Inquisition: The Hunt for Japanese American Disloyalty in World War II. [also posted at PrawfsBlawg] It’s an account of the secret inner mechanisms of racism within the episode we call the Japanese American internment of World War II.” Historian Roger Daniels says the book presents a new story of “bad news from the good war.” Muller will be “blogging about the book’s claims” for several days at Is That Legal?. His Oct. 14th posting offers “a very brief account of how the federal government ended up in the business of passing judgment on the loyalty of more than 40,000 U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry between 1943 and 1945.” Today’s post explains How The Government Got What It Thought Was “The Goods” On Japanese Americans (October 16, 2007). Muller’s look at racial prejudice is important topic and reminder, in all seasons. [hat tip to Ed at Blawg Review for the pointer.]

If our Prof. Yabut ever writes his autobiography, he’ll probably note that he chose the Japanese-American Internment during WWII as the topic for a 9th grade term paper. It was his very first substantial research project (using cutting edge 1960’s technology — various encyclopedia volumes, microfiche, and 3″ X 5″ index cards). It was also his first realization that our American government and society easily falls back upon racial prejudices and fears. To this day, Prof. Yabut can recall his surprise over the hate-filled, publicly-uttered demagoguery of General John DeWitt of the Western Defense Command [“The Japanese race is an enemy race.’] and the editorial writers of the Sacramento Bee.

To my surprise and delight, the central branch of the Schenectady County Public Library had a copy of Violet de Cristoforo’s May Sky: There Is Always Tomorrow; An Anthology of Japanese American Concentration Camp Kaiko Haiku (Sun & Moon Classics, 1997), when I searched its catalog and poetry shelves yesterday. That allows me share a few haiku from de Cristoforo’s life-work, May Sky [see our prior post], with you today, and over the next few weeks.:

Rhododemdron blooms
about to leave this house
where my child was born

………………………………….. by Yotenchi Agari

Migrating birds chirp
this morning blooming flowers
are scarce

…………………….. by Konan Ouchida

Living in barracks
front and back
sunflowers blooming
……………………………. by Shonan Suzuki

Frosty morning
handed a hatchet
today I become a woodcutter

……………………………. by Senbinshi Takaoka

between the pages
I flip back to —
a hair from my head

between the rocks
water the ocean
didn’t take

……………………….. by Gary Hotham – from “Footprints & Fingerprints” (Lilliput Review, Modest Proposal Chapbooks, 1999)

.

Cosby’s Come On: Tim Russert had a special edition of Meet the Press on Sunday that truly was special (Oct. 14, 2007, transcript; full netcast at mtp.msnbc.com.). The hour was devoted to a discussion with entertainer Bill Cosby and Harvard psychology professor Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D. about their new book “Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors” (Thomas Nelson Pub., Sept. 2007; Amazon.com online reader). Their publisher says that Cosby and Pouissaint

“have a powerful message for families and communities as they lay out their visions for strengthening America, or for that matter the world. They address the crises of people who are stuck because of feelings of low self-esteem, abandonment, anger, fearfulness, sadness, and feelings of being used, undefended and unprotected.”

“Come On People challenges readers to:

* engage in political activism
* take their neighborhoods back;
* become purposeful and effective parents;
* get actively engaged in shaping the lives of their children;
* take care of their physical and emotional health;
* encourage their families toward higher education; and
* think entrepreneurially about employment and economic advancement.”

I don’t know whether the book, described as “Suffused with humor and moral clarity,” is worth reading in its entirety (especially if you already believe in its message), but the tv show was an hour well spent and I am pleased to see the book getting so much attention. Cosby’s first words to Russert were “I want you to go back to parenting.” In a similar vein, Bob Herbert talks about the book, in a column today at the New York Times, and says “The most important step toward ending the tragic cycles of violence and poverty among African-Americans also happens to be the heaviest lift — reconnecting black fathers to their children.” “Tough, Sad and Smart” (NYT, Oct. 16, 2007)

Cosby has taken a lot of flak over the past few years for “blaming the victim” and “airing dirty laundry.” In commentary posted yesterday at New American Media, entitled “Come On Cosby!” (Oct 15, 2007), Earl Ofair Hutchinson insists that Bill Cosby has “fanned dangerous and destructive stereotypes.” Hutchinson continues:

This is hardly the call to action that can inspire and motivate underachieving blacks to improve their lives. Instead, it further demoralizes those poor blacks who are doing the best to keep their children and themselves out of harm’s way, often against towering odds. Worse, Cosby’s blame-the-victim slam does nothing to encourage government officials and business leaders to provide greater resources and opportunities to aid those blacks who need help.

I have to say that I don’t see justification for Hutchinson’s negative reaction to the Cosby message. His factual rebuttal to Cosby is quite weak. From my experience (as a Law Guardian representing children) with black single mothers, black father’s fighting for a larger parenting role, and grandmothers raising another generation of children, I bet they welcome the message and will be further encouraged rather than demoralized by it. Cosby clearly wants more political action (and urges blacks to use their political clout), but — as Herbert points out in discussing Come on People — “hand in hand with its practical advice and the undercurrent of deep love for one’s community is a stress on the absolute importance of maintaining one’s personal dignity and self-respect.” The message I took away from the Meet the Press show jibes with Herbert’s impression of the book:

“It’s a tough book. Victimhood is cast as the enemy. Defeat, failure and hopelessness are not to be tolerated.

“Hard times and rough circumstances are not excuses for degrading others or allowing oneself to be degraded. In fact, they’re not excuses for anything, except to try harder.”

:

the wave we avoid
pulls the dead fish
back

:

snow shoveled on top of snow —
she breathes slowly
on her fingers

……………………….. by Gary Hotham – from “Footprints & Fingerprints” (Lilliput Review, Modest Proposal Chapbooks, 1999)

. . .

“Across the Universe” (NY Times review; dvd soundtrack) . .

To be honest, despite having been a Beatles fan for almost half a century, I wasn’t at all sure I was going to enjoy Across the Universe — a film structured as a mix of conventional poor-boy-meets-rich-girl love story, phantasmagoric cinematography, MTV videos, and musical theater set-pieces and choreography. Well, I enjoyed every minute of it and (although I rarely purchase music these days) have ordered the Deluxe Edition dvd, which is being released next week and has 29 tracks — mostly sung by the main featured performers, but with cameos by the likes of Joe Cocker, Bono and Eddie Izzard.

Directed by Julie Taymor; and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, the movie features Evan Rachel Wood (Lucy), Jim Sturgess (Jude), Joe Anderson (Max), Dana Fuchs (Sadie), Martin Luther McCoy (Jo-Jo) and T. V. Carpio (Prudence). Go to see this movie with someone you love — or someone you’d like to fall in love with you; take a Beatles fan — or someone you hope to make a Beatles fan.

If I were going to go home with a crush, it would definitely have been on T.V. Carpio (who sang “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Because”).

In his NYT review, Stephen Holden says: “The movie is completely devoid of the protective cynicism that is now a reflexive response to the term ‘the ’60s’.” He confesses: “I realized that falling in love with a movie is like falling in love with another person. Imperfections, however glaring, become endearing quirks once you’ve tumbled.” Sure, we known the endearment might not endure, but “during the time it lasts, the intoxicating passion of Jude and Lucy, both innocents by today’s standards, convinces, for a moment, that love is all you need.”

creaky old rocker –
two gray pony tails
keep the beat

……………………………… by dagosan

.

The Too-Quiet Generation? In “Generation Q” (October 10, 2007), New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman tells us he’s been both impressed and baffled by the current generation of college students.

“I am impressed because they are so much more optimistic and idealistic than they should be. I am baffled because they are so much less radical and politically engaged than they need to be.”

Friedman’s been calling them “Generation Q” — “the Quiet Americans, in the best sense of that term, quietly pursuing their idealism, at home and abroad.” But, he also worries that “Generation Q may be too quiet, too online, for its own good, and for the country’s own good.” He explains:

“When I think of the huge budget deficit, Social Security deficit and ecological deficit that our generation is leaving this generation, if they are not spitting mad, well, then they’re just not paying attention. And we’ll just keep piling it on them.”

[haiga] With Across the Universe fresh in my memory (reminding me of the relative financial, intellectual, emotional and political freedom we Baby Boomers had in our college years), I have to agree totally with Friedman’s call to action of Generation Q (even though I won’t agree with all of their reasoning or conclusions): Friedman insists:

“Generation Q would be doing itself a favor, and America a favor, if it demanded from every candidate who comes on campus answers to three questions: What is your plan for mitigating climate change? What is your plan for reforming Social Security? What is your plan for dealing with the deficit — so we all won’t be working for China in 20 years?

“America needs a jolt of the idealism, activism and outrage (it must be in there) of Generation Q. That’s what twenty-somethings are for — to light a fire under the country. But they can’t e-mail it in, and an online petition or a mouse click for carbon neutrality won’t cut it. They have to get organized in a way that will force politicians to pay attention rather than just patronize them.” [emphasis added]

Here at f/k/a, we’ve been know to sneer at the “slacktivism” of America’s 20-somethings (most recently here). So, we nod in agreement when Thomas Friedman points to the word “Courage,” on an archway above a statue of James Meredith at the University of Mississippi, and reminds Generation Q: “That is what real activism looks like. There is no substitute.”

in both hands —
the water she carries
from the ocean

today she’s ten —
the wind too big for the hand
she holds open

……………………….. by Gary Hotham – from “Footprints & Fingerprints” (Lilliput Review, Modest Proposal Chapbooks, 1999)

Yes, I promised earlier today to get a few more items posted, but it’s just not gonna happen.
Instead, I’ll do some quick pointing (and prodding), and you’ll have to do your own quickie punditry:

• Re: Greedy Dentists. See if you can read the New York Times article, from October 11, 2007, without comparing the tactics of the American Dental Association with state bar associations, who often seem far more interested in maintaining and increasing the wealth of their members than with helping to make access to civil justice available — that is, affordable (since, there may be too few dentists dentists and dental schools, but there are plenty of lawyers) — for the un-wealthy members of our society.  Meanwhile, over at Concurring Opinions, Seton Hall health care law professor takes a look at the Dental Cartel, and questions the wisdom of using a “free trade” approach (importing from other countries) to solving our shortage of dentists.

• [Bumper Sticker] As you have surely noticed, Al Gore’s winning the Nobel Peace Prize this week [see “Gore Shares Peace Prize for Climate Change Work” (NYT, Oct. 13, 2007)] has brought renewed calls of ‘Run, Al, run’ (Christian Science Monitor, Oct 14, 2007), as the Prize propels Gore into kingmaker role (FT.com, Oct. 12, 2007). Please break into small groups and discuss how Sen. Barack Obama might be best able to obtain and utilize an endorsement by Al Gore, so as to derail Hillary Clinton’s march to the Democratic nomination and propel Mr. Obama into the presidency.
• Finally, and related to the last blurb, check out Tom Friedman’s article from earlier this week, “Who Will Succeed Al Gore?” (NYT, October 14, 2007). He notes: “So we still need a president who can unify the country around meaningful action on energy and climate. Most of the Democratic candidates mouth the right words, but I don’t sense much real passion. Most of the Republican candidates seem to be brain-dead on the energy/climate challenge,” making this crucial point: “They can’t see what is staring us in the face — that in pushing American companies to become greener, we are pushing them to become more productive, more innovative, more efficient and more competitive.”

snow shoveled on top of snow —
she breathes slowly
on her fingers

early in the night — –
the stars we can see
the space for more

…………………….. by Gary Hotham – from “Footprints & Fingerprints” (Lilliput Review, Modest Proposal Chapbooks, 1999)

first red leaves

i swing late

on a change-up

………………………………. ed markowski