Archive for November, 2008
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
The Bronx Defenders
This video is about the Bronx Defenders, where my bro works as a public interest attorney. Although not featured in the video, he makes “a few really short non-speaking cameo appearances“.
No Comments » - Posted in Friends / Family by eric
Friday, November 28th, 2008
Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict
In rare instances, a judge may overturn a jury’s verdict and issue her own judgment from the bench (a judgment notwithstanding the verdict in a civil trial or a judgment of acquittal in criminal procedure). With this in mind, I think it is appropriate that I amend my earlier verdict on Mad Men and […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Digressions by eric
Thursday, November 27th, 2008
Remembrance of Thanksgivings Past
This is my ninth Thanksgiving straight that I spend away from home and country. Over these years, I have used Thanksgiving as little more than a landmark establishing the official date (the day after) when I can finally begin listening to my beloved, yet annoying, Christmas favorites. For some reason this year (regardless of picking […]
3 Comments » - Posted in Digressions, Friends / Family by eric
Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
Sympathy for the Pirate
You have to admit that somewhere deep inside you smiled when hearing how Somali pirates had hijacked and taken for ransom a Saudi tanker with over $100 million worth of oil at sea. Completely forgotten by globalization, the pirates used what limited power they had to take a tiny share of their rich neighbor’s loot.
The […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Essays by eric
Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Above It All?
Although I recently argued in favor of Obama’s transition to date, I have also had my moments of doubts. I can’t remember where I read it first, but the argument was pretty much that Obama was selecting a cabinet that would have been identical to that of Hillary were she elected. Then, I saw a […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Obama 44 by eric
Sunday, November 23rd, 2008
FU, ZP
With great horror I began Jim Hoagland’s article in the Washington Post where he initially compares Barack Obama to Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (aka, “ZP”).
Other than both politicians’ opposition to the Iraq War, the similarity stops there. Hoagland writes, “Zapatero can be brash and provocative, while Obama works at being cautious and reassuring.” […]
4 Comments » - Posted in Essays, Living la vida española by eric
Friday, November 21st, 2008
Change or Institutional Reshuffling?
I think that it is worthwhile to discuss whether Obama’s transition team, in what appears to be picking mainly former Clinton 42 officials for future Obama posts, is really offering change or just recycling and reshuffling Washington insiders. As my brother puts it, “for those of you that had all sorts of hope for Obama […]
4 Comments » - Posted in Obama 44 by eric
Friday, November 21st, 2008
Exit Obama 08, Enter Obama 44
It’s time to close the Obama 08 section and open the new Obama 44 one. It’s been fun and historic, but it’s over.
As a caveat, let me say that it was never my intention to turn this into a political blog. I hope to continue my main focus on daily digressions, commentary on literature, Jazz […]
No Comments » - Posted in Obama 08, Obama 44 by eric
Friday, November 21st, 2008
Leave it to Beaver for Adults
I know I have only seen three full episodes of Mad Men, but I think I got the point already — we’ve evolved since the late 50s, early 60s. Still, the non-stop smoking by everyone, everywhere and at anytime (you feel like you’re living in Europe up until 2 or 3 years ago), the wet-bars […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Digressions by eric
Thursday, November 20th, 2008
Negative Externalities
One of the great advantages of online technologies and media is that I have been able to follow and stay abreast of the 2008 Presidential Election from abroad in a way that I was simply not able to back in 2000 and 2004. As I have mentioned, turning to podcasts kept me informed but at […]
