Maybe I shouldn't have borrowed my brother's Nintendo Wii at this time ... it's quite fun (and distracting!).

Play time is over. Back to work.

HOME!

Just watched Avatar...huge 3D visual spectacle, big action sequences, cool creature designs & landscape...But, I'm still giving it a "B."

HERO

What to do? What to do? I know! N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!!

*WHEW* Grades are done ... semester is over ... time to pack tonight and we'll be off to Kansas in the early morning. Cheers! :D

Still grading...one student turned in a two page proposal and not a final paper...unless he thought that was his final paper?!? :/

Didn't get to see Yuan Tan as the principal but it was a beautiful performance. Ended the night w/ an amazing dinner/drinks at Absinthe. :D

Nutcracker at War Memorial tonight. :)

Last class is over. Picked up my final set of papers. Going to enjoy the afternoon while I can before I start grading.

Last day of finals and they're not exams. They're project presentations on First Amendment and censorship. Should be fun! :D

Why is grading papers such an agonizing affair?

Finals week. One class done. One more to go and then it's grading.

Leave it to an art student to deconstruct Budd Dwyer's suicide on live TV as "obscene art." Time to put restrictions my syllabus.

Counting the days before the semester ends. :D

Planetarium show at the Academy was spectacular followed w/ a dungeoness crab dinner and ended the night watching John Woo's RED CLIFF. :)

Taking the day off ... visiting the California Academy of Sciences and SFMOMA.

Finally found time to revise one of my articles this afternoon -- a full 3 hours. :D

So Bad ...

I'm such a bad blogger these past few months which could be a good thing since the less time I spend here musing on random things is more time for something productive like publishing or writing, for instance.

But I've been reduced to a form of micro-blogging via Twitter and Facebook, occasionally chiming in on some point from another poster, but nothing lengthy or substantive.

Little snippets here and there, still random thoughts, stream of consciousness posts, and "SQUIRREL!" (if you liked Pixar's movie UP).

I cannot wait until the semester is over.

More than half of my students failed their assignments ... either they did not understand it, or they ignored the instructions ... Grrrrrr.

It must be near the end of the semester because I felt that all my energy drained away during my lecture today.

Driving across the Bay Bridge after it reopened was the most enjoyable trip that I've had in a long time. The traffic was the lightest ever!

Spent Halloween watching ZOMBIELAND w/ a couple of zombies at the theater. Rly! Makeup & everything & it was a fun movie to watch too! :D

People are at their worst over getting the H1N1 vaccine even though they are technically NOT AT-RISK!!!

A delicious Japanese dinner at Manpuku followed by pumpkin-dulce de leche ice cream at Ici. A lovely way to end the week!

Came back from a public lecture by Donna Haraway ... WOW! I learned TONS!!!

Wait! Did you hear that? It's the delightful glee of a million Phillies fans this morning. :D

The only way to end a day long conference on aesthetics is happy hour at Nihon Whiskey Lounge in The City: http://ping.fm/i0IBZ

Came back from a performance art showcase featuring my friend's work. She was great! But I don't know what the @#$% I saw with the others.

Got to get my camera gear together. My friend is doing her performance piece tonight and her photographer had to cancel. This'll be fun. :D

A very sloooooow day today.

Correction: Museum of the African Diaspora. :)

Off to the Museum of the Black Diaspora where my friend is curating a show.

Came back from a public lecture by Anne Wilson, prof at Chicago Art Institute. It's ... "interesting." http://ping.fm/3rAIk

Fixing my colleague's mash up of Madonna's "Hung Up" and ABBA's "Gimme Gimme Gimme."

People can be such assholes to service workers. Harassing an employee at a cafe over what they think is a bad cup of coffee?!? Whatever.

The panel tonight was excellent. And my co-panelist, Betty Soskin, was amazing! I think the event went well, and the students are so cool!

Checked out the exhibition where my talk will take place. Disappointed with the art that is up. What is NOT there says a lot.

On my way to give my talk. Let's get to it.

Woke up annoyed and aggravated. Finished my talk & powerpoint presentation at 3am. Now I got to do some fine editing to get it right.

Should I panic when the President, Provost, and Associate Provost will be attending a panel about a post-racial US and I'm the speaker?!

Gave my talk on a panel about critical race theory today. It went very well. One more major panel presentation to go and then I can breathe.

Absolutely loved Obama's appearance on the Dave Letterman show. "I was actually black before the election." I love that line! =D

I felt good about my Hobbes lecture; the discussion was amazing especially where Hobbes said there is no art in war. My students got mad! =D

Finally! I got time to sit and do my writing. Now I just have to figure out a way to schedule this time consistently.

PURE GOLD!

I think this is performed by the Portsmouth Sinfonia, a real orchestra from the Portsmouth School of Art in England in 1970. They had a very specific requirement for players: you had to be either a non-musician with no musical background at all, or if you were a musician, you had to play an instrument that was entirely new to you. Enjoy!

On This Labor Day ...

I'm working.

• One letter of recommendation down, two more to go (all of them are from Grinnellians).
• Two articles in the works, and no specific progress (but there two or three promising journals to solicit to).
• One article that is co-written that is slowly making its way through.
• One dissertation waiting to be reworked into a manuscript, and no plan for revisions (not to mention, no publisher either).
• One lecture on Hobbes that needs to be revised for the students including a powerpoint presentation, lecture notes, and discussion questions to think of.
• One lecture on introducing the nature, origins, and functions of the judiciary branch of the United States. It's all about Alexander Hamilton's Federalist #78.
• One meeting/dinner at an exhibition opening with the Board of Trustees of CCA.
• Two speaking engagements for CCA-organized panels on critical race theory, and the notion of a post-racial US.

But over the weekend, I did cook clams for the first time in black bean sauce with rice wine. It was yummy.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

Done with the first week of school. It'll be a good semester.

Soooo many students trying to add my courses and they don't know who I am as a teacher.

The first day is the easiest day of all...just info for the students. My second class meets on Friday; I got some time to fix my syllabus.

The lights are dimmed and the stage is set; the first day of the semester begins. My best wishes to all the teachers today!

Last free weekend...went on an evening tour of Alcatraz Island which was awesome, and finished with Korean BBQ at Brother's on Geary Blvd.

What's a great way to end the work day? Oysters, beer, happy hour at Hog Island Oyster Co. in SF Ferry Building.

Done with today's orientation. Saw some of the first years on guided tours of the campus. They all seemed very excited to be there!

New faculty orientation ... Lots of new info.

Done with my course reader. What's next?!?

On the news now ... Senator Ted Kennedy passed away.

And my job officially begins with my first faculty mtg.

Still figuring out my syllabus ... Semester starts next week.

Almost done with my syllabi ... decided against using books for one class and going with a course reader instead which means more work.

At 10pm last night, my laptop suffered a catastrophic malfunction. At 2am I was able to recover my research but my laptop is busted.

Just had a thought ... What about Falwell/Obama? Rush/Obama? Pat Robertson/Obama? Gingrich/Obama?!? I should get back to work! LOL

So far I've seen the following from the anti-health care protestors: Joker/Obama, Hitler/Obama, Anti-Christ-Obama, Satan/Obama. What's next?

Beautiful day and at the cafe working. This time a Spanish guitarist is sitting outside playing some rich melodies for a few friends.

When God is Pissed

So God is pissed and He's tired of our bullshit, gun-wielding angels and demons come to exterminate us, a heavenly battle between the archangels Michael and Gabriel, Paul Bettany, and a foul-mouthed granny thrown in for good measure. As a recovering Catholic, what's not to like about this movie?

I like the greenband version of the upcoming movie LEGION better than the redband one.

Had a good productive meeting with Sanjit, the Director of the Center for Art and Public Life, about programming for the upcoming year.

I wanted to start the day positively. Then I read the latest SPLC's report on right-wing extremism. 50 new groups were formed this year. =(

What Goes Around, Comes Around

It takes a lot to get me pissed off ... especially in public. Some of my closest friends say that I have the highest and strictest anger threshold which is generally a good thing for everyone. But once certain boundaries are crossed, and mind you I'm talking miles and miles of boundaries, then I become very ... miffed ... irate ... agitated ... quarrelsome ... you get the idea. So here's what set me off (quietly) late this evening before I came home.

I was working on my courses at a neighborhood cafe this afternoon. I sat in the back away from the music because it was the quietest part.

A middle-aged woman and her dog walks in and sits down with two of her friends in the back. A moment later, the cafe worker approaches the woman and politely asks if she could leave her dog outside. The woman identified herself as disabled and indicated that her dog was a service dog. The worker didn't understand. English was not the worker's primary language. It was Spanish. So the worker was confused, and she tried to ask the woman for an explanation. The woman was not having any of it. She raised her voice and repeated the same thing: "I am disabled, and this is my service dog." Again, the worker didn't understand and it was clear she was getting frustrated which, in turn, frustrated the woman. Before the worker uttered another word, the woman raised her hand and said, "I am done. I don't want to talk about this." Again, the worker who tried to ask another question was quickly cut off by the woman who was now visibly disgusted. She then shouted, "My mother died yesterday and I need this dog because I am disabled. My dog is a service dog! I don't want to talk about this anymore!" The worker, who was already exasperated, quietly left the area without another word. It ended as quickly as it started.

Now to be fair, the worker was caught in a difficult place trying to do her job and keep customers happy. But employees, employers, and businesses need to know about disability rights as established by the federal American Disabilities Act of 1990 which explicitly guarantees, among many things for the disabled, use of service dogs in restaurants, public spaces and facilities, and public services (with the exception of sterile environments such as a hospital). Any business can be found in violation and fined if they do not provide access. Each state can and has passed its own statutes in addition to the ones provided by the ADA (keeping in mind that federal law trumps state law). California is no exception. It has all the core provisions of the federal ADA and then some. California, for instance, requires tags for service dogs to comply with animal control. For the use of service dogs, both the individual and the service dog must have their applications approved, and additional requirements from the state if needed. Basically, one cannot simply purchase a service dog from your local pet store. These dogs have all been trained to do specific manual tasks for their handler. These laws and policies are intended to prevent fraudulent cases of training "service dogs," and cases of false identity. As a side point, the proper term is "service animal" to include other species such as monkeys for the specific use of grabbing and picking up objects. It just so happens that dogs constitute the largest majority of service animals.

Here's what else I know about the ADA. You cannot ask a person with a dog if: 1) the nature and extent of their disability, and 2) any forms certifying a service dog. In fact, there are no federal guidelines requiring service dogs to wear anything special. If there are no other discernible signs (such as an obvious disablement, or a identifying gear on the dog like a harness or vest), then ADA prevents any question about one's identity and the dog's. It is illegal for, in this instance, a worker at the cafe to do so (there are exceptions such as the police in an emergency situation, and I think for private citizens it's different). This is where most establishments get into trouble, mainly because they are not educated about the law. So many violations, fines, heartaches, and embarrassing moments could've been easily avoided if employees and employers learned about ADA, and learned about ways of handling situations better. I could have intervened and acted as a mediator, but I wouldn't have been able to translate "disability" or "service dog" adequately to the employee (by the way, that was a clue that I'll explain further below). I would've made it worse with my involvement. Besides, it is management's responsibility to train their employees and that includes understanding ADA provisions with service dogs. As far as I was concerned, it was a situation between a business and one of the customers with her service dog that was quickly rectified. Or so I believed.

So if you work at a cafe, and someone brings a dog in, even though there are signs indicating that no dogs are allowed on the premises, then how can you broach the subject of disability without breaking the law, and without disrespecting the identity of the person?

There are three questions that you can legally ask:
1) Question: Is this a service dog? If the answer is "Yes," then proceed to Question #2. If the answer is "No," then you have the right to refuse service if the dog does not leave.
2) Question: What has the dog been trained to do? Answer: Any task such as, but not limited to, pulling a wheelchair, fetching objects, guiding the blind, etc. Emotional comfort, however, is not covered. Animals for "animal-assisted therapy" is not covered under Federal law; they are not the same as "service animals." Some therapy animals can be used as pets; service animals are, by definition, not pets.

So what was my problem? Other than the obvious in which was both individuals were loud and disturbing my peace? Nothing really. I thought it was a non-sequitor that the woman revealed her mother's passing, but I didn't think twice about it. In fact, I was more than happy, and eager, to get back to work. It's what she said underneath her breath that triggered my foul disposition. She said, "I showed her up" and her friends voiced and chuckled in agreement. THAT's when I looked at them with the foulest of faces and made my disapproval known. The two friends caught my glance and quickly looked away, and the woman stared at me briefly before she turned away. You see, saying "I showed her up" is a statement of smug victory. It's purpose is to make someone inferior when they acted or behaved in an unacceptable way to them. And that statement needs to be contextualized further. It's a white woman with her two white friends declaring their racial and linguistic privilege in public over a Latina who's primary language was not English. The woman took advantage of the employee's linguistic shortcomings and outright disrespected her behind her back. She did not have to say anything more afterwards. She could've said that people need to know the law, or they need to know my rights, etc. She could've said any number of things about disability rights. She could've said nothing at all. Up until that moment, I basically agreed with the woman and understood her frustrations because businesses need to know that she has rights under the law. In hindsight, I could've intervened, but my Spanish is extremely limited and there was no way for me to translate and explain the ADA.

But she said, "I showed her up" and that changed her intentions and my view of her altogether.

The employee returned a few minutes later with her boss on the phone. She again approached the woman and politely asked her if she could repeat what she said. Without hesitation, the woman raised her hand and shouted, "I don't want to talk anymore!" The employee asked again in which the woman grabbed the phone and said, "I don't want to talk anymore. You are an embarrassment!" and returned the phone. The woman turned away, and the employee left without saying another word.

That was the last boundary for me.

It was already late in the evening. I packed up my laptop and notes for my syllabus into my bag. I walked over to the woman and her companions. I made eye contact, smiled, and said "Hello." We greeted each other. I leaned down to where she was sitting to ask her one simple question that I can ask as a private citizen.

"Oh, so where's your dog's ADA badge?"

She answered, "I left it at home."

My mind exploded with the sound and fury of thunder and lightning. It cried "LIAR! FRAUD! FAIL!"

I politely and calmly replied, "There are no badges. Under the American Disabilities Act of 1990, you are not required to show certification or identification for service dogs."

"You're a liar," I said to her.

She was so mad that she couldn't scream at me even though she wanted to. She muttered holding back her rage, "I don't want to talk to you."

"That's fine," I said. "Because you just got showed up by someone who knows the law and who can speak perfect English. Good-bye!"

As I turned to leave, I heard her start crying.

You see, that woman may have genuinely lost her mother; I can't deny or confirm it, and at face value, I'll accept it as truth. But after that outright lie? Sorry. Your credibility is all gone. Now, I could've left, or been respectful about it. There were a million ways I could've approached her, but you know what? She LIED! And it's a federal offense to claim disability and lie about your service dog! And she needed to check her damn privilege!!! That was just WRONG!

I know I was a cold-hearted asshole at that moment. But I felt obligated to ruin her day since she felt she was so righteous to ruin another. I am a firm believer of "what goes around, comes around," and I was more than happy to give it a firm push along.

Now, back to work.

I'm so infuriated right now at this one person who took advantage of a worker's weak speaking skills. I shot a MAD stare at him/her.

Checked out Berkeley Farmer's Market today and picked up some of the freshest tomatoes, peaches, mushrooms, and strawberries. =D

Currently reading: FROM DISSERTATION TO BOOK by William Germano, and AN ESSAY ON THE PRINCIPLE OF POPULATION by Thomas Malthus.

Obituary of federal judge Robert Takasugi. Thanks to A3G for the post: http://ping.fm/54T6k

So what do I do on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon? I go on a photowalk at the Mountain View Cemetery.

Apparently, I was wrong. The "Twitter/Facebook Affair" got national coverage on CNN.

Set up my new Google Voice number. WOOT!

Hmmm...as soon as I settle down from moving, I get hit with a bunch of writing deadlines that I set several months ago!

Watching old episodes of Millionaire Matchmaker.

Pure Gold!!!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Love this line about the President's beer summit with Gates & Crowley: If drinking beer can solve race relations, then we all be alcoholics.

It's a little sad to prep for courses knowing that it won't be for Grinnell students.

"Wow Vows" in Toronto

No, J and I didn't get married. Instead, we were up in Toronto for my younger brother's wedding, Cwell and his wife Melinh. It was months in the making, and it went into a kinetic frenzy just days, even hours (MINUTES!), before the actual event ... and it occurred just a few days after we moved from Grinnell to California. It didn't help when the movers were late in arriving, but we unpacked whatever we could and before we knew it we had to leave again. We just got back a few days ago and we're back to unpacking; it's not home yet, but it's pretty close. But before we left, J and I helped out with Cwell's vows and wedding script. It was pretty hilarious at times poking fun at each other and acting out what we would say. It was also odd considering that as cultural critics we would generally criticize the commodification of marriage. But my brother needed my help and we were more than happy to help out. On a personal note, I was getting all the more anxious because I was the officiant for the ceremony. I am not an official officiant designated by any church or state agency. Cwell and Melinh asked me to do it, and I initially said no because it wouldn't be official. But they were already married for several years and that this ceremony was really to make it "official" in their families' eyes. Everyone knew they were married, but it's the symbolism that was informing their decision to have the ceremony in the first place. So they were simply playing a role and that I should see the officiant as another role to play, a glorified emcee. I was then persuaded ... but I still resisted at the thought till the last day! So for several days Cwell and I worked on a wedding script, scouring the internet for examples, themes, and words, and agreeing upon something that could work. By the end, it was out of control laughter; we were adding the silliest and most inappropriate lines to the script. Of course we cut out those lines, but we needed a very good laugh, the kind that siblings share together. We gave it to J for her final approval, and that was another moment of hilarity as her careful eye scrutinized grammatical errors, subject-verb agreement, voice, etc. etc. Yeah it was fun.

On the day of the wedding, it was a beautiful ceremony with lots of laughs, tears, drinking, eating, and dancing; it is a celebration. Afterwards, J and I were able to spend a few days in Toronto without the eyes from my family. What we needed was simply time away to ourselves and that's what we got.

Speaking of commodification, the biggest expense in the marriage was the video/photography crew. HUGELY EXPENSIVE! It was a lot more than I had ever imagined, but their job was to "capture the moment" so here it is:

melinh + cwell's sde // toronto from stillmotion on Vimeo.

You've got to love Grinnellians! http://ping.fm/UEVDz

Today's agenda: home ... sleep ... more sleep.

Will be flying back home later this afternoon. Will check out the design museum in the morning before we finally say good-bye to Toronto.

Finally! It's time to enjoy our vacation in Toronto.

Watching French Canadian TV is also very cool. =D

Made it to Toronto. Had a very late dinner, got very aggravated at my parents, and now resting peacefully in my hotel room watching cable.

Made it to Toronto. Had a very late dinner, got very aggravated at my parents, and now resting peacefully in my hotel room watching cable.

Off to Toronto, Canada for my brother's wedding for the week.

Almost done with unpacking and setting up the apartment. Taking a break to watch the Sotomayor hearing. Very excited with her nomination.

FINALLY! Movers arrived!

GRRRR ... movers are delayed again till tomorrow, but we ate at CPK and shopped at IKEA. =D

Two thumbs up for PUBLIC ENEMIES. Johnny Depp is looking great!

Got word that the movers are 1-2 days late. Their truck broken down.

Watching the MJ memorial on CNN.

It's strange to see some angry driving on the freeway. It reminds me of LA drivers. What gives?!?

Korean BBQ, 99 Ranch Market, gourmet cheeses...it's all good!!! Although, my impatience with bicyclists on the road has returned...GRRR!!!

GOOOOOOD-BYE GRINNELL!!! We had a great time working with the best colleagues and the smartest students ever. Thank you for everything! We'll miss you!

Totally exhausted. Just a few more things to take care of and by tomorrow afternoon, we'll be on our way to California.

Done with the movers! Now ... cleaning. Ewww.

Packed till 3am. Slept for 3 hrs. J had even less. Packed our last box at 9:10; movers arrived at 9:15am.

Oh shit! Michael Jackson died today. =(

*WHEW* Dropped off both cars to the movers this afternoon. Picked up our rental and stopped by Sonic for limeade and onion rings. =D

Confirmed! Movers coming on Friday morning.

Dropping off our cars later today, will pick up a rental for the time being. Movers will come tomorrow or Friday. Just three more days ...

Five days and counting ... !

Major packing today at home; my office is 99% done, mostly boxes of books, papers, and files.

On a hot day in Grinnell, check out the "snoball" shop on 5th and Main. They have a great selection of flavored ice. Try the Wango Tango.

Livestream - PersianQ

Video feeds, mostly recorded, from protests in Iran: http://ping.fm/5utIm

Incredible photoset of the protests in Iran: http://ping.fm/KZ1WV

Tried to explain Val Kilmer in the movie TOP SECRET (1984) and why it was funny. I failed miserably.

It looks like June 27th will be our last day in Grinnell, IA.

Cleaning out my office; dumping old files. I came across finall papers when I was at GMU.

My Thoughts About Today

My heart goes out to security guard, Stephen Tyrone Johns, who died as a result of his wounds today.

First things first, let's get the easy stuff out of the way.

Will there be an intensified focus on hate crimes, hate speech, extremist activities, etc. as a result of today's shooting at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum?  YES.

Will there be calls for increased gun control legislation?  YES.

Will this be an issue about free speech and First Amendment protections?  YES (The shooter, James von Brunn, maintained an active website, published hate-writings, and had a prior criminal history).

Will your speech be threatened?  Only if you incite imminent violence (Brandenburg v. Ohio 1969), or make threats to the President (Watts v. United States 1969), and other "speech-acts" that cross the line of criminal activity and violence.

Will your speech be threatened?  Dude, shut up now.

Will federal agencies enact new measures, adopt new tactics, and pass new legislation regarding hate and extremist violence as domestic terrorism?  YES.

Will Democrats play a key role in sponsoring this kind of legislation?  YES.

Will it pass?  YES (at least, some new version now).

Will this event be used to criticize and undermine Republicans?  YES.

Will conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and Michelle Malkin shut the hell up now?  God I only wish.

Will there be sanctimonious calls for tolerance and an appreciation of diversity and other "touchy-feely" nonsense?  Yes.  Look, don't get me wrong.  I think they are essential so long as it includes an analysis about economic inequality, poverty, institutional critiques, and so on.  

Is this a new form of violent activity?  NO.  This is the first point that I want to focus on in terms on today's discussion about hate violence, extremist activities, and governmental responses.  Today's shooting, and last week's assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas, is not new.  In fact, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and others across the US, synagogues, mosques, and abortion clinics, and many others, have safety and emergency protocols because they know they are often high profile targets for extremist activities.  One can look to the history of these institutions to know the history of domestic terrorism.  

Second, what I will be mindful of in the coming months is the federal response, and much of it is dependent upon how they frame today's shooting and last week's assassination.  There will be the usual questions but most will be centering on how much is too much federal power if it decides to combat extremism?  Again, one can look to history to answer that question in this country's first "war on terrorism."  In 1871, President Ulysses Grant requested and was granted by Congress expanded executive powers to suppress the violent activities perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction.  The Civil Rights Act of 1871, aka the Ku Klux Klan Act, was passed and used to deploy federal troops to southern states to enforce the law, suspend habeas corpus, arrest and prosecute known Klansmen to which untold numbers of members were fined and/or imprisoned.  South Carolina saw the most action by federal intervention.  By the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the first manifestation of the Klan no longer existed, that is, until 1905 ( by the way, the parts of the Act were ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in 1882 ).  If you want to combat the rising tide of extremism, this historical case study is a clear example on what it actually takes to accomplish that goal -- unleash federal power.  This of course will make me sound like a totalitarian dictator, but if you look at the history of equality and civil rights, it has always depended upon the federal government to intervene with force either by law or by police/military action ( even if the federal government perpetrates that inequality ).

Final point, the unclassified Department of Homeland Security report on extremist recruitment and activity is by far the most prescient report ever developed since the inception of this federal institution.  Why?  Because it reflected the recent and best scholarship on hate violence and extremist activity in the most clearest language possible.  I don't know who exactly authored the report or what methodology was used, but what they concluded is what agencies such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and scholars such as Jack Levin, Jack McDevitt, and Barbara Perry have long contended: extremism is on the rise because of this specific confluence of terrorism, anti-immigrant sentiment, unstable economy, high unemployment, right-wing rhetoric as mainstream news, and, of course, the ascendancy of Barack Obama.  The DHS report simply stated within reasonable guidelines what to expect and prepare for law enforcement agencies.  

The DHS released a report several months ago warning about the rise of violent extremism. Here's the link to the report: http://ping.fm/zIAcz

UPDATE: By the way, this same report was lambasted by conservatives and Republicans as unnecessarily alarmist and, in some cases especially by RNC Chairman Michael Steele and Rush Limbaugh, characterized the report as an attack on the conservative movement and "anti-Republican."

Damn asshats.

Horrified by today's tragedy at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. SPLC has a quick update: http://ping.fm/qQWTM

Toys!

The unveiling of the new iPhone 3GS has stirred the inner geeky tech boy in me. I must have one!

http://www.apple.com/iphone/guidedtour/#medium

My Ears Bleed ...

Please! Someone make it stop!

What Makes Grinnellians So Special?

I got this notice today from Grinnell College, Office of College and Alumni Relations ...

Dear Maxwell,

We are honored to inform you that the following kind contributor made a gift in your honor to the College:

[Name and address withheld]

This gift will be listed in the President's Report and Honor Roll of Giving that is published each fall.

As an education institution, Grinnell College strives to uphold the highest ideals of an open community, appreciative of histories and cultures throughout the world and dedicated to critical inquiry. We are grateful to all who share those values.

I've never had this happen to me before. I am utterly speechless, and absolutely honored. A gift? In my name?!? WOW!

Back home in Grinnell after flying all day. That is, Grinnell will be home for the next 4-5 weeks. Time to tidy up loose ends.

Enjoying our last day in SF before flying back to Iowa. Had oysters for lunch at the Ferry Building, watched the movie DEPARTURES which was amazing!!! Ended the day with a family dinner. =D

Signed our lease! Celebrated by having fried chicken sandwich at Bakesale Betty, watched the movie "UP," & ended with sushi for dinner. YAY!

Finally found a place! On the border of Berkeley and Oakland. Going to finalize the paperwork in a few hours.

Home hunting all day ... TIRED!

Arrived in Oakland airport without a problem. Chillin' with my family at home. I forgot how good my mom's cooking was/is. =D

Off to California for the week ... it's not a vacation but we need to look for a new home in the SF Bay Area. =D

In reading today's court opinion upholding Prop 8, I came across this line: "Neither the language of the relevant constitutional provisions, nor our past cases, support the proposition that any of these rights is totally exempt from modification by a constitutional amendment adopted by a majority of the voters through the initiative process." It just occurred to me that there ought to be a proposition adding marriage as a fundamental right to all. Got to continue reading ...

What the hell is wrong with California?!? How is it that Iowa's high court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, and not California? What gives???

STOOOPID Is

From Volokh Conspiracy, I came across this post about Liberty University's decision to ban the Democratic Club on campus because its parent organization, the Democratic Party, allows abortions. Fine. Whatever. But along the lines of prohibitions and penalties, one poster indicated that the student code of conduct of the University hands out "30 reprimands" for possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages, as well as having an abortion, practicing witchcraft, or be convicted of a felony.

Another poster immediately responded to say, "If you're pregnant, don't drink & drive on your way to your coven meeting, is the message I get from that."

My last major effort to finish grading and turn in final grades by the end of today.

Finished the first round of grading. Lots of "A" papers, but the weekly assignments are hurting a lot of folks. Quite a few turned in only 3 out of 8 ... NOT GOOD.

Close to finishing grading. I think I handed out too many "A" papers. Hmmmm ... I'll deal with that later.

*WHEW* Done with one set of papers. Pretty amazing writing and research. Now onto the next batch.

Quotation for the Day

I love this ...

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.

-- Neil Gaiman

Still More Prose and Stuff

Here's another hot one that held my attention. There's a really nice tie with toys and cultural studies analysis, and a strong argument calling attention to why Pokemon must be deconstructed. I also realized that most of my selections about writing have been introductions thus far so I'll try to diversify my entries.

Does Pocket Monsters (Pokemon), the never-ending video game, anime, card game, and retail kitsch franchise, deserve a racial analysis? There have been serious studies of the cultural effects of the franchise by social scientists such as Joseph Jay Tobin, yet there has been very little cultural studies-oriented scholarship on the subject. More in-depth analyses of the ideological constructions in the Pokemon canon are non-existent, perhaps due to its status as a children's icon. However, I feel that the fact that children are its principal consumers makes its ideological analysis even more important, if we are to understand the ways in which the media interpellates and socializes us into ideology. An additional point of departure is the fact that Tobin and his peers did not grow up inundated with Pokemon, as many people in my generation did. For us, it was more than a toy: it was and continues to be a consuming obsession. It is no wonder that its ideological work has been heretofore unexamined. To that end, I would put forward the argument that the Pokemon canon displaces racial Otherness onto Pokemon, and in doing so attempts to ameliorate the potent racial anxieties of its audience with its utopic vision of unquestioned racial domination. However, I will also point to moments within the text that work to deconstruct -- in the Derridean sense -- the seeming unity of that vision.

More Prose and Stuff

Oooh! I like the structure of these sentences, and how it situates the film, Aladdin, in a social, cultural, and political context of anti-Arab sentiment in the US. It raises the potential political stakes from an animated feature like Aladdin. I also like the air of sarcasm too:

To be fair, no one expects Disney to provide a fair and balanced portrayal of another culture for it certainly has "Disnified" Chinese (Mulan), Native Americans (Pocahantas), and Indian (The Jungle Book) cultures. However, the depictions in Aladdin are particularly nefarious given the anti-Arab climate that was reigning in America during the first Gulf War and especially today in a post-9/11 context. The film Aladdin is essentially an Orientalist production laden with ideas of exotifiation, domestication, and negative connotations and stereotypes the West hold true about the East, which ultimately carries tremendous social and political ramifications for Arabs.

Prose and Stuff

As I read and correct final papers, I come across some beautifully written prose that I think are worth nothing especially given the skill of writing from the students at Grinnell College. This selection is from a paper analyzing the TV hit show Lost that I found to have a clear argument, a strong voice, and it's concise, direct, and full of theoretical and analytical excitement:

With its incredible popularity, one questions what kind of ideological influence Lost may have beneath its enticing narrative. After following Lost for five seasons and deciding to study its intrinsic sociological implications, I initially turned to a neocolonial discourse. After all, the show is about a group of outside people who come to a tropical island and engage in conflict with the "native" peoples there, who come to be known as the "Others"; it seemed plausible that Lost was re-enacting a colonial discourse. However, upon closer study, I was surprised to find a much more subversive reading of Lost than I initially thought plausible. Instead of reproducing the tropes of colonialism, in this paper I argue that Lost actually critiques neolonialism by inverting the process of "othering" and the characteristics of colonized people, which is revealed through the character's experience.

was contacted by CCA to think of courses to teach for next year. Democracy? CRT? Law? Policy? Politics & Power? So many to choose from!

Day After

It's sooooo quiet on campus the day after graduation. I didn't have to dedicate time answering phone calls and emails from frantic students about their presentations or research papers. It was simply peaceful.

Yesterday's graduation was truly an event for me. For the first time, I was acting in the official capacity as a professor with "all the rights and privileges" that my degree and rank afforded to me. You see I never went to my own graduation. Mine was rather anti-climatic, and if anything, I was more ecstatic at the thought of putting behind me ten years of friendly fascism from my school. I just wanted to leave and move on with my life and career. I don't know if "hate" is the right word to express my sentiments, but it's pretty damn close.

But at yesterday's graduation as the faculty gathered in ARH before our procession, I felt proud and privileged to be a part of this community of intellectuals at this institution. As we marched out, the graduating seniors and their families applauded us. Many of them cheered and called out our names. Donning the medieval regalia became more than dressing up for this ritual called "graduation." It was being recognized for our work and acknowledging an accomplishment not measured in the number of articles that I publish or grants that I receive, but from the smiles and endless "thank you's" from my students and their families. For the first time in quite a long while, I felt really great about being a professor, teacher, and scholar. For me, yesterday's ceremony was, in many ways, my own graduation, and that is a moment I will always be grateful for.

Besides, when and where else can anyone don flowing black and blue robes lined with the colors of knowledge and it'll be okay to yell out "Expelliarmus!"?

Of course, it was just a passing temptation for me. =D

The day after graduation ... it's sooooo quiet on campus.

Congratulations to the 2009 Class of Grinnell College!

Two hours for one paper?!? I've got to figure out a better way to do this. No way I can do this for 77 papers.

On my iPod, listening to Muse's live performance of "Supermassive Black Hole" ... I think I got the right motivation now. =D

Figuring out ways to procrastinate.

With the exception of two students, all papers are in. Congrats everyone! =D

Block Party at Grinnell ... ROFLMAO!!!

Time for the inevitable ... grading papers!!!

PostSecrets

Yep. I really like this one.

Things are picking up now that finals are coming to a close. Picked up my faculty regalia and getting ready to read the unavoidable mass of final papers.

Watched President Obama's talk on health care reform...good talk...Odd though to see Speaker Pelosi step in to finish Obama's speech as if he's just another member of Congress.

It's OFFICIAL! I received and signed my contract. I will be an assistant professor at the California College of the Arts! And it was on pretty nice letterhead too! =D

Just finished a wonderful dinner with some of the graduating seniors ... they totally rock! =D

News Summaries on Wesleyan Shooting

http://news.google.com/news/more?um=1&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=dPLRouYnyD2DSHMJy_puUXI1p9dQM

http://news.google.com/news/more?um=1&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=do5MiUoUuGs0eoMdDmekYHdJdFOJM

"Asher Roth and the Racial Crossroads"

A commentary about Asher Roth that turned into a discussion about race relations. Cool vid!

"World Builder" - Bruce Branit

As I was cleaning out my bookmarks, I came across this gem of a video.

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.

A strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves.

This award winning short was created by filmmaker Bruce Branit, widely known as the co-creator of '405'. World Builder was shot in a single day followed by about 2 years of post production. Branit is the owner of Branit VFX based in Kansas City.

More info, background and info on future releases can be at http://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Builder/73936485659 Become a fan and keep in touch.

I just finished the very last class that I will teach at Grinnell College. And now for final papers ...

"How'd Dick Cheney Do?" - David Letterman

Just saw a bumper sticker that read "When Clinton lied, nobody died."

Wordle of the Month

thinks to himself and says, "One more week and it'll be over."

Note to self: avoid starting the week by reading the latest hate violence incident reports ... http://ping.fm/byDhX

First Days of Spring

DSC_0272A by disoriented1969 on Zooomr

Winners of Titular Head 2009

The Titular Head Film Festival is an annual spring time event featuring student made and produced short films.

The films should be under 5 minutes unless it "totally kicks ass." State of the art cameras are available for check-out and computers are available for editing. I hear it's some pretty fancy gear. First through third prizes will be determined by a panel of judges consisting of students, faculty, and staff.

And here are the top three winners of the Titular Head Film Festival 2009. I loved it all!!!

THIRD PLACE: The Washroom

SECOND PLACE: Call on Me


FIRST PLACE: Star Wars Grinnell

First day of student presentations began remarkably well. I am amazed at the quality of the work and the support by classmates.

And some more winners and finalists for photography: http://ping.fm/UQMhc

Damon Winter, 2009 Pulitzer prize winner for feature photography: http://ping.fm/r2ayu

Finally! Done with this round of papers. But it's raining now. =(

I think I'm totally burnt out. And there's two more weeks left in the semester.

Trying to muster whatever energy I have left to correct the last set of papers due tomorrow.

I am totally fascinated with the show, #Deadliest Warrior. I like the simulated battles between historical warriors, but it's hilarious to watch "warrior experts" talk to each other about whose warrior will win.

A Gathering Storm -- SRSLY?

In this corner, we have the ad sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage against gay marriage ...

And in this corner, one of several dozen parodies of NOM's ad ...

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

My colleague and I are working on a joint authored article about Prop. 8, and the same-sex marriage rulings in Iowa and Vermont. I was thinking of talking about NOM's ad, but after watching and re-watching it, I can't even take it seriously anymore. I just start giggling uncontrollably. =D

UPDATE: Rather than analyzing NOM's ad, I may focus on counter-programming and the numerous parodies that abound. That should be fun.

And Today's Wordle Is ...

I'm not surprised that the two most common words of my collected tweets are "today" and "writing." For the past several years, all I thought about was my dissertation and how I needed to get my "writing" done "today."

What would compel 9 Grinnell students to divide a dinner check in 9 ways and pay in line, while forcing myself and a couple of patrons to *WAIT* for our take-out? I don't get it.

WOW!

I came across this clip of a new camera called the SprintCam v3 HD that shoots 1000 fps (frames per second). AMAZING QUALITY!

I-Movix SprintCam v3 NAB 2009 showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

"A Space Oddity"

Before watching another disappointing episode of Southland, I was able to catch CSI and I absolutely loved it! It was a mix of Star Trek-inspired flashbacks, overzealous fans, sci-fi geeks, an enraged film studies professor, Derrida, Ron Moore, and Battlestar Galactica all rolled up into one fantastic murder mystery. LOVED IT!

Another major disappointment with #Southland last night. But the #CSI episode, "A Space Oddity," was FANTASTIC! Two thumbs up for CSI!

It's sunny and warm outside. Is spring finally here?

Why can't I get more sleep?!? Grrrrr ...

Watched the season's premiere of DEADLIEST CATCH ... AWESOME! =D

After being disappointed with the premiere of Southland, I started to watch The Wire again from Season 1. Now that's a good show.

Watched a screening of THE LAST DRAGON (1985) with some of the students. OMG...it brings back memories of the 80s! =D

I know what bugged me about Southland! It felt like the visual reality of COPS and the sentimentality of CRASH.

Watching the premiere of Southland. I'm really disappointed. Too many white cops, and it doesn't have that Los Angeles vibe.

One day I open a Facebook account ... the next day I'm reconnected with dozens of friends from back in the day. =D

Negotiating a new contract can be ... quite an experience.

WHY?!?! WHY IS IT SNOWING AGAIN?!?!?!

CRT20 was a great conference!

I officially received word that I was offered the position in critical studies at CCA ... It's been such an emotional rollercoaster today.

Closure

Goodbye Whitney. I will never forget the fun loving spirited student who wanted to learn everything. I will miss you.

Needing Some Inspiration

"Can You Feel It?" (1980) - The Jacksons

I am ... William Adama

By way of "What New Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?"

You Scored as Commander William Adama You have risen to your position by being damn good at what you do. Not only that, you have the deepest respect for the people under your command. You may be a little grumpy and unapproachable, but every commander needs to distance himself. Shame that you apply that to your children too. Commander William Adama 75% Capt. Lee Adama (Apollo) 50% Tom Zarek 50% Dr Gaius Baltar 44% President Laura Roslin 31% Lt. Kara Thrace (Starbuck) 31% Lt. Sharon Valerii (Boomer) 31% Col. Saul Tigh 31% Number 6 25% CPO Galen Tyrol 25%

GODS FRAKKIN' DAMMIT! Why is it snowing again?!? =(

WALL-E Mashup Watchmen Style

So what can good editing, and audio from another movie trailer like Watchmen, do to a fun-filled animated fantasy like WALL-E? Apparently quite a lot!

OMG ... I am so friggin' tired and sleepy. No sense in trying to do any work today.

Taking a Break

I know I have tons of stuff to do before classes return next week, but I think I need a break from everything. My interview at CCA went very well on Monday; I got good vibes from everyone and I hope the search committee got a good impression of me. It's also great to have faculty and, believe it or not, a provost (!) who knows a lot about Foucault and I got some really great questions from them. So as with all job searches, I'll just wait and see what happens. In the meantime, I came across this very well done video about a battle between Bruce Lee and Iron Man. Cool stuff!

Home at last!

Getting ready for my flight back to Iowa. Enjoying the nice California weather. =D

I just finished my interview at CCA. It went really well and I'm loving the school, colleagues, and the students. Time to sleep. =D

Arrived in Oakland safe and sound though with a bad headache. Going over my notes for tomorrow's interview. I think it'll be a good day.

I can breathe again. Battlestar Galactica is finally over. Thank you for an amazing finale, and a wonderful science fiction show!

Saw Watchmen tonight. I gave it a B. My girlfriend says the tone was off. Of course, I agreed. But I enjoyed the blue pee pee's everywhere!

A Sadness in My Heart

I found out this morning that one of my students was killed in a horrific accident while she and a friend were vacationing on spring break. My student was young, intelligent, and full of life; she was a rising star, beautiful and brilliant in every way. She was excited to be in my course, and talked with great enthusiasm about her final paper. I still have her proposal on my desk. I wrote, "Looks great! Go for it!" And now I won't be able to return it to her or see her ever again.

No matter how many times I've mourned the loss of life with my students over the years as a professor, nothing can ever prepare anyone for such a tragedy. My heart goes out to the family and to the many friends who had the privilege of knowing her. I am thankful, and deeply humbled, to have known her, and I will always remember her not as the star who fell from the sky, but as an angel who took a detour to heaven.

Day 2 on prepping for my interview ... a little progress ... still a lot more work needs to be done.

Preparing my public lecture for my interview at CCA. Lots and lots of work revising and turning it into something coherent and accessible.

Chatted with my colleague at the GCC about the job market this year ... How many different ways can I say "disastrous"? =(

What does BSG have in common with the United Nations?! Check it out: http://ping.fm/52r87

Grinnell students on the move! Check out http://ping.fm/kBVBs

I can't believe I'm spending my Friday afternoon researching about cross burnings, racial terror, and First Amendment jurisprudence.

Done with grading papers! *WHEW* And now, time to prepare for my interview. It's just nonstop madness.

Finally...done with teaching...just one more day of work and I'll be officially on spring break.

Just came from a great lecture by Michael Berube on disability studies.

Daft Punk on your keyboard!!! http://ping.fm/LJaJA

Did I also mention that Berube is a great father? It was wonderful to see his relationship with his son.

Had a last minute request to attend lunch with Michael Berube and his son Jaime today. What an amazing intellectual!

Let's see ... read 70 paper proposals by this Thursday? And still prep for lecture? And host a job candidate? And ...

Just came home from attending a public lecture on masculinity from sociologist Michael Kimmel. He's an amazing speaker and scholar.

Another Star Trek Trailer - WOW

Very cool soundtrack too by Two Steps From Hell although I couldn't help but notice a "Dark Knight" theme as well.

Seriously? Limbaugh predicts "Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care Bill": http://ping.fm/W72wt

*Yawns* Why do I feel like I'm an hour behind?! Oh yeah, daylight savings.

Tweet Tweet

I know I haven't been blogging as much as I would like to lately. I seem to not have that much time to do anything else but think and write in snippets and in random bits. So I thought I try my hand at microblogging and see how that fares. I linked my Twitter account to this blog so that whenever I "tweet" it automatically posts an entry here. After a few test tweets, it seems to work and suit my style for now.

I wasn't totally unproductive. I read a great article about public funding as a political tool to destabilize the NEA and progressive art practice.

So other than doing my own work, I read up on the ZOOT SUIT RIOTS on PBS.org: http://ping.fm/xTRC8 Excellent site!

I got an interview in two weeks and I'm not very inspired to put together a brand new lecture. *sighs*

Ronald Takaki

I just watched Ronald Takaki, Emeritus Professor of History and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, in an interview on C-SPAN's BookTV this morning. Very cool! The last time I saw Professor Takaki was when he visited Pomona College for a lecture, and a couple of years before that, I sat on a panel with him about multicultural education. He came up to me afterwards and told me how much he enjoyed listening to my presentation and how my analysis was elegant and methodical. As you can imagine, I had the biggest grin on my face when he said that to me.

There were a few awkward moments though in the interview that revealed signs of his age. He once mentioned Gary Locke as the former governor of Massachussetts even though it was Washington. I cringed when he said that on TV, but his memory on history, details, and narrative was still as sharp as ever. Maybe it's the present day that he has trouble remembering.

I couldn't help but notice that the callers asking the questions would ramble on and on about some of the most inane things ever, and it would drive me nuts. I lost my patience and started screaming at the TV to hurry up and ask the damn question. But Professor Takaki was calm and smooth as ever and generally supportive. I figure he's been at it for more than 40 years that any question, no matter how tangential, is a valid question to ask. I also took notice of his linguistic and gestural ticks, verbalizing his thoughts, going back to a point, clarifying another point, saying "um's" and "right's?" often at the end of his statements, and all the while waving his hands poking the air, or circling with them as if he's begging you to come forward to him with your ideas. It was very relieving to see someone who is an intellectual giant work, and struggle, with his thoughts out in public.

Suavecito!

So I showed this documentary in my pop culture class called Chicano Rock! (2008) which was a short one hour documentary on the emergence of Chicano popular music in Los Angeles. So it got me thinking about some old school classics and I remembered "Suavecito" by Malo. It's simply beautiful!

The Nicest Things

I went back to work today after I came home last night from an exhausting interview. I was tired, unfocused, and sleep deprived. You cannot imagine how much I smoked these past few days when I was interviewing; I was like a train on fire.

But as soon as I stepped into my office, I had a constant steady stream of students meeting with me about their projects, their presentations, and just to check up on me to see how I was doing. And all of a sudden, I felt fine. The nicest thing about coming home is to see my partner again, and to see the happy faces on my students.

It's Official

I just got word of a second interview for a tenure-track position at a school on the west coast. I have my first interview at a university down south in which I'll be flying out tomorrow.

Considering the economic crisis and how it's impacting the market, I am extremely lucky to have just one. Two is a damn miracle.

Now I just have to do my thing and see where all of this goes.

Interviews

One interview for a tenure track position at a school on the west coast is done.

And another one at a school in the south coming up very very soon.

My head feels like it's going to explode!

Polytechnique

I just came across this trailer about the 1989 massacre of fourteen female students in Montreal's Polytechnique school. It's stirring quite a lot of controversy for a number of reasons especially when the government did not pursue an investigation into the tragedy which left a number of unanswered questions.

Personally, I don't know if I can watch it. I wonder if part of the controversy stems from what the movie is as opposed to what it's representing. I wonder if my reluctance has to do with the fact that it's a fictionalized account based on a real event and not a documentary. I seem to think that watching a documentary alleviates my concerns because there is an attempt to capture a truth, while a fictionalized narrative might exploit or sensationalize the tragedy unnecessarily. I know I hated watching The Matthew Shepherd Story and I refuse to watch all the movies about the 9/11 tragedy. But I was more than willing to watch documentaries of them all. I just don't know about this one.

SUPERBOWL XLIII

WOW! That game is what I love about football, an emotional, tense, and thrill ride to the very very end. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end this football season on such a great note. And the first franchise in NFL history to win six championships.

STEELERS BABY!!!

"The Oath"

Just saw Episode #13 of the final season of Battlestar Galactica and I have six words from an enraged President Roslin ... "I AM COMING FOR ALL OF YOU!"

Also, Admiral Adama's final words on the CIC was pretty chilling ... "If you do this, there will be no forgiveness, no amnesty."

I can't wait until the next episode!

Legal Minutia

There's quite a flurry of discussion about the terms of presidential succession in today's inauguration. I picked this one up from Volokh Conspiracy. Here's the gist of the argument:

President Barrack Obama is NOT the first African American President of the United States. Someone else, technically, was between the time of 12noon and 12:01pm on 20 January 2009. According to the 20th Amendment (1933) of the US Constitution detailing the presidential line of succession, it states:

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January ...

In Art II, Sec 1 of the US Constitution, it reads:

"Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation ..."

Neither Vice President Biden or President Obama took the oath of office in the time stated. Yo-Yo Ma and Perlman were still playing at 12noon. Biden took his oath at 12:01pm, and President Obama at 12:03pm. And just for emphasis, neither George W. Bush or Dick Cheney were qualified since they had already vacated their positions. Therefore, between 12noon to 12:01pm, someone else was President of the United States.

So who was it? According to the Presidential Succession Act (1947), the line of succession is as follows ... 1) President, 2) Vice President, 3) Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 4) Senate Pro Tempore (the senior ranking Senator). What is required according to the Act is that either the Speaker or the Senate Pro Tempore must tender their resignation in order to qualify as President of the United States.

However, neither Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Senate Pro Tempore Robert Byrd gave their resignation in the allotted time. Therefore, the succession must continue and according to the Act, the next position in line for President of the United States is ... (drum roll) ... Secretary of State! Yes, for the time between 12noon to 12:01pm on 20 January 2009, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was President of the United States making her the first African American and woman to hold the executive position, that is, technically she is. Although it is equally valid that because she did not take the oath, she too does not qualify for President either.

But who really cares, right? :D

President Obama

Where was I on this day that Obama took the oath of office?

I was in ARH 320 with my friend and fellow colleague, George Barlow, sitting in a room full of eager students, professors, staff, and fellow members of the Grinnell community.

On a second thought, scratch that.

I sat in a room full of friends.

It has been a long heartbreaking eight years. Time to move on and keep moving on.

The Last Word

I just finished watching President Bush's farewell address from The White House. And I sat there staring at the TV wondering, "What fucking reality was he referring to?" There was not an ounce of reflection in his speech, or even an awareness of the magnitude of the problems he and his administration created in the past eight years. It's as though he created his own rubric by which to measure his own success and that he gave himself an outstanding evaluation.

WTF?!?

No. He does not get the last word. It does not belong to him. Enough of his nonsense!

I think to myself, 5 more days and he'll be gone. Just a little while longer and it'll be all over.

Food Politics

Thanks to Lawrence Sumulong, a student in last semester's Contemporary Asian American Issues course, a video lecture by Jennifer 8. Lee entitled "Who Was General Tso? and Other Mysteries of American Chinese Food." It's a great piece discussing the politics of production, consumption, and circulation of American Chinese food from its historical origins during the 1800s exclusion era to its present day. It's a witty, funny, and provocative when compared with other so-called "American" foods, but she falls flat on her conclusion taking a moralistic ground instead of a more critical analysis. I suppose it's okay considering her audience, but so much of her critique is historically and politically grounded that I was surprised she didn't follow up with a larger critique about the politics of race and food politics. Oh well.

Race to the White House

I came across this clip from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart about Dr. Sanjay Gupta's nomination to Surgeon General under Obama's administration. It's a great piece about racial politics and identity that gave me a really good laugh that I certainly needed in recent days.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Medicine Cabinet

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

This is Horrible

WARNING: The videos taken from witnesses do record the discharge of a gun by a BART police officer and a murder.

Here's a link to the news coverage and another video from a different angle. Tonight, my brother told me that there's rioting in Oakland because the officer in question resigned from the force than submit himself to an internal interrogation from BART authorities. The investigation will still continue regardless of his resignation, but it means that the reason will remain a question until a court trial.

I cannot put to words how tragic this is for the families and the community involved.

*YAWNS*

It's about time to get back to work. My trip to San Francisco was great if it didn't include my stay with my parents. Sorry but I don't have that kind of a relationship with my parents that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. They push my buttons, and I am more than happy to return the favors. At any rate, it was nice to get away from the frigid temperatures of Iowa and to enjoy the warmth of the sun, and the comfort of great food and friends. Here's a quick summary of my vacation highlights:

1) California Academy of Sciences: closed due to earthquake damage and reopened in September 2008, the newly redesigned and refurbished museum is simply AWESOME. Smaller than before but nevertheless a great exhibition on conservationism, environmentalism, history, science, astronomy, biology, and ecology.

2) Asian/American/Modern Art: Shifting Currents, 1900-1970 at the de Young Museum: this is probably the first comprehensive survey of ASIAN AMERICAN artists featured at a major fine arts museum. There's over 100 works by 60 artists that spans nearly 70 years. A very fine exhibition.

3) Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes, also at the de Young Museum: Just right after the Asian American art exhibition was Maya Lin's new exhibition which was ... okay. Basically, it's taking computer generated wire framed topographies and transforming them into large scale physical pieces. Some were cool; others ... well ... it just didn't work for me. It doesn't help when I still have this ambivalence about Maya Lin and her racial/gender politics during the Vietnam Veterans Memorial controversy. Meh ...

4) Would you believe that I saw two of my former students from Loyola Marymount University? These two were the better ones, not the screwed up ignorant elitist kids. I was pleasantly surprised and glad to see that they've graduated and moved on with their careers. One was a graduate student in urban planning and the other received her teaching credentials. It was awkward considering that one caught me at a cafe reading a book and the other called me yelled out "Professor Leung!" at the de Young Museum. I was embarrassed, but I was so happy to see both of them. They were my favorite students.

5) Great movies to watch: Doubt and Slumdog Millionaire. Dumbest movie to watch: Bedtime Stories. My younger brother and his wife wanted to see that one. Really, they did.

6) Read a few chapters on a cultural theory and popular culture in preparation for my classes in the spring. That was somewhat productive.

7) I brought my camera with my and photographed The City to my heart's delight, and I also got an opportunity to do a photowalk at the Mountain View Cemetary in Oakland. Very cool.

8) On a sad note, I found out from one of my former students that Randy Senzaki passed away on June 13, 2003. I was shocked and utterly speechless. I remember Randy when he was the director of Equal Opportunity Programs at San Francisco State University. He was one of the few APA administrators who was extremely supportive of student activists and worked tirelessly on issues of social justice. I'm still shaking my head.

My back to work "to do" list includes:

• finish my syllabi
• send back final papers back to students
• two letters of recommendations to write up and send off ... maybe three
• check my emails
• write up my section for the sociology departmental self-study review
• rework the Sociology Department website
• confirm the retreat meeting for AAC and ASIA

And a few long term ones that include sending out more applications for a few more positions, preparing two conference presentations, and writing/submitting an article to a journal and another that is co-written with a colleague of mine.

It's going to be a busy semester.