Seen in my neighborhood at the local Chinese grocer...

Out of all the humor in this, my favorite part is that rockin is in air quotes...

Oh, how merry we will be...

So it is a tradition on the holiday of Purim to get so drunk that one is not able to visually discern the difference between the Hebrew words for "cursed be Haman" and "blessed be Mordecai." Here's a description from the folks at Aish:

The key of this rabbinic injunction is that we should reach a point of "lo yada" -- we do not know, only God does. This is similar to the way the Jewish people showed trust in God at Mount Sinai, stating, Na'aseh V'Nishma -- we will do and listen to whatever God commands, because we trust and know that He has our best interests at heart. So too did the Jews of Purim express the realization that there is only one Being who we can truly and fully trust, and that is God.

I noticed this today on my synagogue's website (take a look at the entries for 7--the Megillah reading for Purim--and 7:30, highlighted with red to represent the blood used to make hamantaschen, of course).

Back from Toronto, and let me tell you a time was had by all. Well, at least a time was had by me, I suppose I can't speak for everyone else. The conference was wonderful; I feel really good about my paper presentation. More importantly, of value, I receieved lots of really constructive feedback and research suggestions that should only help as I start to turn this mofo into a dissertation. I even was able to include a picture of the movie poster for "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" in my powerpoint slides. Success, I say...

Some random thoughts on Canada:

• It has been a few years since I have been visiting our friends in the north; I had forgotten how verboten walking against the light was. Seriously, I did not see a single person in Toronto over 5 days jaywalk. And I received dirty looks when doing so. Well..Canadian dirty looks. Which really are actually just lest vociferous smiles.




• There is good vegetarian living in Toronto. Including veggie dogs at all street vendors.




• Next time you find yourself in Toronto, be sure to visit the Bata Shoe Museum. Yes, that's right the shoe museum. In addition to David Bowie's sneakers and Ella Fitzgerald's heels, you will find:

Yes, that's right...a roller clog. Seriously though, the museum is actually a well-conceived and designed institution, bringing cultural and material history to the masses. I give it two curled, Turkish-style shoes pointed way up.

• When in doubt, I am an idiot...thus explainith my confusion when I saw a bottle of "raisin" juice...and only realized five minutes later that it was actually the french side of the bottle facing out.


• Being away, even for a few days, is really difficult when you are so used to being around someone...


• I had to have something specifically translated to me during my panel from Canadian to English. Turns out he was talking about the food pyramid in his presentation, or as Canadians like to call it, "The Food Guide." Apparently Americans need shapes?
  
• When I fall on my ass after slipping on ice, it is really funny...even to Canadian cab drivers.

In Case You Were Wondering...

No, I didn't become a hippie and drop off the face of the earth in San Francisco. I promise to blog more, in fact, some to come from Toronto this week where I will be giving a paper.

All is great here, busy, but fantastic. And while I may not have turned into a hippie, I apparently have become a member of The Specials. Rudeboy, or Rabbi...you decide:

This is somewhat simplistic, but...

isn't there something kind of significant about the fact that an African-American won a presidential caucus last night? And while I still am yet to be entirely sold on Obama for various (or anyone else for that matter), I do think this is something to be celebrated, no?

Update: I really enjoyed this take on Obama. Perhaps Steven Teles hits the nail on the head as to why an Obama candidacy is needed right now; to hopefully move away from the bickering/intellectual superiority style of politics that is endemic within both parties. Interestingly, it seems that Huckabee is also trying to play the same card, as someone who can transcend party affiliation:

"I think it's probably the case that Obama is, in fact, the candidate that Republicans least want to run against. In fact, I think that it's actually the case that where Obama is concerned, conservatives lack much of the gut-level animus that drives them to really hate HRC, Kerry and Gore. All of these Dems represented what conservatives most hate about liberals--they all represent a liberal style (as apart from substance) that looks down on and dismisses conservatives.

Obama, by contrast, comes from a generation of folks who, while certainly not conservative, have actually engaged seriously with them. Obama taught at U. of Chicago law school, and so he knows that conservatives are driven by a respectable set of ideas. He disagrees with those ideas, but I sense that he knows at least some conservatives who he believes are respectable interlocutors. And I think conservatives know this."

So...

In an example of "timing is everything," it turns out that I missed by precisely a day (in the sense of, the exact same flight, but one day earlier) being on a flight with a woman with drug resistant tuberculosis. In fact, originally I was planning on booking the Thursday flight, though chose to leave for San Francisco on Wednesday instead. There is something to be said for following one's insticts...

More later, am in Syracuse visiting my family...

Brain Juicing in the Academy

In light of Major League Baseball's steroid scandal, comes this article in Nature magazine, called "Professor's Little Helper." Give a gander, really interesting ideas surrounding cognitive enhancing drugs, and the ethical implications implied (particularly in regards to those utilizing in non-medical instances).

For many, it seems that the immediate and tangible benefits of taking these drugs are more persuasive than concerns about legal status and adverse effects. There are clear trends suggesting that the use of stimulants such as methylphenidate on college campuses is on the rise, and is becoming more commonplace in ever younger students8. Universities may have to decide whether to ban drug use altogether, or to tolerate it in some situations (whether to enable all-night study sessions or to boost alertness during lectures).

And yet, as the authors point out, would we blink twice regarding the use of a few shots of espresso in order to promise productivity? Thus, they conclude:

Cognitive enhancers with small or no side effects but with moderate enhancing effects that alleviate forgetfulness or enable one to focus better on the task at hand during a tiring day at work would be unlikely to meet much objection. And does it matter if it is delivered as a pill or a drink? Would you, the reader, welcome a cognitive enhancer delivered in a beverage that is readily obtainable and affordable, and has a moderate yet noticeable effect on your concentration and alertness?

In the ever-competitive world of academia, individuals are always looking for some sort of advantage. Let's be honest, we are often expected to keep unnatural hours, and do unnatural amounts of work (as are lawyer, medical doctors, etc...). Could these cognitive enhancing drugs be the next step in that competition?

In case you were wondering...

I am finally home safe and sound, after numerous misadventures with my plane and public transportation last night. Really, two CTA buses breaking down? Apparently we haven't been taking the term "work stoppage" nearly literal enough. No complaints, however, just enjoyed the adventure and all it brought.

More later, with pictures from San Francisco. The big news is that I will be presenting on Grahamism and Vegetarianism at York University in Toronto in February. Do I need to hire a translator to help me put the paper into Canadian? Fitting the paper into 20 minutes with all of the added "ehs" will be really challenging...

Clang, clang, clang...

Some random thoughts on San Francisco so far...


1. The above picture has left me confused, yet oddly intrigued.

2. Within 7 hours I already really love this city. Ok, maybe it's just an unhealthy crush so far.

3. Bruschetta + vermicelli with eggplant and roasted peppers, and a few glasses of montepulciano makes me a happy camper.

4. I kind of enjoy dining by myself....is that weird?

5. Tosca Cafe is a bar here with a 1920s design aesthetic, and a Wurlitzer jukebox filled with only jazz, Patsy Cline and (umm oddly enough) opera. It is where I would spend all of my time if I lived out here.

6. I love the sound of electricity running through the ground in the city to power the cable cars. It feels as if the city is somehow having a dialogue with the world around it.

Ok, more tomorrow, including more photos than just Asians.com. Sleep beckons...

Raggamuffins and Latkes

Who is that, you might ask? One of the celebrants at today's Chanukah party thrown by the wonderful people at The Ark. He was at a table full of rastas, and the man pictured above exhuberantly danced the afternoon away, and new all the words to both Hava Negliah and Hatikvah.

For all of the chatter as of late about Chanukah's meaning ( and those who question the validity of such a holiday) it was nice to see, in action, what the festival really does mean when not overly intellectualized. Before you do anything else, please consider making a donation to The Ark, an amazing organization providing health and social services here in Chicago. Today they provided a band, hot meal, and real (read, not chocolate) gelt for the packed crown who attended the Chanukah party. The audience was primarily elderly, seemingly recent emigres from Russia and Eastern Europe. A group who in many urban areas in the United States has faced significant economic troubles since coming to the United States over the last twenty plus years. Speaking to a board member from ARK, she informed me that the Russians make up only 30% of the population of Jews who utilize ARK's services, yet were by far the predominant group at the party. Others felt ashamed to ask for help in such a public manner. It made me wonder if the Russian immigrants, used to relying upon a government body for rations were less apt to feel self-concious? Most importantly, I managed to NOT spill food on anyone (though I came very close on a few occassions).

As the afternoon wound down, a short, elderly Russian woman made the "come here" signal with her finger. Let's be honest, those of us who have Russian lineage know how brash and direct the Pale crowd can be--I witnessed some volunteers dealing with this, in fact, today. I wondered to myself what possibly was wrong with her meal? She waved for me to come closely, not so different than my grandmother used to do, and whispered in my ear..."Zay mir gezunt boychik...zay mir gezunt." (Good health to you, young man...good health to you) and kissed me on the cheek.

Shalom aleichem...irie..fit 'n frock.

Buen moed!

Semester ends tonight, till then...a little Ocho Kandelikas action:

A Shabbat Celebration

Pss...I am 31 today.

And that is the veg. faux-lamb tagine that I am making for myself to celebrate. Shabbat shalom all...

This is the face of a doctoral program....

Please note the kippah and glasses strategically placed over the Mexican wrestling mask.

I am getting to that point in the semester where fun and excitement consist of putting on a Mexican wrestling mask and glasses, and taking a picture of myself. And yet, I have a significant love/hate relationship with this level of stress. Fundamentally I do know that it helps motivate and drive me towards the most important of goals. Yet sometimes I also wonder deeply about the academic life. It absolutely is the life for me...but it also feels like one continuous set of all-encompassing challenges. And with field exams and a dissertation still staring at my immediate future, I often wonder when the really fun part of life will kick in? I don't mean for this to sound complain-y at all, like I said, I love the intellectual rigors and inherent challenges within the life path I have chosen. And I do also realize that everyone stresses out about their professional lives. Sometimes though...I just get the feeling everyone else is invited to the party, and I have to stay home and study.

If you're travelling to Saudi Arabia...you might want to leave the Tarot cards at home

Off with his head!

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL02434180.html

Saudi executes Egyptian for practising "witchcraft"
Fri 2 Nov 2007, 19:44 GMT
RIYADH, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia executed on Friday an Egyptian man convicted of "sorcery", desecrating the Muslim holy book and adultery, the official news agency said.

The Saudi Press Agency said Mustafa Ibrahim was put to death in Riyadh in a controversial case which has drawn criticism from rights activists.

It said Ibrahim had been accused by another foreign resident of practicing magic in order to separate him from his wife and said evidence had been found in his home, including books on black magic, a candle with an incantation "to summon devils" and "foul-smelling herbs".

"He confessed to adultery with a woman and desecrating the Koran by placing it in the bathroom," the agency said.

Saudi media first reported the case in April, saying mosque worshippers had complained that a pharmacist in the northern desert town of Arar had placed copies of the Koran in washrooms. No accusation of adultery was mentioned at the time.

Clerics of Saudi Arabia's austere form of Islam, known as Wahhabism, take accusations of sorcery seriously and recently held a conference in Riyadh on how to combat it. Clerics dominate the legal system, acting as judges.

"This is a sad day for justice in Saudi Arabia. This execution is a clear indicator of the medieval character of the Saudi judicial system," said Ali al-Ahmed, a Washington-based rights activist of Saudi Arabia's Shi'ite Muslim minority.

"This man was murdered in cold blood while the Saudi king is in Europe being touted as a reformer ... This man was sentenced to death without any explicit evidence to prove what was perceived as violation of the law," he told Reuters.

Executions are usually carried out by public beheading with a sword for murder, rape, drug smuggling and armed robbery.

Saudi authorities say they apply strict Islamic law which ensures full rights for Muslims and non-Muslims. Families of victims have the right to waive the death sentence and claim financial compensation instead.

But in an apparent acknowledgement of problems, King Abdullah last month announced a reform of the court system which the state-run government Human Rights Commission said will include putting the penal code in writing.

Friday's execution takes the total number of executions this year to well over 120, compared with a record of 192 recorded by Reuters for all of 1995.

Hands Off Cain (www.handsoffcain.info), a Rome-based anti-death penalty group, said there were 119 executions in the first six months of 2007. Only around 38 people were executed in 2006.

No, this is not an Onion headline...

FBI Hoped to Follow Falafel Trail to Iranian Terrorists Here

Here's an excerpt:
"The idea was that a spike in, say, falafel sales, combined with other data, would lead to Iranian secret agents in the south San Francisco-San Jose area.

The brainchild of top FBI counterterrorism officials Phil Mudd and Willie T. Hulon, according to well-informed sources, the project didn’t last long. It was torpedoed by the head of the FBI’s criminal investigations division, Michael A. Mason, who argued that putting somebody on a terrorist list for what they ate was ridiculous — and possibly illegal."

While the article itself points to something so utterly offensively stupid, pointless and, yes, illegal, perhaps we should be even more concerned. The FBI doesn't know enough to realize that falafel is not a Persian dish by any means? Seriously? Our government realizes that Iran is not an Arab country, right? Well, given that our leaders apparently don't even know the difference between the Shiia and Sunni...

Wouldn't the FBI be better off tracking sales of pomegranite juice and walnuts?

My Makeshift Shabbat in Connecticut

Candles in coffee mugs, and a bottle of wine...Shabbat shalom all...

Reasons I love Halloween...

You get to see Chewbaca fall down 5 stairs at the El station (I took this photo about 4 stairs before Chewey took a spill).

Happy Halloween!

Classic Daily Show...

My Head is Spinning

One of the more enjoyable ways of trying to get through a particularly dense academic book (if it is a used copy) is to read the notes written throughout by the book's previous owner. In fact, in his John Adams biography, David McCullough took this methodology one step farther, utilizing Adams' notes as a means of further understanding the full spectrum of JA's political philosophy (complete aside...this really makes me worry on the oft chance I should ever become famous one day, as to what future historians could cull from the notes I write in book margins). Unfortunately, usually the books we buy second hand were not owned by someone of Adams' intellectual prowess. Here are some notes I have seen while reading a large volume about Irish immigration:

1. agrarian--->rural: What I love about this is that the student wrote this reminded EVERY time the word agrarian appeared in the book. As you can imagine, a history of Irish history would have this term show up quite a lot.

2. Sectarian--->religious: Funny for the same reasons as agrarian, and utilized just as frequently.

3. "Irish Catholics doesn't believe in the law.": Huh...just..huh.

4. Counterbalanced by, "Irish grew up on a system of trust, not used to liars."

5. And my personal favorite: Adam Smith--->famous economist
This gave me such a headache that I actually had to cross the commentary out, lest it somehow could be attached to me. Oversimplifying Adam Smith as just a famous economist is like calling hyrdogen "an element." Correct yes, but really understated.

Mothertrucker...

Don't get me wrong, I love Chicago and all...sometimes though, I just really feel a distinct cultural gap with the areas surrounding it. Seen today on the west side of the city (the bumper sticker + dirty pickup truck is a primo combination):