(Fake) law and tv: this was a great interview with Sam Waterston on NPR, remembering his past roles – not just “Law and Order” (although that’s been pretty cool though).
Plus, this week’s episode of “Law & Order” was pretty good, actually, considering how many plotlines kept unraveling. Basically, they took off a story that Nightline also covered about Haitian child slaves; added (what else?) murder (the victims: divorce lawyers); and more (moral ambiguities – ooh! grand jury duty – ugh…). The 13th Amendment of the US Constitution was pretty much sullied, and yet it was way hard for DA McCoy and his crew to do much (poor Cutter; there’s no justice when you’re prosecuting something really hard here); Lt. Van Buren and her side of the “Law & Order” did what they could. Det. Lupo once again exploited his position as a law student (trading his con law outline to this guy – apparently another law student but working at the clerk’s office – to access privileged info; what…?!).
With the Middle East problematic as ever, this Q&A on Time.com was illuminating, with thoughtful answers (which probably lead to more questions) from author Avram Burg.
If you’re a fictitious person, how do you figure out when is your birthday? It’s Sherlock Holmes’ (arbitrarily determined) birthday weekend!
Fascinating profile of a Hong Kong chef.
Asian American in the news: Dr. Sanjay Gupta was apparently broached about the position as US Surgeon General. Is he a good choice? Then, again – still – he’s a tv doctor – a real doctor, but… he’s on tv. But, it looks like this is for real. No more Dr. Gupta on CNN or in Time magazine? Aww!
An article in the Washington Post about the Japanese retail shops in NYC.
This article on traveling in Kyoto, Japan, probably gave me much more about “The Tale of Genji” than I wanted to know, more than had ever heard when I was in college taking an Asian studies course.
Priceless photo op for the new year (at least, during horrific times that we’re living in anyway): the presidents and the president-elect meeting for lunch. I remembered enjoying the pictures back when Nixon and Ford joined Carter, Bush and Clinton; been awhile since we’ve had this many living presidents together.
Odd presidential thing – apparently, a few years ago, someone got President-Elect Obama talking about his favorite food in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago; Michael Scherer of Time Magazine posted the video and his commentary on Time.com’s Swampland blog. Scherer’s comment amused me: “I envision a return to presidential politics for Frank Bruni, the chief gourmand at the New York Times.” Glad to know that I’m not the only one who thinks Bruni should somehow balance his old beat and his current one…! (he’s kind of done it before, as I’ve previously noticed more than once…).