We're still here!
From the NY Public Library Digital Gallery – a photo of a page of Julius Caesar – not sure if its from one of the early Folios, but it looks quite amazing.
Slate posts Julius Caesar stuff from the Magnum Photos collection.
Can’t believe how quickly March is going…
I’ve really had to take a break from the news this weekend. Just not good stuff. The news from Japan worsens arising from the earthquake and the resulting tsunami, aftershocks, and nuclear reactor crises. Then, locally, the tragic results of the horrifying casino bus crash at the Bronx/Westchester border.
Granted, I have nothing personal at stake (thank God), but my thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected. And, honestly, where are the good news?
So, I had to turn my attentions elsewhere. Currently reading: the satirical textbook, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book) Teacher’s Edition: A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction.” Sick and funny. Humor makes things a little better. Sort of.
Via Angry Asian Man, I found out about “fuck yeah asian/pacific islander history,” a photo blog of APA (API) history. Really fascinating stuff. A review of the APA photo album, so to speak.
Relating to us as APA lawyers/people into APA legal history: a photo of Chinatown leaders taking a break while at court under subpoena, from the San Francisco Library. According to the blog post, in 1956, after a 1955 report from the US Consul in Hong Kong making an unsubstantiated claim that Chinese immigrants were all illegal sleeper agents/criminals:
the US Attorney Lloyd Burke subpoenas 40 major Chinese American associations demanding a full accounting of income, membership and photographs within 24 hours. Chinatowns on both coasts are raided frequently and business are disrupted at a loss of $100,000 a week. A federal judge eventually rules in favor of the Chinese, calling the subpoena attack a “mass inquisition.”
Poignant stuff: at least there was some justice. At least history says there has been some hope.
Yeah, it’s still March. But, not yet the NCAA brackets time. We’re getting there…
Hat tip from Roger Ebert’s Facebook fan page (yeah, I checked off that I’m a fan – his blog is great writing): the happiest man in America is Alvin Wong, a Chinese American Jew from Hawaii. Why am I not surprised that the happiest man in America is in Hawaii? Angry Asian Man also does his acknowledgment of Alvin Wong.
Interesting blog post on MoCA’s blog – what is in a Chinese-American’s name and the more personal take on the 1882 Exclusion Act.
Hat tip from AALDEF‘s Facebook page: the Washington Post editorial says that Prof. Goodwin Liu don’t have bad values to be a US appellate court judge. This fear of his becoming a potential US Supreme Ct. nominee is making his current nomination for the 9th Circuit ridiculously more difficult than it has to be, I’d say…
Hat tip from NAPABA‘s Facebook page: interesting post on The Huffington Post about the Goodwin Liu confirmation hearing, from Richard Painter, a former Chief Ethics lawyer of the George W. Bush White House. Honestly, when even a George W. Bush administration ethics lawyer says that Prof. Liu is qualified to be a US appellate court judge, well, it goes to show how this craziness is.
Yeah, I’m on Facebook way too much…
The whole Borders in Chapter 11 bankruptcy saddens me, because the Wall Street Borders was pretty much my local Borders. Plus, Wall Street Borders was essentially the successor to the World Trade Center Borders, so it feels really sad. Yeah, the mega bookstores did harm to the mom-and-pop independent bookstores and so the e-book reader is the comeuppance of Borders – but I still feel depressed about any bookstore closing. Time.com has an article on how Barnes and Noble might continue doing better in this climate.
Over on “Law and the Multiverse,” the folks there analyze on the legal ethics of the She-Hulk. I had no idea that She-Hulk is a lawyer. Actually, of the comic book character world, I only knew that Daredevil is a lawyer. Kind of awkward to think of the legal implications when you’ve a secret identity and have legal ethics to think about.
Some TV commentary:
“Fringe” on FOX – umm, I don’t know where the arc is heading for Peter “the ex-Pacey” Bishop. Which Olivia or which universe will he choose? Assassin (of – spoiler! – shape-shifters)/psycho Peter was a little over the top. Peter “I hate my father-umm-which-father?” Bishop was also a little… well, the life of Peter isn’t easy.
The episode where Peter’s and Olivia’s first meeting as youngsters was an interesting episode – not only for what it revealed about Peter, Olivia, and the two Walters, but also about Elizabeth Bishop, who I think is a missing piece of the puzzle, no matter which Elizabeth of which universe it is.
Looking forward to the next episode, where the preview suggests that Walter thinks he can bring William “Belly” Bell back from the dead. Yeah, right, Walter, you crazy troubled mad scientist.
Of course, none of the foregoing commentary about “Fringe” makes any sense unless you’re a viewer of the show. Or if you do not mind sci-fi tv shows that cover two universes, and/or you don’t mind feeling blown away with simultaneous confusion and amusement over a tv show.
Will still catch up on “Community.” I sorely need a laugh.
Actually… I think we all need laughs. The world is too crazy, as usual, what with all the anti-public sector sentiment, political revolutions, continued economic problems, and craziness over Charlie Sheen (sad vs. amusing; Ken Tucker over at Entertainment Weekly posts the contrasting reactions of Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Fallon – it is crazy out there, it really is).
