johnrpierce.info blog

According to two unrelated articles in the Harvard Crimson, Harvard will be eliminating subscriptions to some academic journals, but will be spending more on gymnasiums in the undergraduate houses.

November 18, 2003

"Gay marriage is legal under the [Massachusetts] Constitution, the state Supreme Judicial Court ruled today in a closely watched case. In their decision, the justices said the state Constitution 'affirms the dignity and equality' of all people. The decision makes Massachusetts the only state in the union to recognize marriage between same-sex couples."--boston.com.

"The Supreme Judicial Court held today that 'barring an individual from the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution.' The court stayed the entry of judgment for 180 days 'to permit the Legislature to take such action as it may deem appropriate in light of this opinion.'"--from unofficial synopsis at westlaw.com.

Text of the decision

"Conservative religious groups began a petition drive Monday to demand that Congress legislate to protect displays of the Ten Commandments in public buildings," says an Associated Press article.

I believe that the point of the Ten Commandments is that one is supposed to obey them, not that one is supposed to revere a graven image of the tablets in a public building. People who are so eager to revere such monuments can do so in their churches and in their homes.

If Congress passes legislation that the courts rule is unconstitutional, what is the point of passing such legislation?

I don't know why Bush is going to London. The trip seems counterproductive to me, likely to increase the amount of ill will towards him.

November 14, 2003

The Broadway cast recording of The Boy from Oz with Hugh Jackman is being released on compact disc on November 18, 2003, and can be ordered from amazon.com.

The new Robert Redford Building, a three-story structure in Santa Monica, California, "uses about 60 percent less water than most buildings because it captures rainwater from the roof, showers and sinks and uses it to water the plants and flush the low-flow toilets. The urinals use a special cartridge to funnel away wastewater."--from a Reuters article.

"A Greek play [by Aeschylus about Achilles] is to be staged [in Cyprus and in Greece] for the first time in more than 2,050 years after fragments of the text were found in Egyptian mummy cases," reports an article at guardian.co.uk.

November 13, 2003

Short sleeve mock shirt, International Male

For comfort in between the formality of a tie and the informality of an open neck, I recommend a mock turtleneck. Carson Kressley may not like them, but I find them convenient and appropriate for certain contexts.

"A very informal survey of America's retailers reports that sales of the mock turtleneck are indeed brisk. One well-informed salesman . . . on Newbury Street [in Boston] even said that men of all age groups were buying 'more than one,' because 'they're a staple,'" wrote Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe of November 13, 2003.

"We have a deranged president. We have despotism. We have no due process."--Gore Vidal, at laweekly.com.

Josh Groban

Buy From Art.com

Josh Groban, whom I don't like very much, seems to have a lot of fans.

"Josh Groban. Une voix qui a atteint l'apogée de la merveille. Elle me fait trembler et vibrer, au son d'une musique orchestrale hors du commun. Il faut aimer, bien sur. Moi en tout cas, je ne m'en lasse pas !!," says one blogger. Yet, another blogger says, "Oh yeah. Josh Groban sucks."

November 10, 2003

Arnold Schwarzenegger's new political career has heated up sales of his films on video, says Associated Press.

"A significant decline in the number of women on the Harvard Law Review has spurred the publication to conduct an internal review of its selection process—and to consider establishing gender-based affirmative action for the first time.

"The number of women on the Review has fallen to its lowest point in a decade—a mere 25 percent of 84 editors are women, while Harvard Law School . . . has nearly half female students. "

--from an article by Lauren A. E. Schuker in the Harvard Crimson.

November 5, 2003

According to politicalcompass.org, I am more to the left than to the right on economic matters, and I am more libertarian than authoritarian, in the same general area on their scale as Jean Chretien, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama.

Economic Left/Right: -3.50
Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.79

Looking at the chart at the Deltoid site, I see that most bloggers who have reported their scores there are likewise more to the left than to the right on economic matters, and are more libertarian than authoritarian.

November 4, 2003

Dean supporters near Faneuil Hall, Boston.

I was outside Faneuil Hall in Boston before the debate of most of the Democratic Party's presidential candidates was to begin. At first it appeared to me that Kerry supporters were the most numerous outside of the hall, but after a while I thought that Dean supporters might be the most numerous.

November 1, 2003

``He way well have more force in the arms than in the brain,'' said Fidel Castro about Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to a Reuters article.

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