{"id":5290,"date":"2006-04-30T17:38:29","date_gmt":"2006-04-30T21:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2006\/04\/30\/sunday-buffet-no-mexicans-ins"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:53:58","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:53:58","slug":"sunday-buffet-no-mexicans-insurance-nor-curmudgeons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/04\/30\/sunday-buffet-no-mexicans-insurance-nor-curmudgeons\/","title":{"rendered":"sunday buffet: no mexicans, insurance, nor curmudgeons"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

f\/k\/a<\/em>‘s cracked investigator, sleuthEsq<\/em> (try saying that <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

three times after a few mimosas), was a little late filing <\/font><\/p>\n

his first Sunday Brunch Potluck<\/em> report. Here are the <\/font><\/p>\n

highlights, in time for dinner:<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

<\/font>\"withoutMexicanN\"<\/font><\/p>\n

a day without a mexican<\/font><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"tiny In an attempt to brief Pres. Bush on the <\/font>planned May 1st <\/font><\/a><\/p>\n

work stoppage and demonstrations by supporters of the <\/font><\/p>\n

American immigrant community, new White House Press <\/font><\/p>\n

Secretary Tony Snow is rumored to have played the DVD <\/font><\/p>\n

version of “<\/font>a day without a mexican<\/font><\/em><\/a>” (2004) for G.W. Also <\/font><\/p>\n

available in Spanish, as “<\/font>Un Dia sin Mexicanos<\/em><\/font><\/u><\/a>,” and directed <\/font><\/p>\n

by <\/font>Sergio Arau<\/font><\/a>, the film was broadly panned (with a 30 out of <\/font><\/p>\n

100 score at <\/font>metacritic<\/font><\/a>.com). But, the scenario is surely one <\/font><\/p>\n

that will help enlighten our Decider-in-Chief. As <\/font>IMBD notes<\/font><\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n

in describing a day without a mexican<\/em>:<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

Tagline:<\/strong> On May 14 there will be no Mexicans in <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

California.<\/font>Plot Outline:<\/strong> One day California wakes up and not <\/font><\/p>\n

a single Latino is left in the state. They have all inex-<\/font><\/p>\n

plicably dissappeared, chaos, tragedy, and comedy <\/font><\/p>\n

quickly ensue. <\/font>(view trailer)<\/font><\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sure, immigration is a very complex subject (see, e.g. <\/font>Washinton Post<\/font><\/em><\/a>, <\/font><\/p>\n

“Immigration’s Bottom Line, April 30, 2006; “Hispanic Media Split<\/font><\/a> on <\/font><\/p>\n

May 1 Boycott,” New America Media<\/em>, April 24, 2006<\/font>), and one movie <\/font><\/p>\n

might <\/font>not do the topic justice. Nonetheless, the film’s weaknesses <\/font><\/p>\n

might be <\/font>just what our White House is looking for:<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"withoutMexicanG\"<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\"tiny “. . As satire, however, the film is toothless. It doesn’t ask the <\/font><\/p>\n

important questions of why the situation continues. It’s satisfied <\/font><\/p>\n

to point out an injustice without going any deeper, satisfied to <\/font><\/p>\n

remain infotainment, distributing some facts amid the laughs that <\/font><\/p>\n

may make a few people ponder but won’t necessarily ruffle any <\/font><\/p>\n

feathers.<\/font>“Perhaps it is the filmmakers’ intent to make that one bold statement <\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a6#x2014; “Notice us! Appreciate us!” \u00a6#x2014; and then move on. There is some-<\/font><\/p>\n

thing to be said about keeping a politically charged message simple, <\/font><\/p>\n

but it also feels safe and geared to maximize the box office.”<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"tiny “A Day Without a Mexican<\/em> plays like a Twilight Zone<\/em> episode <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

conceived for Mexican television and padded out to three times <\/font><\/p>\n

its half-hour storyline. Its narrative conceit will entertain for a <\/font><\/p>\n

while, but eventually you will long to disappear with the rest <\/font><\/p>\n

of the Mexicans.”<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marjorie Baumgarten, <\/font>Austin Chronicle<\/font><\/em><\/a>, Sept. 24, 2004<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"NODD\"<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On a related topic, the ever-practical folk at Not One Damn Dime<\/a>, sent me (and <\/font><\/p>\n

thousands of others, of course) an <\/font>email today declaring their support for tomorrow’s <\/font><\/p>\n

“Great American Boycott.” With their usual perceptive grasp of economics and <\/font><\/p>\n

politics they declare: <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

If the anti-immigrant politicians and hatemongers are right, that ‘immigrants <\/font><\/p>\n

are a drain on society,’ then during the day on May 1st, the stock market <\/font><\/p>\n

will surge, and the economy will boom. If not, we prove them wrong once<\/font><\/p>\n

and for all. We know what will happen! <\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With their usual fine sense of what is politically doable (and morally correct) they <\/font><\/p>\n

assert: “We will settle for nothing less than full amnesty<\/em> and dignity for the millions of <\/font><\/p>\n

undocumented workers presently in the U.S. ” The f\/ka<\/em> Gang confesses: NODD has <\/font><\/p>\n

a big mountain to climb, after their first Not One Damn Dime Day silliness — before we <\/font><\/p>\n

will be able to take them seriously. [see our prior post<\/a>] <\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“HurricaneG”<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If Washington Post<\/font><\/a><\/em> readers had been visiting the RiskProf<\/a><\/em> weblog of Prof. <\/font><\/p>\n

Martin Grace regularly, they would have been way ahead of the learning <\/font><\/p>\n

curve this morning, when trying to digest “<\/font>Insurers Retreat From Coasts<\/font><\/a>: <\/font><\/p>\n

Katrina Losses May Force More Costs on Taxpayers,” by Spencer S. <\/font><\/p>\n

Hsu (April 30, 2006). <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

RiskProf<\/em> Martin Grace “prof grace”<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Although the WaPo<\/em> article — which reports that many insurers <\/font><\/p>\n

are refusing to write homeowner’s insurance in high-risk areas — <\/font><\/p>\n

is quite informative, we suggest “<\/font>More Consumer <\/font><\/a>Disadvocacy<\/font><\/a>” <\/font><\/p>\n

and RiskProf<\/em>‘s entire <\/font>Hurricanes<\/font><\/a> page, for those who want to<\/font><\/p>\n

understand the economics and politics of the insurance game <\/font><\/p>\n

(and impress their friends at cocktail parties). update<\/strong><\/em> <\/font>(May 2,<\/font><\/p>\n

2006): RiskProf <\/em>has added<\/a> “More on Consumer Disadvocay”<\/font><\/p>\n

May 1, 2006).<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"CurmudgeonGuide\" <\/font><\/p>\n

The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law<\/font><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Evan <\/font>Schaeffer had high praise<\/font><\/a> this week for a book by (p\/i defense) <\/font><\/p>\n

lawyer <\/font>Mark Herrmann<\/font><\/a> — <\/font>The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law<\/font><\/em><\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n

(ABA Press, release fairly imminent 2006). We were intrigued by a <\/font><\/p>\n

book that promised to be curmudgeonly, witty and informative about <\/font><\/p>\n

the art and science of practicing law, and<\/em> which Herrmann <\/font>claims<\/font><\/a>: <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

“became an instant cult classic<\/em> among law students and law <\/font><\/p>\n

firm associates. It is among ABA Publishing’s fastest-selling <\/font><\/p>\n

books of all time.” (emphasis added)<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You can only imagine, therefore, the let down, when we discovered <\/font><\/p>\n

on the ABA <\/font><\/font>webpage<\/font><\/a> for CGPL<\/em> that <\/em>“This product is not yet available, <\/font>but <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

can be pre-ordered.“<\/em> Also, the “where to buy” button <\/em>at Herrman’s law firm, <\/font><\/p>\n

Jones Day<\/font><\/a>, links only to <\/font>the ABA page. When queried, Evan <\/font><\/font><\/font>suggested<\/font><\/a>, <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

that there must be other “channels of distribution” and lots of pre-orders. <\/font><\/p>\n

However, PriceGrabber<\/em> <\/font>states<\/font><\/a> that the only source is Amazon.com, and <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Amazon.com says<\/font><\/a> “<\/em>This<\/font> item has not yet been released,” while noting <\/font><\/p>\n

a “September 30, 2006” publication date. <\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Are we being too<\/em> curmudgeonly to ask how a book that has not yet <\/font><\/p>\n

reached more than a handful of readers\/<\/font>reviewers<\/font><\/a> could be called “an<\/font><\/p>\n

instant classic.” Doth pre-orders a classic make? More like “imminent <\/em><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

classic<\/em>,” don’t you think”? It is a strange bit of puffery — and sounds like <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

lawyer <\/em><\/font><\/font>hyperbole<\/em>, to me. Of course, that should be a topic covered in some <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

detail <\/font><\/font>in <\/font><\/font>Herrmann’s book. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

afterthought<\/font><\/strong><\/em> (May 2, 2006): Prof. Yabut left Your Editor a note <\/font><\/p>\n

last night saying: please check out Meaning #6 in the American <\/em><\/font><\/p>\n

Heritage <\/em><\/font>Dictionary<\/em> (4th Ed. 2000) for the word “cult<\/a>.” <\/font>Okay. Now<\/em>,<\/font><\/p>\n

I understand: The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law<\/font><\/em><\/a> <\/font><\/font>is already <\/font><\/p>\n

an “instant classic” among:<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

“6.<\/strong> An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

usually artistic or intellectual interest. <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"honest\" The f\/k\/a<\/em> Gang swears that the above blurb is in <\/font><\/p>\n

no way<\/em> sour grapes for the fact that <\/font><\/font><\/font>Curmudgeon’s Guide<\/font><\/a> has<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

snuck ahead of this weblog in the Google results for the query <\/font><\/p>\n

curmudgeon lawyer<\/font><\/a>>. <\/font><\/u><\/em><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

update<\/font><\/strong><\/em> (May 2, 2006): Mark Herrmann saw the discussion at Evan’s Illinois <\/em><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Trial Practice<\/em> Weblog and this site, and sent Evan an email, which resulted <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

in the following update by Evan<\/a>:<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

An update: I received the following email from Mark Herrmann on 5\/2\/06–<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

I saw the exchange on the blogs about the release date of The <\/em><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law<\/em>. <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

I’ve contacted ABA Publishing, and the publisher has now fixed <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

the website to indicate that the book is in fact available and being <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

shipped.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

The pre-orders alone, however, had been enough to move the book <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to the ABA Web Store’s “Best Sellers” list, so, not surprisingly, I <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

side with you in the bloggers debate.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Almost makes a guy want to come out of retirement and do a little cross-examin-<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

ation. The numbers intrigue me [e.g.,<\/em> what does it take to get on the ABA <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

“Best Seller’s List”? How many law students are coming across <\/font>with the $34.95 <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to join the Curmudgeon<\/em> cult?] And the definitions, too. Of course, since we don’t <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

use emoti<\/font>cons around here, we don’t know whether Mark realizes that — in addition <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to giving his book some good publicity, Yabut-style — this blurb is one curmudgeon <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

pulling another’s leg. Mostly.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\"microphoneG\"<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Thanks to Language Log<\/font><\/a><\/em>‘s astute and amiable Mark Liberman for answering <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

our lamenting <\/font>query<\/font><\/a> from Friday: Why do so many news broadcasters… <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

end their show by saying “we’ll see <\/em>you<\/em> here tomorrow”? In “Out-of-time, out-of-<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

body seeing and hearing” (April 30, 2006,) Mark harkens back to the homey-<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

interactive, un-canned, feeling <\/font>created on radio by the late Hank Williams, in <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

his <\/font>Health & Happiness Shows<\/font><\/a>, <\/font>Mark <\/font>notes that Williams ended with:<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

If the Good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise, we’ll be sure <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to hear from you again”. That’s pretty much the radio version of the <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

inverted meaning in TV closings like “We’ll see you here tomorrow.” <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Mark continues: “It’s clear enough, I think, why Hank said “we’ll be sure to hear <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

from you again” and not “you’ll be sure to hear from us again”. In the first place, <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

he’s making a promise for himself and his band — it would be strange and even <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

rude for him to try to commit the listener to tuning in again. He could have promised <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

that “we’ll be sure to play for you again”, but that would highlight the very thing he <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

wants to overcome, the one-way, non-interactive nature of the medium. He’s trying <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to make listeners feel that he’s right there with them, taking in their requests and <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

their reactions as if he were playing a live roadhouse gig rather than a canned radio <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

show.”<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’m always fascinated by the way two (giving myself the benefit of the doubt) <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

mentally competent speakers of the same langague can come away with very <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

different interpretations of the same words. For example, for me, “we’ll be sure <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

to hear from you again,” sounds exactly<\/em> like Hank is rudely trying — in Mark’s <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

words — “to commit the listener to tuning in again.”<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Mark ends with<\/font><\/font>: <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"microphoneG\"<\/font><\/font>\u00a0 Hank chose an image that emphasized the empathy he wanted to feel, <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

and if he strayed a bit beyond the strict bounds of logic, surely an <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

To me, by skewing the meaning of the words, instead of saying something factually <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

true that invited the listener to come back, Hank — and I’m a fan of his music — is <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

manipulating the feelings of the listener and making our language a bit less useful <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

as a tool of communication. Surely, if Hank tried his “But, I’ve been here with you <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

all night” baloney with a sweetheart, from out of town, she’d call his bluff. And maybe <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

sing “Your <\/font>Cheatin’ Heart.”<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\"boy<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

I really do enjoy the virtual conversations with Prof. Liberman, but I have to make a<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

dissent from his last clause: “if [Hank] strayed a bit beyond the strict bounds of logic, <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

surely an <\/font>author of “one-breath poetry”<\/font><\/a> can forgive him.” Mark needs to read the <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

page he has pointed to (“is it or ain’t it haiku?”). Haiku is all about saying what your <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

physical senses are perceiving — what you actually see, hear, taste, touch, smell<\/em>. <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

If done right, haiku is not a poetic genre that uses artifices and imagination <\/font>to achieve <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

its results.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"sleuthSm\" Speaking of haiku and late-breaking news, the latest edition <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

today. As usual, it has three haiku each from more than a dozen <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

fine haiku poets, plus a number of other special features. Here are <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

a pair of poems from our Honored Guest <\/font>Andrew Riutta<\/font><\/a> <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

it comes and goes
\nwithout a sound
\nevening mist<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

not one fossil
\namong these stones
\ngraveyard parking lot<\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

andrew riutta<\/font><\/a> <\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\n
<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"tiny here’s a teaser from John Stevenson<\/font><\/a><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

<\/font><\/font>city moon<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

generations<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

of renters<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

– and a sample from Tom Clausen<\/strong><\/font><\/a><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

sharp curve-
\na weathered cross
\nnailed to the tree<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\n

\n
\n
\n

\n

\n
\n

<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

f\/k\/a‘s cracked investigator, sleuthEsq (try saying that three times after a few mimosas), was a little late filing his first Sunday Brunch Potluck report. Here are the highlights, in time for dinner: a day without a mexican In an attempt to brief Pres. Bush on the planned May 1st work stoppage and demonstrations by supporters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-1nk","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5290"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5290\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12666,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5290\/revisions\/12666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

of Roadrunner Haiku Journal<\/em><\/a> (Issue VI<\/font><\/a>: 2, May 6, 2006) hit the internet <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

author of “one-breath poetry”<\/font><\/a> can forgive him.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Kevin Crust, <\/font>L.A. Times<\/font><\/em><\/a>, May 14, 2004<\/font><\/p>\n