Supreme Court

Hey Molly, what do you and your law school classmates think about the recent Supreme Court decision about equal pay? Let's just say I'm angry about it. The New York Times has an interesting article about Ruth Bader Ginsburg new-found voice of dissension, as well as a good editorial regarding the basic problems with the decision.

San Diego Comic-Con Tips

Tom Spurgeon of the Comics Reporter has a great guide to San Diego Comic-Con on his site. It's almost like being there!

Convocation

One of my favorite duties at my job is appearing at the Honors Convocation ceremony and singing the praises of some of the students who have excelled in our Multimedia Art and Design concentration.

Here are a few pictures of some of the students with friends and family at the dinner after the event.

Co-option of the Death March

Over Memorial Day, my friends from college had our annual get-together. Somehow (I think through this blog), many of them have started to use the term death march to describe our annual hike which, admittedly, Neilson and I badger people to participate in. Now, I'm not sure if they really understand fully the nature of the Family Death March, as sometimes they seem simply to be referring to a relatively easy and pleasant activity that happens to take place outside. This year's hike, though, did approach death march territory. It wasn't long, but we hiked down into a valley, instead up a mountain, meaning the second half of the hike was uphill. But what really earned it the DM seal of approval was that when we were at the half-way mark, standing on top of a dam, totally exposed, it started to pour. The kind of rain that makes you instantly drenched. Luckily everyone involved embraced the death march way of life and thought a little rain made it more fun, or at least a better story. You can see pictures at Salt, Butter, and Bacon.

School is out, everybody sing and shout!

Minor Rant: Global Feminisms at the Brooklyn Museum

On Saturday I went to see the Global Feminisms show at the Brooklyn Museum with my friends Ilona, Robin, Martha, Barbara and Kathy. This group has been shushed repeatedly at the Met by guards and other art lovers on another art visiting tour- I guess we are too chatty, but that's another story.

This show, the first in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, irritated me. While there are many thoughtful, beautiful and funny pieces in the show, it is dominated by naked women photos, many of the artists themselves. I have nothing against photos of breasts or bodies of women being tortured, but I wonder why is it that when women control the "gaze", it is always turned back on themselves? It is not the work I saw that bothered me, which is an important part of what is going on now, it was its relative dominance in the exhibition- what about the guys? There was an notable absence of depictions of men, and relationships between men and women (except for a video by Tracey Moffat with "romantic" clips from many motion pictures edited together).

Anyway, this is a brief rant- off to my final graphic design class!

The Streets of New York

People say New York is getting more and more homogeneous, which is sadly true. But you can still see some great sights on the street. I was glad I had my camera yesterday.

Biking Dude

You can watch Anders ride his bike on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcZacYlJ__0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiKIrB7kyIY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdft8it_YLQ

Report from Cannes

You can read Erica's, Neilson's mother, reports from the Cannes Film Fesitval on the Film Maker blog. There are several other contributors as well.


Erica at her 70th Birthday Party.

School's (Almost) Out for Summer

Today was my last day of classes. I still need to give my exam and grade a ton, but the end is sight. Everyone--teachers and students alike--were in a good mood today.

Here are some of my favorite--and most motivated--students, planning a study session over the weekend.




The History Club showed Bobby. Students liked it, although I realized by some of their questions the movie assumed a basic knowledge about American culture in the 1960s that a lot of students didn't really possess.




There was a dance party and barbeque going on in front of the student center to celebrate the end of classes.

Happy Mother's Day

Jefferson Market Garden

The garden next to the Jefferson Market Library, where Mom used to work, is in full bloom. The garden is selling huge beautiful pink tulips for the very reasonable price (for New York) of a dollar a tulip, or a dozen for $10.00. (By the way, this garden is where Miranda and Steve got married on Sex and the City.)

Birthday Cakes

Here are the birthday cakes generously provided by Jody.

New Addition

Neilson has a new member of his household--a little kitty he found on the street last week. He thought she might be a cat he had seen on lost posters around the neighborhood, but, when that proved not to be the case, he had to take her in. He has christened her Josephine. So far Mao is handling the situation pretty well. At first there was some hissing, but relatively mild, with nary a hair raised. Now the cats have settled into what Neilson calls an "uneasy coexistence." I think eventually they will be good friends.

We learned some new information about Josephine's past this week. She is quite tiny and we assumed she was still growing. But Linda, Vinegar Hill's cat lady, told Neilson that Josephine is actually the cat Linda knows as Emily. Josephine/Emily had actually a litter of kittens that Linda found homes for; Linda also had J/E fixed and made sure she had her shots. So Josephine is young, but an adult--she is just a small little lady.

Josephine also has a very raspy voice--what Neilson refers to as her "smoker's meow." She is very friendly and only likes to eat in the presence of humans. While she enjoys sitting in the windowsill, she seems to have no interest in returning to the outside as of yet. I think she knows she has found a good home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE

Hope you have a great big slice of birthday cake and otherwise enjoy the day.



Weese unraveled this loofa just for you. She's worn out from all the work.

Happy Birthday Kate!!!!

Yankee Game

We got there too late for the free visors and the Yankees lost, but we had a great time at the game last night. We ate Italian sausages, drank beer, and took in the sights at the soon to be gone Yankee Stadium. Before the game, Jody and Dad came to the BCC campus to check out the Hall of Fame.

5 Borough Bike Tour

We had a great time on the bike tour, despite the chilly weather. The one downside was a mysterious mechanical error which meant a long wait to get back from Staten Island on the ferry. Other than that we had great views, a brisk pace, and plenty of photo opportunities.

Salt, Butter, and Bacon

I am starting another blog with some friends from college. We thought it would be a good way to keep in touch, now that we are about the age of the people in the Big Chill. It is called Salt, Butter, and Bacon.

No More Moondance

Sadly, it looks like the Moondance Diner is closing. The site of horrible service and great milkshakes (as well as the place Kirsten Dunst's character worked in Spiderman) is moving to make way for a high rise. The actual diner building (on the vanishing silver railcar diners) may move out to Queens, but it will missed.

CUNY Baseball

One thing I love about BCC is that they have a baseball team. It is really fun to walk by them practicing in the afternoon. Appartently the team is good--they even recruit from the Dominican Republic and have some sort of programs for the students to continue on at 4 year colleges. This Thursday is the CUNY championship game. Here is the announcement.

The Bronx Community College Baseball Team under the guidance of Head Coach Adolfo DeJesus has qualified for the CUNY championship. The game will take place this Thursday, May 3rd at 3:30pm at Keyspan Park in Brooklyn. The Broncos will take on archrival Queensborough Community College in what promises to be a great game. There is no charge to see the BCC Broncos in the biggest game of the year, entry to beautiful Keyspan Park is free!