I saw Johannes off at the airport a few hours ago and now I’m pooped. What a week! It started with a little time in good ol’ Boston. For the first time in many years, I went up to the top of the Prudential building and just looked at the city, which is truly beautiful. Then on Monday we headed down to the Jersey shore and spent two days doing absoultely nothing on the beach. To boot, the waves were huge for Jersey, making for some sweet bodysurfing. Of course there was a mini-family reunion, and I got to spend some time with each of the cousins 🙂
We did an afternoon in Manhattan sightseeing – about which I was a little less thrilled. Maybe the wow-factor of NYC has worn off… it just struck me as dirty and overly-hectic this time around. But, you can’t come to the US and not see NYC.
To end the week, we visited Chris in Poughkeepsie which was fabulous. I tell you, get a few Mikes in us and its one bizarre event. I’ll admit is was strange to see him as a REAL PERSON, but I guess that’s what the future has in store for all of us… There are tons of pictures from these various events which I will post as soon as I receive the from Johannes.
On another note, I got a lovely choker today in the mail and shall proceed to show it off.
In terms of academic stuff, I received an interesting email from professor F about a ruling in Connecticut. It seems that the state supreme court recently re-affirmed the Cologne v Westfarms case that was decided back in the 1970’s. Basically, it stated that privately owned shopping malls are not public fora, and therefore, first amendment rights do not extend therein. The case at issue was very similar, with a particular group barred from conducting informational activities in the mall. It seems as if the only speech which is really given the full protection of the law is commercial speech. I’ll re-post my mall paper under “Writing” if you are interested in the history of this legal debate. Thankfully Massachusetts has a more liberal policy, but still not quite what it should be.
Life is becoming way too sanatized.
Coming soon, information about the protesting area for the DNC and what will and won’t be done about it. For now.
Oh yeah, and it’s equally weird to see my college friends as real people-of-the-world too. I got so used to playing the Ghost of Christmas Future that I forgot that you were only a year behind me. Shame you only just got that choker – that would have looked great on you when you were seducing my iLamp 🙂
I didn’t know about the mall issue but, as you probably guessed, my immediate opinion is that I don’t have a problem with property owners regulating what can be said or done on their private property – and I consider “private property” to include web sites and publications, too. I wouldn’t want racists/homophobes/xenophobes/etc. to have the right to demonstrate on my property. That’s not sanitization, that’s recognizing the “personal” part of personal property.
Nevertheless, I’ll be interested to read your paper, and who knows, maybe I’ll see a different side to the issue.