Looks Can Be Deceiving

I got an e-mail from my friend Dima a few months back. Dima was an exchange student at my law school and he became a very close friend. I hope to never lose contact with Dima. I always love getting an e-mail from Dima, and I've been thinking about his most recent e-mail because of how he described Spain.

Dima was born and raised in Russia and he lives near Moscow with his new wife. They traveled to Spain for their honeymoon and seem to have had a great time. So, what did Dima say that got me thinking?

Here is a portion of his e-mail.

"We didnot feel any crises in Spain, but when we came back to Russia - the TV says every day that Europe is in very poor situation. Some countries - like Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain are very clouse to defoult. What do you think about it?"

I responded later in a general way, but I have been thinking much about it. I wrote:
"The default issue is a concerning one. Too many countries have spent too much money. The world financial situation will be a challenge for this generation."

But, I think I have more to say on the topic because I finally know why Dima's observation seems so illuminating to the issue. It would take non-Western eyes to see what would be too normal for me to notice. Spain, by Dima's account, looks beautiful. He complimented the architecture and called his trip fantastic. So, why does Dima's question illuminate the issue?

Because Europe and the rest of the Western world has brought itself to the knife's edge financially to maintain an obscene lifestyle. So many countries are ready to default because they were willing to borrow not just to fill emergency needs or invest in itself, but to finance an unsustainable standard of living without long-term sanity.

It would be like discovering that a millionaire went bankrupt. The thing is, though, that millionaire's go bankrupt all the time. When I learned that former Denver Nugget player, legend and coach Dan Issel went bankrupt, I was surprised. The newspaper listed debts of a lavish lifestyle. Horses, a leveraged mansion, and more vet bills than should be incurred in 10 lifetimes (in a related note, horses will ruin even the very rich... I've seen this particular thing happen many times).

Yet, if I were to have visited Issel the day before he went bankrupt, I bet I would have been impressed with his estate. I cannot know what it was like for sure, but it seems fair to guess that it would have seemed fancy. Mr. Issel aside, I bet some millionaire somewhere paid for the house cleaning service while skipping house payments. And, the place would look wonderful!

It seems to be the side-effect of having too much.

I visited Dima in 2003 and had a great time. While there, I took detailed mental pictures of the little differences. Russia seemed like the burgeoning capitalist society everyone says it is. It was rough around the edges and looked like a country trying to make its way. Much was similar, but it was wilder, unregulated (I do not think regulation exists there) and rugged.

Dima once complained about seat belt laws while a student here in the states. I remember him saying, "and you guys say you are so free!" We all laughed about that one. As I think about it now, it makes me think of the Internet comedy sensation "First World Problems." These pictures feature people who look absolutely miserable, sad or frantic and feature saying like: "I poured a bowl of cereal before checking to see if we had any milk. We didn't."

The point is that his perspective makes this "crisis" look so much different to me. When someone is going broke, we think of that person selling the extra toaster or downgrading vehicles. What Dima showed me was that broke people can also go down the drain while lighting cigarettes with $100 bills. Russia looked like a country trying to upgrade to own its very own toaster. Meanwhile, Spain and much of the West in general is "supposedly" going broke without selling any of its 10 toasters.

We bitch. Things are comfortable, but we bitch. And we can't give up any of our 20 toasters even though we can't pay rent. In fact, we "consider" giving up one toaster even though everyone should know that won't solve anything. Seriously, have you listened to our political discourse on this? We don't want to give up ANYTHING of any actual value. Fighting a 3% tax hike on the wealthy is like saying we shouldn't give up ONE toaster even though that wouldn't help much anyway.

We won't even go down the drain lighting $50 bills instead of $100. So, we look a little too much like Dan Issel's house probably looked before he filed the bankruptcy, complete with stables and spotless banister.

In short, we all must look like fools.

Updates

... Jacob is rocking Kindergarten. He's destroying it. The kid likes to learn and he's good at it. He's lapping the field. We're very proud of him.

... We went to Arizona for the week of Thanksgiving. It was a good time. I enjoy warm weather. It was good to see Jen's Uncle Bob and Tommy boy. Best of all, we could wear shorts comfortably.

... I'm sick of games of chicken with everything. Politics is a series of brinkmanship tactics and it's getting really really old. Even the NBA ended up being a big game of chicken. We will have a 66 game season. I am happy the NBA is back, but the first Nugget news is that Nene won't be re-signing with Denver. Just when I was getting happy to have basketball back in my life. D'oh!

... I'm going to be reading a few science fiction books to end the year. That should be interesting. This year has been a good reading year.

... I now work for Kaufman & Findley, P.C., which is nice.

... I'm only asking for amazon gift certificates for Christmas so that I can load up on kindle books. Lots of good books to read.

... Jacob and I have been going to a church in town I discovered through a funeral service. Very good pastor who preaches very intellectually. It's very entertaining to hear him preach.

... I finished War & Peace and changed its ranking from 8 to 2 on my all-time list.

... One new year's resolution at a time will lead a person to success. With that in mind, I'm thinking of making the expansion and sharing of my story that goal. That and more books read than this year.

TOP 20 Books I've ever read

After reading Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, book club we all compile our Top-10 book lists so we can discover such hidden gems again. It's weird to call Dunces a hidden gem considering it won a Pulitzer Prize, but it seems to be a cult classic.

So, I started compiling my top 10. I was surprised how quickly it came together, but it didn't take long to start feeling bad about leaving out certain titles and authors. For example, I'm ashamed to say that my initial top 10 did not include anything by Dostoevsky. I am staying true to that initial list for the most part because I am currently reading a book that suggests over-thought decisions often lead to disappointment. But, Dostoevsky had to be in there and now he is.

Books carry certain emotional responses that guide any rating. My list is no different. In fact, I am not sure I would have some of these books listed had I read them at any other time in my life than the time I read them. Revisiting the feelings inspired by these books has been a real joy.

I decided to compile my top 20 to accommodate those great books and because I feel like it.

So, without further ado, my top 20 books of all time.

20. (tie) Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell and Moonwalking with Einstein, by Josh Foer. So sue me, I'm adding a book. I couldn't leave either off, so they can both carry the "behavior science" flag that would be wildly missed among any list of my favorite books. Outliers changed how I look at and handle people and Einstein showed me how to use memory palaces.

19. Downtown Owl, by Chuck Klosterman. I read this book after I had finished a draft of my short story and decided this was the kind of book I wanted to write. This book is awesome. It's very "slice-of-life." It has some great phrasing... such as: "He told Cindy Brewer that her voice reminded him of 'a cuntier version of Joan Rivers;' or "He probably enjoyed remembering their conversations more than he ever enjoyed having them;" or "He once punched an alter boy in the chest for ringing a bell incorrectly (which, to be fair, did improve the overall quality of pre-Mass bell ringing by an unbelievable degree."

This book is about a small town and the basic "goings-on" about town. The writing is witty and fun. It is enjoyable and intelligent. I enjoyed it very much.

18. The Book of Basketball, by Bill Simmons. That's right, a basketball book. I laughed so hard reading this book. I love the NBA and basketball. I also love comedy and this book is one of the funniest I've ever read. I stayed up late waiting for the kindle release with my kindle logged on so I could start reading as soon as possible. I've read it twice in a year's time and may read the paperback yet this year. Dave included a book by a wrestler, and I'll include Simmons.

17. Profiles in Courage, by John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I took this book with me to New York when I had a summer internship at Time, Inc. Instead of going out in Manhattan, I read this book and was inspired to aim a little higher. A very inspiring book with great examples of political courage.

16. Guns, Germs & Steele, by J. Diamond. Diamond asks one of the boldest and most uncomfortable questions about human history: Why did certain societies and people progress faster than others? He answers that question definitively. Although his book was very, very detailed and thick with information, I think his conclusion is simple. The mass of information proves his simple conclusion conclusively in my mind. The difference? Chance. Geography. I am convinced that any group of people, if they began civilization at the Fertile Crescent, would have been the ones to thrive rather than suffer. This book was not always easy to read (and sometimes downright difficult), but it earned the Pulitzer it won.

15. Bearing the Cross, by David Garrow. The definitive history of the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. (one of my heroes). A view inside the dirty work of moving a people past prejudice (at least in the legal sense). The burdens of being the face of the civil rights movement were beyond comprehension. King is shown with all his brilliance and his flaws equally. An inside look at the cross he carried will leave you breathless.

14. Brothers Karamozov, by Fyodore Dostoevky. The greatest diversity of deeply plumbed characters I am aware of in literature. The characters serve purposely diverse and yet interdependent personalities and paradigms. The concepts tackled in this book are deep and thorough. The Grand Inquisitor is a masterpiece of its own and it is just a part of one chapter. This book is listed as the greatest novel ever written by more than a few sources.

13. Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole. Ignatius J. Reilly is one of my favorite characters ever created in literature. This book is funny and a complete joy to read. I just finished it and it made a very strong initial impression that carried through the duration of the book.

12. 1984, by George Orwell. I did not read this book in high school like so many others. I read it many years later, but I enjoyed it deeply. This book introduced words and concepts to our culture and our dictionary (groupthink... Big Brother... etc.). This book impacted our culture and it will make you think long and hard.

11. Memoirs of the Second World War, by Winston Churchill. A first-hand account of WWII by one of its heroes. You will hear Churchill's voice on every page. I love that he makes no bones about this being his attempt to win the narrative of the war. I also love the amazing information and his unique and brilliant (although un-apologetically self-serving) commentary.

10. Crime and Punishment, by Fyodore Dostoevsky. The only author who can stand in the same zip code with Dostoevsky on character depth is Leo Tolstoy. It's those two alone and then everyone else looking up at them. Raskolnikov is an all-time great character and Dostoevsky's creation of his inner dialogue is brilliant. The reader is inserted into Raskolnikov's mind and witnesses his guilt, survival instincts and torment. It is a book about the mind of a man trying to cover up his crime. This is Dostoevsky at his best (and I say this even though Brothers Karamozov is widely considered his masterpiece).

9. A Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. I do not remember much of the plot. I remember Holden Caulfield and that I related to this book because I had moved during my 10th grade year. The famous quote from this book spoke to me at that time: "Don't ever tell anyone anything. If you do, you start missing everyone." That quote fit for me when I read it.

8. War & Peace, by Leo Tolstoy. I am almost done with this one, but I need to put it here with flexibility to move (but not too much) either direction. Already, this book has proven to be profound in a way I can appreciate only as an adult. This book is the wisest novel I have ever read about people. To paraphrase one of our "gifted and talented" book club members, "if you can't relate to a character in a deep way, you aren't paying attention." It is true, as shown by the many posts made on this blog about this amazing tome.

7. The Old Man and the Sea, by Earnest Hemingway. I have read this book probably 4 or 5 times. It is brilliantly written, and the story is so wonderful and pure. This book was one of the first I was able to appreciate on a deep level. I read it in 8th grade. The story is so simple, and the fisherman in this book is a monumental character in literature. I read this book in German (Der Alte Mann und Das Meer) and somehow felt like I was reading it anew. And yet, nothing was different.

6. A World Apart, by Gustaw Herling. Among all the sadness and horror of this book, the part that I will never forget involves the most painful and yet joyous defecation ever described. He describes the joy of freedom from a Gulag while emptying his body of a turd that had been so thoroughly mined for nutrients by his starving body that it was essentially a rock. I have at times read just that chapter because of the amazing power of that scene. The tears of pain and joy are powerfully described.

5. The First American, the Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, by H.W. Brands. I love Benjamin Franklin. The amount of information in this book was amazing and it was a page-turner even though it is very long.

The introduction will pull you in for good. From the Prologue, I can still see the image placed in my brain by the author of Franklin walking into Parliament as a loyal British citizen, suffering a humiliation that clarified the true divide in his mind between Britain and the Colonies, and then leave as the first American citizen. The writing was gripping. a few tastes...

Revolutions are not made in a morning, nor enemies lost in a day. But Britain did itself more damage in those two hours than anyone present imagined. By alienating Franklin, the British government showed itself doubly inept: for making an enemy of a friend, and for doing so of the ablest and most respected American alive. At a moment when independence was hardly dreamed of in America, Franklin understood that to independence America must come.

He sailed for home - his real home- still burning with anger and disgust, and immediately took a place at the head of the opposition to British rule. Once the most loyal of Britons, now he became the most radical of Americans, demanding independence and driving the rebellion to a genuine revolution.

The lesson? DO NOT MESS WITH BENJAMIN FRANKLIN! This small passage does not do justice to the prologue. The reader feels as if he or she is standing in public humiliation contemplating the truth of a revolution begun and plotting a path to shove that revolution down the throats of Parliamentarians attempting to humiliate the smartest person on the planet at that time. If you ask me, a more brilliant person has never walked this earth than Benjamin Franklin. This book will at least make you consider him for the title.

Brands makes his bold assertion in the prologue: "Of those patriots who made independence possible, none mattered more than Franklin, and only Washington mattered as much."

Brands makes that case brilliantly.

4. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. This book inspired me to a different life outlook. This book is 1984 applied to the social rather than political realm. The idea of "Soma" made me cancel cable television. This book inspired me to use the time saved to read more books and learn a language. Although I found the end of the book much less satisfying than the beginning, it will always be a favorite for the paradigm shifts it inspired. This book also made me thankful I grew up in a society where a late-bloomer could still succeed. I am grateful never to have been identified early as an "epsilon" only to have so many doors closed so soon. On pure impact in my life, this book is nearly unmatched.

3. Simple Justice, by Richard Kluger. The complete history of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas desegregation case. Segregation is an issue that seems so clear to us today. But it was anything but easy to overturn. This book will take you to the front lines of social change and progress. You will never read the names Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall again without wanting to stand and applaud.

The legal strategy was anything but simple and involved years of small wins to build their own precedent. Those cases were then brought to bear upon the next small victory until all those little victories (allow interracial marriage before school integration, for example) were finally hurled together at the United States Supreme Court. Even then, the outcome was not certain until the chief judge (not sympathetic to the cause) actually died before a decision could be rendered. The re-hearing involved newly-minted Chief Justice Earl Warren, who then navigated a volatile issue and produced a 9-0 decision.

Meanwhile, the Civil Rights movement was fractured on how best to proceed and the different organizations fought over how to proceed and whether the other interfered with progress being made. I read this book while in school and could not put it down. This book will show you how hard progress can be even on such seemingly-clear issues, but it also shows that progress remains possible for those willing to take heroic action!

2. Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. This book also instilled life lessons. If you want to know how Abraham Lincoln held this country together, read this book. I have never been more impressed with how a person handled crisis. Although the book focuses on the team Lincoln put together, it best illustrates Lincoln's brilliance, patience, and almost perfect demeanor for any task.

After reading this book, I imagine Lincoln on a different plane. His mix of compassion, toughness, political savvy and unimpeachable judgment was unique in history and perfect for the crisis he solved. Dave told me I would mourn Lincoln's death when that part came in the book and he was right. After following him through our most perilous time, his death will hit you like a freight train.

Although his burden's weighed heavily on him, Lincoln never wavered. This book made him human. Kearns-Goodwin makes his personal sadness and his difficult family life very clear. She paints a complete picture and his humanity make him so much more impressive.

Every political science class I ever took spoke of Lincoln's place as our nation's greatest president as if debate were long over. I took an American Presidency class and a ranking of presidents was only controversial if Lincoln were dropped to 2 or 3. He is listed as No. 1 on a vast majority of rankings (many of the lists have political leanings, but Lincoln remains at the top). I had studied the reasons given before, but, although the reasons were strong, it usually involved "well, he saved the Union, so what can you say?" Seemed overly simple an answer and it does not prove that was all his doing.

Team of Rivals ends that debate for me. This nation will never have another president as great as Abraham Lincoln and I am now dead certain of that.

1. Autobiography, by Benjamin Franklin. I have always been very skeptical of self-help books. I read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey on the recommendation of a friend. Covey openly admitted that Benjamin Franklin's autobiography guided his ideas. So, I decided to go right to the source.

There is no better self-help book, and it is so effective because it does not seek to be a self-help book. This autobiography is really just a look into the life of a person who sought only improvement in his own person and engaged in continuous self-reflection to achieve that end. He advocates pillars of morality that should not bend and even explains his efforts to be perfect, ultimately to determine we can't be perfect, but the effort remains worthy.

Most illuminating is Franklin's attempts to become better at discussion. He studies himself as if he were his own lab rat and chronicle's his results like the scientist he was. He reminds himself to use phrases like "that is a good point, but have you considered... ?" for the purpose earning his adversaries fair consideration of a point.

Unlike many scientific minded among us, Franklin was equally brilliant in the social, political and scientific worlds. And you will see that he takes as much pleasure in the opening of the first library in Pennsylvania as any other accomplishment. It is a great slice of a unique life at a unique time in history.

And it is the best book I have ever read.

Adapt, Young Man

Jacob started Kindergarten last week. We went to the store together and bought him all the school supplies listed, and he was excited to start back to the learning part of school.

After a fun summer of field trips, splash days and lemonade stands at the school, its back to curriculum. I am glad he had fun, but its time to get to business. Future summers will include more sharpening the saw than this one, and it will be to his benefit.

All of these thoughts helped me focus words to my philosophy on parenting. If it were be boiled to its simplest description, we want to teach Jacob to be adaptable. For the longer description, you can keep reading.

There was a day when I picked Jacob up after Junior Kindergarten (I know, it's new to me too) and a teacher stopped Jacob from leaving until he cleaned up his mess. I was, of course, fine with this. He cleaned up his mess quickly and came back smiling to me for the short ride home.

The next day, that teacher apologized if I was upset by her insistence on making him clean. I was confused by that because I had made no complaint and had looked anything but angry about it. To the contrary, I told the teacher, I was very happy that she insisted it be done. I insisted that she continue to hold him to his duties.

I learned that other parents had not handled the situation so well and had made it an issue with management.

So, what might those children be learning? Well, I can thing of a few things. 1) That they can override a teacher's authority. 2) That the rules don't apply to them if they don't want them to. 3) That parents will swoop in to save them from any inconvenience. All three lessons for the child will begin the long atrophy process of the self-reliance muscle (if such a thing were to exist).

Now, lets take a quick look at what this example of "standing up for your child" can lead to. A child cried about it because he or she was fishing for a response (and likely expected one). A teacher was likely chewed out. A parent introduced stress into the home by (very likely) discussing the matter in a family setting. Corrective action was taken that led to apologies to ANY potential "victims" of the action and humiliation of the teacher, who did nothing wrong. And, a child learned how to skate by.

How much stress was this worth?

Meanwhile, our little guy dutifully cleaned up his mess and came running to me with a smile. Why didn't he cry? Because he knows we won't let him skirt his responsibility. I must say, I'm proud of him for being so adaptable. Of course, in this case, he was being merely responsible for his own mess. It's sad that even this basic thing got a teacher in trouble.

I have read many parenting articles, some books and have had many discussions about the topic. I have heard a wide range of approaches. I do not agree with all of them, but I do not condemn all of them, either. The ones I do reject for our own household, however, are those that utilize coddling and attempt to bend the world to the needs of a particular child.

Jen read one book that attempted to make the case that boys are being screwed over by a system that suppresses them and has become girl-centric. Her verdict was that it was all griping and no solving.

I, personally, don't care if the charges in the book were even true (although I doubt it). Jacob will learn to navigate the path at hand. He will learn do make the best of situations. We will, of course, try to set him on productive and helpful paths. But, we will not bend the axis of this planet to meet his preferences or comfort zones.

This topic reminded me of a long-ago conversation with my father. I had heard horrible rumors about my math teacher. He was mean. He was tough. He was too demanding and liked to embarrass those who were not prepared. My schedule included this particular teacher and I was not happy about it.

Dad's response? Well, after he heard my concerns, he calmly destroyed my argument. The conversation after my complaints were listed went loosely like this:

Dad: "You don't know that."

Me: "But this guy is terrible."

Dad: "Again, you don't know that. Do you believe everything you hear?"

Me: "No, but they can't all be wrong."

Dad: (laughing) "Yes, they can. Do you think everything said about you is true? Don't you think he deserves an honest chance? Don't be foolish. Judge for yourself. You may be surprised.

Dad: (with the finish) "Besides, you won't always like the people you have to deal with, so you better get used to dealing with it now."

The end result? Well, that teacher absolutely taught me that subject. He was tough, but fair. He knew his topic and he was energetic about it. He challenged me, but not unreasonably. Everyone kept bitching about it, but I learned it cold.

In short, they were wrong and the fact that attitudes remained the same only served to undermine their own learning. Thanks to dad's advice, I learned to adjust. To adapt. To make the best of a situation. And, it turned out, I would have avoided a great situation had my plan to bail worked.

Because adaptability requires practice, I was reminded about it in a big way in college when a professor who I respect, after hearing my concerns, told me without flinching to "grow a skin." Best advice I got in college.

Kids may learn in unique ways, and they should be encouraged in those directions. But, if you teach them to await the perfect environment, or avoid any uncomfortable or unfamiliar options or challenging situations, or (worse yet) to weasel their way out of anything but the optimal, then they will not thrive in society.

To make a sports analogy, sometimes you have to play hurt. And you can't make the game stop if you have a hangnail. You might spend your whole life waiting to be pain-free enough to compete. Besides, many folks don't let go of such a good excuse once its been identified.

Did I talk to Dad about my math teacher in hopes he would help me get my schedule changed? Absolutely. But, dad was not interested in saving me from every possible discomfort.

Instead, he was afraid I may learn to run away from hard realities. The world isn't perfect, and Dad didn't want me prepared for such a mythical place rather than the one outside our front door.

Random thoughts

... If you are ever looking for a reason to disbelieve everything political, pay close attention to the rhetoric regarding the deficit debate. Apocalyptic language everywhere. I literally don't believe a single word from either side. Somewhere the sides will meet in compromise, and I'm content right now to wait for that to happen. I do not doubt terrible consequences for allowing default, but I think the game of chicken is both disingenuous and sad. The President seems to be the only one willing to cut through the BS, and he's getting hammered for "lecturing." Well, (and I know this makes me an unabashed homer), someone has to lecture those jokers.

... I have grown so unbelievably tired of all forms of Internet reporting. There is almost no cost to reporting events wrong when the speed of information is both fast and real-time. For example, Twitter exploded with dozens of tweets from "reporters" to my modest account about how labor peace in the NFL had been reached. Not but MINUTES later you have the "hold on... we don't have a deal yet" corrections by those same "journalists." So, where are the consequences of being wrong? It's like real-time gossip. I'm not sure how this can be fixed without disabling the Internet, and that obviously isn't going to happen. Buncha crap is what it is.

... The War & Peace book club will be meeting and my inability to properly schedule my own calendar means I won't be there. A major drag and I can't blame anyone but me. Talk about a bummer, and yes, I know this makes me a big-time nerd.

... I'm re-watching Battlestar Galactica, but in HD. So, really, I'm just watching it for the first time. And it's awesome. It was No. 1 all time for me until the Wire took it over, but I'm giving it a closing argument. There may end up being a tie at the top. I mean, the Wire isn't available in Blu Ray and I'm officially a Blu-Ray snob.

... Back to working on my story, but with a bigger scope. I'm debating whether to release it in parts on here so people can trash it and I can finally give up the foolhardy thing. Either that or I'll turn it into the book I have been imagining lately and will waste a phenomenal amount of time and energy.

... Created my memory palace for the first 1/3 of the Probate Code and then got into trying to meet my War & Peace deadline, so I kinda put it aside. I need to get back to it. That being said, that first third is becoming well placed and remembered.

... I'm becoming perpetually tired and crotchety.

Good night.

Chess and Father's Day

JACOB'S CHECKMATE





My dad taught me to play chess when I was 5. I am teaching Jacob now that he is 5. In fact, I just got him his very own chess board and he is very excited about it.

My dad taught me the basics and a few simple traps. I apparently angered my grandfather on my mother's side when I beat him after he stumbled into one of my memorized taps. My dad described the look on my face as I sprung the trap and won. By all accounts, grandpa didn't take it well.

Well, I got a taste of the other side a few weeks ago. When I play Jacob, I talk him through it and ask "are you sure about that move?" when he is about to make a mistake. I do not allow myself to castle, but I encourage him to castle early. I leave myself vulnerable, but I do not expect him to see the possibilities.

Well, he unloaded some applied knowledge on me and checkmated me in a move I literally didn't see until he made it. G5 to C1 if you are scoring at home. My king was vulnerable and he went for the kill.

We love playing together and I can't wait to see him develop. Every time chess comes back into my life, I wish I hadn't let it slip from my routine. I want to play regularly again and I'm going to find a way. All the while, Jacob and I will be playing together.

On Chess and Bobby Fischer

From this:


To this:



I just finished Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - From America's brightest prodigy to the edge of madness, by Frank Brady. It involves two of my favorite topics: Chess and unstable people.

Bobby Fischer's singular brilliance on a chess board was fascinating. And the ungodly amount of time he put into mastering that game left enormous holes in his social development. The result was a brilliant but moody and unstable chess prodigy who reached the peak of world chess domination and then disappeared into seclusion only to emerge decades later spouting conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic venom.

It's just odd.

The first thing I took from the book was complete appreciation for what Fischer accomplished in Chess. Fischer's contribution altered how the game was played and created a new generation of chess players worldwide.

A few highlights: He was the youngest grandmaster in the history of Chess (13); he won a completely unheard-of 20-straight games on his way to qualifying for the World Title match with Spassky; he won two consecutive US Championships without losing or drawing a single game (11 victories each year); and he so thoroughly scared the Soviet chess machine that seven of the nation's top Grand Masters were assigned to find weaknesses in his game (Including "master of endgame," "master of openings," etc.).

There was also this: He expected to be treated like a king at all times and required all demands (no matter how ridiculous or inconvenient) be met 100%. Moody and fragile does not begin to describe his obstinacy. I came away believing that moodiness was not an intentional strategy of psychological warfare as much as an accurate reflection of his personality.

He won the title, made such ridiculous demands for his first scheduled-defense of that title against Karpov in 1975 that he resigned the title without a game (leaving millions of dollars on the table) and disappeared for about 20 years. He became a vagrant, literally went into hiding and "wandered" Los Angeles with a new beard to hide his identity.

He surfaced only to play a game against Spassky in 1992 in violation of international sanctions in Yugoslavia as it was being torn asunder by war (he posed with Milosevich). That led to him hiding in various placed all over the globe and surfacing only enough to spout hate-filled rants. Apparently unsatisfied with being merely allowed to travel despite his status as a fugitive from the law, he then applauded the 9/11 attacks, thus provoking the repeal of that passport.

After being arrested in Japan, he renounced citizenship and negotiated Icelandic citizenship. He died in Iceland a bitter and ranting victim of too many perceived slights to count.

Unfortunately, 1950s US policy helped create "Crazy Bobby" because the CIA had 750 pages worth of file on his mother because she attended protests and tapped his childhood phone because he frequented a Russian bookstore to study chess. In other words, its easy to believe in conspiracies when your phone is tapped from an early age and you are followed and approached by agents in black suits and sunglasses. I'm not saying it makes his later paranoia logical, but it sure didn't help. I have yet to discover one positive impact of Joseph McCarthy and his witch hunts.

I recommend the book highly as both fascinating and educational. It's a great read and a sad, sad story.

I started playing chess at age five and have started teaching Jacob how to play this year. Its a game I too-often stray from and always wish I could play more. It set me once again to search for a local chess club. Once again to no avail, but I'm now going to find a way to play one way or the other.

Bobby Fischer is an example of how not to raise a promising-child, but the greatness of the game benefitted from having devoured his sanity.

June is My Month

WATCHING THE NUGGETS IN THE PLAYOFFS

AT JK GRADUATION

June is my month, and it bears repeating. Birthday, Father's Day and my Anniversary (12 years this year!). I get a special "June gift" for all the occasions and that gives me more leeway on price. Sweet!

So, generally, I like June. Some of my best memories were formed in June. I got married; walked the Normandy Beaches on my birthday (anniversary of D-Day!); set off for New York to live for a summer; traveled across Germany and France and visited Moscow (one does not travel across Russia... ask anyone with an army); and I've enjoyed many nice and warm days.

Today I became eligible to run for president. That means from here until I turn 67, I have only Social Security eligibility to attain with my age. Of course, by then I may have to wait until I'm 77. So, really, let's just say I'm not going to think too much about that.

I still have no complaints. All is pretty good for the most part. And although I now CAN run for president, that doesn't mean I will. I prefer to keep my options open. In other words, I won't be doing that.

I pretty much work, read and hang with the family. It's a pretty uneventful routine, actually. And, I'm reading some great books this year. With my birthday as an excuse, I bought four more books. I like my pace and I legitimately can't wait to start each one.

Jacob graduated from Junior Kindergarten. I then immediately had him start Kindergarten this month. He tested really well, so he's a go. Summer break? We both work so that's out. But, Summer break is actually way too long and encourages our laziest inclinations.

I toyed with the idea of holding him out of graduation because... well, he was going to graduate unless he were to have killed a few kids with scissors, so it's kinda like "congratulating" him for aging. And, since that's essentially what we celebrate with birthdays, why not? Actually, he would have had to sit out all their program practice and preparation and so he would have worked less if I held him out. See how evil I am?

I actually gave this subject a lot of thought. I don't remember "graduating" before I started Kindergarten and I do kinda have this problem with our overly-coddling society, but that's just my way. I'm surly like that.

My parenting philosophy may not be what one would call "widely accepted" or "considered healthy by most people," but that's OK because our "average" kid these days could do a lot better.

I was scared to death of disappointing my dad and it worked. But we were also close. I managed to figure out that he could both expect a lot and love me anyway. We too often don't expect enough from kids. They will surprise you if you let them. Jacob shocks me regularly.

As you can see above, he likes me. I figured out pretty quickly that I could cement a love of going to games with dad by letting him gorge himself on foods that are forbidden at home. So, he had candy, pop and a hot dog (the last one not so forbidden). Throw in a souvenir and I essentially bought him out on a lifetime contract to games with dad. I call that a win.

Now, he gets to keep going to those games so long as he makes with the 4.0. What? I keeeed, I keeeed! Well, I kind of kid.

Sunday, bloody Sunday

Sunday, May 1, 2011 was an interesting day.

A machine broke and I let out an audible yelp. I then sulked most of the day and felt generally lost until we met up with James. I later learned that about the same time we met James in Longmont, Navy SEALS killed the most dangerous man on the planet. That just made me feel dumb for mourning my Kindle.

I started the day writing a blog post about my thoughts on War & Peace (yes, seriously). I have a lot to say about the book and I missed the first meeting of the book club group. I wanted to get my thoughts down.

In the middle of my post, I wanted to quote from a passage I had highlighted that really illustrated why I thought the War scenes were necessary and enjoyable. (The movie Pear Harbor may or may not have been referenced).

I went to get my Kindle and found it laying awkwardly on my I-pod, screen down. Now, I never put it anywhere without the cover closed. But, I also have a five-year-old, so anything goes.

I let out an audible yelp when I picked it up and saw the distorted discombobulated screen. I tried to revive it, reboot it, shake it, then died a little inside before calling tech support. The techie all but told me to take it out back and shoot it.

The blog post had to wait.

For background, I can't live without my Kindle. I'm lost without it. I take it everywhere "just in case." I hate going anywhere only to discover it isn't with me and I have to wait more than one minute for anything. It actually makes me angry.

I went to the Library book sale, and felt like I was not honoring its memory. Surrounded by paper books. It sounds crazy, but this darkened my mood.

After a break, Dave and I went to see James. Meanwhile, somewhere in Abbotobad or About-a-boat Pakistan, Navy SEALS were kicking the hell out of casa-de-Osama.

We had a good time chatting with James and Jacob and Ian got to play together. It was a good time. I even managed to borrow James' copy of The Hobbit so I could continue to read while my poor dead Kindle mocked me with its blinking screen. (this mitigated my mood more than it should have).

I finished another chapter of The Hobbit and received the news from James that Obama was about to announce his inevitable re-election, er, uh... the killing of Osama Bin Laden.

I stopped reading and started listening... and surfing... and twittering... and facebooking... and, yes, I had a drink. (Topic of the night? Our President performed the walk-off of a major BADASS after his speech. My brother said he couldn't have improved it if he dropped the mic like Chris Rock.)

So, here's my story behind the Cognac. The best professor I ever had was Edward Rozek. He grew up in Poland until WWII forced him to fight for all he was worth. He then became a prominent politico and professor here in the USA. He taught all things Eastern bloc and was passionate in his hawkishness toward dictators who terrorized his home region.

Every story about a dictator brought to justice ended the same way. From Mussolini hanging from a lamp post to the picking-off of each Slavic bully and mass murderer, Professor Rozek would polish off an entire bottle of Cognac and celebrate a piece of liberation. He felt a unique joy at their demise that comes from having fought a war that failed to liberate his homeland. Every liberation was the righting of a wrong for him.

I tipped back a Cognac and Coke-a-cola in his honor and watched people singing on the White House lawn. I scoured for details and essentially forgot about my beloved Kindle. Gotta love perspective.

As a peace-loving person who opposes the death penalty, I thought long and hard about whether I could feel good about it. Well, there was no debate. It felt good. I just needed a reason. I guess Mark Twain said it best when he said:
"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

So, for better or worse, Wars -- whether justified or not, big or small -- shape our world. War & Peace expresses that because war is the overriding factor of the world in which the characters live, and it provides the canvas for their lives (in this case: dinner parties).

I bought a new Kindle today. I'm back to comfort -- and that statement just struck me as interesting in light of all the relief one bullet brought. I don't feel safer, but I do feel relieved.

Jacob meets Darth Vader

Over the last week, I have introduced Jacob to the original Star Wars trilogy. And he loves it. But, it was a learning experience for me as well. For one, Star Wars can lead to some interesting moral dilemmas in the mind of a five year old.

Let's just say I failed to "foresee" certain things.

He has been asking about Star Wars since he got his Clone Wars Tag book. The problem was that he knew of Anakin as a good guy and the Clone Troops as good guys as well. That spin off takes place during the time when Anakin is a Jedi Knight and the Clone troops fought for the Republic.

So, I had my work cut out for me. My negligence allowed him to be corrupted by the new stuff early, which is like giving up a TD on the opening kickoff.

I decided to show him the movies in their original order so that he would not be too crushed by Anakin's turn to the Dark Side. He could know Vader as evil at first, see him redeemed, then learn the back story.

I was afraid he would be bored by New Hope, but he loved it. He was scared by the trash compactor scene a little, but not bad. On second viewing he said he didn't like that part.

He LOVES everything dealing with "Light Swords" (a term he picked up from the new Clone Wars book... which should not infuriate me quite as much as it does, yet... here we are).

He asked a lot of questions like "Does disappearing mean he died?" (he almost cried when Obi Wan died) and "why did the Storm Troopers kill them?" I wasn't ready for those questions.

Empire Strikes Back is my favorite of the bunch. I remember being terrified in the theater when the Wampa came at Luke. I figured Hoth would win him over, and it seemed to. But, the Middle of Empire just isn't real kid friendly. Jacob loved the light-saber duel (that's better) between Luke and Vader (although he didn't catch the lost hand).

But, it's clearly the most adult-themed of the movies and THIS movie led to a whole bunch of tough questions. Such as:

"I want Anakin to get out of Darth Vader's heart" (Not a question, but how do you respond to that?)

"He's his father? Why is his father dressed like Darth Vader?" (OK, that one was funny).

"Why was that a dream?" (This was when Luke "kills" Vader on Dagoba... we all wonder that one, kiddo. There is no answer).

Finally... "Is he really his father?" Yes, yes he is.

Jacob was clearly unnerved by the end of Empire, so I had to accelerate his viewing of Return of the Jedi to the next day so he would have some context. We explained that Luke was going to try to make his father good again.

Jacob loved Jedi. He loved the green light saber and really liked when Vader turned back to good. I think that was necessary for him, but I'm no longer certain it will make Episode III any easier.

Jacob is really excited to see Episode I because it will have Anakin as a kid. I have that one, but I'll need to borrow Episodes II and III. My effort to show Vader's redemption may have been for naught because he will definitely relate to young Anakin.

I guess there isn't a real easy way to do this. Either you let him start with Episode I and watch him struggle watching the good guy go bad... or you try to redeem Vader first, and... well, we'll see how this goes.

Now, if I can just get him to stop saying "light swords." My current tactic is to say "when you say that you hurt daddy." He seems unfazed. Yeah, making Vader sympathetic was probably a mistake.

Moonwalking with Einstein

I needed a break.

I am roughly half-way through about 3 books and I wasn't feeling the momentum. I knew I needed a jolt and that was provided by my wife's fascination with a book featured in Discovery magazine. We talked about it and it just seemed like a fascinating topic.

I purchased Moonwalking with Einstein and devoured it. It's a quick read and, most important to me, it adds something to my life.

Josh Foer was a journalist who covered the world memory championship only to discover that none of the mental athletes considered themselves to be savants or anything close. To test the theory that anyone could do what mental athletes could so with training, Foer trained and won the American memory title the very next year.

Most fascinating about this book is that Foer succeeds in walking the reader through some of the techniques. He walks the reader through the process of memorizing a 15-item grocery list and left a vivid picture of that list in my mind. It is very illustrative... to the point that I literally cannot forget this grocery list.

I have been left with images, at our old Virginia home, of the following;

... a man with a snorkel diving into the sink... salmon cooking on the vent of out television with smoking peat providing the heat... an elk screeching at the top of our stairs... socks dancing on the fireplace hearth and a she-male at a desk with Sophia Loren on his/her lap.

I couldn't forget that list if I wanted to. Jen and I ended up memorizing two of our credit card numbers to test the number formula... and it worked.

Although the book is not a self-help book, it gives any ambitious reader the tools to begin tinkering with his or her own brain. I will begin to work on this technique to memorize the presidents in order and my goal is to eventually memorize the Colorado Probate Code so I can work more efficiently.

There is a natural conflict between the ancient memory techniques documented in this book and our modern world and its many memory crutches (like i-phones, the Internet in general, etc.). I tend to believe that, although such tricks may no longer be necessary, there is nothing wrong with sharpening the saw, so to speak. Also, I like a good challenge.

Foer includes information about patients who represent the extremes of the memory spectrum - from the man who could not forget, to people who could not remember anything. He discusses the physiology of memory (what little is really understood) and the study of expertise.

Moonwalking with Einstein is a real feast. I loved it. I have a new leader on the early-season rankings.

Unlikely Disciple

I read, Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, which was assigned to me by Book. As we have all said about our book challenge, the best part is horizon-expansion - and this book certainly probed new territory for me.

I struggled with this book, but not in a bad way. I struggled because this book will hold up a mirror to anyone on either side of the God divide.

Roose spent a semester at Liberty University, Jerry Falwell's evangelical university. He came away with a better understanding of what makes evangelicals tick. So, why was this a struggle? Two reasons. 1) It touches a blind-spot issue for me; 2) the author's undercover status.

I've always viewed Falwell and his ilk as being on the "wrong end of the fire hose" politically. In Jerry's case, this is a literal description because he fought the Civil Rights Act and was openly in favor of segregation. Although he repented later, its hard to know (and harder to convince myself) that the repentance was true rather than politically helpful.

Thus, I have always viewed his gay-bashing as particularly anger-inducing. It "smacks of the fire hose" from a person who held that political position before. Although I have debated the gay issue with close friends without animosity, I admit that it's a topic that requires regulation. And therein lies my struggle with this book.

I admit that I have a bit of a blind spot on this issue. And, many of the characters in this book have no problem saying what I would consider to be slurs on a daily basis. The author excuses it to a point by explaining the culture in which they live and were raised. I struggled with that justification. By the midpoint of this book I was very agitated and at times outright angry.

But, by the end, the whole picture came into better focus. I enjoyed the book overall and feel it had an impact. Any anger induced was a part of the greater experience. That experience led to a humanizing of a segment of our nation I don't get to see often. And, although humanizing does not equal agreement, it accomplished reflection on my part.

I also struggled with Roose's ruse. He had to mislead his classmates if this book was going to succeed. I get that. I understand that. But, every journalistic bone in my body is worn out waving red flags about it.

By the end, I understood why he had to go undercover, but that didn't mean it didn't feel awkward. Roose struggled with that ethical issue as well. Surprisingly, none of the students seemed bothered when he finally told them.

An impactful book leads to contemplation, and I don't think I'm done contemplating this one. I wont' be done for awhile.

Appreciation

The Nuggets became relevant again in 2003 when the unthinkable happened. It would have been typical for the Nuggets to get the third pick in a two-deep draft, and that's exactly what happened. And that's when rumors began that Detroit was prepared to pass over Carmelo Anthony with its second pick.

It was too good to be true. Melo took Syracuse to a national title and dominated the college game. If it were not for LeBron James, Melo would have been the consensus best player in the draft.

AND WE GOT HIM! And we got to watch plays like these below:



I first went to see Melo play as a rookie with Baggs in 2003-2004. We wanted to see the super rookie. He was immature, excitable and raw. He had braids and a slender frame. But, the talent just gushed. He took ill-advised shots and often forced the play. He was quick to temper and, once frustrated, his game would fall apart.

His shot was a work in progress for a few years, but his first step was untouchable and he could amaze in the blink of an eye. Baggs, Tom, Book and I would cringe when he forced the jumper, and implore him to drive to the hoop. Still, we knew what we had and we just loved watching him develop.

A rebuilding year ended in the playoffs that rookie year with a would-be temporary coach. It was a pleasant surprise and the creation of new expectations. From 2004 through 2007 we watched Melo tighten his game. We shared 10-game packages and went to as many games as possible, including playoffs.

The playoffs became regular, but our appetite was not satisfied with first-round losses. Still, beggars can't be choosers, and we were more than happy with the Melo-era Nuggets.

Meanwhile, Melo's game changed. His shot went from spotty to money. His drives became but one weapon in a growing arsenal. He became a master at drawing fouls and finishing at the hoop. But, best of all, he turned clutch... I'm talking "it's not if, but how" clutch. In a town used to John Elway magic, that's a trait we could get behind. See below.



Eventually, surprising playoff appearances became frustrating early exits. Frustrations grew and the organization gambled on pairing Melo with Allen Iverson after Melo threw a punch (OK, it was a slap) and ruined Dave's trip to Florida in the process. It was a forced marriage with AI and it brought out all of his old habits. But only temporarily.

That all changed in 2009 when Chauncey Billups brought the final piece to the puzzle. Pepsi Center rocked. Something felt different. Then, this happened:



Jon and I were at the game and experienced Pepsi Center at its pinnacle. A game 1 blowout was duplicated in game 2. Game 4 in New Orleans ended with a 58-point demolition. Something felt right.

The Dallas series featured Melo at his clutch best when he managed to leave an arena full of Texans stone-cold silent. His dagger 3 shut the whole lot of them up with authority. Texans. Silent. I mean, c'mon, that's a feat!

Although Denver lost to the eventual-champion Lakers in 6 games, no team fought them harder. They fought hard and made us proud. Mike, a die-hard Laker fan, said Denver scared him more than any other team that year.

It felt like 2009 was the beginning. We all settled in for a few more years of knocking on the door.

Injuries, cancer and bad timing derailed the 2010 campaign. Another first-round exit seemed like a bump in the road until all the drama began leading to this year. Without rehashing the drama of 2010-2011, I'll just say this season never had a chance. The team is splintered by the Melo drama and none of us can bring ourselves to follow. Playoff seed? I'm supposed to care about that? If he's gone it's over! There won't be any playoffs.

Will they start over? Will he stay? (No). It's been so frustrating.

This week, Baggs and I completed the circle and likely watched our last game of the Melo era in Denver. It was so fitting. Melo was brilliant in scoring 50 while Billups nursed an injury, Nene was out sick and the team played as dispirited as advertised.

We shot hoops on the Pepsi Center floor and walked out into a blizzard. It was so fitting. So much fun, but it just didn't end well. The 50 points seemed detached of emotion as the trade rumors wore the team down to nothing. The frustration seemed shared by team and fans. It felt like a funeral.

So, I decided to focus on the appreciation part. It seems like time to say good-bye. If not by the trade deadline then by next season at the latest, the Melo-era Nuggets will be no more. In any event, it's not going to be easy watching him go. I love basketball so much, and its been a real pleasure.

We've seen a deep playoff run, great performances, guts and heart on the court and we experienced the best string of winning seasons in team history. For all of that I say "Thank you" to the Melo man. I wish he would stay, but I understand. I hate it, but I do understand. Damn it all, but I do.

So, thanks for the nearly 14,000 points; for realizing your rebounding potential; for learning to try on defense; for making your game so complete; for never giving up on a game; for revitalizing Pepsi Center; and for turning into a star before our eyes. Its been fun. I just wish it didn't have to end like this.

News?

I spent time searching for the right word to describe my current disillusionment with the media. The word I settled on is "nugatory." It is defined as follows: "of no real value; trifling; worthless."

Obviously, not all journalists produce a product that falls into this category, but the most widely-available sources disproportionately render their own product nugatory.

This post has been simmering in me for awhile. I cannot say how many headlines have made me think of writing this post - there are too many to count. The one that finally pushed me to start writing?

"Jones-Drew: Apology to Cutler isn't coming." You can find this gem of breaking news at espn.com.

Ironically, I have been following sports news almost exclusively lately because political news had rendered my patience nugatory. At the center of my frustration with political news is its intense focus on petty arguments. I found no relief in the realm of sports news.

Sarah Palin caused my "tipping point" on CNN. I was once a regular reader of the "CNN Political Ticker" until its incessant fishing for clicks with Palin as the worm became so blatant as to render its credibility nugatory.

Headlines for the ticker would indicate which candidate declared for what district, what political appointment was set for confirmation hearings and such other relevant news. Sarah Palin was mentioned occasionally, but not too often. Then one day I noticed a pattern had developed: An equal number of pro- and con- Palin teasers on the main page attempted to lure lovers and haters of the most over-exposed would-be candidate in history.

I felt manipulated. I even indulged in some of the early anti-Palin headlines like "Poll shows bad news for Palin." But then I noticed the pattern. For every "bad news for Palin" teaser, an equal and opposite "good news for Sarah" teaser was sure to follow.

The rest of the ticker began to follow suit. And the reporting of childish spats began in earnest. Headlines like "X slams Y," "X jabbed Y," and "X chastises Y" became the norm. The headliner was always Palin, but the "meat" of the Ticker began to take on the same petty pandering to both sides of any number of grade-school type name-calling. Here's an example of what is currently on the CNN Political Ticker as I type this:

"Gore and O'Reilly trade jabs." (Wait, am I reading CNN or TMZ?)

"Limbaugh surprises Elton John." (He asked that John perform for him for an event rather than, oh, I don't know, try to kill him for being gay.)

"Snooki gushes over Dubya." (That's right, a @#&%ing reality star's opinion!)

"Boehner: Not sorry for tears." (Apparently Republicans are supposed to apologize for their emotions. On second thought, that makes sense.)

"Bush daughter breaks with dad on big issue." (The answer: Gay marriage. Its the only issue Republican family members seem to disagree on).

"Obama no longer the same?" (WTF? Seriously... WTF? It turns out he's now focusing on promises he can keep. Again, WTF? They make is sound like he took up drinking.)

"Gore says snow does not disprove global warming." (Um... do people think it does? And if they do, aren't those people too busy staring at their padded walls to read the ticker?)

To be fair, there are still a number of relevant posts and I cherry-picked the most egregious. But, still, I didn't even have to dig deep to find those turds. It's about 50-50 on ridiculous vs. relevant. The only shocker was that Palin was not as prominent today as usual (although there was a post that "Romney is up on Palin.")

That is the phenomenon that chased me to ESPN. To reward my decision, ESPN incessantly reported the various twitter comments made about Jay Cutler's inability to finish the NFC title game. And, that, ladies and gentlemen, led to a headline that Maurice Jones-Drew will not apologize.

I give up. Then I realized that I probably shouldn't expect more from a medium that became mainstream only because it offered porn on demand. Once I remembered that, this all made perfect sense.

Wired for The Wire

I have been plowing through HBO's The Wire and I can't get enough.

I am through four seasons of the five produced and I'm ready to call the fight off: The previous champ is down and The Wire stands as my all-time favorite show. The only way this can change now would be for the fifth season choke in epic fashion.

In general, I am very happy with the new trends in television shows. The cable channels have introduced shorter seasons with higher quality. A 13-episode season packs every episode with quality substance. I also like that more shows now script an ending rather than simply wait for cancellation.

I have a wide-ranging list of shows in my list of favorites: Family Guy, Lost, Mad Men, Battlestar Gallactica, Arrested Development and such. In recent years, I have been exposed to more quality shows than at any other era. There are more shows I want to see like Dexter, Breaking Bad and others. So, what makes The Wire different?

It's real. It's dark. It's balanced. It's appropriately uncomfortable. It's powerful. It's a view under the hood of our society, and the engine's chrome has lost much of its shine.

The Wire speaks to me more than it may to many of my friends or family, which is why I do not expect many people I know to feel the same way about it. But it's gold to me.

I see the grease of society and its inner workings on a fairly regular basis. It's just part of the job. The Wire deals with realities of the legal system, class structure, economic realities and brutal politics beautifully. All the while, it manages to humanize all sides.

I am fascinated by paradigms and by the amazing number of perspectives one event can inspire. The Wire will challenge the viewer to consider those perspectives. Have you ever been made to feel for and root for a drug slinger? You will. Have you ever rooted against the good guy? You will. You will also root for some good guys and against many bad ones. But, the lines are all appropriately gray.

So long as you have a high tolerance for violence, strong language and some disturbing concepts, you will love the show. It rewards you for your tolerance by making you think.

After watching the season finale to season 3, I got so deep in thought I could not sleep until almost 2 am. I ended up ordering the book Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets by David Simon (the creator of The Wire). I am now plowing through that book, a nonfiction account of Simons' year with the Baltimore Homicide Division. The Wire is a fictionalization of much of his experience as a reporter in Baltimore.

If you look for a mental challenge, an honest look at the underbelly of society and a compelling and thrilling ride, I recommend you watch The Wire.