Academics II - Initial Classes

Classes at CEU officially started this week, though the undergraduate students in the Bard/CEU program were treated to the inaugural session of a mandatory course on Central European History last Friday. The second session of that class was held yesterday evening (it's currently scheduled to run Mondays and Thursdays, 19.30-21.10), and the initial sessions of the Policy Process, Policy Analysis, and Public Sector Management and Public International Law were held this afternoon (Policy Process is generally held Tuesdays and Thursdays, 13.30-15.10; Public International Law is scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, 15.30-17.10).


Policy Process was straightforward enough, with a presentation of the basic outline of the course, including topics to be covered and expectations of the cohort; personal introductions from the professor, the teaching assistant, and all of the students; an examination of some basic definitions of public policy, polity, politics, and the interaction of the three; and a review of the syllabus.

The expectations of the course are quite simple: (1) one in-class presentation on one of the required readings for the class; (2) acting as discussant during another student's presentation, analyzing the quality of the presentation with respect to both structure and content; (3) a short written exam covering major principles examined throughout the course; (4) a short, six-to-eight-page policy brief; and, naturally (5) class participation. Readings for presentations will be selected on Tuesday (I hope to present either a reading on the structure of decision-making in the policy process and the importance of veto players in that process as they pertain to health policy in three European countries, or a reading on direct democracy). A topic for the policy brief must be selected by October 14.

The presentation of all the above did unfortunately suffer from the Professor Alex Fischer's lecturing style, which consisted of him reading from detailed PowerPoint slides he had prepared. There was an consequent lack of discussion and a feeling, for me at least, that I wasn't engaging with the material as fully as I could.

In Public International Law, however, Professor Boldiszar Nagy engaged students from the start, interjecting into introductions information about Budapest and Hungary that each student might find relevant: given my interest in public health, he directed me to several Hungarian journals that have recently examined national health care reform; for students who mentioned an extracurricular interest in music, he suggested a few concert halls with especially good programs; to the cinéastes in the group he provided the names of a number of small art houses throughout the city. After introductions, he moved directly into the assigned reading for the day, leading a discussion that covered definitions of law and international law and the distinctions between municipal and international law. The course requirements, a short mid-term exam, a short presentation on an issue of international law relevant to current affairs, and a take-home final exam, were covered in the class introduction last week.

On Friday, the first session of my class on Freedom of Information will be held. Next Friday, the first session of International Policy Practice will be held. Also, my course in basic Hungarian begins next Tuesday.

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Dispatch from Budapest: First Impressions - Public Transportation; Academics I

Hopefully I'll be able to average more than one of these postings per week, especially now that I have a small but indubitably faithful readership to serve.

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Public Transportation

I've made considerable use of public transportation systems in only two major U.S. cities: Boston and New York. Boston's system, operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), is comfortable, reliable and fairly expansive, though not nearly as expansive as New York's system, maintained by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Of course, with its greater scope, the MTA is plagued with delays and lacks the comfort the MBTA's smaller system.

The Budapesti Metro (Budapest Metro), operated by BKV, offers both expansive coverage of the city and comfort for passengers, comprising a system of three rapid transit lines, a large array of light rail lines (both quite reliable), bus service (not quite so reliable), and heavy rail service to surrounding suburbs.

Comfort in the system is engendered by padded seats throughout the system as well as the considerate habit of rail engineers of gradual acceleration and deceleration, which is far nicer than the jarring starts and halts of both the MBTA and the MTA.

As for cost, a single ticket, which grants access to a single route of a single mode of transportation for a single use (i.e. without the ability to transfer to another line or mode of transportation), costs HUF 230 (Hungarian Forints) or USD 1.25. Books of ten tickets cost HUF 2,050, approximately USD 11.13. Monthly passes, which provide unlimited access to all modes of transportation with the exception of the heavy rail lines, cost HUF 7,350 or USD 39.90.

When using tickets, they are marked upon entry to a particular line with the line number as well as the date and time of entry. However, there is no physical barrier to prevent riders from getting on a particular line without validating their ticket. Thus, the Budapest Metro relies on conductors to check tickets on all lines, as opposed to the token- or card-based systems in Boston and New York, which prevent physical access to the mode of transportation if one hasn't purchased a card or token granting such access. However, the Budapest Metro does enforce a strict fine for those riding without validating a ticket: HUF 5000 or USD 27.21!

Academics I

Central European University has the interesting and, frankly, quite useful policy of conducting what is called "zero week" at the beginning of the semester. After last week's plethora of orientations to everything from the Student Records Office to fire are safety procedures to departmental organization and regulations, this week, "zero week," comprises lectures on courses scheduled for the coming semester by the responsible professors.

Even only having attended two sessions, one held during the orientation week and one held today, I have a fairly good sense of the courses for which I would like to register:


Public International Law

This course addresses treaty law, law regarding territorial claims, including those made on continental shelves as well as in outer space, law regarding refugees, law regarding statehood and international recognition of statehood, law regarding international conflict, and diplomatic and consular law.


The Policy Process and Policy Analysis

A requirement for students in the Department of Public Policy, this course, taught by Alex Fischer, examines policy processes in detail, addressing the place of policy in political processes, the principle actors in policymaking, and the challenges that result not only in policymaking, but in policy implementation.


Freedom of Information from a Comparative Perspective

Taught by Péter Molnár, a former Hungarian Parliamentarian, this class examines the differing policies that various nations have on freedom of information. Such exploration is achieved by having students request sensitive information from their home governments and, in the event of a refusal, having them find an NGO with which they can coordinate legal action in order to obtain the requested information


International Policy Process (Audit)

Also conducted by Alex Fischer, this course is run as a colloquium series, with representatives of eight major international organizations speaking about their work and fielding questions from students. In addition, students are required to research a particular institution and present a the relevant history and facts as well as an analysis of the work of the organization in the context of theoretical questions about international policymaking raised during the course.


Additionally, I intend on taking a basic, two-credit course in Hungarian along with the course in Central European history required of all undergraduate students in the Bard/CEU program.

***

Next:

• life outside the Residence Hall;
• a trip to Szentendre; and
  
• photographs.
  

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Dispatch from Budapest: First Impressions - Arrival; the CEU Residence Hall

Alas, I wasn't able to muster the will to write a detailed account of my first days in Budapest as soon as promised, but, being reasonably well settled at this point, I can report to the few who read this the first tales of my foray into Central Europe.

***

Arrival

Upon arrival at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport, I walked off the jetway, turning to see a fairly clear, sunny day over the tarmac. Having cleared passport control, I collected my checked baggage and, not having anything to declare, cleared customs, meeting Karl Hall, director of the Bard/CEU undergraduate program, in the terminal's arrival area. After introducing himself and providing me with some basic documents from the program, Karl arranged for a taxi to take us to the CEU Residence Hall, which serves both as a dormitory for University students and as a conference center. Arriving at the Residence Hall, I met the undergraduate program coordinator, Monica Jitareanu who provided some additional documents and helped me settle myself in my assigned room.

The Residence Hall

There are a few irritating things worth noting about the Residence Hall. First, and perhaps most frustrating, is its distance from downtown Budapest: getting to the heart of the city requires a 30-minute ride on Budapest's public transportation system. Second, there are few amenities nearby, save two large shopping complexes about a mile from the Hall, as well as a grocery store and a McDonald's which are a short, 10-minute walk away. Third, the rooms in the Hall are of variable quality, some sporting a television and a small kitchen, while others, like mine, only contain a bed, a desk, a few shelves, and a full bathroom. Finally, the food at the Hall's cafeteria, while inexpensive, consisted mostly of heavy, fried dishes along with a salad bar that comprised vegetables which were, almost without exception, pickled. Such a menu seems hardly typical, as most restaurants sampled so far have offered a much wider variety of dishes.

***

Next:

• the public transportation system; and
  
• life outside of the Residence Hall.

Dispatch from Budapest: Abbreviated First Impressions

I arrived in Budapest on Saturday at noon, some 11 hours earlier than my anticipated time of arrival thanks to some fast and greatly-appreciated footwork on the part of my parents, who were able to change my BA flight from 20.00 to 07.50. Kudos to them!

Tomorrow, details on my first 84 hours in the Pearl of the Danube and the Heart of Europe, including:

• general impression of the city;
  
• the Central European University Dormitories;
  
• the public transportation system;
• the University campus;
• academic plans;
  
• seeking and viewing flats;
• weather; and
  
• a gustatory diary.

CONFIRMED: Scheduled wheels up at 9.00 on 8.31.2007

I'd have far preferred the 19.20 flight to Heathrow, but American Airlines has assured me that there are no seats available. Assuming there will be no mitigating circumstances that would alter either this or my current plans, I now have a confirmed departure time of 9.00 tomorrow morning. Huzzah!

Prep.

Plenty to be done today in preparation of wheels up tomorrow morning: deposits, withdrawals, returns, exchanges, purchases, reimbursements, reconciliations, a healthy amount of shredding (don't ask), &c. And packing. Didn't mention packing, did I? Packing, checking, cross-checking, and checking again.

D-2 H-11 M-3

My Own Personal D-Day

The level of stress induced for me in preparing for long-range travel is considerable, though not unmanageable. Can't wait to actually get on my flight, though. Scheduled wheels up at 9.00, Friday, August 31.

D-4 H-20 M-35

Mr. Negroponte, Meet Mr. Dell

My search for an inexepensive, yet functional laptop for my travels to Europe came to an end yesterday, when I was loaned an old Dell Latitude C600 from an old employer, who rarely uses the thing. It requires some updating (PCMCIA cards for ethernet and wireless internet access; a USB splitter; and a new battery), but overall, is in wonderful shape and will serve me fine for the next five months. It's certainly not a MacBook Pro, but it's closer to one than it is to an XO.

Troy, by Way of Route 93

This morning, I'm off to Fall River to do some data entry and training for BSAS at Steppingstone, Incorporated, a service provider that operates some ten houses that provide support to both the homeless and people who abuse substances. According to the town's website, Fall River, which is about an hour-long drive from Newton, was known as Troy in the early 19th century, with its name officially being changed to "Fall River" in 1834. Fall River, of course, is probably best known for Lizzie Borden (alleged celebrity murderer of the 1890's; imagine a fin-de-siècle cross of Paris Hilton and O.J. Simpson), for being a major mill town in the late 1800's (the town was also known as "Spindle City"), and for being the destination of a proposed extension of the MBTA Commuter Rail.

Croatian Inspiration; Overcommitment Redux; Smackdown: Nicholas Negroponte vs. Steve Jobs; and Yet Another Failure

When I started a blog, I wondered if anyone would actually read the damn thing. Initially, my reason for blogging was to work in a medium in which I could write on a daily basis. There are, of course, other forms that my writing could have taken: a diary, daily free-writing, a notebook of musings and thoughts, &c. But the public nature of blogs somehow made this particular medium more compelling for me than others, despite my belief that any feedback I might receive was irrelevant to my purpose of quotidian composition. Of course, anyone call tell at a glance that I have failed miserably in my attempt to write each day. But in the course of my occasional posts, I have found that I am most compelled to write when I have received comments, whether they be feedback on writing, a response to particular argument, a reflection, or simply a friendly recognition of the post. Having said this, it is therefore not surprising that I compose this post just having received word from a good friend of mine suggesting that I write more often. Knowing that there is at least one person who attends to my musings makes them worth all the while.

***

As I mentioned in an earlier post. I've committed myself to working some sixty to seventy hours per week for the last few weeks of August. I have I have yet to earn a considerable amount of the money necessary to cover expenses for living in Budapest, so in addition to a full-time position working on data migration for the Department of Public Health's Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, I've taken a half-time position at a public university, assisting a graduate college in preparing for a major accreditation review. These positions, along with doing various paid work for my family (I'll be installing insulation in our attic this week), should minimize the amount I'll have to obtain through loans.

One of the major expenses in my budget is a laptop. Supposedly the computer labs at Central European University (CEU) have rather inconvenient hours, so the purchase of a laptop is requisite. I am torn between a desire for something elementary and inexpensive (think Nicholas Negroponte's XO design for the OLPC project, retooled for adults) and a desire for something completely over the top: a 17-inch MacBook Pro. I'll probably settle somewhere in the middle: something not quite as simple as the XO, but considerably cheaper and lower-end than a Mac.

***

Finally, I sadly report that, as a result of a lack of both discipline and time, I have officially resigned from my efforts to learn Hungarian before my impending trip to Budapest. Thankfully, CEU offers a two-credit course in basic Hungarian for which I intend to register come September.

***

Eagerly awaiting an underfunded trip abroad, I remain,

-M

Today's Writer's Block: Overcommitment

I've intended to publish some three lengthy posts for some time now, each of which, while not an onerous undertaking, has taken a great deal of time to compose. Having committed myself to working some fifty to seventy hours per week for the next month, I have sadly been unable to actually complete any of these works. However, as I prepare for my departure to Budapest at the end of August, I will be writing more often, in an attempt to ready myself for the academics at Central European University.

The posts address:

• the shootings at Virgina Tech;
• policy training for parents of children with disabilities through NYS DOH; and
• thoughts on the Farm Bill, locally produced food, bottled water, desertification, roads, AIDS, and globalization.

More later....

A Quick, Random Thought

The following is a blatant truism, for the writing of which I hope any readers will forgive me.

There are certain people that one meets in life with whom one shares some unknown, indefinable bond. One might colloquially phrase it as two people "clicking" with each other or as "being on the same wavelength," or as some other cliché that suggests this connection that seems hard to pin down. Anyway, it's a nice thing. I'd probably be more introspective about this if it weren't for pressing work. But it will suffice for now to say that it's a wonderful thing when it happens.

Perhaps the beginning of "a beautiful friendship?" Who knows...

"The following film may be missing reels..."

Grindhouse. Well worth $10. See it in a small, grungy, funky theater with small screens, old seats, and bad sound (e.g., Circle Cinema in Brookline, Mass.). Not for the faint of heart (most of Rodriguez's and Tarantino's films aren't).

"The Motel"

Well-executed, independent film about a Chinese family that runs a motel. Worth watching. Depressing, though. (It's an indie film; I'm not sure what I was expecting.)

"Heroes" is Looking Really Good Right Now

As the sixteenth episode of the current season of "24" came to a close, I saw the spectre of Fonzie waterskiing across a lake in his leather jacket and now know, with a sinking feeling in my gut, that a shark is lurking somewhere in those waters.

It seems Joel Surnow and his writers are running out of plots that they can recycle on what, conceptually, is a very innovative series, but which now suffers from a variable quality of writing and acting.

A few plots from season six that are recurrences of plots from previous seasons:

• the invocation of the 25th Amendment, a plot from seasons two and four;
• the amputation of Gredenko's arm with an ax, an occurence reminiscent of both the amputation of Chase's hand by similar means in season three and Jack's removal of Marshall Goren's head with a hacksaw in season two;
• the assasination attempt on Wayne Palmer, reminiscent of the three attempted assasinations of David Palmer in seasons one and two and his assasination in season five;
• Morris's struggle with an addiction to alcohol, redolent of Jack's addiction to heroin in season three;
• Jack's assault on the Russian consulate in Los Angeles, a repetition of the CTU assault on the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles in season five;
• Vice President Daniels's attempts to undermine the legitimacy of Wayne Palmer's presidency, redolent of similar attempts by Vice Presidents Prescott and Gardner to undermine, respectively, the presidencies of Presidents David Palmer and Charles Logan in seasons two and five; and
• the threatened and realized nuclear attacks on Los Angeles, reminiscent of seasons two, four, and five.

The writers of "24" need to get back to basics: focus on writing realistic dialogue for deep characters and create tension through more suspense and less action. More suggestions to come.

Four Days ("Merci, La Poste" Redux)

Four days: that's how long it took for a letter from a wonderful friend to go from being posted in Paris to being delivered to the hamlet of Annandale-on-Hudson. Bravissimi, La Poste and USPS!

Being Blue Hardly Makes You Green

It's often presumed that Bard, deemed by the Princeton Review as an a institution of "Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians," is a radically green campus.^{1, 2} If the administration and students at Bard were truly invested in maintaining a green campus, one would expect them to be a little more conscious of some simple behavior that's detrimental to the environment: turning lights out when they leave a room; investing in printers that have the capacity for automatic duplexing (I just printed out a 32-page article in the library); not littering. Am I expecting too much of the intelligent, liberal population of Bard?

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¹"Best 361 Colleges." The Princeton Review. 2007.
²Bard is first of the list of "Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians." Apparently the students also "Ignore God on a Regular Basis" (#2) and smoke a great deal of pot ("Reefer Madness," again #2).

Merci, La Poste

Alas the French postal system has redeemed itself in my eyes. I sent a letter to Paris a few weeks ago and, after not hearing from the addressee, believed for some time that the French couriers had been stayed by rain or snow or heat or maybe one too many glasses of wine along with a penchant for not being invested in their work. I know the Francophiles will be displeased with that last statement for implying that the French are a bunch of lazy drunks and that's hardly the esteem in which I actually hold the French, but one must wonder about the motivation of workers in a society where citizens are essentially guaranteed a job for life once they're hired. As for being alcoholics, that's made from wholecloth on my part (mea culpa).

Of course, at this point, critical thinkers out there are screaming at their monitors: "What about the U.S. postal service?!? They're not exactly reliable, now, are they?" In short, yes, they are. Very. Complain as people may about the quality of service from the venerable USPS, few can deny that, in comparison to other countries, the postal system in the U.S. is one of the best: it is highly efficient and delivers 93% of first-class mail within its service commitment.¹

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¹United States Postal Service. "2006 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations." 63. 2007.

A Brief Complaint

I generally don't complain about being single, but as the rain comes and the days get longer, as the frigid chill of February fades from memory, as I look around and see more and more couples, more of my peers happily involved with someone else, I grow weary of my solitude. I can endure it infinitely, but, o, how trying it can be at times like these.

High-beams

I just returned to campus from a weekend with my folks in Boston and I've a splitting headache: some nut-case on the Taconic was not only driving like an idiot (speeding up and slowing down at random, driving parallel to cars in the slow lane instead of passing them, &c.) but was doing so with his high-beams on. I did manage to get behind the fool, but he'd been behind me for some time and his headlamps had already done their damage. Qué será, será, but still, what a pain.