The United States is known around the world for lots of great things. Often referred to as the land of opportunity, America is blessed with spectacular wilderness areas replete with natural beauty, well-respected educational and medical institutions, generally friendly people, and Disneyland .
Part of this latter package includes one of the highest incarceration rates in the world and prison conditions, that are often abysmal (including overcrowded, understaffed and dangerous correctional facilities).
Not only is this reality known among the average foreigner, but the judiciaries of those countries from whence they come.
That’s why many foreign criminal justice and political systems are reluctant to extradite citizens of all countries, irrespective of how hideous the crimes they are alleged to have committed, who are wanted by the United States government (and regardless if they are in custody or not).
Although the judiciaries of foreign countries may distain America’s mass incarceration per sea, or the disproportionate number of African American’s and people of low income behind bars, they fear not only that the accused person whose docket they are presiding over is not going to get a fair trial, or may receive the death penalty, but they generally know that US prison conditions and the provision of services inside fall below generally accepted standards of human rights.
They are well aware of numerous reports developed by well-respected experts and organizations documenting the mistreatment and in some cases abuse of prisoners in US correctional facilities, not to mention inhumane and degrading treatment behind bars.
Many foreign countries (particularly Western and/or advanced industrialized countries) have better standards for their correctional facilities. Most European countries, in particular, are signatories to the European Convention on Human rights which bars inhumane or degrading treatment of prisoners. If they believe that prison conditions in the United States fall below these standards they may be reluctant to extradite an individual to America.
One of the most salient of those aspects is the quality of care incarcerated people might receive, particularly if they suffer from a serious medical condition or psychological challenges (e.g., Asperger’s syndrome, autism, acute depression, etc.).
This is not just hyperbole. Repeatedly we have seen this in action. Four salient cases are illustrative.
In 2012, Gary McKinnon, a British Citizen, residing in the UK, was wanted by the United States government for hacking into the Pentagon computer system. If convicted, McKinnon, a long time sufferer of Asperger’s would be required to spend a considerable amount of time in isolation, most likely at a Supermax Prison. This condition, it was argued may prompt him to commit suicide. Thus his extradition request was denied.
In 2018, the Irish High Court denied the extradition of Eric Marques, who was charged with running a dark web child pornography website. The court cited concerns about the conditions of confinement in the United States, including the use of special administrative measures (SAMs), which can involve prolonged solitary confinement, as well as the lack of mental health facilities and the high rate of violence in U.S. prisons.
Also in 2018, British citizen, Laurie Love won an appeal against a US extradition request. Love was accused by the United States of perpetrating a series of cyber-attacks against American government agencies, including the Federal Reserve, NASA, and the Army. Love (a long time sufferer of Autism) and his attorneys argued among other things that his mental and physical health would be at risk due to the harsh conditions in American prisons.
And in 2021, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, who was wanted in the United States on charges of espionage and hacking government computers, and facing extradition, was prevented from being extradited because of his precarious mental health, that that his lawyers argued would deteriorate in American correctional facilities where he would be held for trail and possibly sentenced to.
Fighting an extradition request is not a slam dunk for individuals who have fled the United States and have been arrested in a foreign country, nor for foreigners wanted by the United States government, their defense council and loved ones. The process typically involves multiple court appearances, the involvement of one or more skilled legal teams, and expert witnesses that can testify not only to the wanted person’s medical and physical conditions, and psychological challenges, but also (depending on the particular charge) an intimate knowledge of local, state and federal correctional facility systems and practices, not to mention transportation practices.
Photo Credit: Alpha Photo
Extradition
A photo about the topic Extradition.
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/52680682404_eaa6d6e87f_o-scaled.jpg17072560Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-05-05 16:26:232023-05-05 16:26:23How American prison conditions can impact extradition requests
Numerous films focusing on Japanese cooking or chefs have been released to Western audiences.
One of the more recent iconic and celebrated is David Gelb’s 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
The movie reviews the work (and to a lesser extent the life) of Jiro Ono, a humble and modest 85-year old Tokyo based sushi master chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, his ten seat restaurant (that once held the distinction of earning three stars from the famed MICHELIN review guide).
Although more then a decade has passed since the movie’s release, what makes this film interesting? Lots of things.
For sushi lovers there are copious shots of Jiro and his team carefully preparing sushi, and placing these creations on plates. To a lesser extent rarely seen sushi preparation practices like smoking fish with straw and treating nori over propane flame are shown to the audience. We also witness scenes from the early morning fish auction at the Tsukiji Fish Market where Jiro and other Tokyo based chefs inspect the fish and seafood, and then buy the food they are going to serve that day. Interviews with his primary fish monger (Mizutani Takashi) and rice dealer (i.e., Hiromichi) are also part of this dynamic.
Over the course of 80 minutes viewers are introduced to Jiro, who has devoted the majority of his life to perfecting his craft of making sushi, and to a lesser extent his grueling training of others (in particular his two sons, Yoshikazu and Takashi) in the fine art of sushi making. We briefly learn about his father, and the unusual upbringing he had. In particular, at the age of nine he was abandoned by his father, and started working in a sushi restaurant to support himself.
Unquestionably both the movie and the main character have some flaws.
• It may have been helpful if there were a sprinkling of interviews with other sushi chefs (i.e., his competition) or customers. This may have provided an additional sense of balance to the story. Instead Gelb appears content to give a rather complimentary examination of Jiro and his practice. Thus, the film can be easily construed as a sophisticated tribute or commercial.
• The film neither mentions his wife, nor considers the struggles his sons made in choosing to follow their father’s footsteps.We learn that despite his sons wanting to either go to university or be an airplane pilot, Jiro convinced them otherwise to join him at his restaurant. Moreover no mention is made of his wife. We don’t know if she is widowed, divorced, etc.
• Jiro Dreams of Sushi does not consider how the protagonist’s obsession (spending every waking hour of his life thinking about sushi) effects his family life.
• Although the film states that Jiro pioneered new techniques in the preparation of sushi and rice, it does not provide specific details. We also do not see any in-depth reflections from his mentors, etc.
Much like a well designed and prepared meal, however, the story is beautifully told. There is a balance, if not harmony, among the content, interviews, visuals, dialogue and music, focusing not just on Jiro, but his sons, his apprentices (shokunin deshi, in Japanese) and Yamamoto Masuhiro, a well-known and respected Tokyo based restaurant reviewer. There is also some social commentary towards the end of the film that deals with the challenge of overfishing.
The success of this movie may lie in the zeitgist of the decade in which it was release. Building upon Robert M. Pirsig’s, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance (1974), through Matthew B Crawford’s Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work (2009), we learn about the pleasure of working with one’s hands. Similarly, Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), we learn what it takes to devote one’s self to one’s career.
It is hard to say that making sushi was Jiro’s calling, but he has put his heart and soul in to the practice of this Japanese culinary practice, and this seems to be where not only he made a living but derived a considerable amount of enjoyment doing this sort of thing. Key takeaways are
1. In priniciple, over time, and with sufficient dedication you get better at your craft.
2. Have high standards. For Jiro, this includes selecting and using high quality raw ingredients, the proper use of tools, and the manner in which the fish is cut, rice is prepared, etc. and served on the plates.
2. See yourself as a professional and elevate your craft.
3. Develop mastery in a profession, take time and an almost obsessive compulsion perfecting your craft.
4. Understand that you need to serve as an apprentice (itame in Japanese) first, and only after sufficient training, can one become a master skilled sushi chef (itame-san, in Japanese).
5. After you have become a master, pay it forward by taking on apprentices.
These lessons are generalizable to many jobs, professions and careers. The benefit are not necessarily financial but they do enable a sense of commitment, purpose and satisfaction.
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-04-28-at-10.25.14-AM.png7031246Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-04-28 21:01:492024-09-15 12:11:14Learning from JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
Over the past 13 years a number of on-line review platforms like Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Yelp have been launched that enable individuals to make decisions about restaurants to patronize.
Although the results produced by these relatively convenient user-generated content websites and apps reduce readers costs of acquiring information, and can warn them about really bad dining establishments (not to mention accommodations, mechanics, florists, etc.), the results and interpretation of them often favors mediocre places rising to the top.
How so? Other than an ability to navigate the websites or apps, most people who post the reviews don’t have any formally recognized expertise about culinary practices, food preparation and cuisines, but are still free to pontificate about things they know little or nothing about. They can include reviewers who have an axe to grind, like being upset that they never got a reservation. Reviews may also be fake, generated by the establishments themselves, etc.
Moreover, informing readers that the food was tasty, or that the waiter or waitress was rude, tells the reader very little about the quality of the food served by these potential targets of consumption.
User generated content websites, more specifically the reviews they produce, are built upon the “wisdom of crowds.” On the surface this process appears to be fair, but we also know that crowds don’t always make good decisions or ones that are genuinely in their best interests. In fact, in matters of taste, crowds can be quite foolish. And there is what is referred to as the lowest common denominator effect.
Making it to the top of the an on-line review platform list often means that restaurants, etc. were able to satisfy the average reviewer. The result is that popular and middle of the road places get elevated and niche and unusual establishments get crowded out.
More specifically, restaurants that want to provide food that is authentic (i.e., fidelity to a recipe or cuisine), creative, and/or interesting often garner fewer and more negative reviews. Because of this trend many truly exceptional restaurants may be ignored or down listed by these on-line review websites.
For example, I’ve lived in Washington DC for close to three decades and consider myself relatively knowledgeable about most of the “top” restaurants here. But my own personal list of favorite restaurants don’t come close to matching those generated the aggregated rankings present on Google Maps, TripAdvisor, or Yelp.
How then do patrons solve the dilemma of finding a good restaurant?
To begin with they need to be more skeptical of on-line reviews. Don’t just read the first few reviews of a restaurant. Critically interpret both the good and bad reviews. Look for nuance and bias.
Another solution is to seek out alternative sources of information. Although we can ask friends and family for recommendations, there is no guarantee that their tastes and opinions will match ours
We can also consult travel guides, professional restaurant critics, and we can pop our heads into these places and take chances. We can also triangulate this information to make better situations.
Unquestionably, consulting different sources of information can be quite resource intensive. If all you want is a mediocre place to eat and sleep then I say go for it. But if you want something different and perhaps authentic then you need to put in the work.
Photo credit:
Tom Driggers
“Sweet or Unsweet?”
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/29881913133_db87c6c083_o-scaled.jpg24202560Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-04-20 16:32:292024-06-08 13:05:28On-line reviewer platforms, restaurants, and the privileging of mediocrity
How American prison conditions can impact extradition requests
/by Jeffrey Ian RossThe United States is known around the world for lots of great things. Often referred to as the land of opportunity, America is blessed with spectacular wilderness areas replete with natural beauty, well-respected educational and medical institutions, generally friendly people, and Disneyland .
But all that glitters is not gold. The US is also recognized for its high rates of gun violence, (supported in part by the second amendment), homelessness, income inequality, intolerance, racism, etc.
Part of this latter package includes one of the highest incarceration rates in the world and prison conditions, that are often abysmal (including overcrowded, understaffed and dangerous correctional facilities).
Not only is this reality known among the average foreigner, but the judiciaries of those countries from whence they come.
That’s why many foreign criminal justice and political systems are reluctant to extradite citizens of all countries, irrespective of how hideous the crimes they are alleged to have committed, who are wanted by the United States government (and regardless if they are in custody or not).
Although the judiciaries of foreign countries may distain America’s mass incarceration per sea, or the disproportionate number of African American’s and people of low income behind bars, they fear not only that the accused person whose docket they are presiding over is not going to get a fair trial, or may receive the death penalty, but they generally know that US prison conditions and the provision of services inside fall below generally accepted standards of human rights.
They are well aware of numerous reports developed by well-respected experts and organizations documenting the mistreatment and in some cases abuse of prisoners in US correctional facilities, not to mention inhumane and degrading treatment behind bars.
Many foreign countries (particularly Western and/or advanced industrialized countries) have better standards for their correctional facilities. Most European countries, in particular, are signatories to the European Convention on Human rights which bars inhumane or degrading treatment of prisoners. If they believe that prison conditions in the United States fall below these standards they may be reluctant to extradite an individual to America.
One of the most salient of those aspects is the quality of care incarcerated people might receive, particularly if they suffer from a serious medical condition or psychological challenges (e.g., Asperger’s syndrome, autism, acute depression, etc.).
This is not just hyperbole. Repeatedly we have seen this in action. Four salient cases are illustrative.
In 2012, Gary McKinnon, a British Citizen, residing in the UK, was wanted by the United States government for hacking into the Pentagon computer system. If convicted, McKinnon, a long time sufferer of Asperger’s would be required to spend a considerable amount of time in isolation, most likely at a Supermax Prison. This condition, it was argued may prompt him to commit suicide. Thus his extradition request was denied.
In 2018, the Irish High Court denied the extradition of Eric Marques, who was charged with running a dark web child pornography website. The court cited concerns about the conditions of confinement in the United States, including the use of special administrative measures (SAMs), which can involve prolonged solitary confinement, as well as the lack of mental health facilities and the high rate of violence in U.S. prisons.
Also in 2018, British citizen, Laurie Love won an appeal against a US extradition request. Love was accused by the United States of perpetrating a series of cyber-attacks against American government agencies, including the Federal Reserve, NASA, and the Army. Love (a long time sufferer of Autism) and his attorneys argued among other things that his mental and physical health would be at risk due to the harsh conditions in American prisons.
And in 2021, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, who was wanted in the United States on charges of espionage and hacking government computers, and facing extradition, was prevented from being extradited because of his precarious mental health, that that his lawyers argued would deteriorate in American correctional facilities where he would be held for trail and possibly sentenced to.
Fighting an extradition request is not a slam dunk for individuals who have fled the United States and have been arrested in a foreign country, nor for foreigners wanted by the United States government, their defense council and loved ones. The process typically involves multiple court appearances, the involvement of one or more skilled legal teams, and expert witnesses that can testify not only to the wanted person’s medical and physical conditions, and psychological challenges, but also (depending on the particular charge) an intimate knowledge of local, state and federal correctional facility systems and practices, not to mention transportation practices.
The challenges of the American correctional system that tolerates poor jail and prison conditions and practices are not going to be fixed any time soon. But the reluctance of foreign governments to send individuals who are wanted back to the United States because of poor jail and prison conditions, should serve as an additional reason why the American correctional system should reform and change sooner rather than later.
Photo Credit: Alpha Photo
Extradition
A photo about the topic Extradition.
Learning from JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
/by Jeffrey Ian RossNumerous films focusing on Japanese cooking or chefs have been released to Western audiences.
One of the more recent iconic and celebrated is David Gelb’s 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
The movie reviews the work (and to a lesser extent the life) of Jiro Ono, a humble and modest 85-year old Tokyo based sushi master chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, his ten seat restaurant (that once held the distinction of earning three stars from the famed MICHELIN review guide).
Although more then a decade has passed since the movie’s release, what makes this film interesting? Lots of things.
For sushi lovers there are copious shots of Jiro and his team carefully preparing sushi, and placing these creations on plates. To a lesser extent rarely seen sushi preparation practices like smoking fish with straw and treating nori over propane flame are shown to the audience. We also witness scenes from the early morning fish auction at the Tsukiji Fish Market where Jiro and other Tokyo based chefs inspect the fish and seafood, and then buy the food they are going to serve that day. Interviews with his primary fish monger (Mizutani Takashi) and rice dealer (i.e., Hiromichi) are also part of this dynamic.
Over the course of 80 minutes viewers are introduced to Jiro, who has devoted the majority of his life to perfecting his craft of making sushi, and to a lesser extent his grueling training of others (in particular his two sons, Yoshikazu and Takashi) in the fine art of sushi making. We briefly learn about his father, and the unusual upbringing he had. In particular, at the age of nine he was abandoned by his father, and started working in a sushi restaurant to support himself.
Unquestionably both the movie and the main character have some flaws.
• It may have been helpful if there were a sprinkling of interviews with other sushi chefs (i.e., his competition) or customers. This may have provided an additional sense of balance to the story. Instead Gelb appears content to give a rather complimentary examination of Jiro and his practice. Thus, the film can be easily construed as a sophisticated tribute or commercial.
• The film neither mentions his wife, nor considers the struggles his sons made in choosing to follow their father’s footsteps.We learn that despite his sons wanting to either go to university or be an airplane pilot, Jiro convinced them otherwise to join him at his restaurant. Moreover no mention is made of his wife. We don’t know if she is widowed, divorced, etc.
• Jiro Dreams of Sushi does not consider how the protagonist’s obsession (spending every waking hour of his life thinking about sushi) effects his family life.
• Although the film states that Jiro pioneered new techniques in the preparation of sushi and rice, it does not provide specific details. We also do not see any in-depth reflections from his mentors, etc.
Much like a well designed and prepared meal, however, the story is beautifully told. There is a balance, if not harmony, among the content, interviews, visuals, dialogue and music, focusing not just on Jiro, but his sons, his apprentices (shokunin deshi, in Japanese) and Yamamoto Masuhiro, a well-known and respected Tokyo based restaurant reviewer. There is also some social commentary towards the end of the film that deals with the challenge of overfishing.
The success of this movie may lie in the zeitgist of the decade in which it was release. Building upon Robert M. Pirsig’s, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance (1974), through Matthew B Crawford’s Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work (2009), we learn about the pleasure of working with one’s hands. Similarly, Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), we learn what it takes to devote one’s self to one’s career.
It is hard to say that making sushi was Jiro’s calling, but he has put his heart and soul in to the practice of this Japanese culinary practice, and this seems to be where not only he made a living but derived a considerable amount of enjoyment doing this sort of thing. Key takeaways are
1. In priniciple, over time, and with sufficient dedication you get better at your craft.
2. Have high standards. For Jiro, this includes selecting and using high quality raw ingredients, the proper use of tools, and the manner in which the fish is cut, rice is prepared, etc. and served on the plates.
2. See yourself as a professional and elevate your craft.
3. Develop mastery in a profession, take time and an almost obsessive compulsion perfecting your craft.
4. Understand that you need to serve as an apprentice (itame in Japanese) first, and only after sufficient training, can one become a master skilled sushi chef (itame-san, in Japanese).
5. After you have become a master, pay it forward by taking on apprentices.
These lessons are generalizable to many jobs, professions and careers. The benefit are not necessarily financial but they do enable a sense of commitment, purpose and satisfaction.
On-line reviewer platforms, restaurants, and the privileging of mediocrity
/by Jeffrey Ian RossOver the past 13 years a number of on-line review platforms like Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Yelp have been launched that enable individuals to make decisions about restaurants to patronize.
Although the results produced by these relatively convenient user-generated content websites and apps reduce readers costs of acquiring information, and can warn them about really bad dining establishments (not to mention accommodations, mechanics, florists, etc.), the results and interpretation of them often favors mediocre places rising to the top.
How so? Other than an ability to navigate the websites or apps, most people who post the reviews don’t have any formally recognized expertise about culinary practices, food preparation and cuisines, but are still free to pontificate about things they know little or nothing about. They can include reviewers who have an axe to grind, like being upset that they never got a reservation. Reviews may also be fake, generated by the establishments themselves, etc.
Moreover, informing readers that the food was tasty, or that the waiter or waitress was rude, tells the reader very little about the quality of the food served by these potential targets of consumption.
User generated content websites, more specifically the reviews they produce, are built upon the “wisdom of crowds.” On the surface this process appears to be fair, but we also know that crowds don’t always make good decisions or ones that are genuinely in their best interests. In fact, in matters of taste, crowds can be quite foolish. And there is what is referred to as the lowest common denominator effect.
Making it to the top of the an on-line review platform list often means that restaurants, etc. were able to satisfy the average reviewer. The result is that popular and middle of the road places get elevated and niche and unusual establishments get crowded out.
More specifically, restaurants that want to provide food that is authentic (i.e., fidelity to a recipe or cuisine), creative, and/or interesting often garner fewer and more negative reviews. Because of this trend many truly exceptional restaurants may be ignored or down listed by these on-line review websites.
For example, I’ve lived in Washington DC for close to three decades and consider myself relatively knowledgeable about most of the “top” restaurants here. But my own personal list of favorite restaurants don’t come close to matching those generated the aggregated rankings present on Google Maps, TripAdvisor, or Yelp.
How then do patrons solve the dilemma of finding a good restaurant?
To begin with they need to be more skeptical of on-line reviews. Don’t just read the first few reviews of a restaurant. Critically interpret both the good and bad reviews. Look for nuance and bias.
Another solution is to seek out alternative sources of information. Although we can ask friends and family for recommendations, there is no guarantee that their tastes and opinions will match ours
We can also consult travel guides, professional restaurant critics, and we can pop our heads into these places and take chances. We can also triangulate this information to make better situations.
Unquestionably, consulting different sources of information can be quite resource intensive. If all you want is a mediocre place to eat and sleep then I say go for it. But if you want something different and perhaps authentic then you need to put in the work.
Photo credit:
Tom Driggers
“Sweet or Unsweet?”