to ID, or not to ID

The strangest thing happened yesterday. I was believed to be older than a professor. Now, this can obviously mean two things. But no, it had nothing to do with the fact that I don't exercise regularly. And I also did not gain that much new wrinkles. So, lets back up a little and start with the outset.

I got to know a lot of interesting people here in Davis. One happens to be a professor, who is lecturing at a mid-size university in Northern Norway even though she is from Finland. We heard that there was going to be a party last Sunday evening where some Asian guys promised to cook for us. Certainly I didn't want to appear without proper equipment, so I decided to go to "Rite-Aid", which so happens to be a pharmacy and a convenient store at the same time, to grab some drinks (ie. beer). Since this professor and I sometimes end up having dinner at the same table, and this evening was no exception, she joined me in my quest for drinkable beer (it is not as easy to find, as you'd imagine at first). So we both went to Rite-Aid. When I wanted to check out the case of beer (12 pcs) at the counter, they asked for some ID. They usually do this to make sure nobody under the age of 21 buys liquor. I flipped my wallet open and gave my Hungarian ID card. I explained that the date on it is my birthday and it was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away when I was 21. Much to my surprise the clerk then asked for Anna's ID even though she wasn't buying anything. She had no passport or ID on her, so I tried to save the situation by telling that I am the customer here, she just happens to be around. But the clerk insisted and I couldnt buy the stuff. I said what if we go and then I come back alone. The guy at the counter said I couldn't buy the beer because now he knows that Anna was with me and if he sold liqour to me without having seen her ID first, he might be in big trouble. So then we decided to fetch her passport, because otherwise I might never be able to go back to that store to pick up some booze. Ever. So when we went back, they still had my stuff at the counter, so we simply showed her passport. Another thing. A sign below the counter said they ask for ID if the purchaser is under 27. It was long since Anna was 27. I still don't know how old she is because I never bothered to ask but believe me, she doesn't look 37 to me. For sure.

Oh, I stil have the bulk of that beer stashed away in a hidden place because we cannot have alcohol in the housing complex. At least I don't have to bother with buying more booze for the next party.

Another more or less interesting thing was that the coordinators of our curriculum here gave s two group assignments. In one a group of 6 had to review the constitution of a fictious country, which so happened to be identical with the original US constitution, and had to propose some amendments to incorporate fundamental rights. The writing assignment was clearly constructed in a way that they wanted us to adopt the US amendments. You know what? I know better. Since my group was kind of inactive, I decided to do the whole thing myself and let them debate over it. So I skipped a not so interesting class, took 2.5 hrs and wrote a memo (some of you know how I usually do this). But instead of the US amendments, I proposed to adopt the relevant articles of the Treaty of Rome on human rights. At first I thought I would spice it up with some provisions of recent African constitutions but then passed on that. Next day when we were supposed to meet with the group, I just handed out the stuff. Imagine what happened. They added some paragraphs and blended the whole thing with the Japanese constitution (!) but you know how persuasive I can be sometimes (or is it rather stubborn?)... Anyway, the potential of debate about the death penalty and the right to bear arms was quickly eradicated. I wonder what the professors have to say about that. I mean the contents of the whole thing. If they ask, I'll just probably tell them that some (ie. whole Europe) may argue that it is nice that their constitution was the first, but it is slightly outdated in a number of questions. Too bad.