End-of-year party

My six undergraduate students plus three graduate students came to Daiba for curry and cocktails. Maho is in Kyoto for the weekend, so I was able to do all the shopping, cooking and cleaning myself. As always I learned a lot from and about them; Marina Hagiwara taught me the word "tenpaa" meaning naturally curly hair (tennen paama), while the erudite Nao Fukushima revealed himself to be an adroit mixer of cocktails. I was in the kitchen for most of the evening but it was cheering to hear new acquaintances being made. And just as everyone was putting their coats to go home, I had the idea of going to Scotland with my undergraduate seminar. Everyone seemed enthusiastic, but we'll see how things look when we're sober.

Mr. Trippi's commission

Following Joe Trippi's departure as Howard Dean's campaign manager following defeats in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, the New York Times has noted the campaign's financial arrangements with its media firm.

"Tricia Enright, the campaign's communications director, said Dr. Dean was forming "a new creative team" to overhaul its television advertisements. She said the campaign was not firing its media firm, in which Mr. Trippi is a partner. Many Dean supporters have been critical of the ad campaign, particularly in Iowa. Some questioned the arrangements by which Mr. Trippi forfeited a salary as a campaign manager but collected commissions - said to be as high as 15 percent in some cases - based on advertising buys."

In Shake-Up, Dean Names Gore Ally to Run Campaign. By JODI WILGOREN and GLEN JUSTICE. Published: January 29, 2004