琴棋书画之中，我最为隔膜的就是琴，但总是有很多与之相关的故事吸引着我，加上自命风雅，所以心中一直存着一份对古琴的遐思。

不知道从什么时候开始，上海人似乎成为了全国人民的众矢之的。上海男人，上海女人，上海话，几乎只要标上“上海”两字，都成了被全国人民嘲笑，漫骂，欺负的对象。真的很看不懂这个怪异的现象。似乎很多人都在争先恐后的诋毁上海人，恨不得先诛后快，把上海人统统“谋杀”干净。

    谁在谋杀上海话？


  上海《990评论》主持人在说到上海人说上海话时，竟然把这个称之为陋习。如果连说自己家乡话的权利都要被指责为是陋习，那是多悲哀的一件事情。设想，香港人说粤语是陋习，北京人说京片子是陋习，那是何等可笑之事。可是，正是因为在其他城市，从来没有发生过因为说家乡话而惯上陋习，惟独上海。

    更有很多在沪的外来人员，频频在论坛上发贴，要求公众场合禁止说上海话，他们来到上海，没有先想到如何去融入上海，而是先凭借这个人主义想去抹杀上海的本地特色。上海的幼儿园曾有段时间禁止上海小孩子在学校说上海话，现在可好，造就了上海小孩不会说上海话的局面。

    在租界的年代，有无数人外乡人涌入上海，他们在上海扎根生活，生根发芽，代代相传，他们没有忘本，没有忘自己的家乡话（一些上海的老人还会讲很流利的苏北话，宁波话等等），但他们没有歧视上海话，相反他们努力的学习上海话，融入这座城市，使自己成为这个城市的一部分。外国的殖民者他们虽然占领了上海，但是上海话也并没有消失，上海话仍然代代相传。历史文献并没有记载着“外国殖民者禁止上海人说上海话”，外国殖民者也没有用强行推广英语或者日语来消灭上海话；也没听说过外国殖民者的开办的学习禁止上海学生说上海话的。著名的宋氏三姐妹，他们的会说如同母语一样流利的英语，但是他们的上海话并没有被英语异化掉。

    我们的上海话正在死去，他的死去不是因为上海太卑微，而是因为上海太发达，我不知道我们还能做什么挽救上海话，只想说我们一起为上海话默哀吧。或许有一天，我们上海人一起为上海话立一个墓碑告诉我们的子孙，这个世界曾经有一种方言叫上海话，他是被谋杀的。

    谁在谋杀上海女人？

    “媚洋”“现实”大约是现在绝大多数人对上海女人的印象和评价。就在前些日，我一位在北京工作的总角之交于网上和我相逢，聊起近况，他告诉我要结婚了，末了也劝我尽快成家，不过最后临告别还不忘叮嘱我：“千万别找上海女人，我讨厌上海女人。”我的这位朋友其实并未来过上海，对于上海的女人我估计是认识不到一两个的，更谈不上了解了，但他对上海女人的坏印象却是如此深刻．可见，上海女人的恶名实在是传得太广。

    很多人并没有娶过上海老婆，所以他们永远无法知道，也没有发言权。其实，大部分的上海小姑娘，也就是找个和自己能力相当的小伙子，一起存钱，买房时男女两家对开承担，领到房产证后很温馨的写上两个人名字。你要是给上海老婆买个礼物，她也一定会回送你一个价值相当的礼物。所以说不要老以为上海的小姑娘都是要求很高，家里面都是卖女儿的。

    所以有心人可以去了解一下，区分一下，到底那些虚荣的，傍大款的，到底是不是上海人，不要因为你们看到这个事情在上海发生就把他们移嫁到上海无辜姑娘们的头上！大家也可以问一下那些有幸娶到上海姑娘的外地朋友们，他们对自己的妻子有多少是不满意的，记得说话凭良心。

    谁在谋杀上海男人？

    上海男人，中国男人的特殊群体，和上海女人一样，自然成为公众谈论的焦点。说起上海男人，使用频率最高的词汇无非是：小气，精明，没有男人味，怕老婆，做家务等。

    男人之间的争斗无可厚非，在文明的现代社会，这种争斗应该表现在运动场上，在这一点，上海男人算比较争气的，有很多国际知名的优秀运动员。奥运会中姚明的怒吼，刘翔的霸气，很好得释解了上海男人缺少男人气的争议。不管怎么样，打老婆的男人永远不算个优秀的男人，打老婆的举动永远都不能算做有男人气概。因为女性在身体上属于弱者，欺负弱小算什么英雄？上海男人对老婆的体贴，关怀，在大多数时间是一种风度的表现。这在西方社会更是一种文明礼貌身份的体现。在小事中的礼让，对小节的不拘一格都是大度的体现，如果老婆有什么小事情让自己不顺心，就斥之打骂的话，才是幼稚野蛮的。

    姚明，刘翔，朱广沪，马良行，为什么都是上海男人？体坛周报提出了很好的问题。以全国百分之一的人口，上海男人在体育这个领域已经做的足够好。但如果你象那个北京的金姓记者那样，以狭隘，偏执的意识形态去诠释，那么，上海做的一切都失去了意义。

    其实很多男人忘记了，柔情也是男子气概的一种。每天很早去外滩上班，在街角的绿地边上都会看到一对卖白兰花的老年夫妇，老头微微翘指捏一朵香花别在老太的衣领，眯着眼睛软软地说：“花老香格！”心不由沉溺在这“非一般豪爽”的男子气概中了。这就是小心眼，大男人。

    谁在诋毁上海排外？

    上海自开埠以来已经算是中国最开放的城市之一了，说到排外怎么也轮不到上海。 “木秀于林,风必摧之；行高于人，人必非之”。不过问到到底几个人去过上海，那些冲在最前头喊上海排外的人，有几个敢说自己去过，生活过？
香港迪斯尼乐园有专门为大陆游客递餐巾纸的“服务”，看来香港人也是排外的；国外很多国家的旅游景点都有中问标示的：“禁止随地大小便”警示标志,所以这些开放的欧美人也是排外的！弄到最后，世界上没有一个地方的人是不排外的，被“排斥”的群体还在抱怨自己如何受到歧视，却不往自己身上找找原因。
再来谈谈排外，其实排外并非上海的专利，这是一个全球性的问题。我们应该客观地看待问题。这种情况随处可见，地方性保护在各国各地都非常普遍。这本身也受我国的户籍制度的影响，将人的出生地与居住进行严格地区分。


对上海不敬的人请摸摸自己良心


曾经辉煌,鼎盛一时的上海: 四九年前的上海是什么样，有据可查，有史可证。是仅次于东京的亚洲大都市。如果你需要更感性的说法，我可以告诉你，当时，好莱坞的大片，在美上市后三天之内就会出现在上海的各大影院，此其一。其二，改革开放到今天，你能学到和看到的几乎所有现代营销和广告手法　
　　四九年后，老蒋卷走中国百分之八十的硬通货。一穷二白的国家唯有上海可倚靠。只是，这种倚靠到了令人难以置信的程度。史料记载，当时上海每年上交国家百分之九十的GDP，注意，是GDP而不是所得。这是什么概念？想象一下，有人拿走你家里百分之九十的财产，给你些米，给你些油，让你吃饱以后用剩下的百分之十的资源辛苦劳作一年，然后又拿走百分之九十，就是这个概念。八零年代初，小日本在上海街头看到已经很穷，但依然保持当年白领礼仪和潇洒风度的老克勒，不由得感叹：毕竟是上海人啊。但我们的华侨就没有这么泰然。回到破败如此的淮海路，回想当年的荣华，不由得放声大哭。四九年后，上海人在香港再创了一个远东大都市，但面对自己生养之地的沉沦，却只能洒一把辛酸泪而已。我虽没有经历过那疯狂掠夺的年代，但也有自己亲身的感受。中学时学工，去一家纺织厂参观，工厂负责人骄傲地展示工厂辉煌而久远的历史。细看庞大机器上的铭牌，上刻：1936年。它有幸没有被拿走，它依然在工作！是的，是上海人用36年产的机器养活了中国。这毫不夸张，这是活生生的事实，怎么，你没勇气正视事实吗？　
　　这样的付出没有换来一声感谢。我也不认为上海应该在乎感谢.只是，当你指责上海人谨小慎微,精打细算,小家子气的时候，请宽容一点吧。是上海这座本该继续鼎盛的城市养育这你和他,以及你的家人,多的不说,至少在三代以内,你的祖辈必定受过上海的恩惠,而现今的上海人,在承受着蜂拥而入的全国人民的蹂躏的时刻,他们只是在试图保护自己仅剩下的百分之十而已。同时，请更不要象无知疯狗那样说出诸如“十四亿中国人养活一个上海”之类的蠢话。因为，作为一个人，你可以没有感恩之心，但不能没有良心！请你调动所有的良知（如果你有的话）铭记我的话：上海人不欠这个国家任何东西。在我们这个共和国，能理直气壮地说出这句话的人，不多！
　　关于地域的自卫: 以地域划分的族群之间彼此有些隔膜和攻讦并不奇怪。据说各个州的美国人都仇视纽约人。乔丹每次到麦迪逊花园比赛都特别来劲也是这个原因。不过，在我们这个历史久远的农业国，上海人和各地族群之间的敌视还带有农业文明与现代城市文明冲突的深层意味。这种意识形态上的纷争不是短期内能够轻易弥合的.　　
　　我们还有更重要的事情去做。难道在这个国家表面繁荣的背后，你没有发现“拉美化”的阴影？（请不明白的朋友自己去搜索关键词“拉美化”）难道你没有听见郎咸平教授的警言：若干年后，我们将沦为输出钟点工的“保姆国家”？难道你不知道母狗吕秀莲的叫嚣：中国人贫穷，落后，野蛮，愚昧？
　　为什么是上海人？因为在上海，有当今中国最公平的环境。在这块土地上，人情，哥们义气不是决定因素，只有实力才能确保你在竞争中胜出。调查归国留学人员，为何不论原籍，都把上海作为落户的首选，在他们嘴里最频繁出现的词汇是：公平。
　　为什么是上海人？因为在上海，有当今中国最廉洁的政府，最高效的公务员队伍，最程式化的制度，最完善的培训体制。在这块土地上，没有那么多黑暗，没有那么多丑闻。公共资源可以被有效地利用。是人才，无论出身，都有足够的机会脱颖而出。
　　为什么是上海人？因为在上海，主流价值观的地位始终不可动摇。不好高务远，杜绝空谈，踏踏实实做事做人的宁波风格被每一个上海家庭奉为玉皋。在这块土地上，在这样的教养下，姚明，刘翔们所走的每一步都扎扎实实。
　　一个姚明，一个刘翔都只能在体育范畴内做出自己的贡献。但是，如果我们能高明一点，公平一点，睿智一点。那么我们就可以脱离地域，族群的束缚，去探究到现代文明社会的运行规范。只有这样，我们这个国家才会受益更多，前行更远。
　　

Today is a good day to spend some quality time with a loved one, Charlie. You might realize that you have been missing out on some intimacy or friendship. Set aside an evening where you can relax together and be close. Share some of your recent thoughts with them. Open up about your dreams and fears. You'll feel good if you connect from the heart and speak from your soul today.

早上打开邮箱看到上面这段每日星座（2009年3月29日周日）唯一的想法是好准，就是我要告诉你的话。

花了三十多年，数不清绕着地球跑了几圈，蓦然回首伊人竟在灯火阑珊处！（这句话全世界我是最有资格讲的，不服的找我来单挑）和你总是有说不完的话，人民广场，南京路，静安寺，淮海路，徐家汇，城隍庙...从没有人可以让我愿意这样陪着你逛街，也一点儿不觉得累；同样的口味，连我最畏惧的点菜都变得这样简单；多少次同时伸手去拿同一件饰品，同时拨打对方的手机号，和你的笑容总是最灿烂。从小看着你长大，但在你最需要的时候背起行囊孤身一人离去十几年，回来后物以全非，唯一不变的是那美丽和笑声，总是在问如果当年不走会是怎样。

大家一样对书的热爱，对人性的解读，使我在上海不再孤单，虽然每周只能见面一次，但总是掐着手指等待下一次，虽然我们不是生活在真空，有着太多太多的外在因素需要顾忌，但是我要说：有你真好！

一转眼， 2009 just right at corner, 一年就这样过去了。

前几天在开心网上看到一道投票， 若干年后提起2008年你会想起些什么？我，肯定不会说是奥运， 地震， 雪灾，股灾。。。。这一切说到底干我屁事。其实2008我是经历了不少事情， 现在最想做的就是逃， 逃得远远地和鳝丝2个人不回来， 其次就是这一年我再一次证明了我自己， 一个半月时间跑了3场马拉松，老妈-总是最怀疑我的能力的人也许是永远会这样吧，也不得不承认我的体力（注意体力而已没有别的）但是还是一再唠叨我乱花钱， 无聊， 不务正业， 不找女朋友， 不结婚。我们之间进行了许多年的战争看来不会结束。

和某位我的美女死党居然一拍即合，仓促3分钟就决定了一个2009年出逃计划并且正在付诸实施。

2007年pro se单挑美国DOJ， 2006年pro se单挑CCA。。。看来唯一能够证明自己的方法是不断做一些别人看来是疯狂的事情， nothing is impossible！！！！

2008年我了解了中国人对个人尊重的解读， 在中国服饰不是个人言论自由的一部分，在中国将自己的意志强加于人便是对你的关心， 古人云：君子之交淡如水， 可是中国人还是比较喜欢敬酒点烟。

2008我还是没有找到上海朋友，唯有我的礼拜天死人出现了。

E=MC2 and Diva

Mariah Carey爱被称为Diva，更自诩为具天赋而又麻烦的女歌手；但在已推出的第十一张个人专辑E=MC2中，她意图放下Diva包袱，放弃Ballads主攻Hip-Hop及R&B， 　　以往Diva是指Opera中的女高音；现在却用来赞许出色的「天后派」流行乐坛女歌手。Mariah Carey曾说过喜欢别人唤她做Diva：在我而言，Diva有两个意思：一是指具天赋的女歌手；二是麻烦但成功的女人，很明显我两者皆是。我认为，敢于尝试才是Diva的尊贵素质，这点Mariah Carey应该很清楚。2001年个人唱片销量大跌，紧接上映的处女作烂片Glitter再惨淡，更传出曾自杀传言。正当外界断定Mariah Carey音乐事业和其体重一样失控时，2005年她突然离开Virgin，转投Island Def Jam Records阵营，推出大碟The Emancipation of Mimi，弃掉「拿手」Ballads曲风，开拓R&B路线，结果唱片全球大卖一千万张，并赢得三项格林美音乐大奖。这令我想起另一Diva「大姐」Madonna十年前发表的革命性大碟Ray of Light，大胆进军Electronic音乐领域，为及后Non-Stop Dancing专辑Confessions on a Dance Floor，以至最近推出的全新CD4 Minutes。   　　咸鱼翻身后的Mariah Carey成功瘦身，更自言现时体态与一名十六岁美女无异，很明显Diva的自信心已全面回归。全新推出的专辑索性取名E=MC2，这条爱因斯坦的著名质能方程式的E，正是Emancipation（解脱），而二次方则代表Bigger and Better of Mariah Carey。全碟十四首歌曲只有两首较「Hero」的Ballads，其余全是Hip-Hop及R&B；Mariah Carey更参与全部歌曲的创作。值得留意的是，今次Mariah Carey找来近年创作界的女红人Cristyle共同参与创作四首作品，包括头炮Touch My Body。 　　居安且要思危，看Amy Winehouse走势凌厉，Whitney Houston计划从出江湖，英国新人Leona Lewis天才横溢，Mariah Carey要巩固其Diva地位，必须付出二次方的努力。

 

 

First, we have notice that Uncle Sam spends more on its military than all other countries in the world combined. No country does this for protection, for peace, only for aggression.

 

Yet, in the Middle East replacing dictatorships that Uncle helped foster and support, in most case the democracies coming to power hate Uncle more than the dictators they replaced. Uncle Sam went into Iraq not understanding its history or its cultures but seemed amazed that Great Britain took a land called Mesopotamia and artificially created a country it called Iraq and that its population is composed of Shiites and Sunnis and Kurds and dozens of other groups that are not known to get along with one another. But did anyone really think he would waltz in and save the Iraqis and everything would be peaceful? Matter of fact everyone knows cannot “bomb” people into a democracy, but now in Iraq Muslims going to the voting booths pass the bomb craters that took their families. Do you think the possibility of having an American-style democracy will ever make them forget who killed their husbands, wives and children?

 

Mortal Arabs simply cannot beat Uncle’s military with all American money and weapons but everyone see Sam’s businesses and Sam’s pipelines marching behind the great Uncle’s armies. Uncle says his goal is a free world. Well, Africa has more dictators than Middle East, and the genocide there is far worse, yet we see no Uncle’s tanks blasting their way through that land. But, of course, the Middle East has far more oil.

 

A country that had slaves for two hundred and fifty years and kept the black man de facto enslaved for a hundred more but call itself a free country. Over fifty year ago Iran had a democratically elected prime minister who had the effrontery to nationalize the petroleum industry. American oil companies were hardly pleased. So CIA helped overthrow the government and reinstall the puppet shah. His pathetic love of Western ways led to the Iranian revolution, and all hope of real democracy ended there. Uncle Sam played these games all over the globs, from Chile to Pakistan. The western world’s policies have led directly to the slaughter of countless millions across the world.

 

It is true that we do not agree with how Muslim women are treated in some Arab countries, and it sickens us to see grand palaces rising next to mud nuts. The Muslim world has many problems, and we need to address them. Yet is it really freedom when someone else tells you what you should be seeking? And why doesn’t it work both ways? Uncle Sam represents less than five percent of the earth’s population yet consumes one-quarter of its energy. Poor nations cannot get the energy they need, and their citizens suffer and die because Uncle takes so much. So should these countries invade the great energy dictator Uncle Sam and make it use less oil and gas? Would Uncle like it?

 

For every American killed, hundreds of Arabs die. Arab suicide bombers are now slaughtering their brethren by the thousands. The Western press is fixated on suicide bombers killing themselves so that they can enter paradise. But God says that to save lives is a great thing. To save one life is to save many, why have to be slaughtered to enter paradise? Why can’t Muslims enjoy a peaceful life on earth, believe in God and serve him and enter paradise that way?

 

Thus, Uncle Sam is asking the impossible and he knows that. Before the 1970s’ energy crisis him did not care about the Middle East, other than the Arab versus Israeli issue. Then 9/11 happened and he attacked the Taliban. Nobody have issue with that and in his place everyone would have done the same thing. Yet the goal him seek now, turning the entire Middle East into a democracy overnight, is madness. Uncle is asking them to do in years what it took him centuries to accomplish. And it is not simply a question of Islam against the West. For thousands of years Arab nations developed customs and culture inextricably tied to a desert climate with few natural resources, often with the law of the tribe as their base, and the men as their leaders. For a very long time Uncle had no problem with that. And now him do, of course and thus, according to him, the Muslims must change, immediately, even so far a hundred thousands Iraqis and his own children have died and the world is in chaos.

用那张美国签发的国际驾照在上海半无证驾驶了将近1年，迫于怕夜路走多了总会遇上鬼被警察叔叔抓，加上婆婆妈妈三姑六姨阿姨婶婶七爷八爷大伯小叔的唠叨，前几天终于拿到了我的第一张祖国驾照。但看着我大头像并印有“中华人民共和国”的驾照，心中只有2个字：郁闷。

                               

16年前申请第一张加州驾照，先去DMV排3小时的队，领表填表交钱拿了英文考题回家慢慢背，因为是外国人，加背100题的交通标记！妈妈的摆明了种族歧视。1周后回去再排3个钟的队考试通过拿到学习证，够资格去付6张印有Benjamin Franklin死人脸的绿纸请个驾驶教练上路学车。路考通过，麻烦老大您再回去慢慢排队拍照按指印交钱等3个礼拜正式驾照会寄到府上。如果你有外国驾照？对不起，一切重来，他们美国人怎样拿新驾照的您得照规矩来。接下来每4年换照，DMV是出了名的耐心训练营，老白，老黑，老中，老墨（拉美裔），包头包脸看似自杀炸弹客的…全世界各民族大家一起排排站享受加州阳光。

 

相比之下我的祖国不愧为泱泱大国礼仪之邦，楼下中国公民人山人海汗流浃背好坏还有个折叠椅坐坐等着叫号，人人都付了差不多5000主席像来排队，过不过还得看警察叔叔/阿姨的心情。楼上境外换证凉风习习，真皮沙发茶水伺候，三位警官笑容可掬恭敬有加，一条龙服务拍照体检30分钟搞定。考题100道中英文齐全连排列顺序都和正式考试一模一样，这次不行还有下次，反正外国朋友是不用付考试费的。路考就不用了，您不是有外国驾照了吗，您的国家靠左开靠右开有没有见过高速公路懂不懂中文来中国之前是不是赶骡车的一概不要紧，最重要的您是老外就行。还有，外国朋友打个折照相费体检费再加55RMB当场就可以拿中国驾照了，欢迎来上海工作生活（这句话是从考题上抄来的）。

 

在中国当老外真爽啊，爽到连我这个假老外都可以省下钱去买小龙虾吃。你没看到越来越多的老外呆在上海乐不思蜀，优哉游哉，宾至如归这句成语发挥到淋漓尽致。

 

一天傍晚牧羊人把羊往回赶，发现几只野山羊混在羊群里，不声不响一起赶回来关进羊圈，家花不如野花香，野羊总比家羊好。牧羊人特别厚待这几只野山羊，喂它们精制饲料独立羊栏，而对家羊就给些刚够充饥的草料而已。算盘打得当当响，这几只野羊收服驯化，白白多得几只羊，多爽。过了几天，牧羊人又把羊群带去牧场吃草，到了山上野山羊们头也不回的跑走了。妈妈的你忘恩负义，吃我用我住我说走就走（好像许多好色男人都有这种经历）。

 

野山羊回头笑笑：正因为如此我们才要离开你，你连自己家里的羊都不顾来厚待我们，那以后再有新的来，你岂不是马上把我们踢开？

究竟何为人情世故？明朝诗人杨基在《闻蝉》中写道：“人情世故看烂熟，皎不如污恭胜傲。”南怀瑾先生对于“人情世故”的理解却有着更深刻的寓意：不是简单的圆滑处世，不是假意的虚伪逢迎，不是单纯的屈服于现实，而是真正懂得生活的意义，安详地走完自己的人生。

 

子曰:吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。

 

法国有一位年逾古稀的老人生命垂危，临终前牧师来到他的身旁。老人告诉牧师，他年轻时很喜欢音乐，曾经和著名的音乐家卡拉扬一起吹过小号，而他当时的成绩远在卡拉扬之上，老师也非常看好他。可惜二十岁那年他又迷上赛马，结果把音乐荒废了，否则他一定是一位出色的音乐家。现在生命快结束了，反思一生碌碌无为，非常遗憾。老人告诉牧师，如果到了另一个世界后，可以选择，他决不会再干这总傻事。这位牧师就是著名的法国纳德.兰塞姆，这次的临终忏悔对他也深有启发。在牧师位于圣保罗大教堂的墓碑上刻着：假如时光可以倒流，世界上将有一半人可以成为伟人。

 

人总是越老越懂得人情世故，越老越能体会人生，如果人们可以将临终反思提前五十年，四十年，三十年，那么这世界上会有一半的人能够更好的规划自己的人生。只可惜，虽然人们在生活中不断积累做人做事的经验，却不是每个人都把人生经验充分运用到后续的人生经程中去。人们常常感叹时光飞逝，岁月蹉跎，却又不知道自己在生活中到底得到了什么，又失去了什么。

 

自本自根，自己在生活中所发掘到的含义，不要等到青丝变白发才开始悔悟人生。在浓缩的人生经历中思考生命的真谛，不断丰富生命的内涵，在人生的积淀中寻找生命的意义。

 

    

 

Yesterday was 清明节, but none of ya suckers visited my grave yard with some flowers, MFKs.........

 anyhow here is the address again:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

United States v. Nixon U.S. 683 (1974)

A climactic incident in a dramatic event in U.S. history – the only case of a president being driven out of office in disgrace – the decision of this case also a major constitutional landmark. It established the conditional nature of presidential immunity and in turn, may have affected the later decisions. Above all, it reined in extravagant assertions of President Richard Nixon’s lawyers, who claimed presidential power to be unlimited especially as to foreign and defense matters, and defined solely by a president’s own judgment. In forcefully refuting such claims and proclaiming that no one is above the law, Chief Justice Warren Burger’s opinion nevertheless twice quoted to the effect that presidential accountability to the legal order does not mean courts may proceed with the president as with any other citizen,. Burger also enunciated a strong presumption of executive immunity and privilege.

The background of the case is the stuff of which books, novels, and movies are (and were) made. In 1972, burglars were discovered breaking into the Democratic campaign headquarters in Washington’s Watergate apartment/hotel complex. It gradually emerged that the burglars eventually involved President Nixon, though it was never established with who authority for the break-in ultimately rested not why the act had been committed.

The effort to sweep matter under the rug generated complex further maneuvers, many involving payments of money to keep the arrested burglars from talking. The proliferation of illegal activity created new rumors and investigations. The courts, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Congress all conducted investigations, and the media pursued the case thoroughly. Lower level Nixon aides. Many of whom ultimately went to jail, cooperated in order to minimize their sentences. There were flat discrepancies between their testimony and statements of the president. To quiet criticism, Nixon and Attorney General Eliot Richardson set up a special prosecutor’s office with a promise of independence. Archibald Cox, who had been solicitor general under President John F. Kennedy, agreed to serve.

Congressional hearings established that Nixon had installed a voice-activated tape recorder inhis office, and, armed with this knowledge along with White House appointment records, the special prosecutor sought to obtain certain tapes that he thought would establish the truthfulness or falsity of the president’s statements and the testimony of his aides, especially his legal counsel John Dean.

The president ordered Cox to desist, and, when he refused, ordered the attorney general and his deputy resigned rather than obey, but on their advice Solicitor General Robert Bork (who had not been a party to the original agreement) did the president’s bidding as acting attorney general.

The public outcry was so great, however, that a new special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, was appointed; Jaworski reinstated the request for tapes. Federal District Court Judge John Sirica then issued a subpoena to the president, demanding that he produce the tapes.

In the Supreme Court, Nixon’s attorneys argued that the matter was nonjusticiable. They reasoned that it was a dispute among departments within the executive branch and that, as such, it was a matter to be resolved by the president, not by the courts; they compared the dispute to one between congressional committees, which would be resolved by Congress without judicial interference. The Court rejected this argument, noting that Bork’s agreement with Jaworski had, in fact, included consultation with Congress. The decision also relied on cases such as Peters v. Hobby (1955) and United States ex rel. Accardi v. Shaughnessy (1953), which had made clear tht executive regulations that were thoroughly repeatable nonetheless had legal effect and created rights enforceable in court so long as they were still in effect. The Court’s agreement with the special prosecutor thus gave him authority to proceed. The courts had assumed in prior decisions on congressional immunity that they, and not Congress, defined its boundaries, and were in parallel fashion the appropriate forum as to the executive’s prerogatives.

On the basic questions of executive immunity and privilege the Supreme Court held that the president was entitled to great deference, especially in matters of defense and national security, and that all presumptions were in his favor. But the prosecutor had particularized and precisely stated needs for specific tapes, both with respect to credibility of witnesses and for establishing the alleged crime. In addition, Nixon’s claim of confidentiality had already been weakened by his release of the partial contents of the subpoenaed tapes and others.

At odds, then, were the enfeebled and diffuse claims of the executive branch versus the specific claims of the justice system in prosecuting a criminal case.

Supreme Court’s opinion emphasized throughout the need for deference and accommodation and cautioned that courts must not take lightly the presumptions protecting the privilege and immunity of the president. Nonetheless, it unequivocably rendered such privileges conditional, dependent on circumstances. Nixon was ordered to give up the tapes, which, it turned out, contained the “smoking gun” linking him to the conspiracy to obstruct justice. Less than three weeks later, he resigned from the office.