Plain Vanilla Tort

One Bar with a Very High Cover Charge

2007-07-12T02:32:00.000-04:00

I would like to see a detailed accounting of why exactly the fees are so high. That's all.

Practical Technology: Microsoft's New ... Table?

2007-05-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

At the Movies
Ok, first of all, I love to see Hollywood's predictions borne out in reality-especially when it comes to cool gadgets. Do you remember Spielberg's futura noir adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story entitled "Minority Report"? You know, the one where Tom Cruise's character (Precrime Chief Jon Anderton) manipulates images, video, and text with his special gloves on a gigantic screen?

Well, Microsoft (MSFT) has a few tricks up its sleeve- and you don't even have to wear special gloves! Bill Gate's recent appearance on the Today show debuting Microsoft's "Surface" demonstrated the technical wizardry that is taking the fiction out of science fiction. Gates demonstrated how restaurants and "other retail partners" may soon be filling orders by touching the screen and selecting a dish, drinks, or desserts and sending them out to order. Ok, we see touchscreens all the time in restaurants now, so what's the big deal?

Well, jaded reader, how about the ability for customers to pay their bills by putting their credit cards (probably modified from today's standard issue plastic) on the screen's surface and dragging over icons of what they ordered to the appropriate credit card? No more awkward exchanges over who'll pick up the check and no more crazy mathematical schemes (hey, anything that saves me having to use my phone's tictacs keys to enter numbers into a tiny calculator is welcome in my book)! Plus, the waitstaff could likely benefit from newfound tactile payment applications, since Surface automatically calculates the tip for your party, making the generosity of a bar or restaurant's patrons easier to manifest.

Photos: Easy as 1, 2, 3
Another neat trick is the apparent ability for anyone to use a wifi-enabled camera to directly transfer photos to the computer via touchscreen. Gates 1) snapped a picture, 2) placed the camera down on the touchscreen surface, and 3) automatically had the touchscreen's computer display, copy, or move the pictures onto the touchscreen. Not too technically impressive (you can accomplish the same thing by merely having a button on the wifi-enabled camera send the pictures over to a regular wifi-enabled PC nowadays), but visually impressive and a definite step in the right direction for tech-challenged folks (here's looking at you, Dad).

Surface's behavior closely mimicks how one would flip through photos on a real table. Flipping through photos onscreen simply means dragging photos with a finger, sliding one on top of another, or moving a whole pile at a time. This behavior has been displayed previously, but only in technology demos.

Follow the Leaders
Microsoft isn't the only one trying to come up with new ways for us to poke and prod our data, however. In the late 90's, Sony (SNE) demonstrated a more primitive version of a touchscreen interface with clear plastic blocks colored by the receptacle on a touchscreen computer, but I haven't seen anything from Sony in this field for a while. Apple Inc's (AAPL) iPhone, due out in late June 2007, has been heralded as a major advancement in how we interact with our little electronic helpers. Users of both Microsoft's touchscreen table and Apple's iPhone have the ability resize a picture by pinching or otherwise manipulating a picture to resize it. Prada's phone and its ilk have ramped up efforts to steal Apple's thunder with similar products, but it remains to be seen if touchscreens (which have been with us for a while) will be a staying force in computer design or a passing fancy.

Any early-adopter who remembers the dominance of the PDA and its heyday in the 90s probably forgot where they put theirs after that old Palm lost its sparkle. I still have mine, but that's another story... Outside of medical school and some industries requiring vertical computing, PDAs have slowly been replaced by smartphones.

Fad, Flop, or the Future?
Only time will tell if Microsoft can predict the public's taste for this piece of technology enabled furniture. Well, that and your wallet's appreciation for a major diet- the table currently runs around $10,000. Oh, and you probably don't want to spill any of your latte on it. After all, this ain't your grandfather's coffeetable.

See it for yourself: Link

Officer assaulted with colostomy bag

2007-01-31T23:15:00.000-05:00

CLASSIC. Wow.

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2007, 11:16 a.m.
By Georgia Pabst

A teenager stopped by a police officer at the Grand Avenue Mall as a suspected truant became disruptive and threw his colostomy bag at the officer, department spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said this morning.

The officer was responding to a truancy complaint at the downtown mall Monday at 1:17 p.m. and stopped the youth, who refused to tell the officer his name or age, she said. The suspect then became disruptive and threw his colostomy bag containing bodily waste at the officer.

A colostomy bag is a worn outside the stomach to collect feces, generally following colon surgery. Schwartz said the assault is considered an "injury to an officer" because of the potential harm from contamination.

Better Ship These...

2006-12-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

Capitalizing on the Bomberman craze, a toy company is offering plushies of the iconic bombs.

Christmas Over There

2006-12-22T10:23:00.000-05:00

No matter what you think or feel about the War in Iraq, sometimes it helps to read what our military thinks.

This Washington Post article has some good links to other military blogs.

The poem below is courtesy of BlackFive.net (who lists the contributor) and the mp3 is courtesy of WLIT.com.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY FRIEND
‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I’d seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I’d heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps.”

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night’s chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.

And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.
I didn’t want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.

But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said “Carry on, Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all secure.”
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

©Copyright circa 1991 by James M. Schmidt(As printers in the December 1991 issue of the USMC magazine, Leatherneck)

The same poem set to music: http://fvk.squarespace.com/blog/2006/12/20/merry-christmas-my-friend.html.

How Professors Grade Exams

2006-12-18T00:49:00.000-05:00

I always suspected as much... :)

Here: http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/12/a_guide_to_grad.html

CNN is Stupid, Big Surprise...

2006-12-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

I found this "story" on Barack Obama to be ridiculous. CNN decided to analyze the Illinois Senator's business casual dress (suit jacket sans tie) and, after a brief history on presidential wear (including Kennedy, Nixon, Reagan, G. W. Bush, and Kerry), came to the conclusion that since Obama and Iranian dictator Mahmoud Amadinejad dress similarly, Obama might have difficulty winning the Democratic nomination for the presidency. Oh yeah, and his name "sounds like Osama" and his middle name is "Hussein."

Obviously no one at CNN considered the fact that Hussein is a very common name and that business casual favored by Obama is worn by many men around the world. Not many of those men are running for president, but CNN's story makes as much sense as saying that John McCain doesn't have a shot at the presidency because he has two eyes - just like *GASP* North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il does! Dun DUN DUN!

Classic guilt by association. No wonder the number of people who watch network TV news is falling.

Surfing... In CLEVELAND?

2006-12-10T22:20:00.000-05:00

Yeah, you read that right. What kind of madness would possess a person to brave 20 degree weather, hypothermia, raw sewage, and "and beaches littered with used condoms and syringes"? The kind that apparently inspires you to quit your job as a lawyer and ride the freshwater waves, of course!

Read the article here.

Wow.

Election Wrapup

2006-11-08T19:36:00.000-05:00

Concise and insightful.

For Whom the Ballots Poll

2006-11-08T00:59:00.000-05:00

"Change is good."

When voters view the current leadership with impatience, disgust, or anger, it is easy to turn out current leaders on their collective ears and replace them with new leaders. Whether a legitimate reaction or not, the loss of current Republican leaders like Senator Rick Santorum, (R) Pennsylvania, and Mike DeWine, (R) Ohio, means that Republicans cannot simply continue to inject "terrorist" and the necessity of the Iraq war and expect to win. However, it is impossible to ignore several disheartening and politically damaging developments leading up to the midterm elections.

The Foley Scandal. An October nightmare removed an otherwise popular, charismatic and seemingly upwardly mobile Floridian Congressman out of the running and threw the Republican damage control operations into high gear. Foley's disgusting and illegal conduct, apparently unchallenged by the leadership of a party supposedly dedicated to conservative and family values, hit the vital conservative electorate below the Bible belt. Was the scandal merely an "inside the Beltway" flap that didn't distract Florida voters? Whether or not this scandal affected voter turnout remains to be seen. However, for many who counted on their party leaders to enforce the values of the so-called "Moral Majority," it might have been enough to further dampen the fires of Republican support and further cast doubt on the party's ability to lead and clean its own House.

Corruption. Speaking of cleaning the House, the damage done by Jack Abramoff is likely still fresh on the minds of voters, though it is difficult to gauge which voters were affected more by the corruption. No doubt the guilty pleas of Robert W. Ney, a Republican Congressman from Ohio, to conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Abramoff scandal galvanized Ohio Democrats who sought to make Ohio the 2006 vanguard for a 2008 referendum on Republicans. Thus far, it seems that the issue of corruption is a key one, as CNN's exit poll estimates show that at least 42% of voters did indeed care about corruption as a national issue, followed by terrorism at 40%, the economy at 39%, and Iraq at 37%. Indeed, a CNN news story
reported that corruption was the number one issue this election.

Democrats, however, are themselves not immune from charges of corruption. Republican strategists will likely fire back and remind America of the antics of Democratic Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson, who gave new meaning to the phrase "cold cash" when he chose to store $90,000 of alleged bribe money in his freezer. Jefferson is currently under investigation for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribe money to help a small technology company win federal contracts and to help it with business deals in Africa, according to court documents cited by the Washington Post.

The Iraq War. An issue that needs no introduction, Democrats have trumpeted the administration's troubles in securing peace and stability in the Middle East. The Shiite-Sunni provocations, unresolved (and uncontrolled) tribal tensions, the daily deaths of America's bravest, and the lack of a firm timeline for progress in Iraq has proven to be an albatross of sorts for President Bush and his administration. The issues are very complex and have taxed both political minds and military planners. With several high-ranking officers airing their criticisms of the Administration's handling of the war effort and the President's depressed public approval ratings, Democrats who have voiced their opposition to the war and to the President's policies are riding high. Voters seem to be more willing to invite alternative views to the situation in Iraq in the hopes that newly elected challengers will invite a quicker resolution.

However, one wonders how, despite the higher than usual turnout for a midterm election, Republicans were not more successful in forcing Democrats to articulate their plans for turning around U.S. efforts in Iraq. It is one thing for candidates to say they are running to ensure new direction, fresh perspective, and fewer deaths in Iraq. It is quite another to tell the American people how they will accomplish that.

For diehard Republicans, Democrats in leadership mean backing down against the threat of terrorism. The party line "better to fight terrorists in Baghdad than in New York" resonates, and the spectre of a Democratic Congress means that America's military footing will be reduced. Many conservative commentators like Laura Ingram have elicited examples of Democrats denigrating military service personnel, while Democrats with war records like 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry respond that their wartime service confirms their unimpeachable support of the military. However, even war-weary Republicans who now seek a withdrawal from Iraq and wary Democrats condemned Mr. Kerry's "badly formed joke" which perhaps was a bit too telling of his real opinions.

Democrats seem to be faring well and have utilized the criticism of failures in Iraq (and the public's growing discontent with the seemingly stalled progress) to ride the tide to control of the House.

The Economy. Surprisingly, this time it wasn't "the economy, stupid." Reports put together by people smarter than I am have indicated that although the national economy is not all that bad for business, the growing deficit (overseen by a Republican president and Congress) and growing joblessness (and the lack of new job creation) have added to Republican woes.

In sum, these issues seemed to weigh heavily on voters' minds as they headed to the ballot box. CNN's William Schneider reported that national issues outweighed local issues by 62% to 33%. Will the Democrat's regaining control of the House from Republicans mean victory in 2008? Time will tell. Yet Republicans can be hopeful that the stinging defeat of several of their veterans may result in firing up their base, refocusing the party's direction, and holding Congressional Republicans' feet to the fire on issues such as fiscal discipline and anti-corruption measures.

The Bad and the Ugly

From the Gateway Pundit: "The US Attorney's office in Newark has sent monitors to two locations following a complaint from the Republican State Commitee that some voters went into the voting booth and discovered that Democratic candidates had been pre-selected on the machine. The complaints involve Patterson, Old Bridge, Scotts Plains and Camden. Civil Rights prosecutors have gathered affidavits from some voters who claim this occurred and now those officials are trying to replicate the problem. The DOJ is not identifying which locations the monitors are visiting."
ACORN tries to plant rotten ballots. All is not well in the "Show Me" State. Kansas City, Missouri, was the epicenter of yet another attempt at voter fraud by employees of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. "Investigators said about 35,000 questionable registration forms for new voters were collected by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a group that works to improve minority and low-income communities." Link. There are also allegations that somehow Claire McCaskill, Democrat running against Republican Jim Talent for Missouri Senator, is tied to the ACORN fraud.
Deceptive phone calls intended to misdirect voters to incorrect precinct locations in New Mexico and Ohio.
Electronic voting machine smashed by an Allentown, Pennsylvania voter. Guess he wanted to see if the Diebold machine was diehard...
Lies, damned lies. Missouri Democratic Senatorial candidate Claire McCaskill pulled the ads, nay propaganda, put out by Josh Lansdale after his lies about delays in receiving medical care for injuries supposedly sustained while on duty in Iraq. A cloud of suspicion surrounded his allegations and his help was not wanted by the McCaskill campaign. Reports indicate that his injuries turned out to be a "busted ankle from an intense volleyball match. " Josh blamed Senator Talent for waits he endured at a VA Hospital. When asked, however, to justify those claims with appointment records, Josh became indignant and disappeared." Link.

Firsts

Democrats regain control of the House, making Nancy Pelosi the first female Speaker of the House.
Minnesota voters elected Keith Ellison, a 43 year old lawyer, state representative and a black Democrat as the first Muslim in Congress. Link.

Overall
John Podhoretz made an insightful observation. Despite the results of the election, more people voted in this midterm election than in any in recent memory.

Get a Mac Look, for a Fraction of the Price

2006-10-04T19:24:00.000-04:00

If you're tired of the default blue and green, Fisher-Price toys look of Windows XP and long for the sleek, titanium look for Tiger OSX, check out http://osx.portraitofakite.com. It's a safe, stable conversion of the Windows environment and is easy to install and configure. FlyaKite OSX changes control panel icons, desktop icons, folder icons, and adds the unique spinning color wheel to replace the staid hourglass animation - and a whole lot more.

It changes the window borders and startup screen for your PC.

And guess what? It's free!

Consent?

2006-09-02T05:21:00.000-04:00

Hilarious take on, uh, interpersonal relations. Great acting, brilliant idea.
http://www.videosift.com/story.php?id=9066

Nitpicks:
"Judah" should have said "Of course not" in response to "Penny's" question "Do you mind if I have my lawyer look at this?"

If You Think You Had a Bad Day...

2006-08-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

We've all heard of iPods being personal music companions, sources of pride and murder weapons but now one individual has been detained by Canadian Royal Mounted Police as a potential threat to national security.

A computer game player recounted his harrowing tale when his iPod, which was accidentally dropped into an airplane lavatory, was mistaken as a security threat. Interesting read, especially when security officials play fast and loose with the law. I guess there is no Miranda equivalent in Canada...

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/city/story.html?id=13eeb9ec-bc82-41dd-8a6d-9072db1688e4
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2006/08/16/1758016-sun.html
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=1c0072fe-4d98-44e4-8414-652f83e27868
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/serving_ottawa/media_room/news.cfm?nr_id=3383

A Good Idea

2006-08-25T23:06:00.000-04:00

Pay it forward in cafe format. You don't pay your bill because someone else has! You get to pay the bill of someone in the future. An interesting social experiment...

http://www.laist.com/archives/2006/07/14/seva_cafe_launches_in_long_beach.php

Monc Blanc pen in 12 easy steps

2006-07-13T20:48:00.000-04:00

Perfect project for poor law students trying to make it in the world but who still need pens.

Quotable: "If you don't have a five year old, make your own. This may take a while."

Blizzard: Get Your Game On(line)!

2006-01-24T22:05:00.000-05:00

This is the first column in a new series on the electronic media industry. I hope you enjoy it.

Blizzard Announces the Opening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj: Chaos Ensues

What happens when software becomes inoperable? More specifically, what happens when millions of people depend on your software and suddenly cannot use it?

Like a pebble dropped in a pond teeming with life, a single ripple may disturb the lives of some pond denizens. However, a cannonball would likely draw the attention of the entire pond. So it is with successful software companies. Blizzard Entertainment ("Blizzard"), a software publisher and developer with a sterling reputation for creating computer games which have captivated the imagination (and productive hours) of many devotees worldwide, has drawn the ire of its fans for recent connection problems with its massively multiplayer online roleplaying game ("MMORPG") entitled World of Warcraft ("WoW"). Prospective adventurers log onto a series of servers where they may create a character and explore the online world with their fellow players. As a MMORPG with the largest subscriber base, however, the technological challenge of maintaining all those WoW servers can be quite daunting. Server up-time has unfortunately been a spectre which has haunted the WoW team at Blizzard from the day of WoW's release and users have been seeking the help of technical support more than with past titles.

And with good reason. With monthly fees which range from $17.99 for one month's play to approximately $77 for a 6 month period, downtime is something which is often unacceptable to hard-core gamers or those who would simply like to escape reality after a hard day's work. To both parties, the long wait times or outages have exiled gamers from the World of Warcraft and prevented them from enjoying the fruit of their hard-earned hours invested into creating personalized WoW characters and all their attendant loot.

The high degree of social interaction between players from all over the world has contributed to WoW's success, but frequent outages have splintered these social networks and disturbed nightly, daily, or weekly rituals of behavior. Communication with online friends, sometimes known only by their online avatars, is broken. The technological problems associated with maintaining a complex system like the WoW infrastructure rear their ugly heads and once again highlight the tenuous nature of modern digital social networks.

So is Blizzard a victim of its own success? One may argue that the sheer number of users attempting to access the services provided by Blizzard at one time creates an unsolvable problem in determining how much capacity (bandwidth, servers, or storage space) a company can reasonably be expected to meet. However, past experiences with Blizzard products may illustrate a pattern of not meeting user expectations or worse, failing to plan for remedies when those expectations are eventually dashed.

Blizzard games have historically been immensely popular. From the real-time strategy ("RTS") genre that spawn WoW, Blizzard's "Warcraft" series (and to a lesser extent its "Starcraft" series) have influenced the game industry in different ways. While some may argue that Blizzard's designers merely took existing game elements or conventions and refined them, others argue that Blizzard has truly innovated in an industry infamous for its surprisingly conservative approach to market reactions in game development. The tired model of taking what is hot and replicating it ad nauseum is a trend too often seen in the entertainment software market (think of the number of "Tycoon" games you have seen loitering in the bargain bin, or worse yet the number of $17.99 budget first person shooter ("FPS") games you have seen).

Take Blizzard's Diablo series, an incarnation of the Role-Playing Game ("RPG") designed more for action than strategy. It had (and still has) a loyal following of users who like the hack 'n slash type of gameplay offered. Yet it, like its Warcraft and Starcraft cousins, also had problems with connection difficulties, though none as serious or large-scale as Wow's. All of these games have garnered loyal players and have been immensely popular. But do sheer numbers alone explain the lack of server capacity?

I don't think so. Innovation and content creation always take a back seat to maintenance and continued enjoyment of existing resources. If Blizzard isn't willing to recognize the necessity of fixing existing problems, then it will face player apathy when it essentially asks players to pony up for the same connection problems with new content. Given the choice, why should users pay for the same problems with a new face rather than tough it out with the old problems?

Blizzard's Battle.net service is free for most of its games, although access to it is required under WoW. Blizzard's introduction of Battle.net as a free service for connecting users looking for multiplayer action was helpful in generating goodwill among players at a time when other game companies decided to charge for similar services. Yet, that goodwill tends to sour when users paying for access cannot do so on a regular bastis.

What Blizzard does in the next few months, indeed the next few weeks, is critical to the continuing success of its Warcraft franchise. Blizzard has announced the imminent release of an expansion pack with new content, a new playable race (the Blood Elves), and new adventures for those wanting to inject your more playability into their lives. However, the recent string of troubles with server stability and connection woes experienced by many users may slow sales of a promising offering. Blizzard ought to make a commitment to stabilizing its current WoW infrastructure and cementing that commitment with regular, live, updates on the status of the servers. The prospect of losing paying players to its competitors (such as ArenaNet's GuildWars, which is free to play online after an initial purchase of the software) would undercut Blizzard's future abilities to offer new content (one of the main justifications for its monthly fees) and reduce the vibrancy of its online world through the loss of its most essential resource: the gamers. Here's hoping that the journey to the World of Warcraft will be a smoother ride for all.

Grade Wars, A New Hope

2006-01-17T15:47:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: So I finally checked my mail folder and saw my CORE grade. I just about ripped it in half right then and there. I was on a break from class (one hour to go) and couldn't go home to yell at my apartment walls. In short, nuclear meltdowns have been more tame. Though my experience isn't unique at all, as in copyright law, novelty isn't required for substantive protection.

So it's the first day of my third semester in law school. I've structured my schedule around courses that will help me write my Note (capital for respect for the agony and pain I will be enduring). According to my Focused Problem Solving ("FPS") class (not "First Person Shooter", although that would be much more amendable to me), this deductive reasoning is a schema to frame the problem that may be solutions-based. Whatever. I thought I left psychology behind in undergrad. Still, theoretically, I can accept the value of understanding how one approaches a problem may help in future problem solving.

I'm taking a class on the law of the music industry and the professor is a practicing lawyer who has written songs for various bands, including Don Isley (Isley Brothers). I have not a clue who these people are but it sounds impressive.

I hope the rest of my classes are as promising as this one is.

BA =

2006-01-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

Below Average. That's what happens when you don't have enough time to answer the third (and unfortunately for me) MOST IMPORTANT question on the exam. Oh, and by the way, I actually knew more for the material on the third question than for anything else in the class. But it doesn't make a difference, cause I am bringing up the rear of the class. Everyone else in my class? If you see me, thank me. I'm helping you out, in my small and insignificant way.

Screw law school.

Time Travel Exists! (At least on TV...)

2006-01-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

From the Amusing Transposition Error Department:

Hmmm, I think this is the first time a major network television DVD set has been released in the past. I wonder if the citizens from 1969 will understand the humor...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005JOVD/ref=lww_mov_4/104-3421385-2534329?n=130

Four Kings (2006)
Starring: Seth Green, Josh Cooke

Availability: This title will be released on December 31, 1969. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives.

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T00:18:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Drive safe!

Hilarity

2005-10-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, it's best to keep things simple. If you've ever had to juggle multiple responsibilities before you know it's easy for things to get out of hand. Well, some people invest in expensive PDA's but if you're just starting out, this gentleman has a very thorough review of an affordable start unit. Just click here.

On the Importance of Sleep

2005-10-19T08:43:00.000-04:00

Being sick isn't fun. Especially if it falls on a day with classes and other things schedules. So get some sleep. Or else your body will will make you.

Playtime at the airport

2005-10-13T01:02:00.000-04:00

Surreal humor. The airport screening playset from the eyes of the elders.

http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2005/10/the_airline_scr.html

News Flash

2005-09-26T19:22:00.000-04:00

Maybe he was a Democrat...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050926/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/bulletproof_vests

Wow. Those game designers at EA must have done some crazy research.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1577753,00.html

Is there an eBay auction for a time machine?

2005-09-26T11:15:00.000-04:00

Whew. It's true. The second year they really do work you to death. Now, I'm certainly not the busiest law student in the world, but I certainly feel the pinch. Were there a way to get a time machine, it would really be nice.

Hmmm.... maybe I can save five minutes by not finishing this bl...

Disappointment tastes like ash

2005-09-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. What do you do when life throws you a left hook, followed by a hard right, and finished with a haymaker? Because that's the question I'm contemplating now.

My teammate J and I mutually decided to resign from the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition. We had been working intensively on our brief the majority of our waking hours for the last 2 weeks and were supposed to have serviced the brief on our opponents today. We had sacrificed our other responsibilities to make this work, but we came up short. I just fired off an email to our opponents (who were very gracious by the way) informing them of our withdrawal. Defeat looms large in the face of the fallen.

Yes, this small setback seems insignificant next to the larger devastation left by Katrina. People who lost everything, including their family members, homes, personal effects- their entire life- and here I am writing on my blog about my little disappointments. And I was humbled when I heard last night that one of my non-law-school acquaintances was diagnosed with cancer. Wow. Hearing that is enough to put nearly anyone's problems into perspective.

Of course, one shouldn't dismiss the core validity of one's own problems simply because one's problems aren't as large as someone else's. But at the sametime, I think there's room for empathy, compassion, love, and service at the same time as one's own feelings of disappointment, and yes, failure. Just spend less time looking at your own problems and more time helping others with theirs.

Eh, I'm starting to ramble from sleep deprivation. I guess I'll see you next year, Tom.

Rest in Peace, Chief Justice Rehnquist (1925-2005)

2005-09-03T23:55:00.000-04:00

Farewell to a man who represented an era, and presided over a historic term full of controversial decisions reflecting the shaping of the law and culture.

I fear Chief Justice Rehnquist's passing precedes more controversy, strife among the political parties, and division in this country. The black robes fall to another, but who can say who that will be? Republicans will most likely try to appoint moderate or conservative justices to preserve a conservative Supreme Court for the next few decades. Democrats and their allies will staunchly oppose this effort, trying to preserve Roe v. Wade and the trend toward judicial deference to international sources of law in application to the law of the United States.

While this marks the end of Chief Justice Rehnquist's esteemed career, this is only the beginning for attorneys, professors, law students, and the American public.

One can only guess what challenges lie ahead. I only pray that our leaders respect the memory of the Founders' vision of the Court and adhere to it.

Dear 1L

2005-08-30T23:30:00.000-04:00

So you've made it this far. You're actually going to law school. Congratulations. Welcome.

Orientation is over (thank God) and you just want to cut your teeth on your first classes. What's a tort? Where is my contracts class? Can I print wirelessly from my laptop? And what's up with the library?

Yes, these questions and many more will be asked and answered throughout your first semester at law school. I'm sure you have many other questions and more important things to do with your rapidly diminishing time, but I welcome you to read the following suggestions from someone who has laughed, cried, and endured his first year at law school. Besides, leisure reading is good for you!

12 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE GOING TO LAW SCHOOL
1. Study aids are your friend- especially Examples and Explanations.
2. Study groups are your friend- but only if you are actually doing something besides watching the person typing out the outline. Find out if study groups work for you; even meeting once a week is good for moral support as long as it doesn't degenerate into self-doubt.
3. Professors have offices for a reason- go see your professors (or email them) every time you have a question that you've pondered and cannot get an answer to. Besides, it'll be helpful for you when you ace that class and need a letter of recommendation for your summer job search.
4. The lockers at Case can hold more than you think. Try to do a lot of your work at school and maybe you can save yourself from having to read a ton at home. Your aching back will thank you for it.
5. The printers are set by default for double-sided printing to save paper. I'm all for preserving our natural resources and maximizing efficiency, but sometimes double-sided printing doesn't work for what you want to print. Remember to set it to print single-sided if you need this functionality.
6. Since we're talking about computers, I thought I would say a few kind words about the Case Law IT Department. Every one of them is excellent- treat them with respect and try to inject some humor into your exchanges with them. They are your allies because they are professional, knowledgeable, and can fix darn near any problem you can throw at them. My IBM Thinkpad T42 had several problems (mostly software) that they spotted and fixed. That was above and beyond the call of duty since they primarily service Dells.
7. Meet your classmates- and make friends. There is no better group (and no worse if you are on the outside looking in) to look to for support and mutual aid during finals week and throughout the semester. You will forge partnerships and friendships tempered by the rigors of law school- don't miss out on opportunities to do so. You will be glad you did.
8. Believe half of what you see and a third of what you hear. It's true- law school = high school. Don't assume anything about anyone; don't gossip about anyone, despite the temptation and despite a recent article on it. It will get back to you.
9. CORE is more useful than you may think. Just take it for what it is: a class to better your writing and a foundation for what you will be doing for the rest of your life if you practice law. Yes, parts of it need help but keep in mind that the administration and Prof. K. M. are really receptive to student criticisms and suggestions.
10. Be yourself. There's only one you, and you admitted because they wanted you. Now that you're here, change for the better but stay true to who you are.
11. Give back to your community. You got to where you are because of your pluck, but also because others were pulling for you. It's your education, but it's not all about you- try to remember that as you resist the temptation to "get the edge" over someone else. Share your notes (if they're legible) if someone next to you is absent. Don't hide the practice exams, and be courteous to your fellow students. What goes around comes around, and even if it doesn't, you'll be making the law school environment a better place than you found it.
12. Law school is not for everyone. If you find, after much soul-searching, that law school (or the law school you're at) is not for you, there's no shame in admitting it and making arrangements. You'll be saving a lot of money and time by doing so.

ENJOY LAW SCHOOL! (Find a way to like what you're doing, because if you don't these three years will be some of the most miserable years of your life).

2L

2005-08-29T22:39:00.000-04:00

Law school has started back up again, and the doors were thrown open wide for the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 1L students. Fresh from their previous lives, they were ushered into the first "real" week of classes today. The indoctrination process begins...

But seriously, I hope their joy and excitement remains for a long time. Ah, to be a 1L again- where the only fears are ephemeral ("Is he going to call on me? Will I die?") and job hunting is still far from the mind.

So I went on the SOLAR class registration system multiple times last semester and over the summer to re-tool my schedule. I ended up taking CORE (our writing seminar, for you non-Case readers), Business Associations, Copyright, Unfair Competition, and a city law externship. All for a total of 14 credits. I thought it might be a good idea to devote time to the practical art of law during the year so that I had that experience to compare with my summer experience at the big law firm so this summer would be free for whatever else I am lucky enough to get into.

I dropped International Human Rights because I thought 17 credits might be a bit much for someone trying to salvage last semester and put in a solid effort with the 16 hours of work I am told I will be responsible for for the city law externship.

Classes were interesting today- all two of them. Copyright started off slowly, but it should be interesting. Business Associations ("BA") isn't soporific, which was a welcome surprise. Call me unappreciative of new teaching tactics, but I still prefer the enunciation and repetition of key terms over powerpoints and slides any day of the week. Thank you, Professor D.

I think I will follow this post with an "Advice to 1L's" compilation. Not that I have "made it" by any means; just because I am a 2L doesn't give me license to wax eloquent about the sleep depriving rigors and petty triumphs of one year ago. Grain of salt, people, grain of salt. Any comments?

Outlaw Outlining in Word!

2005-05-02T03:16:00.000-04:00

Forgive me, dear Readers, for subjecting you to a diatribe about the tedium that is law school life, but I need to use this forum for a little venting every now and then.

Why is it so hard to find good, reliable outlining software? Everyone talks about it (http://www.innovationtools.com/Articles/ArticleDetails.asp?a=107) but no one seems to offer anything practical and affordable. True, there are many sites out there that extol the wonders of software from ages past (http://john.redmood.com/organizers.html) but this is 2005! Where are the replacements of yesteryear? Where are the new replacements for the most basic tools from the days of old?

I’ll tell you: Microsoft doesn't care, so why should other companies? Sure, there are plenty of companies which offer high-grade tools for specific industries and a plethora of software developers who have created do-everything suites, but am I alone in just wanting a reliable, intuitive, and stable piece of software which doesn’t put me at risk for a massive coronary? Microsoft Word’s “outlining” feature is a joke. No, it’s not a joke because a joke is supposed to be funny. I cannot count the number of times I have nearly rammed my fist into the LCS screen of my laptop because a “B” instead of a “1.” has shown up in my end-of-the-semester Property Law outline. Foul thoughts of tortious conduct percolate throughout my head, displacing useful and constructive thoughts about adverse possession whenever Word’s continued penchant for misplacing textual cues rears its ugly (and undeniably stupid) head.

I’m sorry, but I can’t take it anymore. I have wasted too much time trying to develop a working outline to continue using this piece of junk software. I am this close to wanting to hand-write my outline, although then Word would win because I cannot write nearly as fast as I can type. Frustrated because I can’t get rid of this ball-and-chain necessity, I looked around the web for alternatives- anything that could relieve me from having to incessantly customize (now that’s a joke!) my outline settings, even though I just told Word that I want “1.” to follow “A.” to follow “I.” I guess I’m just too smart for it (the sarcasm is so palpable)...

Ok, so I haven't used Corel Wordperfect since.... 1996 (good old 5.1)? But can you blame me? Our school uses the Office suite exclusively so the externalities generated would be somewhat formidable. I know you can convert Word docs to WP ones and vice versa, but something invariably gets lost in the translation.

Can anyone convince Balmer or Gates to buy a clue and implement some useful changes in the next version of Office for a change? I don’t need five animated Office “helpers” (Clippy or whatever that stupid thing’s name was annoying enough). I don’t need animated tooltips that try to guess which menu options I don’t want to use (they’ve never guess correctly yet). I need to have an outlining feature that sequentially and logically allows me to create an outline without requiring any format guidance from me. Then I can actually get some work done- and maybe sleep for a change. Wouldn’t that be nice?

No worries, folks, this is a normal civil procedure...

2005-03-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

I don't normally do quizzes, but I just had to do this one. If you've always had a burning desire to know which rule of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure you are, well you're in luck. Click this link!

I'm rule 20:

YOU ARE RULE 20(a)!

You are Rule 20, an important part of the Federal
Rules' policy of permissive joinder. You are
designed specifically to allow as many parties
in an action as can be tried efficiently, and
you'll include someone as long as there is some
factual overlap between a claim involving them
and the rest of the case at hand. You are
popular, out-going, and are never far from
friends. However, your overly gregarious
nature and magnanimous approach do make things
a bit crowded--you're the reason that lawsuits
are often cluttered with innumerable parties
and even more numberous claims for relief.
Still, despite the crowds that you attract, you
can't argue with the efficiency of getting
everything done at once!

Which Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Spring Break

2005-03-14T22:23:00.000-05:00

This is a personal post, hope no one minds.

Well, spring break is over. I visited my sister (go Emory tennis!) and brother in Atlanta at Emory University, then went home for a nice amount of sunny weather (shorts land!). After that, I flew to Vancouver to meet my good friend Mark and very nice consultants to go skiing with at Whistler.

What a blast! I'd visited Whistler before and had really enjoyed the skiing. However, this time I had enjoyed the natural beauty more than the skiing; the ice patches and lack of snow were a little disheartening on all the slopes but those at the peak.

Speaking of peaks, I had never been skiing at the top before this trip. The cloud cover made visibility almost non-existent at times, which made me a little anxious. Not knowing where the trail boundaries were and where the cliff began instilled in me a profound respect for the mountain. Riding the chair lift without being able to see the next pylon felt like riding to infinity- a very cold, gusty, and mysterious infinity. With skis on.

The "first tracks" experience was wonderful as well. "First tracks" rewards early risers with a breakfast buffet (hot apple cider, eggs, sausage, cereal, flapjacks, fruit salad, etc.) and the ability to get on the mountain to make the first runs of the day, hence the name. By the time I was done Thursday, my calves and shins were crying "uncle" because of the ill fitting rental boots I had on. Ah, the lament of the occasional skier.

This beautiful vista was captured by Kevin. Lesson: always have a 5.1 megapixel camera at the ready.

L-R: Me, Angela, and Jason pose for a picture.

Perhaps the strangest thing we saw in Whistler- William Shatner All-Bran. KHAAAAaaannn!!!

All good things come to an end. Back in Cleveland, back to classes, back to the books...

Rat Race

2005-02-18T14:51:00.000-05:00

No matter what anyone says about the honor in practicing law, at this end it feels like a rat race. Everyone's scrambling to get some "meaningful experience" somewhere, anywhere that will take them. Now, some people have it easier; it's undeniable that being on the Dean's list is an incredible honor and quite a leg up in the national competition for those "experience-rich" judicial externships. But the rest of us have to find somewhere that will take people who know their way around a brief (kind of) and know how to find cases on point (if you give us a computer with broadband access and an unlimited Lexis or Westlaw account).

Where to go? Where to live? What to do? Thoughts like these are omnipresent in the law school milieu now, even though it's only February (already?) and we still have writing assignments, Civ Pro, Con Law, an elective, and Property to contend with. Oh, and let's not even talk about the dreaded final exams (shhhh!).

Which reminds me, I need to go study.

Blue Digit Democracy

2005-01-30T20:27:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article about the Iraqi elections and saw that each voter didn't receive one of those "I Voted!" stickers, but instead had their index finger dipped into an indigo paint to mark them as a participant in democracy. To show solidarity with our fellow voters, I propose that we mark our finger in blue as well. I first saw this idea on andrewsullivan.com's blog, so I can't take credit but I can take action! I hope you do too!

Regardless of your position on the war in Iraq, I think it's important that we support the Iraqi citizens in taking back their own country. The sooner they take over, the sooner our troops can come home for a well-deserved rest. I think we can all agree that that's a good thing.

By the way, check out http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/ feature on January 30th- it's hilarious!

Photo credit courtesy of the Associated Press.

Division

2005-01-30T19:35:00.000-05:00

Every so often, an event can introduce new externalities, emotions, and reactions that affect a population. In English, this means that grades were just released. It's strange, because over Christmas break everyone was asking "How did you do?" and you could just shrug and confidently say "I won't know until early February" and duck out to enjoy the sunset while inwardly hoping to find out to satisfy your own curiosity as well as to quell any doubts that you're in the wrong line of work.

After the announcement went out over the wires courtesy of my friend James, it seemed like nearly everyone was diving in to look at their grades, after taking an enormous breath. You see, law school grades in this first semester are supposed to be "vitally important" to our future careers. "These are the only grades that matter," some say. "The first semester is the most important," say others. I needed to muster my strength. I resisted. I hemmed. I hawed. I checked to see generally how my study group reacted. I prayed.

Then I looked.

It's a strange experience, looking at three letters that are the culmination of sleepless nights and the product of numerous caffeine binges. Three letters that decide in large part whether you are a person of interest to the legal community, either because you're a stellar ace or someone who was a victim of the curve. No, I looked and saw three letters that would make me breathe again. They weren't the best, but to quote my classmates' most repeated comments, "I wish I had done better." Of course I do, we all do. We're all used to success (some more than others) and abandoning our fates to the mystical curve and anonymous, cold, calculating math seems inevitable, if a little nerve-wracking.

It's times like these when having great friends (aka "support network") helps. I went ice-skating Saturday with a few friends and realized how much I missed the freedom one finds gliding on the ice. I thought, this is like law school. You never realize what fun you would have until you lace up your skates and get onto the ice. You can't skate without falling, and you just keep getting up. Nothing profound, mind you, just an analogy because that's how I think.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first semester of law school. Meeting some of the most intelligent, funny, and real people who are similarly in wonder and awe at attending an institution of higher learning dedicated to studying old rules has been a great experience. There's some satisfaction in knowing that I wouldn't do all that much different, academics aside.

Well, time to return to the "real world." On my plate are internship applications, preparations for Core interviews tomorrow, and masive amounts of reading. I haven't even gotten to the appetizers yet...

Back to the Future

2005-01-16T16:03:00.000-05:00

No, not the movie. I mean it's back to thinking about our future careers, our future exams, and our summer plans though possibly not in that order. After a long and relaxing break, it's been quite hectic getting all this reading done for Con Law, Property, Biomedical Topics, and Civ Pro. Can't forget CORE either, though that class seems to hold at least the promise of relevancy.

A group of us 1.5L's (the glass is half full) went to see Hotel Rwanda at the Cedar Lee Theatre last night. For me, the movie was more than the African version of Schindler's List. While the Jewish Holocaust claimed more victims in its unrelenting, calculated and systematic methodology, the lawless Hutu's, Interhamwe forces and complicit Army factions in Hotel Rwanda seem more terrifying due to the abrupt, uncontolled chaos they unleashed against their fellow Tutsi brethren. Perhaps the most poignant moment of the film was the camera crewman's prophetic words to an anxious Paul Rusesabagina (played masterfully by Don Cheadle) that "the world will say, 'That's horrible!' and return to their dinner" doing nothing to stop the impending bloodstorm. The clip of a political spokeswoman from the United States demurring on what "acts of genocide" meant and how many acts were required before any intervension was authorized succintly illustrated the intransigence of this nation's hesitancy to intervene, but also highlighted the extent to which the world prioritized its decisions partly on the U.S.' rationale.

Nick Nolte (as U.N. Colonel Oliver) never upstaged the central message of the film, but was a strong supporting character who highlighted the inability or (more probably) the unwillingness of the Western world to intervene in a significant fashion. His plaintive command to his troops not to fire AT the Interhawme was just wrenching to witness, as all he could do was take his sidearm (a pistol for crying out loud!) and shoot at the ground, hoping the superior Interhawme forces wouldn't call his bluff. However, I did wonder why a charater with a Canadian flag on his shoulder spoke with a Southern accent...

Nonetheless, Hotel Rwanda is a must-see. Though graphic in its depictions of lawless violence, it is not gratuitous; the element of unseen but clearly felt fear is what holds the audiences' rapt attention. However, there were lighter moments in the film that take the edge off what would otherwise be a serial barrage of tragic scenes. If nothing else, the resourcefulness and courage of an enterprising hotel owner in Rwanda encourages the film's viewers to ask questions about our country's global perspective on world events. Compassionate conservatives and bleeding heart liberals alike should at least agree on that.

Well, back to reading the delights of property and civ pro...

Wackiest Court Moments of 2004

2005-01-04T14:45:00.000-05:00

Thought it might be of interest to you...

Happy New Year!

2004-12-31T17:14:00.000-05:00

What a year 2004 was. George W. Bush secured a second term, Republican victories mounted throughout the country, and my classmates and I completed our first semester at law school. Talk about milestones!

Unfortunately, for some in the world who lost family and friends in the war in Iraq, this new year will represent the first that they will spend without their son or daughter, nephew or niece, husband or wife.

How terrible too was the (warning: graphic) devastation wrought by the tsunami in Asia. Let's hope 2005 will bring relief to all those grief stricken by the deaths of 2004.

Let's remember the victories as well as the tragedies of 2004 and perhaps learn something from the lessons of the past year.

'Tis the Season

2004-12-24T14:05:00.000-05:00

It's easy to lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas as we drive past all the lights, glitz and glamour associated with this time of year: the birth of Jesus Christ, Christianity's nascent event and the greatest gift of all.

However, no matter what faith (or lack therof) you ascribe to, Christmas is a time of giving; not only presents but gifts of sacrifice and thoughtfulness. That's why I wanted to bring to your attention the following websites. Our armed forces are still engaged in conflicts the world over, most notably in Iraq and Afghanistan. Consequently, many of our finest men and women will not be able to spend Christmas with their families. While we enjoy the blessings of liberty and gather with our families to celebrate, we should not forget that many of our soldiers are in physical pain and are homesick. If you would like to lift a soldier's spirits, please consider visiting the link below:

http://www.semperfifund.org for Marines. A comprehensive list of charities oriented to helping our troops is here here.

Have you ever wanted to play Santa? Well, your fantasies can come true, at least to some Iraqi children. Whether you're a "shock and awer" or you simply want to win "the hearts and minds" of the citizens of Iraq, you might want to consider visiting http://operationgive.org. It's a non-profit founded by Chief Wiggles designed to give the children of Iraq a little comfort in the violent world in which they live. You can find his new site here and his archived blog here.

Have a very Merry Christmas Eve!

Daily News

2004-12-22T17:07:00.000-05:00

For you crim fans out there:
On this day in 1984, Bernie Goetz shot up four teenagers he thought were trying to mug him on the subway.

War buffs, 60 years ago the Battle of the Bulge was fought resulting in the death of approximately 19,000 American troops and about 6400 wounded, not to mention those captured.

Five More to Go

2004-12-18T13:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry this post isn't as creative as last time, but my creative juices have been momentarily quenched. You'll have to make do.

Well, it's finally over. After frantically rubber-necking to check the time on the clock on the back wall, the proctor called time and the torts exam and my first semester of law school was officially over.

I anticipated a feeling of relief and joy, but having been up for nearly 24 hours I instead felt a mixture of relief and an overwhelming desire to sleep. The end was finally here, but strangely enough I couldn't taste victory. Perhaps this is due to my realization that neither I nor my fellow 1L's would know how we fared on our exams until some time in February, but suffice to say I am definitely glad my first semester is over and done.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy my first semester, because I most certainly did- perhaps a little too much... I will definitely be spending more time in KSL. Five more semesters to go! Onward!

By the way, in case you were wondering why the pictures below aren't showing up, I just now checked my email and found that Picturetrail just shortened their "Account Intro" period for accounts that are used to link images to other sites to 9-11 days. I would like to say that for the record I was very careful in choosing among image hosting services before settling on Picturetrail and I would never have used them had I known about this sort of thing being a possibility. I do not plan on "upgrading" my account just to post images with them- but never fear, I'll find another less squirrelly host. Cya Picturetrail, and thanks for not even letting me pull my own pictures off your servers- that's a real way to keep customers, let me tell ya.

Two Down, 1 to Go or Bad Poetry Hour

2004-12-10T22:32:00.000-05:00

Crim Criminy, Crim Criminy, Crim Crim Caree...

With quick dispatch the time is o'er,
The clock strikes one and hearts dismay.
Relay the word, 'tis but one more!
'Til weary heads on pillows lay.

Torts commands my full attention
Yet lighter duty than the rest.
This test will tax my retention,
And stretch my mind for a new guest.

Yes, you too can write non-sensical poetry after sleeping 1 of the last 24 hours...
I like to think of it as free-form thinking rebelling against the strict, structured writing of legal prose.

One Down, Two to Go

2004-12-06T15:50:00.000-05:00

Well, Contracts is finished. For a class that featured the oddest array of exam characters I have ever had the privilege *ahem* of encountering, $5000 surge protectors, and $9000+ refrigerators (that didn't have an internet connection or an integrated TV), I certainly felt there was a lot of material to cover!

Post-mortem analysis: Yes, the compelling question, "How do you think you did?" Interestingly enough, I felt no trepidation about the actual exam- just numbness. This is not to say that I felt prepared to the utmost for it. I'm sure other people spotted more issues than I did, or applied a more exacting analysis of the issues at hand, but I can sleep at night knowing I gave everything I had. Strangely enough though it seems like losing a friend. An unrelentingly demanding, anal-retentive, calculating, and simultaneously vague friend. Somehow, I feel as if the evil I know is being purged for the evils to come that I don't know (as well yet).

I suppose if anything things should get a little easier since criminal law is open book and our torts professor gave us a list of questions that he will draw upon for his exam. It's definitely an improvement from an organizational perspective.

Well, back to studying for criminal law. Contracts, I bid you and your memorable cases adieu. See you, Lady Duff Gordon. Keep healthy, Mr. Dove, and better luck next time. After Clark v. West, I am starting to understand why law school books are written the way they are. And if I were to give one last piece of (non-legal) advice after K, don't rent a ship from Kemp. Time to fish or cut bait.

Innerspace

2004-12-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

Seeing the inside of a library for the first time usually manifests a feeling of revulsion and disgust or awe and appreciation. Luckily for me, it's the latter I am feeling now as I gaze upon the modern architecture of white columns and glass that typifies Kelvin Smith Library. But for all its grandeur, it's the nice array of study tables that I appreciate the most. That, and the reliable wireless network that is so sorely missed at the law school. *Ahem*

There's something to be said for designing a house of books, or the "engine for the world's most powerful learning environment" if you prefer, in an appealing fashion. After visiting numerous universities during my college search way back when, I must say that irrespective of how many volumes KSL holds, this library is the most pleasurable to work in that I have ever experienced.

So that's my brief homage to a building where I have spent more waking hours in the last week than I have ever before, proportionally. Or something.

Well, back to U.C.C.'s and Restatements...

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery...

2004-11-30T21:02:00.000-05:00

If I were my contracts professor... I might write something like this:

Crypto knew those disingenuous Junior League candidates were up to no good. She felt it in her nearly three-quarters of a century-old bones. The previous day they had insisted on an even earlier meeting, but Ish that old codger, had no chance to prepare a counteroffer for the time, much to her dismay. So Crypto relented and agreed to the 8:30 meeting time with Ish and the prep yups. When Ish heard this, he attempted to lay a glob of Micky Twist on Crypto's trusty Havensham Bittleknockers (which she got at Hooper's for $35 in 1947 after much haranguing, Sugar Lumps) but Macho Snopes stepped in and got globbed instead. Last Crypto heard, Macho Snopes was suing Ish for battery. "Served him right," she thought to herself.

Discuss all relationships.

All stylistic representations and character names are fictional. Any similarities to real people is purely coincidental. Use of actual names or places does not imply endorsement by mentioned parties and does not imply ownership. All rights reserved.

Giving Thanks

2004-11-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

I know. You're probably thinking, "Oh, he didn't have time to write something substantial for yesterday, so he's trying to make up for it with this post..."

Well, to that I'd say, "You're pretty insightful, you know?"

Actually, I just had a blast spending time with friends yesterday. I had the unique opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving four times: once with my Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (whew! what a mouthful) friends with some fine food, once with my fellow Section B brother James and company, once with my pastor and his family, and once with another Section B'er: Stan the Bargain Man.

To be so lucky and to have some much Tryptophan swimming around my blood vessels- that's what I'm thankful for! That, and the fine opportunity God's given me to have so many great individuals populate my life.

Here's what I'm talking about! (Though please pardon the large blank space immediately following this. I don't know what's going on with that!)

Jon is ecstatic that he's victorious over the turkey while Tina and Jerrick look on.

Sarah, our APALSA president in her customary cheery fashion.

James & Co. at leisure

Thanksgiving at the House's

Happy Thanksgiving!

2004-11-25T17:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying their turkey or vegetarian fixings!

The End of an Era?

2004-11-08T23:30:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this article in reponse to Brighthand's Nov. 5 article
(http://www.brighthand.com/article/No_Palm_OS_Cobalt_Devices_Until_2006?site=Palm). As an avid Palm user myself, I was disapointed to see the continual downward trajectory of this great company.

Is PalmOne's hesitancy to release the next version of Palm OS 6 a sign of trouble or a call for help? After repeated delays and continual announcements pushing back the date when consumers could expect to enjoy units outfitted with the latest technology, this announcement sent ripples throughout the traditionally loyal Palm ranks.Some have contemplated switching to PocketPC units, while others are considering straddling the line just in case. Many are still hanging on to the hope that PalmOne will put the time before a Palm OS 6 release to good use in solidifying OEM agreements and smoothing out software conflicts so legacy applications will work better with the new operating system's architecture.

The same ambivalence about Palm's future seems to be echoed in Palm's strategy. PalmOne's indications that it wants to hedge its bets and possibly produce Palm hardware capable of running Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system seems to suggest a realization of the growing adoption of their competitions' operating system of choice. Fans of the tried-and-true Palm operating system have expressed dismay at the most recent news. However, perhaps PalmOne's decision was partly rooted in the lackluster sales of its newest model, the T5. Hardcore fans of the Palm voted with their wallet in giving the T5 a less-than-warm response upon its release. Many veteran users were turned off by what they perceived as an lack of necessary features and incomplete implementation of assets. The sales of the T5 have remained slightly level by optimistic reports, and dismal by others.

Ironically, PalmOne's intransigence regarding details, release dates, and specific information about PalmOS 6 is counterbalanced by Palm president Ed Colligan's announcement today. What lies ahead is anyone's guess, but Palm enthusiasts have weathered their fair share of disappointment. With the loss of strategic partners like Sony, who introduced some of the most creative implementations of the Palm OS with their innovative hardware and unique software, Palm users are left with fewer and fewer options for the latest and greatest. Perhaps the grass really is greener on the other side. If PalmOne seems to think so, perhaps its users will follow.

The Daily Funny

2004-11-06T01:14:00.000-05:00

"See, that's the thing about necrophilia: never having to say you're sorry..." -Overheard in a Crim Law lecture

You know those error pages you get when you mistype a website? Well check this politically savvy website out.

Go to google.com.
Type in "wmd."
Hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button.
Hilarity ensues.

Generations...

2004-11-05T23:56:00.000-05:00

Nov 05, 2004
On this day in 1977 George W. Bush married Laura Welch.
Find out more about fellow POTUS' at http://www.potus.com/.

Suffer the Little Children (Do)

2004-10-31T01:50:00.000-05:00

Is nothing sacred?

I suppose that's a silly question to pose in the season of All Hallow's Eve, but I remember when the Halloween costumes selection at Wal-Mart for children included Superman, a robot (made of cardboard and tin foil of course), a ghost (you got it- a sheet with holes cut in it), and a hobo (dark makeup and a stick with socks wrapped in cloth). Now our friends with an unabashedly left-of-center sense of humor have forged tongue-in-cheek with a level of impropriety that causes one to wince. I suppose they think it's not only enough to celebrate costumes depicting some of the worst memories of these troubled times, but also to use children to do so.

I'm not saying that I don't think the Diebold voting machine costume is clever, if not in a groaningly over-used fashion, but the "Nancy Reagan", "Western Hostage in Iraq", "Littlest Prisoner at Abu Ghraib", "Lyndie England", and "'Shoe Bomber' Richard Reid" get-ups are not so much "2004's Scariest Halloween Costumes" as they are 2004's most inappropriate ones.
http://www.thestranger.com/2004-10-28/special.html.

I shudder to think what's in store next year if current deviant costume trends continue.

Mr. Kerry chooses himself

2004-10-30T21:46:00.000-04:00

His remarks in Taylor, MI. would have one to believe that he would rather the Boston Red Sox have lost the Big One than endure the possibility of losing the White House. What a fan. (http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Kerry-RedSoxWH-TaylorMI-8-1-04-13secs.mp3)

"We’ve been waiting since 1918 for the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series, and . . . if I had a choice between the White House and the World Series this year, I’m going to take the White House. How's that?"

When Charlie Gibson of Good Morning America compared Curt Schilling to a warrior, Schilling shook his head and said, "I am no warrior. We have real warriors in this country and I am not one. But we have an election next week and I am going to vote [for] Bush."

The Daily Funny

2004-10-22T13:55:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd share this gem in the rough from our criminal law professor:
"Transport of passion- what is that, like a van with a waterbed in back?"

Your daily hypo:
At a party, someone proceeds to demonstrate their unique ability to insert an entire fork into their nasal cavity. Commanding the rapt attention of shocked and slightly inebriated partygoers, this individual begs of you not to disturb him, as even the slightest tap could cause permanent brain damage (what functional brian capacity remains, that is). After extricating the fork from his nose, he demands $1 from the audience in payment for his performance. What result? (Other than laughter).

Fall Break

2004-10-14T23:50:00.000-04:00

n. 1. A brief interlude from frenetic studying 2. Grace period allotted for frenetic studying 3. The particular period in law school before professors accelerate the rate at which they cover assigned material 4. Sleepy time

Have a safe break Charles, Devin, James, JVB, Mark, Mike, Palak and everyone else who's traveling from Cleveland to visit friends and family! Enjoy it while it lasts and come back soon! It's not nearly as fun without ya.

Inaugural Post

2004-10-13T22:16:00.000-04:00

Greetings! Since this is the first post, I'll keep it brief. You're probably wondering what the title has to do with anything. Well, suffice it to say that I was busy following the intracacies of people shooting other people with birdshot in Torts class when my professor was lecturing about the difference between the more common, or "plain vanilla" torts, and those that require more careful analysis. I was hungry at the time, so I guess the christening of this blog can be credited to the fusion of a delectable legal concept and my growling stomach. So there you have it.

Plain Vanilla Tort

One Bar with a Very High Cover Charge

Practical Technology: Microsoft's New ... Table?

Officer assaulted with colostomy bag

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2007, 11:16 a.m.By Georgia Pabst

Better Ship These...

Christmas Over There

How Professors Grade Exams

CNN is Stupid, Big Surprise...

Surfing... In CLEVELAND?

Election Wrapup

For Whom the Ballots Poll

Get a Mac Look, for a Fraction of the Price

Consent?

If You Think You Had a Bad Day...

A Good Idea

Monc Blanc pen in 12 easy steps

Blizzard: Get Your Game On(line)!

Grade Wars, A New Hope

BA =

Time Travel Exists! (At least on TV...)

Happy New Year!

Hilarity

On the Importance of Sleep

Playtime at the airport

News Flash

Is there an eBay auction for a time machine?

Disappointment tastes like ash

Rest in Peace, Chief Justice Rehnquist (1925-2005)

Dear 1L

2L

Outlaw Outlining in Word!

No worries, folks, this is a normal civil procedure...

Spring Break

Rat Race

Blue Digit Democracy

Division

Back to the Future

Wackiest Court Moments of 2004

Happy New Year!

'Tis the Season

Daily News

Five More to Go

Two Down, 1 to Go or Bad Poetry Hour

One Down, Two to Go

Innerspace

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery...

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

The End of an Era?

The Daily Funny

Generations...

Suffer the Little Children (Do)

Mr. Kerry chooses himself

The Daily Funny

Fall Break

Inaugural Post

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2007, 11:16 a.m.
By Georgia Pabst