Uh, oh!

Slick Willie wants to be president again. Lord, preserve the 22nd Amendment.

Ghosts Out of Carolina

Lenna, an old friend (cue cocked eyebrow) from USC passed the bar exam in February on her second try. At some point between the two exams, she also got married. Remember girls, date me for a while, and the next guy you meet, you will marry. It's just one of the many added perks of knowing me.

Al Hartley, R.I.P.

Veteran comic book artist Al Hartley died on Tuesday at age 81. Hartley was best known to comic fans for his work on Archie Comics, for Marvel's Patsy Walker, and for one very odd Thor story that ran in Journey Into Mystery #90. For much of his career, Hartley worked with the Archie company and with an outfit called Spire Christian Comics for which he wrote and drew 59 one-shot Christian comic books -- many featuring the Archie characters -- liberally laced with Biblical quotes and deeply religious themes.

It is also of note that his father was the co-sponsor of the famous Taft-Hartley Act.

Moment of Truth



Grades for Spring 2003 came out today. This was my best semester overall, but man, I should have never taken a tax course. What was I thinking? Was I thinking?

Elder Law Research



For any interested parties, my research paper is titled Saving Granny from the Wolf: Recognizing Living Trust Scams.

In Honor of Memorial Day



In Flanders Field



In Flanders Field the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place, and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.



We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.



Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.



(Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army )

If It Isn't One Thing, It's Another



My printer went on the fritz this weekend. The HP support people suggest i send them the thing and they'll fix it. Since its just a cheap and outdated machine that i bought on sale, I declined. Instead I went out and bought a new three-in-one printer, scanner, and copier. I got it home and discovered the USB I have apparently won't wor with it, so now i have to place an order with Amazon to get the right tools for the right job. That's the way I like life--nothing easy



.

Oldies But Goodies



So I'm searching the web for sources to write my "Tort Law and the Elderly" paper when a really good song comes on the radio and grabs my attention. Sixpence None the Richer has remade the Talking Heads' "Don't Dream It's Over." Very good remake of a classic. It's always guts to redo a song and make it your own. Celine Dion has failed miserably with 'I Drove All Night." That's what you get for messing with the great Roy Orbison.

College Chess Team Recruiting Scandal. This is fascinating, considering how chess doesn't evoke much excitement among the masses in the United States. To bad my cmpetence at playing is..uh..lacking. Oh, well. I try.

Weather Report



For the record, it is almost June, and outside it is 60 degrees and raining. Why does anyone want to live in Virginia? It's like some place old flies go to die. I miss South Carolina.

Terror Alert



At Heathrow Airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a compass, a protractor, and a graphical calculator. Authorities believe he is a member of the notorious al-Gebra movement. He is being charged with carrying weapons of math instruction.

Brainstorm



I must think of a paper topic today. Time is of the essence.



Further reflection on Enterprise reveals this scenario: The Xindi (USA) believe they will possibly attacked in the future, so they decided to attack Earth (Iraq) first in a preemptive move. Are the writers about to bash us over the head with thinly veiled anti-war commentary?

Enterprise-- "The Expanse"



I just watched the season finale of Enterpirise. Like mosr of the season, it was a uneven. The story thus far: an alien probe attacks Earth, cutting a swath miles wide from Florida to Venezuela. Seven million people are killed, including--as we later find out--Trip's younger sister. Enterpise is recalled, but not before the ship is intercepted by the Suliban. They insist Archer speak with the "Man from the Future," whom we still don't get to see. He tells Archer the probe came from the Xndi, a alien race who have been told by some faction in the Temperal War that Earth will destroy their planet in 400 years. The Xindi should not have gotten this information. They decided to take a preemptive strike. In fact, they are building a much more powerful weapon to finish off Earth once and for all. Archer has to find their homeworld and stop the weapon. Unfortunately, he has to cross an area of Space called the Delphic Expanse in order to get there . Travellers to the Expanse find their bodies inverted--organs on the outside, skin on the inside--but what choice does Archer have?



This sets up the new arc for the show.



There were a few tense moments (Like when Trip went to Florida and pointed out all the hangouts in his hometown, which is now a crater.) but there really wasn't much of a dramatic build up. We never really felt like Topol would leave the crew even after the Vulcan High Command demanded her to. Nor did we see the reactio to the military personnel joining the crew. It was implied this would be frowned upon and cause tension. Well, show us some! We need a reason to tune in next season, especially since this wasn't a cliffhanger. I really thought the subplot with the Klingons hunting Archer was forgettable. If this storyline was meant to increae viewership for next season, i don't think it's quite going to do it.



That said, I'll still be watching come September, but I'm not hanging on the edge of my seat like some past season finales have had me. Is science fiction getting more boring, or am I just getting jaded in my old age?

Great Error Message



Glad to see he's getting work, too.

What to Write, What to Write



It looks like I'm going to have to choose a very narrow topic to write my Elder Law research project on. I'm thinking about an issue regarding public policy or crimes against the elderly. I really need to decided tonight, as there are only going to be seven weeks for me to write and edit this in. I have to present this paper to the class at the end of the semester.



My sister sent a book through the mail by a local author. Ionly got to thumb through it yesterday, but I recognized a good many local names--not all of them savory. Hopefully, I can read it over the coming holiday weekend.

Chicken with the Head Cut Off



I'm writing here early this morning, because I'm not really sure how I'm going to feel tonight. I have a ton of work to do including four hours of class starting at 6:00. The assignments for UCC II generally take over two hours. Now I'm going to have to do one assignment every day for seven weeks. Sheesh. I also need to fill out my MPRE application and fumbe around a bit more trying to find a new roommate. Have I mentioned how happy I am that Jeff is gone? I'm not sure what I'll do for pain-in-the-neck now, but I'm sure something will show up. "slow burn" seems to be my lot in life.



I had passing thoughts all last week about seeing The Matrix: Reloaded this weekend, but never got around to it. I liked the first one, and thought I'd be excited to see the sequel, but I'm content to wait. I imagine there will be a special DVD set released with all the entire trilogy within a year or so. I'm good for a sale, considering my new found appreciation for DVD.



I had a dream last night that I cheated on an exam and was kiclked out of law school. It took me a few minutes after waking up to realize it was just a dream. Many of my dreams feel much more intense than they used to. I need to relax more, I think.

Which Founding Father Are You?

Sailing Away to Key Largo



Classes start up again tomorrow I'm going to do my research paper on an Elder Law topic some time in the next few weeks. I was thinking about nursing home malpractice, but now I think I'm going to pick something more aking to estate planning or a specific health care issue. I am also taking UCC II, which i am not looking forward to. Debtor/Creditor law is not the most fascinating of subjects, nor is it the easiest when crammed into seven weeks.



I watched the old Bogart/Bacall movie Key Largo yesterday. I love that movie, not only because of those two, but because Edward G. Robinson plays such a great gangster. His bitterness about being kicked out of the US was more genuine than a casual veiwer might expect--Robinson was once accused by the House Un-American Activities Committee of having Communist sympathies.

Every New Beginning



Lookie, lookie. A brand new blog for me. Much good stuff to come.