Odai's Last Words?

"Gaaahhh!!!" (No, I'm just kidding.)

Actually:

According to the former director of Iraqi television quoted in the Telegraph, the last words he heard Odai speak were these: "This time I think the Americans are serious. Bush is not like Clinton. I think this is the end."

Amen.

Breaking Up is Hard To Do

The subject of bad break ups came up recently. I didn’t win the award for worst, but I think I did win for strangest.

Before law school, I spent a year as a real estate agent in Columbia. I used it really as an excuse to have a sabbatical before going back to school and as a way to avoid the 40 hour grind. Yes, i was pretty much a bohemian. A Epicurian yuppie bohemian, if there is such a thing.

Any, I had a tendency to run off for days at a time to hang out with friends in various locales. In October of 1999, I was strolling along the beach when I spotted her. She was a cute little thing: blonde hair, blue eyes, a little cherubic, but I liked her. She was walking her chihuahua. I wondered why, since I assumed the little thing would collapse from exhaustion before reaching the end of the beach. I gathered (correctly as truned out) that she was one of those whose dog is her baby and there is just no room for qestioning.

I struck up a conversation with her, we hit it off, and she agreed to come up to Columbia the next weekend. We exchanged all contact info.

She came up on Friday, and I took her to California Dreaming, the restaurant every guy takes his new girl to in order to impress her. She ordered the steak and the lobster. It was difficult to listen to her while my wallet quietly weept, but listen to her I did. Her parents took early retirement to the beach. It was a boring retirement community as far as she was concerned and boy she’d like o escape (Red Flag Number One) and that since she’s failed out of college (Red Flag Number Two) as a Theatre major (Red Flag Number Three) Note these Red Flags fall under the 20/20 Hindsight category. At the time I was a smitten kitten and nothing but sympathetic. I thought we were a hit after she smooched me goodbye later.

Oh, no, not us.

You see, she e-mailed me (yes, e-mail. The preferred method of geeks and pedarists everywhere) on Monday. She was in Atlanta, was now engaged to the man of her dreams, and would I please never speak to her again? Sure, baby. Whatever. Two freaking days??!! That little “Dog Walking and Meet a Guy” was apparently a routine that finally worked for her.

Have I sworn off women at this point? Darn near it. Gaining my trust isn’t going to be that easy again. I shifted focus: become a rich lawyer and don’t worry about it. ;)

Whithering Away

I've lost three pounds, which on me is significant. I need to keep better track of things, so now I have to keep a diary of my calorie and fat gram intake to make sure I maintain my weight. I'm a goal oriented person, I need to keep the finish line in mind in order to run the race. Ideally, I need 1830 calories per day and 64 fat grams. What's more pathetic? That i have to do this in the first place, or that I feel the need to mention it in my blog?

Hair-um Scarem

As I have had a good while now with no particular place to go or person to impress, I have had time to grow a goatee. It is now starting to really fill out. I look like a Confederate cavalry officer. While that is kind of neat, it itches like mad. I'm going to shave it off for relief, but thought there should be some record of this development.

So here it is.

A New Study

You're Not Conservative, You're Just Crazy A new study discovers why rational people would reject liberalism. Surprise, suprise: anyone who is not a liberal has deep emotional or psychological problems. I pretty much threw my hands up in the air when the study declared Stalin to be a conservative. To be more precise, "Mussolini, Stalin, and Reagan" are all in the same category. I'm glad we cleared that up. Needless to say, this study comes from UC Berkley.

I'd line a bird cage with it, but I think that would be an insult to birds everywhere.

Words Fail Me

Survive 9/11--The Video Game What we won't do for money and "entertainment."

Backtracking

Wait a second. Jack Kemp for Governor of California. I didn't see that coming, but I'm glad it did. As I am one who believes he should have been the Republican Presidential nominee in 1996, I'm all for Kemp heading up the Golden State. I hope he makes the residency requirement.

Since I've Written About This Before

Candidates Scramble in Wake of California Recall Vote Run, Arnold, run. You could even use "I'll Be Back" as a reelection slogan.

Re: United Nations

I will never understand why that body of unelected do-nothings has such a hold over the liberal imagination. Can anyone explain it to me? Is it some egalitarian "Family of Nations" dream? There is no way an organization that considers brutal thug nations like Sudan and Cuba to be on equal footing with stable democracies like the United States and Great Britain can ever be successful.. The world has a lot more black and white hats than many of the Left care to believe.

Harlan Update

Yes, I realize Harlan Ellison is jousting windmills by suing AOL over improper Usenet postings. There is no need for anyone to further explain how the Usenet works. I have nothing to do with Ellison or the logic of his actions; I just read his books and commentary. Consider this blog to be Fox News: I report, you decide.

Funny and Profound

Three Americans and an Israeli soldier are caught by cannibals and are about to be cooked. The chief says, "I am familiar with your Western custom of granting a last wish. Before we kill and eat you, do you have any last requests?"

Dan Rather says, "Well, I'm a Texan, so I'd like one last bowlful of hot, spicy chili." The chief nods to an underling, who leaves and returns with the chili. Rather eats it all and says, "Now I can die content."

Al Sharpton says, "I'd like to have my picture taken, as nothing has given me greater joy in life." Done.

Judith Woodruff says, "I'm a journalist to the end. I want to take out my tape recorder and describe the scene here, and what's about to happen. Maybe someday someone will hear it and know that I was on the job to the last." The chief directs an aide to hand over the tape recorder, and Woodruff dictates some comments. "There," she says. "I can now die fulfilled."

The chief says, "And you, Mr. Israeli Soldier? What is your final wish?"

The solider says, "Kick me in the behind."

"What?" says the chief. "Will you mock us in your last hour?"

"No, I'm not kidding. I want you to kick me in the behind."

So the chief unties the soldier, shoves him into the open, and kicks him in the behind. The Israeli goes sprawling, but rolls to his knees, pulls a 9mm pistol from his waistband, and shoots the chief dead. In the resulting confusion, he leaps to his knapsack, pulls out his Uzi, and sprays the cannibals with gunfire. In a flash, the cannibals are all dead or fleeing for their lives.

As the Israeli unties the others, they ask him, "Why didn't you just shoot them? Why did you ask the chief to kick you in the behind?"

"What?" answers the soldier. "And have you all call me the aggressor?"

A Slingshot for Goliath

Harlan Ellison v. AOL My favorite author has been waging a court battle to protect creator rights in his own legendary style. Here's an update on the case, as well as a bit about Ellison, if you don't know of him.

Good Advice

"Establish enigmas, not explanations."— Robert Smithson.

Buddy Can You Spare a Dime?



SC Democrat Party is Broke: Thanks to the mismanagement of their old chairman, Harpootlian. This comes as no surprise. The Democrats have been floundering in the Palmetto State for years. Their only real victory was Governor "Diamond" Jim Hodges, who was bought and paid for by the video poker industry, had prisoners on work detail make "the beast with two backs" in the governor's mansion while it was being refurbished, had no evacuation plan when Hurricane Floyd was headed our way (Ever see an interstate backed up from Charleston to Greenville? It was a darling experience. There were as many "Dump Hodges" signs as mile markers.) and was booted out the first chance the voters got.



The party is in much deeper trouble than just a cash flow problem. The entire organization is getting behind Superintendant of Education (and resident kook. Think Mareen Dowd meets Ellie May Clampett) as its nominee to replace Sen Hollings should he not seek reelection in 2004. Why her? She's the only willing high profile Democrat who hasn't been beaten in a state wide election.



Yet.

Rock Me On the Water

(Jackson Browne)

Oh people, look around you
The signs are everywhere
You've left it for somebody other than you
To be the one to care
You're lost inside your houses
There's no time to find you now
Your walls are burning and your towers are turning
I'm going to leave you here and try to get down to the sea somehow

The road is filled with homeless souls
Every woman, child and man
Who have no idea where they will go
But they'll help you if they can
Now everyone must have some thought
That's going to pull them through somehow
Well the fires are raging hotter and hotter
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now


Rock me on the water
Sister will you soothe my fevered brow
Rock me on the water
I'll get down to the sea somehow


Oh people, look among you
It's there your hope must lie
There's a sea bird above you
Gliding in one place like Jesus in the sky
We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that Gospel plow
When my life is over, I'm going to stand before the Father
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now


Rock me on the water
Sister will you soothe my fevered brow
Rock me on the water, maybe I'll remember
Maybe I'll remember how
Rock me on the water
The wind is with me now
So rock me on the water
I'll get down to the sea somehow


(I've played this song a half dozen times today. Yes, it's been one of those days, and they are happening with greater frequency...)

This Should Come as No Surprise


Threat rating: zero. Excellent work - you
demonstrate all the qualities of patriotism
that will make America even greater under Bush.
USA no.1!!!


What threat to the Bush administration are you?
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Philosophy of Writing

“As I see it, a successful story of any kind should be almost like hypnosis: You fascinate the reader with your first sentence, draw them in further with your second sentence and have them in a mild trance by the third. Then, being careful not to wake them, you carry them away up the back alleys of your narrative and when they are hopelessly lost within the story, having surrendered themselves to it, you do them terrible violence with a softball bat and then lead them whimpering to the exit on the last page. Believe me, they'll thank you for it." --Alan Moore

Blair Before Congress

I enjoy getting to see foreign leaders speak. That opportunity doesn't come up too often in the United States, but i make a concerted effort to watch when it does. Is there anyone else in the United States who watches Prime Minister's questions at 2:00 AM?

Regardless, I didn't find President Bush or Prime Minister Blair's speeches revealing or conclusive. They're still in "wait and see" mode. But I took heart from this statement by Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey attacking the White House: "So far, both sides of our transatlantic alliance appear unwilling to tell the whole truth about how little we really knew when the order for war was given."

"How little we really knew," says Rep. Markey. What an amazing statement. I'm not a CIA agent and my entire body of knowledge about the workings of national security comes from watching two seasons of Fox's "24," but let me remind the Congressman what I knew about Saddam when we went to war:

1-He's a terrorist. He trained terrorists, funded terrorists, and carried out terrorist acts, including car bombings on American targets.

2-He had a twenty year career of pursuing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, including a nuclear facility built by the French (and destroyed by Israel in 1981) and a nuclear program at the end of the first Gulf War reportedly within 1-5 years of a nuclear weapon. He even had a married couple working for him nicknamed "Dr. Germ and Missile Man" until the fall of Baghdad.

3-His intelligence community was in touch with elements of many Mideast terror groups, including Al Qaeda.

4-Insert the long list of atrocities, acts of aggression, etc. here.

Just because we can't find the Wal-Mart receipts regarding uranium, the war was not justified? Pshaw. I don't buy it, and neither will the American people.

You Only Die Twice

No, that's not the title of the latest James Bond movie. It is my new status, same as the old. Longtime readers (assuming there is such an animal) will remember the Social Security Administration's snafu of a few weeks ago which declared that I died on March 18, 2003 instead of my mother. You will also recall I had to drop everything in the middle of summer classes to go to South Carolina and straighten it all out. You will also recall I sat through nearly four hours of interviews that day. You will recall--as do I--that I seemed pretty much alive that day. Battle scarred and world weary, but alive. Well, we'd both be wrong. Now I died on June 11, 2003--the day of my interview. Obviously, I have an awfully colorless personality. If only I had a sense of thea-tuh!

Is there anything the government actually does right? Seriously, the scariest words in the English language are, "I'm from the government. I'm here to help."

Now There's An Idea



Put Reagan on the $2 Bill. I concur, if for no other reason than to watch liberals defend why that white, Southern, slave owning Thomas Jefferson should be on the bill and not the man who won the Cold War. Let the political squirming begin!

Shackles of Study Begone

My summer semester is finally over. I got an “A” on my Elder Law paper and satisfied my rigorous writing requirement. I haven’t given publication much serious thought, but it can’t hurt to search around a bit and see what law journal is looking for papers on fraudulent estate planning or elder law topics in general. It only costs a few stamps to give it a shot. Tre UCC II exam was Monday night. Exams based on a statutory code are my least favorite law classes. Despite the fact I’m allowed to have the code in front of me, I’m wary of putting in too many statutes, too few statutes, or just going down unnecessary rabbit trails that aren’t going to give me one point of credit. Naturally, doubts have crept into my answers—especially since at the obligatory post exam conference in the hallway, there wasn’t much consensus in what the answers actually were.

I had planned on my first day of freedom to go see Pirates of the Caribbean, but that quickly fell to the wayside in favor of staring at the ceiling and listening to a John Lennon CD. A fine way to pass the time if there ever was one. I wasn’t totally worthless, though. I did manage to get to Ci Ci’s Pizza and challenge their all you can eat buffet claim. Alas, they still had pizza left over when I left. Later, I parked it on a bench in the shade to watch people go by. It reminded me again of why I dislike Virginia so much. Everybody is in such a mad hurry and nobody says, “Hello.” This place sure isn’t South Carolina.

I’ve now got time to spruce up my handwritten journal, which I haven’t touched in a while even though I promised myself I’d keep it up diligently, and pitter-patter around with a few other writing and art projects before going back to the grind studying for the MPRE in August.

Are You There God? It's Me, Pat.



Dr. Robertson Calls for a Prayer Offensive My Univeristy's Chancellor, better known as the Founder of the 700 Club, is calling for God to put retirement pans in the hearts of several Supreme Court Justices. I haven't been awarded my degree yet, so let's just consider this link FYI.

Exam Time

My UCC II exam is tomorrow afternoon. Expect radio silence until then. That is all.

Feat of Clay

Public Socks it to the FCC No, not about deregulation of US media, but about voting irregularities that may have made Clay Aiken lose American Idol. Now, I don't personally give two shakes of a lamb's tail about 99.8% of what's on television (do yourself a favor--kick in the screen and turn it into a planter. You'll be much happier.) but this was too good a commentary on society to pass up. So this is what it takes to get America to stand up to the man - American Idol? If only so many people were so adamant, enthused and willing to vote in political elections. Hmmm ... maybe we should make the presidential candidates sing solos on television rather than debate the issues?

Could we find a new Iraqi president this way? Get me Colin Powell on the phone....

Finger Licking Bad

PETA Fried: KFC caves in to animal liberationists on how the corporation raises and processes its chickens. With this, the PETA loonies gain more power to pursue their silly agenda at the expense of the legitimate use of animals. Of course, that is my opinion largely because I am a member of the other PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals.)

Dark Side of the Rainbow

The Synchrony of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album with the Wizard of Oz. Sounds dangerous, but it works beautifully.

Postcards from the Edge

My Elder Law paper came back to haunt me. It appears I had plenty of time to fix "just a few more things," so Prof. Kohm gave me another shot at it. So, I made a few more changes, slapped a nice professional cover on it, and handed it in again. Tomorrow id the deadeline for the graded portion of the class, but I have until December to gwt it up to "publishable quality" if necessary. That's the standard to satisfy the rigorous writing requirement for graduation. It is also totally up to the discretion of the supervising professor, who, by the way, is the second most published professor on the Regent University faculty. I figure after all this effor, I'm going to have to go through a concerted effort to get this thing published. I've spent about as much time as any full professor would on it.

I got a postcard from Rosey today. She is vacationing back in the United Kingdom. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from her. We haven't gotten togeyher much since the Spring semester ended. Nice to know I'm not "Out of Sight and Out of Mind."

Sounds Eerily Familiar

You've Got to Sign Up for Federal Courts

"I think you really need to take that class with me." I said.

"Prof. Stern? Are you out of your mind?" he answered.

I let out a deep sigh. "All right. Picture this: two years from now you're sitting in your office. A fellow comes in with a sob story. He's just pulled his Granny out of a nursing home. She's got bed sores, been tied in a chair more than once for hours at a time, and has two chipped teeth from where an orderly tried to pry her mouth open while feeding her. He wants to sue for malpractice.

You research this case and find out the nursing home is owned by a corporation that manages a dozen nursing homes in four different states. In short, they've got deep pockets. What's more, there's an ex-employee who is willing to testify about the abuses she's seen--including on this guy's granny. Of course, you agree to sue the bejebus out of them.

Once you serve them with papers, they naturally want the psychological advantage, so they move the case from state to federal court. Now, since you didn't take Prof. Stern's federal courts class, what are you going to do?"

He answered immediately, "Call you."

Now that I think about it, that is a good answer. Ka-ching!

Big Yellow Taxi

Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton have covered Joni Mitchell's classic song. It's one of those rare covers that is at least as good, if not better, than th original:

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

Ooooh, bop bop bop
Ooooh, bop bop bop

They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
No, no, no
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot

Ooooh, bop bop bop
Ooooh, bop bop bop

Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples,
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not?

Ooooh, bop bop bop
Ooooh, bop bop bop

Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Well, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey hey hey
Paved paradise and put up a parking lot

Ooooh, bop bop bop
Ooooh, bop bop bop

I don't wanna give it
Why you wanna give it
Why you wanna giving it all away
Hey, hey, hey
Now you wanna give it
I should wanna give it
Now you wanna giving it all away

Hey, paved paradise to put up a parking lot

Housekeeping

I have increased the font size here in an attempt to save my poor peepers. It was difficult to read my own blog and that just wouldn't do. I've also gone back and corrected a few errors in spelling here and there. They were virtually all a product of me being a hunt and peck typist. I refuse to learn any sort of standard method of typing. It's just my way of sticking it to The Man. After years of research papers for college and law school, not to mention the assorted short stories and screenplays I've written, I can't argue with it. Regardless, in the future all other errors will be immediately hunted down and exterminated with extreme prejudice by our crack team of ninja/assassins/editors here at Jeffords Manor.

Repossession

It just randomly occurred to me earlier that there is an extra credit project that can be done in UCC II, but it has to be turned in tommorrow night at our review session. Thus, I have spent a great deal of time today researching and writing a short primer n title searches and perfection of collateral in South Carolina. Yes, it is just as enthralling as you imagine. The temperature hovered into the nineties today, so I defntiely thought it best to settle back for the rest of the day with a good book. More on that later, probably.

Leftward, Ho!



Gov. Howard Dean's Presidential campaign is picking up steam by barrelling towards the Left. While there is plenty of time for his campaign to fizzle (and it will) does tis signal a leftward movement for the entire Democratic Party? I don't think this is something my fellow conservatives should be cheering. I say this after reading a newsreport that Bush chief advisor Karl Rove is pushing for Dean as the candidate Bush can most likely beat because of his extreme views. One of the reasons that parties benefit when the other party becomes extreme is that it allows it to hug the center. But if Republicans are moving to the center and Democrats to the left, that means both parties are moving leftward-that the center of gravity of American politics is moving leftward. The two recent Supreme Court decisions seem to bear that out. This is not a good thing.

Legally Blonde II

I saw LB II today with a couple of friends. It was an enjoyable movie--and I do love Reese Witherspoon, but it was mostly fluff to kill a hot summer afternoon.

Elle Woods has a job at a huge Boston law firm and is planning her wedding to Luke Wilson. Elle Wantsto invite everyone to her wedding (at Fenway Park, no less) including her dog Bruiser's long lost mother. Elle hires a pricey PI to track her down. He finds her in a cosmetics research faciliity that her firm represents. When Elle demands the firm force the cosmetics company to stop testing on thedogs, she is fired. Soon sge is inspired to change the law itself and heads off to Washington as a Congressional aide.

Here's where things fall flat. I suppose its largely my own fault for having been involved in politics on the down and dirty level to the point I don't find satirte of it amusing. LB II just didn't sweer politics quite as effectively as the first film ripped into the first year law student experience. Reese's Ms. Amith Goes to Washington" was too idealistic an unbelievable. There more some really good laugh out loud moments, but nothing like the first. Reese was, of course, beautiful as always. No bikini shots here, though. What's up with that?

I liked Bob Newhart's role as a doorman and Washington insider who befriends Elle. He was much more subdued than I would have expeced. It would have been nice if they'd let Bob be Bob. It would have added a how new layerof effective jokes. They did let Sally Fields be Sally Fields, and she played Elle's manipulative, bought and paid for Congresswoman boss with gusto. I'm glad to see her still gettingdecent parts in a town the discards actresses after they hit forty, much less fifty.

If you can accept the instant, idealistic, and unrealistic change Elle has on DC then you'll have a really good time. Reese even almost convinced this old cynical heart. Then again, I think Reese could sell oil to the Arabs, so you are probably asking the wrong guy about that.

Mad World-- (Gary Jules, originally Tears for Fears)

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places
Worn out faces

Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere
Going nowhere

Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression
No expression

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow
No tomorrow

And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying
Are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It’s a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy birthday
Happy birthday

Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen
Sit and listen

Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me
No one knew me

Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson
Look right through me
Look right through me

Happy Fourth of July



This was the first night I've had eight straight hours of sleep in ages. I'd almost forgotten what such a thing felt like. After handing in my Elder Law paper and having my last UCC II last night, I feel like two weights have come off me. I still have to take theexam next Monday, but I'm celebrating the moment here. Dumping cynicism doesn't come easy for me, ya know. Today 'im going to lounge around and read a novel. Tomorrow? Bah. Who knows?

Well, There's a Shocker

Reese Witherspoon on how she picks her roles:

"I have a weird process, but the main thing is like this: I hear her voice in my head. There are a lot of wonderful scripts my agents can't believe I pass on, but I do because I can't hear the voice. It doesn't appeal to me then. I'm really careful. Unless I hear the voice, I can't do it."

Why do I always like the odd ones?

And Now For Our Feature Presentation, Part Deux

I presented my paper tonight. I explained living trusts, living trust scams, the unauthorized practice of law, the Model Rules of Profession Responsibilty, the demographics of the elderly making them a target for non-lawyers performing living trust scams, and my suggestions for what should be done about it. It was just as riveting as you can imagine. Of course, I also sat through two hours worth of my classmates' presentations as well, semiconscous. That class is almost over, and I can't wait. What a summer this has been.

To Lighten Up the Mood Around Here

Movie Producer Game: greenlight your own movie projects by picking the director, writer, stars, and release date. The game will predict the box office draw, Oscar chances, and critics' reviews. I've been having a ball with this one. Now, what in the world am I doing up at this hour is my next question.

Here's An Even Better Essay on the Subject

Sex Appeal: Is Lawrence Worse Than Roe? In a word, yes. To some up my view, I quote Justice Thomas from the essay:

"The law before the Court today "is ... uncommonly silly," he said, quoting Justice Stewart's dissent in the contraceptives case. "If I were a member of the Texas Legislature, I would vote to repeal it." Nevertheless, Thomas said he was unable to find in the Constitution a "general right of privacy," or, as the Court "the liberty of the person both in its spatial and more transcendent dimensions."

Now for Our Feature Presentation

This week we have to present our Elder law papers to the class, explaining our thesis, defining the problem we have identified, and then propose our solution. I don't go until tommorrow night, but as a courtesy, I have to sit through every presentation before me. While I am certain I have had more boring experiences in my life, I cannot recall any of them. Every paper topic sounds more coma inducing than the last: estate planning, nursing home malpractice, ederly criminals, elderly drivers, elderly traveling abroad--I think my head hit the desk on that last one, but I'm sure I woke up before anyone noticed. Who can say, with all the snoring that was going on around me.

I did have an intersting discussion with a classmate on last week's Supreme Court decision regarding sodomy. For years, SCOTUS has held that there is a compelling state interest in maintaining the sanctity of marriage, a euphemism for support of heterosexual relations exclusively. With it decision Wednsday, the SCOTUS has now established the right to privacy in place of the sanctity of marriage. The implications of this will be far reaching. This George Will column explains it all better than I could of the top of my head here.