Random Ramblings About Life and Law School

Thank you, Wikipedia!

2009-05-04T14:09:00.002-04:00

Without you I wouldn't be able to understand some of my Con Law cases.

Swine flu: an overrreaction or not getting the whole story?

2009-05-01T10:57:00.005-04:00

At work we're supposed to have patients who are suspected of having swine flu (as well as everyone accompanying them) immediately put on a mask, then bring them right away into a designated room so they don't sit in the waiting room while waiting for their appointment. When our office manager called Infectious Disease at the hospital per their protocol immediately after our patient arrived, the first question she was asked was "does she need to be admitted?" Yet at the same time, we're supposed to treat the patients suspected of having swine flu exactly the same as we treat other patients suspected of having the regular flu. In other words, no special precautions beyond the mask and not having them wait in the waiting room.

This doesn't make sense to me. Any flu is a droplet infection, which means that anyone and anything within 3 feet is considered contaminated. In other words, anything you touch within those three feet can give you the flu if you then touch your mouth, eyes or nose. Either there's something special about the swine flu or there isn't. Either we treat it as something special or we don't, not this halfway stuff. The thing that makes me nervous is that the people dying in Mexico are in their 20s and 30s, which is what flu did during the pandemic of 1918.

Q&A: Why is swine flu such a big deal?
NBC’s Robert Bazell sorts the facts from the fears

By Robert Bazell
Chief science and health correspondent
NBC News
updated 8:01 p.m. ET, Sun., April 26, 2009

As new cases of swine flu emerge around the globe, from Ohio to Nova Scotia to New Zealand, the declaration of a "public health emergency" in the United States has further stoked fears and confusion.

NBC Chief Science and Health Correspondent Robert Bazell answers questions on the outbreak.

If this disease is like a mild flu, why is this being called a public health emergency? And why are officials in the United States concerned?

It's about the potential. It's not about what's happening right now. None of the 40 cases so far in the United States have been very serious. But the virus here is genetically identical to the strain of the virus that is killing people in Mexico.

This is a new virus so there's no natural immunity. It has the potential to spread very widely. That's what raises worries about a possible pandemic.

Don't thousands of people die from the regular flu? What's special this time around?

Generally, people who die from influenza are older people or those who already have respiratory problems. They end up dying of pneumonia. But this time around, the people who died in Mexico are younger. They are apparently healthy people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That's a big deal. When a virus seems to preferentially affect healthy people, it suggests its a new virus and is causing an overreaction of the immune response. That's what happened with bird flu as well.

Influenza is virus that is always circulating between birds and pigs and people. Some have different genes that make them more or less infectious.

I have symptoms of the flu but haven’t recently been to Mexico? Should I go to the doctor?

You should go to the doctor if you have a fever or are really sick, for instance if you have difficulty breathing, even if you haven't been to Mexico.

The cases in the U.S. are not just among people who have been to Mexico. And the cases in the U.S. are so geographically dispersed and with no obvious connection to each other, that it seems this virus has already spread widely in the United States.

We shouldn’t start overwhelming emergency rooms or doctors' offices with every little sniffle or cough. But fever is the main thing. If you had the flu bad enough to start endangering you, you would feel so awful you would want to go to the doctor anyway.

You should also follow flu etiquette. If you are sick, you should stay home from work or school and limit contact with others.

Why is the disease so much more serious in Mexico than here?

Probably because it started in Mexico. That's going to become a big issue over time. There's supposed to be a pandemic prevention plan to contain a new flu virus by giving people in surrounding area Tamiflu. But it has obviously been spreading in Mexico for up to a month. The new strain of swine flu was discovered in California before the U.S. even knew about cases in Mexico. The virus could also be mutating.

Why is there so much uncertainty about what happens next?

Every epidemic has its own behavior. There's really no way of predicting. This could really just fade out or it could become very serious. Right now we are in a period of great uncertainty. In public health, that's the hardest thing.

© 2009 msnbc.com Reprints

Justice Souter to retire

2009-05-01T01:16:00.003-04:00

Souter known as low-key, fierce defender of individual rights

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- David who? was the initial reaction of Americans to a little-known judge from New Hampshire named in 1990 to sit on the nation's highest court. Even the nominee didn't know what to think when President George H.W. Bush called him with the news, telling supporters, "I was in a state of virtual shock."
Conservatives say Supreme Court Justice David Souter, nominated by a Republican, was a dissapointment.

Conservatives say Supreme Court Justice David Souter, nominated by a Republican, was a dissapointment.

David Hackett Souter had only been on a federal appeals court bench for a few months when he was tapped to replace liberal lion William Brennan, a choice many Republicans hoped would move the high court rightward and reshape American law.

"I think that is good news for all of us who are committed to the Constitution of the United States," said President Bush. "He'll be a superb justice for the Supreme Court."

In reality, Souter was in many ways a typical, old-fashioned Yankee Republican -- a moderate with an independent, even quirky streak. Whether he became more liberal in his views after joining the Supreme Court, as many conservatives believe, may depend on your politics.

"Justice Souter will never escape the label of having been an enormous disappointment, a traitor to the right," said Thomas Goldstein, a Washington appellate attorney and founder of Scotusblog.com. "It instead created the opportunity to entrench a series of more liberal rulings. So he became the right's greatest failure and we will forever hear the mantra 'No More Souters' from conservatives."

Colleagues dismiss suggestions that liberal colleagues on the bench helped move Souter to the left.

"I find that incredibly unbelievable," said Rebecca Tushnet, a former Souter law clerk and professor at Georgetown Law Center. "He was faced with different issues on the Supreme Court than he was as a state official. A Supreme Court justice requires you to make different decisions, ones that aren't always consistent with your politics. And remember the Republican Party of Nixon is a different party than the one we have today, and we have a number of judges who came out of that earlier Republican Party who may not be in line with the priorities of people in power in Republican circles today."

The stealth candidate

Souter had a long career in public service. He was New Hampshire's attorney general and a trial judge who later sat on the state's supreme court.

Senate confirmation hearings to the high court were a breeze, because his federal experience was brief and his public stance on hot-button issues like abortion remained fuzzy.
Don't Miss

* Justice Souter to retire

"I have not got any agenda on what should be done with Roe v. Wade if that case were brought before me," he told senators. "I will listen to both sides of that case. I have not made up my mind."

That didn't stop women's rights groups from sounding the alarm. At rallies during his confirmation, abortion rights activists held up signs opposing Souter and chanted, "This is nobody's body but mine."

Similar concern came from movement conservatives. "At the time, he was called the 'stealth candidate,' " said Douglas Kmiec, a law professor at Pepperdine University who worked on high court nominations in the Reagan and Bush administrations. "So it was tabula rasa when he showed up at the bench and it was a surprise thereafter."

One of the first "surprises" came in 1992 when the Supreme Court reaffirmed the fundamental right to abortion in "Planned Parenthood v. Casey." Souter was part of a three-justice coalition that ultimately decided the case. In doing so, the "no undue burden" legal test was established when states were considering limiting a woman's access to abortion.

"What was clear to me was that he hadn't decided that case before he heard it" at oral arguments, recalled Peter Rubin, one of Souter's law clerks that term. "The law for him, unlike many of his conservative colleagues, was not an abstract set of rules totally divorced from its effect in the real world. It wasn't just an intellectual puzzle for him."

One puzzle for Souter was technology. He famously told Congress he would allow cameras in his courtroom only "over my dead body."

He shunned cell phones and pagers, and wrote drafts of his opinions in longhand, while a court-issued computer gathered dust in his chambers. Friends laugh recalling that for years he owned only an old black and white TV that was never plugged in.

So it surprised many when in 2005 Souter wrote a landmark cyber-age ruling in the so-called "Grokster" case. The court made software companies liable for misusing their file-sharing services and allowing copyrighted material to be easily and illegally downloaded.

"I am willing to bet Justice Souter had never seen a file-sharing application," said Tushnet, who is also an expert on cyber-age legal issues. "I would stake my life he had never used one, and would never use one. And yet his opinion reflected an understanding of how it works on the technical level, and how it affects a legal analysis of whether or not the supplier of the program should be held liable for what the people who use it do with it."

Man behind the robes

Souter's personality made him stand out on the Supreme Court, despite all efforts to avoid the spotlight. A lifelong bachelor, he lived alone in a tiny Washington apartment, escaping often to his family farm in rural New Hampshire.

He kept comfortably to routine, bringing a daily lunch of an apple and yogurt in a plastic grocery bag, eating alone in his chambers. Friends -- and he had few close associates -- say his favorite pastimes were reading, jogging and hiking in the New Hampshire mountains, activities he almost always did by himself.

The thrifty Souter shunned the trappings of power and privilege that came with being a Supreme Court justice.

"People didn't know him," said Goldstein. "He didn't go to parties, he didn't do speaking events. David Souter was really an isolated individual very much by choice."

Colleagues dismiss reports Souter was ready to quit the court after the 2000 Florida ballot disputes handed the presidency to George W. Bush. But they privately confirmed what a personal blow the rulings had on the integrity of the court he loved.

"He was very aggrieved by December 12, 2000," said Ralph Neas, former director of the liberal advocacy group People for the American Way. "He believed it was the ultimate politicization of the Supreme Court."

To critics, Souter siding with the liberal bloc only reaffirmed their view of him as a disappointment.

"He has not made a name for himself in any large body of jurisprudence," said former top White House lawyer Kmiec. "He's been kind of a go-along guy, in the context of the liberal or progressive side of the court. I think George Bush wanted more out of his judicial nominee than that, but that's what he got."

But others think history will judge Souter in kinder terms:

"A judge's judge," said Tushnet, "someone with deep respect of the institution and a deep faith in the ability of Americans in all branches to work things out."

Former law clerk Rubin remembered, "That sense of responsibility, that kind of care in deciding each individual's case is a hallmark of Justice Souter, of the man and his jurisprudence."

As for Souter, a man of few words, his brief remarks at a public White House ceremony after he was sworn in as a Supreme Court justice offer a capsule of his outlook on life and the law.

"What we try to do is pass it on, to make the gifts and kindnesses that come to us the kind of human currency that goes on traveling," he said. "I will try to preserve it, transmit it, I hope refreshed, to another generation of the American republic, which is the inheritance of us all."

Does anybody else feel like we're living through the first chapter of The Stand?

2009-04-30T00:05:00.004-04:00

Just Monday, for the first time ever, the World Health Organization raised the influenza pandemic alert to level 4. Today (well, technically yesterday since it's just after midnight) they raised it to level 5. Here's the level and link to the statement by the WHO's director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan:

Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan
29 April 2009

Swine influenza

Ladies and gentlemen,

Based on assessment of all available information, and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.

Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

On the positive side, the world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history.

Preparedness measures undertaken because of the threat from H5N1 avian influenza were an investment, and we are now benefitting from this investment.

For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real-time.

I thank countries who are making the results of their investigations publicly available. This helps us understand the disease.

I am impressed by the work being done by affected countries as they deal with the current outbreaks.

I also want to thank the governments of the USA and Canada for their support to WHO, and to Mexico.

Let me remind you. New diseases are, by definition, poorly understood. Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour.

WHO and health authorities in affected countries will not have all the answers immediately, but we will get them.

WHO will be tracking the pandemic at the epidemiological, clinical, and virological levels.

The results of these ongoing assessments will be issued as public health advice, and made publicly available.

All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.

At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities.

This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry and the business community that certain actions should now be undertaken with increased urgency, and at an accelerated pace.

I have reached out to donor countries, to UNITAID, to the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank and others to mobilize resources.

I have reached out to companies manufacturing antiviral drugs to assess capacity and all options for ramping up production.

I have also reached out to influenza vaccine manufacturers that can contribute to the production of a pandemic vaccine.

The biggest question, right now, is this: how severe will the pandemic be, especially now at the start?

It is possible that the full clinical spectrum of this disease goes from mild illness to severe disease. We need to continue to monitor the evolution of the situation to get the specific information and data we need to answer this question.

From past experience, we also know that influenza may cause mild disease in affluent countries, but more severe disease, with higher mortality, in developing countries.

No matter what the situation is, the international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

Above all, this is an opportunity for global solidarity as we look for responses and solutions that benefit all countries, all of humanity. After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.

As I have said, we do not have all the answers right now, but we will get them.

Thank you.

Corporate links
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© WHO 2009

The single most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of swine flu (or other respiratory diseases)

2009-04-29T11:23:00.005-04:00

other than frequently and vigorously washing your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds each time, that is:

WHEN YOU COUGH OR SNEEZE, DO IT INTO YOUR ARM INSTEAD OF YOUR HANDS OR A TISSUE!

Your arm rarely comes into contact with commonly touched items such as door handles or money. Coughing or sneezing into your arm is the most effective and easiest thing to do to help prevent the spread of the flu (or colds, etc). PLEASE spread the word! At least those of us who care about not infecting others will help slow the spread of disease. As for those selfish bastards who cough or sneeze without covering their mouths at all, I say we make them wear masks. By force if necessary. Hey, we're at war with the swine flu. Anything goes. ;)

On a more serious note, though, there has been one fatality in the US, a 23 month old child who had come to the US from Mexico for treatment. Also, the CDC has confirmed cases in the following states:
Arizona
California
Indiana
Kansas
Massachusetts (two children in Lowell)
Michigan
Nevada
New York City
Ohio
Texas.
In Massachusetts you can dial 211 for information about the swine flu.

As of yesterday, the World Health Organization has reported confirmed cases of swine flu in 7 countries:
United States
Mexico
Canada
New Zealand
United Kingdom
Israel
Spain

(on an interesting side note, Blogspot considers both "Zealand" and "Blogspot" as spelling errors)

Law school pops up in the weirdest places sometimes

2009-03-27T22:40:00.002-04:00

Like when I was doing a search for shuttle flights between Boston and NY. I found this on yelp.com:

"Lease and tenant at will question"

Sarah "Bull in a china shop" D. says:

"My lease ends April 30th and it states that it becomes tenant-at-will immediately after that. Today my landlord sent me a notice to leave by April 30th. However I thought that she would need to give me notice 30 days after the tenant-at-will started.

The landlord definitely isn't someone that respects tenants that much to begin with since she wrote into the lease that she could live with us for the first month we were here. That was hell since she's extremely selfish, doesn't respect other people's property and is generally pretty annoying.

Any help would be really appreciated!"

If I hadn't gotten literally 4 hours of sleep since Wednesday morning I might even try to answer her question. Here's a tip for those of you who are thinking about going to law school. Don't accidentally make spring your heavier semester of the year. Ugh.... Five classes???? On top of full-time work and a three hour commute to class and back? The semester's almost done and I'm still wondering what I was thinking. :(

It's a brand new day!

2009-01-20T23:24:00.002-05:00

I had to see it for myself. I taped both CNN and CNBC. I'm not sure why.

For some reason, the radio station we have at work in my little area acted like nothing was happening. And unfortunately I was so busy today that it wasn't until I went to go talk to one of the other nurses about something that I realized what was happening today. I heard Barack Obama's inauguration speech coming through on her radio, and I realized that "the moment", as CNN has been calling it, had come and gone. We had a new president. But I was so busy that it didn't really register.

Overjoyed as I have been all day that Bush is no longer president, it wasn't until just now, as I was watching President Obama take the oath of office on CNN, that it finally felt like we have a new president. That he is now President Obama, he is now the President of the United States.

The chorus "Oh, happy day!" keeps running through my head.

What a great new day it is today!

At last...

2009-01-19T22:54:00.004-05:00

today is the last day of the worst presidency in American history. Tomorrow, the first day of hope in a long, long time.

My Con Law professor knows someone who took Con Law from Barack Obama when he was still teaching. One day, as an example of the greatness of this democracy, Obama said to his class "Hey, one day even I might be president!" The class' response? To laugh. Obama was probably feeling a little hurt when he asked why they were laughing. No one really had an answer.

Can you imagine tomorrow being one of those students who laughed at the idea of Barack Obama being President of the United States?

And how fitting that he would prove them all wrong the day after Martin Luther King Day.

Rev. Gene Robinson to deliver first invocation of Obama's inauguration!!!!

2009-01-12T22:58:00.004-05:00

Although I grew up Catholic, I decided a long time ago that I no longer wanted to be Catholic anymore. Nothing against my particular Church or anything, but I was looking for a slightly more open-minded Church. The first time I went to an Episcopal service, it was for a U2charist. I knew there was something about the Episcopal Church I liked. :) Then I realized that the first gay priest, the one all the fuss was about, was a Bishop in the Episcopal Church here in NH. Between that and the experience of going to an Episcopal mass, I was completely and totally sold on the Episcopal Church. And now Rev. Robinson is going to give the first invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration!

January 12, 2009
Openly gay bishop to deliver first inauguration event invocation
Posted: 06:44 PM ET

From CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand
Robinson became the U.S. Episcopal church’s first openly gay bishop in 2003.

(CNN) — The first openly gay priest ordained by a major Christian denomination will deliver the invocation at the kickoff inauguration event Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial.

The Rev. Gene Robinson, Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire, has accepted an invitation issued by the Obama team prior to the announcement of the Rev. Rick Warren’s selection to deliver the invocation at the president-elect’s swearing-in, Politico reported Monday.

Robinson had been a critic of Warren’s role, calling his inclusion in the event “really, really unfortunate” because of the California minister's support for California's Prop. 8, which barred same-sex marriage.

“It's about this particular venue and the role that he has in praying for all of America, and I'm just not sure he'd pray to God the same way I would,” Robinson told Beliefnet last month.

“…This particular choice [of Warren] is not about having everyone at the table for a discussion or some sort of general forum. Every choice related to who does what at the inauguration is highly symbolic, and I think the transition team failed to ask the question of what, symbolically, this might say to some of our citizens.”

Robinson said at the time his disappointment would not affect his plans to attend President-elect Obama’s inauguration.

It's the waiting that gets you

2009-01-05T21:38:00.005-05:00

I don't know about you, but I'm guessing you also have to wait for your grades to pop up on Campus Cruiser or some other kind of internet program. Back in undergrad we got the old-fashioned report cards. Although you had to wait seemingly forever for them, at least you got your grades all at once.

At Suffolk our grades were to begin being posted at 5pm today. However, the deadline for the professors to turn in those grades was 3pm. Today. Which means that if the professor even if the professor turns in their grades on time, the school somehow expects to post all of the grades for all of the classes in two hours, which rarely happens. As a result, I received one of my grades tonight at about 9:15pm, but I still haven't received the other. This is torture! What's interesting is that I got the highest grade I've gotten so far in "The Exam". Maybe the dexedrine (and ability to study better) really helped after all.

By the way, did you hear that Harvard Law did away with grades altogether? And although Suffolk has a frustrating B- curve (making our grades look worse in comparison to the other law schools in Boston), Harvard is sort of well known for it's cushy--albeit unofficial--B+ curve. It seems to be common knowledge in Boston that the hardest part of Harvard Law is getting in. Not that HLS students don't deserve credit for that, because it really is something to be proud of. However, from then on it's apparently hard not to get a good grade (check out exhibit A--an article by Andrea Saenz from the Harvard Law Record dated 3/6/08, in which she says "It is common knowledge that grades are inflated at Harvard Law as compared to most other law schools, and that professors have at least some constraints on the distribution of grades they must give to large classes. Students often repeat that classes are "curved on a B+", and that A+s and grades below B- are discretionary.")

Now they're going to an essentially pass-fail system. I have to admit, I've never really been jealous of Harvard Law students, other than the fact that they were able to get in. :) As I've said before, I'm very happy with and proud of the education I'm getting at Suffolk. But having a pass-fail system of grading? THAT makes me jealous.

Oops, just one more thing...

2009-01-03T01:15:00.004-05:00

It's been over 3 months since I last posted about my love life so I figured I'd fill you guys in. If you haven't already, read the post I just linked to so you know who I'm talking about. :) Anyway, I can't say enough about him! And not only did we make it through the month of November, but through my birthday and the holidays, too! I'm so lucky that I don't even know what to do with myself.

I'm still afraid to say too much because I don't want to jinx it, so you'll just have to trust me: I'm a very lucky woman right now. :)

Wow, it's been a while!

2009-01-03T00:34:00.005-05:00

My last post was about 3 or 4 weeks ago, so I figured I owed it to my both of my readers to post a little update. ;)

Grades come out Monday. In 3 days. I'm trying not to think about it. Really, all I want to do is pass, but I'm kidding myself if I think grades don't matter just a little. This last exam was the first one I took while on medication for ADHD. It was strange. I didn't feel that much more organized in actually writing it, which was kind of disappointing. If anything, I was more aware of how disorganized I was and how many more issues I wanted to address but couldn't! I chose not to ask for accommodations, so I didn't get any extra time. I'm debating now whether I want to ask for it for this semester. I definitely studied harder and (I think) better than for any of my previous exams, but I'm still scared to find out whether it paid off or not. What if it didn't? What do I do now?

Anyway, I hope everyone did well last semester! I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of us. And to the 1Ls, congratulations! You survived your first semester of law school. :)

Law School Brain and the Attractiveness of Steve Martin

2008-12-11T18:24:00.002-05:00

So the other day a couple of friends and I were talking about a 13 year old who had a crush on Steve Martin. That naturally led to a debate on his attractiveness, which led to someone saying "After that movie he lost his appeal".

My response?

"He was sued???"

ADHD is REALLY frustrating right about now.

2008-12-04T21:26:00.008-05:00

Growing up I never thought I might have ADHD. I'm not sure I had even heard of it! Looking back on it now, though, it makes perfect sense:

1. I almost obsessively focused on things I was interested in while being very quickly bored by things that were too easy.

2. I was quick to get frustrated and angry, even over relatively minor things.

3. I always had a hard time being patient.

4. I interrupted people constantly, either because some random idea had popped into my head or because I addressed what someone was saying before they finished saying it.

5. I would even interrupt myself because of those random thoughts!

6. I couldn't stay still without fidgeting. Ever.

7. I would constantly turn to look at something that caught my eye during a conversation.

8. I found it almost impossible to get motivated to do things I didn't want to do.

9. I always studied or began papers or projects at the last minute despite the best of intentions.

Come to think of it, I'm still that way. But it turns out that the things I always thought were signs of being lazy--procrastinating and having a hard time doing the boring but necessary things in life--is one of the more common symptoms of ADHD.

I'll never forget one day when I was 12 years old and wasn't doing whatever it was I had been asked to do. All of a sudden I heard my grandfather say loudly "She's just lazy! She's just a lazy girl." That completely crushed me. I felt like the worst person on earth, totally worthless. And I immediately thought "I can't help it! I try, I really do, but I just can't!"

I didn't say it out loud, though. Partly because I was crying too hard to speak, but mostly because it wasn't an excuse. It was simply the truth, plaintive and heart wrenching though it was. Can you imagine what that must be like? Pretend for a second that ADD/ADHD is not an excuse to be an underachiever or to be lazy. Pretend that you literally can't bring yourself to focus on getting something important done, even though you know you should. In fact, you really, really want to because you know how important it is, but you literally cannot bring yourself to do it. Can you imagine what it does to your self esteem to be constantly feeling guilty about something, whether it's because because your home is never clean enough, or you were late on another bill payment, or you're never on top of anything you're supposed to be doing, or you're constantly putting people off by interrupting them and being disorganized during a conversation? Time and time again the symptoms can take a hit on your self esteem.

Don't get me wrong--I've managed to build a pretty decent base of self esteem over the years, and I'm not looking for a pity party. But tonight I was planning on working on my outline and flashcards for my exam next week. For the life of me, I haven't been able to get started. I know it seems like I should be able to decide "ok, time to get started" and just do it, but when I'm tired the medication doesn't work as well. Sometimes it doesn't work at all when I'm exhausted, which is what I am tonight.

I know it boggles the mind. But it's like trying to turn a light on, only a wire is loose and the light won't turn on no matter how hard you flip the switch. Until I started taking medication I didn't truly understand how much easier it was for other people to do things like this. With the medication, I'm able to think "ok, let's do it" and then actually do it! Without it, or when I'm exhausted it's like this. I had no idea it wasn't like this for everyone else.

So anyway, another night of studying is wasted. And I'm starting to understand why the doctor at work said "you must be really smart, to accomplish all you have with a disability". I don't think I could have made it through my first year of law school with ADHD otherwise. Unfortunately, struggling like I am tonight is not something I'd rather have in exchange for possibly a little bit of extra intelligence. Sometimes it's just frustrating, but sometimes I feel just a little bit defeated.

Are you rude? How to find out.

2008-12-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

Take this quiz!

Give me a little credit, George.

2008-12-01T15:04:00.006-05:00

Ok, bonus points if you recognize that as a line from Father of the Bride!

Anyway. So apparently Georgie was quoted on CNN as saying that some people voted for Barack Obama because of him. Ok, that may be true.

But then he said that most of us voted for Obama because we want him in our living rooms explaining policy for the next four years.

Yeah, because I vote for the person I want to hear explaining policy, not because of their policies. Give us a little credit, George. Obama won in a landslide. There's more to winning by a landslide than "oh, they were just sick of us Republicans".

Obama won because of the things he represents in the minds of those who voted for him:
The real America
The new majority.

Why does he represent these things? Because in Barack Obama, people see hope for this country. Hope that we can work together for the common good despite partisanship by truly listening to each other and compromising. Hope that the ideals of the Constitution can be upheld. Hope that we can live and let live again, and hope that politics can be something a little more noble than a mere power grab.

He represents these not only by talking the talk, but by walking the walk. How long has it been since we had a candidate like that?

"I wept that night. Did you?"

2008-11-25T19:56:00.005-05:00

Ok, I'm in law school, which means I'm not exactly up on my tv shows. I tape them then try to catch up on the weekends. Since I'm skipping my last property class of the semester tonight, I figured I'd catch up on Boston Legal. In the episode I'm watching now, which aired on 11/17, Shirley and Alan were discussing the presidential election. Shirley said to Alan "I wept that night. Did you?"

I actually did. I didn't realize how much hope for this country I had pinned on Barack Obama until CNN announced that they projected him to be the next President of the United States. I got goosebumps, and then the tears started. What an unbelievable moment!

For the first time ever, a candidate could be the ideal that I've had in my mind for a long time. What Robert Kennedy could have been, if he hadn't been assassinated. What the president should be. Watching the crowds react in Chicago and NYC reminded me of what it must have been like in the 60s, when people were passionate about politics because they knew it could make a difference.

What an amazing night.

But the funniest part was the night before, in Con Law. Our professor started class by talking about election, and apologizing because she couldn't keep her mind off of it. Her enthusiasm kept bubbling out of her until finally she said "Big shit's going down tomorrow!"

How could you not love it? :)

THIS is the United States?

2008-11-22T23:08:00.004-05:00

Thanks to a link from an interesting young Canadian blogger, I came across this blog post of his.

I'm assuming that if you've read my blog before you aren't this type of person, but in case you haven't, me forewarn you:

This young blogger is gay.

There, I said it. Think it's sad that I would even think about forewarning people? Then check out his blog post. And check out his blog while you're at it. He's got some pretty interesting stuff to say.

"You're too smart to be a nurse.

2008-11-22T00:49:00.003-05:00

You should be a doctor!"

Why do people think this is a compliment? Since when are nurses dumb? Would you want a dumb nurse? In searching the internet for other nurses' thoughts, I found a blogger who put it better than I ever have: Lucid. She said "I don't want to be a doctor because I want to be a nurse".

A couple of months ago, we had a little girl come in to the office with her mom and her mom's new husband, Newbie. Newbie is a local doctor who, to be fair, has a reputation for being a major league dirtbag. Anyway, because the girl was coming in for a recheck of her asthma, I put the pulse oximeter on her finger to get her pulse and oxygen level while I used the "forehead" thermometer to get her temperature. After using those two cool little pieces of technology, I put the old-fashioned manual blood pressure cuff on her arm. As I was inflating the cuff, Newbie said to me "Oh, thank God you can do something!"

I stopped dead in my tracks and just looked at him, completely at a loss for words. Seeing my reaction, he then tried to backtrack: "Well, I mean with all that equipment, if you didn't know how to take a blood pressure I'd wonder what they're teaching you in school nowadays!"

Now, I have no idea what he thought I was, but at best he thought I was a brand new, inexperienced nurse (if he thought I was a nurse at all)! I've since forgotten what I said to him, but what I do remember is what I wish I had said: "Well, in nursing school they taught us how to assess a situation, critical thinking, problem solving... actually, pretty much the same things they teach us in law school!"

But I didn't.

I'm not one to throw stuff around like that. Things like what you do for a living or where you went to school don't make any of us better than anyone else. But boy, did I want to throw that in his face. He was sitting there all smug in his sense of intellectual superiority to me, assuming that I was probably a brand new medical assistant. I would have LOVED to have burst that bubble. But I didn't. Because I'm a good nurse.

Dammit.

Bush's midnight regulations

2008-11-21T22:50:00.003-05:00

Midnight regulations are last-minute regulations put into effect by a President on his way out. Even lame ducks like W get to have midnight regulations. Some of W's:

"Allowing" truckers to drink for longer periods of time. Finalized

Reducing employees' ability to use paid vacation or personal time for medical or family emergencies under FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). Finalized

Speeding up oil shale development, including auctioning off drilling points along 3 national parks. Finalized

Allowing federally funded hospitals and clinics to refuse abortions on religious reasons.

Allowing loaded guns and concealed weapons into some national parks (currently they are only allowed if unloaded and safely stored).

Allowing confined animal feeding organizations to determine on their own whether they need a permit to discharge waste into water. Finalized

Denying or reducing federal funding for institutions unless they certify that they do not "advocate, promote or support the legalization or practice of prostitution", including HIV clinics and organizations that try to help victims of sex trafficking (which, by the way, would then only be allowed to help those who "are no longer engaged in activities that resulted from their being trafficked".

So much for worker's rights, the environment, safety and the separation of church and state. I'm too tired to think about all this anymore... Can't wait for Inauguration Day!!!

Best line from SNL last night:

2008-11-16T12:09:00.004-05:00

Seth Meyers. Weekend Update. A photo of President-Elect Barack Obama.

"It's official. For the next four years, it will be pronounced 'nuc-lee-ar'"

Don't go to Julio's Liquors!!!

2008-11-14T23:51:00.006-05:00

From: me
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 4:14 PM
To: ryan
Subject: incident last night

Ryan,

I'm the woman that you spoke to about Whaler's Killer Coconut rum. You told me that you had ordered a case for someone who never came in to pick it up, and you gave me your card so I could call to arrange to come down to buy some of the rum. I really appreciate your help with the whole thing, I really do, but after last night, I changed my mind about buying the rum. I'm writing this because I wanted to let you know why.

My friend had called to arrange for us to pick up the rum on our way back from a trip to New York this weekend. We were coming back on Monday, 10/13. Unfortunately, due to circumstances that were entirely beyond our control, we were delayed for 2 hours before we were finally able to get out of New York.

My friend called the store 4 times that night, at about 8pm, 9pm, and 9:30pm. The last call he made was at 9:57pm according to his cell phone. Each time he called, he confirmed that we were coming to pick up the rum. At 9:30, he told a woman who answered that we'd probably be getting there at or just before 10pm. She told him that would be fine. He then called and spoke to a male at 9:57, asking him at which fast food place--McDonald's or Burger King--were we supposed to take a left. When he was told Burger King, he told the employee that we were at that Burger King (across the street) right now.

Our frustration began when after all that, this employee told him that it was too late, that we would be unable to get the rum because the registers were already closed for the day. He attempted to explain that he had just spoken to someone to let them know we'd be there at or just before 10 and had been told it would be fine, that I was from out of state, and that it was a special order which he had previously confirmed would be picked up on 10/13. This employee hung up on him without saying a word.

Unfortunately, it got worse from there. As we were pulling into the parking lot, a male who was closing the door stopped closing for a few seconds and watched us. To be honest, for the the amount of time he hesitated, I thought he was going to ask if he could help us or at least tell us that the store was closed. Instead, he watched as we pulled into the spot right in front of him, then waited until he put the car in park before he closed the door completely, locked it, looked at us again for a second, turned around and walked away.

He got out of the car and knocked on the door until another young male came over. This young man refused to either open the door or come outside, and instead forced him to talk through the glass. Again, he said that the registers were already closed, there was nothing he could do, and we could not get the rum. When he asked him to call you or a supervisor, this young man refused, saying that he would not call anyone at 10 o'clock at night.

To be honest, between hanging up on my friend, deliberately waiting to lock the door in our faces, and refusing to speak to him in person, I couldn't believe how rudely we were being treated. When my friend came back into the car I decided to try reasoning with this guy, thinking that since he had hung up on my friend maybe he might listen a little better to someone else. Unfortunately, he refused at first to even get up from his stool, and just kept sitting there shaking his head at me. After a few seconds he finally came to the door and spoke to me through the glass. I attempted to explain the situation to him beginning with our conversation at the food festival, but I got the same response my friend had. I asked him again to speak to a supervisor. He refused again to make the call, turned his back on me and walked away without saying another word.

While I was talking to him through the locked glass door, I could see to the right of the doorway another male employee who was on the phone and looking at me. After the other young man rudely turned his back on me, I became frustrated and slapped my hand once against the glass before getting back into the car. As we pulled out of the spot, I could see the male on the phone walking further to our left and appearing to be getting the license plate number of the car. I said to my friend "I think they're calling the police on us!"

Sure enough, two police cars came and stopped us before we even got out of the lot. I'm not sure exactly what the employees told the police, but they made my friend get out of the car and frisked him! The police officer who was speaking to me through the car window suggested they were led to believe that we were banging the door down, and they seemed to be trying to rule out whether we had been drinking or under the influence of drugs. Naturally none of this was true, and when the officers realized this and that we each had (separately) given them the exact same version of what had happened, they let us go without so much as a warning.

I wanted to let you know because I was in tears as we were leaving. Neither of us were trying to cause any problems. Instead of choosing to provide good customer service, the three of them treated us rudely and disrespectfully. At no time throughout the entire ordeal did either of us threaten, swear or raise our voice at anyone either on the phone or at the door, neither of us made more than one attempt each to talk to the young man through the door, and neither of our conversations lasted for more than a couple of minutes, so I don't feel that any of their actions were justified in any way, especially not calling the police! As a customer, I have never in my life been treated so rudely, and have I absolutely never had the police called on me!!!

I'm truly sorry that this all happened, but I felt it was important that you know how your employees treated a potentially long-term customer last night. I'm sure you can understand why I no longer want the rum. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Me

This was his response:

Hi me,

First, let me apologize for getting back to you so late!
Second, let me apologize for what happened to you when you came to the store.
I talked to your friend and hopefully he understood the instructions that I give the night crew.
As for them not opening the door after we closed, that is my fault since those are my instructions.
They, however, should have explained to you guys what their instructions were. They have been made clear as to how a future scenario should be handled.
I hope that you could see fit to give us another chance.
Please feel free to print out and use the attached gift card if you decide to stop by.
Again, my sincere apologies.

Ryan

Wow. A whopping $10 off my next order and a lame, pathetic excuse for an apology. I live over an hour away. His little liquor store is in the middle of nowhere. No way in hell a $10 off coupon would ever make it worth my while to go out there. Um.... that might cover what, 5 gallons of gas at best? That wouldn't even cover half the trip. Not to mention it's a generic coupon, not one that was made for me. Thanks, but no thanks.

Today's lesson: Don't buy anything from Julio's Liquors in Westborough, MA. It's not worth the shitty customer service.

So, about those selfish peopole

2008-11-13T23:15:00.000-05:00

Remember that selfish friend I've mentioned once or twice? I read this very interesting and informative article. Check out the (large) excerpt below.

The Friendship Test
By Martha Beck

There are some individuals who never outgrow infantile self-obsession. Throughout life, they take without giving and expect others to give without taking. Even when they have their own children, they can't focus on anyone but themselves. One woman told me quite seriously that her 3-day-old son was "a selfish brat" because "he cries when he knows I'm trying to sleep." Extremely narcissistic parents often have echo spouses, who limply accept unfair treatment from everyone, including their children. "Don't mind me, sweetheart," sighs the echo parent. "Here's money for cocaine—I'll stay here, knitting you a sweater from my hair."

Children raised by such parents grow up unconsciously assuming there are only two possible relationship modes: Some become thoroughgoing narcissists, others eternal echoes. (Some bounce between these two states, acting oppressively in some of their relationships but groveling in others, like the middle manager who trashes subordinates but toadies up to the boss.)

When two people who fall into this kind of dyad meet, they bond instantly, like Krazy Glue. "I feel as if I've known you all my life," they say, basking in the familiar narcissist-echo energy. There are no arguments, no awkward uncertainty about who should do what, because the echo immediately begins reflecting the narcissist. She stops listening to rap, catching her new friend's polka fever.

Even more important, the echo assumes all the subtle work of friendship: initiating contact, arranging activities, offering compliments and other forms of nurturing. She doesn't mind things being one-sided; she's just grateful—ecstatic—that she's being adored by a replica of the parent who couldn't love her. And the narcissistic friend really is adoring—not of the echo, as they both mistakenly believe, but of her reflection in her new friend's eyes. It's all fun and games, right up until someone gets stabbed.

The Bitter End
I'm devastated," whispered my echoey client Naomi. "My best friend just…dumped me. I don't understand; we're so close. We went to each other's weddings. We talked every day. Then out of the blue, she tells me I've changed, I'm getting selfish, she's done with me. I don't think she'll ever speak to me again." Baffling as it may seem if you don't understand narcissism, Naomi is probably right. Her long-standing friendship is likely over.

This is how naiad dyads often end. For instance, when Naomi the echo finally became so unhappy she hired a coach, she began to see herself as worthy of reciprocal friendship. She started drawing boundaries and making small, gentle requests. Her supposed friend, a true narcissist, saw this as a selfish betrayal of their implicit arrangement.

Even if Naomi had kept echoing like an empty cistern, this naiad dyad would probably have ended. Because narcissists don't give love, which is half the equation of a genuine emotional connection, they always become increasingly unhappy over time (remember Narcissus's suicide). Many blame their echoes: "You're not making me happy anymore!" Whether the echo gets better or the narcissist gets worse, the relationship may suddenly and completely fracture, the Krazy Glue bond breaking as quickly and completely as it formed.

Real friendship never does this because it's extremely flexible. Friends take turns performing and receiving "friendship maintenance" tasks, from making phone calls to buying presents. When Riley's tooth broke, she got my immediate attention: I "echoed" her. Then we switched roles, and we discussed my problems. This simple turn-taking is what naiad dyads lack, and it leads to catastrophic failure. Take the quiz if you suspect that one of your friendships is actually a naiad dyad. If it is, try one of the following fixes.

Let's say your quiz score reveals you're in a rigid friendship where you call all the shots and do none of the work. You might be a narcissist, which probably means you don't care and won't change. My only advice? Avoid daggers.

On the other hand, if you're disturbed by receiving one-sided VIP treatment, you might want to talk to her and explain that her excessive selflessness is troubling, that you need to give as well as receive to feel like her friend. I'm haunted by the fact that I never had this conversation with a college buddy who years later committed suicide. Maybe I could have helped by insisting she learn to receive as well as give. You can't force a confirmed echo out of her role, but it's worth trying.

This is how naiad dyads often end. For instance, when Naomi the echo finally became so unhappy she hired a coach, she began to see herself as worthy of reciprocal friendship. She started drawing boundaries and making small, gentle requests. Her supposed friend, a true narcissist, saw this as a selfish betrayal of their implicit arrangement.

Even if Naomi had kept echoing like an empty cistern, this naiad dyad would probably have ended. Because narcissists don't give love, which is half the equation of a genuine emotional connection, they always become increasingly unhappy over time (remember Narcissus's suicide). Many blame their echoes: "You're not making me happy anymore!" Whether the echo gets better or the narcissist gets worse, the relationship may suddenly and completely fracture, the Krazy Glue bond breaking as quickly and completely as it formed.

Real friendship never does this because it's extremely flexible. Friends take turns performing and receiving "friendship maintenance" tasks, from making phone calls to buying presents. When Riley's tooth broke, she got my immediate attention: I "echoed" her. Then we switched roles, and we discussed my problems. This simple turn-taking is what naiad dyads lack, and it leads to catastrophic failure. Take the quiz if you suspect that one of your friendships is actually a naiad dyad. If it is, try one of the following fixes.

Let's say your quiz score reveals you're in a rigid friendship where you call all the shots and do none of the work. You might be a narcissist, which probably means you don't care and won't change. My only advice? Avoid daggers.

On the other hand, if you're disturbed by receiving one-sided VIP treatment, you might want to talk to her and explain that her excessive selflessness is troubling, that you need to give as well as receive to feel like her friend. I'm haunted by the fact that I never had this conversation with a college buddy who years later committed suicide. Maybe I could have helped by insisting she learn to receive as well as give. You can't force a confirmed echo out of her role, but it's worth trying.

Cool guide for 1Ls

2008-11-12T21:37:00.001-05:00

Check this out. It's a great top 10 law school survival guide written by Lois Schwartz. Here's an excerpt:

1. Be prepared. This may be the Boy Scouts' motto, but it's also the perfect mantra for law school. Read the cases in advance. Read them again, because you won't understand them on the first read-through. Really brief the cases -- book briefing (a combination of highlighting, underlining and margin notes) will not be sufficient at the beginning. It's time-consuming, but it's the only way to build your skills.

2. Say the law out loud. Learning the law has to be an active process. Reading case books will not lock the material into your memory at first. In your study group, practice stating the issue, rule and holding out loud to each other. If you are a loner learner, state these elements for each case to the bathroom mirror. This is particularly effective right before class.

3. Trust yourself. If you are confused, it's because law is confusing, not because you are inadequate for the task. Never, ever sweep ambiguous or unfamiliar matters under the rug -- law is about ambiguities, not clear-cut matters. I always tell my students to stop seeking the black-and-white version of legal principles -- lawyers are involved in the gray areas. If something is hard to understand, keep at it. Look up all new terms in the law dictionary or ask someone for help. If a fact could have mixed legal significance, note all possible interpretations. A good lawyer appreciates the complexities and does not attempt to hide from them.

4. Fill in the blanks. If you don't understand something in a case, welcome to the profession! The difference between seasoned lawyers and novice law students is that experienced attorneys take the time to find the answer to questions that are confusing. Hornbooks (scholarly treatises on law school subjects) or commercial outlines often explain legal matters better than judges who write decisions or professions who teach them -- take advantage of these excellent "tutors." I have had students who have made a habit of looking up the full decision in the case reporter because they found that the full opinion plus headnotes was clearer than the excerpted version in the case book.

5. There are no shortcuts. Shortcuts are common currency for undergraduates, but they don't work very well in law school. There is no substitute for reading and briefing the cases in your case book -- on your own and from start to finish. Canned briefs are helpful to confirm your understanding, but that's about it. Swapping briefs or course outlines in your study group is useful as a supplement, but you still have to do the work yourself in order to learn the material. Never leave assignments to the last minute, especially in Legal Research and Writing. Everything takes longer than you expect!

6. Talk the talk. One of the most common errors my students make is that they don't use legal vocabulary when they explain a statute or decision. They try to write or speak by rephrasing opinions or statutory law in plain English. This may work well for journalists but it is not effective for lawyers because it tends to eliminate the legal impact or significance. Although legal jargon has detractors, I find that legal terminology is inherent in accurate statements of the law. Start building your legal vocabulary right from the start.

7. Figure out what's what. In one class, I was talking about the bystander recovery rule with my students. This rule states that a person who acts negligently toward a victim may also be liable to certain other persons who witness the event, even if those persons are not themselves in danger. Bystander recovery is one very narrow aspect of negligence law in Torts, but a couple of my students thought I was giving them a rule for negligence in general. This kind of confusion is natural. For clarification, ask the professor, check the table of contents of the case book, or consult a hornbook or commercial outline. You need to know how everything fits together -- if it does!

8. Cases are not novels. First-year students tend to get hung up on the facts of cases, especially in criminal law and torts. Try to shift your attention away from the plot and focus instead on the legal issues, the rules applied by the court in this dispute, and holding (the rule combined with the outcome of a specific dispute) of your cases. Memorizing the facts is not your main objective. Your job is to identify legal issues, rules and holdings, not to praise or dun the story line.

9. Be an active learner. It is very tempting for first-year students to think they have learned the law by reading the cases. You haven't! Cases are offered to illustrate a legal principle. The main objective of legal education is learning how to apply such legal principles to brand new fact situations. Purchase a copy of Emanuel's First Year Questions and Answers, Fleming's First Year Workbook, Segal's, Gilbert's, or another commercial guide with sample questions, and start trying to answer the questions. Multiple-choice questions are also a great study device if the booklet provides answers and explanations. Read the model answers or explanations carefully. Self-testing is the most valuable way to learn the law.

10. Don't try to learn everything at once. Be kind to yourself. You won't be able to absorb everything right from the start. Law is one of the few disciplines that improves from repetition. Even if I have taught a case for nine years, I find something new in it every time I read it, and often one student will interpret a case in a way that completely surprises me -- and the other students. There is no hard and fast meaning for cases and statutes; they are almost always subject to interpretation.

It feels like the beginning of a new America.

2008-11-05T18:10:00.002-05:00

The people of America have spoken. They're sick of the partisanship. Thank God.

Here's the reaction of world leaders from the BBC's website:

In quotes: US election reaction

Leaders from around the globe have been giving their reaction to this historic victory.

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER JOHN McCAIN

"We have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly.

"This campaign was and will remain the great honour of my life. My heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience, and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honour of leading us for the next four years."

US PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH

"Mr President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters.

"I promise to make this a smooth transition. You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself."

UK PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

"This is a moment that will live in history as long as history books are written.

"Barack Obama ran an inspirational campaign, energising politics with his progressive values and his vision for the future."

Brown and Cameron hail Obama win

EUROPEAN COMMISSION CHIEF JOSE MANUEL BARROSO

"This is a time for a renewed commitment between Europe and the United States of America. We need to change the current crisis into a new opportunity. We need a new deal for a new world.

"I sincerely hope that with the leadership of President Obama, the United States of America will join forces with Europe to drive this new deal - for the benefit of our societies, for the benefit of the world."

Europe leaders hail Obama victory

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

"This is, I believe, an historic opportunity.

"I am confident that we can look forward to an era of renewed partnership and a new multilateralism. If ever there were a time for the world to join together, it is now."

KENYAN PRESIDENT MWAI KIBAKI

"The victory of Senator Obama is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya. As a country, we are full of pride for his success.

"I am confident that your presidency shall herald a new chapter of dialogue between the American people and the world at large."

Kenya declares holiday for Obama

FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA

"Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place.

"We wish you strength and fortitude in the challenging days and years that lie ahead."

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI

"Israel expects the close strategic co-operation with the new administration, president and Congress will continue along with the continued strengthening of the special and unshakeable special relationship between the two countries."

Mid-East leaders welcome Obama

PALESTINIAN LEADER MAHMOUD ABBAS

"President Abbas congratulates US President-elect Barack Obama in his name and in the name of the Palestinian people, and hopes he will speed up efforts to achieve peace, particularly since a resolution of the Palestinian problem and the Israeli-Arab conflict is key to world peace."

ADVISER TO IRAQI PRIME MINISTER NOURI MALIKI, SADEQ RIQABI

"The American people have presented a tremendous example to the world by ignoring racist attitudes - and this is an unprecedented example of democracy.

"We in Iraq, with our newly-born democracy, look forward to working with the United States."

AIDE TO IRAN'S AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, ALI AGHAMOHAMMADI

"The president-elect has promised changes in policies. There is a capacity for the improvement of ties between America and Iran if Obama pursues his campaign promises, including not confronting other countries as Bush did in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also concentrating on America's state matters and removing the American people's concerns."

ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMR MUSA
"I stress the importance of the message that Mr Obama has never ceased to send, which is we all need change and that is what we do expect from the new leader of the United States.

"We need an American policy based on honest brokership."

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH
"Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world."

South Asia hails Obama's victory

PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER YOUSUF RAZA GILANI

"Your election marks a new chapter in the remarkable history of the United States. For long, the ideas of democracy, liberty and freedom espoused by the United States has been a source of inspiration. I hope that under your dynamic leadership, the United States will continue to be a source of global peace and new ideas for humanity."

AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI

"I applaud the American people for their great decision and I hope that this new administration in the United States of America, and the fact of the massive show of concern for human beings and lack of interest in race and colour while electing the president, will go a long way in bringing the same values to the rest of world sooner or later.

"I [hope] President Obama's coming into office will bring peace to Afghanistan, life to Afghanistan and prosperity to the Afghan people and to the rest of the world."

POPE BENEDICT'S SPOKESMAN REV FEDERICO LOMBARDI
"Believers are praying that God will enlighten him and help him in his great responsibility, which is enormous because of the global importance of the United States. We hope Obama can fulfil the expectations and hopes that many have in him."

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER GRIGORY KARASIN

"The news we are receiving on the results of the American presidential election shows that everyone has the right to hope for a freshening of US approaches to all the most complex issues, including foreign policy and therefore relations with the Russian Federation as well."

FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY

"I give you my warmest congratulations and, through me, those of all French people. Your brilliant victory rewards a tireless commitment to serve the American people.

"By choosing you, the American people have chosen change, openness and optimism. At a time when all of us must face huge challenges together, your election raises great hope in France, in Europe and elsewhere in the world."

GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL

"The world faces significant challenges at the start of your term. I am convinced that Europe and the United States will work closely and in a spirit of mutual trust together to confront new dangers and risks and will seize the opportunities presented by our global world."

DUTCH PRIME MINISTER JAN PETER BALKENENDE

"The necessity for co-operation between Europe and the United States is bigger than ever. Only by close transatlantic co-operation can we face the world's challenges."

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER

"I look forward to meeting with the president-elect so that we can continue to strengthen the special bond that exists between Canada and the United States."

CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO

"In a new historical era, I look forward to taking our bilateral relationship of constructive co-operation to a new level."

Asia offers Obama a warm welcome

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD

"Forty-five years ago Martin Luther King had a dream of an America where men and women would be judged not on the colour of their skin but on the content of their character.

"Today what America has done is turn that dream into a reality."

NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK

"Senator Obama will be taking office at a critical juncture. There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis and global warming.

"We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to address these challenges."

JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER TARO ASO

"As the world faces many difficult issues, I am sure that the United States, under the excellent leadership of President-elect Obama, will move further forward while co-operating with the international community.

"With President-elect Obama, I will strengthen the Japan-US alliance further and work towards resolving global issues such as the world economy, terror and the environment."

INDONESIAN PRESIDENT SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO

"Indonesia especially hopes that the US, under new leadership, will stand in the front and take real action to overcome the global financial crisis, especially since the crisis was triggered by the financial conditions in the US."

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

"We welcome his triumph in the same vein that we place the integrity of the US electoral process and the choices made by the American people in high regard. We likewise note the making of history with the election of Senator Obama as the first African-American president of the United States."

SUDANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ALI AL-SADIG

"We don't expect any change through our previous experience with the Democrats. When it comes to foreign policy there is no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats."

SOMALI PRESIDENT ABDULLAHI YUSUF AHMED

"I am hopeful that [Barack Obama] will help end major crises in the world, particularly the endless conflict in my country Somalia.

"This was a historic election in which a proper leader was elected. This is a great moment for America and Africa."

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT KGALEMA MOTLANTHE

"Africa, which today stands proud of your achievements, can only but look forward to a fruitful working relationship with you both at a bilateral and multilateral levels in our endeavour to create a better world for all who live in it."

AFGHAN TALEBAN SPOKESMAN QARI YOUSUF AHMADI

"There is neither joy, nor sorrow among our ranks by the election of Barack Obama.

"The question is not about a change in the face of the American President, but a change in American policy."

PAKISTAN TALEBAN SPOKESMAN MUSLIM KHAN

"I hope that Barack Obama will respect the mandate given to him, and instead of using the (US) public's taxes to convert the world into a pile of dynamite, spend it on their welfare and well-being."

Barack Obama projected to win the election!

2008-11-04T23:03:00.002-05:00

I got chills when I saw CNN announce it.

What can you say?

Jeanne Shaheen: a "glass ceiling shatterer"

2008-11-04T21:32:00.002-05:00

Back when the Constitution was written, women had their place in society. From an article on www.teachushistory.org about the early 19th century attitudes towards women:

"Traditionally, it was believed that women were essentially different in character from men...Women were homemakers. They nourished their families and kept them safe from the cruel world...In an article written for Freedom's Sentinel, the characteristics of the feminine mind were described as tenderness and simplicity...Women expressed disappointment if they were not able to serve their husbands as mental, as well as physical, companions. 'For if the character of women were thoroughly understood, they would be found too good to be hated and yet not good enough to be idolized.'

"Hostility toward women's education was thwarted by convincing men that an educated wife could only be an asset to him."

Now think about the role of women today, and how far we've come. Yet in all this time, NH has never elected a woman to the US Senate. Until now. Jeanne Shaheen is the first woman NH has ever elected to the Senate. She was the first female governor of the state, and now she's achieved another first, earning herself the title of "glass ceiling shatterer" according to a journalist on WMUR.com. Somehow it's pretty cool and pretty sad at the same time... but I'll stick with pretty cool.

Jeb Bradley, showing some class

2008-11-04T21:18:00.002-05:00

Jeb Bradley handled his speech congratulating Carol Shea-Porter with a lot of class, wishing Shea-Porter well and saying that all of us should wish her well. Although his supporters were silent, he began clapping, throwing his audience a pointed look as if to tell them they'd better start clapping, too.

Why doesn't this happen more during the campaigns and throughout the rest of the year?

Feeling the pinch? How to find deals on drinks and gas.

2008-11-03T13:54:00.003-05:00

How to save money on alcohol:
Web Sites Point You To Best Happy Hour Deals On Your Block
Justin Piehowski, Staff Writer, WMUR

The most popular national happy hour mapping site on the web is Unthirsty.com.

Unthirsty allows you to search Happy Hour deals by zip code all across the country. Simply type in your zip code and up pops a map with drink deals from bars in your neighborhood.

The site also allows you to narrow your search down to those establishments with Wi-Fi, a patio and smoking bans. If your favorite watering hole isn’t listed, there’s a link to cue Unthirsty readers in on the good deals.

The site also offers full rating and commenting on each establishment so you can recommend—or dissuade—other drinkers.

A close second to Unthirsty is Mappyhour , a map-based Happy Hour search.

Mappyhour takes more of a nationwide look at happy hour deals, rating cities as a whole on the quality of happy hour deals in addition to individual pub deal listings. The site suggests that New York, Chicago, and Houston as the U.S.’s “Happiest Cities.”

How to save money at the game:
http://www.wmur.com/save-money/17566876/detail.html#-
Don't Drive To The Game
The average price of parking for an NFL game is $21.75. Instead of paying the hefty fee -- not to mention gas money -- look into public transportation options. If that isn't a reasonable option, ask a friend or a relative to drop you off at the stadium and pick you up after the game.

Eat Before You Go, Or Tailgate There
Prices at concession stands can be outrageous on game day. The average price of a hot dog at an NFL stadium is $4.13, which is close to the cost of an entire pack of hot dogs at the grocery store. To cut costs, eat before you go to the game. Otherwise, depending on what you decide to serve, bringing your food with you and tailgating before the game is another cheaper option. If you're with a group of people, you can also turn your pre-game meal into a potluck.

Opt For Soda Instead Of Beer
When deciding what to wash your food down with during the game, take a look at the prices before you order. The average cost of a beer at an NFL stadium this year is $6.80. That's $3 more than the average price of a soda ($3.80).

Don't Buy Unnecessary Items
Instead of buying a program at the game (which costs an average of $4.66 this season), take the sports section from the morning paper with you to the stadium. Also, resist the souvenir stands. According to the TMR research, a hat sold at stadiums costs an average of $15.62 this season.

Check out more tips at WMUR's Smart Savings: An Economic Survival Guide.

CNN: Historic Boston on the cheap

2008-11-03T11:30:00.003-05:00

Cool article from CNN.

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- This is the cradle of patriotism, the site of Paul Revere's historic ride and home to the USS Constitution.

But it's also home to a new greenway, high fashion at low prices, discount theater tickets, great public transportation and cool places to eat well on a budget.

The combination of old and new, historic and trendy, gives Boston its unique personality -- and provides limitless opportunities for a visit that doesn't require help from one of the city's leaders in venture capital.

There's a lot to choose from, well beyond clam "chowdah," the patriots of 1776 and historic Faneuil Hall.

But first...

Pahk your cahr: Here's the secret of why Bostonians "pahk their cahr in Hahvid Yahd" -- because it's too expensive to park it in the city.

If you plan to stay in Boston, there's no need to rent a car. The city's public transit -- known locally as "the T" -- is an easy-to-follow color-coded system that is safe and inexpensive, just $2 per ride, with kids free.

In good weather, the most affordable and efficient way to navigate Boston is on foot. And the best way to see the most historic sites -- for free -- is along the Freedom Trail.

You can start anywhere along the red-brick pathway that winds and bends through historic Boston -- from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument. There are 16 official sites but plenty of fun unofficial stops along the way, too.

Historic haunts: Some of the most intriguing figures in the nation are spending their eternal rest in the Boston area. Just one free visit to the Old Granary Burying Ground provides a history lesson for the thousands who come each year to see the graves of noted patriots John Hancock, John Adams and Robert Treat Paine -- who all signed the Declaration of Independence. Also buried here are Paul Revere and victims of the Boston Massacre.

Established in 1660 in what used to be the southernmost portion of the city, the burial grounds are now in the heart of the downtown bustle, just steps from the Boston Common and the Park Street subway station. It's one of three cemeteries on the Freedom Trail, http://www.thefreedomtrail.org.

Go green: It's not the "Go Green" chant of the NBA champion Celtics or the Green Monster of historic Fenway Park.

One of the newest ways to enjoy Boston is with a stroll along the Rose Kennedy Greenway --http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org -- which was officially dedicated in October. This string of parks and fountains replaces a giant eyesore of an elevated highway, which was taken down and buried beneath the city in the nation's largest public works project known as the Big Dig.

Kids will love this: Big kids will, too. Grab an ice cream, burger or fried foods at Sullivan's on Castle Island in South Boston. From there, you can watch the boats heading in and out of Boston Harbor, feel the rumble of planes flying remarkably close overhead, and let the kids let off some steam running around the playground. Sullivan's closes for the winter at the end of November, but the parks and walking trails around Castle Island are open year round, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/castle.htm.

High fashion, low prices: Boston also has bargains for the fashion-addicted. Among the boutiques on the Back Bay's Newbury Street is The Closet, at 175 Newbury between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets, known for 30 years for its high-end designer consignments. The Second Time Around consignment chain also has several stores in the area, including at 176 Newbury, 219 Newbury, and 82 Charles St. In the North End, Karma Designer Consignment at 26 Prince St. has designer consignments and vintage clothing.

Filene's Basement, founded in Boston a century ago to move excess goods from the now-defunct Filene's department store, is best known for its "Running of the Brides" wedding gown sales, but has fashion markdowns year-round. The Boston location of the now-national chain is at 497 Boylston St. in the Back Bay. The bridal sale is held twice a year here. The next one: February 20, 2009, at the Hynes Convention Center.

Harbor cruises: One of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to get to and from Boston's Logan International Airport is by boat. Water taxis offer service from several spots on Boston Harbor to a dock at the airport, where a free bus shuttle will pick up passengers and take them to their terminals. The ride across the water is just $10 one-way -- far less expensive than a cab -- and takes just seven minutes. It also affords one of the most spectacular views of the Boston waterfront, http://www.massport.com/logan/getti--typeo--water.html.

While you're along the waterfront, save time to take a quick detour to the New England Aquarium, where you don't need to pay admission to get up close with one of the most enjoyable attractions: the frolicking harbor seals in the tank outside, http://www.neaq.org.

Over the river: If you want another view of the city, take a quick T ride or walk a bridge over the Charles River to Cambridge, home to Harvard and MIT. Enjoy the spectacular Boston skyline, visit the Harvard Coop bookstore, or take in the street performers in Harvard Square. When you're finished, check out Grendel's Den, just off Harvard Square. By law there can be no official "happy hours" in Massachusetts, but all food is half-price with $3 drink purchases at dinnertime at this great student haunt, http://www.grendelsden.com.

Boston's Broadway: Get half-price same-day tickets to shows in Boston's theater district at the BosTix booth at Copley Plaza or Faneuil Hall. The tickets also are listed online at http://www.BosTix.org.

Good eats: Breakfast at The Paramount on Charles Street requires a healthy appetite -- and some attention to protocol. Don't try to sit down before your food is ready at the counter. The unique seating policy -- waiting in line while your food is prepared -- keeps customers, from Massachusetts General Hospital doctors to bluebloods to tourists, moving in and out of the door, http://www.paramountboston.com.

Taste the rich Italian history in Boston's North End at Regina Pizzeria for the best cheap pizza in town. Boston's "original pizzeria" has been serving up slices since 1926, http://www.reginapizzeria.com.

If you can't decide between Italian, Chinese, seafood, steak or virtually anything else, take a walk through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where nearly every food or drink craving can be satisfied. To save some dough, grab your food to go at one of the more than 40 eateries and enjoy some people-watching instead of eating at a sit-down restaurant. There is seating available inside the hall, http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

For more information on visiting Boston, check out with the Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, www.bostonusa.com.

Why your doctor is running late.

2008-10-30T23:06:00.005-04:00

I read an article about a guy who sued his doctor for waiting for 3 hours. It got me to thinking. The usual appointment length is 15 minutes. This includes time for the nurse or MA to bring you back, get your weight, do your vital signs and let the provider know you're all set and ready to go, all of which can take 5-7 minutes or more depending on how talkative you are and what the appointment is for (and therefore what the nurse or MA needs to do with you before the provider comes in). Want to know the real reason why your provider is running late?

It's usually for one of 5 reasons:

1. An urgent or emergency situation.

2. He or she keeps getting interrupted by others.

3. Double booking two patients in the same time slot.

4. Late patients.

5. Patients come in for one reason but bring up other issues, too.

1. An urgent or emergency situation sometimes comes up in health care. Sometimes it's a patient who is in the office and casually mentions that they've been having this nagging chest pain. And they happen to be a diabetic. With high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a family history of cardiac problems. Sometimes it's the same situation, only it's a patient who is on the phone rather than in the office. Or sometimes it's a patient who walks into the office rather than going to the ER. Doctors are responsible for caring for their patients in emergency situations such as these, even if it means dropping everything else in order to take care of it. Most people understand this.

2. Doctors can get interrupted constantly, whether it's by other providers in the office looking for help or a second opinion, or other providers in the area. ER docs call with a question about another of your doctor's patients who is in the ER right now, specialists call in order to give your doctor an important update on someone else. Sometimes the doctors who call are calling your doctor back in order to answer a question they had about another patient. Even if each phone call and interaction only takes 5 minutes, when you add them all up it can cause long delays, especially if the interruptions are related to an urgent situation, such as trying to get a patient admitted to the hospital. A lot of people understand this, but not all.

3. Doctors get pressure from the hospital they're affiliated with to see as many patients as possible in one day, yet many practices don't charge patients for no-shows, which doesn't make sense to me. As a result, they have pressure to both overbook (add patients at the end of the day) and double book (schedule two patients in the same time slot with the same provider). Sometimes patients feel they're entitled to be seen today regardless of the reason and throw their weight around in order to get what they want, resulting in their being booked for an appointment with your doctor at the same time as you. How are we supposed to explain this to you? The hospital likely wouldn't tolerate that, nor would the office manager. So instead, the provider looks bad and we're helpless to explain why.

4. Late patients. You'd be surprised how many patients either simply don't show up for their appointments (meanwhile we're denying appointments to people who need them, thinking this person is going to be there!) or show up late. What is your doctor, nurse or office staff supposed to do, tell you that an earlier patient--or two, or three--showed up 7 or 10 minutes late for their 15 minute appointment and that's why your doctor is late? Would you believe them? Would it be professional? No, most people won't tell you that that's why your doctor is running late, although it happens at least once or twice every single day to every single provider. Again, making the provider look bad while we're unable to explain why.

5. However, one of the most common reasons that your doctor is late is because patients who are scheduled to come in for one issue bring up one or more other issues. The provider doesn't want to turn someone away and make them come back another time (especially in this economy), so they cram everything into the 15 minute appointment. Which means that their 15 minute appointment actually takes 25 or 30 minutes, sometimes even longer! Sometimes the unrelated issue is something like chest pain or abdominal pain, things that can be very serious. We can't just let that person go without making sure it's safe for them to leave! Not only is it important to the patient that we address it in case it's a heart attack or appendicitis, but imagine the liability if a provider let that person leave the office without checking it out and it turned out to be the worst case scenario! Other times it's not quite that serious, but is something that requires a more lengthy assessment than simply asking "what happened?"

In other words, it's pretty unusual that the reason your doctor is late is because they've been sitting around chatting with coworkers and making jokes about how long they're making you suckers wait. Trust me, we want to go home on time (or as close to it as possible) just as much as you do!

For the record: you cannot get the flu from a flu shot!

2008-10-28T21:12:00.002-04:00

The flu shot does NOT contain a live or weakened virus! It's an "inactivated virus", which means it's completely and totally dead. It's impossible for a dead virus to make you sick because only living viruses can replicate itself. If it can't replicate itself, it can't mount the full-scale attack needed to overwhelm your immune system and make you sick.

What you may be feeling is your body building up immunity to the virus, you might have caught one of the many bugs that have been going around lately, or it may be psychosomatic. Either way, you'll probably be feeling better tomorrow.

It's a very, very common misconception that you can get the flu from the flu shot or that it contains a weakened form of the virus. Neither of these is true! Check out the Centers for Disease Control's website for more information, or just do a search on google.

Also, if you're worried about the tiny amount of the preservative thimerosal (which contains 49% mercury) in some flu shots, just ask for a preservative-free one instead. According to the CDC, the FDA, and the World Health Organization, though, thimerosal does not cause disorders like autism.

Sarah Palin: proud redneck

2008-10-24T06:53:00.004-04:00

"Someone called me a redneck woman once and you know what I said back? I said 'why, thank you'!" Sarah Palin

Today I killed a gnat... with my eye.

2008-10-24T06:51:00.000-04:00

I'm not kidding. I actually killed a gnat with my eyeball.

I was in a hurry to get to my car so I could get to class. Because I'm a good law student. :)

I looked to my right to adjust my purse, and when I turned my head to look forward, there it was. Coming straight for me, right at my face. Since it was slightly to my right, I just kept on barreling on ahead when BAM! Right in the eye. At first, I thought it was just in my eyelashes...

then I realized it was actually in my eye! I dropped everything and got out my eyedrops. I put a couple in, then blinked a few times before I cautiously opened my eye again. There. I think it's better.

As soon as I got into the car, I looked at my eye in the mirror. So far, so good. I didn't see anything... until I pulled down my lower eyelid. There it was. A flat, dead little gnat.

Yep, I killed it. With my eyeball.

In the end, there's just one question.

2008-10-22T22:35:00.003-04:00

E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."

Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.

The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an "awesome God" in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?
--- Barack Obama's speech at the DNC in 2004

Go to 3:15 to hear this section of the speech.

Well, you can't win 'em all... Congrats to Tamba Bay

2008-10-20T10:50:00.004-04:00

Well, needless to say I'm disappointed that the Red Sox didn't win last night. Honestly, either team deserved to be there, though, and I can't begrudge a team's first trip to the World Series.

Of course, I won't be sad if they lose, either. :)

Still, in the meantime, congratulations to Tampa Bay. It was well deserved.

Friggin' Red Sox.

2008-10-19T00:01:00.004-04:00

Seriously, a heart attack.

Oh well. Game 7, here we come! I'm just not sure how much of it I'll be able to watch... :)

You know Tampa Bay's feeling a little nervous when...

2008-10-18T21:12:00.003-04:00

their hitter, Bartlett, leans into the ball rather than make an attempt to avoid getting hit. The ump should've called him out.

Still, I'm not sure about the Sox on this one. In every win they've had against Tampa Bay they've managed to just squeak by them. In every win Tampa Bay has had against us, they've crushed us. Them's not good odds.

You know you're in bad shape when no one wants their songs to be associated with you!

2008-10-18T16:08:00.013-04:00

The McCain-Palin is trying to emphasize the fact that Sarah is a woman. Not just a woman, but an attractive woman. Apparently her usual campaign theme song is Shania Twain's "She's Not Just a Pretty Face"

According to CNN's political ticker, "In another reminder that the campaign is actively promoting Palin’s feminine qualities while on the stump, the vice presidential candidate took the stage to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely?,” a departure from the usual campaign theme song, Shania Twain’s “She’s Not Just a Pretty Face.”

American women are not going to vote for someone just because their VP is a woman. We're smarter than that and care more about the candidate's views than about her gender. A woman whose policies will set women's rights back will not get most women's votes, unless they're pretty darn conservative.

But that's not the only way music is making a splash when it comes to the McCain-Palin campaign. Apparently no one wants their music to be associated with them.

On 8/14/08, MTV reported that Jackson Browne was suing John McCain for copywrite infringement and false endorsement for using the song "Running on Empty" in one of his attack ads. According to Browne's lawyer: "They used a John Mellencamp song until he made them stop, and he used an ABBA song and a Frankie Valli song — it's ridiculous and it's setting a terrible example," Iser said. "It's shocking that they don't even attempt to get permission. There's no copyright difference between using a song to sell cars or by people running for president. The music industry continues to suffer due to lack of respect for intellectual property rights, and a candidate for president has a duty to lead by example and ensuring their campaign does as well. The copyright protections are derived from the Constitution itself."

On 8/29/08, MTV reported that Van Halen had complaints about McCain's use of "Right Now" as he took the stage before announcing his choice of Palin as his running mate. According to MTV, the band's publicist stated that the band had not been asked permission to use the song, had no idea it would be used, and wouldn't have agreed to the request.

On 9/9/08, MTV reported that they had used Heart's Barracuda at the RNC and during campaign appearances despite the band's requests not to. The former guitar player from the band and co-writer of the song isn't upset that the Republicans are using it, but is pledging to donate part of the royalties from the song's use to the Obama campaign. Then again, they are only one of 6 bands who have complained about the use of their songs by the McCain-Palin campaign.

On 10/7/08 Gretchen Peters, who wrote the Martina McBride hit "Independence Day", complained when she noticed the song being played as Palin took to the stage at a rally after her debate with Joe Biden. According to the Dallas Morning News, "The fact that the McCain-Palin campaign is using a song about an abused woman as a rallying cry for their vice presidential candidate, a woman who would ban abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, is beyond irony," Ms. Peters says in an e-mail. "They are co-opting the song, completely overlooking the context and message, and using it to promote a candidate who would set women's rights back decades." As a result, Peters is donating royalties accrued from the song to Planned Parenthood in Palin's name , saying "I hope with the additional income provided by the McCain-Palin campaign, Planned Parenthood will be able to help many more women in need."

On 10/8/08, the Foo Fighters issued an eloquent, scathing statement regarding the campaign's use of "My Hero", saying "This isn't the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist. It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song — and start asking artists' permission in general."

On 10/14/08 Survivor complained about their use of "Eye of the Tiger" via a written statement on their website. "Survivor has no affiliation with John McCain or Sarah Palin. They have no right to use 'Eye Of The Tiger' in any way as part of their campaign. Using our music without our permission can give people the impression that we are supporters - this is not the case."

Yesterday, MTV reported that Van Halen was the latest in the string of musicians and songwriters complaining that their songs are being used without permission. McCain used the song "Who Says You Can't Go Home" at rallies last week.

Good thing for them that the campaign is down to its final weeks, but it's not exactly a good sign for McCain-Palin when musicians are protesting the campaign's use of their songs.

I can't take anymore of this

2008-10-17T00:18:00.001-04:00

The Red Sox are going to give me a heart attack before this season is over.

Enough already!!! Are you sick of the mudslinging? Do you want to get to the truth?

2008-10-15T19:07:00.002-04:00

Then check out politifact.com.

It's a website run by two newspapers--one in Florida, one in Washington, D.C.--that researches the claims made in tv and radio ads, by bloggers, in chain e-mails and even in the candidates' public appearances themselves! They give you the truth behind the claims. For example, Barack Obama's claim that his tax plan will lower taxes on 95% of American working families is true. But McCain's claim that Obama voted to raise taxes 94 times is false.

You can search by candidate, by their truth-o-meter (claims that are true, mostly true, half true, barely true, false, and "pants on fire"), their flip-o-meter, etc. It's pretty cool.

The difference between day and evening law students

2008-10-04T20:40:00.004-04:00

Some comments from a thread at The Volokh Conspiracy

Recommendations to law school faculty and deans:
--It is highly unfair that there are students in the first year of the evening program that aren't working. Who do you think has an advantage when one student is taking 10 hours and studying all day, and another is working all day and trying to squeeze in law school reading on the weekends and on the metro? Is there anything that can be done about this?
Evening3L

First, advice to would-be advisors: Evening program students may finish in one more year than their day student counterparts, but that difference amounts to one fewer class a semester. Don't call anyone who works 40 hours, goes to school at night for 11 hours per week, and likely studies 20 more "part time" anything. I guarantee they are working harder at everything than you are.
Gunner

A lot of you guys are, to be honest, full of crap. Everyone talks about the ungodly hours you have to put into law school, but it's just not the case. I just graduated top 10% and all of these horror stories make me laugh...It's not as hard as people make it out to be and everyone knows it (I never took study aids on any vacation)

Use all of the tools available and don't let it drive you nuts. Spolied day students? Spare me. I left a good career for law school and don't regret it, but the idea that we're spoiled is just silly. I didn't work full time, but I did work as much as I could (class schedule got in the way a lot) and didn't have any problems. It's just a matter of learning how to do what you're doing and if you have a career you should be able to pick it up pretty quickly. Hours and hours in the library frantically studying means one of three things: you're dreadfully ineffecient, deeply paranoid, or should reconsider your decision to attend law school.
John Jenkins

What's with all the day student hate?

They're the ones with better grades and LSAT scores (on average). Is there some sort of inferiority complex at play with the night students?

Yeah, I guess it is hard to work and go to school. So by all means, wait until you can go to school full time.

Most day students are surely not there because of "daddy's bigger checkbook". What a stupid remark! They take debt and pay it off. They devote themselves 100% to law study in law school. If this isn't possible and you make sacrifices for that JD, fine. But that is your choice and fault, not mine. My advantages regarding SA jobs and study time are the result of PLANNING MY LIFE CORRECTLY.
Dunstinoo

I think John Jenkins' post, in a nutshell, encapsulates why night students don't particularly care for day students. How can you find it appropriate to flame an advice thread on juggling full time jobs with family and law school because those who have been through it have the audacity to suggest that it will require a lot of good old fashioned work hard?
MikeDE

What are your thoughts?

5 things men and women want.

2008-10-04T15:09:00.003-04:00

This is pretty accurate, actually. The list for women:

It's been the subject of movies, books and countless conversations: What do women really want? Specifically, what do women want from a mate? We know, guys, that it can seem impossible to guess what women are looking for, but it's really not that complicated.

1. Women Want You to Listen Up
In general, women complain that men don't listen to them. In your defense, you listened to her the first time as well as the 21st time she aired her concern, but she continues to mull it over and discuss some possibilities. She carries on about her overbearing and unfair boss, so you suggest quitting her job.

Guys, admit it: A lot of you are "fixers." You listen to a problem for three minutes before you offer up a suggestion. Why? You want your girlfriend, wife or friend to be happy, so you provide a solution to the problem.

It may seem contradictory, but women don't necessarily want an answer or a solution. They actually want you to act as their sounding board. Instead, listen patiently and let her work through it, offering advice when prompted.

2. Women Want to Be Taken Seriously
The fact that women want to be taken seriously is closely linked to point #1. Not only do women want to be listened to, they want their problems, thoughts and feelings to be taken seriously.

Before you dismiss the idea, consider the fact that maybe your girl does know how to rewire the bathroom or how to organize your investments. Who says that sound advice can't come in a sweet-smelling package? Defer to her opinions and give her ideas a whirl sometime. You just may find that her second opinion is seriously prudent.

3. Women Want to Be Considered When You're Making Plans
Amid the poker games, guys' nights out and work, women want to be considered when you're making plans. (Wouldn't you?) Women don't necessarily need to be THE priority - they just don't want to be an afterthought.

Whether you are a workaholic, gamer, sportsman or couch potato, let your sweetheart in on the action. Sometimes it's easy to let everything else get in the way, but if you make her feel important and needed, she will make you and your needs just as significant as you make her.

4. Women Want to Be Adored
Women love to feel adored. Honored as the most beautiful gal in the room, she wants you to positively love what she is all about. So maybe there are smarter, more attractive or more successful women out there, but to you, she is the bee's knees. Your esteemed ladylove wants to feel that you are fortunate to have her, that you can't keep from beaming when you see her or even that she makes your life better for being in it. Feeling your devotion will only encourage her to reciprocate and feel lucky herself for garnering such a good man.

5. Women Want Acknowledgment and Appreciation
Women want you to acknowledge the things they do for you. They want more than just a pat on the back: They want to be appreciated for their efforts. No matter what her role in your life, whether it's making plans, fixing up the house or booking dream vacations, she wants you to be happy.

Try to meet her halfway with proactive measures or at least offer some sort of recognition or acknowledgment. A little goes a long way with your female counterpart, so take notice and compliment her on her attention to detail.

The list of what men want"

While the old joke goes that what a man's looking for in a woman is a pulse, in reality it's far from true. Like women, men are on the search for very specific qualities and are likely to keep searching until they find them. Although what a man may want and desire of his partner may change during the years, here are 11 basics that should hold true over the generations.

1. Men Want Support
No one wants a sycophant, but a little support with his ideas and his problems can go a long way. If he's taking it in the neck from his boss, let him know how you understand. If he's certain that buying a '57 Chevy is ultimately going to be a sound investment, indulge him. The bottom line is, let him know you're on his side, that you're a team together against the world and all it can throw at you.

2. Men Want Admiration
A distant relative of Support, Admiration will make all his achievements seem a little more worthwhile. If he's climbing the corporate ladder or scoring big with his softball team, let him know that your admiration runs deep and that you're swelling with pride. Take an interest, understand the details, help him celebrate: the further he goes, the closer you'll feel.

3. Men Want Humor
Not for nothing do the personals always list 'GSOH' (Good Sense of Humor) high on the list of qualities men are looking for in a woman. Poets have waxed lyrical about it ('The most wasted of all days is one without laughter' – ee cummings), entertainers have hailed it, ('Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.' - Victor Borge), and in difficult and good times alike, a couple that laughs together stays together.

4. Men Want Sociability
Just because two have become one it doesn't mean that the one has to sequester itself from the world. Sure, a partner will become his main 'hang', his go-to girl, but he needs feedback from the rest of mankind, and you need to be able to rise to the occasion. He'll want to show you off, admire you as you socialize with ease, know that he can throw you in any social situation – whether with friends, work colleagues or family - and you'll at least try to go with it.

5. Men Want Freedom
He loves you, he wants to be with you, he needs you – but you're not glued at the hip and he does have interests outside of the relationship. While a man knows his life with a partner will change forever, it doesn't mean he has to give up everything he enjoyed about his pre-you life. Whether it's a hobby or a passion, let him indulge himself ... and look happy about it too. What makes him happy will ultimately make you happy.

OK, now I really need to get back to my homework. :)

lots of people getting red tattoos, lately

2008-10-04T15:04:00.002-04:00

Or at least, I'm assuming so, since that's the way a lot of people have been finding my blog for the last couple of days, including the last four people who looked today. They're all looking for info on red tattoos turning pink!

Would you pass the US citizenship test?

2008-10-04T14:58:00.003-04:00

Give it a shot here.

I got all of them right! It helps to be interested in politics and taking Con Law, of course. :)

Totally Nucular!

2008-10-03T00:57:00.003-04:00

Nook-you-lar.

Can someone please tell Sarah Palin that it's pronounced "nuclear". Noo--clear". Not Nook-you-lar. You want the second most powerful job in the country. That involves not a small amount of brains. Well... ideally, anyway. I, for one, want someone smarter than me in that job.

But I digress. Sarah Palin, please stop saying "nook-you-lar". Please?

Thank you.

False "friends"

2008-09-26T21:52:00.003-04:00

The "friend".

I'm sort of hating her right now. Maybe resenting is a better word. Yet again tonight I have not been invited along, but three of my friends have. This time, for the first time, I noticed how deliberately she throws it in my face. Constantly talking about everyone else who's invited (about 8 or 10 people), saying "oh, I'm forgetting someone.... hold on... who am I forgetting...oh yeah, Eric!" right in front of me, throwing in "oh, I have to give you your invitation", etc. And as always, it's always about her--the center of attention.

I know I should be the bigger person, but every time she hangs out with friends of mine and doesn't invite me (which is just about every weekend), it hurts. How the hell do you deal with that in a mature way?

I really wish I had never met her, and that I never introduced my friends to her.

Woah. No friggin' way....

2008-09-23T21:42:00.003-04:00

Are you serious? No way... It can't be. I have to open it now (at the mailbox). It couldn't be...

It is.

No way.

That was my first reaction to realizing that I was holding in my hand an envelope from UNH's ticket office that contained season tickets to UNH men's hockey. In my name. Well, sort of. They massacred my last name somehow. But seriously. In MY name!

When it finally began to sink in, my second reaction was to start hyperventilating slightly and doing little jumps all up the driveway and all around the house. I couldn't help it! Do you know how long I've been waiting for these???

UNH men's hockey season tickets. A long, long, long, long wait is finally over.

A love life update

2008-09-18T23:22:00.005-04:00

Ok... I don't want to jinx anything, damn it, but here goes. There's this guy. I met him at a bar (I know, I know!). He's a good, good guy who seems really into me, is smart, funny, kind, laid back, confident, witty and sexy all in one. Although I don't know how and I'm scared of screwing it up, we recently got through the first three months. The next test is to see if we get through November. For some reason, guys tend to break up with me in November. Three of them have done it, all of whom I had been dating relatively seriously at the time. I read once that guys do that in order to avoid having to go through the holiday season with someone they don't really want anymore. Sometimes I wished they'd waited until afterward. Even if it was insincere, it would have been nice to have had a boyfriend over the holidays again, just once. Even if it was just pretend.

Anyway... thought I'd give an update for anyone who's interested. :)

But... isn't it cheating?

2008-09-18T21:16:00.004-04:00

Ok, maybe not. But at some point I have to decide whether to accept any accommodations Suffolk may offer me because of my ADHD. Specifically, more time on the exams. The thing is, who wouldn't want that? Do I really need it, though, especially if the medication is working?

All growing up, I hated it when people were easy on me in a competition. I always, always, always wanted to play fair and square, and I absolutely hate winning if it's because someone let me. Winning because someone's giving you a handicap isn't something to brag about as far as I'm concerned. Unless disabilities are involved, of course, and that's the thing.

Even though ADHD is considered a disability, I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of accepting extra time on the exams. I didn't realize how much easier it was for everyone else to focus and organize their thoughts until I started taking dexadrine, but still... I can't help but feel that it's cheating, a little bit.

What do you think?

Happy Birthday, Constitution!

2008-09-17T21:06:00.002-04:00

From www.constitutionfacts.com

As Benjamin Franklin left the Pennsylvania State House after the final meeting of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, he was approached by the wife of the mayor of Philadelphia. She was curious as to what the new government would be. Franklin replied, “A republic, madam. If you can keep it.”

There was a proposal at the Constitutional Convention to limit the standing army for the country to 5,000 men. George Washington sarcastically agreed with this proposal as long as a stipulation was added that no invading army could number more than 3,000 troops!

The median age in America by the end of the 18th century was 16 years of age (today it is around 34 years of age).

Four of the signers of the Constitution were born in Ireland.

The following is a very limited list of some of those proposed amendments that never left the halls of Congress:

1876: an attempt to abolish the United States Senate

1876: the forbidding of religious leaders from occupying a governmental office or receiving federal funding

1878: an Executive Council of Three should replace the office of President

1893: renaming this nation the “United States of the Earth”

1893: abolishing the United States Army and Navy

1894: acknowledging that the Constitution recognizes God and Jesus Christ as the supreme authorities in human affairs.

1912: making marriage between races illegal

1914: finding divorce to be illegal

1916: all acts of war should be put to a national vote. Anyone voting yes had to register as a volunteer for service in the United States Army

1933: an attempt to limit the personal wealth to $1 million

1936: an attempt to allow the American people to vote on whether or not the United States should go to war

1938: the forbidding of drunkenness in the United States and all of its territories

1947: the income tax maximum for an individual should not exceed 25%

1948: the right of citizens to segregate themselves from others

1971: American citizens should have the alienable right to an environment free of pollution.

Body parts? In Property???

2008-09-09T23:13:00.001-04:00

We actually discussed bodies and body parts in Property tonight. Who would have thought? I'll elaborate later. For now, my poor, tired brain needs some sleep.

China gets life in prison

2008-09-09T23:06:00.005-04:00

Too tired to write much tonight, but thought you'd be interested to know that China Arnold was sentenced to life in prison without a chance for parole yesterday.

Do you like stuff that's one of a kind?

2008-09-06T12:53:00.004-04:00

Then make your own!

Wow, am I procrastinating. It's not like I don't have Con Law, Prof. Responsibility or Property homework to do. But still, check out this guide to stuff you can make yourself in Boston. Some of it is kind of cheap. I mean, obviously you make your own sundaes at Cold Stone Creamery, or your own stir fry at Fire and Ice (which I recommend, by the way--great atmosphere, fabulous drinks, and it's so much fun to make your own stir fry with their wide array of ingredients!). But most of it is pretty cool, like 1154 Lill Studio in Boston, where you can make your own handbag. So check it out while you're procrastinating, too!

China Arnold escapes the death penalty

2008-09-04T23:20:00.003-04:00

After 5 hours of deliberation, the jury couldn't decide whether to recommend the death penalty or life in prison. Because they did not come to a unanimous decision, the woman who killed her baby in such an unthinkably horrible way will be sentenced to life either with or without parole.

I don't mean to come across as being pro-death penalty, because that's one issue I actually don't have a strong feeling about either way. For me, it depends on the individual case, and I can't say I think this woman really deserved the death penalty. Obviously it's horrific--both because of the method and the age of the victim--but it wasn't premeditated, and she was supposedly drunk at the time, not that that's an excuse.

What do you think?

Massholes

2008-09-04T23:18:00.002-04:00

There's a reason why there's a slang word for bad drivers from an entire state.

Massholes suck.

"Porn has a socially redeeming quality"

2008-09-02T21:48:00.003-04:00

or "what I learned tonight in Property".

Seriously.

We reviewed the International News Service v. the Associated Press and the Cheney Brothers v. Doris Silk cases tonight. Both of them are about "quasi-property" or intangible property.

The policy discussion turned into the question of whether you would want to squelch improvements in services or technology in order to fiercely protect certain entities' property rights.

Case in point? When the internet first got its legs, porn soon followed. But man, it took a long time to download those graphics! So the porn industry pioneered a way to make graphic-laden web pages download more quickly.

See? Socially redeeming quality. :)

Speaking of porn, why is it legal in this country to get paid for sex as long as it's being videotaped, but not if it's in the privacy of a hotel room or home?

Porn v. Prostitution. Shouldn't they both be legal? Or illegal? Seems strange that it's only ok if we watch, but that's just me!

Woman found guilty of microwaving her baby to death

2008-09-02T21:25:00.004-04:00

I know that there's usually more than meets the eye when it comes to media coverage of most events. Still, I was glad to read that China Arnold was convicted of aggravated murder for putting her three week old baby girl in the microwave during a drunken argument with her boyfriend and turning it on, killing her daughter.

But she was drunk. Doesn't that excuse everything?

Generally not, as anyone who has taken Crim Law knows. However, I'm curious to see when the postpartum depression/psychosis defense is going to rear its ugly head. I'm sure it's just a matter of time...

I may come back and write more later, but I'm exhausted right now so I'll leave you with this article from Fox News. What do you think?

From www.foxnews.com
DAYTON, Ohio — A woman who shared a jail cell with a mother accused of killing her baby by burning her in a microwave oven told a jury Thursday that the mom confessed to the crime, saying the month-old girl "fit right in" the oven.

Linda Williams testified that she developed a sexual relationship with defendant China Arnold when the two were cellmates in the Montgomery County Jail in March and that Arnold confided in her about what happened to her baby.

She said Arnold feared her boyfriend believed he wasn't the father of the child and was going to leave her.

"She said she put the baby into the microwave and started it and left the house," Williams said.

Williams said she asked Arnold how she got the child into the oven.

"She said she fit right in," Williams said.

"The evidence is going to show that she did not purposely take the life of her own baby," Rion [Jon Paul Rion, Arnold's attorney]said in his opening statement.

Rion said other people had access to the baby, Arnold was intoxicated to the point of blacking out when the child died and people questioned about the case changed their stories. Rion also raised questions about the reliability of the science when it comes to determining the effect of microwaves on humans.

Russell Uptegrove, a forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County coroner's office, said the thermal burns on the baby were different from those that would have been suffered in a fire, an electrical shock or by hot water, an iron or with chemicals. He said it took him awhile to consider that the burns may have come from a microwave oven.

"It was so heinous to think of that, that I couldn't convince myself it was a real possibility," Uptegrove said.

He said DNA recovered from the ceiling of the oven matched that of the baby.

During the opening statement by Assistant Montgomery County Prosecutor Daniel Brandt, a photo of the burned baby was flashed on a screen for the 12-member jury to see. Arnold sat quietly, occasionally jotting notes on a yellow legal pad.

Brandt said Arnold killed the child after arguing with her boyfriend over whether they had been faithful to each other.

When the couple brought the baby to the hospital, Brandt said, Arnold exclaimed: "'I killed my baby. I killed my baby."'

Brandt said Arnold later told police it never would have happened had she not gotten so drunk. He said Arnold, who has been in jail since she was charged in November 2006, told Williams she had killed the baby in the microwave and other inmates that she hadn't meant to do it.

So.... who are you?

2008-08-27T23:39:00.002-04:00

Who are you, who read my blog?

Come on. Tell us a little about yourself. You can be anonymous. Make something up, if you want. Do you know me in real life? How did you find me if you don't? Are you in law school, too?

Spill.

Mostly 'cause I'm bored. And curious. But mostly bored.

And now I lay to rest....

2008-08-27T23:24:00.003-04:00

LPS: Never again will I have to agonize over every single period, ever single italicized letter, every single citation. Of course, I have to take Legal Writing and Drafting or something, but that's something to place in the denial file for now.

Contracts: Never, ever again. Enough said. Thank God. Well, until it's time to review for the bar.

Civil Procedure: Or.. at least until I take Mass Practice.

I'm sensing a pattern here.

Some of the more interesting ways I've been found

2008-08-27T23:03:00.004-04:00

In the last month, at least. Some of the search terms are even law-related! :) But first, apparently there's a Wooster, Ohio. Wooster. The way Worcester (MA) should be spelled. Massachusetts has such weird spellings and pronunciations, but that's for another blog post. On to the list.

"how to be a jerk in law school"

"i'm never gonna dance again the way I dance with you"

"random tattoos"

"how to handle a self centered men"

"i hate apathy"

"in laws jerks"

"nine famous irishmen were sentenced to death"

"betty grillo" (caught! this was was found by someone actually from the Boston Globe!)

"pathetic random blog comments"

"law school at night at university of texas"

"contracts sucks"

"new york times hiv abzymes"

"going to law school in your 30s"

Upperclassman? ME?

2008-08-27T19:40:00.005-04:00

It was weird walking into Sargent Hall the first couple of weeks of class. I didn't realize how many of us had been thinned out by second semester last year! People were everywhere. I kept thinking that something must be going on at school, some kind of event, but nope. Just a bunch of first-years. As much as I don't want to see people fail, it was kind of nice second semester when the hallways were quieter. I guess the energy is good, though. By the way, good luck to everyone just starting their first year!!!

But anyway, what was even stranger was logging onto my Campus Cruiser account and seeing "Upperclassmen" listed under my communities. I don't feel like an upperclassman! The evening program takes 4 years instead of 3, anyway, so I'm taking Constitutional Law and Property this year, both of which are full year courses. I kind of feel like I'm a 1.5 L!

By the way, what are second year law students called in the evening program? At Suffolk it seems to be 1L, 2L, 3L and 4L. Is that how other schools do it, too?

All right, all right, back to Med Mal and Con Law I go. I'm going to get called on in Con Law tomorrow, I think. Just you wait and see.

The first few days...

2008-08-21T22:13:00.008-04:00

...of my second year in law school, and on medication for ADHD.

This was the first week of class for the semester. I'm taking Constitutional Law (Con Law), Property, Professional Responsibility and Medical Malpractice. It's going to be an interesting year! My Con Law professor seems pretty cool. She's enthusiastic about the material, and makes it come alive. Unfortunately, it's a full year course with only one exam-- which is at the end of spring semester!!! Property is the same way, only our professor believes we should have a midterm (but we can't--Suffolk won't allow it, apparently). I'm definitely looking forward to Med Mal! Our professor is an attorney at a med mal defense firm near Boston, which is cool. I'm glad, because I don't think I have it in me to work for a plaintiff in a med mal case.

But on to the more interesting stuff. Yesterday for the first time I took dexedrine, and what a difference! I never knew! About 40 minutes after I took it, I realized I felt relaxed. At work. Relaxed at work! And I felt slow, which was really weird but it didn't last that long--maybe an hour or so. But it's not that I was actually slow. I never realized it, but it's like I've always had a warped sense of time or something, like there was always this engine in me revving, saying "come on, let's go, hurry up, next!". In the absence of that revving, I felt slow and relaxed. It was so nice! And for once, my brain was finally quiet. I usually feel like I have 2 or 3 different trains of thought bouncing around inside my head at a time, and no internal editing process. Now there was only one--whatever it was I was doing at the time. And I found myself being more articulate. I wasn't interrupting myself or losing track of what I was saying mid-sentence. When I was driving, I noticed that instead of getting instantly angry at the bad drivers on the road, I got irritated at most. I even kind of tried to get angry, and I couldn't! Of course, I got angry tonight, but it took a hell of a lot longer than it usually does--30 minutes! Long story. :)

Anyway, today I had my first class while taking dexedrine. The real test will be when I have Prof. Responsibility or Property, the two classes I'm least interested in, but today in Con Law I think my mind wandered maybe 3 times during the entire class. Unbelievable! Usually my mind is wandering after 4-5 sentences, even when I'm interested. I think my notes were better as a result, too.

You know, I didn't realize how hard things were before I took dexedrine. Not that they were impossible or anything, but life was definitely more stressful and more of a struggle than they have been over the last two days.

I'm still a little amazed. :)

ADHD and law school?

2008-08-12T10:58:00.003-04:00

So, I went to my doctor a few weeks ago because the stress of working full time and going to law school at night was starting to make me irritable and moody. But secretly, my other big concern was that I noticed how ridiculously hard it has been for me to pay attention in class, even when I liked the subject. Obviously not being able to follow the professor's lecture because you're mind is somewhere else all the time isn't exactly conducive to learning! Usually I'd hear the first 3-4 sentences of what a professor was saying, then my mind would start to drift off again, even when I told myself "Ok, come on now, focus this time!" Often I'd suddenly realize that the professor had asked a question, but I had no idea what they had been talking about, let alone what the question was!

I don't remember school being like that for me before, but it may just be that back then I didn't know any different. Now, I've been out of school for 10 years so it's probably much more noticeable. When I went to my doctor, in the back of my mind I was wondering if I had ADD. It would seem to make sense... it would explain my talkativeness, being so easily distracted and forgetful, having a hard time following the lectures, and a bunch of other stuff.

But no.

She thinks I'm depressed.

What!? That's everyone's reaction is when I tell them this, including mine.

So then I talked to another doctor, one I work with who specializes in ADHD. This was the conversation:

Me: "Do you know anyone who specializes in ADD around [my area]?"
Doc: "No, there aren't many who do.... [long silence] Why?"
Me: "Well... lately I've been starting to think that maybe I have it"
Doc: [practically interrupting me] "Yeah, I think you do! I'm surprised it took you so long."

This led to him saying "You must be really smart, to accomplish all you have with a disability. Imagine what you could do without it?"

Um... a disability? ME??? It's still hard to think of it that way. I mean, is it really a disability? I suppose when your brain is wired to perceive input in a way that's different than the norm you can say it's a disability in that it creates problems for the person who's different. But still...

Anyway, yesterday I saw a nurse practitioner who specializes in ADHD, and I was officially diagnosed with it. I'm supposed to start dexedrine, but it's going to be a week before it comes in because pharmacies don't carry it in stock. Hopefully it'll make a difference in my grades. I mean, imagine how much less I must have in my notes than my classmates do?

So there. My secret's out. Let's see how this year goes!

I had the wierdest dream last night...

2008-08-11T11:17:00.004-04:00

I dreamed that I was at the Cape with this guy I've been seeing, and as the sun was setting and we were in a restaurant that had a view of the sunset over the ocean, he told me he was falling for me. I was so happy! Then he disappared and Sean appeared. He was acting a little flirty, which he has been known to do. However, this time he was being more than just flirty... he seemed to be testing the waters. Touching me, implying he had made the wrong choice, that sort of thing. At one point he came up behind me, put his arms around me and started kissing my neck. And again, I was so happy! Soon after the kiss, though, I woke up.

How could I have a single dream that included two different men in scenarios like that? And why in the world did Sean pop up in that dream? I was happy after the first part!

A future cure for HIV?

2008-08-05T19:36:00.001-04:00

Doctors may have found a way to destroy HIV

10:16 AM MST on Wednesday, July 30, 2008

By Lee McGuire / KHOU-TV News

HOUSTON -- There is real hope that what’s happening in a Houston lab might lead to a cure for HIV.

“We have found an innovative way to kill the virus by finding this small region of HIV that is unchangeable,” Dr. Sudhir Paul of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston said.

Dr. Paul and Dr. Miguel Escobar aren’t talking about just suppressing HIV – they’re talking about destroying it permanently by arming the immune system with a new weapon lab tests have shown to be effective.

Ford Stuart has been HIV positive for 15 years. He’s on a powerful drug cocktail that keeps the disease in check.

“I’m on four different medications. Three of them are brand new, and it’s the first time that I’ve ever been non-detectible,” Stuart said. “I’m down to about – just for the HIV – about nine pills per day, five in the morning and four at night.”

But Stuart knows HIV mutates, and eventually it will learn how to outsmart his medications.

“The virus is truly complex and has many tricks up its sleeve,” Paul said.

But Dr. Paul thinks he’s cracked a code.

“We’ve discovered the weak spot of HIV,” he said.

Paul and his team have zeroed in on a section of a key protein in HIV’s structure that does not mutate.

“The virus needs at least one constant region, and that is the essence of calling it the Achilles heel,” Paul said.

That Achilles heel is the doctors’ way in. They take advantage of it with something called an abzyme.

It’s naturally produced by people, like lupus patients. When they applied that abzyme to the HIV virus, it permanently disarmed it.

“What we already have in our hand are the abzymes that we could be infusing into the human subjects with HIV infection, essentially to move the virus,” Paul said.

Basically, their idea could be used to control the disease for people who already have it and prevent infection for those at risk.

The theory has held up in lab and animal testing. The next step is human trials.

Meanwhile, every day in Houston, three people are diagnosed with HIV.

The doctors still need funding to launch human trials. In the world of HIV research, that’s often where things fall apart.

“Clinical trials are very expensive,” Paul said.

“That is the worry of the researcher. This is what nightmares are made of – that after 30 years of work, you find it doesn’t work,” Paul said.

But so far, it is working.

“This is the holy grail of HIV research, to develop a preventative vaccine,” Paul said.

“If we can get the viral loads down to a manageable level, that will preclude the need for these conventional drugs,” Escobar said.

Still, even if everything goes well, it’s at least five years before the research could help people with HIV.

The doctors know people like Ford Stuart are waiting.

“There are so many people struggling with the disease because it affects not only your body, but also your psyche, how you perceive yourself,” he said.

If nothing else, the research is promising for the tens of millions waiting for a cure.

What do dumb criminals do in the winter?

2008-07-29T13:04:00.003-04:00

'Cause summer seems to be their busiest season. I'm just wondering. :)

This guy set off the fire alarm, which is a felony when there's no fire. Where did he do it? At the police station. Because he had been arrested for a home disturbance. He now faces up to 7 years in prison.

What a nice change!

2008-07-25T19:27:00.003-04:00

The Celtics dancers are actually in shape this year!

Was that mean?

It's kind of true, though.

Still can't believe we have cheerleaders. :(

What a pathetic jerk

2008-07-25T19:09:00.003-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-1RGeoyk4c

From www.boston.com

By Walter V. Robinson
Globe Correspondent / July 14, 2008

For Boston firefighter Albert Arroyo, March and April were ostensibly rough months. He reported falling on March 21 and suffering a back injury so severe that, a few weeks later, his doctor wrote that Arroyo should be granted an accidental disability retirement because he is "totally and permanently disabled."

Yet, on May 3, after being out of work for six weeks and collecting his full salary tax-free, Arroyo achieved a remarkable feat: He finished eighth in a men's bodybuilding competition, the 2008 Pro Natural American Championships.

By late May, fire commissioner Roderick J. Fraser Jr. learned of Arroyo's strict training

Arroyo, standing in the doorway of his Roslindale home on Friday, said he would not discuss the issue and asked a reporter to call his attorney, James S. Dilday.

In a subsequent telephone interview, Dilday said Arroyo had consulted but not yet retained him. However, Dilday said, "The bodybuilding helped him cope, emotionally and physically, with the travails and rigors of working as a firefighter."

Fraser said Arroyo told him that his bodybuilding helps ease his back pain - a claim that Fraser dismissed with a barnyard epithet.

"If he can lift weights, work out constantly, and enter bodybuilding contests, then he can inspect a building," Fraser said. Arroyo, a firefighter since 1986, is a member of the Fire Prevention Division. His annual salary is $68,133.

Arroyo's application for a disability pension comes as the department has been roiled by embarrassing disclosures about questionable injury claims.

In January, the Globe reported that in the most recent six years, 102 Boston firefighters had been granted enhanced disability pensions because their career-ending injuries occurred while they were temporarily filling in for superiors and being paid at the higher pay grade. The additional cost to the city from paying those pensions at the higher grades will be about $25 million, according to actuarial tables examined by the Globe.

Many of those enhanced pensions went to senior commanders, including eight district chiefs who claimed injuries while filling in for deputy chiefs, mostly in desk jobs. They retired as deputy chiefs. One of them, John J. Ellard, acknowledged to the Globe in a January interview that he went on a previously scheduled golf trip to Ireland 15 days after he suffered a career-ending back injury during a fire. In the interview, Ellard said he played no golf on the trip. His annual tax-free pension is $89,532.

In addition, the Globe reported that scores of injured firefighters lingered on injured leave status for several years while collecting 100 percent of their salaries, tax-free. Once the Boston Retirement Board approves accidental disability retirements, recipients receive 72 percent of their salary, also tax-free, for the rest of their lives.

It was those disclosures that drew the interest of federal prosecutors.

In the midst of that unfolding controversy, Arroyo reported that he had an accident that no one witnessed, while visiting a Jamaica Plain firehouse where he is not assigned.

According to Arroyo's own account in his disability retirement application, the injury occurred "while descending the stairwell Engine 28's quarters's [sic], I tripped on a loose staircase casing [sic] me to slipped [sic.]" The records show that Arroyo first claimed a back injury in 1997, and was also on injured leave briefly four other times between 2000 and 2006. In 2003, he reported injuring his back while lifting a box. In 2006, he said the injury recurred while he was walking up a flight of stairs.

Yet since at least 2003, Arroyo has been regularly lifting weights at Body Engineers, a gym in Dorchester, with such dramatic effect that he began winning trophies in bodybuilding competitions, according to records of his extracurricular avocation that are easily found on the Internet. He has become so accomplished that in 2007, Arroyo finished second to a German bodybuilder in the International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation's Amateur World Championships in New York City. He also took home a fifth-place trophy in the masters category for competitors 40 years of age and over.

Arroyo's personnel and medical file, which the Globe requested under the state public records law, is heavily redacted because of privacy restrictions. But it contains the April 17 letter from his doctor, whose identity is redacted, attesting to the severity of his injury, and noting he had seen Arroyo for back problems since 2000. After Fraser challenged the claim, the Retirement Board alerted the doctor to Arroyo's bodybuilding history and asked the doctor if he was "still in agreement" with his April diagnosis.

On June 21, the doctor replied: "This information was not known to me until your letter and I will therefore proceed accordingly when evaluating Firefighter Arroyo in followup."

Betty Grillo of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

Walter Robinson's e-mail address is wrobinson@globe.com. Confidential messages can be left at 617-929-3334

How NOT to get out of trouble when you're in court

2008-07-22T17:58:00.003-04:00

Keison Wilkins actually tried to fake a heart attack in order to cause a mistrial. Love how the judge took care of this one:

Unfortunately for him, the jury convicted him anyway. According to the Dayton Daily News, "a jury convicted him...of two counts of felonious assault, being a felon in possession of a weapon, firing a gun into a habitation. He was also convicted of gun specifications, which added three years, and of being a repeat violent offender, adding 10 years to his sentence."

He got 42 years in prison.

Guess that whole heart attack thing didn't work out too well for him after all.

More than you ever wanted to know

2008-06-24T19:46:00.000-04:00

about the Boston accent. :)

NBA Champs!

2008-06-18T22:13:00.003-04:00

More to come later, when I've had more than 3 hours of sleep.

But the Celts did it. NBA champs!!!

By the largest margin in NBA history. Awesome. It's good to be a New England sports fan. :)

Well, at least SOMEONE is better off this year than last year....

2008-06-15T16:24:00.005-04:00

Of course, it's the CEOs. According to the Associated Press, "the AP review of compensation for the heads of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index finds the median pay package added up to nearly $8.4 million. That's a comfortable gain of about $280,000 from 2006...The 3 1/2 percent pay increase for CEOs came even as the landscape for both workers and shareholders darkened considerably and the economy was choked by a housing market in free fall, layoffs and soaring prices for fuel and food."

This'll give you goosebumps. The Celts are playing on Father's Day

2008-06-14T23:06:00.003-04:00

Check this out. It's an article written by Tom Withers of the Associated Press:

"Doc Rivers often thinks about his father, a former Chicago police lieutenant who taught him life lessons that the Celtics coach relies on to guide his team.

"Grady Rivers preached patience, consistency and hard work. He juggled his schedule so he could watch his son's games. He coached his kid's baseball team and proudly watched Doc become a college star, NBA player and grow into a respected family man.

"In November, Grady Rivers died following a brief illness.

"Rivers is on the verge of bringing another championship to Boston, city of "champions.

"Rivers will go for it on Sunday - Father's Day.

"With his team holding a commanding 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals following a historic comeback in Game 4 on Thursday night, Rivers, whose team won only 24 games a year ago, was asked during a news conference to reflect on his father's influence.

"'I ... can't,'' Rivers said, choking back tears.

"He sat quietly for more than 30 seconds, unable to speak about his dad as a respectful silence fell over the Lakers' practice facility.

"That's just a tough one for me to talk about,'' he said, fighting the emotion.

"A reporter offered a lighter question about whether he might coach Sunday's game with a cigar in his jacket pocket, a la legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach.

"'No,'' Rivers said, laughing and thankful for a break. "I will not. Red is always on our mind, obviously, but I won't do that. As far as we are concerned, we have to win a game, and the next game is our focus.''

"Finally more composed, Rivers returned to thoughts about his late father.

"'He's just very important in my life,'' Rivers said. "It's still very difficult for me to talk about because I haven't had a lot of time to reflect on it. It happened during the season unexpectedly. It's very, very difficult. But I do think about it. I think about it a lot.'

"The Celtics can with their 17th championship and first since 1986 with a win in Game 5 on Sunday.

"A win would be followed by a parade. Maybe as early as June 18.

"On Grady Rivers' birthday."

I got chills when my dad told me about this today.

Sometimes my horoscope seems to be trying to tell me something. :)

2008-06-13T06:51:00.003-04:00

You're smart enough to know that decisions about who gets ahead in life are not always based on fairness. But that shouldn't stop you from seeking justice and equality, today. No matter how bizarre or uncomfortable a situation might be, you should try to be the voice of mutual respect. It's more rewarding to think that all people should be treated equally than it is to be cynical and think the worst of people. Show that to others, today, by standing up for those being treated poorly.

That was my horoscope on excite.com yesterday. Just thought it was kind of cool. :)

Gas prices hurt. What did your Senator do to help?

2008-06-11T20:24:00.003-04:00

On June 10th, the Senate voted whether gas companies should pay a tax for unreasonable profits (the windfall tax) and whether Bush's enormous tax cuts for the gas companies should be reversed.

According to Excite.com:

"In addition to the proposed windfall profits tax, the Democrats' bill also would have rescinded tax breaks that are expected to save the oil companies $17 billion over the next 10 years. The money would have been used to provide tax incentives for producers of wind, solar and other alternative energy sources as well as for energy conservation.

"In an attempt to dampen oil market speculation, the legislation would require traders to put up more collateral in the energy futures markets and would provide authority to regulate U.S.-based trading in foreign markets. And it would make oil and gas price gouging a federal crime, with stiff penalties of up to $5 million during a presidentially declared energy emergency."

Sounds good, doesn't it? After all, I don't know about you, but I'm disgusted by gas companies making record profits off our backs. Too bad not enough Senators supported the idea, though, so it didn't pass. Did your Senators support it? Mine didn't.

Truth in politics. Sounds like a great idea, doesn't it?

2008-06-09T20:56:00.006-04:00

What could have been.... :(

Bobby Kennedy at Kansas State University in the first speech of his campaign for President. He is initially referring to William Allen White:

"He is an honored man today, here on your campus and around the rest of the nation. But when he lived and wrote, he was reviled as an extremist and worse. For he spoke, he spoke as he believed. He did not conceal his concern in comforting words. He did not delude his readers or himself with false hopes and with illusions. This spirit of honest confrontation is what America needs today. It has been missing all too often in the recent years and it is one of the reasons that I run for President of the United States.

"For we as a people, we as a people, are strong enough, we are brave enough to be told the truth of where we stand. This country needs honesty and candor in its political life and from the President of the United States...I don't want to win support of votes by hiding the American condition in false hopes or illusions. I want us to find out the promise of the future, what we can accomplish here in the United States, what this country does stand for and what is expected of us in the years ahead. And I also want us to know and examine where we've gone wrong. And I want all of us, young and old, to have a chance to build a better country and change the direction of the United States of America... "

A nice drive by. :)

2008-06-09T19:23:00.002-04:00

I actually had a nice drive-by the other day. I was at the bus terminal in Boston, and an older guy smiled and said "Have a nice trip" as he walked past me.

I had to smile and say it back to him. :)

I have a "no Jimmy Buffet" clause in my contract

2008-06-06T23:18:00.004-04:00

My friend's band was playing an acoustic set tonight, and one of the guys in the band suggested "Cheeseburger in Paradise". To which my friend replied "No Jimmy Buffet! I have a 'no Jimmy Buffet' clause in my contract!"

And my first thought was "but is that an enforceable clause?"

Ugh... still can't get away from Contracts. Why is it that no other class has stuck in my head like Contracts does?

What do you guys do about these people?

2008-06-05T21:03:00.003-04:00

You know, the people who drive in the left lane, not passing anyone to their right. Of course, they won't move out of your way so you can pass, either. Yet, when you try to pass them on the right (because they refuse to move), they'll go as fast as it takes to keep you from passing them, even if they have to go 100mph in order to do it.

And of course, once you finally do pass them, they beep and honk and give you the finger and tailgate you. Never mind the fact that they're behavior is the reason you had to cut them off. Because they don't actually want to go faster than you, they just want to be in front of you.

What do you do about these jerks? 'Cause I don't want to play their game, but I don't want to stay stuck behind them, either.

And we're going to the NBA Championship!!!

2008-05-31T10:47:00.004-04:00

Wow...

Ok, so the Pats choked. But what a season! And the Red Sox did it again!

And now, the Celtics are going to the NBA finals for the first time since 1987.

My dad said "now you know how we felt", growing up in and around Boston in the 60s and 70s.

It's just a little weird when you're so used to your local teams losing all the time, but I'll take it! :)

Check this out: The Wrongs of Copy and Paste

2008-05-31T10:09:00.002-04:00

This is why The Namby Pamby rocks. :)

Just when you thought Contracts is a thing of the past....

2008-05-24T21:18:00.006-04:00

it pops up again in the strangest of places.

"Titanic" is on tv. You know the part where Jack dresses for dinner with Rose and her family? He escorts her into the dining room, where she gives him a run-down on some of the scandalous goings on of the upper class. And guess who's there with them?

Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon. As in Wood v. Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon.

I'd totally forgotten, but our Contracts professor had mentioned she was on the Titanic. Even if I had remembered, it still would have stopped me in my tracks to hear her name in the middle of a movie that has nothing to do with Contracts.

Now if I could just remember what the hell that case was all about, I'd be in good shape!

Cool lawyers doing cool things

2008-05-24T10:49:00.003-04:00

May 24, 1764, Boston lawyer James Otis denounces "taxation without representation" and calls for the colonies to unite in demonstrating their opposition to Britain’s new tax measures. (from excite.com)

Some guys named Bobby Kennedy and Mohandas Gandhi was a lawyer, too.

Amnesty International was founded by an English lawyer named Peter Benenson.

I'm on the lookout for more. :)

Guess I'd make a dull movie!

2008-05-23T20:55:00.000-04:00

"If you lived in a town where dead people walked the earth, you'd probably move, right? And if you didn't move, you probably wouldn't buy the cemetery and try to relocate the graves, would you? No. You wouldn't. Then again, you'd make a dull movie".

The Comcast On-Demand description of "Child of the Living Dead".

Your banana... it's so BIG!

2008-05-23T20:07:00.003-04:00

Umm....

I actually felt naughty eating this banana, it was so big.

But it was fun. :)

Check this out!

2008-05-21T22:26:00.003-04:00

Remember how they filmed a movie originally called "Bachelor No. 2" at Suffolk in the fall? Here's a photo to prove it!

Click here.

For all the nice guys out there:

2008-05-21T22:09:00.005-04:00

You're awesome. Great. Amazing. A really good person.

But if you don't want to be put into the "friend" category, you have to flirt. You have to create a little bit of chemistry.

Use innuendo, double entendre, whatever. Because I promise you, if you don't do it you will be put into the friend category. And the longer you're there, the harder it is to get out. The only thing that separates friendships from relationships is sex. You have to create chemistry if you want to put yourself into the "relationship" or dating category. Otherwise you'll just be friends.

And no, this isn't about anyone in particular. It's just something I've noticed along the way.

Any other ladies out there want to weigh in on this?

Update: Here's a guy weighing in. Pretty cool (and, I think, accurate) blog post.

A little update

2008-05-20T19:17:00.005-04:00

Check this out! I'm listed on USLaw.com's list of law student blogs. It even has the date and time of my last entry, and my popularity rating, which is 3. I've seen popularity rankings of 1 to 6, so as usual I'm right in the middle. :)

Cool.

I started Basic Tax Law (or... Basic Federal Income Taxation). I think it may actually be pretty interesting. I'll keep you posted. ;)

In the meantime, here's my favorite song from "Legally Blonde: The Musical"!

I HATE apathy

2008-05-17T01:39:00.003-04:00

Don't tell me it's useless to try. Don't tell me I can't fight city hall. Don't tell me that there's nothing you can do but just sit back and accept that you can't change anything.

Don't do it. I don't want to hear it.

Maybe I'm idealistic and naive, but let me live in my little world. What if Gandhi, John Lennon, Bobby Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr. had listened to people when they surely told them the exact same thing? Not that I'm comparing myself to them!

But just go the hell away if you're only going to tell me that things'll never change and that it's not worth the fight. I don't want to hear it.

Why do you think I'm going to law school?

What's up with the drive-by comment?

2008-05-15T20:22:00.005-04:00

So a couple of weeks ago I'm walking to class from the T, and as I'm walking I see two guys who were about my age walking in my direction. I hear one say to the other "I love this city!" as they approach, then "see what I mean?" or something like that as we passed each other. I wondered whether he could have been talking about me, but dismissed the thought as quickly as it popped into my head. Until I heard "nice ass!" I turned around to see that they were looking at mine! Well... staring, really. Staring.

Then I was at the mall this weekend. This creepy guy who appeared to be in his 60s passed me and said "very nice!" He then saw me later and actually changed direction in order to pass me again and make that suggestive "uh-huh" noise under his breath. When I saw him for a third time, I just looked at him, saw him looking at me, shook my head no for several seconds, then rolled my eyes as I looked away before he had the chance to say anything. Eeeeeeeew!

And then yesterday as was leaving school I passed a guy who who said "beautiful eyes!" to me under his breath as I walked by.

One of these days I'm going to ask one of those drive-by guys "Do you ever have the guts to compliment a woman to her face?" Or not. :) Depends on how much guts I have!

Guess what I'm doing tonight?

2008-05-15T18:50:00.002-04:00

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

No homework, no studying. No obligations. And as much as I love my friends and family, I'm not even hanging out with them.

Nothing but me, myself and I, home alone, doing whatever the hell I want. Eat what I want to eat. Watch what I want to watch on tv. Stay up as late (or go to bed as early) as I want.

Freedom.

Before my Basic Federal Tax Law class starts on Monday. :(

So, my last year is done...

2008-05-15T18:31:00.004-04:00

assuming I pass my classes, that is!

My last exam, Civ Pro, was last night. And if I may say so, I think I did pretty darn good! It's the only exam so far that I've left feeling confident about afterwards. Which is weird, because it was the one I was the most afraid of. Of course it was also the one that I studied the hardest for.

Maybe that should tell me something right there. :)

Speaking of Civ Pro, check out this article our professor wrote.

Ha! My horoscope for today. :)

2008-05-14T10:16:00.002-04:00

Is it legalese, or something else? The rules by any other name are just as hard to follow. Do your best, as difficult as it is to bow down to authority.
- By Astrology.com

On the day of my Civ Pro exam.

Priceless. :)

I have fallen in love!

2008-05-13T20:01:00.005-04:00

With these guys. :) (By the way, it's amazing how productive I suddenly get with this blog when I'm supposed to be studying, isn't it?)

Lauren and I

Raggle Taggle Gypsy

Ireland's Call

Celtic Thunder.

Of course, then there's Celtic Woman. :)

Send Me a Song

At the Ceili

One World

How do you handle a self-centered friend?

2008-05-12T17:44:00.005-04:00

I actually can't study for Civ Pro until I put this out there.

I have this friend, who I'll call Heather. My friend Natalie and I met her at a party about 6 months ago. Natalie and I have been friends since 7th grade. I started being friends with Heather first, but then Heather and Natalie became friends. Then I invited a friend from school, Michelle, out with us one night and now all 4 of us are friends.

But...

I just discovered (by looking at her myspace page) that Heather went into Boston to hang out with Michelle this weekend. Natalie was invited, but I wasn't. Which might not be as big a deal if it hadn't been for something that happened a few weeks ago. We all went to Foxwoods for Heather's birthday. Long story short, Heather, who was drunk, became angry at me for taking Michelle's offer of getting me a couple of shots before going back to the hotel so I could "catch up" (I hadn't been feeling well earlier in the night, and the girls had gone out and started drinking without me -- I had insisted).

That turned into all sorts of accusations on Heather's end that made both Natalie and Michelle wonder where the hell she was coming from! Things like how it's always all about me (it isn't) or how all I care about is finding a guy to flirt with when we go out (which isn't true). But along the way, Heather also snapped at me "I knew you'd try to steal Michelle away!"

Now, keep in mind that I was friends with Michelle for about 6 months longer than I've been friends with Heather.

Also keep in mind that Heather is one of those types of people who constantly needs to be the center of attention wherever we go. She sees everything in the world in reference to herself. We've had girl's nights in that have turned into girl's nights out because she wanted to go out and flirt. She even left us one night to go deal with a couple of her men! She always tries to find guys for me and Natalie to talk to, but I'm starting to wonder if that's only so she doesn't feel as guilty about always needing to talk to guys. It's all about Heather.

Anyway, I basically I feel like the whole argument was Heather projecting big time onto me. Which is why my friends were totally confused about where she was coming from.

I've been friends with people before who were either insecure and jealous or needed to be the center of attention all the time. It's always ended up badly because I'm really big on fairness. I'm not the type who will go along with everything if it's one-sided most of the time. Which obviously causes trouble when it means that an attention-seeking person doesn't get their way all the time.

So now that I found out that apparently my friends, the ones I introduced Heather to, were all invited, but I wasn't...

Heather and I did talk about that argument afterwards and things seemed to be ok, but now I feel like Heather needs to be the boss of the friends, and it is all about her. I feel like I used to be an equal friend to Natalie and Michelle, but now that Heather's come in I feel like she sees Natalie and Michelle as equals, and I'm the odd person out. If I say something, it's like it was either never said or someone else said it (until Heather's memory is corrected). I'm the one who brought all these people together, and now I feel like I'm on the outside.

And I never brought up to Heather her accusation of me stealing Michelle, which is why finding out about this weekend bothers me. Who's stealing who again?
Natalie and Michelle aren't treating me any differently, by the way. It's just Heather.

Any advice? I don't want to come across as being the jealous one, but at the same time, I don't want to always feel like I'm taking a backseat to my own friends, even if it's only in Heather's eyes.

Which Intentional Tort Are You?

2008-05-11T18:58:00.003-04:00

I feel so honored? Twentyfive2Life added me to her blog links. Check out her blog! It's pretty cool. :) Anyway, that's how I also found this:

take the WHAT INTENTIONAL TORT ARE YOU test.

and go to mewing.net. because law school made laura do this.

Am I annoying? Sometimes, probably. But I'm definitely stubborn like that, so fair enough. Although it's probably only 'cause I answered a question that if my friend called me a dummy I'd camp out on her lawn until she apologized. In reality, I'd just be hurt and give her the silent treatment until she came back to apologize. I'm a chicken who doesn't have the guts to confront people while I'm in the middle of being all upset and emotional. It's what I do. Could be worse. :)

Ok, now back to studying for the scariest exam this semester: Civ Pro. Wish me luck! It was my lowest grade last semester, and this semester's exam is notoriously harder than last semester's.

The working class hero is no longer something to fear.

2008-05-11T18:25:00.001-04:00

I saw a commercial today for a collection of John Lennon's songs, and at one point in the commercial "Working Class Hero" was playing in the background. It got me thinking.

Lennon is right that the working class hero is something to be feared-but unfortunately we lose that power if we don't exercise it. And we have lost that power.

Why should our government fear the working class anymore? It's not like we take a stand about anything important anymore anyway. All we care about are hot button issues that have nothing to do with our own actual lives.

Abortion, gay marriage, etc. Unless you have an abortion or are gay, these things don't affect you. Not really. And if they don't, what do you care whether they are legal or not? Why not let those who want it have it? It doesn't change your life at all.

But we get distracted by the political scum who use it on purpose to distract us from the fact that oil companies are making record profits while we can barely afford to put gas in our cars. As an example.

Why should the government fear the working class anymore? They have us right where they want us and we don't even know or care enough to say anything about it, let alone do anything.

I'm sad for our country.

My red tattoo

2008-05-10T18:03:00.007-04:00

So, I got this tattoo on my ankle. True story. :)

I got it at the very end of March/beginning of April. It's actually still healing, and there are still little scabs in a couple of areas. I was wondering if the tattoo artist was too heavy-handed because it seemed to be taking so long to heal, then I thought something was wrong with it because it turned from red to pink. Even though I found a couple of websites that said it was normal (from the sloughing off of the "damaged" skin as a result of being tattooed) I wasn't reassured.

Until now. It all turned out to be true. My tattoo is back to being completely red, and it's almost done healing. Thank God.

So I just figured I'd let you all know, too, in case you ever get a red tattoo, too!

Update: 9/12/08

This is a photo from a couple of months ago. You can see on the right and left how the lines are a little thicker than the rest. The tattoo artist did have a heavy hand after all, unfortunately. Still, it's a tattoo that I got because of its meaning to me, not because I wanted a showpiece!

Speaking of its meaning... when I went to go talk to the guy about it, I went with a friend who is also blonde-haired and blue eyed. The tattoo artist was of Latin descent. At one point while I was telling him about my ideas for the tattoo, he stopped, looked and me and asked if I knew what it meant to some people. I had no idea what he was talking about. I thought he meant the whole American Choppers motorcycle thing! Instead, he said that it was a tattoo design that a lot of white supremacists get!!! I was crestfallen, and I immediately looked at my friend and said "The whitest girl in the world cannot get this tattoo"! I was seriously considering not getting it after all, because there was no way in hell I want people to think I'm a racist. But then he talked me into it. He kept telling me that if it meant that much to me, I should get it anyway regardless of what people might think. Besides, the tattoo the white supremacists get is a solid red iron cross outlined in black, which mine obviously isn't. Still, every once in a while, I wonder if people look at me and think I'm a racist...

And.... it's done. I hope.

2008-05-09T23:28:00.003-04:00

My contracts exam. So weird. We all came out of it thinking "did I miss something?" It seemed too straightforward. The essays were kind of one-sided. We all feel like we didn't write enough. But there didn't seem to be any more to say! Only one issue could really be argued either way.

So weird.