Those One Thoughts

That's one shillelagh rivalry trophy....

2005-10-03T17:09:00.000-05:00

The Fighting Irish beat Purdue Saturday night 49-28. I thought the Irish could beat Purdue, (and what they could do and what they have done have often been completely different over the past 5 or so years), but I wasn't expecting anything near the blowout that occurred.

I didn't get to see any of the game as I was busy celebrating at a friend's house out in cow country, but we did find out the halftime score. And promptly celebrated as good Irishmen should. Or just good already drunks.

I have now clue how the USC game will turn out for Notre Dame, but the bye week and the momentum from the Purdue game should help. Playing in Notre Dame Stadium might help, too, but home-field advantage doesn't always mean much in rivalry games.

Yes!

2005-09-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

Yes!!!!

Congratulations to everybody.

Sorry, Santa, Sir

2005-09-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

The Danish air force compensated Santa for the death of one of his reindeer caused by an F-16 flying low over his farm.

Which reindeer do you think died? Comet? Blitzen? And what do you think he'll name the new one?

Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice

2005-09-29T13:07:00.000-05:00

And so begins another Supreme Court era.

Okay, so it actually begins once he is sworn in, but I'm not waiting around for it to be official and posting again.

I am so tired

2005-09-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

And sore.

Irish back on track?

2005-09-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

Notre Dame managed to bounce back from losing to then-unranked Michigan State in the Battle for the Megaphone by beating unranked Washington and former coach Ty Willingham on the road.

Huh. They won a game they were supposed to win. That has been pretty rare the last few years.
I watched part of the game, and the offense looked good. They threw the ball more than you expect to see from Notre Dame, but it's not the 3 yards in a cloud of dust Four Horsemen days anymore. I also wore my green jersey on Saturday and it felt pretty good. I think I need to get a navy one though.

Next up, the shilleglah games: at Purdue next week and USC in South Bend after a bye week. Well, at least the get Purdue on the road, where Notre Dame is undefeated so far this year, and welcome the Trojans. It would be better of course if they hadn't lost their only home game so far.

Even if they drop both these games, I would still be happy if they ran the table for the rest of the season and finished 8-3. On the other hand, if they win out including these two (and get some help in the form of losses by major teams at the top of the polls), there's hope of a Bowl Championship Series berth. Not that I think that's very likely.

And robin, of course I have hope; I was just trying to fool the football gods into thinking they can't possibly disappoint me.

Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10

2005-09-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

Okay, they held on to win it. Yes, it is their second straight upset win.

But I still refuse to have any hope for a good season.

You heard me, no hope. Why? First, this way there is no disappointment. Second, they still have 9 games they can completely blow.

But at least they beat Michigan. Woo hoo!!

536

2005-09-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

Griffey hit his 35th homer of the year in Atlanta before he left the game with a sprained ankle. The homerun ties Junior with Mickey Mantle.

Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies

2005-09-04T12:18:00.000-05:00

And so ends another Supreme Court era.

ND 42, Pitt 21

2005-09-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

How wrong does that look?

I saw the game on tv, and I even watched for a few minutes. I didn't find the game until the score was already 14-10 Notre Dame, but I still couldn't bring myself to watch.

This is a good win, of course, knocking off the #23 team in the nation, but it doesn't really mean much for the rest of the season. The Irish have started off strong a few times in the last several years and still haven't done much. Plus there's the recent history of pulling off the upset, only to later lose the games they're supposed to win easily.

Next up is Michigan in the Big House. I think they were #4 last week. It will be a tough test for Notre Dame, but not impossible. They beat the Wolverines in South Bend last year, and you never know how a rivalry game will go.

The Gulf

2005-09-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

Twenty years ago, "the Gulf" in news reports, or more often weather reports, referred almost exclusively to the Gulf of Mexico. Operations Desert Sheild and Desert Storm introduced a new use for "the Gulf," to refer to the Arabian Peninsula. After fifteen years of the Persian Gulf being the Gulf, I've found a few headlines and news teasers a bit confusing this week as the media have often referred to the Gulf coast area as simply the Gulf. I had to look at one headline about troops heading to "the Gulf" several times before I realized it was about the hurricane instead of the war.

Not exactly frozen tundra, but it'll do

2005-09-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

I was flipping through the channels last night and came across a football game. I stopped to watch for a few seconds and then thought, Wait a minute, it's not time for college football yet. Oh, wait, yeah it is.

There's no chill in the air and the cold drizzly rains are still a few weeks away, but it is time for football. Time for marching bands, fight songs, manic crowds, mascots and painted bodies. Time for long bombs, battles in the trenches, reverses, runs up the gut, and the option. Time for polls and second guessing.

Yeah, I love this time of the year. There's just one problem. Notre Dame opens up at Pitt and then at Michigan. That does not inspire a lot of confidence. Yes, I know. New year, new coach. All I hear is "Rebuilding . . . few years. . ." It's going to be a long season. Maybe I can get back to watching the teams I really don't care about, because those games are always more fun to watch. The problem is, I hate so many of the teams that are usually on TV.

I need a car

2005-08-30T17:53:00.000-05:00

But, oh yeah, first I need another job. More on that some other time. Right now I have to go dry out.

Talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic: This tropical depression is neither tropical nor necessarily depressing.

Share Your Thoughts

2005-08-29T11:52:00.000-05:00

Does a gray-walled, windowless office give off the vibe thta it is perpetually gloomy outside, or is it just wishful thinking on my part?

Silly burglar! Carpets are for floors

2005-08-25T10:25:00.000-05:00

An australian burglar was arrested after police found him snoring on some carpet in a furniture store. This, combined with the fact that I'm posting again for the first time in two weeks, can only mean one thing. It's time for, say it with me now,

What Were Their Thoughts?

Sounds More Like a Bad TV Commercial Edition

I know! I'll do like I did with my mum and just pretend to be asleep. [Yawn] Oh, I do feel a bit drows...ZZZZZZZ
Bloody hell, I'm tired. I guess I should have broken in earlier in the night or taken a nap first.
Well, I made record time with this burglary. I'd say I have time to catch a few winks before the cops arrive.
I'll break in to the furniture store. If the burglary doesn't work out, I can always fall asleep and get a commercial with La-Z-Boy or something.

All right, that's all I've got, but I know you've got some good ones too. Play along. And I promise not to stay gone so long again.

Redheads? Superpowers?! DUH!

2005-08-11T14:34:00.000-05:00

The link to this clip from Yahoo! News asks if redheads have superpowers. Hmm, let me think for a--OBVIOUSLY!

Because Hallmark doesn't make a card for "Get the hell outta my life!"

2005-08-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

A Florida man made up a story about killing a hitchhiker in hopes that it would induce his wife to leave him.

Okay, I suppose that's reasonable. In a weird, psycho, passive-aggressive sort of way. But, don't you think you should let the cops in on the gag? At least once they get you down at the station? Then again, if you're thinking about that, you probably wouldn't make up a story about killing a hitchhiker in the first place.

Bar Overflow

2005-07-28T11:26:00.000-05:00

I know the exam ended yesterday afternoon. And even if I didn't pass, I don't have to think about that crap again until late December-ish.

But the info is stuck in my brain.

And I'm STILL analyzing real life situations for no apparent reason.

This morning I saw a MasterCard commercial, the one where they say they're giving away 12 cars for you to give friends and family. Of course, I thought about what it would be like to have 12 cars to choose from and/or give away. Then where does my mind go? To the TAX ISSUES involved.

I wish I had taken today off work as well. I'm sure a day of doing nothing but playing XBOX college football and playing with my dog would clear my brain.

So Santa is like the Pope?

2005-07-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

And the other Santas are like Cardinals?

Okay, you can stop visiting for a few days

2005-07-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

I'm going to have to suspend posting for about a week, at least until Thursday morning. Don't ask why; you know why. I should have something new for you by Monday, August 1, at the latest.

See you on the other side.

522

2005-07-21T08:14:00.000-05:00

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his twenty-first home run of the season, 522nd of his career. Junior now stands alone in 14th place on the all-time list, passing Willie McCovey and "The Splendid Splinter" "Teddy Ballgame" Williams.

Very interesting...and not so shtupid

2005-07-20T12:50:00.000-05:00

A German man lost his lawsuit to get the government to pay for his toupee. The man claimed the government was discriminating against men by refusing to pay for toupees while covering the cost of wigs for women. The court pointed out how common it is for a man to go bald compared to a woman, and noted that a bald woman would be more likely to be ostracized for being bald than a man.

So now I have to ask you, my loyal readers (both of you), what do you think would happen if this situation arose in the States? What if, instead of a middle-aged man, a younger man went prematurely bald (due to illness, stress, or who knows)?

Definitions

2005-07-15T17:41:00.000-05:00

Irony: 1. Getting soaked while walking home, despite carrying an umbrella. 2. Getting within a block and a half of home and then getting splashed by a passing car, soaking your only remaining dry spot. 3. Enduring 1 and 2 above, then realizing when you get home that you need a shower to wash off the rain. See also this post by robin.

Optimism: Enduring definitions 1 through 3 under "irony," yet still clutching your umbrella over your head. See also this post from earlier this week.

A final note. To the red Ford Truck turning right that honked at me for being in the way and taking too long when I was crossing with the walk sign: Fuck off! Go read the driver's manual you were SUPPOSED to read before getting your driver's license (assuming you have one). You yield to me, asswipe!

They're sending secret images through my TV, man!

2005-07-15T11:31:00.000-05:00

Sharp has developed a new television designed to allow different people to watch different shows at the same time, on the same screen.

Putting aside how viewers are supposed to listen to the different shows (not to mention how absolutely creepy it is to see a mirror image of the tv with a completely different picture), this is sort of a cool idea. Assuming, of course, you can get enough seating on both sides of the tv to accommodate everyone.

I think the really cool part of the article is the plan to use to technology to create cell phones that can protect your privacy by not allowing others to peek over your shoulder and view your private info.

Umbrella Dilemma

2005-07-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

If you're walking in a very light rain with an umbrella, do you

open the umbrella and look like a wimp for needing an umbrella in such a light rain, or
keep the umbrella closed and look like a moron for carrying a closed umbrella?

2005-07-13T18:08:00.000-05:00

So what was the greatest thing BEFORE sliced bread?

Woo hoo! My brain isn't totally fried! (Yet)

2005-07-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

I just graded another practice MBE and my scaled score was well above halfway to passing. Yes!! I have to say, that's a hell of confidence booster with just two weeks to go.

"Moon Pie . . . What a time to be alive"

2005-07-11T09:14:00.000-05:00

The subway and bus bombings in London last week shined the spotlight on a growing phenomenon of the technological age: the emergence of amateur journalists. Digital cameras and camera cell phones are giving us a chance to view events much sooner after they occur than traditional news photos.

Sometimes such footage and images are important to a clearer understanding of how the events unfolded. And, of course, there may be times when they provide useful evidence for an investigation. Regardless of how important or useful such coverage may be, it will undoubtedly be popular; look at tv shows like Maximum Exposure that thrive in showing us footage of things gone terribly wrong, such as an ATV rolling over on a moron who tries to ride it up a steep hill.

Okay, I'll admit. This post really had no point. I just wanted to use the quote for the title. =P

16 year-old's Stripper Birthday Party

2005-07-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

A couple of parents decided to give their son a "special" gift for his 16th birthday: a stripper.

So, guess what time it is again (finally). Yes, it's

What Were Their Thoughts?

Sweet Strip-teen Edition

We'll be the most popular parents in the neighborhood!
Who will find out? None of the boys would ever say a thing about it!
Well at least we're not hiring him a prostitute.
What teen wouldn't love getting a lap dance in front of his parents and his grandpa?
Well if he's going to start going to the strip club with his father he needs to learn how to tip properly.
Oh, I've absolutely got to have a picture of my baby's first lap dance!

C'mon, people; I know you've got some good ones out there.

Well, the description is right on

2005-07-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

... but I don't like strawberry ice cream. Except sometimes the strawberry in Neopolitan. I'm not all about the strawberry bits. Yick.

You Are Strawberry Ice Cream

A bit shy and sensitive, you are sweet to the core.
You often find yourself on the outside looking in.
Insightful and pensive, you really understand how the world works.
You are most compatible with chocolate chip ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Bar Review Thought

2005-07-07T19:11:00.000-05:00

Legally speaking, checks are a pain in the ass.

One of Those Days

2005-07-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

Don't you hate days that aren't really "bad" but are definitely not good? You can't even complain about them because they're not bad days.

Bah....

Edit, by popular demand (yes, 1 out of 3 regulars constitutes popular demand around here): First off, I am TIRED. (Well, I was for most of the day, anyway.) I'm sure everyone studying for the bar is tired right now. But the last time I remember being this tired for this long since when I was losing weight. That was almost 10 years ago. Second, I'm not enjoying my job. No, I will not go into details. It's just a temporary job (to the employer, also, not just to me), and that's all I have to say about it. Next, I forgot to pack a lunch today. I've been brown-bagging so that I can work through lunch to get my hours and still leave early to make it to bar review. Lunch has mostly been sandwiches, usually PB&J. But then we ran out of J and haven't been back to the grocery yet. And PB sandwiches without milk are not a good idea, especially when you're eating lunch at your desk. While this shouldn't present much of a problem, normally, because I always have the option of going out to lunch, I am also without cash. Not because I'm broke, but just because I tend not to carry cash, and even when I do it's very little; I rely more on my debit card. What's the problem with this? Of course! Where I would go for lunch, doesn't accept cards. 'But TWG, can't you just go somewhere else?' Yes, except for the fact that I would have to walk. We have one car and ThatWunWife goes to work later than I do, so she drops me off at work in the morning. The only other acceptable restaurant within an acceptable walking distance is one I don't really like. Or didn't want at lunchtime, anyway. Also, when I first typed this post, I was still trudging through the Negotiable Instruments outline and had the bar review lecture and a 35 minute walk home to look forward to before I could be home again and rest and eat.

I told you it wasn't worth complaining. You asked for it. =P

Make it stop!!

2005-07-05T09:24:00.000-05:00

ThatWunWife dragged me shopping yesterday, a form of torture by itself. At one point I was sitting outside the fitting rooms waiting, when I heard one of the most horrible things ever over the store's sound system. The music in department stores isn't supposed to be great, I understand. It's just there to be gentle, soothing background noise that keeps you shopping. Something better than the low drone produced by the ventilation system and the mass of people. Sort of the same concept as not putting a clock in a store and limiting the number of clocks in a mall; get them to stay longer and they'll spend more. So anyway, a melody starts, soft and kind of tinkling. I think, Wait, I know this. A few notes later and I was in sheer agony. The song was "Everyday" by Buddy Holly (one of my many favorite artists; if you don't know the song or need a refresher you can click here and listen to the sample). The problem: It was the slowed down, sanitized, "elevator music" version. Painful. So very painful. But it got worse. No, seriously, it did. If you don't pay much attention, (and obviously, this musician hadn't) the song can sound kind of cheery and upbeat. If you haven't heard it, it is optimisitic, but it's still about unrequited love. So how does Mr. Keep Shopping, Everything is Fine choose to sing it? How else?! Bubblegum pop sickly sticky sweet! Yep. "I'm so happy that you don't love me yet and I'm here all alone with no one at all. Yep. So darn happy I could burst, by golly." EXCRUCIATING. Almost made me want to shop more if it meant avoiding that damn song.
Thinking about it again has upset me so much that I may just have to go home and break out the album to get it off my mind. Not sure why I didn't last night.

Consider it a 'Motion for Rehearing'

2005-06-30T15:02:00.000-05:00

I tried really hard, but I just couldn't pass up this story. . . .

Remember last week when the Supreme Court shook up the entire area of Eminent Domain by ruling that private economic development could constitute a public purpose that would justify the taking of private property? (If not, you can see this article.) One advocate disagrees with the Court's ruling and has found an interesting way of forcing the Justices to reconsider. The tactic: See how the Justices like losing their own property.

As the article states, the CEO of Freestar Media wrote a letter advocating replacing Justice Souter's home with a hotel. While this is certainly an amusing tactic, some how I doubt it will be very effective. How likely is it that a town would replace a Supreme Court Justice's home with a hotel? (Unless the selectmen, and probably most of the town, disagree with the Court's ruling) Second, is there any sort of proof that the hotel would be successful and generate greater tax income for the town? (Wait a minute, what am I talking about? This is government, they don't need no stinkin proof.) Doesn't it seem likely that even if the town takes Justice Souter's home he will just use the compensation the town would be required to pay him to buy a similar house?

2005-06-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

We're heading into the long Independence Day weekend. The smell of food, Sousa music, and American flags are sure to be everywhere. If you're planning on displaying the flag this Fourth, please do it right. robin has a few reminders from the flag himself, but I would like to point out a few others.

(a) Display on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in open; night display
It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset
on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic
effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly
illuminated during the hours of darkness.

(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting
horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a
building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless
the flag is at half staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a
rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag
should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.

(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the
union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the
observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the
same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the
street.

(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be
suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street or
to the east in a north and south street.
You can find the entire flag code here. Have a safe and fun Fourth.

"All I want is my fair share! All I want is what I have coming to me!"

2005-06-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

I'm not quite sure what I think about this article, tossing out yet another generational label. However, I would have to say that I probably do expect more from a job and an employer than my parents did at my age. Whether my expectations are reasonable, of course, is open for debate.

So Who Gets the Stats for the 1st and 2nd?

2005-06-24T14:59:00.000-05:00

This is one crazy promotion. But that's the whole point. Be wild and outlandish to get the fans in the stands and generate interest in the teams and the league. Also check out the other strange promotions listed in the article.

Quote of the Day

2005-06-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

If the flag needs protection at all, it needs protection from members of Congress who value the symbol more than the freedoms that the flag represents.
--Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat, New York

Full Story

513, on Dad's Day, of course*

2005-06-20T09:22:00.000-05:00

Junior smacked his 513th career homerun yesterday. The shot put him past Mr. Cub Ernie Banks and Eddie Matthews for sole possession of 16th all-time. The homerun was also the fifth time in Junior's career he has hit one out on Father's Day.

Junior always seems to come through and hit one for his parents. His mother's birthday, his father's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, all days when it has been a good bet that he would hit a homerun. Can we start inventing holidays to boost his total? Mothers of 'juniors' day? Fathers of Sons who are named after them day? Major Leaguer Father's day?

*info in first paragraph taken from Reds' official website

Uuuuugggghhhh

2005-06-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

ThatWunWife and I went house shopping yesterday afternoon. After that 5 hours, I don't really feel much like thinking a lot about it over the next couple days. But I will say this: It was dizzying, especially near the end of the day. And after 5 straight hours things started running together.

Bah.

More posts later. Maybe.

Yea!!

2005-06-17T10:20:00.000-05:00

Reasons I can be happy: It's Friday; No Bar Review lecture tonight; I get my first paycheck!

Think she'll marry a scruffy-looking shepherd named Han?

2005-06-16T11:43:00.000-05:00

Reuters reports that a Norweigian princess was named "Leah" after Star Wars' Princess Leia because her mother was such a big fan.

And now, a few rejected titles for this post:

If she becomes queen will she change her name to Padme?

Is there an alliance with King/a general named Obi-Wan?

How long till she gets the hairdo?

If only all MBE questions were this simple

2005-06-15T08:41:00.000-05:00

If the witnesses corroborate the intent in this story, then it's clearly battery. I can see the question now, "If the jury believes the witnesses, then it should find Student:..."

Anti-Pollution Innovation

2005-06-14T12:15:00.000-05:00

This is an. . . interesting way of dealing with pollution. But it leaves me with a couple of questions.

Does this create a different smell? Because that could be worse than the bus pollution. Or almost.

Could this be a possible solution to the "trucker bombs"? You know, just set up deposit boxes or bins at rest stops for truckers to contribute and refill tanks on their trucks with the refined liquid (which could also be provided at other locations).

Those One Things

2005-06-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is the newest feature of Those One Thoughts.

Those One Things...

You should do while you live in Indy

Visit one of the many monuments. You could climb to the top of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument on the Circle, stroll through the Medal of Honor Monument and watch the videos or reflect at the USS Indianapolis Memorial on the downtown Canal...
Visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You now have 3 chances a year to watch cars on the track, but if none of those tickle your fancy, you can just walk through the IMS Hall of Fame. It has been 18 years or so since I was there, but it was pretty cool then.
Attend at least one game of one of the following: Pacers, Colts, Indians, Fever, Firebirds, Ice. Pretty much something for everyone.
Catch one of the Indiana Repertory Theatre's shows. The historic Indiana Theatre is a great place to watch a show, and IRT is fabulous. BTW, Inherit the Wind is showing in September. Great play for the legal and aspiring legal types.
Catch a show at any of Indy's other theaters. Again, you should be able to find something to excite you.
Visit the Indianapolis Zoo/Botanical Gardens. Plenty of animals and plants, and a cool new dolphin exhibit. Also, see this post.
Visit the Indianapolis Children's Museum. I know, you're not a kid. That doesn't mean it's not still a fun place. And the 3-story water clock is almost worth the price of admission. It gets a little crowded around the clock as 1:00 approaches because everybody wants to see it drain. But trust me, the filling is cool too.
Visit one of Indy's many other museums; the Indiana State Museum, the Eiteljorg Museum, the Crispus Attucks Museum...
Talk a walk, bike ride, or boat ride on a canal. Downtown or in Broad Ripple.
Check out Mass Avenue.
Take advantage of the opportunities to try the cuisine of a new culture or find a bar or club to have some fun.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, just a list of some of the top things I have done while living in Indy/would like to do before I move. It is also not intended to be any sort of ranking. But feel free to debate it anyway if you like.

512

2005-06-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

In the Interleague series rematch of the 1970 World Series, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 10th and 11th homers of the season. That's 511 and 512 for his career, tying and passing Mel Ott for a 3-way tie for 16th all-time. Junior should be pushing 600 or so by now, but those nagging injuries took away precious time, and made for lots of unproductive swings. I know A-Rod just broke Junior's mark of youngest to 400, and Junior is no longer a serious threat at 755, but you can still track the milestones here.

Feds can play Supremacy trump card

2005-06-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

All right, dammit. I'm tired of seeing these piddly little short posts on my blog, so I'm going to do my best to write a long, substantive post. I'll see how well that goes and how long it takes...

The Supreme Court handed down its opinion in Gonzales v. Raich (formerly Ashcroft v. Raich). The 6-3 decision, written by Justice Stevens, upheld the prosecution of users and distributors of medical marijuana under the federal Controled Substances Act (the CSA). California allows patients to use and possess marijuana when directed by a doctor, and other states have similar laws. The defendants in the federal prosecution challenged the law as applied because they grew the marijuana themselves and did not affect interstate commerce. (At least one defendant simply gave the marijuana away.) Without this connection to interstate commerce, Congress would have no power under the Constitution to regulate the activity.

Justice Stevens' decision was based heavily on Wickard v. Filburn, where the Court held that Congress had the authority to regulate a farmer's growing wheat even though he did not intend to sell it and only used it for his family's substinence; such Congressional authority stemmed from the fact that the activity, although not interstate commerce and non-economic, because the aggregate of such activities across the nation have a substantial impact on interstate commerce. The growing and distribution of medical marijuana could not only have a substantial impact on interstate commerce, the Court said, but, with the possibility of fraud, could completely thwart the regulatory scheme created by Congress. The Court distinguished United States v. Lopez, in which a law prohibiting the possession of a firearm near a school was struck down, because the activity in question in that case was not related to commerce and the distribution of the marijuana is typical economic activity: growing and distributing a marketable commodity.

For some reason, (and this is really odd, trust me) I agree more with O'Connor's dissent. The distinction between Raich and Lopez doesn't seem very meaningful. And, while the argument that the decision deprives the states of their roles as laboratories of democracy doesn't seem very strong, I agree that it seems like the majority is allowing Congress to bypass the Commerce Clause by saying that regulating intrastate activity is necessary to maintain comprehensive regulation over a large area of activities.

Upcoming

2005-06-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

I know you're all missing me and waiting with baited breath for my next post. Well stop it. You're starting to turn purple.

But seriously, I have a post in the works that should have been finished last week. I'll do my best to publish it today. I'm also working on a new feature. Yes, I know I haven't followed up on What Were Their Thoughts? but I haven't found a suitable subject yet.

Anyway, stay tuned, or what the hell ever the blog equivalent is, new content is on the way.

I'm number 1! I'm number 1!

2005-06-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

I just checked my list of visitors and saw that someone got here by searching for "those one." First off, I have to wonder what ones this person was looking for. Kind of an odd search. Anyway, I thought if I was reading the link right (and I probably wasn't) that T1T was site #22 on the list. I thought Hey, that's pretty cool to be that high on such a generic search. So I thought I'd try running the Google search.... T1T was not in the top 30. So for the hell of it, I tried putting the two words in quotes. POOF! There's my blog listed first. Feels kinda cool being the top search result for something. Even something so generic and lame. =P

What a difference a day makes

2005-06-09T12:46:00.000-05:00

I took a practice MBE Tuesday night and got 58 of the 100 questions correct. I know I'm only shooting for 60-64%, the average, but that's still a little disheartening. I'd been doing a little better on the practice questions from the bar review materials. I also missed 9 out of the last 10. Still, if I had scored 58% on all 200 questions from that exam, my raw score would have been around 135, over half-way to the magical 264.

I took another practice half exam last night and just graded it. Last night's score: a whopping 67. HOLY CRAP! I didn't study Tuesday night, and I pretty much only glanced over the questions I missed from Tuesday night. Wednesday's questions were easier. The scaling was not as high as for Tuesday's. But 67% on Wednesday's would have still been about 146.

Woo-hoo!!

2005-06-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

The Simpsons movie has begun production. Whether they finish it is a different issue.

Note: The title of this post is not meant to convey enthusiasm but is merely a clever title stolen from the series.

I think my brain just melted

2005-06-06T14:50:00.000-05:00

To anyone else out there studying for the bar exam: Be careful which news stories you read. And don't read this one. I actually started considering the validity of the contract and then I'm sure I head a sloshing sound in my cranium. You were warned.

Ewww

2005-06-04T20:41:00.000-05:00

I have sympathy for truckers sometimes, but this is just wrong. The pun in the headline is just as bad.

Century Mark

2005-06-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

I noticed that I've had over 100 visitors to my blog the other day. Not bad for about a month. Well, maybe not when you think it's only about 3 visitors a day. Then again, I thought I'd be lucky to average one visitor a day. And if you subtract last week's traffic explosion I'm much closer to that figure.

Pricing by Big Brother

2005-06-02T12:34:00.000-05:00

Maybe you've taken the coupons that print after your receipt at the grocery store and thought, Well, its better than getting a bunch of coupons for stuff I'll never buy, or Hey! 10 cents off the ravioli I buy 100 cans of each week! Awesome! Either way, this is creepy.

Admit it, you kind of suspected it was going on in the background. Doesn't it kind of remind you of those signs that say "Prices subject to change based on customer's attitude?" I guess it's just one more example of the cost of the Internet. Another trade-off we make for convenience. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Mystery Solved... Maybe

2005-05-31T12:47:00.000-05:00

A Vanity Fair article claims to revealthe identity of "Deep Throat," who leaked information on the Watergate scandal to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward. W. Mark Felt, formerly "second-in-command" at the FBI told his family about his role a few years ago, and is not proud of what he did. The Washington Post and Bob Woodward, who has vowed not to reveal Deep Throat's identity until after DT's death or voluntary unmasking, have not commented yet, so its possible Felt is not the mystery figure.

Watergate was a bit before my time, and I never really speculated about who might have been Deep Throat. But I did read an article about a year or so ago that indicated that former President and then director of the FBI George H.W. Bush was a possibility. Felt fits the profile set forth in that article, a high-ranking official with access to confidential files. But, in comparison to finding out that the mystery man meeting journalists in D.C. parking garages later became President, Felt's identification seems kind of anti-climactic.

Update: Bob Woodward has confirmed Felt was Deep Throat.

Memorial Day

2005-05-30T14:45:00.000-05:00

Executive Mansion
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864

To Mrs. Bixby, Boston, Mass.
Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln

Huh?!?

2005-05-25T20:11:00.000-05:00

I don't know why my sidebar is suddenly screwed up. And I certainly have no idea why/how all these visitors are getting here from pages that don't link to me.

I'm confused. But I need food now.

Wwwhhhiiiiinggg....

2005-05-25T13:42:00.000-05:00

I contributed my $18 to the record $150 million Revenge of the Sith made over the weekend. It was a pretty good movie, but it was also sort of sad since it is the last movie of the saga. I guess we could always look forward to the Star Wars TV series Lucas wants to make. Hmmm.... Yeah, maybe not....

Anyway, I read a few excerpts of Revenge reviews before I saw the movie. A couple said it is the best of the six films or that it at least rivals The Empire Strikes Back. It is a pretty good movie, but I don't know... I guess it depends on whether you prefer to see a dying Yoda lieing, joking, and wisecracking or a more vibrant Yoda in a lightsaber duel. Of course if you like lightsaber duels (involving Yoda or not), you absolutely love this movie.

There was also a review that complained because we never see what we are continually told about, Anakin being seduced by power. Without ruining the movie for anybody who has not yet seen it, let me just say... WHAT?!? I mean, Good God, man! Were you in the bathroom for a large chunk of the movie? I almost felt like we were being beaten over the head about his temptation. I understand that's what the movie is supposed to be about; I'm not complaining. I'm just saying, how can you say we never see it?

The Dreaded Post

2005-05-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, maybe you don't dread this post, but I do.

I start a new job tomorrow morning. Between that and bar review, I'm sure I won't have much time for blogging through July. I may be able to sneak in a post here and there and on the weekends. I'll do my best for the pair of you who read this blog.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

2005-05-24T14:07:00.000-05:00

ThatWunWife and I went to the Indianapolis Zoo Saturday. It was her first trip to any zoo, so she was excited.

The weather was perfect and the zoo was beautiful. The seahorses and sea dragon were interesting, but I think my favorite animals were the polar bear (who was swimming laps in his habitat with the return laps under water) and the elephant who was swaying back and forth and appeared to be dancing. ThatWunWife liked the walruses (walri?) because they would swim up the glass next to you and kiss the glass.

It made for a good day, and is definitely one of those things you should do at least once while you live in Indy.

Warning

2005-05-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'm in a sarcastic mood today. Keep that in mind as you read the two posts below.

Republicans want a Communist Dictatorship

2005-05-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

At least that's the overall message of a commercial I saw this morning. . .

The Senate's fight over the use of the filibuster to block judicial nominees is headed toward a climax this week as the two sides continue to fail to reach a compromise. The commercial was paid for by a PAC and shows cartoon elephants rampaging through a cartoon Washington, D.C., and tearing apart the capital. The narrator points out that the Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, and that a majority of federal judges were appointed by Republican presidents. "But that's not enough." What? Was this PAC founded by Ron Popeil? 'But wait! There's more!' The narrator continues that the Republicans are trying to break the rules (it may have been merely "change," I only saw it once) to gain more control over the country. The narrator mentions "a few brave Republicans" who have stood up to the party and tried to stop them. We get a Batman TV-series style angled close up of a nervous looking cartoon guy in a suit, then a wider view of the elephants walking down the middle of the street and the guy standing in front of them in a parallel of the incident in China's Tienamen Square where a man stood holding his grocery bags in front of advancing tanks. Finally the narrator tells us to contact our Republican Senators and ask them to stop trying to break the rules, and Senator Lugar's name and a toll-free number appear.

So, as you can see, the Republicans are clearly a bunch of cleverly (or not so much, depending on your p.o.v.) disguised Communist dictators. You'd better call your Republican Senator before you have to stop the elephant on your street!

Yeah, I know, you do what must be done to get your message across, but that seems sensational even for a PAC.

Everyone Wants into the Act

2005-05-19T13:06:00.000-05:00

Revenge of the Sith hit theaters last night. Yeah, like you didn't know that with all the hype and tie-ins from everything such as Burger King and Pepsi. Anyway, my dog made me feel like Charlie Brown again, getting caught up in all the hoopla, like Snoopy decorating his doghouse for Christmas. Not that I'm upset like ol' Chuck. I wanna see the movie, I'm a geek too!

Anyway, this is not a posed picture. He did this stuff all the time as a puppy. I even came home from a job interview Tuesday afternoon and found him doing it again. I just couldn't get to the digital camera in time. So, I give you...

Padawan Puppy

Good grief.

Begun the Clone Wars Have

2005-05-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

I watched the "Star Wars: Clone Wars" series on Cartoon Network over the weekend. I had watched the episodes from Volume I a few months ago, but never tuned back in for Volume II, so I decided just to watch it all together.

It was a pretty exciting show (and it was better without the Clone Wars intro before each chapter), maybe even better than Episode I or II. I know, that's not really much of a compliment. It shows the progress of the Clone Wars, Anakin's training and lack of patience, a bit of the romance between Anakin and Padme (is it wierd that it comes off as more believable and touching in cartoon form?), and the Sith scheming. It was actually a pretty good preparation for watching Episode III, except that now I really want to see the movie and I don't know when I'll get to.

Volume 1 is on DVD, or you can view all 25 chapters of the "micro-series" here.

A Time of Firsts (and a second)

2005-05-13T18:01:00.000-05:00

I had my first foreign visitor yesterday. It was also the first time someone found my blog through a search engine. Someone from Canada surfed in after searching for "narf poit." A canuck Pinky & the Brain fan . . . Sorry this page probably wasn't quite what you were hoping to find.
I also had a second search visitor last night. This one searched for . . . well . . . the celebrity subject of What Were Their Thoughts?, the kind of film you hope your parents don't find in your living room, and the word "star." Hmm . . . I probably should have known that would happen . . .

What Were Tony Danza's Thoughts?

2005-05-10T22:24:00.000-05:00

Those One Thoughts presents a new feature: "What Were Their Thoughts?," examining what was going through the minds of those who make boneheaded decisions.

The subject of the first edition of "What Were Their Thoughts?" is Tony Danza, who was not wearing a helmet when he flipped during a go kart race on his show. I will avoid taking the easy route to a laugh and simply saying Danza was thinking "Angela . . . Mona . . ." etc. So, I now give you Tony Danza's thoughts:

It's okay. My hair will act as a helmet.
I'm Tony Danza. What can
happen to me?
Helmets are for wusses.
If I can star in two hit series with
characters named Tony, I can survive a measly go-kart crash.

Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Andy Griffith Never Enforced This Law

2005-05-10T12:50:00.000-05:00

ACLU challenges North Carolina cohabitation law

"I hear the lub, but where is the dub?"

2005-05-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

I just finished my last law school exam. I feel excited, but I don't feel any of the sadness I expected. (See here.)

My last exam didn't have the anti-climactic problem Brian D. had with his last class. It was an appropriate and fun class on which to end. And it was an all day exam. Even my last class wasn't really anti-climactic; maybe unclimactic or non-climactic in the sense that the situation lacked a climax, but not anti-climactic because it was not a boring or intolerable class.

It's possible this being basically the end of my education hasn't sunk in yet and that it won't until after graduation. It's also possible that it won't sink in until August rolls around and I don't have to be back in class. Either way, I'm not waiting for the other shoe to fall.

One More and Miscellaneous Tidbits

2005-05-05T20:57:00.000-05:00

I have a few different things to post about, but I only feel like doing this once tonight, so I'm just jamming everything together.

First, I don't know what's going around, but I've caught it too. On my exam yesterday, there was mention of an attorney being disciplined (no, not a PR exam) for inappropriate sexual behavior with a client under Rule 69. I managed not to laugh out loud, but I'm pretty sure I smirked at it. Also, I was watching a cooking show with ThatWunWife this afternoon, and the host was making honey nut chicken. I giggled inside every time she said something like "I love nuts!" or "I don't wanna burn those nuts." Yeah, I know.... I think I'm just exhausted.

When I turned on the vcr last night, the beginning of a West Wing episode came on. It just happened to be one of my favorite episodes, where President Bartlett is running for re-election and giving interviews on different local tv station morning shows. At the end of one interview he makes a comment about his opponent's lack of intelligence ("a .22 caliber mind in a .357 world", classic Bartlett), and Toby is upset because the station got it on tape. Of course at the end of the episode we find out that the President knew exactly what he was doing.

I have just one more exam. Woo-frickin'-hoo. Seriously. I may even do a jig tomorrow when I'm finished. Then again, maybe not. I just hope I finish in time to turn my lock in to Therese and make a clean break.

Well, that's all for tonight.

The Dark Side is Not for the Weak or Faint of Heart

2005-05-04T20:53:00.000-05:00

Reporters have seen their sneak peek of Revenge of the Sith, and say it deserves (WARNING!!! This story has spoilers for the new movie.) its PG-13 rating, a first for the Star Wars saga. Lucas defends the movie by saying that the disturbing parts are necessary to tell the tale of Anakin's descent to the dark side.

Revenge sounds really interesting with the transformation and the events leading up to it. I just hope it's better than the other two prequels. Anyway, I'm still counting down to the opening and preparing my lightsaber. (Okay, not really. I don't have a lightsaber, but I have thought about building one. I know it's not on the list, but that still makes me a bit of a geek, I know.)

All Apologies

2005-05-04T00:18:00.000-05:00

My blog sucks lately, I know. I blame it on having to study for 4 finals on consecutive days. Either way, sorry to anybody who has been reading. Maybe I'll be more interesting after graduation.

I guess it beats sticking your foot in a door

2005-05-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

I got an e-mail the other day with a subject that sounded like a thinly veiled reference to porn: "The Blonde and the Sheep." Since I was checking my mail through Outlook I got the little preview of the message when I went to delete it, and I couldn't help but read the first sentence or so. Turns out it was indeed spam, but not for a porn site. The spammer had just decided to put a joke at the beginning of the message. It was a blonde joke, of course, and not a great one, but worthy of a chuckle. Since everyone could use a laugh, especially law students around finals, I decided to share. Unfortunately I deleted the document I copied the joke into, so I'll have to recreate it from memory. Enjoy.

There once was a blonde who was so tired of hearing blonde jokes and comments that she decided to dye her hair brown. A few days later she was driving through the countryside when she had to stop to let a flock of sheep cross the road. As she watched the animals, she became enchanted with them. She stepped out of her car to speak with the shepherd.

"Say, I have an idea," she said. "If I can guess the exact number of sheep you have, can I keep one?"

The shepherd thought for a minute and, being a gentleman, agreed to the deal the woman had proposed. The woman looked over the flock for a moment, then said for no apparent reason, "382." The shepherd looked at her shocked because she had guessed correctly, then told her to take her pick of sheep. The woman surveyed the flock for several moments, then chose the cutest and most playful one of all.

The shepherd smiled and said, "Okay, now I have a proposition for you. If I can guess your real hair color can I have my dog back?"

Nyowmmm.... On a Stick.

2005-04-29T20:50:00.000-05:00

Just when I am most in need of stress relief, Comedy Central is showing one of my favorite comedians.

Who am I? Why am I here? Narf! Poit! Zip!

2005-04-29T20:23:00.000-05:00

Ever taken a course and then about two weeks into classes wondered what you were thinking during registration and just why the hell you ever chose it?

I had one of those moments in 4 of my 5 classes this semester. I'm not saying they were all bad. A couple were still kind of fun despite the "Why?" moment. There was one, though, that was just awful. Honestly, without the internet, I don't know how I would have ever stayed awake in class. And I don't tend to spend that much class time on surfing. I actually compared the professor to an air conditioner because of the droning and the ease of tuning it out. I know, I just made a complete waste of my time and the professor's. But that's what the whole class felt like, one giant waste of time.

Anyone else have a "Why?" horror story?

Daylight Savings Time

2005-04-29T00:33:00.000-05:00

The General Assembly passed the bill to observe Daylight Savings Time.

So far I have refrained from joining the public debates about DST. But that's what this blog is for, right? So here goes.

I think Daylight Savings Time is one of the most idiotic policies of our time. The desire to join most of the rest of the country in observing DST is understandable as it creates confusion both inside and out of the state. However, I disagree with the entire concept and object on such grounds. The basic idea behind DST, unless I have a major fundamental misunderstanding, is to take an hour of daylight from the early morning and place it instead in the late evening. Okay, and...? This should save energy as many Americans would not be awake during the early morning daylight hour but would during the evening hour, removing an hour of electric light usage per day. Okay, sounds good, I guess, but why only during the summer? Why not just completely rework the time zones so that the sun just rises later all year? Beyond creating confusion and tardiness, I don't know.

But, as usual, it doesn't matter what I think, does it?

Allstate 400

2005-04-28T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Brickyard 400 has a new sponsor.

I could rant about how this is annoying and a shame, etc., but it's only the 12th annual race. Besides, it doesn't seem so bad, especially since even the Southern 500 has become the Mountain Dew 500.

Also I, still have 4 more finals for which I need to study, 5 days till the next one, and no days in between exams. Yep, I don't care much about anything right now.

Distraction

2005-04-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

Suffering from Star Wars withdrawal after the end of Celebration III? Regretting that you didn't attend? Looking for a way to train your Jedi reflexes? Desperately in need of a study break? Try Yoda's Jedi Training games here. It's under "Special Features" in the top right.

It's the End of the World as I Know It

2005-04-25T09:13:00.000-05:00

It's my last day of classes. Ever. After 21 years, counting from kindergarten. I'm excited to have this done. I thought I would be a little sad, but so far my first class is just making me angry, sleepy, and even more anxious for the end of the day. 5 more hours. Just 5 more....

Looks Like Honesty Sells

2005-04-24T18:43:00.000-05:00

I still don't think I'd recommend this as a good way to find your first job out of law school.

Why Can't I Just Have a Normal Dog?

2005-04-24T02:10:00.000-05:00

Yes, I feel like Charlie Brown. My dog is weird. First, he started doing this
as a young puppy. And still does. Some times in his sleep. Then, after we hung a bell from our doorknob so that he could signal when he needs to go out, he learned how to use the bell and then started ringing the bell because he liked the sound. Now he pretty much just rings it whenever he wants, such as 15 minutes after going outside. Also, he tends to like to roll over on his food. Okay, so this one seems to have some sort of doggy logic to it, like he's trying to mark the food with his scent or something, but it still looks weird. Especially when he does it over and over again. ThatWunWife once gave him some roast beef. Rather than eat it, he rolled over on it repeatedly and tossed it around the kitchen for about 45 minutes.
And then tonight he just started going crazy barking and howling at the window for no apparent reason. He even stood on his hind legs, a trick ThatWunWife has been trying hard to teach him, and stared out the window. The best I could figure out was that he didn't like the reflection of the computer screensaver. The barking was kind of annoying at first, but I actually had to laugh at him once he started trying to stand up to get a better look. Once he actually walked backwards trying to stand.
Of course, I don't really want a normal dog; then he wouldn't fit in with the family. And it would be boring. But he's still weird.

How Odd

2005-04-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

The exact episode of The Simpsons that I thought of while creating my blog was on tonight. Homer buys a computer and creates a website. At first his page is nothing but noisemakers: a dancing Jesus, toasters, and screaming mouths. Eventually he becomes an anonymous, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, then reveals his identity to prevent his prize from going to charity.

I Never Always Liked the Rain*

2005-04-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

I like when it rains. I absolutely love when it thunderstorms. So last night I got a treat just before heading off to bed as a nice little storm hit. The dog didn't seem to like it too much, but he did fine for his first storm since he was, as my wife called him, a "little guy" puppy. We're supposed to be getting more storms today or tonight, but right now it's not looking that way. I can still hope.

*Apologies to Clint Black

Hi Ev'rybody!

2005-04-21T23:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks for dropping in. This will be my spot for... well, anything that pops into my head and I decide to turn loose on the world.