Palin: I can't help myself

Let me preface this - I don't want you to think that I consider myself "better" than anyone else because I have a law degree. Regardless of my personal education, I have standards for a Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidate.

I don't think for ONE SECOND that it is an ASSET that Sarah Palin has no education beyond a Communications Degree from the University of Idaho. This is a Tier 3 school according to US News & World Report. That means it checks in AT LEAST lower than 130 other schools (after 130 they are listed alphabetically). Among schools higher? The University of Alabama. Auburn University. Samford University. The University of Tennessee. Illinois Institute of Technology. and AT LEAST 125 other schools. But rankings aren't everything.

I'm not saying she has to have a J.D., but I want my commander-in-chief to have more than that B.S. (that's a pun - get it?) A Masters in Public Affairs/Policy would even be sufficient for me to feel confident that she understands the nature of the job she seeks.

I'll accept that her "not being a lifetime politician" can be a turn on, but I think its ludicrous to insinuate that her lack of advanced education is an asset. That - to me - sounds a little hollow.

I'm all for empowering ordinary citizens to seek elected office, but that should be City Council, or maybe the House of Reps - not President or Vice President. I expect more than "average" out of whomever holds that office.

And to be honest, I think anyone that contends otherwise is bitter that they haven't realized their own potential and find shallow reassurance in the potential success of another.

For what it's worth - this only touches on one MINOR issue I have with the Palin candidacy, and if I have time I will address the others.

There are so many.

Stay Tuned...

The Bar Exam - 10 things that drive us crazy

Someone sent this to me. Its too perfect not to share with the world. Those of you taking the Multistate Bar Exam will know EXACTLY what I am talking about

(sorry about the language, its written by someone else)

1. People who don't record their deeds:
Hey. Fuck face. That's a nice deed you got there. Went ahead and bought Stankacre, didya? That's awesome. Owning property is a sign of real maturity. Now, why don't you do us all a fucking favor, and go record the fucking deed.Right. Fucking. Now. Don't put it in a goddamn drawer. Don't go off to India for 20 years. Don't leave the deed in your will for dear cousin Victorianox. Get your fat lazy ass down to the records office, and record it before I burn your goddamn house down.

2. Wily property sellers:
Here is a suggestion to those Bill of Rights violatin' petty thug assclowns, the Police. How about you go down to Doucheacre, and arrest the son of a bitch who sells the same house to 15 different people, over and over. I'm sick of this guy getting away every time he pulls this shit, and I'm left to sort out the fucking pieces.

3. "Known" arsonists:
Here's a little tip to all the cretins that keep hiring "known"arsonists to burn down their cheating girlfriend's house. Why is it, do you think, that he is a known arsonist, you dipshit? He's known because he has been fucking caught before. You don't know who the good arsonists are, do you! Because they have their shit together. But no, you had to go hire Dusseldorf, or Durango, or whatever D word your fuckwit moron arsonist is named, and now he's gone and burned the wrong house, and left me with a BAR question.

4. People who back out of conspiracies:
Why don't you just stick with it and save us all some trouble, you pussy.

5. Power companies that leave an electric wire live to deter copper theft:
While I appreciate your effort to rid the world of thieves stupid enough to try and steal raw copper wiring that's fucking humming and has blue arcs dancing on it, it's just gonna bite you in the ass in the end. Just let the copper go.

6. Fertile Octogenarians:
I think I speak for all of us when I say...
...Burn the witch!
Burn her!
And don't use a "known" arsonist!

7. People who use anything more complicated than Fee Simple Absolute in a will:
Hey, old man. Either give Horatio your fucking interest in Scroteacre, or don't, alright? Don't condition it on him growing a mustache, or learning to play the calliope, or winning "Dancing with the Stars." Don't grant a springing executive interest to Zenobia if she manages to graduate from Ninja academy. Stop making my life more complicated than it needs to be, you Narcissistic old twat, and stop trying to control your property from the grave in a vain attempt to make up for your feebleness in life.

8. House Painters:
Just paint the fucking house yourself, Paulson.Trust me on this one. It's not worth it.

9. Bank Mortgages:
Hi there, First National Bank of South Calizonachussettsas. I don't mean to tell you how to run your business, but allow me to impart a bit of sage wisdom.
When someone :

1) named Defaultina McBankrupstein,

2) is taking out her 17th mortgage with you,

3) on a place called Mushacre

4) so she can buy a new hat,
….do NOT fucking come crying to me when the inevitable judicial foreclosure sale nets $34, a button, and some lint, all of which are devoured by the banks that are 20 miles ahead of you in creditor line. And do not ask me whether you are a junior or senior mortgagor, or whether you debt is secured, or some other bullshit I don't understand, because the answer is always the same.
D) You are Fucked. Take it like a man.

10. Wanna-be Burglars:
I am sick to death of these slack jawed melon-heads deciding at 2 a.m.that they need to borrow their neighbors wrench, and are sure he"won't mind" if they saunter on over there in the middle of the night, crowbar the garage open, smash open his tool chest, and "borrow it."And then always the inevitable fucking:
Did he commit Larceny/Burglary/Robbery?????? Ohhhhh, no intent!

Let him go, boys. Let the man go. So I can throw the wrench right at his goddamn teeth. Good thing when we are really in practice we will have these IntentGoggles (c), that can magically tell us, despite every bit of evidence to the contrary, this jackass really didn't intend to commit a crime.He genuinely thought that breaking into your neighbor's house,stealing his car, taking a shit on his pool table, and sleeping with his wife were all part of the social covenants between good neighbors.

I hope you got as good a laugh out of this as I did.

NOW GET BACK TO WORK!


Stay Tuned...

Michael Moore sounds...sane?

You really ought to take the time to read Michael Moore's piece on the Democratic Primary Season. He has kept his obnoxious and large mouth out of the race until today, when he posted a plea for PA democrats to vote for Obama on his behalf.

Here is the link.

Here is a great little clip that seems to be going unreported:

Finally, I want to say a word about the basic decency I have seen in Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton continues to throw the Rev. Wright up in his face as part of her mission to keep stoking the fears of White America. Every time she does this I shout at the TV, "Say it, Obama! Say that when she and her husband were having marital difficulties regarding Monica Lewinsky, who did she and Bill bring to the White House for 'spiritual counseling?' THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT!"

But no, Obama won't throw that at her. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be decent. She's been through enough hurt. And so he remains silent and takes the mud she throws in his face.

Will the hypocrisy ever end?!?

Stay Tuned...

Is it just me...

Or do the Clintons want to be Republican?

CNN.com is reporting that Clinton's latest ad features Pearl Harbor and Osama Bin Ladin. Thats right. HRC has resorted to fear-politics. The exact kind the Democratic party has lambasted for the last 8 years.

Not only that, Bill Clinton came out today with a bunch of bullshit about how, under the GOP primary rules, HRC would be leading the race.

Wow. The family that knows no boundaries, no limits, no shame.

And a President hell-bent on destroying his legend.

And now I'll have to vote for McCain if HRC manages to steal this election.

You see what you've done Hillary? You see what you've made me do?!?

Outspent. Outfundraised. Outclassed.

Stay Tuned...

Clinton v. Obama: Experience

Lets look at the "35 years of experience" that the Clinton Camp keeps harping on:

The Facts:

Senator Barack Obama

1996-2004 (Illinois State Senator)

2005-2008 (United States Senator)

12 Years of Elected Office Experience

Senator Hillary Clinton

2001-2008 (United States Senator)

7 Years of Elected Office Experience

(FYI - George W. Bush had 6 years in office before the presidency)

So, 35 years that Hiliary keeps talking about, less 7 years of elected office = 28 years

Here are the remaining 28 years -

8 Years (Lawyer)

12 Years (First Lady of Arkansas)

8 Years (First Lady of the U.S.)

28 Years of Zero Elected Office Experience

Since when is 20 years of being a first lady equal the type of experience needed to be president?

Does that mean that the wife/husband of a heart surgeon is qualified to transplant my heart?

Don't let Clinton Supporters blindly throw "experience" in the face of voters - share this with other voters.

At the very least, it is absurd to imply that being a member of a state legislative body is not "experience" while being the spouse of a governor or president is.

Her experience is valid, and important - but it does not significantly distance her from Barack Obama in a discussion about who is ready to lead this country.

Stay Tuned...

Top 10 Signs Its Exam Time

Direct from the home office in Knoxville, Tennessee -

The Top 10 signs its exam time:

10. The lights in the law school have switched to "reserve power" meaning that I am at the law school after 1:30am;

9. I have not slept in more hours than I can count;

8. My diet consists mostly of sugar free red bull, diet coke and pharmaceuticals (as properly prescribed, don't get the wrong idea);

7. Aaron needs a haircut;

6. I am buying CDs on iTunes just to avoid listening to The Darjeeling Limited soundtrack for the 40th time today;

5. I can feel my heart beating in my throat;

4. I am wasting time desperately trying to come up with ten items for this list instead of finishing my take-home Disability Law exam;

3. I've taken to watching season 2 of Prison Break as a means of rewarding myself for solid stretches of diligent work;

2. I'm going to waste even more time by taking this away message and posting it on the blog; and

The #1 sign that it is exam time again:

I just had to go back and reverse the numbering on this list because I'm so tired that I screwed it up. Yet, I was so concerned about this away message that I was willing to waste the time to fix it instead of doing my work!

Stay Tuned...

Roadtrip Anyone?

What better way to cleanse the body of the Tennessee Bar Exam than a 11461 mile, 4 week road trip?

Knoxville, TN to Fairbanks AK (by way of Lake Nebagamon, WI and the BWCAW)

to Vancouver, BC

to Seattle, WA

to Los Angelas, CA

to Las Vegas, NV

to Salt Lake City, UT

to Denver, CO

to Santa Fe, NM

to Jaurez Mexico

to San Antonio, TX

to Austin, TX

to Dallas, TX

to Houston, TX

to Memphis, TN

to Knoxville, TN.

11461 miles.

183 hours of driving - according to Yahoo! Maps.

A visit to Camp Nebagamon.

A night or two in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

A week in Denali National Park.

A day or two in British Columbia.

A drive down the Pacific Coast.

A day or two in L.A.

Three nights in Vegas.

The Great Salt Lake.

The Grand Canyon.

A voyage of literary proportions. The kind of trip that will wash our lives of all the mundane and clear our souls for the begining of the rest of our lives.

Done on the cheap, with no firm plans, reservations or accommodations - just a starting date, an ending date and a list of things to do.

The things we dream of during exams.

Stay Tuned...