And the answer is . . .

Well, of course, The Karate Kid--the movie of the 1980s. Good job, Adjunct-san.

It's rather hard to believe that The Karate Kid is not on AFI's top 100 movies. Throws everything about the list into doubt.

Name that movie

"Sweep the leg."

This is pretty easy, I think. As usual, you're welcome to include your guess in the comments or keep it to yourself. I'll post the answer tomorrow.

Hidden Talents

Who knew that I could be a Guitar Hero? Oh yeah--I have discovered a new facet of my musical side, and I rock!

Okay, so I'm only on the medium level of Guitar Hero. And so what that I miss lots of notes. A few days ago, BoilerBaby 4 could be heard doing a mean imitation of me bemoaning that, "my song failed!" But I'm sure I have a future. I just know I do.

I was a Christmas sous chef

Today was a great day. Being with the fam was lovely. I think everyone was happy with their gifts, and that includes me.

\And dinner was wonderful, cooked mostly by BoilerBaby1. That waasn't the plan--it just worked out that way. She normally helps with holiday cooking, and that was the plan. I just suggested that we switch off on cooking so that she would cook some of the things I usually cook and vice versa. I was tired and distracted, and fretting because I thought I flubbed the dinner rolls. I think she was a tad frustrated that I seemed to be operating in slow motion and was overly-concerned about the dinner rolls. So she sort of took over. She's that kind of kid. So, at her direction, I boiled and peeled the yams; she did the rest. I seasoned the salmon; she did the rest. And so it went with most of the meal. And it was good--really good.

I like this division of labor. I think I might be tired and distracted at Easter too.

And the answer is . . .

Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise. The line is spoken by Dr. Hineman.

Of course, TomCruise is in the news today because someone in Germany wants to ban Scientology, Cruise's religion, on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, as reported here. Wow! These are the times I'm glad I live in the US.

Name that movie

"Sometimes, in order to see the light, you have to risk the dark. "

Do you know what movie this line is from? You're welcome to add you guess to the comments or just keep it to yourself. I'll post the answer tomorrow evening.

Poor, poor rich lawyers

This story almost tugs at my heartstrings. Earning seven figures and still not quite cutting it in the social register. Life is tough all over.

Who's in charge of that Micky Mouse court anyway?

So why should Micky Mouse avoid testifying, just because he lives in Orlando? If Micky Mouse were really smart, he'd be on the plane now, jetting off to Naples, to comply with the court summons and hang out with his pals, Donald and Daisy Duck and Tweety Bird. According to this article, a clerk in Rome indeed summonsed Micky and the gang to testify in a counterfeiting case. Oops.

If I needed to do a trial observation for PC, this trial would have been my choice.

And the answer is . . .

Okay, so I'm a day late, but the lines are from the best Disney movie, The Lion King, uttered by Scar.

Name that movie

"Life's not fair, is it? You see, I, well, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day. Adieu."

Can you name the movie in which these lines are said? You're welcome to include your answer in the comments or keep it to yourself. Either way, I'll post the answer tomorrow evening.

"Baylor to compete in Quidditch World Cup Competition"

Will this be the headline we'll read one day?


After another dismal football season, maybe we should consider a new sport. Apparently college quidditch is catching on, albeit without flying brooms, as described in this story. There's even an intercollegiate competition. Surely, we could take Middlebury College. Plus, maybe I could watch re-runs of the quidditch match on nights like tonight when because of the greed of the NFL and Time Warner, I CAN'T WATCH THE 'BOYS! But, I'm not mad or anything.


Back to quidditch. I see an opportunity for Baylor to take the lead within the Big 12 (or excuse me, the Big XII). So fresh off his success finding us a new football coach, maybe our AD could get us a quidditch coach.

What is the future of labor unions?

This is the question I’ve posed on the bulletin board for my labor law class. I’ve asked them to look into their crystal balls and predict the continuing relevance of labor unions.

The recent strikes by the New York stage hands and the TV writers in California have garnered publicity, but seemingly little strong feeling from the public in support of or in opposition to either side. I’d guess that many of my students have never belonged to a union, don’t expect to ever belong to a union, have no close relatives that belong to a union, and don’t know anyone who currently belongs to a union. That we’re in Texas is only part of the explanation.

So are unions on their way out? I look forward to reading what my students predict.

Life in my own reality show

The past two days, I feel like I've been competing in my own version of the Amazing Race, and not doing so well. Yesterday began with what should have been a mid-morning flight to New York, only to find that my flight had been cancelled because of weather along the East coast.

So, I took a detour to Raleigh-Durham, courtesy of a reservation agent who thought I might get to New York quicker by connecting there. Nice lady that she was, she did put me in first class--that's always fun. Two hours and one grilled salmon entree (a la airline chef) later, I arrived in Raleigh-Durham, to learn that my connection was delayed for several hours, once again for weather. Alas, I boarded the plane and buckled my seatbelt, settling in for a quick hop on a puddle-jumper only to find that I (and everyone else) had been U-turned! That's right, taken off the plane because at the last minute "dispatch canceled the flight."

Off to a hotel to spend the night and try again this morning, with time winding down. I had about as much success in canceling my NY hotel reservation for one night as the real Amazing Race contestants have in trying to communicate with locals who speak only Bantu. Well, of course I couldn't cancel my reservation. I hadn't met the 24 hour advance notice requirement. Too bad that I didn't predict a day ahead that my fight would be canceled.

So, another attempt to get to New York this morning. Once again, flight delays abounded. The crews all got in late last night and needed to complete their "crew rest" before flights could take off. Finally, the flight departed and I arrived at JFK Airport with just barely enough time to get to midtown Manhattan to make my CLE presentation.

But, concerned that I wouldn't make it at all, the program director went to plan B, and a good thing she did. I landed in the only taxi cab in New York City where the cabbie drove like he lived in, say, Mayberry. He actually drove the speed limit and stayed in his own lane the whole way! I finally arrived right about the time I should have been underway, so, the only thing missing from my own Amazing Race was Phil Keoghan greeting me with his pronouncement that I'd been eliminated from the race.

Oh well. Tomorrow's another day, or something like that. Another CLE presentation that should go off without a hitch. We'll see.

And the answer is . . .

All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren. In addition to the book, there are a couple of movie versions of the story. I wouldn't waste my time on the more recent one starring Sean Penn.


Meanwhile, while browsing the airport book store--I had lots of time after my flight was cancelled--I enjoyed paging through a book of quotes by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Ponder this one:

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

Name that book

Can you name the book that starts out this way?

"To get there you follow Highway 58, going northeast out of the city, and it is a good highway and new. Or was new, that day we went up it. You look up the highway and it is straight for miles, coming at you, with the black line down the center coming at and at you, black and slick and tarry-shining against the white of the slab, and the heat dazzles up from the white slab so that only the black line is clear, coming at you with the whine of the tires, and if you don't quit staring at that line and don't take a few deep breaths and slap yourself hard on the back of the neck you'll hypnotize yourself and you'll come to just at the moment when the right front wheel hooks over into the black dirt shoulder off the slab, and you'll try to jerk her back on but you can't because the slab is high like a curb, and maybe you'll try to reach to turn off the ignition just as she starts the dive. But you won't make it, of course."

As usual, you're welcome to put your guess in the comments or keep it to yourself. I'll post the answer tomorrow. I'll go back to movies next week.

How to annoy your older siblings, tip no. 37

Sing the following song, in the car, non-stop, for at least 20 solid minutes:



Miss Lucy had a baby, she named him Tiny Tim
She put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub; it wouldn't fit down his throat.

Miss Lucy called the doctor. Miss Lucy called the nurse.
Miss Lucy called lady with the alligator purse.
Out came the doctor. Out came the nurse.
Out came the lady with the alligator purse.

This tip brought to you by K4.

Seems to me Miss Lucy is a negligent mom, but it is only a song, and I've learned to block. But K2 hasn't. K4's incessant singing prompted the following interchange:

K2: "Stop singing!"
K4: I'm singing a song. You're not the mommy or the daddy. You're just the big brother.

Well okay! How do you argue with a 4 year old?

And these little exchanges between the Ks is just one of the things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend.

And the answer is . . .

Elmer Gantry, the movie that is almost always referenced whenever there is a church scandal. Having watched it agian this week, it's as relevant as it was when the movie was released in 1960 or when Sinclair Lewis wrote the book in 1927. Plus, it's got a great gospel song near the beginning.

The movie is available on Free Movies on Demand, if you have Time-Warner cable.

Name that movie

"You think religion is for suckers and easy marks and molly-coddlers, eh? You think Jesus was some kind of a sissy, hey? Well, let me tell you, Jesus wouldn't be afraid to walk into this joint or any other speakeasy to preach the gospel. Jesus had guts. "

Can you name it? As usual, you're welcome to include your answer in the comments or keep your answer to yourself. Either way, I'll post the answer tomorrow evening.

Random observations on my recent trip to NYC

1. A hotel that doesn't have Bravo in its cable line-up, forcing your's truly to miss Project Runway, should automatically lose at least one star in its hotel rating.

2. Running in Central Park, when there are still beautiful fall colors, is wonderful, even if you get caught in a downpour.

3. Tourists still seem to be having a great time in Times Square, notwithstanding the Broadway stage hands strike. I think the retailers are the beneficiaries of the money that might have been spent seeing a show. The striking stage hands looked kind of lonely walking the picket line.

4. Quality Meats, a trendy restaurant near Central Park, has good steaks--but not as good as Diamondback's. But the corn creme brulee was to die for (no, it didn't have the blow-torched sugar on top!).

5. If you buy two Screwdrivers on American Airlines, the third is free? That was the experience of the guy seated next to me, who started with two, tried to buy a third until the flight attended comped him one, which then allowed him to spend his $5 on a fourth Screwdriver when she came by another time. Then the same flight attendant gets annoyed with me for simply asking to have the whole $.25 can of cranapple juice rather than being happy with the cup she poured for me. Just call me pushy.

6. I like to visit New York, but I'm always glad to get back to Texas.

It’s a NYU Thing–You wouldn’t understand (I hope)

How much is your vote worth? How much would you take to give up your right to vote? For some 20% of the NYU students polled, it wouldn’t take much–just an iPod Touch,. Not even an I-Phone or a plasma tv! Others would hold out for a little more, like free tuition. Maybe these individuals don’t vote anyway, so it’s no big loss to them, and if they could get an iPod out of it, what a profitable deal. Read all about it here.

Do I smell a scandal?

I saw this story a few days ago and thought, "What an odd coincidence." A judge and a state representative both raise questions about the South Carolina bar exam, and bam! Their respective daughters who had flunked the bar exam are the beneficiaries of a grading change that dropped the trust and estates question. Consequently, both women pass.



There's nothing to suggest that there was improper influence by the state representative or the judge. The applicants were precluded from contacting bar examiners themselves, so it helps to have friends in high places that can make the call for you. Thanks, Dad.



Then this story appears today. Wonder if something's up.

And the answer is . . .

Fiddler on the Roof. Way to go, Craig.

Name that movie

"Arranging a match for yourself? Tell me, what are you? Everything--the bridegroom, the matchmaker, the guests all rolled into one? I suppose you'll even perform the ceremony yourself."

Can you name the movie in which these lines are uttered? You're welcome to include your answer in the comments or keep your answer to yourself. Either way, I'll post the answer tomorrow evening.

Eight days and counting . . .

I'm not obsessed or anything, but eight days until the new season of Project Runway starts. That explains my excitement about meeting Emanuel, who was that close to being a contestant on this season of PR. Here's the story.

When BoilerMom (also a Purdue alum) visits from the land of the Boilermakers (a place that seems to fascinate and confound the Adjunct), she always insists on making a pilgramage to Richard Brooks Couture Fabrics in Dallas. So, like a dutiful daughter, I drove her up last week.

We were there a long time, giving me plenty of time to chat with the young man who was helping BoilerMom. When he indicated that he was a designer, of course I asked if he was a PR fan. He told me he tried out for the show, and even made it to the final round. I might have been a little dubious about his claim until he admitted that he hopes he didn't make the audition tape because if he did, it will be because he embarrassed himself. He explained that he accidentally stood in the wrong place, which caused Tim Gunn to scowl at him, and then his clothes fell off the rack, and that was pretty much all for his tryout.

Now I have yet another reason to look forward to next Wednesday.

And the answer is . . .

Of course the line from yesterday is from the movie Tombstone. Prop. Prof. was on it!

I'm not a big fan of westerns, but I love that movie. And when MJ wants to assert his patriarchal authority, this is one way he does so!

Next time around, the challenge will be greater.

Name that movie

"You tell 'em I'm coming... and hell's coming with me, you hear?"

This is almost too easy, but here it is. Can you name the movie in which this line is uttered?

You're welcome to include your answer in the comments or keep your answer to yourself. Either way, I'll post the answer tomorrow evening.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations to all the Baylor Law students who passed the Texas Bar Exam! Special congrats to the members of my most recent client counseling team, Kristi, Ginger, and Kimberly. I knew you would pass!

A Voice in the Wilderness

Warren Buffet, the third richest man in the US, is calling for higher taxes on the wealthy. He's been singing that tune now for several months, but few of the other super-rich are joining in the chorus. According to Buffet's informal survey, his tax rate was just under 18%, and that was with no tax planning or tax shelters. That's 18% as compared to that of everyone else in his office where the average was over 30%. No one paid a lower rate--certainly not his secretary or receptionist.

It's not exactly a revelation that our tax policy is just wrong in any number of ways. I'm not smart enough to know how to fix it, but it doesn't matter. I haven't seen a Congress in the recent past or currently that cares enough or has enough courage to make the kinds of changes necessary to have a fairer tax scheme.

And the answer is . . .

The line from yesterday's post is the opening to The Godfather. It is spoken by Bonasera, the undertaker, who is in the process of asking Don Corleone for a favor.

The Godfather, released in 1972, won three Oscars, Best Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Leading Actor for Marlon Brandon. Brandon did not show up to pick up his Oscar, and refused his award, sending instead a woman dressed as a Native American as a protest the way Hollywood treated Native Americans. James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Al Pacino were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

The Godfather is one of my favorite movies. The juxtaposition of the scenes from the baptism and the settling of family business at the end is incredible.

And now to digress . . .

If you missed seeing this video on any number of stations, it's worth watching. Talk about an incredible finish. Exciting enough to merit a call from K1, who attends Trinity and was excited about all the national attention.

Famous First Line

"I believe in America. America has made my fortune."

So begins a well-known movie. Can you name it? You're welcome to include your answer in the comments or keep your answer to yourself. Either way, I'll post the answer tomorrow.

Cause for concern

First there's the home mortgage crisis. Then petroleum prices hit record highs this week, with gas prices expected to increase 50 to 75 cents. And now this, a shortage of hops, meaning beer prices are expected to go up too.

I don't really like beer. It's been probably 20 years since I last gave it a try since I don't even like the smell of beer. But this can't be good news.

Face reading

This morning, the Today Show did a segment about Kate McCann, the mother of Madeline McCann who disappeared about six months ago. Mrs. McCann made the news because in an interview, she broke down, showing emotion for the first time. One of the criticisms of Mrs. McCann was that she had shown no emotion about her missing daughter, causing some laypeople to suspect that she must be involved with her daughter's disappearance.

That bothers me. So, if Kate McCann had appeared on camera bawling her eyes out, like say, Susan Smith, who ultimately admitted to murdering her two boys, McCann would appear less suspicious? Or, as was the case with Susan Smith, would there have been questions about sincerity of her tears? How much is enough emoting, and when does one cross the line? When should one appear stoic? Or is stoicism never appropriate in these situations? That's the problem with trying to read the faces or interpret the conduct of people one doesn't know.

Darlie Routier was convicted of killing her kids. One of the images that appeared repeatedly was Routier playing with silly string at the grave of her sons to commemorate what would have been one of their birthdays. The incident occurred shortly after the boys' deaths, so the implication was that she wasn't grieving enough. I can't imagine ever disturbing the peace of a cemetary with silly string, but I've attended enough wakes where there was plenty of laughter and celebration as the friends and loved ones of the deceased remembered that person fondly. A snapshot or videoclip of that laughter might suggest that we weren't grieving enough.

So maybe, the networks and the newspapers ought to focus on reporting real news as opposed to giving us updates and feeding the speculation on whether one is displaying the right kind and amount of emotion.

Finally!

November 14. That's the date. The date when season 4 of Project Runway finally premiers. There's not much reality TV that's worth watching in my opinion, but a show with drama, talent, and great clothes (mostly), and Tim Gunn? Would that all reality tv was so good.

Wow!

There were classes that I disliked when I was in law school, and text books that I'd just as soon have not had to purchase, tote around, and read, but this guy seems to be a few fries short of a Happy Meal. The fact that he was in possession of an AK-47 and an AR-15 is pretty scary. Never good to drink and play with your assault weapons.

Now ANOTHER reason not to read Harry Potter

For those who already thought the Harry Potter books were a bad influence on youth because the stories involve witchcraft, now they have yet another reason to protest (and probably seek to ban) the Harry Potter books. Dumbledore i s gay! So says J.K. Rowling, as reported here, among other places.

I was rather surprised that Rowling would admit as much, but not entirely surpised about Dumbledore. I knew Dumbledore and Grindelwald weren't just good pals.

Too late for me and my Ks, at least the older ones, to unturn the pages. We've already read the books. So far, no signs that it's turned any of us gay.

Would you marry this woman?

Would you hire this woman? Would you marry her? Elana Elbogen Glatt is a New York lawyer who is suing her florist for $400,000! Why? Because the hydrangea centerpieces for her wedding reception were pastel pink and green and not the dark rust and green she claims to have been promised by the florist, as reported here. To be fair, she also complained the some of the flowers were brown, the vases were dusty, the the vases weren't all filled with water and various other complaints. Either way, $400,000 for flowers that cost $27,000 seems a tad excessive, even in a pleading. It was a lovely wedding, except for the clash between the color of the flowers and the linens, favor boxes, etc.

I'm all for holding sellers liable when their goods are sub-standard. Refunding some part of the purchase price seems fair. But would a florist, based on a picture shown him by a customer, really promise flowers of a certain color? How much injury did she really suffer from the lack of perfect flowers?

Did no one tell Glatt that there is no such thing as a perfect wedding? Get over it already! I bet her firm, Kelly, Drye, is loving all of the free publicity.

But there is some good news to this story: proof that the groom's mother and wife really can get along.

Saturday the 13th

If Friday the 13th is unlucky is Saturday the 13th lucky? It was for us. Let's see. K3 won a bike in a raffle. K2 placed 3rd and 5th in different events at a debate tournament today. K4 had a granola bar, a banana, a donut, chocolate milk, orange juice, and Skittles all before 9:30 a.m. (he was happy). Both K1 and I placed in our respective age groups in the Advocacy Center's 5K race today. And K1 celebrated her birthday.

It was a pretty good day.

What, if anything, should be done?

I took a break from work to troll the internet for a few minutes and found this article about a Adam Key, law student who is facing discipline by Regent University for having posted a picture on Facebook of Pat Robertson, Regent's founder, seemingly making an obscene gesture.

My initial thoughts are that Key's posting displays an astounding lack of judgement and professionalism, particularly for someone enrolled in a professional school, who has designs on entering a field for which good judgement is key. In addition, Key's picture posting serves as yet another reminder that one should think before posting anything on Facebook, MySpace, blogs, etc. Ultimately, he may find that employers are less than impressed with his maturity. And quite frankly, Key probably should rethink his legal argument.

That said, I can't help but question the response of Regent. The idea to write the brief was a good start. However, Regent's very appropriate "no comment" stance leaves no clue as to what it believes is the wrong committed by Key. To the extent Regent's complaint is that Key was critical of Robertson, under the mistaken belief that that can't be allowed, then I think Regent has missed the point. If on the other hand, it views Key's posting as inappropriate means for lawyers-to-be, and wishes to teach Key what is appropriate, I would hope the punishment would indeed be structured to get that message through to Key. Thoughts anyone?

Different time; different place; different QB. Same result

What a game! The 'boys!

Plus . . . K4 scored two goals at soccer tonight. Oh what a night!

What would Jesus do? Really?

This story caught my eye because I'm currently reading The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World, by A.J. Jacobs, who is the subject of the story. It's taking me awhile to finish the book, mostly because I'm treating it like a stop light book, that is I read it in short spurts, about the time you wait at a stoplight. But it is enjoyable, and laugh out loud funny at times.

His latest book, The Year of Living Biblically, has an intriguing concept--trying to live according to the Bible for a full year. I wasn't sure what to make of his idea. As a secular Jew, was he serious? Was Jacobs trivializing the foundation of the religious beliefs of millions? Would he follow the diretion of only the Old Testament, given that he is a Jew? The Today Show video is rather goofy, and had I relied on only the lead-up to the interview with Jacobs, that might have been enough for me. But having read the excerpt from Jacobs' book, I think it will make it to the list of books I expect to read. Sometime. When I have more time.

Fantastic weekend

Some weekends are wonderful for their ordinariness. That was this past weekend. The Fall Fest with K3 and K4 on Friday. Two youth soccer games Saturday afternoon. A game of Clue with everyone playing, including K2 before going to a movie with his pals. Even K4 got in on the game, rolling the dice and keeping track of the confidential envelope. A quiet Sunday afternoon, followed by watching Bears/Packers game with K2, who is a far better commentator than any of the guys on TV. The fact that the Bears won, spoiling the Packers' perfect season, had nothing to do with how good the game was.

It was a good weekend.

Memo to Southwest employees

Okay, let's try this again: there is no dress code for passengers flying on Southwest. That, however, didn't stop an employee from threatening to remove yet another passenger based on his clothing. This time, the passenger was wearing a shirt from a fictional fishing shop that read "Master Baiter." He agreed to change shirts, thus avoiding the threatened removal from the plane, as described here.

For such a well-run airline, Southwest just can't seem to get straight whether it has a dress code and what exactly it requires. The challenged t-shirt is a little closer to the line, although I wonder how many people got the double entendre--it took me a second. Either way, allowing employees to determine for themselves with little guidance will result in continued embarassment for the company and fodder for this blog.

Just in case . . .

I was at the downtown post office today when I overheard a woman ask the counter attendant whether the Christmas stamps were available. The Christmas stamps! It's 90 degrees outside and Halloween is yet to occur, let alone Thanksgiving. But the USPS can be slow to deliver sometimes, and you never know when there'll be a run on Christmas stamps, so better safe than sorry.

Banned book week

In celebration of Banned Book Week, sponsored by the American Library Association, I thought I'd pick and list my 10 most favorite books from the list of 100 most challenged books from 1990 to 2000. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. The Harry Potter books

2. The Giver (Lowry)

3. The Color Purple (Walker)

4. The Handmaid's Tale (Atwood)

5. To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)

6. The Outsiders (Hinton)

7. Native Son (Wright)

8. The Dead Zone (King)

9. Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret (Blume)

10. Brave New World (Huxley)

The complete list can be found at this link. In addition, the Texas ACLU recently released its report on banned and challenged books in Texas. It lists by public school district the books that have been challenged and the action taken by the district or the individual school. That report can be found here.

Chasing childhood dreams

I did not give the attention to the video at this link that it deserves, but I am among many others who believe that the lecture given by Randy Pausch is incredible. Dr. Pausch is dying and gave this last lecture to his students. It is poignant, inspirational, and funny. He has a great outlook on life.

Gotta get with the program

Last night as K4 was helping me put away his clean laundry, he informed me that he does not like his Cowboys shirt--his Dallas Cowboys shirt. What????? Not want to wear his Cowboys shirt? We'll just have to see about that. There are some things a parent has to put her foot down on, and in our house, this is one. What am I going to do with him?

Give Grandma Her Dang Doughnut!

This article describes the decision by officials in New York to stop accepting doughnuts, cakes, and other pastries for distribution to the elderly. The county officials are concerned that they're setting a bad precedent by providing sweets to senior citizens.

Gimme a break. Don't you reach a point in life where you're old enough to do anything that makes you happy so long as it's legal and not harmful to anyone else? Isn't that one of the privleges of age? Educate Grandma about good nutrition--if she wants to hear it--then if it makes her happy, let her eat doughnuts for three meals a day and snacks in between.

50 Years Ago

It's been fifty years since President Eisenhower called in the national guard to escort 9 African American students as they integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. That time seem so long ago. Maybe it's the pictures, in stark black and white, or the clothing, like costumes out of a staging of Grease. The idea that so many people could be so agnry over because nine black teenagers wanted to take advantage of the learning at Central High seems so foreign. Newsweek has a good article about the events of those days.

Are things better? Mostly, yes. We're still far too conscious of race. But except for maybe a few skinheads or throwback Klansmen, people are rarely openly hostile to the idea of integration.

But then again, I'm reminded that the problems in Jena, Louisiana began when a few black students sat under the tree some white students believed to be exclusively for their pleasure.

Within days of each other, there's a celebration in Little Rock and a protest in Jena.

Sweet Pea

"Alan Greenspan" and "Sweet Pea." Two terms I'd never expect to hear in the same sentence. But that is what Mrs. Alan Greenspan, better known as Andrea Mitchell, calls her man. Greenspan was on Meet the Press this morning, but the interview with the two of them is available only online at this link.

The interview is really kind of endearing, as Mitchell and Greenspan talk about their first date. That Greenspan is quite a smooth operator. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to think of Greenspan the same again.

Priorities

Every season, in every youth soccer league, there's at least one little kid who is distracted by something on the field unrelated to soccer. And there's at least one mom who is desparately trying to pull him out of his own little world and back to the matters at hand. At practice today, I was that mom and K4 was that kid. It mattered not that all about him kids were running, balls were flying, coaches were calling his name, or mom was yelling. That blade of grass or weed that he picked at needed his attention.

I could just kick myself for not having my camera.

Rethinking the last post

I might have been hasty in ranking stupid criminals. The MIT student who brought a fake bomb to Logan Airport, as described in this story, perhaps needs to be added to the list.

You would think someone smart enough to get into MIT would not think it a good idea to put on something that looks like a bomb in the name of "art." Star Simpson (no relation to OJ, I think) may be young, but she surely is old enough to remember the events of 9/11/2001. Even if she has no first hand recollection, the remembrances of that day occurred just last week. And in this day and age, every 3rd grader knows that you don't even say "bomb" or other such things at the airport. So, as the police indicated in their press conference, she is lucky to be in jail. Brilliant, but not smart.

Dumber than OJ?

This article describes the only person who might rival OJ for stupidity. Given the details that have emerged in the last week, I'd love to ask OJ, "What were you thinking???" So, the men in that hotel room might have had his stuff. So he might not have gotten a fair shake had he called the police. So he might be able to create enough reasonable doubt to beat the rap again. Running your own sting is just idiotic. So is robbing a bank just after being released from jail following a bank robbery conviction.

And so, as far as OJ goes, the circus is back in town. War in Iraq? Mortgage crisis? Wide stances in public bathrooms? All page 2 news next to the OJ juggernaut.

Contented fan

The Cowboys won today--good.

The Cowboys beat the Dolphins--better.

The Cowboys beat the Dolphins in Miami--best.

When I spoke to my mother this evening, I promised myself that I wouldn't gloat. I didn't. Not much.

My mother likes the 'boys. She just likes the Dolphins better. I can sort of understand that. She was born in Miami, although the Dolphins seem to be the only thing she likes about Miami. When the Dolphins beat the Cowboys, she's been known to be a bit smug. So I enjoy when the Cowboys are the victors in that campaign. Of course, my mother would really need to say only four words to take the wind out of this fan's sail: Leon Lett, Thanksgiving Day.

presidential candidate spouses, part 2

In the Sept 15 entry found at this site, Mitt Romney states that his wife is prettier than Bill Clinton. Well, duh!! Of course Ann Romney is prettier than Bill Clinton, and I certainly expect Mitt to be the one to say so. Every good husband knows the "right" answer to certain questions:

Does this make me look fat? (No.)

Do you think I've lost weight? (At least 10 pounds (or whatever number is 10 pounds more than reality.))

How do I look in this? (Fabulous.)

Do you think I should buy this? (Yes, dear; if you want it, you should have it.)

So while Mitt might not have been asked directly whether he thinks Bill or Ann is prettier, his statement strikes me as little more than a preemptive strike, an obvious answer, given by a good husband.

If he really wanted to create a stir, Mitt would say, "My wife is prettier than Bill, but not as pretty as Jeri Thompson, Fred's wife." Now that would be newsworthy.

Now that's the Southwest I'm used to

Southwest Airlines does it again, managing to pull marketing genius from the jaws of a public relations catastrophe. First an apology to Kyla Ebbert for the way she was treated regarding her attire, plus a fare sale, to boot. Get em while the hot: "skimpy fares" from Southwest

Surreptitiously cussing?

I think my little darling, K4, was trying to cuss and get K2 in trouble, all in one fell swoop! The following exchange occurred between him and me:

Me: Go tell K2 dinner is ready

K4: ok.

K4 returns.

Me: What did K2 say?

K4: He said, "dammit."

Me: He said what?!?! (with alarm)

K4: He said, "dammit."

Me: I'm going to go ask him.

K4: No Mommy!! Don't talk to him! (with a bit of panic in his voice)

Me: Yeah, I'm going to go talk to K2, and you come with me.

Me: K2, did you say "dammit?"

K2: Huh? No. I said, "close the door."

Me: K4? (actually using his full name).

K4: [the tears start to flow]

Busted!

My sweet little boy, trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

An interesting social experiment

According to this article, Michael Bloomberg, using private funds, wants to pay the poor to develop good habits. Interesting concept. Money is a strong motivator to do all sorts of things, both good and bad, so maybe he's on to something. Plus, similar programs have been successful in Latin America.


Nonetheless, I'm still a bit dubious about the idea. I grew up in a home where our income probably put us below the poverty line, i.e. we were poor. Nonetheless, my mother, a widow with two young children, did most of the things Bloomberg's program would pay people to do. She worked; she attended school conferences; she sent my brother and me to school every day, etc. She did it because that's what you're supposed to do; those habits were ingrained in her; they were part of her constitution. And her story was not unique.


The question is whether adults can develop good habits that are self-sustaining. I'd be interested in knowing what the Latin American programs show on the lasting effect of such programs. Do those individuals maintain the habits only while they're being paid, or does this behavior modification have lasting effects.


I guess we'll see.

What is Baylor?

On Jeopardy yesterday, the $400 clue in Colleges and Universities was:

"This Baptist University is located on a 735-acre campus on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas." (Or something like that.)

It takes so little to make me excited.

Serving McDonald's food could get you jail time

Who knew that you could end up in jail for serving a salty hamburger? Kendra Bull, a McDonald's employee, found out the hard way: don't screw up on the job. When I first heard the story on the radio, I thought it was another case of someone spiking the cop's food with something illegal, like pot, or disgusting, like a loogie, both of which have happened in the past. But Kendra's explanation that she accidentally spilled salt on the meat and tried to clean it off sounds reasonable. On the other hand, the cop sounds like he's power tripping. Sending the meat to the state crime lab for testing? Gimme a break.

This article recounts the whole salty tale. What really got me was the the explanation for the charge against Kendra. According to the Union City public information officer, Kendra was charged because she served the burger "without regards to the well-being of anyone who might consume it."

Considering McDonald's menu, the Union City police should just go ahead and arrest all the McDonald's employees now. Take a bite out of crime.

What a difference 30 years makes

This is just too rich. If she is to be believed, Kyla Ebbert, ,the woman to the left, was told by Southwest Airlines that she could not fly on their planes unless she covered her risqué clothing—the same clothing she’s wearing in the picture.

Is this the same Southwest Airlines that got its business off the ground in the ‘70s with ads such as the one on the right? Did the Taliban stage a take-over or something?

To add even more richness to the story, Ms. Ebbert is a waitress at (pause for effect) Hooters! Thank goodness she didn’t wear her work uniform. The full story can be found at http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070905/news_1m5braun.html

I’ll be flying Southwest this weekend. I think I’ll be okay, but I packed my emergency burka just in case.

Candidate spouses

As between the Democrats and the Republicans, the spouses of the Democratic presidential candidates seem feistier than those of the Republican candidates. Looking at the front-runners, first there's Bill. 'Nuf said.


But is there any doubt that both Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Edwards have attitude enough to slice, dice, and dress someone down, without breaking a sweat or getting a hair out of place. And they could do it while still managing to display lady-like charm. Both are confident and accompished in their own right. Legal training and mommy experience gives them quite the advantage. Maybe they bake cookies, but that's not all they're famous for. Superman or Batman? James Bond or Jason Bourne? Michelle Obama or Elizabeth Edwards? Hm-m-m. Tough call.

On the Republican side, Rudy does have an "interesting" family situation. Who needs to watch the afternoon soaps when Rudy gives us his own personal "All my Wives and All my Children?" From what I've seen, his current wife seems to be keeping a pretty low profile, and with good reason. But wait--I'd better leave his family alone so he'll leave mine alone.


On the other hand, Fred Thompson's wife may add some spunk to the mix, if Fred ever gets into the race, as I guess will happen tonight on Jay Leno. She's beautiful, accomplished, and much younger than ole Fred. I actually heard a debate on some show several weeks ago as to whether her "trophy wife" looks would be an advantage or disadvantage. I thought that level of debate was reserved for talk radio and insignificant blogs like this one.


Cindy McCain seems like a nice person, but we're not likely to hear many soundbites or anything else from her. Same is probably true for Ann Romney, who probably comes closest to being the traditional presidential spouse--more in the nature of Barbara Bush, without the salt and vinegar.

One question: if Hillary should win, what name will the Smithsonian choose for the First Ladies Hall? First Spouses Hall?

Getting ready for the new week

You porbalby wlil not hvae any turolbe aulaclty uesdnatnrdnig waht tihs syas. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Just a fun fact to ease back into the week after the three day weekend.

The best laid plans

What was supposed to happen this weekend:
--get ahead on school work
--complete some things left undone from this summer
--do some committee work
--barbecue ribs
--take little kids to the pool
--clean house
--call K1 to see what she was up to for the weekend

What really happened
--enjoyed surprise visit by K1
--took kids to the pool; watched K1 teach K3 to dive; watched K3 dive over and over
--did some school work
--did some committee work
--barbecued ribs; made dinner

Oh well. So I didn't accomplish as much productive work as I'd planned. As the commercials say, "spending time with the fam? Priceless."

Uses for an invisibility cloak?

What would I do if I had my own invisibility cloak? It could happen, according to this article. Hm-m-m. To even entertain the thought of having one suggests that the owner would be up to no good.

I'm sure I'd be tempted to spy on my kids. I think I could resist the temptation, but who knows? Luckily for my Ks, they'll probably all be grown and out of the house before you can pick one up at Walmart, Spencer's or wherever you'd go to buy one.

But think of the possibilities.

What a way to spend summer vacation

Pretty cool, huh? A mosaic of Ray Charles, made with Post-its. The artist, David Alvarez, spent a good part of the summer working on his masterpiece. Who knew that post-its could be an artistic medium? The complete story can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/29/irpt.post.it.art/index.html

Too old for this

I'm tired. I completed that annual reminder of how exhausting and stressful high school can be. It was "back to school" night at K2's school. All those classes--every day, all day; the bells ringing, and only five minutes to get to the next class or be frowned on for being tardy. It's so hard!

OK, not really. I don't think I'd' really want to relive high school, even if that was an option, but it's fun to relive a little piece of it vicariously, once a year.

What goes around, comes around?

Yesterday, the president, in his press conference on Alberto Gonzalez's resignation, was critical of Gonzalez's critics. He accused them of dragging Mr. Gonzalez's good name through the mud.

Hm-m-m. US Attorney Carol Lam and the other fired USAs, having been forced out with little explanation, followed by the suggestion that they were not adequately peforming their jobs, might have something to say about good names being dragged through the mud. Just a thought.

The understatement of the millenium

I haven't watched Michael Jackson's Thiller video in years--maybe not since our Beta VCR broke (and the Thriller wedding video doesn't count). But we now have our own DVD of some of Michael Jackson's music videos including Thriller. MJ (my MJ) and I fell out laughing when at the beginning of Thriller, Jackson turns to his "date" and says, "I'm not like other guys." Ya think?

Thriller came out in the mid-1980s. If Jackson's statement is not the understatement of the millenium, I think it's at least in the top 10.

It's official

Summer is officially over. It may still be in the 90s, but that's not the gauge since it'll be this hot until November. It's not over because by Tuesday, everyone in school will be back in school.

How can I be sure that summer is officially over? All the good restaurants had long lines or long waits for lunch today. After trying three restaurants that had lines or waits longer than K4's tolerance, we finally settled on IHOP, with only a 10 minute wait.

Oh well. If not getting to eat at our first restaurant choice is the most I can complain about today, life ain't too bad.

Justice not entirely denied

It took 43 years, but finally, James Ford Seale has been called to account for the heinous crime he committed against two teens, as described in this article. How much hate and depravity must one have to be able to kidnap two hitchhiking teens, beat them, bind them, and toss the teens into the Mississippi River while they were still alive?

It's a miscarriage of justice that it took so long to try the case and obtain a conviction, in part because of the apparent collusion of law enforcement officers. Seale should have spent the better part of his adult life behind bars instead of enjoying whatever his degenerate life consisted of. Nonetheless, I can't think of a fate worse than spending the twilight of your life behind bars, knowing that you're almost certain to die in a prison hospital, deprived of the comfort of family and friends. Suffering from cancer and other problems, Seale is in pretty sad physical shape, but off to jail he goes, finally getting the justice he deserves.

Merry maids?

The people down the street apparently use Merry Maids. At least, there were a couple of the Merry Maids leaving their house, and I don't think they were burglarizing it. But the two women didn't act anything like the maids in the television ads. They weren't dancing, singing, or kicking up their heels with joyful shrieks at the thought of vacuuming.


D'ya think Merry Maids engages in deceptive advertising? If I had the inclination to hire a maid service, the ony reason I'd hire Merry Maids is to have someone who was gleeful about cleaning my house. If the maids aren't really merry, then what's the point?

This could have ended badly

The other night on Letterman, Dave's guest was Samuel L. Jackson. Sam (I can call him that), told a rather amusing story about diving head-first into a river of uncertain depth. Then they both laughed about firecrackers blowing up in people's hands, and other activities that easily could have ended very badly. I often refer to such youthful antics as "stupid boy stuff." If I mention it in class, I'm sure to catch at least one male student drifting off into his recollections of something from the past that was either very dangerous, bordering on criminal, actually criminal, or some combination thereof. The kind of thing that could have ended badly.

But it really isn't exclusive to men. After all, I've got my own "this could have ended badly" tale that Letterman reminded me of. When a senior in high school, I fell one full story. I could have broken bones, become paralyzed, or suffered some other dreadful consequence, but fortunately I walked away with not even a scratch or bruise.

Tony, my boyfriend off and on during high school, was a year ahead of me. Once he graduated, he promptly got his own apartment on the second floor of a two-story house, with an exterior staircase. For obvious reasons, I had pretty strict restrictions on my being there, including never being there without my mother knowing. I don't recall what I was supposed to be doing, but my plan was to stop by for a brief visit. Who'd even know I was there if I didn't stay long.

Tony and I started goofing around, taunting each other, when he picked me up, carried me to the outside landing, and threatened to throw me over the railing. Next thing I know, I was falling. That slow motion feeling really happens. I still vividly remember the thoughts that raced through my mind on the way down: "That idiot dropped me! I'm going to die, and my mother will find out that I was here. If I don't die, my mom is going to kill me when she finds out. I don't think I can hide a broken arm or leg. This is going to hurt."

When the dust cleared, we discovered that the 2d story landing had dry-rotted and given way under our combined weight. Lucky for me, I fell on top of Tony. Lucky for Tony, he suffered only bruised ribs. Lucky for both of us, the only lasting consequence was having to endure the retelling of our fall over and over again by our friend across the street who saw the whole thing and was literally rolling on the ground laughing.

Tony was okay. I was okay. But this could have ended badly.

A voice of reason

In an earlier post, I was very critical of the Southern Christian Leadership Council's plan to honor Michael Vick, which the SCLC has since reconsidered. I could be just as critical of the statement made by Rev. R. L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP. He said, "It is regrettable to us that Michael Vick had to settle for a plea bargain. All of us, the fans of Mr. Vick, had hoped for a more favorable outcome.”

Thankfully, this article provides an alternative view to that of Reverend White and the local NAACP chapter. I like that Dennis Courtland-Hayes, interrim president and CEO of the NAACP, stated clearly and unequivocally that, "Michael Vick is not a victim. He absolutely must account for what he has done."


I appreciate Courtland-Hayes' statements. His is a voice of reason.

Give me the night . . .

Today was Pepper's turn to visit the vet. He absolutely, positively hates being put in the cat carrier, but he has no choice in the matter. Wonderful. A cat suffering mental anguish, as evidenced by his distressed meows. Ah, but a little George Benson cured his distress.

Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast. Okay, it's the savage breast, and there's nothing really savage about our cat, but the music worked.

Homecoming

Yayy-y-y! K1 is home from her great camping adventure in the east. Overall, she had a pretty good experience.

She comforted homesick kids, discouraged campers from engaging in "mean girl" behavior, and didn't get eaten by the bear. She got to see America Ferrara who was filming a movie at the camp. She took time off in New York and Boston. She ate lots and lots of chicken. She sang lots of camp songs and yelled lots of camp cheers. She grieved with the campers in her bunk when one of the girls died in a freak accident. She met lots of parents and made lots of friends from around the world.

She learned lots about herself, and when you're her age, that's important. But I'm happy to have her home, even if only for a couple of days before she heads back to school.

Surviving tax-free weekend

Another tax-free weekend, whee! It's not as though it 's that big of a savings--$8 per $100, but it's the principle that counts. So like thousands of others, this weekend I'll join the throngs to buy new socks, underwear, pajamas, and school clothes for the Ks. Things that are most obvious on tax-free weekend:

1) There are way too many choices of socks and sizes. Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Russell, crew socks, ankle socks, no-show socks, extra-cushion socks and on and on.

2) There are way too many underwear choices for toddler boys. It's hard enough to decide between Sponge Bob, Superman, Transformers, Batman, Sesame Street, Spiderman, and Cars. Should you really have to decide on briefs, boxers, or boxer briefs for a 3 year old?

3) There are plenty of cold-weather clothes available, but not nearly enough choices of hot weather clothing. Hello. This is Texas. It won't be cooler than 95 until November.

4) Tax free weekend supplies yet another good excuse to shop for me! I need to buy new stuff now, while it's on sale, and tax-free.

5) Never ever, no matter what, take the kids shopping on tax-free weekend. To do so is to court disaster.

The perfect gift?

I received an e-mail today about the new Supreme Court coloring book. The ABA website includes this description: "This 32-page coloring book features expertly rendered illustrations depicting significant Supreme Court Justices of the United States to color in--including all current sitting Justices."

Hm-m-m. It's been awhile since I was legitimately "coloring book age," so maybe I'm not a good judge of these kinds of things. But is a coloring book, depicting lots of really old people likely to be appealing to the kid set? I like educational things for my kids, so there's something to be said for the concept, and maybe the connect the dot puzzles and other activities are really fun. I'll have to give some thought to whether to buy copies for the kids in my family.

Random thoughts on current commercials

The little kids asleep, I was just surfing the net, with the TV on in the background, when the Viva Viagra commercial came on. Each time I've seen it, I'm just flabbergasted. It's just too weird. Do guys really sit around singing about Viagra? Don't answer that; I don't want to know. But then I started thinking about other commercials that are memorable in some way or another.

Most annoying commercial: I think it might be a Cheerios commericial, but it's so annoying I switch channels when it plays. It's a family, at the breakfast table, tapping out some lame rhythm on their breakfast bowls, table, etc.,--a la Stomp. Not clever; annoying.

Cutest commercial with kids: the Bandaid commercial where two little kids (a boy and a girl) are singing, "I am stuck on Bandaid brand." The kids seem sweet without being cutesy.

Commercical most in need of Emily Post: the Texas PSA urging immunizations for whooping cough. Coughing into someone's ear and saying, "Pass it on" bothers me. Cover your mouth when you cough!

Commercials with the best announcer: The Whataburger commercials. "Whataburger. Just like you like it."

Favorite commercial currently (although a little creepy): the Jerry Jones/Papa Jones commercial. Any commerical where there's a rap song for an old guy can't be all bad. OK, I'll admit I laugh almost every time.

Happiness is a Warm Gun?

Maybe, but only if you've got a functioning iPod on which to listen to the song.

K2 has been in a low-grade funk for the past three weeks because his iPod had to go to the iPod doctor for repair. He carried on, but life for him just wasn't the same without his iPod, which is all but surgically attached to him. But alas, the Fed Ex man delivered K2's iPod today, and all is well in his world. Idon't know if any version of "Happiness" is on his iPod, but I think it'd be fair to say that for him, happiness is a working iPod.

Michael Vick/SCLC Update

Whether the Southern Christian Leadership Council has backed off or never intended to honor Michael Vick, this is good news. Yes, I just heaved a sigh of relief.

Serves the witch right

How bad must it hurt to have to forfeit a lottery ticket worth $1 million?

I hope it hurts like being stranded at the altar by your one true love, in front of hundreds of guests.

I hope it hurts like 99 splinters being shoved under your nails.

I hope it hurts like losing to your worst enemy.

I hope the woman described in this article hurts like hades. She bought the winning ticket with a stolen credit card.

As the victim of identity theft committed by a couple of witches who were never caught despite having chcarged thousands of dollars on my credit cards, I'm happy to see at least one thief get her comeuppance.

Capt. Obvious strikes again

I love when "research studies" reach obvious conclusions. And so it goes for a study by Stanford researchers that concluded that McDonald's marketing works, even on pre-schoolers. According to the study, preschoolers generally think that food in a McDonald's wrapper tastes better than the same food packaged in a plain wrapper. Well, duh! If you spend a billion dollars annually on marketing, you'd certainly hope that you could convince someone that your product is better than the one in the generic wrapper.

And if there was any doubt about how early the McDonald's brand takes root in the minds of little children, let me recall a story from K1's youth. A child who was not yet three at the time, K1 accompanied me and my friend, Wanda, as we were out and about shopping and doing miscellaneous girl stuff. I promised K1 that we would stop at the next McDonald's we saw to get her a Happy Meal, before returning to my conversation with Wanda. Just minutes later, K1 exclaimed, "McDonald's, McDonald's!" I scanned the freeway looking for a sign; Wanda searched for some indication of a McDonalds. Neither of us saw anything to suggest there was a nearby McDonald's. But K1 was insistent. Finally Wanda and I, by squinting, could see a golden dot, on the horizon, many miles ahead, which indeed appeared to be the golden arches. I saw first-hand the power of McDonald's marketing.

The Flim-flam game?

I think we were about to be scammed. We are thnking about doing some work in our kitchen, and work in the kitchen is never cheap. Being at the begining of the process, we thought we'd start by getting an estimate for refacing our cabinets. Thus we contacted a certain national home improvement provider (not Lowe's or Home Depot) and they promptly sent out a representative to take measurements and give a quote.

It was not been a pleasant experience. I wasn't (too) bothered by the fact that the rep plopped his big dirty sample bag on my kitchen table. I wasn't (too) bothered by a snarky comment he made. I was shocked by the quote. Our kitchen is not that big; we don't have that many cabinets. The quote for refacing--not replacement--nearly $20,000! But wait, he'd give us a 10% discount because it was "low season" and another 10% if we signed the contract on the initial visit. He informed us that "60% of his contacts" sign on the initial visit. Yeah, right. Not us. I think that was the flim.

Now the flam. Lo and behold, we got a call earlier today from this company, offering us a new opportunity. They could cut the price drastically. We just needed to meet with another rep., who would need to take new measurements. "Why should we be the beneficiaries of such a price reduction? Why didn't the first rep offer that deal to us before?" I asked. According to the guy on the phone, this was a new product, for which there were currently no "marketing costs " to be included in pricing the job, but come this time next year, the price would be much higher. The first rep didn't have access to this offer because he was a regional salesperson, rather than a corporate rep. Although the telephone guy would never provide specifics, the materials to be used were from the same company, of similar quality. Oh, okay.

What the "corporate rep" didn't know is that we now have more information. We in fact confirmed that the first quote was very inflated. Were we about to be scammed? I think so.

Countdown

You know football season is almost here when the football commercials start to run, and the Papa John's Cowboys Unlimited Offer becomes available again. The new Papa John's ad with Jerry Jones dancing is too funny. I haven't found a commercial that amusing since . . . well I can't remember when.

September 9. Thirty-four days and counting . . .

Summertime

Summer is for kids. Camp, swimming, ice cream, and long days outside.

K3 and K4 had a great time swimming at the Y this weekend. K4 finally conquered his fear of going through the downpour of the big, domed, rain thingy. Once he did, he wanted to do it over and over again. Now able to tread water, K3 can't be so bothered with the shallow pool. She wants to hang out mostly in the deep end, not to mention she's ready for the big time in the cannonball competition.

Summer--the time when I feel most like a kid again.

Thinking like the KKK

What's the difference between the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Ku Klux Klan? Less than what appears at first blush, if you consider the SCLC's plans to honor Michael Vick, as described in this article. Michael Vick has done nothing recently that deserves special recognition.

Does the SCLC, the same organization led by Martin Luther King, not subscribe to the concept, so eloquently stated by Dr. King, that we judge a man by the content of his character and not the color of his skin? Yet the SCLC, in choosing to honor Vick, rejects that concept for which so many fought, and for which some died.

No doubt, the SCLC would not bestow honors on Michael Vick but for the fact that he is an African-American. What particularly infuriates me is that I question whether the SCLC would bestow honors on Vick at all if had not been indicted for dog-fighting activities allegedly occurring on his property. This is not the basis for deciding who is worthy of respect.

Let me be perfectly clear: if the SCLC were simply criticizing Michael Vick detractors for having convicted him before he's had his day in court, I'm right there with them. I might even be in agreement about any criticism of the NFL's decision to restrict Vick from attending Falcons training camp. But having said that, one must look at the facts critically. It is a fact that evidence of dog-fighting activities was found on Vick's property. It is a fact that one of his acquaintances has already pleaded out and implicated Vick. It is a fact that dog-fighting is a brutal "sport" that appeals to the basest of human instinct.

One should consider what it means to "honor" someone. The dictionary definition of honor is to confer distinction; to holdin high respect. Moreover, one should remember what the SCLC supposedly stands for. According to its website, its focus is "To promote spiritual principles within our membership and local communities; to educate youth and adults in the areas of personal responsibility, leadership potential, and community service; to ensure economic justice and civil rights in the areas of discrimination and affirmative action; and to eradicate environmental classism and racism wherever it exists."

Help me out here: where exactly does honoring Michael fit within the professed focus of the SCLC? What aspect of dog fighting (assuming it was occurring) is Christian? There are simply too many individuals worthy of honor by the SCLC to select one who is tainted by the allegations such as those contained in the indictment. If Michael Vick should ultimately be found innocent, after having comported himself with aplomb and dignity, then by all means, honor him then. At least there will be a basis for doing so. But while he remains under a cloud of suspicion, supported by evidence of wrongdoing, now is not the time to sully the name of the SCLC or dilute the values for which it professes to stand.

The KKK's standard operating procedure is to judge people solely by the color of the skin. I'd expect better from the SCLC.

The ultimate kick in the pants?

First the judge loses his $54 million dollar lawsuit over his lost pants, now he may lose his job. A judge without common sense should not be a judge, and this judge seems to be severely deficient, as suggested in this article. Maybe there is justice in the universe.

Minneapolis tragedy

The banner "Breaking News" is so often plastered across cable news networks and internet news sites, that its use is often a misuse: "Paris released from jail." "Paris returned to jail." "Paris released from jail."

Tonight, there really was breaking news. The Minneapolis bridge collapse is defies description. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

Bad move, counselor

Maybe I should say, "bad move, would-be counselor." I'm a little late in finding this story, but I hope that no one tried this bar examinee's test-taking strategy in answering bar questions last week. I'm a staunch advocate of the first amendment and its protections for religious freedom, but I can't help but think that this gentleman's answer--and his lawsuit--are proof that he should not be entrusted with the legal affairs of others.

I know it's Massachusetts, that bastion of liberal thinking. But is the Massachusetts' bar exam that different from others? Does it really require examinees to subscribe to a particular belief as opposed to simply demonstrating minimal competency to practice law? Either way, the smartest thing Mr. Dunne could do is to drop the suit, and if he hasn't retaken the bar exam, study real hard this time, so that he can pick up enough points on the questions with which he agrees.

New Owner wanted

Sung to the tune of Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer:

Harvey, the chocolate brown poodle
Had a very bad hair cut.
And if you ever saw it,
You would even say it sucked.
All of the other puppies
Would surely laugh and call him names.
They'd never let poor Harvey, join in any doggie games.


I know my limitations, and I now know that I wasn't meant to be a dog groomer. Unfortunately for Harvey, he's the one that has to pay the price. I think he might indeed be in the market for a new owner who is not so willing to experiment with his grooming. But I've had bad hair cuts and bad dye jobs (maroon hair!) and like me, he too will discover that it will grow out. In a few weeks, I'll schedule him to visit a real dog groomer. Until then, if anyone asks, he's not at home.

A proposal to end billable hours?

That's what Scott Turow proposes. Legal sacrilege! Give up our license to mint money? Surely he jests.

"A license to mint money." That's the way an attorney acquaintance of mine charactarized billable hours, with hint of glee in his voice. Then there was the associate in a firm from my past who had a reputation for padding his hours. All the associates knew it. The partners surely knew it. After all, he made no secret of the fact that he kept banker's hours, rarely working evenings or weekends, but yet was one of the top billing associates every quarter, outstripping many associates who were working late nights and weekends. The clients may have been in the dark, and this associate's conduct surely affected, at least indirectly, the rest of us. There was a general reluctance to take time off, to take CLE courses beyond the minimum, or to agree to represent on pro bono clients.

Consequently, I agree that there are many reasons to reconsider attorneys charging clients by the hour. And But Turow candidly admits that he has no good alternative for determining attorney compensation. And neither do I, at least not without a fairly substantial overhaul of trial process.

The Ratatouille effect?

Strange things are happening at the J-W house. Last week, we saw Ratatouille, even bribing K2 to come along. And then there was last night. K2 suddenly got the urge to make alfredo sauce--from scratch. For a kid who normally considers himself to be "cooking" when he heats a Totino's pizza, this is a pretty big leap. But he did it, and it turned out pretty good. He found a recipe on-line (why bother with the 50 cookbooks we have). Shortly thereafter, he was observed whisking his sauce. And not too long thereafter, draining his fettucine and tossing it with the sauce.

Rachel Ray, look out.

It was bound to happen

It was only a matter of time before Harry Potter spoilers hit the mainstream. This morning's interview with J.K. Rowling on the Today Show was it. No "spoiler alert"; just responses to a number of questions that answer some of the main cliff-hangers. Snape: hero or villain? Harry, Ron, Hermione: dead or alive?

Glad I was able to enjoy the suspense.

Boys behaving badly

I was sexually harassed. Not really. But if it'd happened today, somebody might have thought so, and Carl, a little boy in my kindergarten class, probably would have been kicked out. Carl, a little bald-headed boy, and I were in Miss Porter's afternoon kindergarten class, and he had a crush on me. He told everybody about it. And I was petty clear that I did not like Carl. But one day, during circle time when Miss Porter wasn't looking, he leaned over and kissed me on my cheek. I was shocked, and it was definitely unwanted contact. I don't remember if I said anything to Carl, but I didn't tattle. I did tell my mother, who certainly didn't think much of it. And so it was.

There's a difference between Carl and the boys in this story who face criminal charges because they ran down their school corridor, slapping girls on their butts. When you're 13 years old, you should know better. Slapping girls on their butts is not nearly as innocent as Carl's stolen kiss, even if everyone does it. But 13 year olds are still children who are learning. Any principal worth his or her salt should be able to come up with some pretty choice discipline to teach these boys and others that their behavior was inappropriate and will not be tolerated in the future. And I would expect their parents, preferably their dads, to have something pretty stern to say about this. The DA has backed down from the original plan for felony prosecution, but doesn't criminal prosecution that may result in the boys having to register as sex offenders seem like overkill? Hopefully the DA will re-think this.

I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I heard that song today after I observed two incidents--one touching, one that made me smile.

1. While jogging this morning, I passed an elederly couple on the opposite side of the street. They were walking very slowly. He was supporting her, and she carried a very large, stuffed teddy bear, the way a child would. I didn't know the couple, so I don't know if there was mental illness, Alzheimer's, or some other form of dementia. Maybe there was no explanation for the teddy bear. What was clear was how much love existed between that couple.

2. I was stopped next to a police cruiser, giving me a chance to peer into the car. I had to chuckle at the little pig that dangled from the dashboard. A police officer with a sense of humor.

The only thing that would have made the morning better was if I'd heard the Louis Armstrong version of "What a Wonderful World."

On ranking Harry Potter

I am done. I had to wait for K2 to finish, and I had to accomplish some things at work before I could turn my full attention to it, but I have finished The Deathly Hallows. It was a darn good read, sufficiently so, that I think it replaces The Prisoner of Azkaban as my favorite in the series. In fact, in order starting with my most favorite, here's how I rank them:

1. The Deathly Hallows
2. The Prisoner of Azkaban
3. The Goblet of Fire
4. The Half-Blood Prince
5. The Chamber of Secrets
6. The Sorcerer's Stone
7. The Order of the Phoenix

I thought I had Harry Potter fatigue. False alarm. I hate that there won't be an 8th.

This story reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in quite awhile: the 1984 presidential election. Geraldine Ferraro was the vice-presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket, running with Walter Mondale. That summer, I clerked in Houston, back in the day when the Houston Post still existed. The paper published a letter to the editor that stated three reasons why the writer would not be voting for Ferraro, all essentially because she was a woman, made worse by the fact that she didn't even use her husband's last name!

I hope that as a country, enough people have progressed beyond the close-minded "reasoning" of that writer more than 20 years ago such that Hillary Clinton will be judged on the merits, but sometimes I have my doubts. There is plenty of evidence about Hillary Clinton's negatives, and enough people have told me that they will not vote for her. I'm fine with that--I'm not sure that I'll vote for her in the primary. What bothers me, though, is how many people are unable to articulate a reason for their opposition. I've rarely heard that they think she's unqualified or that there is a better candidate for the job or that she voted the wrong way on the war. I have heard often enough that she's so ambitious, or that she's cold, or that she stayed with her cheating husband (like the majority of married women who suffer infidelity) or other reasons that seem to suggest a double standard.

I'm listening and reading before I decide who'll get my primary vote. If I vote for someone other than Hillary, it won't be because she was the wrong gender.

Bit by the bug

I tried to avoid it. I was determined not to succumb to the mass hysteria. But alas, I was stricken with Harry Potter fever. I spent Friday evening and this afternoon re-reading The Half-Bloood Prince. We decided against going to any book store parties, but first thing this morning, I dutifully traipsed off to the store to purchase a copy. I'd barely crossed the threshhold when K2 emerged from his room, as if he'd caught the scent of the new book. Now the challenge--avoiding overhearing or reading how the series ends.

Random thoughts on the last day of the quarter

Another quarter and another academic year rolls off the calendar. Random thoughts on the end of the 2006-07 school year.

1. The good news: a month of relative freedom from scheduled events. The bad news: grading awaits, and I can't really relax until it's done.

2. It's been a year since I last taught Property. I miss having the first years and knowing most of the students in the building, but . . .

3. I really, really love the courses I teach now. I still have work to do to improve them, but I've enjoyed teaching the upper quarter students immensely.

4. I have a bunch of stuff to get done, both at work and around the house.

5. I never cease to be amazed at the students who finish PC, take their finals, and take the bar exam, all in the space of about two weeks.

6. After about three weeks, I'll be ready to get back to the classroom.

7. All in all, it's been a pretty darn good year. The Client Counseling team; the John Lewis visit; the People's Law School, patient students. I can't complain.

8. I have a great job.

Guacamole and babies

Recorded for posterity, two more examples of kids saying the darndest things.

1. K3 has been attending VBS this week, which explains why she wanted money to contribute to the poor people in Guacamole. Huh? If there were people in guacamole, surely they would be in need of help, but of course, she confirmed that they were collecting money for the people in Guatamala.

2. What's the difference between babies and puppies in the mind of K4? Apparently there is none. He was quite intrigued with the baby we saw at the doctor's office, so intriuged, that he asked if he could "pet the baby." Uh, no.

Forget the primaries

''I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.'' President Bush.

Based on that statement, Paul Krugman, in his column today (or yesterday in the New York Times) characterizes the president as thinking that being with out insurance is no big deal. Krugman goes on to suggest that the President has little understanding or empathy for poor people. I'm sure Krugman is right, but Bush is not the first president to have little knowledge of the world that even the middle class inhabit.

That got me to thinking about a better way to pick presidential candidates. The obvious answer is a reality tv show. I should have known that Mark Burnett would have beat me to the punch, as described in this article. But he wants to limit his show to independent candidates. Why stop there? Why not use reality tv to pick the Republican and Democratic nominees? Why should any old Mitt, Barack, or Hillary get to be president without some proof knowledge of the real life of their constituents? If you played this thing right, it could generate as much interest as American Idol, and just like American Idol, we might discover talent that we never knew existed.

My ideas for tasks for the candidate-contestants:

1) work and live for one week on minimum wage, while caring for two young children;
2) do manual labor in a factory, preferably one that has been regularly cited for OSHA violations;
3) deal with the fall-out of identity theft that results from yet another case of stolen personal data;
4) compete for admission to college and figure out how to pay for it;
5) get from point A to point B, using public transportation only;
6) find a dentist that accepts Medicaid and get in and out of a simpe check-up without having to miss half a day of work.
Those are just for starters, I'm open to other ideas.

Girls gone mild--yes!!

At the risk of sounding like an middle-aged matron (which I guess technically I am), this is good news. I like the thought of a youth-led movement towards modesty. It's bad enough when teenage girls leave little to the imagination, but it disturbs me even more when little girls look like little women, little hooker women that is.

And the retailers are as much to blame as anyone. I understand supply and demand, but I've always been convinced that there is a market for cute, functional, and age-appropriate clothing for girls, if for no other reason than that much of what's available in the stores violates the dress code at so many of the schools that haven't yet opted for uniforms. Every year it's a challenge to find hot weather clothes that will pass dress-code muster.

Here's my business idea for the day: develop a line of really cute, comfortable, clothing for girls 5 to 13 years old. Not too fru-fru, but definitely not suggestive, and make it affordable.

If Project Runway should ever see its way back on to TV, that should be one of the tasks--just to get the ball rolling.

The real reason for Sam's Club

Why do people go to Sam's Club? Why to eat samples, of course! That's why we go. And sampling was certainly the mission of the little boy (not my own) who was seconds away from needing stitches. My basket was standing between him and his next snack. Unseeing, he was about to mix it up with my basket, and no doubt, the basket would have won, but for the quick hands of his mother.

I can relate. I love sampling at Sam's. I've trained the Ks to love sampling at Sam's. The little Ks think that's the only reason to go to Sam's. We plan our trips to Sam's to maximize sampling. Why else would we go?

Makes no sense to me

Yesterday, the Senate voted to raise the bounty on Osama bin Laden's head to $50 million--twice what it is now. I'm not questioning the success of the Rewards for Justice program. It has doled out some $62 million dollars for informing on terrorists. I'm just questioning how much sense an increase makes in this case. How likely is it that there's someone with the goods on bin Laden who wasn't willing to pass the info on for $25 million, but now is rethinking that since the reward is doubled?

Looking closer at the program, $30 million of the $62 million was paid in connection with the Hussein boys--Uday and Qusay. They strike me as very different from bin Laden. The Husseins were feared and hated for the crimes they committed against their own people, particularly innocent young women. As I recall, bin Laden has many supporters who view him as a hero, not to mention those who, even if they don't view bin Laden positively, aren't inclined to help us. If bin Laden is hiding among those people, money is not likely to incentivize them to provide to the info that will lead to his capture or death.

I certainly don't know what would convince whoever knows where bin Laden is to "drop a dime" on him, but I'm hoping that someone has a better understanding than is suggested by the Senate's vote.