Kagan hearings

Because I have absolutely nothing else do (massive tongue-in-cheek) I was reading a little about Elena Kagan's confirmation hearings. Aside from the fact that a big chunk of CNN's reporting reads like it was written by a third grader with the impartialness of the SED (East German Communist Party) was this little gem:

Legal precedents should be respected as binding, Kagan said, but she added there are circumstances in which a precedent can be overturned: If it proved unworkable over time, if the "doctrinal foundations of the precedent are eroded," or if the factual circumstances critical to the original decision should change.

How brilliant they place that particular gem of wisdom at the END of a long article, I'm usually very analytical when I read, being incredibly suspicious and reading in between the lines, ESPECIALLY when I ready something about the windbags in Washington. So...when I read that, I ask myself, what "doctrinal foundations" does she refer to? Last time I checked the SCOTUS referenced and interpreted the Constitution of the United States to make their ruling. I wasn't aware that they used anything else...Do please define "doctrine" Ms. Kagan. Secondly, either the writer's for CNN never learned how or cared to accurately quote somebody (which really wouldn't be all that surprising) or he paraphrased what Ms. Kagan was saying when he wrote the bit about "factual circumstances". I'm going to have to do some searching to find the rest of that one, because frankly that bothers me!
Click here for your own amusement

Then, there's this. Either this woman is really all over the place and giving lip service to every side in the confirmation hearings, or she really is a moderate. I'm not sure how moderate one could possibly be to be appointed by President Obama...but I digress. I shall be reading more into the confirmation hearings of Ms. Kagan, maybe I'll write about it and maybe I won't. Like a lot of people I know very little about her because she doesn't have a track record, but then again, neither did William Rhenquist. Either way, she could end up being one of the nine most powerful people on the planet. Something to think about, eh?

Another delightful headline I came across was browsing was this one "CLINTON DEFIES OBAMA" The story is actually pointless in that it's simply Billy Boy endorsing a different candidate than Obama, though an Obama endorsement hasn't held much political clout lately... The headline is so hilarious I'm not even sure I can put it into words -- do not be faint of heart I shall try! Defy??? Who is President Obama that he cannot be defied??? He was elected to represent the citizens of the United States (which like most POTUSes recently he's done a lousy job of doing, if not worse) -- he is not an elected king! If anything it is he who is most capable of defying us...

Godfather!!

Ok, I'm so honored! I was just asked to be Godfather to a friend's son!!! That's so amazing to me, I'm not even sure I have the words to type what it means. WOW! Of course I said yes, but wow! Maybe later I'll be able to coherently write about it, but wow!!

Over and out!


Okay, a day later:

I'm incredibly honored and humbled that my friend would ask me to be godfather to his son. There are few things more important than bringing a child into the world. And I love kids!

Music

I was walking to my usual study spot this morning when I walked past a car playing (at an obnoxiously loud volume of course) a reggae version of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature." I must say it was pretty good. However, I have noticed a trend since I've been here in Dominica that a lot of music is simply covers. Often they're recognizable, and almost always they're enjoyable but sometimes you get one that's indistinguishable from four year olds banging on trashcan lids. The best example I can think of is a frantic remake of Real McCoy's "Run Away" which can be heard here. If I didn't know the words I would not have recognized the remake!

We also heard Garth Brooks' "Papa Loved Mama" while waiting in line at Subway. However, this was not a cover, but the original. Dominica is one of the last places I would have expected to hear that song.

Just for you Redd...

Hmmm what to say what to say...
As I've mentioned earlier I'm rather complacent right now. I don't really have a lot to gripe about. Pretty much everything is status quo. Everything I could gripe about would be repetition :P
I'm looking forward to Puerto Rico immensely...three weeks and counting.

I guess I should mention something about school, that does, after all, occupy a disgustingly large portion of my time. I'm thoroughly enjoying just about everything we're studying right now (epidemiology withstanding, shoot me please kthnxbai). I'm sure that factors into why I'm not overly gripey/complainy/whiney/ME/ cantankerous/insert synonym for "grouchy" ad nauseum to describe my frustration with the skullduggery we endure to get those two blasted letters next to our name. **Sidenote** I'm not sure if that's a run-on sentence...but it could be...I guess I don't see such material as a chore and thus nearly as stressful and deserving of cantankery (I think I just made up a new word). I've enjoyed neoplasia, but the METRIC F***TON of drugs and bacteria they're going to give us to learn (in nine days I might add) today and tomorrow I'm not quite so giddy about.

Wimbledon is HERE!!! Which, like Roland Garros means my productivity potential invariably takes a long trip, detour-filled trip to Sydney. I'm rooting for Rafa to win again. Go away Federer please, vielen dankt. I'm enjoying Wimbledon so much I just can't get enough tennis that's on TV. I've discovered a plethora of tennis matches on youtube (dear God take them off!). The current offering is the 1988 US Open Final, Graf vs. Sabatini. Steffi just bricked a routine slice backhand into the net as I write this, followed by a winner with the latest forehand I have ever seen ANYBODY hit. Anyway, back to Wimbledon: today the longest match ever played ended after three days. I know you're dying to know who was playing so I'll just tell you: John Isner vs. Nicholas Mahut (who?). I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable tennis fan and I must admit, Mahut...no clue who that is. Anyway, these two schlubs played a match that finally went Isner's way 70-68 in the fifth set. That's more games in one set than many players will play in an entire tournament. Isner went to UGA so I had to endure three days of GO ISNER!!! on facebook. All the while I'm coming back to this match thinking to myself: this is not impressive. This is two guys serving. One guy has the biggest serve in tennis and moves about as well as a beached whale (Isner, he's 6'10 after all) and the other guy, well, he's mostly incidental in the outcome of the match. Could Isner move even as well as I do on a tennis court (ok, USED to be able to move) he probably would have won that match on Tuesday. So I'm watching everybody around me jump up and down with such excitement they're leaving puddles on the ground going: what's.the.big.deal?

I'm finding myself INCREDIBLY relaxed right now. I landed back in Dominica, and expected the "rush", "pressure" or "madness" to ensue, but to date--knocking on every piece of wood I can find--it has not. Part of me just doesn't want to tie myself in knots and live on the edge of exposed nerves like I did last semester. It was not a pleasant experience and I would prefer not to go back to that place. Part of me knows that I got through it, so I can do it again. Taking the relaxed approach did not affect my grades on the first Mini, so perhaps I shall continue on the "free and easy" route. That does NOT mean that I'm being lazy, it just means that I'll do my work, do it well, and not WORRY about it. Verstehst du? Either way I'm feeling pretty happy right now, so all's well right? :)

It's nice to know that I'm on the downhill slope. Hopefully if all goes well I'll be off the island in December. I'm tentatively considering my options about where I want to do fifth. Up until now I've tried to keep my mind on the here and now, but considering it's June and that move would have be made in January I don't think it's too much to at least start considering. Initially I was just saying to myself that I would do Miami because it's closer to home, however, at the moment I'm giving a little more consideration to the Michigan program because I've heard it's very good. Another part of me wants to avoid living in Florida at any and all costs. Guess we'll see what happens.

Perfectly describes immature drama

Everywhere you look you can write a book
On the trouble of a woman and a man
But you can not impose you can't stick your nose
Into something that you don't understand

But still you wonder
Who's cheatin' who, who's being true
Who don't even care anymore
It makes you wonder
Who's doing right with someone tonight
And who's car is parked next door

I thought I knew her well I really couldn't tell
That she had another lover on her mind
You see it felt so right when she held me tight
How could I be so blind

But still you wonder
Who's cheatin' who, who's being true
Who don't even care anymore
It makes you wonder
Who's doing right with someone tonight
And who's car is parked next door

A heart is on the line each and every time
Love is stolen in the shadows of the night
Though it's wrong all along it keeps going on
As long as you keep in outta sight

But still you wonder
Who's cheatin' who, who's being true
Who don't even care anymore
It makes you wonder
Who's doing right with someone tonight
And who's car is parked next door


~ Who's Cheatin' Who, Alan Jackson