Qualifications

So I had a post written out, basically mocking both Palin & Biden... and I decided that was the wrong approach to what I was trying to say. Not that I don't have strong negative feelings towards both candidates for VP. Rather, I just wanted to point out to anyone reading this that the qualifications for President have nothing to do with years in politics or foreign diplomacy experience. Rather, they are quite clearly articulated in the U.S. Constitution, Article 2, Section 1, Clause 4.

"No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

There may be debates about who one feels to be the better candidate to represent them in the office - that's what this ol' republic of ours is all about. But to say one of the people currently campaining for President or Vice President is not qualified is simply ignorant.

The View

So my friend Molly had this posted on her facebook page, and I loved it. However, this is probably the only time I will ever post anything from The View unless Goldberg and Hasselback come to blows...

On the Internet...

So when I moved to Lubbock, I had a choice. Do I pay $70/month for cable + internet, or ~$40 for internet? It was a tough choice because lets face it, catching good things on broadcast TV these days is tough. The schedules change, TiVo has changed the game, and I'm never home before 9PM. Having cable would be nice... especially for sports.

In the end, I decided to be cheap. I think watching sports is fun, but overrated - I'd rather go do something (unless its the Cougars). I got a good internet connection, perfect for Xbox Live and doing my homework from home.

What I didn't realize at the time was that TV networks were posting all of their shows online a day or two after they air. This means that I basically have my own TiVo via the interwebs all the time. And I love it, because I don't have to worry about being home to catch a show - after all, living your life according to a TV schedule is lame.

What prompted this post? Because I love NBC's Life & Chuck. But I don't think I've ever seen them on the TV, just my computer...

Insomnia

Last night I suffered the worst insomnia of life. At least that I can remember. I ended up falling asleep sometime around 4:30 AM. I kinda wonder if its my own fault.

• My 8 AM & 9 AM classes were canceled all week long, so I've been going to bed later and waking up later - but we're talking like an hour shift on each, not 5 hours. I kept the overall amount of sleep the same.
  
• I had a coke about 7 PM... but caffeine has never kept me awake 9 hours after I drink it. In fact, I usually feel like I get better sleep if I've had caffeine earlier in the day.

On the other hand, I've been super relaxed this week. After taking the Patent Bar, all my other stuff doesn't seem nearly as rough. Finals will be challenging, and I have a lot of work to do on 2 big papers due in the next 2 months... but my stress level is as low as it's been since before Law School.

So what did I do with my extra couple of hours? I watched some TV, tried to fall asleep, then started doing research for my papers. Yup... good times.

On a separate note, if anyone has been hearing about Joe the Plumber in the news and debates and doesn't understand why, here's the original video.

Who is John Galt?

Patent Agent

I just passed the Patent Bar. Phew.

This test basically took a good part of my life for 5 months. I've never studied with the intensity that I went after this - and I still had to take it twice. All I can say is how thankful I am that I'm done with it. For anybody wondering why I'm doing all this... Here's a distribution chart of salaries for entering lawyers. Here's some information about Patent Attorneys specifically.

Ideas

Good idea: Be prepared.

Bad idea: Doing this at home.

Atlas Shrugged

So all the junk going on with the markets the past few days/weeks got me thinking (in between massive study sessions for the Patent Bar, which I take again on Friday) about Atlas Shrugged.

The book is massive (1000 pages), but I very much encourage people to read it. The reason I bring it up is because I remain very much anti-entitlement. The debate tonight - I tuned in for about 30 seconds and they were talking about entitlements.

I don't think people, and in particular, most Americans, should be entitled to much at all. Veterans, yes. Other then them... I'm sure there are some that skip my mind at the moment, but very few people deserve something from the rest of us. And it ticks me off that the government is bailing out Wall Street, and just today bailed out a bunch of private companies...

Anyway, back to the book. In the book, people continue to say that they are entitled to stuff, and deserve this, and they deserve that. Countries, states, companies, need subsidies to continue operating. Kinda like California right now.

Believe it or not, I've softened in law school - I can actually see the value in some social programs. I think everyone deserves a chance at making a life for themselves. Hopefully this money problem will be abated and we can have some breathing room for 10-20 years. Eventually, I predict the truckers going on strike, and suddenly nobody has food, oil, coal (for 80% of all powerplants), or medicine.

How about this for an entitlement: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Seriously: Read this book.

p.s. Ayn Rand was kinda crazy on some stuff, so don't take this as an absolutism on her.
p.p.s. There's a crazy 100 page oratory late in the book I recommend skimming.

Night Air

So my dad worked late nights as a cop for many many years. He once told me that he loved the night - that there was an energy that you could feel driving the streets at 3 AM, when they're empty, that's just incredible.

I love the empty streets, the crisp air, the quiet. Right when I got home from my mission I used to wake up every morning at 5ish and go running in Provo. The quiet was awesome. Especially when it snowed, and the world was completely silent except for the crunch of the snow under my feet.

Anyway, the reason I started writing this stuff is because the other day I was driving home at midnight, and I had forgotten how much I love the night. I loved the glow from the lights, the smell... it was very nice.

4 Bar K

So I think I just found my new favorite restaurant in Lubbock. It's called the 4 Bar K. It's a catering restaurant my buddy Mark had told me about last year, but it's only open on Fridays from 11-2, so its been a trick getting there.

Basically, it's all you can eat BarBQ & drink for $7, with some small dessert thrown in for fun. You get this tortilla from the boss man, who loads a bunch of delicious meat in it, and then you pick your sides - corn bread, coleslaw, chips & salsa... mmm... And there's live music. Today it was just some dude and his guitar - I don't know if its the same guy every week...

Anyway, if you're in Lubbock and you want some awesome grub, you should hit this place up. Of course, its sorta a word of mouth place... it doesn't even say on the website that they serve lunch. Oh, and it's sorta outside of town... Like in the countryside. Just head East on 82nd past highway 27 until you think 'Wow, there's no way Ryan wanted me to go this far' and keep going. You'll see a barn on the right - that's the place.

Sick of the library

I'm sick of always being in the library late. I know I'm not the last one out every night here at law school, but I was often the last one out in undergrad, and I've been pulling some pretty long days/late nights here in law school. Frankly, I'm sick of it.

But, hopefully it'll all pay off. Then I'll go on a vacation to Alaska, while all the people who watched Friends -instead of studying- sit on their couch... and watch Friends.

Or even better, maybe they can watch 'Everybody loves Ramon noodles'. What an awful show. Hate it.

Quick Trip

So I went out to San Jose for an interview - a really quick trip, and I really liked the San Jose area. But the travel to and from was rough. I'm pretty exhausted. Despite said exhaustion, here's a quick map of my travels over the past 2 days.


The biggest surprise of the trip? The size of El Paso. I had no idea it was so huge. A million people! I always thought it was this small little dusty town where nobody speaks English. Little did I know it's a huge dusty town where nobody speaks English!

We're jacked

So here's a couple of quick links leading me to the conclusion that we are definitely hosed as a country.

From 2004.
From last February.
From this week.

Plus this one... about oil futures.

Anyone who thinks this is going to get better anytime soon isn't looking at the money trail. The fact is, the Chinese already have been buying most of the bonds the U.S. sells to cover these debts. I'm not exactly sure how it all works, but I do know that U.S. citizens are not the ones buying the bonds. We're in the hole, big time.

If you think McCain is going to lead us out of this, you're wrong. He wants to cut taxes even further. Exactly how does that make sense? We owe TONS of money. Unfathomable amounts of money, and we're going to tax, i.e. 'make', less money. That's a brilliant idea.

If you think Obama and his 'change' platform will fix this, you're wrong. While Clinton had the right idea and lead to some very good fiscal policies, Obama's platform is currently to increase social programs in the U.S. You know, because we're not already paying for enough junk.

By the way, this bailout that Bernanke and the others are promoting. Twice the cost of the Iraq War, once the pork is added in. But at least a lot of Americans have affordable housing - now my tax dollars can subsidize those loans.

Go America.

Ladyluck Speedway

So on Friday I went to the Ladyluck Speedway here in Lubbock. It was Awesome. Many years ago I was on the BYU electric racecar team, which was super fun. So I had had some experience with racing - but never dirt racing. This was sweet. They had stock cars and they had sprints. Saw some sweet crashes and pushing and thankfully everyone came out healthy.

One thing that's super fun about any racetrack are the people. Lots of interesting characters. I've told a few people, but one thing I learned is that the family that smokes together stays together, as evidenced by a mother passing her smoke on to her son, who then took a drag. That's the Mom above - she had another son (maybe 19?) that she passed her smoke to. Another thing I learned was that it's OK to induce permanent hearing loss in infants, as evidenced by this babyseat at the race.
But overall, I really liked the race. Unfortunately it was the last race of the season - next year I'll be sure to catch a few more.

Red Lobster

In my opinion, the best Mexican food in Provo is Diego's Taco Shack. It's delicious. I almost always get a double, or triple order of carnitas. Pulled pork on a small tortilla, with some chopped onions, lime, and salsa.... mmm...

But alas, I'm not in Provo anymore, and I think its time to find some new restaurants that I can say are my favorites... Today I'm trying out Tom and Bingo’s Hickory Pit Bar-b-que. Sounds like my kinda place.

Not on my list - Red Lobster. First of all, let me start by saying that until this past summer I had never been to Red Lobster. If it were up to me, I'd probably never go again. I'm not a big seafood guy, but Red Lobster is overpriced and a little on the gross side. OK, a lot on the gross side. I simply fail to see the allure of this restaurant. I've been there 3-4 times now, and walk away disappointed every time. I don't foresee me going back unless pressured to do so.

Sunday Nights

Sunday nights are the worst. I mess up my sleep habits every Friday and Saturday, and can't fall asleep before 11:30 or midnight on Sunday. Almost ever. I purposefully try to wake up early on Sunday, but not having church until 2:30 makes it tough to be so motivated. I keep telling myself to wake up early and go for a walk... but its usually easier to sleep. And so, today I'm a sleep deprived wreck. Ya! At least I got ~ 4 hours!

Lance Armstrong

Following Michael Jordan, Brett Farve, and many others, another athlete has decided they shouldn't have retired - Lance Armstrong. Now, I loved watching the Tour when Lance was in it. And the truth is, I'll be rooting him on again. Frankly, it's stunk the past year or two - especially once Landis was found to be doping (which I still kinda doubt, but whatever).

However, what does bug me a little is that he's claiming that its to raise Cancer awareness.

Wait wait, Now I get it!
- Winning 7 times after cancer didn't do enough for cancer awareness.
- Selling a ga-gillion yellow bracelets didn't do enough for cancer awareness.
- Running the New York marathon in 3 hours didn't do enough for cancer awareness.
- Being on TV almost everyday doesn't do enough for cancer awareness.
- Dating Sheryl Crow, then dumping her for one of the Olson twins didn't do enough for cancer awareness.

But winning a race you already won 7 times in a row will do it. Yup.

Weekend Update

After going to NYC last weekend, and not doing any homework during that weekend, plus having some HUGE tasks due the following Wed. and Thurs., this week turned out to be a real pain. Some late nights and a lot of stress later, and I was burnt out.

In contrast to a rough week, I spent the weekend watching BYU and Texas Tech win their respective football games, catching up on other things that needed doing, and just relaxing. It was super nice, especially in contrast to the crazy week, to just sit back and relax. While I'm sure this week will have its own challenges, I feel refreshed and ready to go again.

NYC

So I flew up to New York City for the Labor Day weekend. It went by quickly and was a lot of fun.

I'd never really spent any meaningful time in New York City before, so this was kinda different. What I discovered is that
A) Lubbock and New York are about as polar as it comes within the United States
B) That New York actually reminds me a lot of Argentina, the way the traffic works and just the feel of the city
C) If you ever want to see something strange, NYC is the place to go.

The two funniest things I saw there: A dude walking around with a live cat sitting on his head, and this post-it-note on the suggestion board at Governor's Island.

A lot of people say that New York is a place that's fun to visit, but they'd never want to live there. I don't think that's me. I think it'd be fun, but very different. The idea of living without a car is disconcerting. Lots of walking.

Anyway, now back to school. I'm retaking the patent bar on the 10th of October, so time is now pressing.

Todays Dilbert

Yet another Lawyer joke...

*Update: My brother put up the same post, which I hadn't seen before posting this... kinda creepy.

Lawyer Joke

Here's a joke by B.J.Novak, who plays Ryan on 'The Office.' Oddly, the women at my law school didn't think it was as funny!

Battered women?

Sounds delicious...but that doesn't make it right.