Lawyer-Wearing-Yarmulka

A Series of Shidduchim Posts: Two Girls For Every Boy

2008-11-24T10:16:00.000-05:00

With all respects to Jan and Dean, this post is about shidduch dating, not surfing....

Recently, due to a series of miscommunications, two shadchanim called me within hours saying that two women that I had agreed to go out earlier that week were available and wanted to go out with me. Truth be told, I had said not agreed to go out with either of them, I had only expressed my interest and had requested more information.

But I was stuck. I find the idea of two-timing, even just for a first date, horrible. But I really didn't see another option. I wasn't going to call of one, figuring it would make me look like a jerk. Plus I spoke to a few friends who all assured me that it was no big deal. First dates don't count, you're probably not going to want go out with both again anyways, it's not like you deliberately did this, etc., etc.

So I went out with both, less than 24 hours apart. Bottom line is, I'm never going to do that again. Way too stressful. I kept worrying that I'd get them mixed up, get the conversations mixed up, etc.

Comments from the peanut gallery are requested. Have you ever double-dated?

"Congratulations And Thanks"

2008-11-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

Jonah Goldberg summarizes it perfectly...

Look, I expect to be one of the most severe critics of the Obama administration and the Democrats generally in the years ahead (though I sincerely hope I won't find that necessary). But Obama ran a brilliant race and he should be congratulated for it. Moreover, during the debate over the financial crisis, Obama said that a president should be able to do more than one thing at a time. Well, I think we members of the loyal opposition should be able to make distinctions simultaneously. It is a wonderful thing to have the first African-American president. It is a wonderful thing that in a country where feelings are so intense that power can be transferred so peacefully. Let us hope that the Obama his most dedicated — and most sensible! — fans see turns out to be the real Obama. Let us hope that Obama succeeds and becomes a great president, for all the right reasons.

As for John McCain, he is an American hero and arguably the best candidate we could have fielded. I will in the days to come offer no small amount of criticism about his campaign. But where his campaign may have lacked qualities that would have helped it win, the candidate never lacked for honor and integrity. Thank you John McCain for your sacrifice, commitment, and honor.

God bless America, and may He guide Obama to be the best president possible.

Obama Derangement Syndrome

2008-11-03T10:21:00.002-05:00

I'd just like to clear the air regarding Obama:

I don't think he's a terrorist or a terrorist supporter.
I don't think he's unpatriotic.
I don't think he's a communist or a socialist.
I don't think he's a Muslim.
I don't think he secretly plans on destroying this country.
I don't think he's a black militant.

That is all.

Obama The Communist, Part II

2008-10-30T13:07:00.001-04:00

Another post lifted from the National Review:

A Joke And What It Reveals
Speaking in front of a huge audience at downtown Raleigh rally yesterday, Barack Obama threw off a humorous line about John McCain's accusation that the Obama tax plan is redistributionist:

McCain has “called me a socialist for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class,” Obama said. “I don’t know what’s next. By the end of the week he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten.”

Ha ha.

Only, in this passage Obama revealed precisely why he is vulnerable to such charges: he can't seem to tell the difference between a gift and a theft. There is nothing remotely socialistic or communistic about sharing. If you have a toy that someone else wants, you have three choices in a free society. You can offer to trade it for something you value that is owned by the other. You can give the toy freely, as a sign of friendship or compassion. Or you can choose to do neither.

Collectivism in all its forms is about taking away your choice. Whether you wish to or not, the government compels you to surrender the toy, which it then redistributes to someone that government officials deem to be a more worthy owner. It won't even be someone you could ever know, in most cases. That's what makes the political philosophy unjust (by stripping you of control over yourself and the fruits of your labor) as well as counterproductive (by failing to give the recipient sufficient incentive to learn and work hard so he can earn his own toys in the future).

Government is not charity. It is not persuasion, or cooperation, or sharing. Government is a fist, a shove, a gun. Obama either doesn't understand this, or doesn't want voters to understand it.

Obama the Communist?

2008-10-28T14:43:00.001-04:00

From The Corner on National Review Online:

The Second Bill of Rights
Re Sunstein, Obama and Euro-style rights, they may be here sooner than you think:

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D. Toledo) whipped the crowd up before Mr. Obama took the stage yesterday telling them that America needed a Second Bill of Rights guaranteeing all Americans a job, health care, homes, an education, and a fair playing field for business and farmers.

[UPDATE: A reader writes:

I think adding "The right to an attractive and compatible mate who satisfies one's physical desires" to the list would generate a lot of enthusiasm for socialism among unattractive people. If Paul is entitled to some or all of Peter's earnings, why shouldn't he be entitled to some or all of Paula's assets as well?

Almost right. To be truly "redistributive", it should read "the right to attractive and compatible mate(s)." Another reader felt the US Second Bill of Rights rang a vague bell:

Article 40. Citizens of the USSR have the right to work (that is, to guaranteed employment and pay in accordance wit the quantity and quality of their work, and not below the state-established minimum), including the right to choose their trade or profession, type of job and work in accordance with their inclinations, abilities, training and education, with due account of the needs of society...

Article 41. Citizens of the USSR have the right to rest and leisure...

The length of collective farmers' working and leisure time is established by their collective farms.

Article 42. Citizens of the USSR have the right to health protection.

Etc.]

The Mask Slips

2008-10-27T10:34:00.002-04:00

Obama, circa 2001:

If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court. I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed people, so that now I would have the right to vote. I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order as long as I could pay for it I’d be o.k. But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can’t do to you. Says what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf, and that hasn’t shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendancy to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that.

How, after reading this, can any self-described conservative or libertarian vote for Obama? Can you imagine the damage that will be done if he appoints Supreme Court justices that follow this judicial philosophy?

A Series of Shidduchim Posts: Setting Up

2008-10-25T20:55:00.003-04:00

Have you ever tried to set up someone you were interested in? Just curious.

A Series of Shidduchim Posts: The First Phone Call

2008-10-23T13:04:00.003-04:00

So you've said yes, the girl said yes, and the shaddchan gives you her phone number. When I first started dating, it was often a land-line but now it's always a cellphone. When I first started dating, the shaddchan would be specific- "She'll be expecting your call at 9:00 p.m. tonight", but now I'm given no instructions or time period.

In a sane world, this would be a non-issue. If you call and it's a bad time, she won't pick up the phone, you'll leave a voicemail with your number, say that you'll try her again later, or she wants, she'll call you back.

But instead, many people have poor cellphone eittique, and they'll answer their phone while they're shopping for grocieries, at a party, or in shul. It's annoying.

So what I've been doing lately is simply sending a text message, asking her when is a good time to call. It's quick and painless and she doesn't have to spend the night looking at her phone waiting for a call.

When I mentioned this at a recent Shabbos meal, a girl recoiled in horror. She thought it was an (for lack a better word) looserish thing to do. I countered that I've had dates thank me for doing it.

What do you think?

It's Not Fun When Your Side Is Losing

2008-10-23T11:30:00.002-04:00

I've been quiet on the blogging front for the last month or so. It's partially because I've been real busy at work, but mostly because it's pretty clear that Obama's going to win. As soon as the market tanked, the race was over. The only thing left to do is hope that the GOP hangs on to enough Senate seats to prevent a filibuster-proof majority.

So what else is there to talk about? Law? Not much going on right now. Sports? It's another year without the Yankees in the World Series, and the Jets are a team that needs another month of jelling. I'm a lapsed Islander fan, and the Nets are in a rebuilding year.

One thing on my mind though is shidduchim. Yes, shidduchim. I don't usually blog about the topic, but I've got all these thoughts and questions percolating in my head and I've got to get them out.

My next several posts will deal various shidduchim issues but will not be about anything to do with the "shidduch crisis". I'm just sick and tired that topic.

Your feedback will be appreciated.

Obama's Trickle Up Economics

2008-10-15T22:40:00.000-04:00

Why Rezko, Ayers and Wright Matter

2008-10-10T10:58:00.002-04:00

Charles Krauthammer nails it:

Why are these associations important? Do I think Obama is as corrupt as Rezko? Or shares Wright's angry racism or Ayers's unreconstructed 1960s radicalism?

No. But that does not make these associations irrelevant. They tell us two important things about Obama.

First, his cynicism and ruthlessness. He found these men useful, and use them he did. Would you attend a church whose pastor was spreading racial animosity from the pulpit? Would you even shake hands with -- let alone serve on two boards with -- an unrepentant terrorist, whether he bombed U.S. military installations or abortion clinics?

Most Americans would not, on the grounds of sheer indecency. Yet Obama did, if not out of conviction then out of expediency. He was a young man on the make, an unknown outsider working his way into Chicago politics. He played the game with everyone, without qualms and with obvious success.

Obama is not the first politician to rise through a corrupt political machine. But he is one of the rare few to then have the audacity to present himself as a transcendent healer, hovering above and bringing redemption to the "old politics" -- of the kind he had enthusiastically embraced in Chicago in the service of his own ambition.

Second, and even more disturbing than the cynicism, is the window these associations give on Obama's core beliefs. He doesn't share the Rev. Wright's poisonous views of race nor Ayers's views, past and present, about the evil that is American society. But Obama clearly did not consider these views beyond the pale. For many years he swam easily and without protest in that fetid pond.
Until now. Today, on the threshold of the presidency, Obama concedes the odiousness of these associations, which is why he has severed them. But for the years in which he sat in Wright's pews and shared common purpose on boards with Ayers, Obama considered them a legitimate, indeed unremarkable, part of social discourse.

9/11 Wasn't A Tragedy

2008-09-11T11:50:00.000-04:00

From today's Daily News:

There is a disturbing phenomenon creeping into the public debate about all things 9/11. Increasingly, Sept. 11 is compared to hurricanes, bridge collapses and other mechanical disasters or criminal acts that result in loss of life, with "body count" being the primary factor that keeps it in the top spot of "worst in the nation's history."

Misremembering is as dangerous as forgetting. If we must know one thing, it is that the Sept. 11 attacks were neither a natural disaster, nor the unfortunate result of human error. 9/11 wasn't the catastrophic equivalent of a 3,000-car pileup.

The attacks were not a random actof violence or insanity. They were a deliberate and brutal act ofwar committed by religious fanatics engaged in Islamic jihad against the United States, all non-Muslim people and any Muslim who wishes to live in a secular society. Worse, the people who perpetrated the attacks have explicitly told us that they are not done.

Sept. 11 is a date that comes and goes once a year, but "9/11" is with us every day. The body count keeps rising - Bali, Riyadh, Istanbul, Madrid, Beslan, London, Amman.

We now clearly know that the 1993 World Trade Center bombing was part of the holy war against America. When we previously dismissed this as a random attack by crazy men and declared ourselves lucky that "only six lives were lost," we effectively disarmed ourselves. Eight years later, six became 3,000. While the comparison to other "tragedies" may help us cope with what has befallen us, we must resist being glib and intellectually careless.

Our fellow human beings were not "lost" in 1993 or on 9/11. They were torn to pieces. We must not give the enemy any quarter. We must confront the reality of their acts.

Republican Code Words, Part II

2008-09-10T13:21:00.001-04:00

James Taranto weighs in:

New York's WCBS-TV reports that New York's Gov. David Paterson is "accusing the McCain campaign of veiled racism":
At the Crain's Business Forum [yesterday] morning, Paterson drew attention to a phrase used numerous times by speakers at the Republican National Convention to describe Barack Obama's leadership experience: community organizer.

"I think the Republican Party is too smart to call Barack Obama 'black' in a sense that it would be a negative. But you can take something about his life, which I noticed they did at the Republican Convention – a 'community organizer.' They kept saying it, they kept laughing," he said. . . .

Paterson sees the repeated use of the words "community organizer" as Republican code for "black."

"I think where there are overtones is when there are uses of language that are designed to inhibit other people's progress with a subtle reference to their race," he said.

Just one problem: As we noted last month in Denver, it was the Democrats who first "spent four days touting Obama's experience as a 'community organizer' as a central qualification" for the presidency. "Even after listening to those speeches," we wrote, "we're still not sure what a 'community organizer' is."

If Paterson is right, the Democrats were subtly arguing that Obama is qualified to be president because he is black.

Republican Code Words

2008-09-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

Governor Paterson thinks the term "Community Organizer" is code for "Black".

There are overtones of potential racial coding in the campaign.....the Republican party is too smart to call Barack Obama 'black' in a sense that it would be a negative," Paterson said. "But you can take something about his life, which I noticed they did at the Republican convention. A 'community organizer,' they kept saying it, they kept laughing, like what does this mean?

Now as I type this, I'm thumbing through the September 2008 issue of Code Words for Minorities which is published by the GOP and only available to those who take a blood oath not to reveal its contents. And let me tell you, "Community Organizer" is definitely not in it. Maybe Paterson has an advance copy of the October issue, or maybe Paterson's just a partisan hack who realizes that Obama may not win this thing and is already prepping the excuses.

Quote Of The Day

2008-09-03T15:39:00.001-04:00

The choice of Sarah Palin IS a Hail Mary pass, the pass the guy who thinks he has a good arm makes to the receiver he hopes is gifted.

Most Hail Mary passes don't work.

But when they do they're a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
- Peggy Noonan

Ouch!

2008-08-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

Who Woulda Thunk?

2008-08-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

Apparently, the members of our Armed Forces are richer and smarter than the average American.

Link.

Economic Idiots, Part IV

2008-08-05T13:05:00.000-04:00

JA asks "No mention of McCain's panderific "gas tax holiday?""

Well, no I haven't mentioned it yet, though I did take him to task for other economic issues. Besides, his gas tax holiday is an awful idea, and the MSM did a good job pointing that out.

But the MSM isn't going to point out that Obama is an economic idiot. I use the term "idiot" because the only other option is to say that he willfully wants to wreck the the U.S. economy, something I can't believe.

Besides, idiocy is the perfect term fora policy such as using a windfall profits tax to fund energy rebate checks. As James Taranto points out, it's robbing Peter to pay Peter. Ask any economist, and he'll tell you that corporations don't actually pay taxes. People do. Corporations simply pass along their tax burden to shareholders (in the form of lower stock prices) and consumers (in the form of highger prices). Raise taxers on ExxonMobil will just result in higher gas prices which we then can purchase with our "energy rebates".

Economic Idiots, Part III

2008-08-01T12:33:00.001-04:00

Read and weep.

'Has There Ever Been A Presidential Nominee With A Wider Gap Between His Estimation Of Himself And The Sum Total Of His Lifetime Achievements?"

2008-07-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

Charles Krauthammer wonders- who the hell Barack Obama thinks he is?

Barack Obama wants to speak at the Brandenburg Gate. He figures it would be a nice backdrop. The supporting cast -- a cheering audience and a few fainting frauleins --would be a picturesque way to bolster his foreign policy credentials.

What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn. President Ronald Reagan earned the right to speak there because his relentless pressure had brought the Soviet empire to its knees and he was demanding its final "tear down this wall" liquidation. When President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate on the day of his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, he was representing a country that was prepared to go to the brink of nuclear war to defend West Berlin.

Who is Obama representing? And what exactly has he done in his lifetime to merit appropriating the Brandenburg Gate as a campaign prop? What was his role in the fight against communism, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the creation of what George Bush the elder -- who presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall but modestly declined to go there for a victory lap -- called "a Europe whole and free"?.....

Americans are beginning to notice Obama's elevated opinion of himself. There's nothing new about narcissism in politics. Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?

Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article?His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself.

Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing.

The Wall Street Journal Takes On Shidduch Dating, But This Time For Real

2008-07-14T10:09:00.003-04:00

Unlike the Pepper...and Salt comic from a few weeks ago, the Journal actually had a piece on shidduch dating. Tamar Snyder, who penned a great article on Bad4Shidduchim for the Jewish Week a little while ago, wrote last Friday's House of Worship column in the Weekend Journal.

To put in mildly, I'm not happy with the column, though I'm having a hard time articulating exactly why. I guess I don't like having our dirty laundry aired in the secular press. We come across looking like idiots.

What did you think of it?

The Wall Street Journal Takes On Shidduch Dating

2008-06-30T12:53:00.002-04:00

Doing It Yourself

2008-06-27T09:54:00.002-04:00

Received via text message:

"The Supreme Court has decided that the Constitution forbids the government from executing child rapists, but provides the means for the citizenry to do so themselves"

I say, an excellent summary of Kennedy v. Louisiana and District of Columbia v. Heller.

Flip-Flopping, And No One Cares

2008-06-27T08:39:00.002-04:00

Charles Krauthammer points out that Obama has flip-flopped on several issues since the primaries (FISA, NAFTA, Iran, campaign finance, his grandmother), and no one seems to care.

Krauthammer doesn't care either but he notes:

Nor am I disappointed in the least by his other calculated and cynical repositionings. I have never had any illusions about Obama. I merely note with amazement that his media swooners seem to accept his every policy reversal with an equanimity unseen since the Daily Worker would change the party line overnight -- switching sides in World War II, for example -- whenever the wind from Moscow changed direction.
The truth about Obama is uncomplicated. He is just a politician (though of unusual skill and ambition). The man who dared say it plainly is the man who knows Obama all too well. "He does what politicians do," explained Jeremiah Wright.

When it's time to throw campaign finance reform, telecom accountability, NAFTA renegotiation or Jeremiah Wright overboard, Obama is not sentimental. He does not hesitate. He tosses lustily.

Why, the man even tossed his own grandmother overboard back in Philadelphia -- only to haul her back on deck now that her services are needed. Yesterday, granny was the moral equivalent of the raving Reverend Wright. Today, she is a featured prop in Obama's fuzzy-wuzzy get-to-know-me national TV ad.

Not a flinch. Not a flicker. Not a hint of shame. By the time he's finished, Obama will have made the Clintons look scrupulous.

Trading One Bad Idea For Another

2008-06-26T11:21:00.000-04:00

The good:

"Senator Obama does not support re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters," said press secretary Michael Ortiz in an e-mail to B&C late Wednesday.

The bad:

"He considers this debate to be a distraction from the conversation we should be having about opening up the airwaves and modern communications to as many diverse viewpoints as possible," said Ortiz.

"[T]hat is why Senator Obama supports media ownership caps, network neutrality, public broadcasting, as well as increasing minority ownership of broadcasting and print outlets."

Obama just wants to trade once set of government regulations for another. Big deal.

Full story here.

Heller Affirmed

2008-06-26T10:40:00.001-04:00

Whoo Hoo!

(Real commentary to follow later)

Full decision here

Cookie Monster and Colbert

2008-06-26T10:08:00.000-04:00

Three years ago, Jonah Goldberg weighed in on the matter:

After three decades, they’ve announced he’s not a Cookie Monster at all. In the interests of teaching kids not to be gluttons, CTW has transformed Cookie Monster into just another monster who happens to like cookies. His trademark song, “C is for Cookie” has been changed to “A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food.” And this is a complete and total reversal of Cookie Monster’s ontology, his telos, his raison d’etre, his essential Cookie-Monster-ness.

If the Cookie Monster is no longer a cookie monster, what is he? Why didn’t they just name him “Phil: The Monster Who Sometimes Likes to Eat a Cookie”? Conceptually, this is no different than the idiot animal rights types who want their dogs and cats to be vegans, too. Cookie Monster cannot help being a Cookie Monster any more than your tabby can stop liking fish. It is their nature to do so. Why not just declare that Big Bird is now an elm tree? If the ineffable, inexorable, immutable nature of Cookie Monster’s cookie-eating can be erased for some good cause, why should Big Bird’s birdness be safe?

Sesame Street and its defenders say they are just trying to do their bit in the war against child obesity. That’s nice. But at what price? The whole point of the Cookie Monster character was to have a character who was silly because he ate so much. If Cookie Monster were a Greek god, he’d be the god of gluttony. Wouldn’t it have been more honest and simply better to implore kids not to be too much like the Cookie Monster rather than make the Cookie Monster like everyone else? We all understand we shouldn’t be like Oscar the Grouch.

Who says that making Cookie Monster into moderate eater will improve kids' behavior anyway? Indeed, for years, Cookie Monster has devoured not only cookies, but things which merely look like cookies, including plates, Frisbees, and the moon. If Cookie Monster is so influential, why haven’t I heard more about kids going to the hospital after trying to eat plates?

Economic Idiots, Part II

2008-06-20T11:50:00.001-04:00

Obama wants to raise payroll taxes:

It is shocking to think that we have a presidential candidate who would make the private sector $5 poorer in order to make the government $1 richer. More likely, given the calculated political design of the proposal, no one in the Obama campaign told the candidate about the economic, ethical or historical consequences of his suggestion.

Economic Idiots

2008-06-19T10:20:00.002-04:00

It's really sad when both major presidential candidates are such economic ignoramuses.

Most troubling is John Mccain, who as a Republican, should know better.

Karl Rove sums it up nicely.

This past Thursday, Mr. McCain came close to advocating a form of industrial policy, saying, "I'm very angry, frankly, at the oil companies not only because of the obscene profits they've made, but their failure to invest in alternate energy."....
Most dramatic change comes from new businesses, not old ones. Buggy whip makers did not create the auto industry. Railroads didn't create the airplane. Even when established industries help create new ones, old-line firms are often not as nimble as new ones. IBM helped give rise to personal computers, but didn't see the importance of software and ceded that part of the business to young upstarts who founded Microsoft.

So why should Mr. McCain expect oil and gas companies to lead the way in developing alternative energy? As with past technological change, new enterprises will likely be the drivers of alternative energy innovation.

We're Better Than They Are? So What?

2008-06-17T22:58:00.004-04:00

From a comment thread yesterday:

DovBear: So declare them POWs and allow the Geneva Conventions to take affect. You can't have it both ways (and I don't trust someone who tries)

Me: Why the hell would you want to classify KSM as a POW? Why the hell should he be entitled to that designation if he doesn't follow the rules that classify you as one?

DovBear: Because we're better than they are.

I've never understood that line of reasoning. Offering your end of the bargain when the other party doesn't comply with their end isn't the result when you're better then the other party. It's when you're dumber then they are. Would DovBear pay for a car that the dealer did not deliver? Even if he's "better" than the dealer? Why is the Geneva Convention any different?

Now That I've Got Your Attention....

2008-06-13T10:06:00.003-04:00

Apparently, a link from Bad4Shidduchim sends your sitemeter through the roof. The vast majority of you here are looking for shidduch posts, I assume. It's not exactly the main focus of my blog. Law and politics is. To paraphrase a female J-Blogger I once met, "Oh, I know your blog, there's just nothing I want to read in it."

But I do blog about shidduchim once in a while, so here's the complete list.

A Dating Post

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Shiduchim Etiquette

A Shidduch Story

A Shidduchim Etiquette Question

A Shidduch Story, Part II or Lying Shadchanim And The Lies They Tell

Lying Shadchanim And The Lies They Tell, Part III

Dating During Bar Prep

In Defense of Shidduch Lists

A Shidduchim Etiquette Question, Part II

A Shidduchim Etiquette Question, Part II

2008-06-12T13:21:00.002-04:00

Another question for the ladies. (Guys feel free to respond as well)

One of the no-no's of shidduch dating, is that it's not proper to take a date to a location in her own neighborhood, especially for the first date. I completely understand the rule. It's shouldn't even be a rule- it's just good manners. A friend once told me that she had a date where the guy picked her up at her house, then proceeded to walk down the block with her to the local cafe. Not cool.

So I want to know- Do you care if a guy takes you to a local restaurant? If you do care, will you tell your date? Or will you just sit there, silently stewing while hoping you don't run into all your friends and neighbors. Also, at what point would you be comfortable staying local?

I've also noticed that the older the lady is, the less likely she'll care about staying local. Is this true?

(Part I)

Quote Of The Day

2008-06-12T10:39:00.003-04:00

Today the Court warps our Constitution in a way that goes beyond the narrow issue of the reach of the Suspension Clause, invoking judicially brainstormed separation of-powers principles to establish a manipulable “functional” test for the extraterritorial reach of habeas corpus (and, no doubt, for the extraterritorial reach of other constitutional protections as well). It blatantly misdescribes important precedents, most conspicuously Justice Jackson’s opinion for the Court in Johnson v. Eisentrager. It breaks a chain of precedent as old as the common law that prohibits judicial inquiry into detentions of aliens abroad absent statutory authorization. And, most tragically, it sets our military commanders the impossible task of proving to a civilian court, under whatever standards this Court devises in the future, that evidence supports the confinement of each and every enemy prisoner.

The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today. I dissent.

-Justice Antonin Scalia

Why I'm Going To Feel A Bit Nauseous When I Vote For McCain

2008-06-11T17:48:00.003-04:00

"The point is, oil companies have got to be more participatory in alternate energy, in sharing their profits in a variety of ways, and there is very strong and justifiable emotion about their profits..."

-John McCain

Why should oil companies have to participate in alternative energy? If they want to, they will. If they don't want to, what exactly is he going to do? Force them?
Oil companies do share their profits. It's called dividends to shareholders. It's called increased shareholder value. What McCain wants, is to transfer money from the shareholders of oil companies to other people.
Yeah people are upset about gas prices. But is emotion an effective method of government?

Thank God

2008-06-06T13:22:00.002-04:00

Dems withdraw global warming bill, (aka, the Liebernan-Warner bill), for now.

This bill is so horrible, I don't even know where to begin. It would shave a point or two off GDP. It would jack up energy prices. It would result in a massive expansion of government regulation of the economy. It would lead to thousands of Jack Abramoffs- as people compete for free carbon-credits. It would result in trillions of dollars flowing into the Treasury, open to all sorts of abuse. Oh, and it would have no effect on global warming.

Instead of hiding behind a bureaucratic cap- and trade farce, how about a simple carbon tax that would be revenue neutral? Every dollar that comes in would be offset by a reduction in payroll or corporate taxes.

2008-06-06T10:10:00.003-04:00

Hillary as VP?

2008-06-04T13:19:00.003-04:00

If I were Obama, I'd rather lose the election than win and have Hillary as my Vice-President. It's perfectly fine for someone to chose their rival for the VP slot. Reagan did it. Kerry did it. But it only works when the VP is willing to wait 8 years for their turn. Hillary isn't going to wait until 2016 to get another shot at the White House.

Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

2008-06-03T12:49:00.001-04:00

...And thus the Democratic party is about to nominate a far left candidate in the tradition of George McGovern, albeit without McGovern’s military and political record. The Democratic party is about to nominate a far-left candidate in the tradition of Michael Dukakis, albeit without Dukakis’s executive experience as governor. The Democratic party is about to nominate a far left candidate in the tradition of John Kerry, albeit without Kerry’s record of years of service in the Senate. The Democratic party is about to nominate an unvetted candidate in the tradition of Jimmy Carter, albeit without Jimmy Carter’s religious integrity as he spoke about it in 1976. Questions about all these attributes (from foreign policy expertise to executive experience to senatorial experience to judgment about foreign leaders to the instructors he has had in his cultural values) surround Barack Obama. And the Democratic party has chosen him.

-William J. Bennett

Stupid Comment Of The Day

2008-05-29T09:52:00.002-04:00

It has already been decided that the pursuit of happines (sic) is an inalienable right that no court and no vote can take away.

- DovBear

Gas Prices And Orthodox Jews

2008-05-27T10:15:00.003-04:00

What is it about gas prices that makes otherwise normal and intelligent people say stupid things? Over the weekend I heard various acquaintances blame high gas prices on nefarious plots by either Al-Qaeda, ExxonMobil, or Saudi Arabia. One friend proposed that we take all of Iraq's oil. Another said we should boycott certain oil companies in an effort to drive down prices by starting a price war.

I've bemoaned the lack of knowledge of basic economics before, and I think it's even worse among Orthodox Jews. Someone who knows at least the basics about supply and demand and monetary policy understands why gas prices are going through the roof. Someone who went to a Yeshiva high school and Touro College is going to believe conspiracies.

And For Those Of You Taking The New York Bar Exam...

2008-05-20T09:59:00.002-04:00

...Relax. Yes, it's the most important exam of your life. Yes, there's a huge amount of material that you will need to memorize. Yes, the next two months are probably going to be the worst two months of life. But, if you study correctly, you will almost certainly pass.

Here are some tips based on my experience last year.

1. Focus on the MBE. It's much easier to get a high score on the the MBE then on the NY essays. It's only 6 subjects vs. the twentysomething on the essays. Every day do 35 questions and review the answers.

2. Don't outline. This isn't law school. The BAR/BRI lectures are already in outline form. Re-outlining them is a waste of time. Instead, get old outlines from the prior year, and just keep reading them over and over again.

3. Don't bother with the practice essays. You don't really "know" the material until the last two weeks. There's no point in writing practice essays when you can't answer the questions properly. Instead, review questions, try to spot the issues, then look at the answers. You'll learn the law a lot better that way.

4. Follow the Paced Program, but modify it to suit your needs. Remember, BAR/BRI is designed for the guy who finished last in his class at CUNY Law School. You're smarter than that. You don't need to spend 3 hours reviewing that day's lecture. You don't need to ever prepare for the next day's class.

5. Attend the lectures. You're paying for them, you might as well use them. It's an easy way to study 3 hours each day.

6. Stop studying at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. I have awful study habits, so I spread out my studying throughout the entire day. I could never study for any extended period of time. Ideally, you should treat studying like a job- 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. of real studying, then take the evening off.

7. Don't talk to your friends about their study habits. Remember, some of your friends are crazy, and it's only going to freak you out when they say that they are studying 14 hours a day.

The dirty little secret is that the whole thing is overrated. You may have to know a ton of material, but you only have to know it on the most superficial level. It's not that hard. Of course, you're only going to realize this after you pass. But try to keep that mind over the next two months.

Quote Of The Day

2008-05-16T09:50:00.001-04:00

"One constantly hears about the disabling complexity of the Arab-Israeli dispute. Complex it is, but the root cause is not. Israel's crime is not its policies but its insistence on living. On the day the Arabs -- and the Palestinians in particular -- make a collective decision to accept the Jewish state, there will be peace, as Israel proved with its treaties with Egypt and Jordan. Until that day, there will be nothing but war. And every "peace process," however cynical or well meaning, will come to nothing."

- Charles Krauthammer

The Judges Giveth...

2008-05-15T14:23:00.002-04:00

And the people shall taketh.

The California Supreme Court ruled today that the California Constitution requires the state to recognize same-sex marriage. In November, there will likely a constitutional amendment on the ballot restricting marriage to heterosexual couples only.

I'm curious how this will play out in the Presidential campaigns. I'm hoping that McCain doesn't call for a federal Constitutional amendment. Marriage is a local issue. Let the states figure it all out. I'm obviously not thrilled when judges make social policy, but at least it's isolated within one state. Californians who are upset at the ruling will be able to overturn it in November.

Maybe I'll Go This Year

2008-05-12T15:19:00.001-04:00

Justice Scalia to Address Agudath Israel Dinner

Now that's cool.

In Defense of Shidduch Lists

2008-05-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

This post was triggered by a conversation I had over Shabbos. A common complaint among Orthodox Jewish females who are doing the shidduchim thing is that guys have "lists." It's not fair they say. There are usually two kinds of complaints: 1. They hear of a great guy, they want to go out with him, but are told that you're going they're going to have to wait their turn because he has a list of names a mile long. 2. Guys are always getting calls with shidduch ideas while girls sit at home waiting for the phone to ring.

These complaints are misguided.

If a guy has a list, that simply means that he is being redt more girls than he can go out with. It's a little like Lucy at the chocolate factory. You keep dating, but the names keep coming in. So a guy has two choices; he can tell the shadchan that he doesn't want to hear any more suggestions, or he can take down the info and add to the list.

I don't see anything wrong with adding to the list. When you're ready to go out with a new girl, then you go out with the one that seems the most appropriate. The "list" isn't like the waiting list to get season tickets to Jets.

As for the complaint that guys are always being redt shidduchim, while it's All Quiet on the Shidduch Front for the girls- the way the shidduch system is set up, one side has to be the first to be contacted. The shadchanim will call me first, but more often than not, it's not worth a date for whatever reason. But plenty of time is wasted figuring that out.

While the phone doesn't ring that often for the girl, when t does ring, the guy has already agreed to go out. One side has determined that it's worth a date. Odds are, it's worth a date for the girl as well. The guy is basically acts as the filter. If the gender roles were reversed, then girls would probably be complaining about all the awful ideas they're being suggested.

Now I know the shidduch system has many, many problems. But lists aren't one of them.

Getting It Completely Wrong

2008-04-29T23:33:00.001-04:00

In an otherwise unremarkable editorial today about Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the NY Times really dropped the ball in the last two paragraphs.

Hovering over Monday’s decision was a case that was not mentioned: Bush v. Gore. In 2000, the Supreme Court took seriously the claims of one individual — George W. Bush — that his equal protection rights were being denied by a state election system, and the court had no hesitation about telling the state what to do.
On “60 Minutes” on Sunday, Justice Scalia yet again told the public to “get over” that ruling. There are many good reasons to remember Bush v. Gore, and Monday’s ruling was a reminder of one of them. Seven years after it invoked the Constitution to vindicate what it saw as Mr. Bush’s right to fair election procedures, we are still waiting for the court to extend this guarantee with equal vigilance to every American.

Slight problem- Bush v. Gore was not about GWB's equal protection rights. It was about Florida voters' equal protection rights. From the pur curiam opinion:

The recount process, in its features here described, is inconsistent with the minimum procedures necessary to protect the fundamental right of each voter in the special instance of a statewide recount under the authority of a single state judicial officer.

I don't really blame the editorial board for misunderstanding the case. I bet, seven years later, most lefties don't know anything about Bush v. Gore except for the result; that Bush became President. The case has become an empty vessel for those suffering from BDS to pour in all their rage. But it would be nice if the Times reread the case the next time they cite it in an editorial.

Quote Of The Day

2008-04-28T23:23:00.001-04:00

"The only thing worse than a government bureaucrat is a bureaucrat working for a government fee- for-service contractor."

-Lawyer-Wearing-Yarmulka

Quote Of The Day

2008-04-15T23:01:00.000-04:00

Rich Lowry on Bittergate/ Clinggate:

Obama prides himself on his civility, but it has to go much deeper than dulcet rhetoric. A fundamental courtesy of political debate is to meet the other side on its own terms. If someone says he cares about gun rights, it’s rude to insist: “No, you don’t. It’s the minimum wage that you really care about, and you’d know it if you were more self-aware.” But Democrats have an uncontrollable reflex to do just that. Since the McGovernite takeover of their party, they have struggled to work up enthusiasm for Middle American mores. (Since 1980, only Bill Clinton managed it, which is why he was the only Democrat elected president in three decades.)

When the liberal reflex is coupled with a Ivy League–educated candidate who seems personally remote and uncomfortable with everyday American activities, it’s electoral poison. After the likes of Al Gore and John Kerry, Republicans had to be wondering, “Could Democrats possibly nominate yet another candidate easily portrayed as an out-of-touch elitist?” With Obama, Democrats appear to be responding with a resounding “Yes, we can!

I Really Don't Like The Second Seder

2008-04-10T22:12:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one that really doesn't look forward to the second day of Pesach.

Now, I generally don't mind the whole two-day Yom Tov thing. (Three days, however, that's just too much). Pesach, however, is different. It's the second Seder that really bugs me. The way I see it, it's a complete waste of time. There's always that feeling of "didn't we just do this last night?" There's no real variation in the Seder except at the end, by Nirtza. It's the same thing, all over again, which is not terribly exciting, in such a highly structured meal. Ma Nishtana is great the first night. Second night, not so great. Eating marror is unique the fist night. Second night, it's just annoying.

And to preempt some of the comments, yes I know that I should move to Israel....

Today, I Am A Lawyer

2008-04-09T23:02:00.000-04:00

I was sworn in today in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Second Judicial Department. I am now officially a lawyer. (Yes, I was admitted to practice in New Jersey months ago, but New Jersey doesn't count).

One thing I must mention. Right after the judges came in, everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance. As far as I can remember, this was the first time I've ever recited it, and yet I still knew the words.

I Love The Onion News Network

2008-04-03T23:40:00.001-04:00

9/11 Conspiracy Theories 'Ridiculous,' Al Qaeda Says

Idiots

2008-04-01T23:53:00.000-04:00

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply doesn't work".

- Kent Brockman in "Bart's Comet"

That's what I was thinking after reading this article. It's that wonderful time of the year again, when Congress hauls oil company executives down to explain how they have the audacity to make money.

Proving once again that politicians are usually idiots, House members complained that oil prices are too high and we should be developing alternative energy sources. It never dawns on them that high oil prices enable the development of alternative energy sources, which can't compete with $10 a barrel oil.

Quote Of The Day

2008-04-01T23:26:00.000-04:00

Today's credit panic isn't some "crisis of capitalism" that needs a vast new layer of regulation. We are living through the aftermath of a societal credit mania fueled by excessive money creation. The regulators are as much to blame as the regulated, and Adam Smith is providing more punishment and reform than Washington ever will.

-Wall Street Journal Editorial

Where Have All The Tam Tams Gone?

2008-03-28T18:03:00.001-04:00

A few months ago became harder and harder to find Tam Tams in stores. For those who don't know, what a Tam Tam is, it's probably the greatest cracker in the world. Manischewitz has been making it for decades. They're perfect for dips, especially chumus. A Shabbos kiddush is not the same without a nice piece of matjes herring on a Tam Tam. But lately, they're nowhere to be found.

The New York Times reports why- it seems they've been having equipment problems, but they should be back on the shelves after Pesach.

One Big Lie

2008-03-28T16:59:00.001-04:00

I'm really sick of the media and the left constantly parroting the line that McCain wants us fighting in Iraq for the next 100 years.

So is Charles Krauthammer.

There is another analogy to the kind of benign and strategically advantageous "presence" McCain was suggesting for postwar Iraq: Kuwait. The United States (with allies) occupied Kuwait in 1991 and has remained there with a major military presence for 17 years. We debate dozens of foreign policy issues in this country. I've yet to hear any serious person of either party call for a pullout from Kuwait.

Ask Me About My Yarmulka!

2008-03-27T23:48:00.000-04:00

In the elevator today a guy asked me about my yarmulka. He wanted to know if I wear it all the time, or only on special occasions.

I was thinking of messing with him and say that I only wear it for special occasions. When he would ask what today was, I was going to say Hamover.

Drunkard!

2008-03-25T19:45:00.001-04:00

97%ALCOHOLIC

The Sound Of Silence

2008-03-24T23:01:00.000-04:00

The Wall Street Journal and William Kristol discuss the recent Pentagon report that details Saddam Hussein's links to terrorism, and wonder why the White House is staying silent.

WSJ:

The redacted version of "Saddam and Terrorism" is the most definitive public assessment to date from the Harmony program, the trove of "exploitable" documents, audio and video records, and computer files captured in Iraq. On the basis of about 600,000 items, the report lays out Saddam's willingness to use terrorism against American and other international targets, as well as his larger state sponsorship of terror, which included harboring, training and equipping jihadis throughout the Middle East.

Kristol:

So, this week's fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war will bring us countless news stories reexamining the case for war, with the White House essentially pleading nolo contendere. Even though there is abundant evidence that Iraq was a serious state sponsor of terrorism--and would almost certainly have become a greater one if Saddam had been left in power--most Americans will assume there was no real Saddam-terror connection. After all, they haven't heard the Bush administration say otherwise.

Economic Knowledge

2008-03-11T23:52:00.000-04:00

What is it with Americans and a distinct lack of knowledge of basic economics. About once every few months I get an email from a friend urging me to boycott certain oil companies who allegedly get most of their oil from the Middle East. Instead, I should only buy from certain companies that are get their oil from the U.S., Canada, etc...

Now, Snopes has a page on this email. And yes, you should always check Snopes before you forward a chain email. But you shouldn't need Snopes here.

Boycotts only work when you can use a substitute product or refrain from using the product at all. But the substitute for a barrel of oil is still a barrel of oil. The markets don't care where it came from. Even if Middle Eastern gas was dyed green and and all other gas was dyed blue, it still wouldn't matter. Oil is fungible. As soon as everyone starts buying "blue" gas, there's going to be shortage of it, and vendors will simply buy "green" gas.

In about 6 weeks, I'm going to start getting emails asking me to participate in a gas boycott on May 15th, in a futile attempt to lower gas prices. Again, basic economics says that boycotting a product for one day does absolutely nothing. You're still going to have to fill up your tank at some point and it doesn't matter if you do it on the 14th, 15th, or 16th.

About a year and a half ago, my sister came home from high school and said that her principle claimed that gas prices were going down because the politicians decided to lower them before the November elections. This is coming from woman with at least one PhD. The friends who email me are usually highly educated professionals. They all should know better, but they don't for some reason.

HOLY MOLY!

2008-03-10T23:26:00.001-04:00

Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring

I bet no one saw that coming. There has got to be a lot of righteous tongue-clucking going on right now.

As for me, I just can't stop laughing.

[UPDATE]

Fox is reporting that Spitzer has been indicted.

Obama and the Supreme Court

2008-03-10T20:01:00.000-04:00

There was a brief moment, a few weeks ago, where I seriously thought that I would vote for Obama/ Hillary should McCain win the GOP nomination. I am not a McCain fan, and I figured that I'd rather have a real Democrat in the White House than a Republican that often acts like one.

Well, I got over that real quickly for a variety of reasons. Here's one that I for some reason did not give much though to until reading this.

Edward Whelan discusses what kind of judges Obama would likely appoint to the Supreme Court, and his underlying Constitutional theories.

He also digs up this quote from Obama:

"We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom, the empathy to understand what it's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old--and that's the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges."

God save this honorable Court if he's elected.

Op-Ed of the Day

2008-03-05T22:22:00.000-05:00

Michael Gerson, over at the Washington Post, imagines what Obama's first 100 days would look like if he actually follows through with he has said on the campaign trail.

Obama's 100-day agenda would be designed, in part, to improve America's global image. But there is something worse than being unpopular in the world -- and that is being a pleading, panting joke. By simultaneously embracing appeasement, protectionism and retreat, President Obama would manage to make Jimmy Carter look like Teddy Roosevelt.

Gerson goes on to say that it's highly unlikely that Obama would actually go through with all that he said, i.e., he's not going to sit down unconditionally with Iran, he's not going to pull out of NAFTA, and he certainly isn't going to immediately pull out of Iraq.

I'm Voting For Ralph Wiggum

2008-03-03T23:15:00.000-05:00

John McCain has said that he doesn't understand economics as well as he should.

Well, apparently he doesn't understand science either. No, Senator McCain, Thimerosal doesn't cause autism.

Maybe he's been listening too much to Don Imus.

How in good conscience can I vote for this guy?

William F. Buckley, Jr., R.I.P

2008-02-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

"All great biblical stories begin with Genesis...and before there was Ronald Reagan, there was Barry Goldwater, and before there was Barry Goldwater there was National Review, and before there was National Review there was Bill Buckley with a spark in his mind, and the spark in 1980 has become a conflagration."

-George Will

I Blame Global Warming

2008-02-26T23:41:00.000-05:00

The planet has gotten colder.

Kosher Laundry Detergent?

2008-02-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

It's a fuzzy picture, but you'll have to trust me- that is an OU on the bottom right corner of a Duane Reade laundry detergent bottle.

I'd love for someone at the OU to justify this.

What To Do?

2008-01-28T23:45:00.000-05:00

I'm torn.

Do I support McCain or Romney? I'd much rather Romney be President than McCain. But McCain, I think, has a better shot at beating Obama/ Hillary.

Funny thing is, I'm a registered Democrat, so I can't vote in the GOP primary anyways.

2008-01-21T13:24:00.000-05:00

Vending Machine Judaism

2008-01-15T17:52:00.000-05:00

Noyam posts a really good rant, part of which is about segulahs. I've posted on this before a bit, but it's an issue I talk about a lot more in person.

My main beef with the segulah explosion we're witnessing, is that it cheapens Judaism. I've used the term Vending Machine Judaism before, and I think it's the perfect description of the new religion we're creating. Basically, God is a giant vending machine. We stand in front of it, see what we want, press a button, and we expect to get it. Need a shidduch? Say Shir haShirm. Parnasah? Say Parshas Ha'mon. Can't find your keyes? Give money to R' Meir Baal Ha'Ness.

This is turning religion into nothing more than a means to an end. It's a selfish version of Judaism, as in "How can I use God to get exactly what I want"?

Obamamania, Deflated, Part II

2008-01-15T15:56:00.000-05:00

Richard Cohen takes on Obama and his minister, who is apparently a fan of Louis Farrakhan.

I don't for a moment think that Obama shares Wright's views on Farrakhan. But the rap on Obama is that he is a fog of a man. We know little about him, and, for all my admiration of him, I wonder about his mettle. The New York Times recently reported on Obama's penchant while serving in the Illinois legislature for merely voting "present" when faced with some tough issues. Farrakhan, in a strictly political sense, may be a tough issue for him. This time, though, "present" will not do.

Obama has been treated with kid gloves by the medial. It's going to end sooner or later, and for Obama's sake, I hope sooner. As James Taranto always says, it's not good for a candidate to be treated so well by the media. It lulls you into a false sense of security and complacency

DovBear Is Famous!

2008-01-11T12:09:00.000-05:00

Obamamania, Deflated

2008-01-11T11:16:00.000-05:00

Charles Krauthhammer takes on Obama. Brilliant.

One does not have to be sympathetic to the Clintons to understand their bewilderment at Obama's pre-New Hampshire canonization. The man comes from nowhere with a track record as thin as Chauncey Gardiner's. Yet, as Bill Clinton correctly, if clumsily, complained, Obama gets a free pass from the press.

It's not just that NBC admitted that "it's hard to stay objective covering this guy." Or that Newsweek had a cover article so adoring that one wonders what is left for coverage of the Second Coming. Or that Obama's media acolytes wax poetic that his soaring rhetoric and personal biography will abolish the ideological divide of the 1960s -- as if the division between left and right, between welfare statism and free markets, between internationalism and unilateralism, between social libertarianism and moral traditionalism are residues of Sgt. Pepper and the March on Washington. The baby boomers in their endless solipsism now think they invented left and right -- the post-Enlightenment contest of ideologies that dates back to the seating arrangements of the Estates-General in 1789.

The freest of all passes to Obama is the general neglect of the obvious central contradiction of his candidacy: The bipartisan uniter who would bring us together by transcending ideology is at every turn on every policy an unwavering, down-the-line, unreconstructed, uninteresting, liberal Democrat.

Are Democrats Racists?

2008-01-09T23:06:00.000-05:00

James Taranto today says that pundits are using the "Bradley Effect" to try to explain why Obama polled so well in New Hampshire, but did much worse in the actually primary.

John McGinnis takes this idea one step further, and says that the Bradley Effect-esque theory could also explain why Obama did so well in Iowa- there's no secret ballot in a caucus, everyone knows who you are voting for.

Column of the Day

2008-01-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

Excellent column by Bret Stephens on why why foreigners consider us naive.

When foreigners assail Americans for being naive, it is often on account of contrasts like these. A nation in which the poor are defined by an income level that in most countries would make them prosperous is a nation that has all but forgotten the true meaning of poverty. A nation in which obesity is largely a problem of the poor (and anorexia of the upper-middle class) does not understand the word "hunger." A nation in which the most celebrated recent cases of racism, at Duke University or in Jena, La., are wholly or mostly contrived is not a racist nation. A nation in which our "division" is defined by the vitriol of Ann Coulter or James Carville is not a truly divided one--at least while Mr. Carville is married to Republican operative Mary Matalin and Ms. Coulter is romantically linked with New York City Democrat Andrew Stein.

Obamamania

2008-01-07T15:02:00.000-05:00

Does anybody for a moment thing that the media would be gushing over Obama if he was a conservative Republican?

Bloomberg? Nah.

2008-01-03T18:39:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal on a possible Bloomberg White House run:

Most third-party candidates have run on some issue or cause that the main parties had ignored. Lincoln and the Republicans supplanted the Whigs in 1860 over slavery, Teddy Roosevelt promised a return to progressive Republicanism in 1912, Strom Thurmond represented Southern segregationists in 1948, and even Ross Perot had the budget deficit in 1992. We aren't aware of any such cause or idea that Mr. Bloomberg represents. Perhaps he could run on "competence," but that's a less than thrilling call to arms....

We also doubt the conceit that all Washington needs is a President who is a better and more ideologically flexible manager. The reason health-care and entitlement reform are so difficult is because the two main parties have such different visions of how to do it. The next President won't be able to wave those differences away, but will instead have to decide whose solutions to favor.

Eh

2008-01-02T23:28:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow it begins. To be really honest, I don't care who wins the GOP nomination, as long as it isn't Huckabee. I'm quite ok with Rudy, Romney, McCain or Thompson. I'm not in love with any of them. I went from supporting Romney, then Thompson, then Rudy. Right now I'm flirting with supporting McCain. I've long since realized that there's rarely, if ever, a perfect candidate whose views line up neatly with mine.

More Huckabee Stuff

2007-12-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

Almost all of the criticism by conservatives against Huckabee so far has been on domestic issues; namely that he's basically a socially conservative, big government, economic populist. Take away God, gays, and abortion, he'd fit right in with the Democrats.

Everyone knows he's a foreign policy neophyte, and till now, he's been basically silent on the issues.

Till now.

And it doesn't look good.

If by some awful miracle, he wins the GOP nomination, I'm almost surely going to hold my nose and vote for Hillary.

Gee, What A Surprise!

2007-12-11T22:27:00.000-05:00

Congressional leaders briefed on waterboarding in in 2002.

Apparently, back in 2002, Democrats were concerned about terrorist attacks!

Diplomatic Pressure?

2007-12-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

John Bolton, in today's Washington Post, discusses the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran.

Money quote:

Second, the NIE is internally contradictory and insufficiently supported. It implies that Iran is susceptible to diplomatic persuasion and pressure, yet the only event in 2003 that might have affected Iran was our invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, not exactly a diplomatic pas de deux. As undersecretary of state for arms control in 2003, I know we were nowhere near exerting any significant diplomatic pressure on Iran. Nowhere does the NIE explain its logic on this critical point.

Exactly. Other than a WSJ editorial yesterday, I haven't seen anyone pick up on this oddity at all.

A Sports Post

2007-12-05T15:02:00.000-05:00

It's odd. The only thing I like talking about more than law and politics is professional sports. And yet I rarely, if ever, blog about sports. Not sure why, though.

But here goes nothing:

I'm glad the Yankees aren't going to trade for Santana. Really, Really glad. Yes I am very aware of how good Santana is. He's the best pitcher in baseball. He's miles better than the #2 pitcher, whoever that may be. But I didn't want the Yankees to have to give up Hughes. He's really young, really talented, and has already shown that he can make in New York. Plus I'm always worried when bringing a new pitcher into Yankee Stadium. What if Santana can't handle New York? There's a long line of pitchers who were great but couldn't handle the pressure of pitching in the biggest market in baseball.

Now if the Red Sox get Santana, they're going to have a scary good rotation. But I'm quite ok with a rotation of Wang, Pettite, Hughes, Joba, and Moose/Kennedy.

The Man From Hope

2007-12-05T13:32:00.000-05:00

Dean Barnett tries to explain Huckabee's rise. I'm still not buying it. Lord help the GOP if he's nominated.

Jonah Goldberg put it perfectly. "Huckabee is the bastard child of Lou Dobbs and Pat Robertson."

Bush Is Vindicated...

2007-11-30T11:42:00.000-05:00

...On stem cells. So says Charles Krauthhammer. He's right.

Flat Tax

2007-11-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent editorial on Fred Thompson's recently announced tax plan. It's not perfect, but it does bow to political realities. Let's hope other GOP candidates pick up a great idea whose time has come.

A 2nd Amendment Post

2007-11-27T13:28:00.000-05:00

Nephtuli requested that I post something on the 2nd Amendment, which seems to be in the news a a lot lately since the Supreme Court decided to take on Parker v. D.C.

There's way too much already written on the 2nd Amendment, most of written by people who more knowledgable on the subject, but I'd still like to make a few points.

First of all, note the location of the 2nd Amendment. It's in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is all about an individual's rights in relationship to the government. Context matters. If the right to bear arms was a power granted to the States, then it would be in Article 4 of the Constitution.

Second of all is the argument that the 2nd Amendment only protects weapons that were available at the time the Amendment was ratified, like muskets and flintlock pistols. That argument only works if you're going to limit the First Amendment to newspapers speeches in the town square.

Third of all, and this has nothing to do with merits of either side of the argument. If I were a Democratic presidential candidate, I'd be praying night and day that the Supreme Court rules in favor of the individual right. As recent history shows, gun control is not a winning issue for the Democrats. This case has the ability to decide the 2008 election.

What I've Been Up To

2007-11-26T16:05:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...I basically stopped blogging right before I started studying for the bar exam. That was not fun. Thankfully I passed, so unless my life takes an unexpected turn, I'm never going to school again, and I'm never going to have to take another test.

I've been working in midtown now for about a month; so far so good. I actually enjoy this lawyer stuff.

Other than that, life has been pretty much the same.

And We're Back!

2007-11-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

Sometimes old blogs get a second wind. I've got a new blogging strategy now. I'm not going to post just for the sake of posting. I'm not going to scour the web looking for material. If I don't post anything for a week, I'm ok with that. I'm not going to care about my traffic counter. If I got something to write about, then I'm going to write it. If I've got nothing, that's ok too.

This Is The End

2007-10-22T22:18:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been almost two months since the bar exam and my blogging mojo still has not returned. I think it's time to retire the moniker Classmate-Wearing-Yarmulka. I'm starting work this week, so I think it's silly to continue referring to myself as a classmate. It's time to move on.

Old Blogs Never Die, They Just Fade Away

2007-05-21T15:22:00.000-04:00

My blogging mojo has disappeared again, and it's not just because of finals these last few weeks. Something seems to be missing. While I still enjoy reading blogs, I just can't seem to muster up any interest in commenting on posts I read. I'm as opinionated as ever, but I just don't feel like posting right now.

To make matters worse, starting today, I begin studying for the New York Bar Exam. That means 4 hours a day watching videos of law professors yammer on about a topic of law I learned 3 years ago, and another 4-7 hours reviewing and preparing for the next class. The next two months are not going to fun, and any spare time I have I probably won't want to spend it in front of my laptop.

And then what? I'm no longer going to be Classmate-Wearing-Yarmulka! For the first time in my life, I'm no longer going to be a student. I'm going to be Lawyer-Wearing-Yarmulka, or Attorney-Wearing-Yarmulka. (As soon as a I find a job).

I don't want to pull the plug on 400 posts and almost two years of work, so I guess I'm going to leave everything up, just in case my mojo comes back after the bar exam.

It's been fun folks.

Hallelujah!!!!!! (Sort Of)

2007-05-14T23:03:00.000-04:00

I'm too busy with finals to blog, but I just have to post the following email I just received:

Dear Candidate:xxxx xxxxxx

BOLEID:Bxxxxxxx

Our records indicate that when you applied to sit for the July 2007 New York Bar Examination, you expressed interest in being tested on Thursday, July 26, due to your need to observe Tisha B’Av, rather than on the regularly scheduled date of Tuesday, July 24. At the time when the Board made its decision several months ago to offer an accommodation for Tisha B’Av, we were not able to offer a laptop program on the alternative testing date. The Board is currently revisiting the issue of whether it is feasible to conduct a laptop program on Thursday, July 26, 2007. If it is determined to go forward with a laptop test site for candidates being tested on Thursday and the demand is high, a lottery may need to be conducted.

There are a number of issues that must be considered in making such a decision, including the availability of a suitable testing location and the level of demand for a laptop location. In order to gauge the level of demand by candidates who will be taking the exam on Thursday, click on the link below to indicate whether or not you would choose to participate in the laptop program for the essay section of the exam, if given the opportunity to do so.

PLEASE CLICK LINK BELOW TO RESPOND TO THIS REQUEST

https://www.nybarapply.org/tishabavlaptop.aspx?BID=Bxxxxxx

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL AS IT IS AUTO GENERATED

Quote Of The Day

2007-05-03T19:32:00.000-04:00

"There is no penalty for guessing. That comes when you start working. That’s why we have malpractice insurance."

-Professor's response to a student's question about guessing on the upcoming multiple-choice final exam.

Kicking A Gift Horse In The Mouth?

2007-05-01T02:36:00.000-04:00

Received via email and Ezzie.

Congressman Towns and Congressman Weiner Fight for Equitable Bar Exam Conditions for Jewish Examinees
Entire New York Delegation Demands Parity

Brooklyn, NY - Congressman Edolphus "Ed" Towns and Congressman Anthony D. Weiner announced today an effort by the entire New York congressional delegation to ensure that observant Jews are able to take the New York bar exam under equitable conditions. The New York bar exam is scheduled for July 25, 2007, the same date as Tisha B'Av, one of the most solemn days on the Jewish calendar.

Although the New York State Board of Law Examiners is offering the exam on July 26, 2007 for examinees observing Tisha B'Av, examinees on that date are not allowed to take the exam on their laptop computers. Congressman Towns and Congressman Weiner have jointly written a letter to the Board of Law Examiners requesting the board to allow observant examinees to write the exam on their laptop computers. This letter has been signed by the entire New York congressional delegation.

"We commend [the] efforts [of the Board of Law Examiners] to ensure that Jewish examinees are able to take the bar exam on an alternate date. We are concerned, however, that the facility arranged for the alternate date by the New York State Board of Law Examiners is inadequate in so far as it will preclude the use of laptop computers, placing the examinees, who must hand write their exams, at a significant competitive disadvantage. We urge you to reconsider these arrangements. Observant Jewish examinees should not be penalized or placed at a disadvantage for adhering to their religious beliefs," the letter stated.

"I also recognize the continued leadership of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on this issue. Speaker Silver has fought hard in the past to ensure that all people have equal access to standardized tests and is currently working with the Board of Law Examiners on this issue. His successful efforts to rectify this inequality has allowed Jewish examinees to take the bar without sacrificing their faith, as this is not the first time the bar exam conflicts with Tisha B'Av. Most recently, Speaker Silver translated is advocacy into legislation by amending New York State's current religious protection "Equal Access" law to include professional exams, including bar examinees," said Congressman Towns.

"The bar exam is the most important test in the life of future lawyers. I am optimistic that the Board of Law Examiners will remove this obstacle in the path of all of New York's observant examinees," concluded Congressman Towns.

"Making our future lawyers choose between their religion and the bar exam is wrong," said Rep. Weiner. "These students will also be at serious disadvantage without their laptops, and I hope the Board does the right thing and gives them the same playing field as their colleagues."

I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, I really, really,really,really,really, want to use my laptop on the Bar exam. I have terrible handwriting, and I'm pretty sure my hand is going to fall off after six hours of essay writing. I'm also nervous about anonymity - I'm guessing the vast majority of people are going to type their exams, so almost everyone writing is going to be Jewish. I'd rather the that the guy grading my exam not know my religion.

But on the other hand, I'm not entirely comfortable with Jews kvetching all the time when our religion gets in our way. The Bar is being nice enough to allow us to take the exam on a different day, and they probably tried to accommodate laptops but couldn't. Why do we have to make a big stink about? Maybe I have a bit of a ghetto mentality.

Gun Control Laws Work Again

2007-04-16T23:19:00.000-04:00

Click.

I know I'm being a bit crass here, but I've got no choice. Every time there's a school or workplace shooting the same thoughts go through my head. All I think about is the insanity of laws that forbid people from carrying concealed handguns in school or work. You're basically hanging a giant sign on the building informing every nutjob that everyone inside is utterly defenseless.

Terry Moran Is An Idiot

2007-04-13T18:16:00.000-04:00

Read.

But perhaps the outpouring of sympathy for Reade Seligman, Collin Finnerty and David Evans is just a bit misplaced. They got special treatment in the justice system--both negative and positive. The conduct of the lacrosse team of which they were members was not admirable on the night of the incident, to say the least. And there are so many other victims of prosecutorial misconduct in this country who never get the high-priced legal representation and the high-profile, high-minded vindication that it strikes me as just a bit unseemly to heap praise and sympathy on these particular men.

Ugh.

As A Lawyer, You Would Think He Would Know Better

2007-04-05T20:45:00.000-04:00

Giuliani on publicly-funded abortions:

"Ultimately, it's a constitutional right, and therefore if it's a constitutional right, ultimately, even if you do it on a state by state basis, you have to make sure people are protected."

While I salute him for not flip-flopping on the issue, what he says makes no sense. Just because something is a Constitutional right, does not necessarily mean the government has to support it financially. My 1st Amendment rights are not violated if the government doesn't buy me a radio station to air my political views, nor are my 2nd Amendment rights violated if the government doesn't provide me with rifles and ammunition.

Taxpayer-financed abortions may be correct from a policy perspective, but they sure aren't constitutionally required.

A Morally Reprehensible View...

2007-04-02T21:39:00.000-04:00

...or just outright lying.

That is the only two ways of explaining Rudy Giuliani's view on abortion. It's the classic "I'm personally opposed to it, but I shouldn't force my view on others. Thus I support a woman's right to choose" John Kerry voiced the same view in 2004.

The only way you can get away with a view like that is if you are totally passive on the abortion issue. You don't campaign in favor of abortion. You don't give speeches to NARAL and you don't call for government funding for abortion. You stay silent on the issue as much as possible.

But that's not what Giuliani has done in the past. He's been a very strong supporter of abortion rights. He's actively campaigned on the pro-choice side of the issue. I'm sorry, but that is just morally reprehensible.

The other possibility is that Giuliani is just lying, that he isn't personally opposed to abortion. This actually does make a bit more sense to me. Think about it: what other issue in contemporary American politics would someone NOT want to impose his viewpoint on everyone else? Can you imagine a politician saying, "I'm personally in favor of gun-control but I don't want to force my view on others"? How about "I'm personally in favor of stronger narcotics laws but I don't want to force my views on others?" Or my personal favorite: "I'm personally in favor of more immigration, but I don't want to force my view on others?"

Big Surprise, Part II

2007-03-28T20:24:00.000-04:00

The Wall Street Journal on Monicia Goodling's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment:

Count Ms. Goodling's silence as one more unintended consequence of the Scooter Libby case. Mr. Libby made the mistake of cooperating with the investigation into a leak he had nothing to do with, and he later found himself charged with perjury based on little more than conflicting memories of who said what and when. The prosecutor never even charged anyone for the leak that started it all.

There's no apparent underlying crime in this "scandal" either, but we'll bet more than one Democrat will soon be calling for a "special prosecutor" to investigate it nonetheless. The New York Times has already floated the idea, as usual. As Mr. Dowd put it in his letter to Mr. Leahy: "The potential for legal jeopardy for Ms. Goodling from even her most truthful and accurate testimony under these circumstances is very real. One need look no further than the recent circumstances and proceedings involving Lewis Libby."

Epiphany Of The Day

2007-03-28T04:31:00.001-04:00

Soaking up the rays in Central Park is way better than going to Trademarks class.

Big Surprise

2007-03-27T04:29:00.000-04:00

Gonzales aid to invoke the 5th Amendment.

It's all Patrick Fitzgerald's fault. And no, I'm not joking.

Great Post By DAG

2007-03-26T23:16:00.000-04:00

The true cost of kollel.