1 euro = 1.55 dollars, it's just money

I have been on a posting binge lately, but most of it has been political or self aggrandizing. Sometimes I lie in bed at night and think about my posts and wonder why I wrote it. I’ve even crawled out of bed in the middle of the night to edit them. But after time goes by and I reread them and realize they are self aggrandizing, I won’t delete them or edit them because that is not my point here. Well it might be my point because I've deleted the entire blog and started over two or three times and will probably do it again. The list of months over there on the right is getting a little long.

I haven’t been posting much about Ireland recently because there isn’t that much new to post on. I get into a rhythm very easily. After about two weeks here I was completely comfortable and just going through the motions. Frankly, the most stressful thing I’ve experienced was trying to find my classes. Well, trying to find where I live was pretty stressful too. But now that I have all that down and I walk the same way everyday, I just live my life and do the same sort of stuff I always do when I have occasion. I fry egg sandwiches with basil and cheese all the time, cook other basic meals for dinner, and read the news and political pundits everyday. I check my email, blog, and Facebook everyday and chat on AIM, MSN, or Yahoo with friends. I listen to the same 16,739 songs that I do in Montana. Hell, I even drink MGD when I feel like treating myself to an expensive beer.

There are the rare moments when I am walking to class or back from the pub and I stop to admire some interesting observation. I enjoy the wind whipping rain against my face and admire the Irish climate and the Gulf Stream that provides it. I stop and look at the 200 year old main quad and then turn around and see the four or five year old glass and steel building. I watch in amazement as an old Irish guy orders a Budweiser at the pub. I love to stop when I cross the river and look down and wonder how clean it is and if people ever float it or swim in it like we do in Montana. I repeat words to myself that I hear spoken in thick Irish accents, in a futile imitation effort.

I miss my friends, but I never get lonely. I want to see my family and Montana, but I know that time passes too quickly. I worry about my finances, but brush it aside with a thought like, “it’s just money.”

410 U.S. 113

So I was thinking about Law School today and I realized I had never read a U.S. Supreme Court decision. I figured why not start with Roe v. Wade?

I can't believe how much I have already learned, to be honest with you. I didn't know that judges would refer to Aristotle's "Politics" and Plato's "Republic," both of which I read in Political Science 150. It almost makes me sentimental thinking about those days.

I didn't know they would refer to English statutory law. I also didn't know about this whole idea of "quickening." This seems to be what most people used to consider the beginning of life; the first movement of the unborn baby.

It's two in the morning on Sunday and I'm reading Roe v. Wade (and listening to John Mellencamp "I need a lover"), and actually enjoying it.

I think I'll read Marbury v. Madison next.

i'm actually in Europe

Today I had another one of those moments where I thought to myself, “This is really cool, this is what it’s all about, this is why I came here.” It was seven o’clock in the evening and I was sitting in this big lecture hall waiting for two speakers to show up and debate the new Lisbon Treaty. What made me so happy was the blue table cloth on stage that was hanging down and had the circle of gold stars on it that’s on the EU flag. I don’t know why they had an EU flag as the table cloth but that’s beside the point. Another thing was the big banner behind it that said European Movement Ireland and had the website. It just really made me feel like I was in Europe instead of some normal English speaking country where the culture is dieing due to secularization and television. I’m in Europe watching two politicians debate a treaty on the EU! This is the sort of stuff I just love.

I’d go into substance details here but my opinion on the treaty has already been articulated by the CATO Institute and I doubt anyone reading this knows or cares about European integration or Irish neutrality.

oddly familiar

"BAGHDAD (AP) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday dismissed U.S. accusations that his country is training extremists and demanded that the Americans withdraw from Iraq."

That just struck me as oddly familiar to what two prominent politicians in the United States of America have been "demanding."

It's clear America's number one enemy, and the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, is rooting for the Democrats.

But honestly, does anyone believe the Democrats will "withdraw?"

fear-mongering

This from the AP -

"New Jersey joins four other states, including neighboring New York, where talking on a hand-held cell phone is reason enough to get pulled over. The Garden State is the first where text-messaging on the road is a primary offense, meaning police need no other reason to pull a driver over, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures."

They go on to say that officers will be looking for "tell-tale" sings of cell phone use that include driving slow! Can you imagine? You are driving too slow so you get pulled over because your suspected of text messaging. Then you mouth off to the policeman because you're frustrated and get booked. It also says they will be looking for the "cell phone weave." I guess this is America, we don't have any problems other than the "cell phone weave." America is a perfect place and the biggest threat to the average person is the "cell phone weave." This is just mind boggling.

It also goes on to cite research statistics that say hands-free headsets are just as dangerous as hand held phones. In these liberal northeastern states you can still talk on the phone if you have a headset. So its obvious where this is going: the outright ban on all cell phone use in a car.

Well having a passenger also increases the likelihood of a crash, so we shouldn't be allowed to carpool. Loud music or talk radio increases the likelihood of a crash, so there shouldn't be radios in cars. Pretty soon Americas police officers will be looking for "tell-tale" sings of music listening, like rhythmic movements of the head. Where will this end?

I'm definitely fear-mongering here, because I'm trying to save Montana from the fate of liberal east coast policies.