We Want You....

And now for some random thoughts on politics...

Like any college, there a myriad of clubs at Seattle U that I could join. Most of them are linked to some sort of interest or aspect that people share. This might include common interest law such as the intellectual property club, reproductive rights club, the ACLU (of course), or the Constitution Society. Or, these might include groups based upon who you are, such as; the Women's law caucus, a club for homosexual lawyers, a club for Latino or Asian lawyers, etc... In amongst this spectrum of different organization are the two political standards, the Democrats and the Republicans clubs.

I was talking to my wife about all these clubs and the various self sorting the student were making and she jokingly asked if I was going to join the Democrats. I laughed at the inside joke, as she is an ardent republican and laughs at me every time that I vote Democrat, but then I told her no, I was not going to be join the Democrats.

There is a lot of pressure to choose though. Whether I’m in school or out, there is a lot of pressure from people I know in both parties to "take a stand" or rather, "if you're not with us, you're against us", and other rhetorical pressure tactics. But, I don't want to choose sides, and it's not just because I think that both sides have become so beholden to special interest money that the distinction has become meaningless, although that's probably the case. I don't want to choose because I believe that both parties are as often wrong and they are right, and that both political philosophies are essential in our American government.

On the one hand, society needs conservatism. Society is, no doubt, changing all the time. As population grows, as people migrate, as people learn new things, as societies are introduced to new ideas, their viewpoints change and each new generation has a slightly different take on things than their parent's. This is a natural process and I might argue that it is an essential element to societal health. That said, within any organization, be it a student club, a corporation, or a nation; unchecked and rapid growth can be devastating. Growth can weight too heavily on the organization’s ability to manage itself. Change can ruin a society perception of itself so much that it looses it's identify and goals. Conservatism is a natural check on this problem. Conservatism, at it's best, tries to control growth and change, to retard the fire of change so that it doesn't consume all of society with it.

This is the reason why I think conservatism has enjoyed such resurgence. Technology has allowed new economies to bloom outside of large cities and manufacturing center, as a result, an enormous amount of internal immigration from the cities into what were once small towns has brought enormous amounts of growth and new ideas into the heartland. In response to this, conservatism has bloomed across America's interior as those populations try to cling to their why of life and their ideals and control change.

Liberalism is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Where as conservatism tries to control growth and social change, liberalism tries to manage, integrate and foster growth and change.

[The interesting caveat here is the approach to economics. Each party seems reversed to what their position on societal change is, the conservatives are welcoming to economic growth and change where as the liberals want to control and discourage it, it's an interesting phenomenon which I'm sure must have been written about somewhere.]

The political modes, if left unchecked would lead to disaster. On the one had you could see an oppressive, conservative regime controlling every social action or you could have a liberal regime that would allow the foundation of American society to be worn away by any waves of change sweeping across our shores.

Therefore, I think both modes of thought should be welcomed and embraced. I do believe that in the long run liberalism will be the dominant political camp just because it's more practical to accept and manage social change and growth than to try to control it (I need to do some fact checking but I think the 20 century was a good example of this as democrats were the dominant party of the century (FDR, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Clinton).

That’s why I can’t join a single party club. I don’t think every party has the exclusive domain on what is right and what is wrong and both types of thought are needed to manage this society into the future.

Hey, Hey, What's Going On...

The world is pretty cruel, case in point, this story about T.O. Sure, he is an ass on (and apparently off) the field and we can all resent the millions he earns, however, no one with the type of depression required to try and commit suicide should have to suffer it in public, and then have some law student in Seattle point it out in his blog.

Anyway, things are pretty busy.
• Law school is plodding along, I've written my first legal memo and all I can say it that the art (and I do mean art) of citations is laborious, I'm sure I'll be thanking god for paralegals in the future.
• The house is coming along, the bathroom is finished except for a few little paint touch ups and some caulking (believe me, it’s amazing how many hours of laughter the word caulk gives me). The kitchen has been emptied and the floors are being sanded and polished as I type. After they dry, we’ll install cabinets and the appliances, and we will be fully functional again. Needless to say, it’s been a long two months without a kitchen or upstairs bath. I’ll post pictures for any of you readers who are interested (are there any?)
• I’ve been distracted by other forms electronic media lately. I’ve finally joined the myspace and facebook crowd, which probably means that these websites will shut down soon because if I’ve joined them they can’t be cool anymore. These sites are pretty omnipresent on college campuses, I might link to my myspace page, but it means that I’ll be giving my blog reader(s) more insight into who I am, is this a good idea??

That’s about it. Have a nice day, it's a gorgeous late summer day in Seattle btw. I’ll try to post something more substantive later…

Is the failure to pay for education the result of inability to budget our priorities?

There was an article in the Seattle Time Sunday insert about the lack of "whiz" kids in the Puget Sound. The premise of the article is that Seattle, despite being America's most educated city, has a dearth of home grown engineers, computer scientists, and other math related professionals. Most of our professionals are imports from the east coast or India, China, etc... The article cites a figure from Microsoft that less than 8% of it's Redmond based workforce was educated in Washington State (it's probably less than that now, I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 5% now) as an example of this issue. I also have an anecdotal story to support their conclusion.

My brother in law is one of these computer science whiz kids. He was raised in Florida and went to school at Cornell where he received a computer engineering degree. He then went to receive post graduate education in Texas, after which he came and worked for Microsoft where he was a successful Program/Product manager (he developed the technology that allows XP to launch most digital devices you plug into it). He left Microsoft and went to Amazon where he developed the Turk program and now he's started his own web 2.0 company (speaking of which, I really should give it a plug here sometime now that it's out of beta). But he isn’t a NW native, he’s an import.

The article goes on to suggest that Seattle could become the next Detroit or Cleveland if it can’t find a way to start creating the types of labor needed for our local high tech industries.

It is a scary thought that this is a knowledge economy and what the most valuable type of knowledge these days (as ever) is math and science. I don’t think that there is a decrease in interest in math and science; it’s just that demand is up and other nations and regions are filling that demand better than we are in the NW.

It shouldn’t be too hard to market to kids that they need to study math. The benefits are very apparent. In my own life, I’ve benefited greatly from an interest in math. Although I was not a math or computer science major, I had a healthy appreciation of both topics and am skilled enough in math that I can understand most computer application pretty quickly. As I entered the corporate world I found it populated by people with weak math skills and therefore (there must be some link between understanding math and computers) they shied away from understanding the applications we worked with every day. On the other hand, I found myself excelling at these common computer applications at work and therefore my less skilled colleagues became dependent on my expertise. This dependence led to them to go above and beyond the average efforts to retain me. I watched my salary grow faster than my peers (I’ve always been able to see what everyone at any company I’ve worked for gets paid) and my raises be among the largest of anyone in the companies (including exec). This situation would not have occurred if I wasn’t the most technically savvy person in the department, I’m confident of that.

Although it’s easy to demonstrate the benefits of being math/tech savvy, many say it doesn’t matter if we do increase interest among students. The UW claims that they can’t even satisfy the current demand as they have fewer seats in the computer science programs than applicants. They also claim that they are funded less than their peer institutions.

I’m sure that my Alma Matter, Idaho, is in no better situation. I’m sure it’s per student state funding is even less than Washington’s. So, is the root cause more money?

I would answer this with a cautious yes. However, I don’t think we need to raise anymore taxes to support education. In Seattle there are requests for more and more tax payer dollars all the time. There is request to raise a couple billion in taxes for street repair; a request for tens of billions to rebuild some important infrastructure, the k-12 education system in Seattle has a 20 Million dollar shortfall; the government apparently never had enough money to perform it’s function despite the billion and billions it collect from Washington citizens every year.

So how do you balance a clear need, education funding that is essential to our economic and civic futures with the government’s inability to pay for the current expenses with it’s established tax levels? Where is the money going and where should it go?

There should be a reevaluation in the northwest to reset government priority. Is there some legal mandating that we pay for education first, essential services (fire, medical), and then the rest of the services provided is where we quibble about budgets??? Can this work at the federal level as well?

Happy Constitution Day

(from the Library of Congress:)

WE, the PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I.
Sect. 1. ALL legislative powers, herein grated, shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Sect. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second year by all the people of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be appointed among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to the respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxes, three fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New-Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantation one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New-Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North-Carolina five, South-Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

Sect. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year; so that one third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen, by resignation or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in a the absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall by on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United State is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside; and no person shall be convicted without the concurence of two thirds of the members present.

Judgement, in cases of impeachment, shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honour, trust or profit, under the United States; but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgement and punishment, according to law.

Sect. 4. The times, places and manner, of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the place of choosing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Sect. 5. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualification, of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secresy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Sect. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been encreased, during such time; and no person holding any officer under the United States shall be a member of either House, during his continuance in office.

Sect. 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills.

Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senates shall, before it become a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve; he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

Every order, resolution or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be re-passed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

Sect. 8. The Congress shall have power To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties; imposts and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post-offices and post-roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas and offences against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings;--and,

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States,or in any department or officer thereof.

Sect. 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight; but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

No bill of attainder, or ex post facto law, shall be passed.

No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the sensus or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one State over those of another: Nor shall vessels bound to or from one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties, in another.

No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office or title, or any kind whatever from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Sect. 10. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws; and the new produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any State, on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and controul of the Congress. No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

ARTICLE II.
Sec. 1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice-President, chosen for the same term, be elected as follows.

Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of Electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress; but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose a President. But in choosing the President the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes of the Electors, shall be the Vice-President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice-President.

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the Electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.

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.

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President; and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:


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"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States; and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, the Constitution of the United States."

Sect. 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other offices of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law. But the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers as they think proper in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions, which shall expire at the end of their next session.

Sect. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.

Sect. 4. The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office, on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

ARTICLE III.
Sect. 1. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such Inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and Inferior Courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour; and shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.

Sect. 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; to all cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more States, between a State and citizen of another State, between citizens of different States, between citizens of the same State claiming lands under grants of different States, and between a State, or the citizens thereof, and foreign States, citizens or subjects.

In all cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.

The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial shall be held in the State where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.

Sect. 3. Treason, against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on consession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted.

ARTICLE IV.
Sect. 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, records and judicial proceedings, of every other State. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records and proceedings, shall be proved, and the effect thereof.

Sect. 2. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states.

A person, charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, shall, on demand of the executive authority of the State form which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the crime.

No person, held to service or labour in one State, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labour; but shall be delivered up, on claim of the party to whom such service or labour may be due.

Sect. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed to erected within the jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned, as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have power to dispose of an make all needful rules and regulations, respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed, as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Sect. 4. The United States shall guarantee, to every State in this Union, a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and, on application of the Legislature, or of the Executive, (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.

ARTICLE V.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution; or, on the application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention, for proposing amendments; which, in either case, shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislature of three fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress: Provided, that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses, in the ninth section of the first article; and that no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

ARTICLE VI.
All debts contracted, and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the Judges in every State, shall be bound thereby; any thing in the constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, under the United States.

ARTICLE VII.
The ratification of the Conventions of Nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this constitution, between the States so ratifying the same.

Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present, the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the twelfth. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, President, (and Deputy from Virginia.
New-Hampshire. John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman.
Massachusetts. Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King.
Connecticut. William Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman.
New-York. Alexander Hamilton.
New-Jersey. William Livingston, David Brearley, William Paterson, Jonathan Dayton.
Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris.
Delaware. George Read, Gunning Bedford, jun. John Dickenson, Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom.
Maryland. James M'Henry, Daniel of St. Tho. Jenifer, Daniel Carrol.
Virginia. John Blair, James Madison, jun.
North-Carolina. William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson.
South-Carolina. John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler.
Georgia. William Few, Abraham Baldwin.

Attest,..........WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary.

IN CONVENTION, Monday, September 17th, 1787.

PRESENT,

The States of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Mr. Hamilton from New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia.

Resolved,
THAT the preceding Constitution be laid before the United States in Congress assembled, and that it is the opinion of this Convention, that it should afterwards be submitted to a Convention of Delegates, chosen in each State by the People thereof, under the recommendation of its Legislature, for their assent and ratification; and that each Convention assenting to and ratifying the same, should give notice thereof to the United States in Congress assembled.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Convention, That as soon as the Conventions of Nine States shall have ratified this Constitution, the United States in Congress assembled should fix a day on which Electors should be appointed by the States which shall have ratified the same, and a day on which the Electors should assemble to vote for the President, and the time and place for commencing proceedings under this Constitution: That after such publication the Electors should be appointed, and the Senators and Representatives elected: That the Electors should meet on the day fixed for the election of the President, and should transmit their votes, certified, signed, sealed and directed, as the Constitution requires, to the Secretary of the United States in congress assembled: That the Senators and Representatives should convene at the time and place assigned: That the Senators should appoint a President of the Senate, for the sole purpose of receiving, opening and counting the votes for President; and that, after he shall be chose, the Congress, together with the President, should without delay proceed to execute this Constitution.

By the unanimous order of the Convention,
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President.
..........WILLIAM JACKSON, Sec'ry.

In Convention, Sept 17, 1787.

SIR,

WE have now the honour to submit to the consideration of the United States in Congress in Congress assembled, that Constitution which has appeared to us the most adviseable.

The friends of our country have long seen and desired, that the power of making war, peace and treaties, that of levying money and regulating commerce, and the correspondent executive and judicial authorities, should be fully and effectually vested in the general government of the Union; but the impropriety of delegating such extensive trust to one body of men is evident.--Hence results the necessity of a different organization.

It is obviously impracticable, in the federal government of these States, to secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each, and yet provide for the interest and safety of all. Individuals entering into society must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as well on situation and circumstance, as on the object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between those rights which must be surrendered, and those which may be reserved, and on the present occasion this difficulty was increased by a difference among the several states as to their situation, extent, habits and particular interests.

In all our deliberations on this subject, we kept steadily in our view that which appears to us the greatest interest of every true American, the consolidation of our Union, in which are involved our prosperity, felicity, safety, perhaps our national existence. This important consideration, seriously and deeply impressed on our minds, led each State in the Convention to be less rigid on points of inferior magnitude, than might have been otherwise expected; and thus the constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensible.

That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every State is not perhaps to be expected, but each will doubtless consider, that had her interests been alone consulted, the consequences might have been particularly disagreeable or injurious to others; that it is liable to as few exceptions as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe; that it may promote the lasting welfare of that country so dear to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most ardent wish.

With great respect, we have the honour to be, Sir, your Excellency's most obedient and humble Servants,
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President.

By unanimous Order of the Convention.

His Excellency the President of Congress.

UNITED STATES in Congress Assembled.
Friday, September 28, 1787.

Present, New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia, and from Maryland Mr. Ross. Congress having received the report of the Convention lately assembled in Philadelphia,

Resolved, unanimously, That the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several Legislatures, in order to be submitted to a Convention of Delegates, chosen in each State by the People thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the Convention made and provided in that case.
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.

State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations.

In GENERAL ASSEMBLY, October Session, 1787.

IT is Voted and Resolved, That the Report of the Convention, lately held at Philadelphia, proposing a new Constitution for the United States of America, be printed as soon as may be: That the following Number of Copies be sent to the several Town-Clerks in the State, to be distributed among the Inhabitants, that the Freemen may have an Opportunity of forming their Sentiments of the said proposed Constitution,to wit: For Newport 10, Portsmouth 25, Middletown 15, New-Shoreham 15, Jamestown 16, Tiverton 40, Little-Compton 36, Providence 10, Smithfield 75, Scituate 55, Foster 55, Glocester 60, Cumberland 40, Cranston 50, Johnston 30, North-Providence 20, Westerly 31, North-Kingstown 50, South-Kingstown 100, Charlestown 25, Richmond 25, Exeter 31, Hopkinton 30, Bristol 20, Warren 10, Barrington 10, Warwick 56, East-Greenwich 25, West-Greenwich 22, and Coventry 30.

A true Copy:
Witness, HENRY WARD, Sec'ry.

PROVIDENCE: Printed by JOHN CARTER.

What's going on....

Well, it is about 20 minutes until 9 on a Sunday night and I’ve been at the law library for about two hours with nothing to show for it except a couple hours wasted surfing the net. Before I head home, I thought I might make a post for those few faithful readers out there….

Well, law school is pretty much what I expected. Read, brief cases, and then, maybe if you can get a word in edge wise in a 90 person class, talk about them in class. Repeat. The work load is still pretty light or it might just be me. Some of my peers, especially those who haven’t worked before (straight from undergrad) have started to complain regarding the reading load, but so far I haven’t noticed. This isn’t half as much work as a real job and, at least, the subject matter is interesting.

Tomorrow the undergrads start class. It should changed the vibe on campus and probably create lines at the Starbuck across the street from the law school. I already feel old; I can’t imagine how I’ll feel with these teenagers about? The freshmen class was born in 1988, 1988!!

I took a walk on campus today before coming to the library. One thing about a private school versus a public school, we have better gardeners. Judging from my jogging path around UW, I’m not even sure that UW can even afford grounds staff anymore. The vegetation on their campus is all dry and dying. It doesn’t look like they even bother planting flowers anymore. SU, however, has oodles and oodles of plants and flowers on campus. It’s all very pretty. I’m looking forward to the foliage change. Some of the trees have started to turn with the recent cool down we’ve had, the fringes of the leaves have started to lighten as if they are being lit from inside. On my walk, I also noticed that the building across from the chapel (I think it’s the business school?) has what appears to be a huge, Chihuly chandelier. It might not be a Chihuly, though, as it isn’t listed on his website. However, his website only gives the locations of public installations and since SU is a private university I imagine it wouldn’t be listed. I might go over one day and have a closer look.

The bathroom remodel is almost done. However, as noted in my previous post, the electrician did not actually install the plugs and switches. While most of the plugs and switches aren’t a problem to install, the bathroom switches and plug present a puzzle and I can’t figure out how he wired it. I think I’m might have to call back the electrician and have him come do it. It hopefully won’t be more than an hour or two of work. The kitchen is on deck next. We have finally gotten the wood floor guy to agree on a date to come refinish the floors, so we have about a week and a half to get the old tile off of them. My dad gave me a tip he saw on the tv of freezing the tile with dry ice, and then it will break off, glue and all, from the floor beneath. I’m assuming it can’t be that easy, but I’ll give it a try.

In other new, I hope to have more discipline about reading up on current events. Lately, I’ve been so disconnected from what’s happening outside the walls of my own home and that of the law school. I hope to blog some more on current events, but I’m just not informed enough about anything going on right now (I guess I could turn this into a law blog, but I doubt people want to read my thoughts on adverse possession or the tort of battery).

Anyway, thanks for reading.

Reviews

Blogging, when paired with the google search engine, can bring to bear some odd results. For example, this blog was, for a few days, in the top five returns for a search involving "cheerleading", "football", and "lockers". Quite a few people followed the link to my page from this search. I can picture some sixteen year old girl's dissapointment when, after scouring the internet for locker decorating ideas, only found my random thoughts discussing if cheerleading is good or bad for young girls. (Yes, I choose to believe that a cheerleader was actually looking for locker decorating ideas rather than the more likely scenario of a horny, balding, middle-aged man looking for porn involving cheerleaders, football players and lockers...I call this choice selective naivetiy).

Anyway, in light of this search phenomenon, I thought I would populate this blog with some useful information that someone might actually be looking for on the net, service reviews of contractors. (It is difficult finding contractors and there is seldom any information on line, however, there are two review sites that I know of: Judy Book and Angie's List. I would suggest checking out these sites as well as this post, if you are actually in the market for contractors).

The Reviews:

CV Electric

Job: Our 1920's home had several electrical problems, namely most of the house was on an archiac fuse box (over fused bytheway) that had been supplemented overtime with more fuses and circuit breakers. We hired CV electric to replace the old fuse boxes and circuit breakers with a modern electrical panel. We also had them prepare our house for a service upgrade (120 V to 200V) and add some plugs/switches in the kitchen and bath.

How we found them: CV electric was a referral from our Realator. She had used them on her home and told us that the company was really good with older homes. We had found another electrician via Judy's Book, but we decided to go with CV electric because we liked the owner (Chris Valentino). The two price quotes we got were very similar but Chris was very personable and actually returned phone calls! (returning phone calls is a rarity in the contractor business, if you find someone who does, it's a big plus). [Chris does most of his work for a general contractor (Jackson Remodeling) who were are looking at for a sismic retrofit. Jackson Remodeling, however, doesn't seem to thrilled with the project and we probably won't go with them. Why give your money to someone who doesn't want it?]

Performance Review: Overall, we were very pleased with the work Chris did. They showed up on time and worked steadily throught the day. The work appears meticulous (they've even labled the actual wires, not just the panel) and it was done for less than we had expected to pay. We will most likely be calling him back when we expand the kitchen and build a second floor on the home. The only oddity (and there is always something) is that they didn't install the switches or the plugs. Chris said he would come back and do that after we've finished all the sheetrocking, painting, etc...but that's seem like a hassle to have to call him back and schedule two week in advance. It's not a big deal as installing switches and plugs is something I can do, it just seemed strange that it wasn't done. For all I know, however, this might just be industy practice.


O'Brien Plumbing

Job: Our house consisted of old iron and glavanized pipes that needed to be replaced. We hired a plumber to install copper pipes from our main water valve into the house. He repiped for the kitchen and the upstairs bath.

How we found them: My wife had looked up several plumber's names in the phonebook and online then gave them to me to call. I went online to research the first name on the list (I can't remember what that company was called). When I went to that company's website, they had an article from the Seattle PI reviewing local plumbers and rated them as the number 2 plumber in the region. The article, gave the number 1 rating to O'Brien plumbing. Anyway, I left a message for the company my wife had found and also called O'Brien plumbing. The first company never called me back, but O'Brien did.

Performance Review: We were pretty pleased with the job. The plubming looks good and he made some good recommendations, such as; replacing some iron drains we were just going to leave in. (It was a good suggestion, after he pulled out the drain pipe he found that it was nearly rotten and could have broke, flooding our basement.) The only oddity with him was that he only worked half days and thus the project took five days, he would work from 9 or 10 until noon or so. We would have preferred that he worked nearly a full day and thus cut the number of day he was working on the project. But, he got the job done, and we always had water after he left, so it wasn't the big of an inconvience to have him there that long. Again, we spent less then we had expected and we will most likely use him again in the future.


That's it, all the other work we've done ourselves. We have ordered windows from an establishment called ProCraft. So far, they've been great partners in the selling but they have yet to be install the window, so we'll let you know. We also have experience with some of the speciality tile stores, I might review them if I get a request.

New Year, Same Dissapointment

Every year, with the return of fall, comes the same dissapointment with Idaho football. It wouldn't be as bad if there wasn't the damn marketing coming out of the school towards the alumni, "This year, it will be better", "This year, we have Erickson", "This year, we won't suck as bad".

And every year, the season starts out with a glimmer of hope. Last year we stayed close to WSU in the opener and lost a squeker in the second game to UNLV. This, along with the marketing hype, led us alumni to believe that we might have a chance against UW. UW was awful, it hadn't won since the start of the 2004 season. In our hearts we knew we were bad but not as bad as we had been, right? There was hope and optimism in Husky stadium that we could actually beat these former national champions. That hope was quashed as the huskies gave us a complete thumping. We left the dawg house with our tail between our legs and went off to another season of failure.

This year, our season began with a close game with Michigan State, close enough to reaffirm the marketing campaing and the knowledge of Erikson's return; this year we might be winners. But, alas, the second game against WSU reminded us that we are still the Vandals, the bottom dwellers of Div - IA football.

I still have hope though. This might be a wake up call, a call to arms, and Erickson might be the one to marshall the boys into action. Or, Erickson, might just be trying to weasel his way to the panties of some PAC 10 school? Only time will tell.

I think the lossess are tougher on people of my age than other Alumni. When I was in school the Vandals weren't a bad team. We had a winning record, we were beating Bosie state, and we had back to back wins over cross boarder rival Washington State. In fact, we had won a bowl game shortly after our introduction to Div I football. It all ended when Coach Tormey bailed on the team to take the head coaching job at Nevada. Nevada?

We asked ourselves that same question, whey would someone jump from one smallish state school to another. It's not like he left Idaho for Washington, or Arizona, or Colorado, or Michigan, or some other winning "player" in Div I. Instead, he left for Nevada where he truly felt that he could start his way up the career ladder (nevermind that it was the same rung he was already standing on at Idaho). Anyway, it turned out to be a dumb move, just as we thought it was, and the poor bastard is know an assistant coach (that's a demotion from head coach, by the way, despite the location) at Washington.

We hired an untested alumni, Cable, to take the regins of the program and he proceeded to run the team into the ground. Why, at that time, we just didn't give the job to Kramer, the U of Montana coach, who was a Div II national champion and really, really wanted the Idaho job, I don't know...

So, here' to another season. My only wish for the season is that we are prepared for BSU (I'll be in Moscow for the game), after several years of having to go to Boise for the game the Broncos finally have to come up to Moscow, and it would fitting justice if we could win over them at home.

To Keg or Not to Keg....

For the past two Thursday since the start of school, there have been invites to a law school kegger every Friday night. Nothing makes me feel older than when the cute, young blond looks over to me and asks, "are you going?” It shouldn't, I could go, I wouldn’t be that out of place...I'm not that much older than this group whose ages run from 22-40+, and where the average age is supposedly 27. But, I’m not much in the mood for keggers anymore. My idea of a good time is getting together with friends at one of our homes, having a bbq, watching their kids play in the backyard, and having a beer or two. For some reason the notion of standing around a hot, smoky house while watching twenty somethings grind against one another doesn't have the appeal that it used to....(I attribute the loss of appeal to my wife, I'm pretty sure she is against me grinding on anything, except for her that is...)

Anyway, my grade back from the Crim Law class I took during the summer. It was an A. One of our professors gave us the advice of not sharing how we did; there is no upside to telling people how you did for either you or them. I'm taking that advice, but it's difficult, everyone asks and they all want to compare notes. All I will say is that I did okay, better than expected, and then I change the subject. I'm trying not to let on that I'm currently sitting atop the forced curve. Now, if I can stay humble and not get cocky....

The bathroom remodel is coming along. I think we'll finish it off this weekend and I'll publish photos of what it looks like. After that, it's on to the kitchen. The kitchen shouldn’t be quite as big of a problem; all we are doing is changing out the cabinets, refurbishing the floors, and getting new appliances. There won't be any structural changes and I'm not doing any major construction (aside from patching a largish hole in the wet wall).

Anyway...I might post twice today, I’m thinking of writing reviews of the contractors I've used just in case someone might be trying to googling them and see how they were....