The "A" Chronicles

The Saga of A Woman (Ode to My Grandmother)

2011-09-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

Being a woman isn’t as simple as it sounds. A woman has so many roles in life and rather than the list getting shorter, it continues to grow.

A woman must fulfill so many needs in a family. Although men have or share some of those responsibilities, it pales in comparison to those of a woman. To name a few, a woman is a nurturer (physically and emotionally), a confidant, disciplinarian, friend, bread winner, bread maker, nurse, maid, chauffeur, a shoulder to cry on/sleep on, etc. Unlike men, we enjoy many privileges that are bestowed only unto us such as giving birth to new life. They may be burdens at some time but it shows how important we really are to society.

Due to circumstances, some roles develop in ways one wouldn’t imagine. The memories of my Mamá Nina are a mix of awe, respect, frustration and disbelief. As a young child, Mamá Nina was orphaned and taken in by her godparents. At the tender age of 15, she was married to my grandfather Papá Isaias who was 30, a widower, and had 3 young children at home. My speculation for the match was necessity. Mamá Nina’s godparents might have wanted to rid themselves of the responsibility and extra mouth to feed. Papá Isaias was in a situation that REQUIRED a woman since a 30 year old male rancher did not DO housework or childcare. He needed a woman to take care of the home, she needed a man to take care of her. It was mutually benefiting.

Though their match was completed under these circumstances, it cannot be said that it was a bad one. They were married for 64 years. I was only there for 24 years of it. She was a stern woman that was taught only that which was necessary to survive. There were no lessons on philosophy, poetry, music or even human reproduction. Her lessons consisted of old wives’ tales that she believed in fervently until the day she died, religion, and hard work. She was a devout Catholic who only knew to sign her name, didn’t know how to write a letter, learned to read very little, and prayed the rosary every night from memory for as long as I can remember. She believed discipline to be best served through physical punishment not because she desired to inflict pain but because that’s the only way she knew how.

I heard many stories of her in her younger days of about 30 years old. Drinking home made liquor with the neighbors in the countryside. Staying out late and getting so inebriated, she lost her undergarments. I can’t say that my uncles and aunts at the time really appreciated her behavior and actually resented her their entire lives for it. Although she had fun with Papá Isais, she knew her place and the importance of a man in life. They were the sole earners of the household. Having sons meant that they could work and continue bringing money to the family. This is probably why she favored her sons over her daughters. Unfortunately, that belief and that favoritism only led to making her sons into spoiled brats. They spent her money, used her to cover up their illegitimate children, sexual escapades, and emotionally spent her.

There were 9 children overall in the family that survived. By the time I came along, she had been a grandmother over and over with some of the grandchildren being as old as my mother. I am the second child of her youngest daughter. When my brother came into the picture, I saw the way she coddled him and treated him with such tenderness. She potty trained him, fed him, and loved him dearly. I could see the difference in the way she treated my sister and me in relation to my brother.

Along with my sister, we were some of the youngest grandchildren living close to her. She took the time to teach me to mend clothing and to cross-stitch a pattern. She also taught me the basics of crochet and gave me lessons in Catechism. This was probably because I am a girl and was expected to be a good wife some day. In order to achieve that I would have to have great skills in cooking, cleaning, sewing, as well as being a good Catholic. This was probably also her way of showing love to her daughters and granddaughters.

As I grew, I began to realize that in the past, she had never been able to take time for herself. She was the kind of woman who felt her position in life was to do for everyone else. She was not an individual but just a means to an end. She continued coddling the men in the family even after dementia set it. There were times when I would try to sit and chat with her but the only subject she really spoke to me about was religious piety and being a good woman. She wasn’t the kind of woman that was your friend or confidant but rather tried to be your moral compass. Her role was always that of teacher to the women.

Perhaps I missed the compassionate side of her. Perhaps at one point she was a different woman but no one ever talks about that. All I know is that she never seemed quite happy until she started running her life in her 60’s. She was extremely social when I was a child. She lived day by day through work. When she no longer had to endure physical labor, her job became to take care of Papá Isaias. Even then, she continued working by setting up a tiny commercial store out of her home. She would wheel and deal with distributors to set-up stocking items in her store. It was a way for her to be the breadwinner for once and I believe that she truly enjoyed that kind of financial independence that most women didn’t have. It seemed that the woman was in constant motion. She was indefatigable and a businesswoman.

When Papá Isaias passed, she continued to handle business. It was only when her ability to walk was hindered that she began a steady decline. She confided that she felt there was nothing else for her to do. Although 3 of her daughters took care to mind her every need, it wasn’t the same as being able to do it independently. She could no longer work to make her own money and felt useless. When she was given money by family members ($10 here, $5 there), she saved it and then gave it to her sons. She needed to be needed and getting handouts wasn't the same as giving them. That independence might be one of the things I inherited from her along with pride and stubbornness.

One day I looked her in the eyes and realized that she was no longer there. The proud and stubborn woman no longer fought. She was ready to go. She finally got her wish to end the daily physical pain and overall exhaustion of having been alive for 86 years with many of those filled with backbreaking and arduous labor. September 20, 2011 will be a day to remember.

As a woman, she had the role of mother, disciplinarian, nurse (home made remedies), bread winner, and bread maker. Due to economics, education, and tradition, two women may not have the same responsibilities and duties. She may not have been the shoulder to cry on or a friend that you could confide in but she did the best she could with the tools she was given. I have respect for what she tried to do within her limitations and am glad and sad that some traditions left with her. She was a stronger woman than most for her time and I will always remember her for the fire in her soul that kept her going through the tough times.

DUPED???

2010-08-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

I recently had a terrible experience dealing with my 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid. My reasoning for getting the car in the first place and paying more were the following: 1) It saved money at the pump. Gas in California was higher than anywhere else...figured it would be a good idea. 2) I wanted to help out with the pollution problem. 3) I knew that commuting was a possibility...why not get an environment friendly car. 4) I figured that Honda was a reliable company. 5) I was offered a great warranty telling me that the battery replacement would be covered.

So....when the car started failing, everyone gave me the run around. Yes, your car is covered. No, your car isn't the "correct" model and back to yes, it "should" be covered. In the end, I was told that the warranty had expired on the car because I drove it beyond 80,000 miles in an 8 year span. Why the hell would I buy a hybrid if I wasn't going to drive it?? It was advertised as a great commuter car since it would get better mileage on long distance trips! So, Honda makes me what they considered a "generous" offer. They would help pay 1/3 of the cost of the repair. So, what's 1/3 of $4,000? Yeah, only $1320 meaning I would be out $2680 for repairs on a car that's only worth $6k. Does that even make any financial sense?? The article here didn't think so either. It's what is called, "the hidden cost" to owning a hybrid. Yeah, note the word HIDDEN!

This is what I found out about hybrids and the wonderful marketing that went with it. In reality, the hybrids are not getting the gas mileage that they were supposed to be getting. This is proven by the HUGE class-action lawsuit that Honda is fighting because the cars are really only getting 35 to 40 MPG. The suit is True v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Most regular cars get that same gas mileage without having to spend the extra $10k-$25k on purchasing it. I am part of the settlement suit and you can find it here.

Next thing is that the toxicity of the batteries once they are dead. I found an article here that talks about some of the environmental impacts that these batteries can have. By the looks of it, the battery must be replaced every five years or so. Not that friendly to the environment.

Also, building a new hybrid, costs more in energy than producing a regular car. So, that tends to negate the low emissions afterwards. As noted here, a hybrid is harder to build meaning using more energy such as coal energy to make it. It uses nickel batteries, meaning there is a higher demand for nickel mining. How good can that be?? It utilizes plenty of copper for all the connections making it heavier. In the end...hybrids are just a way for us to feel good and make us believe that we are really doing something when in the end, it's the same crap as a regular car.

At one point, I decided that I wanted to have a car that does not use any fuel. I though about the alternatives such as electric or hydrogen cars. Now that I think about all that goes into building cars, neither of these two is a viable option. Electricity has to come from somewhere and it will most likely be the burning of fossil fueld. Hydrogen cannot be produced without electricity as well. Although they don't emit the pollution that regular cars do, the pollution actually comes from producing the energy source for the cars. In the end, the oil companies win regardless of what we try to do.

For too long the automotive companies and oil companies have dictated how we should do things and how technology progresses. Either way they blind us with pretty things and make us feel like we are doing the right thing. I should know...I fell for it.

Too Poor? Watch out, the IRS might just audit you!

2009-12-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted an article on facebook today about how poor people are more likely to be audited. You can find it here. http://uspoverty.change.org/blog/view/audited_for_being_poor

I though the cartoon was very fitting with the situation and how we treat people once they don't have money.

So the government noticed that this woman was making WAY lower income than everyone else and decided that there was some possible fraud going on. I mean, how can a woman take care of two kids with such piddly income?? So, one way to solve the problem is to tell the woman that she's a liar and there's NO WAY she can even take care of herself with that money. Oh yeah, so that credit that we gave you last year on your taxes (Earned Income Credit), ummm, we want it back since we don't believe you really have kids.

AWESOME!!! Even though she DOES have kids, because she doesn't make enough money to possibly raise them while living with her parents, the IRS has decided that they must not exist OR since she couldn't possibly take care of them, they really aren't "dependent" on her now are they?! In the article it says that the GOP have called this credit a "backdoor welfare" credit and tried to get rid of it. Why are the poor ALWAYS looking for a handout! Get a job! Oh wait, I mean, get a HIGH paying job!

So then, my friend (A) and his friend (B) start an online argument. B says, well, people are overusing the welfare system so if they don't make enough money to take care of someone, then children shouldn't get labeled as dependents. A says, dude it just sucks that poor people are being audited rather than rich people. Besides, poor people and their children shouldn't be punished. And A is all like, we are punishing parents because they shouldn't get credit when they aren't doing anything, besides, it's Obaman's fault because he hasn't created the jobs he said he would. Um, so it's Obama's fault

I kept thinking to myself...really?? Isn't it crazy that our focus is on poor people "taking advantage" of the system meanwhile rich people take advantage of, oh I don't know, EVERYONE!!!! Shouldn't we be investigating them??

We are constantly turning up our nose at that dumb teenager who made a mistake and is now getting WIC. WIC that "we" as taxpaying citizens are paying for. I mean, why the hell would I want to do that right??? Let's see, maybe it's because there's more to being poor than lack of will. There are soooo many things that go into why people are poor. We shouldn't punish them for it. AND, instead of thinking about how much it sucks that we are paying for it, maybe we should get the rich people pay for it. I know, I know...the whole point of the GOP is to say, wouldn't you hate it if one day you too became a millionaire and you had to pay all of these taxes?? Then again, maybe people just need to TRY HARDER right?

Yeah, because each and every single one of us has the potential to one day be a multi-millionaire if we just simply TRY HARDER. Ha! Greatest joke that's played on the lower income people by the GOP to get them to vote against taxes and cutting social programs because, dangit, if you just work harder, the open market will take care of you! What they are really saying is, hey, let me pay fewer taxes so that I can get rich while you die because you barely have money to pay for food much less for health insurance. But...I digress.

The point is that we should re-think our views of the poor and not be so harsh on them. We should quit wasting money auditing people for being poor and focus our resources elsewhere.

Christmas Tree Rental??

2009-12-10T09:15:00.000-08:00

YES, you heard right!!! This is not a new concept although it's gone largely unspoken.

Every year, trees get cut down for our personal decorative use. We bring a fresh tree into our house to "maintain tradition" and get that fresh pine smell without using candles or air incense. After the tree is at home, we decorate it with lights, ornaments, garland, and whatever else we feel like putting on the tree. The trees always look so wonderful!!! BUT, then the new year comes around and we take the decorations down and the tree is no longer useful SO we throw it away. ISN'T THAT AWFUL!! We, the people who complain about global warming, recycle or compost, and complain about energy costs. WE are being WASTEFUL.

So, in order to see how many trees we can save this year, I have found a website that will work for the Monterey Bay Area including Santa Cruz and some of San Jose. The website is here: http://www.rentxmastree.com/.

The website allows a person to pick a real pine tree and have it delivered in a pot. You still have to water the tree and care for it when it is in your home. The tree can be decorated with most things such as lights, ornaments, and garland but probably not tinsel. That sucker is HARD to remove. Once you are done with your tree, you don't have to worry about disposing of it. The company will come by and pick it up and later plant the tree or reuse it for next year. You can also purchase the tree and keep it at home if you would like.

I think this is a GREAT idea. For those of you who don't live in this area, I'm sure you can google "christmas tree rental" and you'll find local companies. There are some companies for the areas of San Francisco on http://www.sfenvironment.org/greenchristmas

In San Diego, you can get one through here: http://www.adoptachristmastree.com/.

Outside of Monterey Bay, it is a bit pricey so I do suggest going artificial especially since you can get a kick-ass artificial tree that's pre-lit and looks pretty dang real for the same price. You also get to save time and effort since you only have to do the ornaments and, get this, YOU NEVER HAVE TO BUY A TREE AGAIN!! I know, isn't that AWESOME!!

If you are thrifty with your money, I can guarantee that the leftover artificial trees in January will be like 60% off. My sister made a killing one year at Macy's. Let's just say that her $200+ tree cost her around $70 or $80 after the holidays. Just something to keep in mind. Plus you get the joy of telling everyone that you are not contributing to the waste that happens every year. YAY!!

If you're not a big fan of artificial trees, this is one of the alternatives to help from killing trees once a year as a massive group.

Life w/o Parole: Continuing Saga of Minors and their Crimes

2009-11-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Today, Chief Justice Roberts when talking about sentencing minors to life w/o the possibility of parole said, "why not?" He also said that these cases should be decided on a case-by-case basis. This was in today's NY Times found here.

Many cases have been handled this way. There are many external circumstances which should influence the decision on how to punish people. There IS difference between killing when you're pissed and when you carefully planned things out. These are circumstances that must be taken into account. Unfortunately, murder is one of those things that has had a long history and the circumstances have been carefully placed in penal codes everywhere.

Here, there seems to be some lucidity as to what the law should really be. Having the flexibility to take a case-by-case approach gives the court the liberty to explore without many boundaries. Two almost identical crime may be punished differently depending on the person before the jury.

When it comes to minor's there was a case that decided that anyone under the age of 18 could not be sentenced to death. If the person committed the crime 20 mins. before his birthday, he would be sentenced as a minor whereas had he committed it only 5 mins. afterwards, he could be put to death. Last time I checked, I didn't grow a brain overnight on my 18th birthday. There are no lines between maturity and immaturity. At least I haven't found any.

There was the case of Atkins v. Virginia. The Supreme Court barred the execution of those who are mentally retarded and gave guidelines to determine who qualified. Every state that used these "guidelines" used them so differently that it didn't give equal justice to all of the people involved. Is that what will happen with the case-by-case analysis that Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts wants to implement??

Florida and Louisiana are the top states to send kids to jail for life without parole. Does this mean, it will continue to allow them to continue their practices so long as they show that they looked at each case individually? Does that really change anything in the law?

I think this is a way for Chief Justice Roberts to cop out of changing things by seemingly making changes. It's the same when California got rid of the "diminished capacity" defense when Harvey Milk was killed in San Francisco. The state outlawed the defense but then re-worded to the law to simply change the name so people wouldn't realize it.

People people, do we EVER really change the laws?? I think that Justice Roberts shouldn't take the easy way out, after all he DOES sit on the highest court of this country. Maybe I'd be a little more comfortable if he really delved into the issues of the case and fought to make sure there was justice in our system.

GUNS!!!

2009-11-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

I know that this is probably one of the most controversial subjects besides abortion and whatever else the Republican party is pushing nowadays. Buuuuuut, and this is a huge BUT, I was raised in Carson City Nevada so I tend to view things a little differently. It may be the capital, but directly to the west, are the Sierra Nevada Mountains (the woods) and to the east is a great vast desert. A little bit of history about Nevada politics. It used to be run completely by hardcore Republicans. Oh yeah, I remember those days including the day when the state decided to ban gay marriage. If that isn't super conservative, I don't know what is.

So, back to the story. Because we basically have nothing to do if you are under 21 and because most people at the time were very redneck, most of us learned to shoot guns. It was easy. You got in your car or truck, drove out east for about 15 mins. and voila! You were in the middle of nowhere with great shooting ranges already set up or dads patiently set out cans to help their children with target shooting. I was one of those kids. Trusted at the age of 9 with a .22 caliber rifle. My dad taught me to load it, shoot it, and store it. I was also taught not to be scared when handling a gun and if it was in the house I knew to NOT TOUCH IT unless dad was around. I, at least, had some common sense.

My father was very patient and involved in this process as he used to shoot squirrels in Mexico. At the age of 12 I graduate to a 9mm handgun. This tended to be the normal progress. By the time I was 16, I was shooting plenty more than the previous two. I enjoyed shooting because you really needed to have skill and it taught responsibility and safety. I was good enough to shoot in the school team and be on the varsity team 2 years in a row. I was also the captain and in the top 100 kids in the nation. I really enjoyed it.

I had a wonderful conversation with my father today and he asked if I had gone shooting lately. I told him that since I had moved to California, I found it difficult to go anywhere to buy a gun, much less do some target practice. California has very strict gun laws especially in San Francisco. I don't remember anyone's home in Carson City ever getting broken into. Mostly because most people had rifles or guns in their home and people knew better. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there AREN'T any laws to buying guns in Nevada. There IS a background check and every gun is registered. The process just isn't as difficult and the laws aren't consistently changing. I am now thinking about buying a handgun for myself. Perhaps it's simply because I'd like to keep my sharpshooter skills up to date but also to make sure that if my home is ever broken into, the person WILL NEVER want to come back. I believe there should always be laws and a level of gun control but it's kinda unfair that law abiding citizens are limited to purchasing guns when the bad guys can get the guns so easily in the black market.

I'm just sayin'! Maybe some people should really look at both sides before marching up and down the street protesting something. I believe some tend to be rash with their judgments before they can stop and I don't know...THINK!

No more mariage?? OOPS!

2009-11-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

In the efforts to ban gay marriage, Texas decided it would pass a law against it. Little did they know that when the law was worded, they actually ended up banning all types of marriages including heterosexual ones. The law stated "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

Now, I know it doesn't take much to figure out that one of the things similar or identical to marriage is, well, marriage!! Oh Texas, be ye not so stupid. This also means that "common-law" marriage won't be allowed even if between a man and a woman or a domestic partnership between the two.

What problems will arise you might ask? Well, there's the problem with all types of insurance including auto, home, life, and health. (Boy, we have insurance for EVERYTHING!) On top of that, it will wreck havoc amongst those who die intestate or passing property to a "spouse" in a life estate etc. This would make for one crazy hypo in Property class!

Kelly Shackelford, president of the Liberty Legal Institute in Plano said the clause was designed to be broad enough to prevent the creation of domestic partnerships, civil unions or other arrangements that would give same-sex couples many of the benefits of marriage.

"This breeds unneeded arguments, lawsuits and expense which could have been avoided by good lawyering," Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general said. "Yes, I believe the clear language of B bans all marriages, and this is indeed a huge mistake."

The article can be found here.

Wow, this is a classic case of good lawyering gone bad or neglectful. I would also hope that lawmakers would be more careful when passing laws and ACTUALLY read the propositions before signing them. Accountability is key and you can't go on passing the buck here.

I bid you good luck Texas in reversing this cluster fu%&! Excuse the language but that was the only synonymous word that came to mind in this situation.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

I sit here and think of the sacrifices that have been made by people who join the military. Some people say that the military is a choice but not everyone joins under the greatest of circumstances. Some people join for pride, others for college money and others because they need government health insurance. This man joined for health insurance in order to allow his wife to keep battling cancer. Either way, we are all in the same military. We are all deploying whether it be on a ship, land or a plane. We all leave family and the life we knew behind with hopes of a better future. Some of us never come back to see that future and it is for those men and women that we have this day. I am proud that I am part of this group and although I too originally joined for the college money, I continue doing it for the pride.

President Obama had these heartfelt words for those who fight in today's military. I couldn't have said it better.

“We call this a holiday, but for many veterans, it’s another day of memories that drive them to live their lives each day as best as they possibly can,” Mr. Obama said. “For our troops, it is another day in harm’s way. For their families, it is another day to feel the absence of a loved one and the concern for their safety. For our wounded warriors, it is another day of slow and arduous recovery. And in this national cemetery, it is another day when grief remains fresh.” NY Times

Children Incarcerated for Life

2009-11-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

I had previously written about minors in the court system and how the Supreme Court is going to be hearing a couple of cases. It has now been schedule for November 8. Connie de la Vega is one of the professors at my school and she is fighting for the US to ratify the Conventions on the Rights of the Child. I found an article in Newsweek that showcased Ms. Vega. This is the link for it: http://www.newsweek.com/id/221203/page/1

This article highlights the fact that "the United States and Somalia are the only countries that aren't a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which seeks to protect and promote child development and bans a life sentence without parole for juveniles."

I strongly believe that rehabilitation is a better way to reach teenagers who are more likely to succumb to peer pressure. We all remember going through those moments and doing things (not necessarily bad ones) that we didn't originally plan or really feel comfortable doing. It could have been something like talking to a boy you were too shy to talk to or something a little more complex such as chugging a beer when you are underage. I'm not saying that a violent offender shouldn't get jail time or even be jailed for quite a few years, I just think that a child shouldn't be subjected to the same or harsher punishment than an adult.

I was talking to a certain person about this subject and he was very passionate about his views. He said that the age of 13 was when a person had the reasoning of a typical adult and that the U.S. tends to delay adulthood longer than any country. He went on to say that if that 13 year old committed the crime of rape as well as burglary, he should be sentenced to life without parole. When I then said "well, when a 30 year old man does the same, he's not as likely to get the same sentence." He then replied that it was an easy fix and that all should get the same sentence.

I'm not quite moved by his argument. What do you think?

First Nightmare of the Semester

2009-11-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

Last night I had my first nightmare about finals. I had been studying for Contracts and for Civil Procedure but not for Criminal Law. When I entered the lecture room, I realized that the exam was that day and it was for Crim! I sat down and took out my laptop and was FREAKING out because I couldn't remember anything about the subject. I sat down with the exam in front of me and couldn't understand ANYTHING the exam was talking about.

All I could think about was "Oh my god, I'm going to FAIL!" and thought about just walking out of the room. I kept telling myself how stupid I had been for not studying for the right subject and how I had put it off and how I should have studied. I felt pretty hopeless and luckily, I was able to wake up right after.

Now that I think about it, perhaps I wasn't the PROBLEM, it was the EXAM! I think the exam just didn't understand ME!

Attorney Superhero

2009-10-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have used the mighty internet to find that Adult Swim had already come up with an idea like mine about lawyers as superheroes. It really isn't exactly what I had in mind but was funny nonetheless. His name is Harvey Birdman and you can find his bio on wikipedia. (click here.)

I found one of the episodes just in case anyone wants to watch it. (click here)

Class Action Lawsuits...who do they work for?

2009-10-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes corporations can get out of hand and con consumers into thinking that they are a certain type of business when they really aren't.

Recently, I received a notice that a class action lawsuit was being filed against Honda for misrepresentations about the mileage on the hybrid cars. I remember that when I was buying the car, I was excited to be getting the whopping 55-60 MPG that it said on the sticker. Then I also remember actually driving the car for a while and realizing that I was only getting 50MPG when driving on the highway and 45-48 MPG when driving in the city. Was I DUPED?? I'll say it in caps because it's just a funny word. :0)

I don't think it's that big of a deal. So instead of getting the huge numbers I was expecting, I got about 10 MPG under that. But then if you think about it, maybe this company needs to know that hey...you can't tell the consumer lies like that! Yeah, take that Honda!

And then I'm thinking "Yeah! I'll show them who they can and can't lie too!" Being a law student, I also remember what actually goes in to a class action suit. Many people have to come together with lawyers to say "Hey! I was DUPED and I want some kind of compensation for it!" Then the lawyers get together and see HUGE $$$ signs and go MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY....MONEY! (You know, like the song!)

So going back to this notice I received. It looked all nice and was all like, we want justice for the people who were DUPED and Honda needs to pay and I'm all, AWESOME! That was until I got to the part that tells me what I will get out of this whole ordeal. I look down and it says I have three options.

Option 1: I can purchase a NEW Honda Hybrid and get a $2500 credit toward it. HELLO! Do you realize how much the stupid Hybrid costs nowadays that EVERYONE wants one??? This option is clearly not for me especially since I have less than 7 months until I pay that bad boy off.

Option 2: I can purchase a QUALIFYING Honda and get a $1000 credit towards it. For reasons stated above in option 1, I cannot take this offer.

Option3: If you do not want to purchase a Honda, you can get a $100 check. REALLY???? That's the reimbursement for me being DUPED???

That got me to thinking, are there so many of us that the money will be spread so thin? Nah! This lawsuit is worth millions and the majority will be going to some law firm company that put together some stupid list with people who own the hybrid cars. It also reminds of the commercials that say "Have you or a loved one been seriously injured by (insert name of drug here)? Call the offices of (insert law firm name here), you may be entitled to compensation." What they don't tell you is that the compensation will be minimal in comparison to what the firm will be making.

Seriously??! Be responsible lawyers! Don't go out there and try to make money just because! If you are doing it for a cause that you are passionate about and that people have been seriously hurt over, then fine, but don't do it for the money!

So, in conclusion, the $100 check doesn't seem like a fair amount for being DUPED by a company. Having Honda pay these millions in lawyers fees as well as $100 to each member of the suit, may cause the price of cars or products to increase. I mean, I still think Honda should be more careful about what they advertise and how much the truth can really be stretched but I don't think I should help a firm get rich. These lawyers are the same as the "ambulance chasers" and should be chastised as such. Don't use your knowledge of the law to wreck havoc amongst people, I mean, it's just like being a Jedi Knight or Spiderman! With power comes responsibility!! (Or at least that's what I hear in all of the superhero movies which I think totally apply to lawyers. I mean, we are an incredibly awesome group with legal superpowers!)

So...do class action lawsuits really work for the consumers or are lawyers being irresponsible and greedy?? What do you think?

The Expansion of the Definition for Hate Crimes

2009-10-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

We are getting closer and closer to expanding the definition of what constitutes a "hate crime" to include sexual orientation. As of now only race, gender, and religion are covered.

"The measure, added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill, would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. The House has passed the measure. It will go to President Obama's desk if, as expected, it clears the Senate." http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/22/hate.crimes/

I think it's about time that this legislation is acted upon and brought into law. It is disgusting to see people commit crimes because of their homophobia. This may come from religion or teachings from spiteful parents or those who are still in the closet. EVERYONE should be protected from this type of hatred and no one should walk the streets scared that they could be killed for simply being who they are.

I hope this bill passes and that this country finally becomes the accepting country that it has claimed to be since its inception.

Minors in the Court System

2009-10-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court has some cases coming up. One of them is about the 8th amendment and whether it is cruel and unusual punishment to send a 13 year old to prison for life w/o the possibility of parole. The case name is Sullivan v. Florida and I haven't been able to find the exact facts of the case.

Yahoo said "in Sullivan, the petitioner was 13 years old when he was indicted as an adult and sentenced to life in prison without parole in Florida for sexual assault of an elderly woman."

As I thought about the case, many things came to mind such as questioning why a 40 yr. old man who sexually assaults a 10 year old girl doesn't get life in prison without parole. Wouldn't you think that a young boy has more of a chance of rehabilitation than the 40 yr. old man? Couldn't we find out exactly WHY the boy did what he did and possibly fix it? Isn't it easier then?

Personally, I think the sentence is cruel and unusual. The boy didn't kill anyone and because of the way he was possibly raised, he committed a crime which he might have though was normal behavior. Children often imitate behavior of those around him. Even if the boy knew it was wrong and that it was deviant behavior, there is STILL more of a chance of rehabilitation through counseling or some other means.

What do you think?

Morning Commute

2009-10-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

This morning I was doing my normal 2 hour commute into the city for school. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I was cruising in the carpool lane smiling as I passed the stop and go traffic on my right. Everything was just peachy right?

As I'm cruising at 68 MPH in the left hand lane, some IDIOT (and I capitalize it for a reason) decided that he also wanted to enjoy the benefits of the carpool lane. The problem was that he decided that in order to do so, he would cut off the car that was coming AT 68 MPH by entering the lane at a wonderful 3 MPH. WONDERFUL!!! I had to slam on my brakes (which thankfully got replaced a couple of months ago) and swerve onto the shoulder in order to avoid hitting the back of his stupid mini SUV. I also had to keep positive control of the car by not over compensating. IT WAS TERRIFYING trying to stay in control. I thought I was going to hit the divider or flip over the rail and then hit another car. By the time I actually slowed down, I was actually right next to him. IDIOT!!!

The truck behind me was luckily also paying attention to the road and was also able to slow down and was nice enough to let me back into the lane after I had gained control.

Now this is was a close call.

Halloween

2009-09-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

This year, I've decided to go with something non-traditional for a costume. I recently had the pleasure of watching the movie Pootie Tang. It is not main stream nor was it ever a part of pop culture. In fact, I believe this movie was the inspiration for Napoleon Dynamite. Either way, I've decided to portray the character of Biggie Shorty.

I think the funniest thing she says in the movie is "You think that just cuz a girl likes to dress fancy and stand on the corner next to some whores, that she's hookin?" You really have to see the movie to believe it.

I'm sure I'll have to come up with a better costume idea especially since I'll be helping the Women's Law Association pass out candy on that Friday to little kids from schools in the area. Maybe I'll do two costumes this year.

Here's what Biggie Shorty looks like:

LOVE IT!!!!

Scandalous

2009-09-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

I can't begin to describe this cake topper. I ran into the picture today and thought to myself, now there's a message that does not need to be conveyed at a wedding. Isn't it implied? No need to put it out there! And to think, someone out there will ACTUALLY place this on top of their wedding cake someday. Ah, memories!

There's always AT LEAST one!

2009-08-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sitting in class today I realized that no matter where you go, there will always be that one person that believes the world revolves around them. There I was listening to what the professor was asking when an all too familiar hand goes up. She gets called on and begins a one-on-one with the professor meanwhile everyone around me is sighing. They are sighing only because she doesn't know when to stop. She challenges everything the professor says with a "well, how about..." and everyone groans since they know they will be listening to these hypothesis for at least the next 5 minutes.

I take it these were the same people that would burst out in class with the answer or wiggle in their seat while saying "pick me! pick me!" and then blurting out the answer to the question if the teacher picks someone else. It's sad when people don't know what you look like but know it's you because of your voice. I had a couple of people like that in my class but it died quickly. I'm hoping that in order to preserve my sanity, this person also realizes that she no longer needs to try and look smart.

I'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

It's ALWAYS Better the Second Time Around

2009-08-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

My entire first year of Law School was like 9 months of torture and initiation. I remember walking into Contracts the first day of class and having the professor ask which Fuller interest we were talking about in the case. The lucky person chosen to answer had a deer-in-the-headlights look meanwhile I sat there breathing a sigh of relief that I hadn't been the lucky victim. We all looked at each other like we had stepped into the Twilight Zone. I was terrified for a complete hour.

This time around, the professor instead talked about how law school shouldn't be stressful and allowed everyone a couple of minutes to introduce themselves to their neighbors. Not to then say that at least one or two of them would be gone next year but simply to say "hello" to them. REALLY??? WTF?? What happened to the initiation phase or the scared sh**tless stage?! Most importantly, WHY DID I HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT??!!

There has been nothing but "intro" lectures. There haven't been any cases discussed or 30 page assignment. I don't think there's an assignment longer than 20 pages in any one of my syllabi. Is it that the newer generation is all about being more sensitive to people's feelings and is kinder and gentler? I thought that my class was far better than that horror scene in "The Paper Chase" when a person is singled out to only feel like an idiot.

First Day of School

2009-08-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

So not only did I have butterflies in my stomach for some reason this morning but I also had a 2 hour commute. I didn't hit major pockets of traffic thanks to my I-can-ride-by-myself-in-the-carpool-lane hybrid car. (I knew I bought that thing for some reason!) So now I'm faced with talking with my fellow colleagues and their travels as well as the beginning of new classes. I have to deal with the same subject matter and although only for 13 weeks, I have to say that I wish I was starting class with them as well. I know I'll get that chance next semester but the problem is...how honest should I be with some of these people? I mean, comments spread like wildfire so you always have to be careful about what you say unless you are in a confidential meeting with your closest friends. Then again, I'm sure they are busy with their own lives to really care about mine. We'll see how this day goes.

Recycling

2009-08-24T16:48:00.001-07:00

I found this cute little pencil pouch at Target. It was only $1 and it's made from actual Cheese Nips wrappers! This company takes the bags of chips or pretzels that are lined in foil and places a thin piece of cotton-like material between them before sewing them into cute little pouches. It has a zipper sewn in on top as well.

I figure that I could do these myself since they are quite simple. Hmmm, this is recycling at it's best. I wonder what else I could make with old Cheese Nips wrappers.

Health Insurance

2009-08-13T11:49:00.001-07:00

I've been listening to the controversy about the "Obamacare" plan that has been on the news. Some people are angry saying that their "right" to choose has been compromised and that they don't want to pay for everyone to have insurance.

So I sat down and really thought about what could possibly be going through their minds. I immediately thought about Rush Limbaugh for some reason. I've heard his show before. I'm not a crazy liberal and I'm definitely nowhere near the right either but his works really angered me enough to really think about switching to the crazy liberal left. Also, the fact that many people think his words are gospel and come straight from God are just ridiculous. Too many people pay attention to this guy saying that we are becoming a socialist country and that use fear as a way to get people to agree with him. Oh yeah, don't forget ignorance and religion.

Many people have looked at socialist systems and decided that they were "really bad and unpatriotic." Really?? Last time I checked, we have a socialized school system in which the government and tax payers pay into and then the children get the benefits. Parents have been using this free babysitting service for many years and keep complaining that there isn't enough money for it but also refuse to pay into it. They want the government to give more and more and more. Isn't that odd? The people who pride themselves on keeping government out of their lives are fighting for government to step in and foot the bill and be the daddy of the country!!

The Obama plan (from what I've read and seen) has been placed as just another option for people. This country is just too damn capitalistic to EVER switch to such a super socialistic health care plan. Obama is giving people "options." Go figure.

Now, let's explore what life is like as an uninsured person. By the way, people are usually uninsured because they can't afford to pay for insurance premiums that may only cover 60% of whatever your bill is and that is only after you've paid off your usually $2000 deductible. Either way (insurance or not) if something tragic happens you're screwed.

Anyway, first you can't get routine medical care meaning you don't show up to your doctor when you have a really bad sore throat or you get the sniffles or your tummy aches. You have to suck it up because a simple 6 minute doctor visit costs anywhere from $100 to $250 not including medications. You don't go to the dentist every six months for cleanings or once a year for routine check ups because those visits are also around the same price. The only time a person goes to a doctor or dentist is when they feel like they are going to die or just can't function as a human being anymore. This person then goes to a county hospital (private hospitals don't touch you unless you have the magical pass called an insurance card) and then gets treated by a doctor. Granted, this bill is significantly higher than had the person been able to go to get routine medical care.

Example, I personally went to an ER because of a kidney infection. I was treated with antibiotics, given an MRI some other medications and exams before being diagnosed. I was then wheeled into a hallway (I didn't even get my own room!) before being released later on. I spent about 6 hours in the ER. The bill came out to $23,000 which didn't include the doctors or the testing that was done or my medication afterwards! Had I not had insurance, I wouldn't have been SOL!

Now, if a person started out with a urinary tract infection (UTI) and was treated at a doctor's office, it would have only cost a few hundred dollars BUT if they don't have insurance or the money to do that, it could end up being a $20K to $30K bill PER PERSON!

Where am I going with all of this you might ask? A person can get treated at the ER and skip out on the expensive bill. Who pays for this? TAXPAYERS DO!!! YAY!!! I get to pay for the bill! Two problems. First, not having insurance means that the uninsured flock to the ER's when they are deathly ill. Second, it cost taxpayers lots and lots of money to pay for all of these bills.

If we have a goverment plan that makes it cheap for a person who makes very little money and has a family to take care of to buy insurance and get preliminary and preventive care, the bill shrinks to the smaller figure of $10 to $30. Yeah, it's smaller because when you have insurance because the doctor doesn't charge as much since they have a "contract" price with the insurance company. Example, a doctor normally bills the $100-$250 to the insurance company. The insurance company then says, "we have a contract with you that you will only charge us $80-$120 for the visit." The doctor then says "fine, I'll charge the patient the copay and you pay the remainder" to which the insurance agrees because it's significantly lower. Now, why can't we nego

Which amount would you rather pay? Personally, I say tax me to fund the OPTIONAL government plan rather than tax me to pay for unpaid ER visits that could be prevented. Either way I'll be paying and personally I like the smaller one of the two.

Sad Beginnings

2009-08-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

It's that time again to start school. Unfortunately for me, things aren't going right on schedule. My first semester in school didn't go as well as I wanted to and now I have to spend the fall semester repeating three classes.

I can't say that it wasn't painful and that I didn't spend days thinking about how big of a failure I was. I finally came to terms with it and although I know I just have to suck it up for one semester before continuing my second year.

I have had friends help me through this and I'm very lucky and happy to have them. Although it is a sad beginning for the first semester, I'm hoping there will be a happy ending. On the bright side, I will have to make up for this semester by studying abroad in Ireland. I know...poor me!

So, although I'm going through a set back, it is minor in comparison to those students that have to repeat the entire year. Send good vibes my way!

Summer

2009-07-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

This summer has been filled with anxiety (due to grades not coming in for 3 weeks) and some relaxation. Today is my birthday and I can't believe another year has gone by.

I was able to travel to Singapore at the end of June and enjoy what the cleanest city in the world had to offer. I couldn't find a piece of garbage anywhere no matter how hard I looked. It's as if there were little garbage monsters that came out of the cracks of the sidewalk to pick up anything that was astray. I did have the opportunity to travel to a couple of parts of Malaysia and went to a resort for a weekend. It was called Rimba Resort and was where I was able to get my open water scuba certification. It was the greatest feeling in the world to be down there with all of the fishes. I felt like I was swimming around in an aquarium. It was great.

I can't say that I enjoyed the hot weather and humidity though. I couldn't walk ten feet without feeling droplets of sweat running from my neck to my back. I also had to constantly carry an umbrella with me for fear of being drenched in one of those random and unpredictable tropical storms. Jeans were out of the question there and I found that out the hard way the first day there. I arrived at the airport around 1AM local time and since my hotel room check in wasn't until 11AM, I had to find something to do. My work supervisor was with me and decided to give me a grand tour of the area at around 2AM or so. We walked out of the hotel lobby after dropping our stuff off and began walking around the city. People were still hanging around having McDonalds (open 24 hrs.) and conversing. So there I am starting to take a walk while wearing some dark blue jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was a great ides but the jeans weren't. Within 5 minutes I started sweating so much that my jeans became somewhat wet and difficult to walk in. Although I tried rolling them up to make them look like capri's, I couldn't help but feeling like I was trapped in a sauna. My clutch purse actually got stained from rubbing up against my damp jeans. The next time I wore jeans was the day I left and only because the planes are just so dang cold. Other than that, I lived in a pair of flip flops and light cotton shorts or dresses. I bathed in SPF 50 sunscreen and stayed indoors for the major part of the day. Yeah...it was hot.

I'm also now doing the spring cleaning a little bit late. I'm starting to separate things and trying to decide what to get rid of. I'm sure that I won't need that tank top that was cute when I was 20 and can no longer fit into. I just hope I'll be able to lighten the load and make the place look nicer.

And they're off!!!!

2009-04-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

The last full week of school is about to start meaning that everyone is that much closer to finals. The stress is blooming and is becoming more noticeable every day. The library is being filled with anxious people going diligently over their outlines and doing practice exams.

Me, I'm in the same routine. I have suddenly become a regular at the student lounge and known not for lounging but staying there reading and typing notes until 11PM at times. I have no life.

Sometimes I can't even sit down and eat without looking through my notes or skimming my reading or just doing SOMETHING that makes me feel productive. I can't wait until this is over and at the same time I wish I could put these exams off for just a little while longer.

It was suggested that if we had 2 weeks between each exam, it would help with the anxiety. I merely replied saying that if we had that much time, I would procrastinate for 10 of the 14 days and then panic for the remaining 4. That's kind of my thing...panicking. So instead I'm going to opt for a panic of 3 days or sometimes 2 days between exams and being done with everything in 2 weeks.

Seriously people...cover your mouth!

2009-04-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for the past week. I'm sure no one meant for me to get sick but I can't help but notice that people aren't as courteous as they should be. If you are sick...please stay home or AT LEAST cover your mouth and take some pills for your symptoms!!!

I averted any closed spaces and tried not to breathe on anyone must else get too close. I only wish other people had done the same. I'm sure someone will give you their notes, all you have to do is ask!

Regression to Elementary School

2009-04-18T17:53:00.001-07:00

I can't help but notice that being in Law School is similar to being in Elementary School. You are in the same classroom with all of your peers every day for every subject. It's very easy to get sucked into all of the drama.

It all started when girl A became angry with girl B for reason X. Girl A then makes allegations about Girl B. The allegations are deemed to be unfounded for which people went one of two ways. One, some people felt that Girl A had every right to complain and that Girl B got away with it. Two, some people felt that Girl B was treated unfairly and was wrongly accused. Me, I could care less.

Unfortunately, I also got swept into a bit of drama unbeknownst to me. I always thought you had to be an active participant in order for it to affect you but I have realized that it can happen without you knowing.

I, being a loner at times, felt that a certain study group just wasn't working for me and I no longer wanted to continue it. That and I was stressed with other things happening in my life. Instead of simply saying "hey, no problem, we understand" I got the complete opposite. These people were very hurt. It was like I had slapped them in the face or called them whores. One girl can rise above it all and at least be cordial. The other two, let's just say that we don't sit together at lunch.

I have yet to understand what the obsession and passive aggressiveness is all about. Is that what makes some people content? Are they still so bitter and hurt that I don't talk to them that they try to make me give a damn? Personally, I think it's quite funny.

I do have a group of friends that are very much like me and don't hold me to the commitment that a boyfriend does. Go figure! Last time I checked, girlfriends didn't require the same type of commitment. Then again, that could be just me.

So, in the end, I do hope that these two girls just get with the program. Someday, I may be the one hiring them and they would not want me to remember these childish games right? So girls, I know that you know that I can hear you when you "whisper" but that I really don't care. Keep on keepin' on and good luck to you. I hope I can continue being such an important and integral part of your lives.