Wednesday, May 3
I spent most of today in the library studying partnership taxation. I got through special allocations and the test for economic effect. I got to distributions, liquidations, and sale or exchange of partnership interest, the most complicated aspects of subchapter K. But at about 9:00pm I came home (for somewhat complicated and disturbing reasons) and spent the evening with Nell. It was the first evening we've spent together since finals started a week ago. Sitting on the couch, watching TV, chatting about this and that, and having a glass of wine/Bud Light was sublime. I can't wait until Friday afternoon, at which time I will be 2/3 done with law school.
On a separate note, I just watched the Colbert Report, as I have been known to do, and the guest tonight was Paul Rieckhoff, a guy who served in the Army on the ground in Iraq and has written a book. And he reminded me of my brother. It got me thinking about the fact that the commander in chief and the secretary of defense are both civilians, neither having ever come close to actual military service. These are the guys who are making policy decisions that are affecting the lives of men and women with exponentially more character than Bush or Rumsfeld could even imagine.
Normally when someone writes a book about the United States' Iraq policy, you can be fairly sure that they are a hippie liberal with a bone to pick with the administration. But I got a different vibe from this guy. He was a soldier and he sounded like a soldier. He was pissed off that people in Washington, be they Republican or Democrat, consider the Iraq war a political matter. He seemed especially pissed off at the talking heads on the cable news shows who tow the party line and pontificate while actual human beings are doing things.
Anyway, it made me think of big brother (who recently sent me an internal frame pack, with, among other things, a genuine military helmet liner inside). with whom I have had some extended discussions about military policy and political hodge-podge. Kind of seemed like the same sort of bullshit he'd be pissed about. The clip is not on comedy central's website yet, but probably will be in the next few days. Check it out. Aside from (and including) the interview, Colbert rules.
On a separate note, I just watched the Colbert Report, as I have been known to do, and the guest tonight was Paul Rieckhoff, a guy who served in the Army on the ground in Iraq and has written a book. And he reminded me of my brother. It got me thinking about the fact that the commander in chief and the secretary of defense are both civilians, neither having ever come close to actual military service. These are the guys who are making policy decisions that are affecting the lives of men and women with exponentially more character than Bush or Rumsfeld could even imagine.
Normally when someone writes a book about the United States' Iraq policy, you can be fairly sure that they are a hippie liberal with a bone to pick with the administration. But I got a different vibe from this guy. He was a soldier and he sounded like a soldier. He was pissed off that people in Washington, be they Republican or Democrat, consider the Iraq war a political matter. He seemed especially pissed off at the talking heads on the cable news shows who tow the party line and pontificate while actual human beings are doing things.
Anyway, it made me think of big brother (who recently sent me an internal frame pack, with, among other things, a genuine military helmet liner inside). with whom I have had some extended discussions about military policy and political hodge-podge. Kind of seemed like the same sort of bullshit he'd be pissed about. The clip is not on comedy central's website yet, but probably will be in the next few days. Check it out. Aside from (and including) the interview, Colbert rules.
posted by Fishfrog at 9:02 PM
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