I’ve decided to the go the way of Big Jonny

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Yes folks, it’s true. Big J is an inspiration to me, and with the recent loss of my job, and my lack of possible job opportunities where I live, I have decided to go back to school, and get my JD. This is the plan at least. Of course, first I have to get into said law school, wherever that may, or may not be. I have a short list of schools to look at (like 10-12), and we’ll go from there. I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile, and with my father in law being a lawyer, he hasn’t pushed me in that direction, but I think it’s a profession that I would like. Honestly. Yeah, I know, everyone hates lawyers, and that’s OK, because most people hate me already, so I’ll just extend the hate list a little longer. It’s all good. Don’t know what field I’ll be looking at, but it will probably have something to do with patent law/intellectual property, being an engineer by trade, and in my original education could work me into a spot like that quite nice.

Anyone got any useful advice out there? Aside from, don’t do it?

In other news though, I noticed this morning a little tid bit in the cycling world about Jorge Jaksche naming names when he got busted back in 2007. Damn, I sure wish we could see that entire list. There were some names on there like Rijs (ooh, big surprise there from Mr. 60% and all), and Pevenage (yeah, another big surprise right?), but I want to see some rider names come out of this whole thing, and then strike them down where they stand. I mean, if we’re going to take this doping thing seriously, then, release the names. I’m sure they won’t though, for some reason or another. They won’t do it. It will all be hearsay and shit like that.

On one last note (this is sort of random posting for today), I have been following a lot of this stimulus bill crap that’s been flying around for the last month or so since Obama took office. And, it appears that the republicans can’t help BUT lie about it. Latest and greatest lie. Nancy Pelosi slipped in a provision for millions of dollars for her home district to save a field mouse from extinction, or some shit like that. Problem with that? It’s not freakin’ true. They made it up. Out of thin air. The bigger problem with that? People either believe them, or don’t challenge them about it when they spout off this nonsense. The other big lie coming out of this? That there are billions of dollars to build a light rail train from Disneyland to Vegas. Yeah, I kid you not. And again, it’s not in there. Nope. Not even close. There is funding set aside to build commuter trains in as to yet be places that haven’t been determined, and the argument that some of my more conservative friends make? They state, “Well, sure it doesn’t say that they’re going to use the money for that in there, but they might.” Yeah, they’re telling the future. Look, if stimulus money gets used to build a train from LA to Vegas, guess what? Mission accomplished. Why? What do they think? The railway, the stations, and the trains are just going to build themselves? And do they think the infrastructure of a job like that would also support itself? It would, gasp, create long lasting jobs in a region of the country that could use them, but then again, that’s not the point is it? They’re just outright lying about this stuff. Oh, and the other last great lie that I love coming from them? That there is $5 billion dollars going direct to the right wing’s favorite boogeyman as of late, ACORN. And the problem with that, is that, there is no money set aside for ACORN, and the CEO of ACORN has come out and said, they don’t need, or want any of the stimulus money, and will not be applying to get any of it. The real bottom line is this as well, ACORN has never received any federal funding. Ever.

Man, if this is what the first month is going to be like, I can’t imagine what the rest of the term is going to look like.

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About giantcu92

Engineer living in the NOVA, and working for "The Man". Cycling and political junky. All things 2 wheeled are good. 4 wheels? Eh, OK, but 2 wheels better. Washinton, DC, USA

17 Replies to “I’ve decided to the go the way of Big Jonny”

  1. Good luck giant…all the best to those who take a bad situation and turn it around.

    As for criticism of Republicans…yougottabekiddinme. Dems just spent your children’s children’s children’s money…time to redirect that ire.

  2. Fuck yea Giant.

    My advice: take it and run. have a nice comfortable existence in the academic trenches and rack up a cool 120k in student loans, or more if you can. Then, when the party is over ask for a bailout and go be a lawyer about it.

    I’m on the same tip, but in the Mursing profession. School is the shit minus the terd prof’s.

    congrats

  3. Good luck with the JD deal. Tru dat that all lawyers are hated. Dealing with a lawyer right now and I can’t stand her. And she’s my fucking lawyer.

    As far as the rant about Repubs….YAWN.

    Arguing for/against either side is like being shot, falling off a building and then arguing about what is going to kill you first. The shot or the fall.

    Who fucking cares….we’re screwed no matter what.

  4. I’d imagine with the economy tanked that it is harder than ever to get into a decent and affordable school. My advice: do really well on the LSAT, so you have some options. I finished a JD a few years back, so if you want to chat, Gnome has my contact.

  5. as someone who has gone to law school, grad school and med school, i can say that law school was the easiest. not so easy if you have obligations (family, etc), but easy if you can sit at your desk, sleep under your desk, and prepare everything in advance. i was still able to train some during that time too. if you have questions, you could ask me, too.

  6. Thanks for the feedback all. Appreciate it.

    Yeah, I can rail on the republicans, because they spent future monies long before the dems did. Remember that whole Iraq war debacle? The Bush tax cuts? The spent surplus? The un-balanced budgets? They didn’t spend my kids’ future money, mostly because I’m not going to have any kids, so they won’t be impacted. Is there plenty of blame to go around? Yeah, more than likely, but we just got done with 8 years of Bush in the White House, and now, Obama has got to dig us out. Sorry, just the way it is. I can’t say if he is, or isn’t going to do it yet, but I can only hope, for all of us, that he does. Give him a little more than a month, and then start bitching at him, like, maybe 2 months.

  7. “we just got done with 8 years of Bush in the White House, and now, Obama has got to dig us out. ”

    Mr. giantcu92-

    If there is any digging out to be done (which I doubt), it will be US digging OURSELVES out. Not President Obama or any other president. Being fat, lazy, ignorant and selfish is what got us into this mess, not Repmocrats or Dempublicans. Unfortunately, as the late great Mr. Frank Zappa pointed out, “It ain’t getting any smarter out there.”

  8. My wife has a JD (1997), we’ve been together since undergrad, so I’ve seen the whole thing. I disagree that all lawyers are hated. That’s just knee-jerk reactionary crap. Lawyers defend the innocent, (try to) stop the Man from spying on us, challenge BS laws, sue dick-head motorists who hit cyclists, etc. Internationally, they prosecute war criminals, shepherd trade deals (like your Japanese frame?), and generally help make sense of a crazy mixed-up world. Ralph Nader is a lawyer and you may or may not have liked is presidential runs, but most of us like driving cars, when we must, that don’t spontaneously explode.

    OK. So , most of my wife’s friends entered school with that attitude. They (and she) were going to save the world. Here’s the thing: Legal Aid pays shit. The Carter Foundation can only hire so many people. The poor and oppressed that need help have no money because, you know, they’re poor and oppressed. And then so are you! Unless you have real $$ now, you will be k$100+ in debt when you get out. And that’s the problem. You will absolutely HAVE to make real money when you are done and that is where the trouble starts. Of the dozen or so friends we have stayed close to, (perhaps that’s self-selective) only three are actually practicing law and one of those is thinking about getting out. My wife went into university development (I’m a prof, so it’s a nice match) which is a little contract law and a lot of shmoozing and fund-raising. Now she’s raising the boys full-time and we’re still paying the loans. Our friends do other things now because they make more cash while still having good lives and some ability to sleep at night.

    So my only advice here is to think about the financial plan in a way that leaves your options open and lets you make decisions in the context of what you want out of your life, not what you owe.

  9. I graduated law school in the early ’90s and would +1 what Scott said. The only lawyers who make big bucks out of law school (who work at the big firms) are the ones who went to a blue chip law school and were on law review or graduated at the top of their class. The rest of the law grads get to fight over the “entry level” positions which don’t pay that great. Also the law schools are cranking out the grads so you might need to relocate to find a job once you get out of school. So definately put some serious thought into this before racking up the student debt… :)

  10. “Latest and greatest lie. Nancy Pelosi slipped in a provision for millions of dollars for her home district to save a field mouse from extinction. Problem with that? It’s not freakin’ true. They made it up.

    …The other big lie coming out of this? That there are billions of dollars to build a light rail train from Disneyland to Vegas.”

    …i think w/ a little insightful extrapolation, we just might be able to draw some worthwhile conclusions here…
    …disneyland’s beginnings evolved around what animal ??? = a mouse…
    …pelosi trying to save what animal ??? = again, a mouse…
    …both “false” projects involve what ??? = major bucks…
    …what would it take to create another disneyland ??? = again, major bucks…
    …where is pelosi’s 8th district ??? = san francisco…
    …what was the supposed project between LA & LV ??? = a rail system…

    …i think it’s quite clear from the evidence, mouseketeers, excuse me, i meant to say esteemed colleagues, that nancy pelosi is going to railroad the system into diverting all those “already proposed” funds to san fransisco to build a new disneyland…
    …clearly a brilliant plan to jump-start the local economy w/ all the new jobs the work would entail…

    …obviously no “mickey mouse” politics at this end of the state…at least, not yet…

  11. Ditto Scott and Chris. I have two suggestions – Ace the LSAT (165+), and get into the best school you can or go to a school located in the area you want to live. Unless you are going to a top 14 school, it is highly likely that, upon graduation, you will be stuck in the region where you attended school. The exception to this is if you are top of your class material, and are willing to really bust your ass to separate yourself from 200+ other highly motivated and intelligent law students. Going to law school as a fallback (i.e., you lost your job) seems like a bad move – the law market is really, REALLY bad right now for recent grads – even those who stand out. (I am a 3L at a regional school, law review, lots of extracurriculars – just found a job a month or so ago – 75-80% of my classmates, who will be graduating in May, are not so lucky).
    Whatever decision you make, good luck! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

  12. you are all smart people, no doubt, but Chris: you graduated FROM law school. FROM it. i have too much chest hair, am a sucky athlete, can’t find my dad, and still know that you don’t graduate school; school graduates you.

  13. I am a lawyer. I would not still be a lawyer if I did not have to pay my law school loans. It was a great three years while it lasted but now I am paying for it. Its a sucky profession.