I swear it's easier to find two or three things to talk about than one big thing. Hence, two things that caught my eye in a moment, but first, a bit of house keeping.
You may notice a new flag at the top of the blog. I've been getting a lot of positive feedback on it, although most of it is via Facebook. But I haven't given proper credit. The image is Bull Walrus by Ningeokuluk Teevee from The Cape Dorset Collection, specifically 2008. It's a great piece and I recall wanting it at the time. Cathy couldn't see having a giant walrus on our walls. Besides we went with Kenojuak Ashevak's Grand Entrance that year, which we certainly have no complaints about.
Anyway, if anyone from the Teevee family has a problem with the image being used on the blog, let me know and I'll remove it. But I hope not. It's the best flag I've had in awhile, through no skill of my own, of course.
And now, two other things.
1. You know, when I first read that the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council banned "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits because some idiot in Newfoundland complained about the word "faggot" in the song (I apologize on behalf of my province. There are idiots there, but not normally quite this big) I had a mind to write a lengthy screed saying this was absolutely the stupides thing I had heard in awhile.
Then I remember that I rarely listen to commercial radio anymore. Only when spending the five minutes or so driving back to work and mainly because I don't want to leave my iPod in the vehicle (I'd call the Tracker a truck, but the truck nazis will find and correct me). Once I realized that, I stopped giving a shit. Ban all you want, it's not like many people listen to radio anymore anyway.
2. This story caught my eye just because I happen to have a few friends who are lawyers. Now, they're all doing pretty well, either as lawyers or having moved on into the civil service. But there are several notions in the story about lawyers in the United States that caught my eye. That there are now so many that there is hardly any work for them (I remember reading once years ago that there more lawyers in Los Angeles than in Japan).
Or that the lengths law schools will go to deceive people about their job prospects because law schools are cash cows for universities, even the crappy ones. Or how important one ranking system is. People's careers and universities standing literally depend on how they finish in that ranking system.
I also don't know if I find it reassuring to terrifying that you can graduate from law school and still be a tremendous idiot, like one of the people interviewed for the story. $250,000 in debt with credit agencies baying for his blood, and he couldn't give a shit. I don't know if that's zen or too stupid for words.
It does make me glad I never became a lawyer, though. Thought about it briefly around '98 when the journalism thing was starting to look grim. I had a couple of friends plead with me not to do it, saying it wouldn't be a good fit for me. They were right.
I'm also not $250,000 in debt with a law degree and no job prospects. Jesus...
Last Five
1. Lua - Connor Oberst and Gillian Welch
2. I can't make you love me - Bonnie Raitt*
3. Is there a ghost - Band of Horses
4. Horchata - Vampire Weekend
5. Acid tongue - Jenny Lewis
5 comments:
Ha. I'll believe there's an oversupply of lawyers when I see their fees coming down to something the average Joe can afford.
Love the new banner. It's nice and bright and cheery.
Haha. The lawyer thing...lol. N has a good point, that if there's really an over supply of lawyers, why are their fees so high. hahaaaa!
Well I guess it's the 'good' ones that are in shortage...since it's all about the prestige right?
Wow. 250 000 in debt? Guess I can't complain about my debt then...lol. Mind you, my profession doesn't pay THAT much, however it's about doing what you actually want to do! That's worth a lot in itself.
When I was in law school my mother, quite a unique individual in a variety of ways that made it difficult to be her child, reassured me this way when I wondered aloud whether I was smart enough to do the work -- "honestly," she said, "I don't know what you're worried about. Everybody in Detroit who isn't homeless is a lawyer. It can't be that hard." She was right, I graduated in the top 13% while also raising 2 pre-schoolers and working part time. There is work, I guess, but none that I am willing to sell my soul to do, so I am currently unemployed.
The lawyer shortage, at least in the north, is mainly in the private sector. The government generally has enough lawyers to work on civil matters (although we are usually hiring). We need lawyers who want to come here, hang out a shingle, and take clients. We especially need lawyers who want to take family law cases.
Great banner. I love the way the sunlight was used across the entire image especially. Really made me go "oh wow!".
As for Newfoundland and idiots? We have 'em everywhere. Clearly more so in the Broadcast Standards area has a full complement. We've being made a laughing stock of in US blogs.
Regards,
etc.
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