I read a story this morning in the San Francisco Chronicle noting that Federal Judge Vaughn Walker who is to decide whether or not Prop 8 is legal is gay.  I am not sure how to feel on that issue because to be quite honest I think that it can be either of two paths.  Either the judge is so conscious about it that he makes an error of judgment and favors a side over another or he allows his judgment to be clouded and is prejudice against one of the parties.  Can he be fair?  Sure, I would like to think so.  Although I am not certain how anyone would be able to because our personal lives have an effect on how we see the world around us and that permits us to form not only our personalities but also our opinions.  I pray that he can honestly judge that case.   I imagine that regardless of the outcome the judge will hear a lot of bad press.  If he says it is constitutional then he caved to media pressure, if he says that it is not constitutional then he opined with his personal bias.  Everyone in California knows that this case, regardless of the outcome will go to the Supreme Court.  Whether they take it or not is another question.  What I can say for sure is that his ruling will be historical and will set a precedent on how to deal with hot button issues or how not to deal with them.  We will have to wait and see.

I have been re-reading cases for a draft we have due in a few weeks.  I am very nervous about it because I am not seeing the big picture.  I must have re-read the cases a few times each and each time I am not certain if I am able to link it via analogy to the problem we are discussing.  I have been enjoying reading them though just not seeing the big picture yet.  Last night, in an effort to obtain that moment of clarity I read Russell again and saw an interesting concept.  It was a direct link with the majority’s opinion so I will use that as a launching pad for the rest of the paper.  I am hoping to have a functional draft by Tuesday night and then editing it down the rest of the week with touch ups this weekend.

Golf, what can I say… It is a four letter word.  I went out and played a few holes and hit the range on Sunday.  I was not particularly interested in the Super bowl this year since I cared little about either team.   I played in a group with a couple and single in addition to myself.  The single had a foul mouth.  It made me remember when I would go into the tirades over a swing I had not yet dominated.  I hit some terrible shots, but instead of seeing them as terrible I just started seeing opportunity.  There is a par 4, 8^th at San Clemente.  A straight drive will mean you are hitting the green in two if you get the ball to kick down the hill and it will be a 150 yrd approach to an elevated green, plays 160 ish.  I hit a flush drive straight into the fairway, the one attached to the 7^th hole.  At first I was upset I made great connection with a poor result.  As I walked to the ball I shrugged it off and saw I was sitting on the flat part of the hole with a decent lie.  I hit a hybrid to 30 yrds short of the green, also to a flat spot. Had the ball gone where I wanted I would be hitting a blind second shot that anything less than perfect could have left me in a bunker or over.  I hit a high pitch on since I had a flat lie that stopped an inch from where it landed.  I faced a 20 foot putt, two putted for a bogey.  Looking at the hole it was not that bad.  Considering that the tee shot was 50 yards right of my intended landing area one shot is good damage control.