We're done folks

The bar exams are history, thanks for the kind words and well-wishes. After I move this weekend (I'll be sad to leave Jersey City) I'll get back to blogging...

1 down, two to go

1 down, two to go
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

We just finished the NY essay day of our NJ/NY bar exam world tour. As an added treat to spending 3 days in Albany, they're making us keep these paper wristbands on untill tomorrow (won't that be a fun shower tomorrow morning). After the MBE I can rip this stupid thing off and race back to NJ. You know, with the word "bar" playing such an important role this week, and the wristbands... you'd probably think to yourself... free drinks. You'd be wrong, of course.



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Sent from Ryan's Treo650 mobile device.

Carnival number 10

The Bad Hair Blog hosts this weeks NJ Carnival of the Bloggers. If I weren't taking the bar exam Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I'd tell you which posts I really liked... but blogging takes a back seat to my BarBri books...

NHL Rule Changes

ESPN is reporting some rule changes that the NHL will be implementing this upcoming season... most designed to make the game higher scoring with less delays.

Of interest to me where the limits to goalies - who now cannot handle the puck behind the net. While I like the attempts to prevent unnecessary tie ups and traps... this rule makes it less and less likely that we'll see the second-coming of (my all-time favorite net minder) Ron Hextall anytime soon.

Another new rule that will keep the would-be Ron Hextalls away... automatic suspensions for fight "instigators." (I'll let Chris Chelios explain that one to you...)

Up to the minute Newark news

Up to the minute Newark news
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Breaking news... Newark Fire Department responds to an alarm on the 3rd floor of downtown loft building (where Mary lives, and where I've been studying for the NY and NJ bar exams).

It could be a false alarm... But you never know...

UPDATE: We're back in the building... and everything seems fine. False alarm, apparently (though the alarm is still sounding on some floors) the NFD gave everyone the go ahead to return. On a side note... the "robot voice" on the alarm system was pretty neat - 2nd only to the woman who announces the stops on the HiBLeR and the Newark Subway... I'd love to meet her...

Pepsi well done

Pepsi from the car
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

You've probably heard the warnings that it's dangerous to leave a child or pet inside a parked car during the summer. It just gets too hot to be safe.

What you may not have heard, is that it is also dangerous to leave a case of Diet Pepsi in your car on a hot summer day. Apparently, some of the cans might get so hot that they'll explode all over your trunk. The warning does not extend to diet Mountain Dew however... that'll take the heat and uh... not explode... or so is my experience.

Talking Heads

Barthinkers doubleplusbellyfeel joycamp.

But there's only one more day of the talking heads (not these ones)... then just another week of feverish craziness... then we move... then I breath. I have nothing but love for BarBri and PMBR... really.

Stating the oblivious

We spent today in East Hanover taking a practice Multistate Bar Examination test (the real thing starts to happen a week from tomorrow). Tomorrow and Wednesday we'll be watching a video tape of somebody explaining the answers. Good times.

On the bright side we got introduced to the Trader Joe's grocery store.

Newark, Newark!

Newark, Newark!
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Here I sit in the Seton Law School library. That's me reflected in the glass, an Amtrak bridge in the distance and way off through the haze is the Jersey Turnpike extension (exit 14) and the New York/Jersey City skyline.

"Studying" for the bar...

Sent from Ryan's Treo mobile device.

Carnival!

Sluggo Needs a Nap has posted the 9th edition of the Carnival of the New Jersey Bloggers - complete with pictures... it's one of the best Carnivals to date.

Washington > New York?

Looks like the NJ Carnival was mentioned in a Washington Post article today (and unlike the New York Times article... the Washington Post linked to my blog specifically... thanks!)

It will be 3 years this January I believe, from my last trip down to DC - where I saw the Capitals beat my Flyers (note that I'm not a Devils "fan" by any stretch) at the lovely MCI Center (or "the phonebooth" as I've heard the locals call it). Aside from the occasion object hurled at the TV during a Capitals/Flyers or Nationals/Phillies game... I've got nothing but love for D.C.

To visitors from the nation's capital... and around the country: welcome.

We could be happy underground...

I stumbled on a page that has some pictures of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail construction... deep under the streets of Union City. I imagine that progress is quite a bit further along (these pictures are from October), since the line is supposed to open up in the fall/winter time frame. (See also my previous musings on the HiBLeR) There are some really cool views of what will become the first underground "subway" station to be built in New Jersey in almost 100 years.

With the eminent death of the NJ Transportation Trust Fund... it could very well be the last for another 100 years.

Game on...

Looks like they'll be playing hockey again in the Fall.

I just might be the only person (ootside Canada) who remembers or misses ice hockey...

New York Times

The NY Times article about the New Jersey Carnival of the blogs is up... Mary was mentioned... but apparently I didn't say anything interesting enough when I talked to the author to be "fit to print." :-)

It's a nice read though... congratulations to everyone! (Mary's Lame attempt at fame is much less lame now... with much more fame)

Lucy the Margate Elephant

It's come to my attention that some people might not know who or what Lucy the Elephant is. Since I have a picture of her so prominently displayed on the top of my blog, I thought I'd provide my own mini public service announcement on her behalf.

The long and short of it is Lucy is a 65 foot tall elephant-shaped building in Margate New Jersey (just south of Atlantic City). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Lucy casts quite a shadow... even having a directional arrow pointed her way as far as Bordentown.

One of my favorite New Jersey icons, Lucy has quite a devoted following of caretakers and wellwishers... and even has her own official ragtime throwback theme song [mp3]. She's on my NJ must-see list, for sure.

Abatements abound!

It looks like famous Jersey City machine boss/mayor Frank Hague's giant medical center is getting a giant tax abatement.

I've written about tax abatements before... and I don't have a problem with them in general. I just really hope it's necessary for this huge project - one that had several interested and competing bidders, remember. I like adaptive re-use... I like urban in-fill... but the city better be getting all it can from this one, especially considering it's not really in walking distance of any train stations (read: lots of new cars on the road).

I'm cautiously optimistic, but as always, skeptical.

HHRYA: Did you catch it?

I've got the MLB all-star game on in the background right now... and caught out of the corner of my eye an awkward reading of a banner a fan had put in front of a camera... HHRYA.com. The announcers were confused in trying to read and make sense of it (the website is currently down, BTW). It was very awkward and bizarre - and it really had the air of something controversial accidently slipping on air... a magic of live TV moment.

But I'm calling shenanigans.

Chevy and GM are all over the all-star game with their advertising... I bet it wasn't a fan with that sign at all - and I bet the producers knew exactly what it was all about... and it'll turn out to be something about the Chevy HHR retro truck thing. Just you wait.

UPDATE: Yeah... shenanigans indeed. It's a stupid marketing gimmick for the HHR. And what's with that car anyway? Retro is so last year...

"This may be used for keeping sundries and vomit"

I needed a good laugh.

3 years in 5x7

My life... in a nutshell...

(The mosaic/collage on the left is made up of about 3500 digital photos, taken over the course of the last few years, thanks to the excellent Mac program MacOSaiX. Just toss it a photo like the one on the right and point it at your iPhoto library... and wham-o.)

Missed the Carival

Well, I missed this week's NJ Blogger Carnival... both in terms of having time to read most of the blog entries... and not remembering to enter myself in it (note to self for next week).

Cripes, Suzette! did a wonderful job this week - definitely worth a look.

On today's events

"To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."

Double Coupons

Coupons
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Check out the two supermarket register coupons (the ones they hand you after you pay) in the picture. Just so you don't have to look too closely - they're both exactly the same. $1 off teriyaki sauce, veggie burgers and then some kind of veggie cheese steak product (I won't even begin to guess what that is).

With all of the bonus-club-card consumer tracking, I wouldn't be too surprised that I'd get two identical coupon sheets on two different trips. The problem is... these two coupon sheets are from two different markets, in two different towns! One is an A&P and the other, Stop&Shop. That latter shopping trip involved use of a brand new bonus tracking card that we got today.

Either all of these stores outsource their coupon printing to the same company and they just give you these 3 coupons if you buy veggie burgers - or the matrix has me... bad.

MP3... 2... 1... blastoff!

Finally. A quick scan of my afternoon reading lead me to find that Jersey City blogger writer/singer/songwriter Tris McCall has begun the process of putting some of his music up for download on his website. You can find the first track from his album Shootout at the Sugar Factory here.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of Jully
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Picture says it all: red, white and blueberries!

--
Sent from Ryan's Treo650 mobile device.

Update: apparently I didn't realize this was still in my Treo's mail outbox... allowing it to go "back to the future." A belated Happy 4th of July!

Half a billion songs

iPod
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Apple is about to sell its 500 millionth song on the iTunes Music Store. Half a billion songs. (My two most recent contributions can be found here and here.)

Right now all of these songs are being played only on iPods, and apparently a whole lot of people (myself included) find the closed Apple-only system to be compelling enough to stay in. Of course, it would become even more compelling if the ITMS songs could easily be played on some other devices. Along those lines it has been rumored for awhile now that Apple will be having a music related press event this Thursday... maybe announcing the availability of an ITMS compatible phone... maybe something else? More devices to play iTunes music would be a good thing, in my book.

Here's one possibility from way out in left field: how about Apple buying Michael Jackson's Beatles collection and putting it online perhaps? That'd certainly be one way to settle their trademark infringement suit with Apple Records.

Of course we'll have to wait and see - but we're certainly due for something, even if it is just a phone.

In my opinion if Apple really wanted to break into the wireless market they should release iTunes not just for certain Motorola cell phones (like the current rumors point to), but for Palm and Symbian Series 60 handhelds as well. I know I'd buy more songs if I could also easily play them on my Treo, and if the hold up is the carriers - just release it as software. Most of these phones are platforms in themselves now, after all.

Don't stop the carnival

Today's New Jersey Carnival of the Bloggers makes a stop back where it started at Enlighten NJ. Always worth a read to find out what's happening in our State this week.

Wish I were here... Happy 4th!

Wish I were here... Happy 4th!
Originally uploaded by pdcryan.

Sorry for being AWOL for the past few days - but I'm bunkered down studying for the NY and NJ bar exams scheduled for the end of this month. This will only get worse before they get better, but I'll try to keep some updates flowing when I can.

This picture is from Stone Harbor NJ - probably around the 4th of july 2 years ago (gosh... why don't I just check - June 18th). It's pretty tempting to get in the car, drive to the shore, dig a big pit like the one pictured... and bury all my bar review books in it. Very tempting...