Lately, I've really been getting into podcasts for my i-pod shuffle. I like to listen to some of the programs from NPR-such as Democracy Now and Science Friday. Actually, a really cool NPR program that is podcasted on I-tunes is called "All Songs Considered". All Songs Considered features a few select artists each week. Sometimes they are indie or unknown artists; other times they are established mainstream performers. It introduced me to some new bands/artists that I like- "Ok Gogol" (Ukranian rock lounge band), Elizabeth Cook (country singer), the National, and Hypernova (Iranian Stroke-esque rock group).

They Might Be Giants, Hem, and Wilco both have their own feeds. It's interesting to have performers discuss their songwriting process while they play their own songs.

What programs do you listen to?

I took some photos of Lake Erie on my way home last week (I spent some time visiting some friends in Buffalo).

T. and I aren't together anymore. I guess we haven't been for awhile now. It wasn't a formal kind of break up where you sit down and say hey, "I'm breaking up with you". We were never fully together. Sometimes he would say that we were during the year and a half; and then other times it would be like we weren't. I guess the way that I saw it was that I knew he had been through a lot. Maybe if I had been through some of what he had, I would have reacted the same way.

He had used the "love" word and the "relationship" word at different points and then backed down from it. So I allowed myself to hold onto a lot of false hope. I held on thinking that because he had said all those kinds of things before; that maybe he would again. I guess you can say I was a naive person. It is a difficult situation when one person is in love with someone, and the other isn't. It was hard on me, but I imagine it also was hard on him... because it put a lot of pressure on him for not wanting/feeling the same things back. I have felt bad and guilty about putting that pressure on him.

He's a wonderful person in a lot of ways. I want him to be happy. I honestly want him to have someone in his life that he truly does love. Right now, it's weird figuring out how much I should care or not care, how much I should call him, etc. Hopefully, it will feel normal again sometime soon.

I hope you guys will have a great time at the Violent Femmes tonight! I wish I could be there:).

I'll have to print out (e:joshua)'s latest posts about the political candidates. It looks interesting. I don't know much about many of the candidates that are running. Which is kind of lame, considering the primary is coming up not too long from now.

I'm doing okay. I've been back in Jimmytown for awhile now. It's been nice being able to spend more time with my family and friends here, though, I wish I still had an opportunity to do all the fun stuff going on in Buffalo. I miss everyone there a lot. I hope to stay up there with some friends for awhile sometime over the summer for a couple of days.

(e:lilho), (e:ladycroft), (e:anne), (e:mk), (e:tinypliny), and (e:fellyconnelly)- I hope your moves are going well.

I applied to a bunch of places for jobs, but nothing has come through yet. I've been busy with other stuff that I've been behind on, though. Haven't felt well lately. I've been trying PT and accupuncture, though- and they have seemed to help a little bit.

There's things that made me feel down, but I feel hopeful that everything will turn out okay. You probably better not quote me on that, though.

Have a great day, everyone.

It seems as though there a lot of posts on theology and Paris Hilton lately on estrip. I found an article that combines both:

(For a little boy with cancer).

I am graduating today. I technically graduate from the master's program in August, but I walk the stage tomorrow. I wasn't really going to do the ceremony (since I already did that when I got my bachelor's in 05); but I think it was important to my parents that I do it.
Congratulations to (e:libertad)! He's graduating from Buff State also, but I think he's at a different ceremony.

I'm moving out today... which makes things kind of hectic for most of the day. I don't really want to leave Buffalo this summer, but I need to save the money I would be spending on rent here for Albany in the fall (I don't have to pay my parent's rent for the summer). Housing in Albany appears to be quite a bit more expensive than it is in Buffalo. I'm sure something will work out, though. Hopefully, I can find a job this summer in Jamestown.

I'm feeling bummed about leaving Buffalo. I know I will be back here during summer to take care of school stuff; and I'll probably be staying with Kristi (my best friend) fairly often. It's just hard to go.

I hope all of you (e:peeps) are having a good weekend.

"When we hold each other, in the darkness, it doesn't make the darkness go away. The bad things are still out there. The nightmares still walking. When we hold each other we feel not safe, but better.'It's all right' we whisper, 'I'm here, I love you.' and we lie: 'I'll never leave you.' For just a moment or two the darkness doesn't seem so bad." Neil Gaiman

Judge sues cleaner for $65M over pants By LUBNA TAKRURI, Associated Press Writer
Thu May 3, 6:55 AM ET


The Chungs, immigrants from South Korea, realized their American dream when they opened their dry-cleaning business seven years ago in the nation's capital. For the past two years, however, they've been dealing with the nightmare of litigation: a $65 million lawsuit over a pair of missing pants.

Jin Nam Chung, Ki Chung and their son, Soo Chung, are so disheartened that they're considering moving back to Seoul, said their attorney, Chris Manning, who spoke on their behalf.

"They're out a lot of money, but more importantly, incredibly disenchanted with the system," Manning said. "This has destroyed their lives."

The lawsuit was filed by a District of Columbia administrative hearings judge, Roy Pearson, who has been representing himself in the case.

Pearson did not return phone calls and e-mails Wednesday from The Associated Press requesting comment.

According to court documents, the problem began in May 2005 when Pearson became a judge and brought several suits for alteration to Custom Cleaners in Northeast Washington, a place he patronized regularly despite previous disagreements with the Chungs. A pair of pants from one suit was not ready when he requested it two days later, and was deemed to be missing.

Pearson asked the cleaners for the full price of the suit: more than $1,000.

But a week later, the Chungs said the pants had been found and refused to pay. That's when Pearson decided to sue.

Manning said the cleaners made three settlement offers to Pearson. First they offered $3,000, then $4,600, then $12,000. But Pearson wasn't satisfied and expanded his calculations beyond one pair of pants.

Because Pearson no longer wanted to use his neighborhood dry cleaner, part of his lawsuit calls for $15,000 - the price to rent a car every weekend for 10 years to go to another business.

"He's somehow purporting that he has a constitutional right to a dry cleaner within four blocks of his apartment," Manning said.

But the bulk of the $65 million comes from Pearson's strict interpretation of D.C.'s consumer protection law, which fines violators $1,500 per violation, per day. According to court papers, Pearson added up 12 violations over 1,200 days, and then multiplied that by three defendants.

Much of Pearson's case rests on two signs that Custom Cleaners once had on its walls: "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Same Day Service."

Based on Pearson's dissatisfaction and the delay in getting back the pants, he claims the signs amount to fraud.

Pearson has appointed himself to represent all customers affected by such signs, though D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz, who will hear the June 11 trial, has said that this is a case about one plaintiff, and one pair of pants.

Sherman Joyce, president of the American Tort Association, has written a letter to the group of men who will decide this week whether to renew Pearson's 10-year appointment. Joyce is asking them to reconsider.

Chief Administrative Judge Tyrone Butler had no comment regarding Pearson's reappointment.

The association, which tries to police the kind of abusive lawsuits that hurt small businesses, also has offered to buy Pearson the suit of his choice.

And former National Labors Relations Board chief administrative law judge Melvin Welles wrote to The Washington Post to urge "any bar to which Mr. Pearson belongs to immediately disbar him and the District to remove him from his position as an administrative law judge."

"There has been a significant groundswell of support for the Chungs," said Manning, adding that plans for a defense fund Web site are in the works.

To the Chungs and their attorney, one of the most frustrating aspects of the case is their claim that Pearson's gray pants were found a week after Pearson dropped them off in 2005. They've been hanging in Manning's office for more than a year.

Pearson claims in court documents that his pants had blue and red pinstripes.

"They match his inseam measurements. The ticket on the pants match his receipt," Manning said.


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