So I had the distinct pleasure of taking the first part of the CPA exam back on the 28th. I would classify my outlook as "cautiously optimistic", which is probably the best you can ever really feel after one of those. There wasn't anything on there that I looked at and thought "Good god, I have absolutely NO idea!" but then there were a lot of questions where half-way through reading it I was like "Oh, I know this one" but then I'd read through the answers and not like any of them or I'd like 2 of them. I also was a bit concerned because I heard that depending on how well you do in each section they adjust it to make it easier or harder in subsequent sections. Well, it definitely seemed to me like sections 2 and 3 were easier than #1, but maybe that was just my perception. Going in I felt like there was a lot of stuff that I still didn't know very well, but after taking it there was actually a lot more that I did know that they never asked about . I was also suprised that it was about 2/3 conceptual and 1/3 computational and I was expecting the opposite. Overall, it was easier than I thought it was going to be but I still give it a decent chance that I didn't pass (I'd put the odds at about 66-33 in favor of me passing). I am supposed to find out by February 18th at the latest, which is just 7 days before my next exam. Either it will be a very nice boost for me to study a lot the last week, or it will be crushingly demoralizing.
In events not directly related to my life it's been a pretty exciting week. Wow, what a Super Bowl! Probably the most exciting one I've ever seen (not including the 2 the Bears were in, which were obviously more exciting to me but not purely as games by themselves). Certainly right up there with the Packers-Broncos game in 98. There was a period from about the mid-80s to the late 90s where about 80-90% of the Super Bowls were extremely boring blowouts and it's good to see that by and large that hasn't been the case the last 10 years. It's such a letdown when you have 2 weeks of hype and then the game's over by halftime. Especially since it's 7 long months till the next meaningful football game.
Then, of course, there was Super Tuesday. Obviously, not everyone's going to agree with me, but I was absolutely thrilled with the outcome. The only thing that was slightly disappointing was Barack's mediocre performance in California (no love from the asians and latinos) but to come out with (probably) more delegates than Clinton on the night and with all the momentum in the world bodes extremely well for him. Tuesday also marked the first time I have ever walked into a polling place and had to utter the word "Democrat" when they asked which ballot I wanted. Even though I am a strong Obama supporter, it was still very uncomfortable to utter. Anyway, I am also extremely thrilled that the Republican nomination is all but sewn up for McCain. I probably would vote for Obama over McCain, but it would be very close and I could easily see myself changing my mind by the general election. However, I would just be extremely excited to have the dilemma of choosing between two candidates that I really like. Even though Obama has a lot of momentum, my inherent distrust in the competence of the DNC makes me extremely leary that they are going to royally screw this process up assuming (as is likely) that no one gets the required number of delegates by the convention. The talk of "brokering a deal" (as Howard Dean, the chairman of the DNC, has suggested) or all of a sudden deciding to count the Florida and Michigan delegates (as a lot of political pundits have predicted) is sickening to hear. Either one of those would be enough to get people so disgusted with the Democratic party that you might as well just hold McCain's inauguration at the Democratic National Convention. Personally, assuming that neither candidate earns the required number of delegates, I think the only fair thing to do is give it to the candidate who won the overall popular vote (not counting Florida and Michigan, since candidates were not allowed to campaign there).
I think that's all the thoughts I have for today. On tap this weekend is once again more CPA studying and then a curling double-header on Sunday. I lead an exciting life, I know . . .
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3 comments:
Ha. Give it to the person who won the popular vote? Come on John, just like Hillary you are trying to change the rules mid-election just because a different plan favors your guy (and mine.)
It will be a brokered convention. That isn't a bad thing, it is really the only thing.
You can't change the rules halfway through, THAT would be the disastrous outcome. Just like Hillary wanted to pull the caucuses from the Casinos, and like she wants to include FL/MI. Everyone agreed to the same rules and they should stick to them.
And while it might be a disaster for the party, a brokered convention might be fun.
You misunderstand me. I know a brokered convention is inevitable and I'm not arguing to change the rules. I'm saying that if the party knows what is good for them, the delegates will vote for the popular vote winner. Obviously the supporters of whoever doesn't get nominated will be pissed, but it's a lot easier to make the argument of "we felt compelled to nominate the person that the most members of our party wanted" instead of "yeah, we know the popular vote was this way, but we decided this was better for the party."
Much liek the national campaign of 2000, the superdelagates might also feel compelled to vote for whomever won their state or precinct popular vote regardless of the national popular vote.
Most of the superdelagates are now holding off on announcing who they will vote for, but without a clear cut winner their votes will matter a great deal.
Oh yeah, I forgot to give a congrats on finishing the first test, and a pre-congrats on passing the first test.
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