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Libby and Paris

Who has a better chance of converting to Islam while incarcerated: Libby or Paris?

Anyway, way back I likened some of the characters in the Libby trial to UC folks, including a beefcake US Marshal who looked Hans. ("--2 US Marshals: one is Hibby. The other is bald with a huge goatee and looks exactly like Hans except a foot shorter.")

Well here he is today (in the tan suit) after Libby was told he could sit in a cell and ponder the error of his ways for 30 months.

Lopez

I didn't see this coming....

NEWPORT - The Purple People Bridge Climb ceased operation today, largely because of disappointing turnouts of customers and lawsuits over rights to the project that cost operators "hundreds of thousands" of dollars in legal fees.

More here.

FREE MONEY BABY

Monty:

Here's an update on the Bar/Bri lawsuit. I received this email from the administrator:

Thank you for your e-mail inquiry.

According to the cost information database you paid 1733.75

Regards,

Administrator

Did I really pay that much? For crying out loud, man.

Even more stupid is my involvement in other class actions. For instance, during the last year, I recieved a roughly $15 credit to my verizon account, but only if I signed up again. I also received, if I so claimed, two free credit reports.

In the last several years, my parents received four sleeping bags from Coleman as a result of an allegedly defective Mercury boat motor they purchased. They could've chosen a tent instead, I believe, but not the bags and the tent.

This one, on the other hand, is LUCRATIVE. I'm curious about several things with this BarBri settlement, though.

1. What did the NLADA have to do to be included as a donation option on the claim form? Seriously, what right does class counsel have to do that arbitrarily? That kind of crap shouldn't happen - even if lead plaintiff wanted it.

2. Okay, so a $49MM settlement - 25% to attorneys plus litigation and administrative expenses. I'm okay with that (although the case seems pretty straightforward since they have a smoking gun signed agreement.) Still, I'm okay. Then, the net goes to the class, but the distribution is limited to 30% limitation on all approved claims (huh?) with any settlement remaining distributed on a cy press basis. Why, pray tell, do we need the 30% limitation. Factor it in, figure it out and send me my money. Pull out the database and print the freakin' checks. Why limit the claims in advance and allow a cy press distribution. I'll tell you why. So that counsel can get a double dip on fees when there is extra money. That kind of crap shouldn't happen.

And don't get me started on Ken Lawson or Mike Nifong.

Happy 45th B-Day, Moose!

Can't Have Too Many...

Montgomerys. Westsiders. We're gonna take over the world!

Samantha Marie

7 lbs 7 ozs

"Cincinnati is a cocktail of contradictions."

BUD:

Here is an interesting article about Cincinnati and its sports (mostly the Bengals). It rambles a bit and tries to roll in too many unconnected topics, but I was surprised that it ended up presenting a fairly accurate and complete picture of Cincinnati.

Softball Update: Loss to Shamrocks, 8-3

We're now 0-2 (thanks in part to the Week 1 forfeit).

Highlights and lowlights included:

- Clark, playing 1B, made a leaping stab on a liner.
- Chavez, playing 2B, made several solid defensive plays, and was error-free.
- Some guy named Mike filled in at SS and was positively ordinary.
- Moose booted two balls at 3B, one of which was with two outs and runners on 1st and 2d.
- Ewald (LF) made a nice running catch in foul territory, Tim (LC) had an over the shoulder grab, and Matt Stubbs (RC) absolutely laid-out for a brilliant catch. Hatch was involved, I think, in no defensive plays.
- Smitty (P) pitched very well, and walked no one. Huffman (C, and in khakis) had two plays at the plate, both throws were on the mark (from Tim), but a little late. Huffman grabbed both throws without incident, although he was bowled over on one.

- The offense was uninspiring. I don't think anyone had an extra base hit, and we routinely left runners on base.

Time to get what's coming to us

BUD:

If I recall correctly, lesson #1 at the 1998 Barbri review course was that lawyers are a litigious bunch. Example: the class action suit against Barbri.

You may already be aware of this, but if not, check out the website. It has the claim form that needs to be filled out and mailed in by September. According to the information, there is a $49 million pot, and we are each entitled to no more than 30% of what we paid. It looks like our greedy lawyers will take up to 25% of the settlement.

I have no idea how much I paid (wasn't it at least $1,000?), so I called the hotline and am expecting an answer in 3 weeks after my query is "researched."

Good stuff. I love sticking it to the man. Don't tell Nick Dinardo about this, he'll probably just donate his share to the National Legal Aid and Defender Association.

You Will NOT Believe What I Noticed

Bartish! In the color guard. And this...

I didn't see him there, but apparently, he's Ewald's conscience.

Painter

I don't mind J. Painter making some jokes in his opinions. The problem is that so few of his are actually timely pop references or necessarily relevant.

Opening Day.

I told Bart that I would put up a picture from Opening Day. Here is Harang's first pitch. Much better than Mallroy's.










More pictures from Beam: HERE.

MOOSE'S AAU GIRLS' HOOPS TEAM

Since I know that you're always dying for updates on the girls that I coached growing up, two of them made first-team all Cincinnati:

Maribeth Greis is a 6-2 center with a Musillo-sculpted baby hook. She's had a few NCAA D-1 offers, but hasn't accepted any of them yet.

Amanda Keehan is a 6-1 wing player with a sweet jumper (that I had NOTHING to do with) who just signed with WVU.

An Honorable mention was our point guard, Abby Ballman, from Mercy.

Softball Schedule

4/17 6.20 Airport #2 v. Power Plant
4/24 7.30 Schmidt #3 v. Shamrocks
5/1 7.30 Schmidt #4 v. Bears
5/8 6.20 Schmidt #3 v. Kohnen & Patton
5/15 6.20 Schmidt #1 v. Nky Bar Assoc.
5/22 BYE
5/29 7.30 Airport #2 v. Strauss & Troy
6/5 6.20 Schmidt #1 v. Greenbaum
6/12 7.30 Schmidt #3 v. Bears
6/19 7.30 Schmidt #3 v. Shamrocks
6/26 6.20 Schmidt #4 v. Frost Brown Todd
7/3 6.20 Airport #1 v. N Ky Bar Assoc.

RAINOUT: 651-5118 EXT 240

Baseball Movies

Opening Day brought about a heated argument between Bjorn and I about what is the best "baseball" movie. We were drunk so I can't tell you if we meant the best movie with baseball in it or the best movie that captures the essence of baseball. He says "The Natural". I say "Bull Durham". It will be interesting to see how this online competition to name the best baseball movie turns out: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/baseball-round1.html

I'm Sorry Monty

http://www.handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD/

Best Hometown in Ohio

BUD:

I thought you all should know that the venerable Ohio Magazine recently honored Mariemont as the best hometown in Southwest Ohio.

As part of the 2-day itinerary that many of you will now be compelled to undertake, I also recommend visiting the "Boyhood Home of Lil' Bud" plaque on Hammerstone Way. Perhaps you will be able to glean a greater appreciation for why I am like I am.

Look at me, I gotta be in centerfield

What is the best non-weekend, non-holiday sports day of the year? I've got to go with today -- opening day of the baseball season and the NCAA basketball championship game.

Although, I believe a case could also be made for the first Thursday of March Madness.

WE'RE NUMBER 57!!!

UC Law took another drop in the US News and World Report Rankings, down to #57, presumibly because the brilliant Prof. Huffman, who Richard Epstein likes to join in Amici Curiae briefs, will not be teaching there next year.

One wonders what San Diego did to drop 20 slots?

BTW, Ohio State lept up to #31. I could be wrong, but I thought that OSU was behind UC when I applied to law school in the Winter of 1994-95.

I Kicked Kevin Costner's Ass

Monty:

I'm not sure how thoughts make it into rem sleep, but last night I kicked the Kevin Costner's ass - the Tin Cup version. That was probably my last Costner film.

In the dream, I was drunk at the time and Kevin was putting the moves on Susie. Yep, Susie and Kevin Costner cozy in a bar's corner booth. I'm not sure exactly why I was angered - Susie and I were not an item in the dream - and I sobered up later in the dream to regret the joy I felt in bloodying Kevin Costner.

(Note: After I woke up, I tried to transform Kevin into Tom Brady, but it was clearly Costner).

The Bible tells me not to get drunk. So perhaps it was god speaking to me yesterday after two classes of really good wine.

Or, perhaps the 6-week countdown to baby #3 is giving me the baby blues. I doubt that, though, because if that were the case my dream probably would've centered around me at Woody's in my tighty-whities.

Perhaps I can get some monday morning psycho-quarterbacking on my affliction.

March Madness

BUD:

I know what you are thinking: the basketball tournament seems like such a letdown since they already crowned the national champion in skiing. Hats off to Dartmouth who won it all this year! (although the rioting in Hanover the night of that victory was an ugly side story.) Keep your fingers crossed for Dartmouth's chance to repeat as national champions in figure skating next month. This would complete an unprecedented sweep of semi-obscure winter sports titles for the Big Green.

In other Dartmouth sports news that actually manages to touch on the theme of this blog, did anyone go down to Marge Schott Stadium to see UC take 2 of 3 from Dartmouth in baseball earlier this month?

More Headlines

Monty:

Not sure why this headline issue has garnered my attention.

But, it reaches beyond crime. Check out the spin on the Cognis hazardous discharge into the Mill Creek from this Enquirer article today. That's some good damage control. Swith the headline to Cognis Pays the Price for Dumping and take out two self serving quotes.

I'll give your suburb vs. city crime some more attention in the upcoming weeks...

Ok, this is a good game, I promise

This one takes some thinking:

www.wordsandwich.com

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF BAD HEADLINE WRITING

MOOSE:

The Cincinnati Enquirer does an awful job as the region's paper of record. It is all too quick to turn small downtown-area incidents into crime waves. This story is a good example. The headline, "Short Vine on edge after recent crimes," is simply unsupported by the objective facts listed in the article.

Here are the facts listed in the article:

• "In fact, according to Cincinnati police, reported crimes in Corryville dropped from 173 in 2002 to 119 in 2006." That's a massive drop. Why isn't this the story?
• "Police, some residents and many business owners say crime isn't bad there, noting the McDonald's fatal shooting was the first homicide in that area since 2003." Now I'm not a proponent of homicide, but if there were no murders in 2004, no murders in 2005, no murders in 2006, and one in 2007, I'm not sure that we should be ready to panic.
• Half of the locals listed in the article say things like, "'I've worked here six years and never been scared,' says Nikki Smith, 24, an employee at The Cupboard, a smoke shop."

Meanwhile the suburbs have a three-man drug-fueled Heat-like murder-suicide and the Enquirer blows it off as "defying logic," "puzzling" and "bizarre." I say that you're nuts to live in the northern suburbs where yesterday's court docket included cases where rape occurs in public parks, men beat up and shoot their wives, and foster parents kill the children that they are hired to protect; come downtown where it's actually safe in spite of the Enquirer's smear campaign. (Note - all five cited stories were in today's on-line Enquirer. Guess which of the five headed the section.)

Dogs and Cats, Living Together, Mass Hysteria

BUD:

This vexes me. I am terribly vexed. Peter "Build a Jail" Bronson and Lou "Lap Dance" Sirkin have found themselves on the same side of an issue. There is no question that this is a sign of the apocalypse.

He just wanted to check out what was on the tube

BUD:

In honor of John "Peeps" Hatcher dropping by the Blog, I thought I would post a link to this article about an all-too-familiar heinous crime that happened recently in Seattle.

DATELINE NBC

Just got this from my UC Law listserv:


This Sunday, Dateline NBC will feature University of Cincinnati Law students’ efforts with the Ohio Innocence Project. We hope you’ll tune in.

The experiences of UC College of Law students and faculty in helping free a wrongfully convicted man will receive nationwide exposure on Sunday night, March 11, when Dateline NBC debuts a program devoted to the case of Clarence Elkins. Check your local listings for the correct air time.

Please call me if you have any questions or if you want to learn more about how you can support the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Institute for Justice/Ohio Innocence Project.

To read the announcement of the TV appearance, go to -- www.uc.edu/news/NR.asp?id=5373

Sorry, Yet Another Stangely Addictive Game

Here it is:
http://www.gamershood.com/flashgames/2933

Hope Springs Eternal

BUD:

I know it's only the first exhibition game, but I have to admit that I am already more than a little excited about the Reds' prospects this year. After locking up Arroyo and Harang in the off season (BTW, when will Jr's wrist be healed?), the first game was tantalizing. Milton had an ok outing (sorta), Dunn had a homer and a walk, and their reclamation project Josh Hamilton also had a monster dinger. Even dirty jersey Ryan Freel was 2-2 with a stolen base (and error in center, ahem). I'm absolutely giddy about the thought of Homer Baily pitching at GAB.

I know, I know, we say every year that "if a few things break our way...." But I'm serious, the Reds could have a good year if a few things break our way!

In other news, if the Mariners don't resign Ichiro, I may have to take a break from them for awhile. You know, cool off.

Now if I could only find a 40 of Burger

From Wednesday's Enquirer:

Hudy Bock Beer comes back
BY JON NEWBERRY JNEWBERRY@ENQUIRER.COM

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. is resurrecting another of Cincinnati’s historic beer brands for this weekend’s Bockfest celebration. Hudepohl Bock Beer will be available on draft at restaurants and bars participating in Bockfest beginning Thursday.

Hudepohl and various other versions of bock beer, a dark lager traditionally packaged with a label featuring a goat – “bock” in German – have heralded the coming of spring in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since the 1800s.

Cincinnati-based Christian Moerlein bought the Hudepohl-Schoenling brands last year, returning them to local ownership. It has marketed Hudy Delight beer since then, but the Hudepohl brand has otherwise been absent for years, and Hudepohl Bock hasn’t been produced since the 1980s.


The company brewed only a small batch using one of the original recipes, said Greg Hardman, owner of Christian Moerlein.

“We’re bringing it back as kind of a test to see how people like it,” he said. “Based on that reaction, that’ll determine what we do. This is a big stretch for us. We’re bringing back one of the true great brands of the city.”

Hudepohl 14K, a lighter lager than the bock version, was the most popular Cincinnati beer brand through much of the 1950s and 1960s. Sales slumped in the 1970s and 1980s as national brands such as Budweiser and Miller came to dominate the industry, and regional breweries shut down across the country.

Hardman, who now brews his beer at the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., hopes to open a brewery in Over-the-Rhine once he re-establishes his brands and builds sufficient sales volumes.

Hudepohl Bock will also be sold downtown at the inaugural “Bock and Brats Cincinnati Beer Toast” on Fountain Square from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.

The event is sponsored by the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., an Over-the-Rhine non-profit group. It will feature Cincinnati beer and sausages, including bock beer, bockwurst and bratwurst.

Participants are invited to take to the stage and give a toast appropriate for the occasion, with an engraved plaque awarded for the winning entry. The toasts will be shown live on the square’s giant video screen.

BROOMBALL

The Broomball Championship is set for the new Fountain Square rink this Friday.
Here's the big question: what's the spread?

To Gag or Not to Gag

Everyone tells me I'm getting old when I admit that I podcast Bill Cunningham. You should check out six minutes into his hour 2 from yesterday here.

He's interviewing Liz Carroll's UC Law '99 lawyer, Adam Bleile.

Bill Cunningham: You represent Liz Carroll only on the matters pending in Hamilton County not Clermont County, correct?
Adam Bleile: That’s correct, officially speaking. I don’t want to be subject to the gag order in Clermont County.
Bill: It’s got nothing to do with Clermont County.
Adam: Well, officially (chuckle) I don’t have anything to do with Clermont County. But, I speak with Greg Cohen probably every break that they get there and I’m generally in Court.

(Questioning goes on to describe Liz Carroll’s story, alleges Amy Baker’s perjury and discusses whether Liz Carroll will testify and suggests that other unnamed witnesses may be called to contradict her testimony)

I think we'll be hearing from Judge Ringland on this one. As you may recall, he gave Deters the OK to talk, but not Mark Piepmeier. It's nice to know you can (officially) decide to exclude yourself from a gag order.

It got me thinking. I have a civil case against a well known insurance company that everyone will agree screwed my client out of coverage. Mediation is coming up. Perfect case for the press, but when?

Never too early to think about tailgates.

Bjorn and I have discussed the possibility of tailgating at two games this year. Usually, one is enough. But the people seem to like the gathering, so we will try to make it happen. Two dates to keep open are Sept 22nd (vs. Marshall) and Oct 13th (vs. Louisville. It will depend on start time, for some reason UC likes to start it's Homecoming game at noon, and that's simply not enough time. Spead the word, and remember we have a special treat planned this year.

What's Been Going On in Indiana?

BUD:

I thought that there was already a law against having sex with animals. No?

I can't believe that they actually quoted someone saying, "They don't just stick it to animals."

WWHD?

BUD:

I am very curious about what Huffman is up to these days. Cincinnati, DC, teaching, rock climbing, what? Max, perhaps you could post a schedule for the last year or so to include jobs, locations, descriptions, interesting trips, etc?

WASHINGTON DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE

MOOSE:

I'm sure that this is getting a fair bit of press in Bud's neck of the country. I'll excerpt it below. Suffice it to say, some crazy liberals obviously enjoy tweaking the religious right:

On July 26, 2006, the Washington Supreme Court issued their ruling on Andersen v. King County, decided jointly with Castle v. Washington. These cases sought to overturn Washington’s Defense of Marriage Act, which bans same-sex couples from the hundreds of rights, protections and privileges which state law provides through marriage. In their ruling, the Supreme Court claimed a “legitimate state interest” in defining marriage exclusively for the purpose of procreation and child-rearing. The justices then used this interest to declare that same-sex couples are properly barred from marriage because they are incapable of procreating.

In response, a group of concerned citizens formed the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance this past August. Our agenda is to shine a very bright light on the injustice and prejudice that underlie the Andersen decision by giving that decision the full force of law. Over the next few years, we will propose three initiatives to the people, each focusing on a different aspect of Andersen. The first initiative will make procreation a requirement for legal marriage. The second would prohibit divorce or separation when a married couple has children together. The third would make having a child together the equivalent of marriage.

On these links you will find: the press release; the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance's homepage; and the actual text of the Act.

My favorite part is where the Andersen court mentions Bud's favorite marriage priviledge: spousal immunity (page 6).

Bud's Still Got It

BUD:

I haven't enjoyed a day like this Saturday since the Summer of Bud. A friend is getting married in a couple of weeks, so about 20 guys got together for a bachelor party: flag football in the afternoon, then poker (3rd place finish for Bud, not too shabby for my first cards in literally 2 1/2 years), then to a gentlemen's establishment. Good times.

I was also introduced to a couple of recent SNL gems (Box and Lazy Sunday). They probably aren't too new, but they were new to me. I was pleased to see that SNL can still put out some quality stuff.

Moose, I am already primed and ready for October in Vegas!

Take that Friedman

Bud:

Here is an article that seeks to temper some of the enthusiasm that people like Thomas Friedman have stirred up for the growth of the high tech industry in India and India's accension to superpower status in the new "flat" world.

Moose, you were in India recently, what's the word on the street?

Thank God It's Over

BUD:

I enjoy the Super Bowl, I really do, but 2 weeks of lead up time and a finite number of mildly-interesting stories really wears on you:
1. Peyton Manning not having won the big one. I really didn't have any strong football affinity for either team, but you better believe that I was rooting hard for the Colts to win so we could put this story to rest forever. Seriously, now that Peyton Manning won his championship and Barbaro has been laid to rest, I feel like I can finally move on with my life.
2. Rex Grossman getting trashed. The guy is an NFL quarterback, and the Bears have two other veterans on the depth chart. If he's so bad, how did he win the starting job, and why aren't the Bears using someone else? It all hinges on the offensive line, anyway.
3. A black head coach winning the Super Bowl. Or is it African-American? Seriously, can someone (Jesse Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jackson, anyone who might be qualified and willing to step up and make a decision) please figure out which term we are supposed to use. If anything, I'm embarrassed that the two black coaches thing was such a big story. To quote George Costanza, I really don't feel like I should be talking about this.
4. Let's just be glad that the Saints lost to the Bears. Can you imagine if New Orleans was in the Super Bowl? Hurricane Katrina, Reggie Bush, Archie Manning -- it's giving me a headache just thinking about it.

By the way, was anyone else worried that Prince was going to get electrocuted during the halftime show?

Dispatch from the frozen capital

This morning I stopped by the courthouse on the way to work to see if I could get a peek at the Libby trial. Sure enough, the benches reserved for the public were half full and I sat 5 rows back from Libby and his team of about 12 attorneys. One young defense attorney looks like a combination of Moose and Jack Black. His greatest role was putting the partner's microphone on his lapel. Libby is probably an inch shorter than Moose. And Fitzgerald is a lot taller and heavier than he appears in photos. I could place other UCLaw grads as look alikes on both teams and in the audience. Media muckity mucks were in attendance, the only one recognizable to me being Nina Totenberg.

I stayed for a couple arguments without the jury and then some defense questioning of an FBI agent on the stand. Couple comments:

--Defense counsel seemed way too argumentative with judge Walton. He had ruled that the gov could enter into evidence some articles recovered from Libby's files on the presumption that Libby had probably read them, especially an article with underlined passages. Even though the judge had clearly made up his mind, defense counsel essentially said "you're wrong, no human or member of the jury could possibly heed your instructions to disregard prejudicial parts of the articles." Why didn't he just say, "we respectfully disagree" and take it up on appeal? Aren't you just pissing off the judge?

--Defense counsel is possibly alienating the 80% female jury by constantly referring to Ms. Plame as "the wife."

--Another defense partner constantly mispronounces "th"s as "f"s, and I'm not sure it's not intentional to appear more down to earth. If it is intentional, don't you risk losing some jurors as much as gaining others by grating on the former's appreciation of correct pronunciation?

--I have no jury experience but they seemed very interested in the case. And they were very social with one another during pauses. That usually bodes well for the prosecution I think.

Place your bets everyone, chances that:

--Libby will be acquitted. I'm thinking 1/1 so far.
--W will pardon Libby if not acquitted. I say 2/1.

lopez

His "Worst Experience" explains a lot

I stumbled upon this page, while looking for something else.

Funniest Running Joke

The one joke that never gets old to me is when Moose says "that worked as well as when the Red's had the chinese throwing star giveaway." Any other nominations?

I think that Wayne Krivsky is ranked too high

...on this list of GMs.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6392576

Sterile Climbing Into Bed; Potent Going Down the Stairs

Monty:

Last night at 2:30 a.m., my ADT burglar alarm sounded. Heather jumps out of bed, freaking out, and sends me downstairs in my underwear to check it out.

I don't own a gun. I don't have a baseball bat in my bedroom. I have nothing that could even repel the smell of the burglar. Heather won't give me the "panic button" alarm remote (supposedly, you push it and cops in droves coming screaching to your house), so she can push it when the band of criminals makes it past my first assault.

Do I turn on lights as I go (giving the perp notice as I enter each room) or leave them dark and rely on my sixth sense? I go downstairs and the back door is standing wide open. Man, at that moment, why the hell don't I have a glauck in my hand?

Ultimately, we determined that, most likely, we probably didn't make sure the latch caught on the door before we went to bed and the wind blew it open. But, I can't be sure.....

Who owns a gun? I had this conversation with one of my west-side large-acreage owning clients, who have more guns than Koresh. They've devised a two-prong battle attack in such a circumstance.

I want to get one, but everytime I bring it up I get the "kids'll get it" argument. Anyone?

Another stellar idea from our friends in Canada

BUD:

A Pillow Fight League has been started in Toronto. Good idea, but I think that it might go too far in glorifying violence. I would advocate a Tickle Fight League. Perhaps promoters could do a twin bill with pillow fights and tickle fights and market it as "Slumber Party Mania."

Tom Brady's Karma

Monty:

I tuned in to the Patriots-Chargers game just before LT's touchdown run made it 21-13. The game, from that point on, reminded me of Brady's first super bowl. With Bledsoe healthy on the sidelines, Brady hit 20-yard passes to seemingly wide open receivers to set-up Vinitieri's winning field goal.

Remember the legal flap about Belichick going to the Pats? That same year, Brady was taken in the sixth round behind six other quarterbacks. These two decisions were the reason for three super bowls and a fourth this year. Dumb luck? Karma? More analysis, less facts?

If the Patriots are the model - and they should be - we need to trade Chad Johnson.

Yet another addictive game.

I know that Bud, Moose and I are the only ones who read this anymore, but check this game out. I got to level 27, which according to the high score page, sucks.

Minor gripe of the day

BUD:

What ever happened to normal 100 watt lightbulbs that you could buy a pack of 4 for about $2? Our house was built, I've come to learn, to require about a dozen different types of specialty bulbs for the various light fixtures. The house is 3 1/2 years old (apparently also the lifespan of a bulb), so all the bulbs have been burning out lately. It is pissing me off to have to run to Lowes every other weekend to stock up on specialty bulbs which generally run about $10 a pop. Would it have killed the builder to just put in light sockets that require normal bulbs?

I don't know why this has gotten under my skin so much. It can't be helping matters that every night when I get home from work, my three-year-old's first order of business is to take me to the newly burned out light, gleefully declare "light no work, daddy," and hover expectantly until I get out the stepstool and a new bulb to replace it.

Less Facts, More Analysis

MOOSE:

Enron, National Security, Nazi Germany,Using All Available Information, Fact Gathering v. Analysis, Yale Law Professor's Law Review Articles, and some students from Cornell. A little something for everyone from America's most interesting writer.

http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/070108fa_fact

New Stage of Manhood - Vasectomy

With my third due in May (a girl), I am on the cusp of a new stage in life. Should I follow in the footsteps of me dear ol' dad?

Now, aside from perhaps Clark, I know NONE OF YOU have considered the thought and are shivering and shuddering just reading the words. So, why bring it here?

Because it brought a high-definition, techni-colored, super-charged thought to my mind: A vasectomy party in Vegas! Perhaps because partypoker shut me down, I can match anything with poker. There are plenty of qualified physicians in Reno and Vegas. So, who's in?

OK, I can't make it to Vegas. BUT, I can make it to Argosy or Belterra so long as I have a pre-planned pretextual business trip. Perhaps a ruse involving some cow-town type of litigation (i.e. did the cow jump in front of the car or vice versa). BUT, no way I'm letting some Indiana quack touch my sack.

UC Football

Moose:

Let me go on record as saying that I really like new UC football Coach Kelly. I think he'll be more successful than Dantonio and that he'll run a more exciting team. He'll also be a better quote, more open-minded, and a more entertaining guy. Thumbs up to AD Thomas.