I COULD Care Less

A law school buddy found this tee shirt at a yard sale last weekend and posted a pic of it on Facebook this morning.  Not unexpectedly, it has generated more comments than I've seen in a long time.  Obviously, this is a big "I want!" for Moogie.

And nonplus does mean what I thought it did!  Dang -- I'm good.  Irregardless.  *snicker*

A Day When Guilt is a Good Thing

This has been a very successful day in the criminal conviction of soulless, waste-of-oxygen-type folk.

#1 -- in Little Rock, convert to Islam, Abdulhakim Muhammad, accused of murdering Army PVT William "Andy" Long and shooting PVT Quinton Ezeagwula outside an Army Recruiting Office in 2009, copped a plea on the eve of trial.  Muhammad will serve life in prison, without parole, on the capital murder count, and life on 12 remaining counts, to run consecutively.  For good measure, the judge also tacked on another 180 years on firearm enhancement counts, also to run consecutively. I doubt he'll be drawing another breath of open air, and that is fine with me.

In the sentencing phase, PVT Long's father testified, "After 2 years, 1 month and 25 days, I can tell you from my experience and expertise at being a father of a murdered son, there is no closure[.]  . . . It is a myth." 

Prosecutor Larry Jegley later told reporters, "Ultimately any plea resolution has to be OK with the victim and the victim's family, [t]he Long family is merciful beyond description. And they showed mercy to Muhammad. Muhammad showed no mercy to the victims whatsoever."

It's a shame that Muhammad was tried on state charges instead of federal, meaning that he'll serve his sentence in an Arkansas prison.  It would've been pleasant to contemplate him serving time in a nice Army-friendly federal pen.  Like Leavenworth, maybe.

#2 -- this afternoon in New Orleans, a unanimous jury found former state legislator and City Council member, Renee Gill-Pratt guilty of Conspiracy to divert public funds and to loot charities for personal gain.  The jury is currently deliberating about the amount of restitution Gill-Pratt will be ordered to pay.  Prosecutors are asking for the tidy little sum of $1.4 mil. Hopefully, there will also be an orange jumpsuit added to Ms. Gill-Pratt's wardrobe.  I'd say she could pull off orange, wouldn't you?

#3 -- with the third thing being the charm -- Bring On Maxine Waters!

Honestly, does she ever shut up?!?!  Anyway -- let's keep this roll going!

White House Debt Summit/Showdown

I missed the news coverage of today's Debt Ceiling Summit at the White House as it happened.  Pepper provides this description: the Young President wore a grim expression and had his nostrils pointed toward the sky while chomping on gum.  (I'm guessing Nicorette.  And I seriously doubt whether he has actually kicked the habit.)  He doesn't look very happy in this picture.

You'll be pleased to know that Speaker Boehner is sipping hot tea.  Not coffee, hot TEA.

Heh.

Played for effect nicely, Mr. Speaker.

Debt Crisis, Tea Party, and Brinksmanship

This is kinda interesting.

First, the Young President was not really "aware" of the Tea Party" protests.  April 15, 2009.

Then, the Young President referred to a bunch of folks "waving tea bags around."  May 2, 2009. So, I guess a voice was sounding through the din.

Next, there were the 2010 mid-term elections.

Today, the mainstream media blames the Tea Party for shutting down negotiations and moving us toward a default on debt.

We've come a long way, Baby.

Don't back down.

Seriously.  Don't back down.  Cut the spending.  Now.

(P.S. -- is our president a petulant schoolboy, or what?!?!  Pepper says if he were Boehner, he wouldn't show up tomorrow, and might just send out an email scheduling a bi-partisan/Executive Department meeting at 10:00 at the Capitol building, before the YP's summons for the same thing at 11:00 at the White House.  That'd be cool!  Then maybe they could have lunch in the West Wing afterwards.  I'd serve Chicken salad.)

Common Sense Isn't Dead Yet!

Photo from Times-Pic

The Benedictine Monks are doing a happy dance -- they'll be able to continue their casket business!

I love it!  This afternoon, Federal District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., (how's that for a southern name!) ruled that the Louisiana embalming and funeral directors statute administered by the State Funeral Board is nothing more than unconstitutional protectionism of the funeral industry!

I mean, seriously -- threatening to jail a bunch of monks for making and selling simple wood caskets?!?!  Stevie Wonder, and our little Rosie, could see through that protectionist scheme. 

Of course, the Funeral Board plans to appeal, claiming there is an adequate rational basis for the law.  Rational from their business perspective, perhaps.  But rational in the real world?  Not a chance.  Let's hope the Fifth Circuit doesn't buy their argument that the law is designed to protect consumers.

It  looks like the monks can put that casket for Common Sense (and the Constitution) back into storage -- for awhile, at least.  Happy Day!!

No Keymaster, Just a Gatekeeper

Just so you don't have lizard withdrawal, voila:

The gatekeeper at Moogie's Mansion.

Musings: Legal Education in a Different Vein

I was watching "Horrible Bosses" on the Jaywalking segment of The Tonight Show last night and it brought a rather unpleasant memory out of hiding.  Not as bad as some of those, but unpleasant nonetheless.

There weren't a whole heckuva lot of lady lawyers in Arkansas when I graduated from law school.  I was only the second to be hired in my firm (even though most of the new-hire associates and clerks in the next few following years were ladies.  Or women, at least.)  In those days, the late 70s/early 80s, there was still a "Men's Grill" at the Little Rock Club where a whole lotta gender-segregated business went down during the lunch and cocktail hours -- the Men's Grill was open only to folks with external plumbing.

I had done a lot of grunt work on one case -- research, writing pleadings and motions, tracking things down.  I remember, two senior partners (one of which was my cherished mentor -- a friend of my father; the other was Daddy's fraternity brother) and I had been in the large conference room for hours with opposing counsel, working on settlement negotiations, when it got to be about lunchtime. 

At a break, just as we were getting really close to a settlement, Fraternity Brother stood up, stretched, and announced, "Let's take this over to the Club."  Everyone stood up but me, gathered what they needed, and headed for the door; Mentor was the last in line.  I'm certain that my face flashed twelve different shades of red. 

As they filed  out of the room, I stood, and as I straightened my files and picked up my coffee cup, Mentor turned to see me preparing to head to my office upstairs.  He said, "Oh.  Moogie.  We can go to the regular dining room instead of the Grill."  I thought it over for a minute and told him, "No, that won't be necessary; just let me continue to bill over lunch while I get these notes cleaned up."

I'll never forget the expression on his face.  He finally got it. 

I didn't then, nor do now, object to gender-specific, or race-specific, clubs in general; but I did, and do, object to using them to conduct business to the detriment of a player via exclusion.

That particular scenario didn't play out again, either with me or with any of the other women -- probably because, of course, the "good ol' girls' network" was quickly made privy to that incident.  Along with the named and managing partners, I'd bet.  Accordingly, I like to think I had something to do with the education of the partners of my old firm.

I also like to think I had something to do with the rather generous maternity policy for lady lawyers at the firm.  Since I was the prototype (the first pregnant associate), the senior partners asked me what I needed, so I told them: since I would do a little work at home (which I did, including testifying for one of the partners 1 1/2 weeks after Younger Daughter was born), I expected to be paid, and that I needed at least the standard (at that time) six weeks off, clearance from my OB to return to work, time for doctor appointments, continuation in benefits, and deeming the pregnancy in the same light as they would any other disability.  They had no counter.  See The Pregnancy Act of 1978.

They also had no ammunition to argue against continuing the paid leave when I needed an extra four weeks with Elder Daughter due to some recovery issues.  Or two weeks of bed rest before Younger Daughter was born due to a serious lung infection, complete with at least one visit to the ER before I was scheduled to give a dinner party.  But, that's another story.

So, I guess "horrible bosses" don't have to be horrible if they're schooled appropriately, even if one of the senior partners insisted on putting his arm around me when I was great with child and explaining to me how Cherokee women just stepped off the trail, gave birth, and kept right on moving along the Trail of Tears.  He was not exactly a sensitive 70s kind of guy.  (not like Buck!)  Arm-arounder's wife left him and he wound up leaving the firm, living on a boat on the Arkansas River.  Literally.  (But considerably nicer than a van down by the river!)

I guess they don't have to be totally horrible bosses.  It just takes a good teacher.  With thick skin.  ;-)