|
Archives: Feb. 21 - 29, 2008 |
|
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Basketball, Uh Oh & Ouch: I’ve been playing a little bit of full-court basketball this week at Effingham High School . . . with high school guys at the end of our track team practices. Tuesday afternoon I took a pretty good spill - to the apparent horror of some of the other basketballers - but got up quickly and was just fine. Then yesterday I collided pretty solidly with another player causing him to fall down, but taking a really good shot to the ribs on the left side of my body in the process. This is not a familiar feeling for me, so I may need to head in for an examination at some point. I’m probably looking at “bruised ribs” as a best case scenario.
Courtroom Cell Phone Bans: Personally, I am not a big believer in being overly cautious in the provisioning of courtroom security devices and procedures. Sometimes “courtroom security planning” does little more than invite public scorn - especially when courtroom personnel become more inaccessible to the average person as a result. In a related area, the current pedestrian cell phone ban at the Effingham County Courthouse has been a source of some public frustration. Yes, sometimes cell phones mistakenly go off during “court.” But maybe we’re just making too much of a big deal out of it. Once as I looked on in another jurisdiction, a judge confiscated some guy’s phone for the remainder of the court day . . . after he had been warned that “the next cell phone to go off with court in session [would be] taken into official custody.” On that occasion, the punishment actually seemed to fit the “crime.” But, some judges have been known to go a bit further - in fact, a bit overboard - in cell phone matters.
“Mental Health Courts” As A Next Step? As noted in previous b-law-gs, “drug courts” are emerging in many areas (including Effingham County) as a vital and successful tool to help combat recidivism in the criminal justice system. Some very forward thinking individuals are employing a similar concept to help treat mental health issues, which often play a key role in repetitive but avoidable criminal conduct. These proactive officials ought to be applauded for their efforts.
A New Day Is Dawning: Speaking of drug courts, I hear that our local program is thisclose to celebrating - with its first successful graduate(s). Look for an announcement coming soon . . . possibly in the next month or so. When people get their lives (and families) back by diligently working to free themselves from the bonds of destructive addictive behavior, it IS a big deal!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Dealing With Issues: From time to time, we all struggle with personal demons - if we’re honest about it, anyway - and one such issue for me has been an occasional, awful feeling of “abandonment.” (I’m guessing I’m not the only person from my birth family to experience this phenomenon). Last year, I heard a song called “I Wonder” that lays bare the feeling perhaps more accurately and candidly than any other work that I’ve encountered. The artist’s November 2007 performance of the song during an awards show telecast is one of the most emotional moments that I’ve seen on “live” television.
Facebook & MySpace Evidence: From time to time in this journal, I’ve warned of the potential evidentiary use of “social networking” communications. Already, the issue has raised its head - at least on the periphery - in several court matters that I’ve handled . . . including a couple of ongoing concerns. Two recent appellate court rulings help to additionally emphasize the pitfalls for careless posters (and senders of email).
Lucky Charms: I saw an interesting article on the web this week that discusses attorney trial rituals, superstitions, “lucky” attire, and even theme music. Although I seem to have moved away from such propensities in recent years, I used to have a few “idiosyncrasies” of my own . . . including the wearing of a tee-shirt featuring an image of civil rights hero Medgar Evers as underclothing.
Another Snow Day: Due to icy road conditions, school - and even some court action - was cancelled and / or postponed today in and around the area. Road conditions seemed to vary widely this morning in South - Central Illinois.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Trip Update: There’s an article in the Effingham Daily News this morning about Ashley Hubbard, the local gal who is on a Tornado Relief Mission this month in Jackson, Tennessee. For additional information and a link to Ashley’s web site, please check out our blawg entry of February 11.
At The Movies: The George Clooney legal thriller “Michael Clayton” is up for Oscar consideration tomorrow in seven categories. As is the case with most movies of any kind, I haven’t seen this one yet but it is supposed to be good. Which leads us now to this intriguing question: Over the Academy Awards’ life span of 80-years, how many “lawyer movies” have actually won an Oscar? Find the answer here.
Scott’s Personal Legal Movie Trivia: The 1992 comedy “My Cousin Vinnie” was never deemed to be Oscar worthy, but the movie is more realistic than most attorneys would have you to believe. For example, did you know that portions of Vinnie’s dialogue were snagged verbatim from actual court transcripts?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Battle Of The Potential First Ladies: Recently - at separate campaign events - Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama seemed to exchange words (or at least semantics) with one another . . . on the usually pandersome topic of pride in country - especially, why and when they first had felt such pride in the USA. Essentially, Ms. Obama said that she had never felt such pride in her country as now, while Ms. McCain implied that she always had felt such pride.
Which prompted the following rather poignant commentary this week on the AverageBro.com web site:
Hmmmm, let's see. Cindy McCain is the heiress of a beer distributor who's never had to work for an honest paycheck her entire adult life and who single-handedly financed her husband's first Congressional campaign. (Oh yeah, and she once stole drugs from her own foundation, setting off a federal investigation). Meanwhile, Michelle Obama is an Ivy League educated, self-made corporate success who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, sharing a bedroom with her brother and watching a multiple sclerosis hindered father drag himself to work every morning to make ends meet.
Fixing Illinois’ REAL Crisis: As you may be well aware, our state’s chief concern at present is NOT its loss of jobs, or its state budget woes, or slimy politics, or anything of the sort. Rather, our top priority now is apparently . . . well . . . bowling safety. And you’ll be pleased to know that - rather than devoting all of his time to any of our state’s previously-mentioned trivial woes - one state lawmaker has put in some serious work this year . . . drafting legislation that could well become Illinois’ first Bowling Center Safety law. The proposal would immunize bowling center owners for injuries to bowlers (and / or spectators) that are attributable to the “assumed risks” of bowling - unless, of course, a bowling center operator has violated any duty under the Act. Oh, thank goodness!
The NFL v. JESUS, GOD, MUHAMMAD, ALLAH, ET AL. Here’s one big game that won’t be played out in the courtroom anytime soon. The National Football League has backed down from its previous position that religious organizations can’t legally show the big game on big screen televisions at their Super Bowl parties. In a recent conciliatory letter, the NFL said it will not object to such big screen presentations on church property so long as the showings are free of charge and occur on premises used by churches on a "routine and customary" basis. [Click here to view a related press release from U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch - Utah].
Note to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: Stay in your lane, my son. You don’t want none!
You ALL Are Beautiful! Now, here’s a final pre-Oscars blawg thought. As life moves along, I often have come to recognize the fact that we all are more similar in appearance than we are different in any way. To illustrate this fact, someone has created a video clip, in which the faces of “beautiful” Hollywood actresses are presented as “amazingly similar yet strikingly individual,” as one eloquent viewer put it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Letter-Of-The-Law Approach: Law enforcement officers and prosecutors exercise their discretion daily in the arrest (or ticket) episodes to which they focus their attention. Some exercise this discretion better than others, and some don’t seem to bother engaging their “thinking caps” at all - often adding insult to injury. Witness, for example, the case of a Florida woman who was ticketed last month for making a U-turn while tending to an ill child. Hope she didn’t wind up paying.
Then, there’s the prosecutor in Bond County, Illinois, who insists that people “pony up” and pay illegal-lane-use fines . . . in the aftermath of already costly auto accidents caused by “black ice” conditions, according to police reports.
A Huge Surprise: Toward the end of last week, a mysterious package arrived at my law office. It was kind of heavy, and the return address was labeled as “Carol’s Cookies.” Someone’s prank maybe? A clever internet business marketing ploy? No. Instead, it was an unexpected “thank you” gift from a client, and the cookies inside were delicious and absolutely huge. (C.A., if you’re reading this journal entry, thank YOU - and happy trails to you and your crew in California)!
Local Obama Support Already Strong: Some people come out publicly in support of a political candidate - or an idea - only when they believe they’ve caught a fashion wave of some kind. To these people, being an early fan of something (that later becomes popular) “is one of the most important things they can do with their life.” To examine an example of this human defect, see the web site “Stuff White People Like” on the topic of Indie Music. Bad news, though, for people who think they’re going to pull this stunt with regard to support for Barack Obama in my area. The wave has already swept through. Senator Obama was Effingham County’s leading vote getter - among all candidates from all parties - in this month’s presidential primary election.
Finally, Some Relief: After worsening for several days and being prohibitive of any running, the pain from last Wednesday’s rib injury is just now beginning to subside. I hope to be able to give running another try - for the first time in quite a while - sometime late this afternoon with the Effingham High School track team. BTW: As coaches, we are very excited about the track squad’s prospects this spring. The team will be substantially improved.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A Notable Absence: One of the dearest people I know in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois has fallen ill. Sheryl Frederick, Circuit Clerk of Jasper County, is hospitalized at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. The good news is that Sheryl’s prognosis is excellent. Anyone needing information - to pass along best wishes for a speedy recovery - should contact the Circuit Clerk’s office at (618) 783-2524. Or . . . why not send Sheryl an email! What makes Sheryl Frederick so special? She and her staff are professionally courteous and warmly kind . . . without fail.
Attorney Runde’s Annual Question: One of the local attorneys with whom I always enjoy speaking is Dick Runde of Teutopolis, half of Effingham’s Keller & Runde law firm. Every year at about this time, I ask Dick if he’s related to any of the players on the latest successful basketball team from “T-Town.” Usually it’s one, or maybe two. This year, Dick’s response with regard to the “Lady Shoes” state tournament team was “four of the starting five.” I could insert some joke here about everybody from T-Town being related . . . but I won’t. I do have a great deal of admiration for the hard work consistently put in by the students, coaches, faculty, administrators and parents at Teutopolis High School. It’s a very special community.
By the way, attorneys Rick Keller and Dick Runde first met one another as high school athletes on opposite side of the battleground - in basketball and baseball - in the National Trail Conference. Rick played for the Stewardson - Strasburg Comets, while Dick suited up for the T-Town Wooden Shoes. In fact, the two became intimately acquainted during a much debated, game-ending play on the hardwood - a “controversy” that remains the focus of some good natured ribbing down at 214 W. Jefferson Ave.
Children At The Courthouse: Parents sometimes bring their children to court - sometimes out of necessity, but at other times to use the children as pawns . . . in a desperate attempt to keep the parent from being sentenced to jail. Generally speaking, because of all that goes on there - and because one never knows who or what a person might actually see - the courthouse is usually not a good place for young children. But hey, what can you do? Well, the good people of Bloomington, Illinois, have taken action. They’ve set up a free Children’s Waiting Room at the McLean County Law & Justice Center, according to an article in today’s Bloomington Pantagraph newspaper. Bravo!
Running: After waiting “one more day” to get started - just to be on the safe side - I put in a continuous one-hour run this afternoon at Effingham High School. Everything went just fine. Steady but slow, which is always the best way to start. It was my first run of any kind in six days . . . and it showed.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Clemens vs. The Truth: Look for a federal investigation to begin soon in the case of one Roger Clemens. In a very well-written column, ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski analyzes the key reasons why - starting with paragraph twelve, which begins as follows: “The truth hiding began in early January.”
Good News And Bad News: Summer internships are apparently still available to assist a well known U.S. lawmaker in Washington, D.C. The bad news? Read below (and, if still necessary, please follow the link toward paragraph two of the biographical information):
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Larry Craig, R - Idaho, is currently seeking intern applications for the summer term, which runs from May to August. The application deadline is March 15. However if more time is needed for the application process, please contact Senator Craig's office for an extension.
"Interns have the chance to be an essential part of a working congressional office," said Craig. "They participate in the legislative process as well as ensure that constituent services run smoothly. For those interested in politics, it is an incredible opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at how our government functions while serving the people of Idaho."
Surely, some clever person will develop a humorous takeoff on this document and then forward it to the masses via the internet. Can you say “Worst Job Ever?”
Thought For Today: “It takes two people to lie; one person to TELL the lie, and another person to LISTEN.” The next time that you receive a false email about a human being - whether it be a political candidate or a close friend - SEND IT BACK . . . using your “Reply All” button. Don’t let anyone steal an election - or someone else’s innocence - through the use of false statements.
PASS IT ON!
[NOTE: The sentence highlighted in red seems to have originated with a rather unusual source. “Google” its first six words as a phrase (in quotes) for more information].
Thursday, February 28, 2008
News Bulletin - This Story Just In: Chuck Hartke resigns as Illinois Agriculture Director
Associated Press - February 28, 2008 - 4:24 AM ET
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Chuck Hartke, who spent more than 18 years in the Illinois House of Representatives before becoming director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 2003, is stepping down. Hartke submitted his resignation to Governor Rod Blagojevich on February 17, and will leave the post officially on Friday.
Hartke told The State Journal-Register he was resigning to spend more time with his ailing wife, and in part because it's time.
Best wishes to the Hartkes, and congratulations to both of them on Chuck’s many accomplishments in Springfield!
Know The Facts: Following up on yesterday’s blawg . . . no one has been a victim of more internet lies this political season than U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. So much so that the Obama campaign now devotes a portion of its web site to factually rebutting the latest right-wing waste product (urban legends).
Friday, February 29, 2008
Leap Day: Leaping lizards! It’s February 29th - a day that comes around only once every four years.
Are You Hearing This? I’ll be involved in several contested legal hearings today . . . at the State Capitol this morning and then in Shelby County this afternoon. Busy? As always, as of late. But I won’t be raking in the kind of cash they’re tossing around in the Larry Craig case.
Fortunately, jail time is not an issue in any of my matters today - but, incarceration is a fact at present in the lives of one in every 100 residents of the U.S.A., according to an article in the New York Times.
I’ve gotta hit the road now. So . . . I’ll see you back here next month, I hope!
|
|
48 |