f/k/a . . . the archives

 

potluck

“Past due gray”  If you’re a lawyer thinking about cashing in on the new bankruptcy laws,

by offering debt-reduction services to middle class consumers (who will be trying

to avoid bankruptcy), you might want to check out the Federal Trade Commission’s

press conference ”to announce three law enforcement actions targeting deceptive

and misleading debt-related services.”

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  Also, see my suggestions on setting fees for debt-reduction to services.

 

  Legal Reader pointed to a column by Mike Nichols (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,

March 11, 2005) deriding pro se litigants as nutcases with “decoder rings.”  Nichols didn’t

seem to have any actual information or insights to offer.  Maybe he could check out

SelfHelpSupport.org, and even our post last year covering New Hampshire’s Report on pro se

litigants [Challenge to Justice, Jan. 2004].  The NH Task Force had a slightly different tone

than Nichols:  “They come into their court, on their own, with a conflict or change in their lives,

and they expect a resolution. That is their constitutional right. . . .  Our obligation is to give these

citizens the help they want, need and deserve.”

  

  Just because Prof. Volokh has ignored our very good advice

concerning the application of conspiracy theory to his weblog, doesn’t mean

that you should.  (It’s a slow weekend, feel free to scroll down this page.)

 

“tinyredcheck”  JurisPundit Jeremy Moore has devoted a lengthy post to the conversation

provoked by my podriahs-podcasting post yesterday.  The caste of characters involved in the

e-mail thread includes Evan Schaeffer, Kevin Heller, Robert Ambrogi, Jeremy Richey, J. Craig Williams,

and George Wallace.

 

 

“easterEggF”    Whenever I’m seriously considering driving to my hometown — which 

is usually the day before a holiday — I think of our Honored Guest, Tom

Painting, another native son of Rochester, New York, who still lives

there. 

 

Tom is the well-known Rochester haijin (as opposed to your editor, the

neophyte).   Thus, and to wit, you get a basketful of haiku from Rochester

(can you hear those flat a’s?), while I get a 4-hour drive, during which I hope

to have a memorable haiku moment or two.

 

Here’s your low-fat, no-calorie Easter treat from

the shores of Lake Ontario:

 

 

the cattails

lose their heads

march wind

 

 

 

 

divorced

he finishes

his sentence

 

 

 

 

 

 

sleepless night
snow to rain
by the sound of it

For Tom, Easter means the passing of one season  

and the bright start of another:

 

 

 

the flyswatter

hangs from a nail

winter stillness

 

 

 

 

bases loaded

a full moon clears

the right field fence

 

 

 

 

Tom Painting

“the flyswatter,” “the cattails” & “bases loaded” from the haiku chapbook piano practice 

“sleepless night” The Heron’s Nest (March 2005); “divorced” – frogpond XXVII: 2

 

 

    

More precisely:  Bad for the Hare Day.

 

While most of us are thinking good thoughts about the Easter Bunny 

and hoping to find a basketful of yummy candies in the morning, I

thought you should know that there are evil people about who are badly

abusing Easter bunnies and their non-sectarian cousins (and that’s not

even counting the rabbit stew and rabbit feet folk).

 

Thus, in Bay City, Michigan, on March 18, 2005, “A 13-year-old attacked

an 18-year-old portraying an Easter bunny in the center of a shopping mall,

where the costume-clad man was waiting to pose for photos with children,

authorities said.”  (AP/free press, March 21, 2005)

 

But, that may have been a copycat crime:  The day before, right here in 

Schenectady County, a shopping mall Easter Bunny was also attacked. 

Don’t fear, though, it seems the culprit has been apprehended::

“David C. Velasquez, 16, was charged with third-degree criminal

mischief, a felony, and second-degree harassment, a violation, for

a March 17 attack on the Rotterdam Square Mall Easter Bunny,

police in Rotterdam announced Friday.

“Police said Velasquez jumped the bunny, causing $600 in damage

to the bunny’s suit. The man inside the suit, who has not been identified,

was uninjured. Police did not give a motive for the attack.”

(Newsday, March 26, 2005, from Schenectady Gazette; and see

CapitalNews9)  I’m happy to be in retirement and unavailable to represent

young Mr. Velasquez, no matter what his sad tale might be.  Fedster are you

available?

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  As shocking those two events were (who knew you could do $600

  
  

  damage to a bunny suit?), last year’s flogging of an Easter Bunny by

  
  

  members of a Pennsylvania Church seems far uglier. 
  
  
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  For a lighter treatment of man vs. bunny, see this retelling of

  
  

  the Tale of Jimmy Carter and the “Killer Rabbit,” complete with

  
  

  photos.

If you know someone who is thinking of buying a cute live bunny or chick as an

Easter gift, please have them read Real Animals Don’t Make Appropriate Easter Gifts

and these tips to consider.  If your kids want a dog, let them practice caring for one

at virtualdog.com.

 

 

 

 

 

easter morning

the

sharp report

of

a handgun

 

 

good friday

the scarecrow gets

a new straw hat

 

 

  ed markowski

 

 

from dagosan 

giant chocolate bunny!

solid

or hollow?

 

 

 

 

 

 

when we were kids

it smelled bad –

decorating easter eggs

 

 

 

 

                                              [March 26, 2005] 

 

 ”ChocBunny”  You know, you never outgrow your need for

. . . milk chocolate Easter bunnies.

 

I’m happy to say that Lissa & James encountered an 

Easter Bunny last year, and left the poor creature intact.  original photo.