Today, Feb. 15, 2006, is your last chance to Comment to the Ohio
Supreme Court on the totally revamped Proposed Rules of the Court’s
ethics Task Force.
Find your Editor’s Comments here. You can use email to make your
own submission; the instructions can be found in the Supreme Court’s
Request for Comments, with Comments sent to Richard A. Dove at
Our prior post, and Comments, discussed two issues that most interested
us:
A) Should lawyers be allowed to characterize their fees
or rates in ads as “discount,” “cut-rate,” “lowest,” or “special,”
when the terms are not used in a false of misleading fashion?
[Proposed Rules 7.1 to 7.3; current rule DR 2-101(A)(5)]
(B) Should lawyers be required (for matters above $500) to com-
municate in writing with a client concerning the scope of en-
gagement and the basis or rate of fees and expenses?
[Proposed Rules 1.2(c) and 1.5(b)]
We answer both questions in the affirmative. Please
join in our effort to give informed consumers the benefits of competition
and innovation.
potluck
Mercantile Exchange has “announced it will begin listing and trading
snowfall futures and options beginning Sunday night, February 26. The
snowfall futures will allow investors to manage their weather-related risk.”
Although Prof. Grace was thinking ski resorts would be the first focus, he
discovered that CME Snowfall futures “will only be offered (at least initially)
for Boston and New York. Not exactly skiing meccas.” For now:
“The contracts will allow the management of municipal snow removal
budgets, holiday retail sales, tourism, etc. “
I’m wondering about Ice [Water-Freeze] Futures, since non-frozen lakes have
disrupted allot of outdoor activities in the Northeast this year – from ice fishing
and snowmobiling, to winter festivals. Until Ice Futures are available, you can
manage your own Water-Freeze Risks by keeping the following National Weather
Service guidelines in mind, for non-flowing bodies of water without springs (via
Schenectady Gazette, “Mild weather adds dangers to fun on the ice,” p. B5, Jan.
28, 2006, $ub.):
skaterSignN” If a person is going to venture out on ice on foot,
an ice thickness of 4 inches or greater is recommended.
“Snowmobiles and ATVs need at least 5 inches.
“Cars and light trucks need 8 to 12 inches.” . . .
“Anyone who goes out on an ice-covered body [ed. note: as
distinguished from going out with an ice-covered body] should
not go alone and should inform others where they are going.”
[Mama G. agrees.]
The always-interesting 
“tinyredcheck” Have you read the newest edition of Roadrunner Haiku Journal
yet? If you had, you would have found poetry from more than
a dozen haiku poets, including this trio from our own Ed Markowski:
long kiss
we peek
at the same time
fog…
i’ve got to begin
somewhere
meditation hall
every monk
If you like Ed’s work as much as I do, click right
over to the brand new Simply Haiku (Vol. 4: 1, Spring, 2006),
where Ed Markowski is the featured senryu poet in this edition.
You’ll find a bio written by Alan Pizzarelli, and ten senryu for
your thoughtful enjoyment.
