Tag Archives: work

Short stuff…

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I’m very pleased to have wrapped up the Squarepuser / Artist of the Week project.  It was great to go through all of that stuff, especially the ’97 show from Shinjuku Liquid Lounge.  I’ve never seen that one posted, except for the torrent i got a year or two ago.  The torrent is long gone (off the Dime tracker, anyway) and I’ve never seen the show posted elsewhere.  The best part is that it came with no track listing.  That forced me to listen to these jams over and over again to get the song titles right.  Hopefully this whole exercise will tide me over until August.

The Fretbuzz.net project is coming along nicely.  FBDN himself has proven a capable and attentive webmaster and the resource is really stimulating our collective creative juices.  The best part is that the sight is active, even if not terribly well visited.  We’re not exactly counting hits, but a quick google search this morning revealed that if you just put in the ‘fretbuzz’ we come up tenth – first page, baby!  That’s pretty strong, considering the (most likely) scanty readership.  This means that our updating (sometimes a few times per day!) is paying off.

I recently found an Aimee Mann bootleg from the Bachelor No. 2 / Magnolia era.  It’s a superb recording and there is a sense of commitment and passion in her performance.  So, that will get posted this week, along with my comments on this troubling artist.

The work week ended with an aggrieved father who attempted to strangle his daughters killer during sentencing.  I was waiting for me cases to be called when, on this other case, the Judge consented to hearing from the victim’s family prior to sentencing.  Big mistake.  Now, that’s what I call Courtroom Drama.  Everything was put under control quickly by the highly skilled (and much appreciated) Camden Sheriffs.  Nice work, people.

The next work week begins with the deposition of an officer that killed a 15-year-old boy who allegedly threatened him with a clothes iron.  Cop shot that boy dead.  I’ve go the kid’s mom as a client in a wrongful death / Civil Rights / Excessive Force (yuh think?) case.  So, I’ve got a lot of work to do today to get ready for this clown.  He’ll be well prepared.

Sci-Fi stuff of note includes Ronald D. Moore’s Virtuality which was on Friday night.  I haven’t checked it out yet, but maybe tonight if the work goes well.  I’m excited about sci-fi that is strongly connected to this world and this planet.  It’s a nice break from faraway planets and alien races.  Another project that appears to work along similar lines is Moon, which is getting a UK release next month.  I’m not sure if we’ll be getting this one in the U.S.

And, speaking of movies, we went with my mom to see The Proposal yesterday afternoon.  Betty White was HUGE!

The fun continues…

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Judge Perskie is treating the parties (and their attorneys!) quite well and we’re trying to return the favor.  So far, no objections, no arguments, no acting out.  The plaintiff provided decent testimony, but I don’t know if that’s enough to carry the day.  Our physician expert came across pretty well on video (they’re all on video nowadays), but the VHS (!) of the defendant’s doctor is clearer.  Still, in that proceeding, which took place a few weeks ago, I did score some cross-examination points.  The only thing left to do now is prep my closing.  Unlike in some cases, the closing here could also make that hair’s breadth of difference.

Oh, one other thing.  I’ve got a response to a very important motion in a differenc case due tomorrow.  That means I’m finishing a brief right now, when I should be working on my trial.  Oh well, it’s almost done.  whew!

Trial Season

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So, I just finished that little trial in Camden last week. It was a one day affair. Tomorrow I’m on Judge Perskie’s list for another trial, this time with a jury. It’s a simple enough case, and it will probably take longer to picke the jury than it will to try the case, but hey, this is what we do. I’m ready and prep’d and, if we can’t settle, we’ll get the show on the road and shoot for the best verdict we can get.

In the meantime, it’s a lot of prep and a lot of work.  I’m done for tonight, but it will be an early morning tomorrow as I have about a 90 minute drive for this one.

A win is a win

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Trial today resulted in a modest win for us  This was a strange one because I was representing the office against a former client.  We did all this work for the guy and then he dropped off the face of the earth and never paid the office.  Fortunately, he appeared for trial and attempted to defend the case.  The downside is that he could have convinced Judge Schuck that we didn’t do any of the work and that it didn’t add any value to his life, but reason prevailed.  It was pretty close to taking candy from a baby, except that now we will have to enforce the judgment.  That could be difficult (despite its modest size), but then again, a win is a win.

Charlie Mingus – powerful romantic

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I’ve got plenty of writing to do this morning, writing, proofreading, citating, etc.  Nothing like a deadline to make sure the work gets done.  But just as important is the music.  Mingus is an artist with whom I need to become more conversant.  I’ve heard a little bit here, a little bit there, and it’s all good.  The other magnetising factor drawing me in is the huge influence he had on Zappa.  I can hear it plainy (plus I’ve read about it), but there also that touchy issue of band politics that has fascinated me since I was first in a band in college.  Mingus ran some tight bands.

So that’s what’s on the speakers today, mostly from the 60’s output.  I hear his bands jam with ferocity and then switch back to a romantic swagger.  Picture a late night in New York City circa 1962.  The big black Cadillacs reflect all the glittering lights of the city as they make their way through the Village.  Beatniks mix with couples who are dressed in formal evening attire.  Martinis flow like water and, unlike today, you have to go outside to get away from the cigarette smoke.

On stage, the band sweats through another arrangment and everyone is in a trance as the big man behind the bass conducts the proceedings into the early morning hours.

‘Real Fast’ meets ‘Overdoing It’

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Thursday was everything it was cracked up to be.  Arrive at work for conference call on pasta case at 8:15.  8:30 board PATCO and ride to Camden for 9AM hearing in DiOrio case.  Defendant’s motion denied:  YES!  I’m one for one.  Back on PATCO to get ready for video dep in Bensalem, PA.  Get car from Em at 10:45 and scoot up I-95 to Bensalem.  Dr. Stempler delivers the goods in summary fashion (now I’m two for two!) and I’m out the door and on my way back down to Philly.

Sal is waiting in the lobby so I can switch files and walk five blocks to City Hall to handle the Miller hearing at 1:30.  Client and adversary are both there and we wrap up the negotiations without incident.  Papers get signed and I’m out the door (three for three, but who’s counting).

Back to office for about 45 minutes and then back to City Hall for the Abrantes Case Management Conference.  We get a nice short case management schedule (four for four!) and I make chit chat with my adversary about an old case we worked on together.

And now, with tired feet, and desk piled high, I will prep a play list to go with my evening run and then I’m collecting Em and we’re out of here!

Fun day!  Nothing on the schedule tomorrow.  Maybe I’ll actually get something done.

Feeling better

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For some reason, I want to be a DJ. DJ software is so cool looking and I idolize Amon Tobin and Squarepusher – but it’s not happening. How many parties am I even going to, let alone providing entertainment?

My back ache is mostly gone, thank jeebus. There’s nothing on the calendar tomorrow, so it’s a good catch-up day. I have had Court appointments in Camden the past three weekdays, so it’ll be nice not to run over there again. Arb today was mediocre, but it’s non-binding. I don’t think there’s going to be an offer of settlement in that case.

Time for some more uploads!

Law Blog – Trial Season

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There really is no ‘trial season’ per se, but I’ve got a few going now so it’s a bit hectic. About two weeks ago, I wrapped up a little car case where I got negligence but no causation. We had a binding hi-low, so we were protected, but it was a situation where everyone but the client knew we should have settled. When the verdict came in, we were vindicated, but we missed out on a few of several thousand dollars because we let the client have the final say. Technically, that’s requied, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea.

So, it’s Wednesday and I have a trial on Monday – good onliability but bad on causation. This could be an instant replay of what happened a couple weeks ago. There’s not a lot of pressure (as in the previous case), but I still am aching for a win.

There’s a catch-22 at work here becuase I want to be as thorough as possible, but I also want this to be a bit routine, so I get more comfortable with trial prep. Still working on trying to get that balance