Surrender Along The Volga

So we kicked ass at the last hearing. We had the experts lined up to show that the other side had manufactured the whole dispute.

And our clients went and caved. Full. Total. Surrender. Over our strenuous objections.

It's going to be called a deal. The only one getting a deal is the other side. And the worst part of it, there is almost a guaranteed second fight in the future. One in which my client has already shot himself in the foot by making this deal!!!!!!

My co-counsel and I are choking back the vomit every time we have to talk to the other side while we finalize terms of our client's surrender.

All I can say is at least I'm getting paid off of this one.

Don't You Just Love Dog and Pony Shows?

Apparently Chris Daly does.

Supervisor Chris Daly, rather than admitting that he is in the wrong, has decided to put on a little dog and pony show for the benefit of the San Francisco Chronicle. Apparently over the weekend, he invited over a reporter from the Chronicle to show that he lives still in the city. As proof, he put out a plate of brownies, introduced the reporter to his brother-in-law, his brother-in-law's girlfriend, and a tenant that he rents a room to in the condo that he allegedly calls his home. For further proof, he showed the utility bills that all go to his San Francisco address as well as his transit pass.

As one of my readers pointed out, Daly is lying to someone. Either its the citizens of San Francisco, by not meeting the residency requirements, or on the mortgage papers, if he claims that he has bought the family home to reside in. Or, thirdly, that he is committed to his family.

But at the bottom of it, this shows Daly to be a fraud. If he believed what he said, he would not be fleeing the city. He would be living here.

All I can say is thank G-d he is being termed out. Let's get someone who believes in making San Francisco a place to live, rather than commute to. However, with my luck, he'll get appointed as a judge here in San Francisco.

Great Commissioner Ya Got There In The NFL

Almost as good as ole Bud Selig. At least Selig hasn't caved and reinstated Pete Rose.

Apparently Roger Goodell reinstated Michael Vick today. Michael Vick, as you may remember, was once a respected member of the community and the NFL. Then we all discovered that he was really the master of a dog fighting ring that he helped operate out of his home.

So the NFL suspended him indefinitely. At the time, Commissioner Goodell stated that before Vick could be reinstated, he would have to show remorse for his actions. Somehow, Vick has shown remorse. I guess all it takes these days is a few press conferences and amending your pleading which you submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

As for actual demonstration that he is a changed person after his imprisonment, there is very little to commend him. Apparently he has done some volunteer work with the Boys and Girls Club in the Hamptorn Roads, Virginia area. There has been some talk that he may do something for Humane Society. But apparently, that's all he's been able to do in the two plus months since he was released from prison.

Yet, today, Commissioner Goodell ended Vick's suspension.

Let's be clear about something here: Vick engaged in cruelty and torture for sport. Some have suggested that what he did is no worse than boxing promoters. I take issue with that since the two are apples and organes. In one case, the victim has no choice. In the other, the participant chooses to be part of something. Vick's participation in a dogfighting ring demonstrated that his moral character is something less than the people who profitted by writing loans they knew were bad during the housing boom and something slightly better than a traitor or mutineer.

Good job Commissioner Goodell for taking a principled stand and letting back in someone as deserving, as remorseful, as Michale Vick. Congratulations on taking the easy way out and giving someone as repugnant as Mr. Vick the chance to earn at least $745,000.00 and the chance to show kids that all is forgiven for engaging in such cruel acts.

Quote of the Day

"Why shouldn't he? I mean, there's a lot more guys around the league that have done far more worst things than that and gotten second chances,...[he] is a guy that really hasn't any character issues besides what he got a prison sentence for, so why not?"
-- Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver (and all-pro douchebag) Terrell Owens talking about Michael Vick and his suspension by the NFL.

Come to think of it, I'm wondering why those guys who have done far worse things have gotten second chances to make millions of dollars for playing a game instead of doing real work. If only a Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis existed. But alas, we're left with Roger Goodell, Bud Selig, and David Stern.

What the hell were the organizers of the Jewish Film Festival thinking?

Was it really a good idea to put in a movie celebrating Rachel Corrie as a martyr of the terrorist movement? Let's be clear: this woman was defending terrorists. She intentionally ran and got in front of a moving bulldozer which she knew had a limited field of view due to it being a combat bulldozer with an armored driver's cab. She died.

And in the process became another poster-child for the terrorists to use as part of their propaganda attack against Israel. Her parents have been willing participants in this, allowing their grief to file meritless actions in federal court over this case. Apparently their work in publicizing the terrorist side of the arguement has found such favor that when the Corrie's were targeted for kidnapping by Arab militants in the West Bank, the plan was scotched because of who they were and, presumbaly, what they had been doing to help the terrorist movement.

The SF Jewish Film Festival argued that this was a movie worth being shown because the film shows "new information about the incident which we believe makes for very worthwhile viewing, from both a journalistic and an aesthetic perspective."

Let's be clear about something. Under the best version of events, Corrie is responsible for why she died. Even Corrie's ISM cohorts, in their statements, say that she got in front of a moving bulldozer. That she climbed up on the earth pile as the bulldozer was pushing it forward and then got caught up in the pile of earth and against the blade, which they say caused her death.

Of course, I doubt any of those ISM boobs have ever driven a bulldozer. It's not like a car. It does not stop on a dime. And the fact that she ran forward onto the pile as it was being moved, under their version of events, shows that this was an irresponsible, reckless woman who unfortunatley died.

Personally, I feel sorry for the driver of the D9R. He never meant to kill her. But he gets to live with it. Corrie's parents, the ISM, and the terrorists, however, have use her as a martyr for their cause. To paint Israel as some evil entity who crushes people with bulldozers.

Thanks San Francisco Jewish Film Festival for helping to publicize her plight. Maybe next year you can add Jud Suss to the rotation and have John Ubele come and give a talk about.

More on the Hypocrite... errr I mean Supervisor Daly

So not content to just say, "Yah, I'm a do as I say not as I do" type of guy, Chris Daly has decided to open his mouth and insert his foot.

Apparently, first reports from the other day was that he had only bought one house. Oops, he and his wife have bought two. They are living in one and renting out the other. That also leaves them with the condo they have in San Francisco.

As for whether he is betraying his constituency by fleeing to the suburbs, as well as making a mockery of all the "principled" stances that our enfant terrible of the Board of Supervisors has taken during his time in office, Supervisor Daly has instead stated, "I understand this doesn't exactly fit the messaging in terms of my political agenda, but I also don't think contradictory, it's really a tangent - I think the story has been hyped[.]"

Really? Is that what it is?

Let's see. One of the few things I admire about Supervisor Daly is his commitment to rent control. I sometimes think he goes to far, but the alternative is worse. However, its interesting to note that his rental property is in a non-rent control jurisdiction.

But of course, I bet that had nothing to do with his decision to buy income property in that location. After all, its all about his kids.

Not yours.

Of course, even though it was for his kids, he insists that it was not because of the school situation.

Supervisor Daly, tell the truth. I think I see your pants smoking.

Fair Use Under Attack Again By The AP -- Or A Greedy Basterd's Lawyers Are Never Unemployed

So the Associated Press is at is again. Perhaps you may remember that last year, the AP wanted to start charging people for quotes of any length from their articles.

Apparently, not content to erode away at the Fair Use doctrine that way, the AP has announced that they will now be adding software to their online offerings to see how they are used. The monitoring software will not only, apparently, be watching to see how the contents and title of the story will be used, but also the link to the articles themselves. The AP is claiming that in order to link to the article, a licensing agreement is required.

Now this is not just going to affect use by bloggers. They are taking the position that search engines will be required to agree to a licensing agreement as well.

Isn't that nice.

I hate IP law as it has been perverted. This idea that any use, even minimal (forget "fair use"), requires them to get paid is wrong. It erodes at the public domain more than was ever intended.

How nice for this organization to do this, especially given how they started out.