Category: Brooklyn

Finally saw the third movie of the “Lord of the Rings” today. Great movie. Great acting. Sean Astin ought to be nominated Best Supporting actor for his role; I’m not just saying that because his character was good, but because his acting was so strong. He stood out. Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn was also great. I can only say “great” so many times, but it was such a rich movie, despite some plot holes (then again, I have yet to read the books, and I probably should); suspension of belief makes one accept anything so long as the acting itself is believable.

Such a great movie; worth the money and time to see it.

[Scene: The A train to Brooklyn, Christmas Eve]
Panhandler #1 (male, caucasian near side exit): Can anyone spare a dime, nickle, quarter? If you have food, any left overs, or sandwich would be cheerfully accepted.
Panhandler #2 (stocky female caucasian, dressed for the cold, jumping from handicap seat): Sandwich, I want sandwich!
#1: Huh?
#2: Sandwich, I want sandwich!
#1: No, I don’t have any food, I want food.
#2: Sandwich!
#1: Here, you can have the change that I got.

[#2 waves off the money. #1 walks off to the other end of the car, shaking his head. #2 sits back down]

Panhandler #3 [black, boarding train as #1 leaves]: Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I’m collecting donations to help feed the homeless… If you have food, put your money away and give the food to me. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, and do me a favor, my little sister Lisa is in the next car — look out for her.
#2 [jumping to her feet]: I want food! I want food!
#3 [shocked that someone would actually take him up on the food]: OK, I’ll come back for you.

[#2 keeps standing at the door. #3 goes the length of the car collecting money and food and gets off at the next stop. #2 goes out her door following him.]

You can’t make this stuff up.

NY Times’ Quotation of the Day of December 25, 2003:

“I understand. It’s not the same kind of world it once was. I think everybody understands that.”
– ROANNA GLYNN, a Los Angeles schoolteacher who was supposed to fly from Los Angeles to Paris, but her flight was canceled.

Yes, our world is what it is, and not what it once was.

Jason Mraz’s “The Remedy” is quite a song. Nice to hear it while I’m doing this particular post. “It amounts to nothing in the end… I won’t worry my life away…” A motto we should all have in an age where it could seem too easy to panic and surrender. Yes, Ms. Glynn, we do need understanding and a whole lot of it.

Whether you’re for death penalty or against it, the Washington D.C. Sniper cases have to give one some pause for thought about the death penalty issue. Consider the NY Times’ “Penalty for Young Sniper Could Spur Change in Law.”

Brent Staples’ editorial in the NY Times has an interesting view of the relevation about Strom Thurmond’s long-secret daughter. I’ve been following the various articles about it on Slate.com and the Washington Post online, and I haven’t been entirely satisfied by the coverage, since the situation seems so very complicated to me – yes, there is the big picture of how we view race and class relations in America, but there are also the very human elements behind the revelation – Essie Mae Washington-Williams had to deal with her own story for all these years; her father’s views about the past may never be known, since he has passed away and left it to historians to figure out what is his legacy; and the rest of his family – their opinions (for there probably is more than one opinion about it) are still unfolding. To me, Staples’ editorial somewhat captured the complications; indeed, I think Ms. Washington-Williams’ story is rich in depth for what it means for so many.

Enjoy the post-Christmas shopping; I know I will…

Whenever I visit NYC, I get a serious jolt looking at the subway maps and all the new alphabet lines (eek: Revised Subway Map (and Alphabet) Awaits Riders in ’04. It just makes me nostalgic for the good ol’ days which forever remain the good ol’ days.

=YC

Falling Physics, When the Weather Outside Is Frightful

Yes, let’s all be careful and pray for some peace on this earth. Life is short, precious and beautiful!

=YC

I want to wish you all a happy, safe, and blessed Christmas. Thanks so much for the cards and emails! If you are reading this, you’re really die-hard, or really curious. I really appreciate it. I’ll work on my customary end of the year message later on today.

I’ve been kind of bummed out because one of my co-workers in another department died in a bus accident during the holiday. The funeral is tomorrow, and it looks like I’m not going to be able to go because it is so far away, and I’m covering for three other people at work. It’s one of those terribly improbable things – she came and visited my office on Friday before she left for vacation. Anyway, as said in Hill Street Blues, “let’s all be careful out there.”

Try this link for the “Yule Log,” and enjoy a tradition with a 21st Century twist as you open the gifts… Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. Peace be with you.

Interesting NY Times articles, law-related and otherwise:

Lenny Bruce, comedian arrested and convicted in 1964 for using obscene language in his stand-up, received a posthumous pardon by Governor Pataki, a first in NY. Considering that much of that kind of language is in stand-up these days, the pardon was probably long in coming. But, what is the precedential value of this, I wonder?

Selection of judges in NY is problematic…

China is a haven for those trying to leave the conditions of North Korea – but it’s not a simple situation, according to Nicholas Kristof.

Christmas poetry: former poet laureate Robert Pinsky presents Thomas Hardy’s “The Oxen” on Slate.com. I like the imagery of the poem.

Christmas music: PBS in NYC is showing “Andrea Bocelli: Sacred Arias.” The tenor has such a nice voice. He’s a former attorney, whose biography indicated that his time as a law student was “fondly recalled as a highly enjoyable period in his life.” Uh, sure. 😉 Either way, listening to a voice like this singing sacred music is very nice.

“The Nutcracker” is on PBS and and other networks, in a wide variety of versions. Watch one of them and you’ll feel good. Really. Or at least watch something with holiday-relevance, if you haven’t already.

Merry Christmas, everybody!!! Happy Chanukah!!! Happy Holidays!!!

If I could, I would have linked/uploaded George Winston’s Joy mp3 here. Anyways, I wish you FC and ssw15 (and any other anonymous readers) a very joyous Christmas and a warm and safe New Year :-).

=YC

Does anyone find it ironic that Henry Blodget is writing about the Martha Affaire? dispatches from the martha stewart trial. All good read. I vaguely remember my John Coffee Securities Reg notes and outline but I’m sure this all makes for tasty morsels for people taking Securities Regs in law school. Kind of like when OJ and Criminal Law was hand in hand when I was in school. Looks like the current batch of students will have their full with Kobe and Jackson. Heh.

=YC