Couldn't be happier with my gal!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Mar 1, 2008 :: Virginia Court ruling may be fatal for HRTA -- dailypress.com
This article from my old hometown is a good article on a classic con law/admin law hypo of in-state federalism and the issue of protecting one municipality from another's elected officials, separation of powers (delegating taxing authority), and an administrative agency (a general-assembly created transportation authority) trying to overreach.
Seems like the whole problem could have been avoided by having the authority submit its "proposed taxing plan" to the general assembly to ratify instead of having a direct taxing authority.
Hmmm.
Seems like the whole problem could have been avoided by having the authority submit its "proposed taxing plan" to the general assembly to ratify instead of having a direct taxing authority.
Court ruling may be fatal for HRTA -- dailypress.com
"The Virginia Supreme Court stripped taxing power away from the controversial Hampton Roads Transportation Authority on Friday, unanimously ruling that the regional body and a similar panel in Northern Virginia are unconstitutional.
In a 23-page opinion written by Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, the court said the General Assembly attempted to sidestep the constitutional protections against tax increases by passing that power down to local officials."
Hmmm.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Feb 29, 2008 :: Recording classes with my compuer :: Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones
Enterprise Mac | Tom Yager | InfoWorld | Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones | March 28, 2006 01:09 PM | By Tom Yager: "Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones
Filed under: Creative Pro
The podcasting craze gives me an opportunity to dust off my professional audio producer's cap. I'm having a blast, and as I climb back in, it strikes me that some of the knowledge I take for granted isn't that common for folks who are just taking up podcasting, streaming, soundtracks and other do-it-yourself digital audio."
Filed under: Creative Pro
The podcasting craze gives me an opportunity to dust off my professional audio producer's cap. I'm having a blast, and as I climb back in, it strikes me that some of the knowledge I take for granted isn't that common for folks who are just taking up podcasting, streaming, soundtracks and other do-it-yourself digital audio."
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Feb 26, 2008 :: More snow
It's 2:30am and it's snowed less than an inch since 11pm.
What a weak showing of snow since the average per occurrance over the past month has been 2-10 inches.
Sunday on Mt. Evans, it was snowing quite nicely, good wind blowing, and my beautiful bride and I did a good 1500 feet of ascent up the snow trail in waist deep powder on either side of the lofted several inch thick trail pack. Fun.
What a weak showing of snow since the average per occurrance over the past month has been 2-10 inches.
Sunday on Mt. Evans, it was snowing quite nicely, good wind blowing, and my beautiful bride and I did a good 1500 feet of ascent up the snow trail in waist deep powder on either side of the lofted several inch thick trail pack. Fun.
Friday, February 22, 2008
If you deal with wine, you have to develop your sense of smell which consists of much of the wine connesour's ability to distinguish wine. I heard on NPR when I was in DC that such a kit exists that demonstrates the isolated scent of distinguishable wine scents. This kit sells for $400, which, to me these days, is a king's ransom. However, the news segment also mentioned the kit containing the twelve scents that wine lovers should know that SHOULD NOT be in their wines. The wine industry would rather us not have THIS information, but if you want to be serious about knowing when you've got a bad bottle, perhaps $109 plus tax and shipping is a good buy.
If you agree, then you should buy this: Make Scents of Wine 12 Aroma Faults Kit
The Make Scents of Wine Faults Kit is a perfect compliment to the Master Kit!
Questions Addressed:
- What are the major faults in the aromas of wine?
- How to recognize them?
- How did these faults occur?
- How and when can they be avoided?
- Can we eradicate them or lessen their effects?
FEATURES:
- 12 Aroma Vials
- A Booklet
- Presented in a cloth-bound book
12 Aroma Vials:
1) Vegetal, 2) Rotten Apple, 3) Vinegar, 4) Glue, 5) Soap, 6) Sulphur, 7) Rotten Egg, 8) Onion, 9) Cauliflower, 10) Horse, 11) Mouldy-Earth, 12) Cork
These 12 reference molecules are directly linked to the moecular composition of thes wines affected enabling the 12 faults most commonly found in wines to be memorized and identified.
Producers and consumers can now consult this guide at the slightest hint of problem. This kit is often used by wineries to test wines for faults! You will immediately know when the waiter has brought you a bad bottle!!
Feb 21, 2008 :: First client helped
For one of my clients with a jury trial, I spent at least 15-20 actual hours of preparation, not counting all the off hours, rolling through the voir dire, opening statement, closing statement, all the facts, all the direct testimony, and cross-examination.
We all showed up at 8am as court set it on the docket for the jury trial. My witnesses were there and were going to do slendidly, they were prepped and ready. My defendant was clearly in the right. I will probably never know what actually happened, but my suspicion is that all the preparation showed. I would expect that law students spend exponentially more time preparing for these "smaller charges" than a government prosecutor ever could or would spend. The fact is that the prosecutor, who spoke with the complaining witness, decided just before the case was assigned to a court with a jury, to dismiss the charges.
All dressed up with no place to go, and the client's goal was certainly fulfilled, without spending the day to do it. And then I got to go to a class I was certain I was going to miss.
Maybe it all does work out in the end.
We all showed up at 8am as court set it on the docket for the jury trial. My witnesses were there and were going to do slendidly, they were prepped and ready. My defendant was clearly in the right. I will probably never know what actually happened, but my suspicion is that all the preparation showed. I would expect that law students spend exponentially more time preparing for these "smaller charges" than a government prosecutor ever could or would spend. The fact is that the prosecutor, who spoke with the complaining witness, decided just before the case was assigned to a court with a jury, to dismiss the charges.
All dressed up with no place to go, and the client's goal was certainly fulfilled, without spending the day to do it. And then I got to go to a class I was certain I was going to miss.
Maybe it all does work out in the end.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Public defender staff paid lower than others -- dailypress.com
Public defender staff paid lower than others -- dailypress.com
Good article in the daily press on atty wages for newport news and hampton public defenders. Starting salary of $48k, up 28% from $38 only 18 months ago.
The city, through mayor joe frank, says that they'll support supplemental pay for the prosecutors, because "crime is such a problem." But will not support supplements to defenders for the same reason. Then the article quotes the newport news chief prosecutor saying that low pay in the defenders office makes it hard to keep good representation, and that bad representation from defenders causes many cases to be remanded to trial for such issues, either costing more money to prosecute or making prosecution impossible due to much time between trials, thereby forcing prosecutors to move that retrials be dismissed for lack of testimoney. Mayor's a strange man, huh?
Public defender staff paid lower than others
Some say those who defend poor clients should receive pay comparable to that of prosecutors they face in the courtroom."
...
Newport News Mayor Joe Frank said the City Council has supported boosting pay for prosecutors in the Commonwealth's Attorney's office "because crime is such a serious problem, and we should leave no stone unturned."
But Frank said he doesn't "have a lot of personal interest in supporting" supplements for public defender attorneys.
"Given all the needs we have in the city and the budget, it might not be a good time to be looking at new programs," he said.
Good article in the daily press on atty wages for newport news and hampton public defenders. Starting salary of $48k, up 28% from $38 only 18 months ago.
The city, through mayor joe frank, says that they'll support supplemental pay for the prosecutors, because "crime is such a problem." But will not support supplements to defenders for the same reason. Then the article quotes the newport news chief prosecutor saying that low pay in the defenders office makes it hard to keep good representation, and that bad representation from defenders causes many cases to be remanded to trial for such issues, either costing more money to prosecute or making prosecution impossible due to much time between trials, thereby forcing prosecutors to move that retrials be dismissed for lack of testimoney. Mayor's a strange man, huh?
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