JMBzine.com
















by J. M. Branum

JMBzine.com is a free and independent media outlet protected by the Bill of Rights, First Amendment.

ABOUT ME:
  • 27 yr old male
  • jesus disciple
  • 2d yr. law student
  • peace activist
  • an okie green
  • former austinite
  • writer

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    favorite L-student blogs

    - Sua Sponte -
    - Janeway speaks -
    - Omer Poos -
    - Mellow-drama -
    - Zipsix.com -


    blogs by L students, Pre-law geeks, and recent L school grads

    - AndrewRaff.com -
    - gTexts -
    - Mad Tea Party -
    - disLEXia -
    - Method2Madness -
    - Tarheel Pundit -
    - Waddling Thunder -
    - Ambivalent Imbroglio -
    - damn the muse -
    - Jeremy's weblog -
    - Jewish Buddha -
    - Liable -
    - Math class for poets -
    - Off the fence -
    - Paul's Boutique -
    - thelifeoferin -
    - retrorocket -
    - The Rattler -
    - Santagati.com -
    - beingkate.com -
    - Statonlaw.net -
    - Antioch Road -
    - Volokh -


    Austin blogs

    confessionalism.com
    Bedheaded
    emoomega
    Indieandra
    kaci archer
    goodmorning
    Creamy


    Music I adore

    The Magnetic Fields
    Robert Earl Keen
    The Great Divide
    Madison Greene
    Miranda Stone
    UHQ
    Bill & VOL
    Five Iron Frenzy
    Brave Saint Saturn
    The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
    Belle & Sebastian
    Cake



    Music I dig

    Steve Earle
    Calibretto 13
    Nickel Creek
    Gillian Welch
    S. Austin Jug Band
    Jim's Big Ego
    The Decemberists
    Echoing Green
    Cross Canadian Ragweed
    Guardian
    Finch
    Natalie Merchant
    Rusted Root
    The Asylum Street Spankers
    Barenaked Ladies
    Blues Traveler
    Jimmy Eat World
    Lenny Smith
    Alison Krauss
    Cherokee Nat. Children's Choir
    Delirious
    Duncan Sheik
    Iron Butterfly
    Austin Lounge Lizards
    Bela Fleck
    Bad Faces Clan
    Bob Marley
    Bruce Hornsby
    Fleming and John
    Element 101
    Ballydowse
    The Crossing
    Havalina Rail Company
    Godspeed you...
    Jeff Buckley
    Nick Drake
    They Might Be Giants
    The Beatles
    Guster
    AZX
    Pedro the Lion
    Ani DiFranco
    Bob Dylan
    Hank Williams III
    Junior Brown
    Lucinda Williams
    Weird Al Yankovitch
    Brooke Axtell
    Cross Movement
    Gin Blossoms
    Creed
    Shaded Red
    Waterdeep
    Acapella/AVB
    Eli
    K.C. Clifford
    Stryper
    Randy Thompson
    The Elms
    Superchic[k]
    Joy Electric
    Juliana Theory
    Pep Squad
    The Insyderz
    Save Ferris
    Walela
    O.C. Supertones
    Danielson Familie
    Third Day
    Echoing Green
    Chicago
    The Gypsy Kings
    Fold Zandura
    PFR
    MxPx
    Jimmy Buffett
    Jennifer Knapp
    Rick Altizer
    Bob Wills...
    Luke Brindley
    Blink 182
    Green Day
    Phish
    The Cranberries
    Peter, Paul & Mary
    Mamas and Papas
    John Denver

    Internet Radio (don't R.I.P.)

    JMBzine.com Radio
    KTSW - College Radio
    Radio New Braunfels
    Texas Rebel Radio
    Radio1Austin.com
    KHYI.com
    KOKF.com




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    • Friday, February 28, 2003

    Blogging




    posted by JMB at 5:52 PM | link |


    Thursday, February 27, 2003

    Goodbye Mister Rogers



      I can't believe he is gone. In my childhood, he was probably one of the biggest of figures besides family. Maybe I'm being over reminicent but I do think he shaped to a large extent my personality and my internal sense of right and wrong.

      As a kid (this will sound corny I know) but my favorite part of the show was the opening sequence where the camera zoomed in over an intricate scale model of "The Neighborhood," almost like you're driving to his house. Then from there the rest of the show was like talking to an old friend, his voice so calming and so reassuring. He is the kind of grownup that every kid (or at least I) wanted grownups to be like, not afraid to be a grownup but also not afraid to talk to a kid and show them love.

      I for one will miss Mister Rogers very much. What little that is good about TV is to large extent because of him (especially the very existence of public television). I shudder to think of how much worse television would be today if it weren't for his kind and gentle presence (if only more genuine Christians how ventured into the mass media in its earlier days, what a better world this might have been).

      Here are some stories that tell about his life...

    • CNN: 'Mister Rogers' dies at age 74

    • MSNBC's obit

    • The NY Time's Obit

    • Yahoo/AP: A great picture of Fred Rogers

    • PBS Kids: Guidance from the Mr. Rogers show on talking to your children about his death


    posted by JMB at 8:26 PM | link |


    Random:




    posted by JMB at 8:26 PM | link |


    Wednesday, February 26, 2003

    Quote of the Day:



      Let us look at the past 10 years. What land and sea did not witness warfare? What region was not soaked in Christian blood? The cruelty of Christians surpasses that of pagans and beasts. We must look for peace by purging the very sources of war false ambitions and evil desires. As long as individuals serve their own personal interests, the common good will suffer. - Desiderius Erasmus (1517), as published in THE PLOUGH READER (copyright The Bruderhof Foundation)

    posted by JMB at 1:03 PM | link |


    Science:




    posted by JMB at 1:03 PM | link |


    Music:



      I received this today from Nickel Creek's fan newsletter. Very, very cool news!

        Dear Friends and Fans,

        We're thrilled to be spreading the news! Nickel Creek won a Grammy last night! Their new album, This Side, was named Best Contemporary Folk Album. They also had a nomination for the instrumental on that album, The Smoothie Song. It was nominated for "Best Country Instrumental". The Dixie Chicks won in that category, and we're proud to say that Chris played the mandolin on that track, too!

        Noting that the band has been playing together for 13 years, CMT\'s website quoted Sara's reaction: "To get to be here together, to get to share this with the people you've grown so much with...it's really, really special."

        Indeed it is!

        On March 1st, CMT's "Most Wanted Live" will debut the band\'s new video, "Speak", so be sure and check that out!

        Stop by the website for more news and multimedia features!

        Thanks for all your support!

        Kathy (for Nickel Creek)
        www.nickelcreek.com


    posted by JMB at 1:03 PM | link |


    From Yesterday's session of Civ Pro. . .



      Student: I have a question for you . . . Did you really lose your glasses or are you wearing those shades just to be cool?

      Professor: I don't have to try to look cool.

    posted by JMB at 1:02 PM | link |


    Tuesday, February 25, 2003

    Quote of the Day:



      But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things. Love a friend, a wife, something - whatever you like - you will be on the way to knowing more about Him ... But one must love with a lofty and serious intimate sympathy, with strength, with intelligence; and one must always try to know deeper, better and more. That leads to God, that leads to unwavering faith. - Vincent van Gogh

    posted by JMB at 1:40 PM | link |


    Friday, February 21, 2003

    Exitzine.com, R.I.P.



    • This is something I wrote to mark the end of EXITZINE.com:

        We regret to inform our readers that we will be ceasing publication of new material at this time. This has not been an easy step to take, but due to a lack of funding and lack of staff, it appears that EXITzine has reached its end.

        No doubt about it, publishing this zine has been adventure.

        It began back in 1999 when I and a couple of my friends (Kimberly and Aaron-- she in Austin, he in Oklahoma City) decided to start a magazine that would talk about "alternative" Christian music. We knew there were other folks out there who also wrote about this genre, but we felt like we could do it in an unique and needed way.

        From there on the adventure began. It wasn't easy to run a zine via long distance, but it worked. Aaron took care of most of our web design needs, while Kimberly did the editing. As far as content goes, Kimberly authored most of it while I--along with a few others from time to time--pitched in the rest. Photography was done by several friends (Erin Farmer, Tim Burger, and occasionally myself).

        We covered some local shows in Austin (naturally), but the most fun was had when Kimberly and I set out on road trips to hear bands in San Antonio, Dallas, and Oklahoma City, where we met some of our musical heroes and lots of other interesting folks. Sometimes we were disappointed with the folks we met, but most of the time we left feeling hopeful in the future of a Christian witness in the musical world.

        Down the road, I ended up doing more of the content, focusing EXIT's energy into covering the extraodinary Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois. Almost a month of my life (4 weeks) was spent in the oasis which was Cornerstone. I will never forget those times.

        In the last few years, other adventures have come into our lives and EXITzine has had to take the backburner. We will always have a fondness in our hearts for the "good ol' days," but we know better things are ahead.

        We do intend to keep our content archived on the web for those interested. For now our website www.exitzine.com will remain online. In the future we may take that domain off-line, but if we do this you should still be able to find our old content at my site (www.jmbzine.com) or at www.archive.org. (Some of our old content which I thought was lost has been recovered and will be published soon.)

        As to our present and past staff, here is what some of us are up to these days...

        James M. Branum - I am a law student at Oklahoma City University, and preach for a small rural church here in Oklahoma. I author a blog (www.jmbzine.com) and hope to write for another zine (Vagrant Cafe or The Phantom Tollbooth if either of them will have me) this summer at the Cornerstone Festival.

        Kimberly Hall - Lives in the world's most beautiful city (Austin) with her husband. She currently works for the University of Texas and hopes to write the great American novel. (I think she'll do it, too.) She'll be pursuing graduate school in the near future.

        Aaron Young - Works as a web designer for the OU Health Sciences Center and also does extensive independent web design work through his firm AJY Design. He still is very interested in comics, art, legos, and sci-fi. He is married with two sons.

        Dan Branum - Is an honors student at Oklahoma State University and will be resuming publication of his inspirational newsletter, Seeking Truth Now, at his new website (www.seekingtruthnow.com) this spring. He is also currently working on a novel.

        Tim Burger - Is an artist working in Norman, OK. His work hangs in the Ronald Reagan National Library, countless churches, and in the homes of folks who dig good art. His online gallery can be viewed at TimBurger.com.

        Two of our early writers are now in the publishing arena themselves: Joel Thomas who is the editor of The Vagrant Cafe, and John Sant who is the editor of Fine Print Magazine.

        (If you wrote for us in the past and want your current happenings to be listed, please email me at jmb(at)jmbzine.com.)


    • In parting there is good news. Much of our old content that I thought was lost forever has been found. Most of it is now up in the archives at www.exitzine.com. More is coming.)

    posted by JMB at 10:42 PM | link |


    Life:



      Things have been a bit out of sorts for me the last few days which is why I haven't been posting new stuff. Hopefully will get back into the rhythm of things next week.

      Two minor things have come up which stink...

      First, I made a fool of myself in Contracts this week. It wasn't the first time I've looked stupid in class (nor will it be the last), but I still hate it. I gotta get my self geared up to be more diligent about preparing for class.

      Secondly, my forgotten wisdom tooth has decided to act up on me and it looks like I may have to get it yanked pronto. Not looking forward to that at all but I'm beginning to think that oral surgery is preferable to oral pain.

      This weekend things should be looking up though. Tomorrow we are having our monthly meeting of the state Exec committee for the Oklahoma Green Party which I get to host. Since my place of abode is cramped and messy, we're having our "social" time at Carlito's Cafe in Newcastle (one of the best Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma) and then we'll have the business meeting at the church building.

      Then Sunday I get to preach which I'm looking forward to, mostly because I'm preaching out of II Corinthians which is an incredible book. (I forgot how much good stuff is in there... of course there's some whack stuff too but that's just my anti-paul bias coming out... I really am getting to like Paul better the more I read II Corinthians.)

      Oh one more thing, if you're a peacelover in OKC, we're having another Spiritual Walk for Peace. Meet at the corner of N. 7th and Robinson at 2 p.m. on Sunday. You're welcome to bring a protest sign as long as it's are not hateful/negative. If you come look for me and my friend Fabricio (an old friend who goes to my church. He is a Brazilian student at Okla. City Community College.)

    posted by JMB at 10:37 PM | link |


    Wednesday, February 19, 2003

    Huh?




    posted by JMB at 4:23 PM | link |


    Quote of the Day:



      A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses. I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

    posted by JMB at 10:57 AM | link |


    Monday, February 17, 2003

    What if. . .




    posted by JMB at 4:38 PM | link |


    Bankruptcy Law:



    • In re: Woodman, Moulton, and Moulton (District Court of Maine, Case #'s 02-20273 and 02-20323) (PDF Format) - A decision from a Bankruptcy judge in Maine with regards to allowing debtors to be able to list the cost of smoking in their Chapter 13 plan. (I think this was a good decision.)

    • SearchGodsWord.org: Deuteronomy 15 - This text gives the historical basis of the concept of our modern bankruptcy laws...

        1 "At the end of every seventh year you must cancel your debts. 2 This is how it must be done. Creditors must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD's time of release has arrived. 3 This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites – not to the foreigners living among you. 4 There should be no poor among you, for the LORD your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession. 5 You will receive this blessing if you carefully obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. 6 The LORD your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow! You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you! 7 "But if there are any poor people in your towns when you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need. 9 Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year of release is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the LORD, you will be considered guilty of sin. 10 Give freely without begrudging it, and the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. 11 There will always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share your resources freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need. (NLT)

    posted by JMB at 3:44 PM | link |


    Life:



      The last week has been something of a whirlwind hence the lack of updates. In short, the big events of late were...

    • On Wednesday, I heard Kurt Vonnecut speak at OCU - A thrilling experience. He is every bit as hillarious as he is in print. Extremely controversial and thought provoking, at times very irreverent, but never boring. (I'll post some quotes from the speach later if I have a chance.)

    • On Saturday night, I attended The Gridiron (a.k.a. the "law school prom"). I went stag but still had a great time, especially on the casino games (not with real money, but we did get to redeem our winnings for prizes at the end of the night... I got to take home an OCU Law t-shirt.)

    • Finally on Sunday, I got participate in Oklahoma City's Spiritual Walk for Peace II (in conjunction with the world-wide anti-war protests)

      Now I just get to studying. I am so, so, sick of school. I hate law school! Ok, just today I hate it. Most days it is ok, but it is really wearing on my nerves right now.) Back to the books. . .

    posted by JMB at 1:11 PM | link |


    Big news in Blogistan



    • Reuters/FOXNews: Google Buys Personal Web Publishing Tool Blogger - This is a big news. Not sure if this is good or not. The positive will be that Google does have money and will likely make Blogger more stable.

      The negative is that Blogger will no longer be an independent company. Thus far Google has been very fair about it's linking and advertising policies but that might change. Also, there is always the possibility that Google will change the pricing structure.

      Time will tell I suppose.

    posted by JMB at 12:51 PM | link |


    Friday, February 14, 2003

    Quote of the Day:



    • Overheard this morning in Property...

      I would rather eat **** for breakfast than go to this class.

    posted by JMB at 11:54 AM | link |


    Random:




    posted by JMB at 11:53 AM | link |


    Thursday, February 13, 2003

    Latest Project




    posted by JMB at 10:44 PM | link |


    Quote of the Day



      The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely, the saints the Church has produced, and the art which has grown in her womb. Better witness is borne to the Lord by the splendor of holiness and art which have arisen in the community of believers than by the clever excuses which apologetics has come up with to justify the dark sides which, sadly, are so frequent in the Church's human history. If the Church is to continue to transform and humanize the world, how can she dispense with beauty in her liturgies, that beauty which is so closely linked with love and with the radiance of the Resurrection? No. Christians must not be too easily satisfied. They must make their Church into a place where beauty--and hence truth--is at home. Without this the world will become the first circle of Hell.

      --Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

    posted by JMB at 10:44 PM | link |


    Austin



    • UTexas.edu: Former President William J. Clinton to deliver Carpenter Lecture at The University of Texas at Austin (Tickets for Clinton lecture available Feb. 10)

    • I received this via an email newsletter from my old church's campus ministry group in Austin a message concerning some recent incidents at UT-Austin. Here are some excerpts from that email...

        . . .

        1.  January 20 during the evening of MLK Day sometime between Monday late night and Tuesday morning, eggs were thrown on the MLK statue on the East Mall.  While the statue is surveillance with cameras...it was later said by UTPD that the cameras had not been working for a number of weeks.


      I remember when this statute was errected and I was proud to be at the dedication ceremony for it. It is such a powerfully moving statute, showing Dr. King in his academic robe looking into the distance on the East mall of the UT campus.

      It is sad of course that bigots would behave like this, but I think it also shows the power of Dr. King's life and message, that the bigots would feel threatened like this. Eggs will wash away. Dr. King's message will live on.
       
        2.  January 18-  UT Student Kevin Curry, a member a Student Government for 2 years, one of the recipients of this years Outstanding Students honored at parents weekend, is a member G Phi a Christian Fraternity, a business honors MIS program. Also, an African-American was playing the piano in the UNION while waiting for his bible study to start was stopped by the UTPD for looking "furtive" and routinely asked for his id to verify his student status.  Even after insisting that he (and his friends) was a student and showed UTPD both his ID's he was checked for warrants and detained by UTPD(an investigation is pending).  For those of us who know Kevin, he is not the type of guy that causes situations or makes up things for the sake of racial strife.
       

      This is neither the first nor will it likely be the last time that UT campus (and also Austin PD) cops harrass minority students and guests of the University. I hope Kevin gets a lawyer and sues. It is time that Austin-area cops enter the 21st century.

        3.  Lastly, this week 2 Fraternities were discovered to have had parties that people were dressed up as derogatory images of African-Americans.  One fraternity Kappa Alpha and the other Phi Gamma Delta.  This is not the first time Kappa Alpha have conducted themselves in this way.


      Sadly this is not just a UT-phenomenon, given the recent controversy concerning the "Klan"-themed frat party at Oklahoma State University.

        . . . You might wonder why I am bringing this to your attention..Well I will tell you.  We as Christian have a command to bring reconciliation (in all forms) and justice to this earth and above all Love.  Also, Hope Student Life is a campus ministry.  Therefore, as a campus ministry our prayers should focus on tensions, injustices, possible bitterness and anger, ignorance, and healing of the pain caused by incidents such as these.

        . . . While the Univeristy is most concerned about protecting its image our concern ought to be about addressing old and current sins of discrimination and hate.  What the two Fraternities did on campus is not new, and what is worse than what the frats did, or the egging of MLK, or the racial profiling of Kevin Curry is that a number of students through off hand comments and the Firing Line in the Daily Texan have made comments such as, "What is the Big Deal" or "Why is everyone being so sensitive"....These are the attitudes that should be of the most concern....


      There are two meetings planned to deal with these incidents. The first is on Febuary 17th 6pm in WCH 1.120, with President Larry Faulkner will hosting a Q/A session along with introducing a new committee that will be charged with monitoring and addressing these issues. There will later be a follow-up meeting on Febuary 24th from 7-9pm at the Sanchez Bldg 144 (aka the Education Building, south of the main library).

      I am glad to see Faulkner take action on this. I am curious though as to whether anything real will happen or if this is just an attempt to avoid bad P.R. Time will tell I suppose.

    posted by JMB at 10:44 PM | link |


    Proximate Cause in the Garden of Eden




    • From my Criminal Law casebook...

        The but-for-test is too imprecise a standard for deterimining causal accountability for harm because it fails to exclude remote candidates for legal responsibility. "Mankind might still be in Eden, but for Adam's biting an apple." Welch v. State, 45 Ala. App. 657, 235 So.2d 906 (1970). Although Adam's conduct satisfies the but-for test of responsibility for today's wrongdoing, we do not follow the causal chain as far back as it may lead us.

    posted by JMB at 10:43 PM | link |


    Random:




    posted by JMB at 10:42 PM | link |


    Monday, February 10, 2003

    Oklahoma Legal trivia



      Reading Green Gourd today I stumbled across two things of interest from OSCOSCN.

      The first thing is Oklahoma Statutes, Title 21. Crimes and Punishments, Section 1684 that says:

        Every person who, within any public cemetery or burying ground, wounds or traps any birds or destroys any bird's nest, or removes any eggs or young birds from any nest; and every person who buys or sells, offers or keeps for sale, any bird which has been killed or trapped in violation of this section, is punishable by a fine of Five Dollars ($5.00) for each offense, recoverable by a civil action in any justice's court within the county where the offense is committed, brought in the name of any person making a complaint.


      Then looking at this statute I found a citation to LOCK v. FALKENSTINE, 1963 OK CR 32, 380 P.2d 278 the oft-criticized case (but in my opinion legally insightful case) that legalized the practice of cockfighting in Oklahoma by declaring that the Okla. Statute that prohibted provoking animals to fight each other did not apply because in the court's eyes, a rooster is NOT an animal. ;-)

    posted by JMB at 10:06 PM | link |


    The "Feud" continues



      That what GreenGourd has dubbed the recent exchange of posts between myself and Waddling Thunder. It has been fun to say the least (especially to get the boost in traffic... sheesh W.T. must get a ton of traffic based on how many hits I'm getting from that blog. The truth is out I'm really a just a linkslut who often links to folks to fish for links from them.)

      But, now another has joined the fray. . . Jeremy Blachman, a Harvard Law student. (I feel so priviliged, get blogged by the Ivy League and all ;-)

      Jeremy makes some good points, discussing the tension between the idea that defending bad people or bad causes is morally questionable, while at the same balancing the moral good of allowing everyone a day in court, even the bad guys.

      Well I gotta do some thinking on this and also W.T.'s latest response. I'll post some thoughts later.

    posted by JMB at 3:53 PM | link |


    Sunday, February 09, 2003

    Blog dialogue



    • Woohoo!

      Waddling Thunder has responded to my earlier post that was written in response to his post dated Jan. 30th.

      Here is his latest volley (which was quite witty, especially the part about how I verbally brutalized him in my post.).

      Here is one except that I want to respond to in particular...

        . . . What is moral, indeed, is the practice of whatever kind of law you decide to do consonant with the highest standards of ethics. I personally would argue that in the context of market defined liberty, working to faciliate the coercive brutality of the federal income tax system is by far morally inferior to helping two businesses work together, or to providing a corporation with the due process they are guaranteed by our system.

        In other words, I make no claim that being a lawyer= being a capitalist, as JMB posits that I do. Rather, my formulation is that if you are a capitalist, you can be a good lawyer. I don't think JMB agrees, but that's a disagreement about the shape of society as a whole.


      Phrased this way, I would have to say I agree with him to a point, and to a point my earlier post was not right.

      In my earlier post, I said that there are basically two kinds of lawyers, those who fight for the little guy and those who are there to make the big bucks and oppress the common man.

      But, my analysis is not accurate and is unfair. A good corporate lawyer is not an oxymoron. I would argue that such a lawyer has a harder row to hoe if he/she wants to keep his morals on straight, but it is do-able; and certainly there is a good to be served in society to providing businesses legal services. W.T. is right in saying that it can be moral to practice in any area (even corporate law) if one does it in a way that is "consonant with the highest standards of ethics."

      So, let me rephrase my earlier statements.

      There are three kinds of lawyers in this world...

      1. Bad lawyers who break the rules, be they those enshrined in the the law itself (statute, professional conduct codes, etc.) or just the norms of human decency. Thankfully most lawyers are not like this, but there are still way too many of them.

      2. Ethical lawyers who play fair and follow ethical and moral standards, but whose focus is primarily on the bottom line. Nothing wrong with that as long as you don't break the rules. Not sure what positive influence one can have in this way of doing law, but certainly one does contribute to keeping the legal system running smooth and helping ensure that all people (even rich scumbags) have equal acess to remedy of wrongs in the courts of law. --- I think most lawyers fall in this camp.

      3. Lawyers who fight for the little guy. I would describe them as being lawyers in the vein of Atticus Finch of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

      Most lawyers aren't in camp #1 (and I shouldn't have earlier collapsed camps #1 and 2 in my earlier diatribe), but neither are they in camp #3. As a result, most of the ethical honest lawyers in this world help those who can afford them, leaving the little guy without access to legal help. This is a tremendous problem and I wish more lawyers, law students and especially law schools (who jack up their tuition costs so high that you can't afford to practice the best kind of law because of the massive debt loads inccured) would recognize this and do something about it.

      BTW, back to the capitalist/non-capitalist debate. . . if you are true believer in capitalism, then be an ethical capitalist lawyer at least. That is possible, I suppose at least in a theoretical sense.

    posted by JMB at 7:44 PM | link |


    Saturday, February 08, 2003

    Austin:





    posted by JMB at 9:18 PM | link |


    Friday, February 07, 2003

    For those who don't read the POLIblog




    posted by JMB at 9:45 PM | link |


    Weather Report


      Here are two photos from the last few days. The first is of my little garden. Still is much work to be done but it is closer to being done. (btw, I didn't steal the street sign that is in the picture. It was given to me by my now deceased neighbor who used work for the city of Oklahoma City with the Parks department) The second picture is my attempt at trying to capture a still shot of the biggy fluffy snow flakes that were falling yesterday. (I shot the picture with the asphalt parking lot in the background so as to have enough contrast so you can see the snowflakes.





      More photos by clicking: Garden picture #2 - Garden picture #3
      - Picture of the yard near my garden
      Falling snow #2 - Falling snow #3

    posted by JMB at 9:22 PM | link |


    Today . . .



      has been a memorably good day. It started off stinky with Property but since I didn't get called on it wasn't so bad. After that I ran an errand and then rolled down to Newcastle to see my mom and work in the garden. It was still really cold out (in the high 20's this afternoon... btw, it was 12 degrees last night!) but not windy so it was ok for gardening. (I'll post pics from the garden soon.) Then after that I had to drive back up to OKC to run another errand, so I decided to make quick detour to stroll through the OKC Museum of Art to see if they had any new things on display.

      Believe me, the detour was worth if only for this painting (a new addition from the recently Young collection that was donated to the museum)...



      The Grand Canal, Venice -by Thomas Moran (1898) --- from okcartmuseum.com


      Seeing art like that makes me want to start painting again regularly.

      BTW, if you live near OKC buy a museum membership. It isn't that expensive (I think around $30) and is well worth if you go often. I probably go once a month and it is so nice to visit as often as I want. Also members get $1 off all movie tickets at their "art-house" style theatre and a discount on items in the giftshop.

    posted by JMB at 8:12 PM | link |


    From a recent Simpsons episode: "I don't believe in anything anymore! I'm going to law school!"



      So says a recent post by Waddling Thunder (which I discoved by way of Greengourd.blogspot.com, an attorney-bloggist in Philly who grew up in Muskogee, OK which is neither here nor there but interesting nonetheless.

      Anyway, though reading the post, I get the impression that W.T. (don't know the name of the author of Wadding Thunder, so I'll call him/her W.T.) thinks that being a lawyer = being a good capitalist. Here's one quote I found interesting along those lines...

        However difficult work at big law firms might be, it is inconsistent with believing in capitalism to think that the work itself is immoral. In fact, if you believe that business, and enterprise, and wealth are good things, then helping to faciliate deals is itself moral. What's wrong with fighting a suit between two giant companies? What are they supposed to do instead? Hire private armies and duke it out? If you don't believe in capital and markets, that's another thing entirely. Attack what lawyers do all you want. But I just don't understand people who merrily take advantage of the great wealth that economic liberty has brought us, and then condemn the way it happens. On a theoretical level, I'll be proud to work for big business; it's done us a lot of good.


      No offense to W.T. (who generally writes a blog worth reading), but I don't believe in the Free Market system. (I don't believe in Industrialized socialism either though, and would argue that the USA and the USSR both have, or rather had in the USSR's case, failed economic systems that were exploitative and a disservice to freedom.)

      I won't work for a big firm doing corporate law no matter what they pay me. (and if I compromise on this in the future, please somebody out there shoot me first)

      America desperately needs lawyers. Good lawyers who will stand up for the little guys. The rich have too many lawyers. It's the little guy that needs help, and boy are there a lot of folks who need the posse in the white hats to come to their rescue: indigent criminal defendants, illegal imigrants, anyone of color in Ashcroft's America, Wal-mart employees who are harrassed from unionizing, people who are being ripped off by usurous interest rates . . . that's only the beginning.

      If you are a law student, I think it is critical that you decide what kind of lawyer you want to be....not what speciality of law you want to do, but what kind of lawyer you will be? Will you be in it for the money, a hired gun for the highest bidder, who doesn't give a rat's *** about anyone but him/herself and the pursuit of the almighty dollar?

      Or, will you be a lawyer for those who need an advocate?

      If you're in the first group, then good riddance to you. No offense, but I hope you flunk out because the world has too many of your kind already.

      If you're in the later group, have courage! It's time that we battle the cynicism and bitterness that seems to be infecting many (but thankfully not all) of the 2L's and 3L's that we all know, and remember why we are doing this L-school thing in the first place!

      Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

    posted by JMB at 7:16 PM | link |


    Random:




    posted by JMB at 6:52 PM | link |


    Austin:




    posted by JMB at 6:52 PM | link |


    Thursday, February 06, 2003

    New Regular Readers:



      I got word this week from a couple of new folks who have found this blog. One is a guy from my section of L-school (the first one that I am aware of), the other is my brother who is also a L-student at another school. Welcome to both of you!

    posted by JMB at 12:17 PM | link |


    Snow!



      This morning we have been having a glorious snow. Likely a couple of inches of accumulation with lots of big fluffy snow flakes slowly floating down to earth.

      I tried to take a picture of the snowflakes without luck (my cheap digital camera can't capture them in mid-air, but I wish I could share the beauty of it. It is truly a sight to behold.

      On to other subjects, I finished my LR&W research exam this morning. Boy, I am glad that monster is finished. Now things will be a bit easier (now I just need to spend some time and figure out what where things are going in Property.)

    posted by JMB at 12:14 PM | link |


    Wednesday, February 05, 2003

    Thoughts on Tragedy from C.S. Lewis



      This homily was posted on the DemoOkie Discussion forum:

        I thought I'd share this with you. This Sunday I was the lay worship leader at my church. One of the duties of the worship leader is to deliver a short talk prior to the offering. One can offer a prayer, a poem, some writing. I felt I needed to in some way respond to the Columbia disaster, and I was reminded of something C. S. Lewis once said. So I came up with this short homily:

        Delivered at Mayflower Congregational Church, Oklahoma City, Feb. 2, 2003

        I suppose I risk being guilty of supreme understatement, or simply guilty of stating the obvious, when I say that we seem to have reached one of those wrenching times in our history where one disaster follows quickly on the heels of another, where the horror that we are living through now quickly is trumped by the horror that happens next. After the Columbia tragedy, I was somehow drawn to a sermon I once read by C. S. Lewis, who was the subject of a thesis I wrote while a student at Bethany Nazarene College. The sermon, entitled “Learning in War Time” was delivered at Oxford, where Lewis taught for many years, at the outset of World War II. In it he asked the question was it worthwhile to continue the higher pursuits of culture such as learning, art, literature, philosophy at a time when the English people were fighting for their very survival.
        The question is not far from the one that seems to be asked in our time. In a country rocked by 9-11, a country about to unilaterally launch an unprovoked invasion, a country where schools are fighting for their very survival, a country beset by a new tragedy played endlessly on its TV screens, is it still worthwhile to pursue justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly, to work to bring about God’s will on earth as it is in heaven? For I fear that many of us are in real danger of shutting down, refusing to care, avoiding becoming emotionally involved in the tragedies that surround us.

        Here was Lewis’s answer: . . I think it important to try to see the present calamity in a true perspective. The war [or terrorism, or diaster] creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice. Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If [people] had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun.

        My prayer is this: And now we, God of all creation, need perspective for our own time. We need the perspective that comes about from seeing the world as you wish us to see. We need the calm peace that comes from placing ourselves in the center of your will. We must be ever mindful that while we live in whatever time we live, in that time and place your work must be our own. Amen
        R. Lynn Green

    posted by JMB at 11:40 AM | link |


    Sustainability:



      I received this press release today which was issued from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry concerning a project that I am very excited about. My friend Robert Waldrop (a modern-day Hobbit and urban farmer) is the force behind this but momentum is quickly picking up.

        OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND FORESTRY
        2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105

        February 4, 2003

        RETAIL FOOD COOPERATIVES COULD
        BRING FARMERS AND CONSUMERS CLOSER
        AND ENCOURAGE LOCAL CONSUMPTION

        For More Information Contact: Robert Waldrop (405) 557-0436 or (405)
        613-4688 Or Jack Carson (405)522-4575

        Oklahoma City- Ben Franklin said a penny saved is a penny earned. Using his logic, by keeping more of the Oklahoma food dollar in-state works to create wealth for small farmers and rural Oklahoma.

        Bringing farmers and consumers together for mutually beneficial direct marketing is something the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) has toward for decades. Now a new idea has been proposed that to benefit both groups and could be a financial boon to the state as well.

        Recently a private group has proposed beginning Oklahoma Food Retail Cooperatives across the state and meetings getting the idea to farmers and consumers are planned statewide.

        The premise for the plan is fairly simple, said Robert Waldrop, organizer for the group. Producers and Oklahoma food companies will be offered the opportunity to stock their goods on store shelves and consumers will be invited to join the cooperative for a small fee or surcharge to take advantage of local foods.

        “The concept complements our current farmers markets but offers the advantages of year round hopping and a greater variety of products,” he notes. “Fresh meats are probably not an option but the storescould easily carry frozen meat or even feature a meatless meat market where consumers order meats for pickup on a specified date.”

        Individual cooperatives could tailor their practices to meet the needs of their communities, Waldrop adds. Town meetings have been scheduled to provide more information of the project and let interested producers and consumers sit down to talk about how their local cooperatives should be designed.

        “Our first meeting was last week with a group of small farmers and representatives of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah,” he said. “They are very interested in pursuing this type of cooperative and have agreed to pursue the project. I would imagine that the type of cooperative agreement they work out will vary from what would work for Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or even my hometown of Frederick.”

        Future meetings are scheduled for Stillwater, Oklahoma City, Norman, Woodward, McAlester, Clinton, Bartlesville and Lawton. For more information contact Waldrop’s website at www.oklahomafood.org/retail.htm or call at (405) 557-0436 or (405)613-4688.

        ####

    posted by JMB at 11:40 AM | link |


    Tuesday, February 04, 2003

    L-School Update:



      LR&W has snuck up on me again, or I should say my bad habits of procrastination have snuck up on me. This research exam is killing me. --- For those of you who aren't Law students, LR&W is a heinous (but incredibly useful class) in which they teach you how to write in the bland way that all law stuff is written in and also how to research the case law, statutues, legislative history, etc. with "fun" detours into the bleak land of the Harvard Blue Book where you have to quibble over the exact placement of commas and whether you're using practicioner or law review style citations. Bleh!!!

      Anyway, if all goes well I might get this puppy done in time for turn in Thusday morning. We'll see...

    posted by JMB at 10:30 PM | link |


    Ballydowse, R.I.P.



    • Today via Archive.org I was able to find the old website for the now disbanded band Ballydowse. Boy, I miss that band. I'm still a little bit upset that the band disbanded without much word of what happened (I emailed their label Grrr Records of the JPUSA community and they said that yes the band is no more, but gave no details.) but more saddened by their missing voice. They were an extremely political band mixing the punk worldview with the Celtic spirit of community and the Christian ethic (at least in its ideal sense) of idealism and peace.



      Here's hoping that the boys and girls of Ballydowse will come back again to cry out for Justice and Peace in these troubled times!

      BTW, if you're looking for their mp3's you can still find them at MP3.com. I would snag them while you can because they might get taken down.

    posted by JMB at 6:49 PM | link |


    Random:




    posted by JMB at 12:30 PM | link |


    Austin:


    • Last night I was visiting with my brother John about movies. He said, "I don't see the point in buying movies. I only want to see them once, and besides you can always get them for free at the library."

      I then said, "Yeah I know what you mean, but there are some movies that I am obsessive about, especially any movies filmed in Austin. I think I've watched Dazed and Confused fifty times at least."

      He asked why did I do this. My answer: "I don't know. I guess Austin has a hold of my soul."

      Sheesh, I wish I was in Austin right now.

    • Austin Biz Journals: Texas French Bread files for Chapter 11 - I'm crossing my fingers that Texas French Bread will recover. I had many happy (and cheap) breakfasts at their locations on Guadalupe (now closed) and on Red River (which I think is still open).

    • Austin Chronicle: Shadows Over Bergstrom --- The new reality puts the squeeze on our 'Austin-style' airport - I was at the Open House when they opened the new airport (and got to be one of the last passengers at the old Mueller Airport and one of the first at the new one). I hope Austin stands strong against the corporate monoliths. ABIA is one of the few airports that are actually fun to visit.

    posted by JMB at 12:30 PM | link |


    Attention Penguins!




    posted by JMB at 12:30 PM | link |


    Columbia. . .



      This morning our prof let us out of LR&W a few minutes early so we could catch some of the memorial service for the Columbia 7. I only got to catch a few minutes of it, but it was powerful hearing those beautiful words of Hebrew scripture spoken in memorial.

      While thinking about those who sacrificed so much for the world's knowledge of the universe (and in my eyes, increasing our knowledge of the Creator of this universe), I want to share a beautiful song by Tom Chi called Columbia.

    posted by JMB at 12:21 PM | link |


    Saturday, February 01, 2003

    Columbia



      Today was a very sad day for the world, in that Columbia Space shuttle went down today. Words do not do this justice to express the emensity and the sadness of this event so I won't try tonight. I might write about it tomorrow maybe.

      The only thing I will say is that I listened to Brave Saint Saturn's So Far from Home album in memory of the seven who were lost.

      God speed to the crew of Columbia STS-107 on their journey to the hereafter. May the Lord carry each of you safely to his bosom.

    posted by JMB at 10:32 PM | link |


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