Recent Articles

            The 95th Academy Awards ceremony was held this week. Yes. Movies are still being made and movie theaters still exist. Had to double check. The cultural coup of the television show is nearly complete. Binge until your eyes bleed.             For those antiquated feature-film few, the Citizen Kane denying, [...]

            As a reminder: the Bulwer-Lytton Contest is named after novelist Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton who wrote many famous novels including “Paul Gifford” which started with the immortal words (often parodied), “It was a dark and stormy night.”             The Contest rewards rookie writers composing intentionally bad opening sentences to [...]

            As you faithful readers recall, we annually present a handful of our favorite Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest winners.             For you new readers, the Bulwer-Lytton Contest is named after novelist Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton who wrote many famous novels including “Paul Gifford” which started with the immortal words, “It was a dark and stormy night.” [...]

            Over the past century, automation, mechanization, and computerization have swallowed up blue-collar jobs on a monumental scale. This trend has largely been touted as “progress.” Economic efficiency. A boon for capitalism. A boost to the bottom-line.             Enter artificial intelligence (AI). White-collar workers are up in arms. AI is [...]

            In 2022 the California Legislature passed nearly 1,200 bills and nearly 1,000 became law signed by Governor Gavin. Here’s a sampling of some you may find of interest.             Minimum Wage:  The new statewide California minimum wage bumps to $15.50 per hour for all employers, a modest bump from [...]

            Lawyers need law. Shoot. It’s right there in the name. Without law, lawyers would be cast upon the public as a rudderless group of insufferable pontificators – arguing ad nauseum without direction or restraint. They would, in essence, become politicians. Wait…nearly a third of the members of Congress have [...]

            An estimated 4.5 tons of plastic cigarette butts are littered each year around the world. Many end up in oceans and lakes with deadly consequences.             Even the Philip Morris Institute admits that discarded cigarette butts are “one of the most littered items worldwide.” The Institute goes on: “There [...]

           Cruella de Vil and cats. They don’t like puppies. Who else doesn’t like puppies? Just about no one. That can be counted as a universal truth. Here’s another: Litigants who harm puppies lose. Judges and jurors are people. People love puppies. People do not love people who hurt puppies. You [...]

            California’s Recreational Use Statute, section 846 of the Civil Code, is one of my favorites. It’s a favorite because it often applies to our area where outdoorsy types use private property for lots of reasons, including fishing, hunting, skiing, hiking and biking. Any chance I get I throw in [...]