Thursday, October 30, 2008

Awesome title of this legal reference

Nomothetes, the Interpreter, Containing the Genuine Signification of Such Obscure Words and Terms Used Either in the Common or Statute Lawes of This Realm, First Compiled by the Learned Dr. Cowel, and Now Enlarged from the Collections of All Others Who Have Written in This Kind with an Addition of Many Words Omitted by All Former Writers, and Pertinent to This Matter, with Their Etymologies as Often as They Occur, as also Tenures Whether Jocular, or Others Statues and Records, Wherein the Alterations Are Expressed, and Their Agreement or Dissonancy, with the Law at Present Declared: Whereto Is Subjoyned an Appendix, Containing the Ancient Names of Places Here in England, Very Necessary for the Use of All Young Students, Who Intend to Converse with Old Records, Deeds or Charters

1 v. London: Printed by the assigns of Richard Atkins and Sir Edward Atkins for H. Twyford, Tho. Basset, J. Place, and H. Sawbridge, 1684.
Cowel, John
Manley, Thomas (Editor)


Dang. The things you find when looking for something on HeinOnline.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Am in a state of crogglement

They actually convicted Senator Ted Stevens.

Holy fucking cow*.


Ted Stevens' conviction the crowning blow in bad year for GOP senators

Dang. I mean, I never, NEVER, thought he'd be convicted. Hell, I was surprised there was a trial. There's this dichotomy in Alaska, see? Two belief systems, two mythos, chafing at one another. Pro-development and pure-frontier are probably the most straightforward labels. Palin is pro-development with an evangelical twist, for the record. Stevens, like most in politics in Alaska, just made sure everyone knew the state was open for business.

[*] Bear in mind, I try to restrict dropping the f-bomb these days, as its considered unlawyerly and all that. I shrieked out loud when I saw the headline.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Don't think of it as voting, think of it as hiring if you must

So, here's the deal:

The company's down the shitter. People have lost jobs, and we've become seen as the assholes of the industry.

You've been interviewing these guys for the CEO slot for a while, now it's time to make a hiring decision.

Now, last time, we hired a schlub - or maybe the board of directors made us - who, sure, is fun at a barbecue, but has a mean sense of humor and is not really qualified for the job. Super-nice wife, though. I mean, dang, she is just *nice*. Real sweetheart.

Anyway, this time, there's this really bright guy applying, who has a good track record. Might even be overqualified. Plus? Genuinely nice guy. Helps people out wherever he can. Walks the talk, when you get down to it. Family man.

And then there's this guy who had a rep about 20 years ago, but has been sitting on his laurels in a lot of ways ever since. Plus, he's been sick, and during an interview you really wonder did he just have a transient ischemic attack right in front of you, and you think to yourself that this job could kill him --

He's got a bad temper. And, he's been saying some really nasty shit. Really nasty.

And so has his hanger-on, who seems to think if you're smart you can't be trusted with things that require brains. Who made that rule up? It makes no sense, really.

Now, the bright guy is at the top of his game. Seriously. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime moment when the right man for the job shows up, at the right time. And you actually know it. When's the last time that happened? Never?

Yeah, probably never.

So which guy do you hire?

I know which one I want to hire.