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November 30, 2018

J. Dan Hull, Jr.

In this photo (circa 1907) he is the boy in middle standing between his dad John and mom Nancy Susan. John Daniel Hull, II. 1900 - 1988. My grandfather--and always a class act. I spent most of his last 15 or so Thanksgivings with him in Missouri with just him & my grandmother Alene, who died at 102. J. Dan had quiet energy, poise & quality. Elegant. Amazingly accomplished. Author, educator, Kennedy administration mainstay. Cosmos Club. Ozark boy who wanted to go to Yale and more. He did it all.

John Daniel Hull and Family. Mountain Grove, Missouri, about 1907.

Posted by JD Hull at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 21, 2018

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 - November 22, 1963)

Tomorrow, November 22, marks the 55th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination in downtown Dallas, Texas. He was 46 years old. If Kennedy had lived, and were alive today, he would be 101--not a completely inconceivable age for him to have attained given the longevity of some on his mother Rose's side. Below is my favorite photograph of him, likely taken in late 1942. He’d have been 25.

A stick in me hand and a tear in me eye
A doleful damsel I heard cry,
Johnny I hardly knew ye.

--from "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye", a popular Irish anti-war song written in early 1800s.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

November 15, 2018

Cultural Appropriation, much?

“A living language....needs above all else constant transactions of new blood from other tongues. The day the gates go up, that is the day it begins to die.”

—H.L. Mencken, The American Language, 1919

Posted by JD Hull at 12:16 AM | Comments (0)

November 08, 2018

Sound Post-Midterms Advice. Overstatements are Bad. Avoid Them.

Being part-Irish like me is a gift. Mainly.

But overstatements for lawyers at work are Mainly Bad. True, they can be hilarious. With them, at parties, and in arguments with lame store clerks, we can drive home a point using hyperbole. Overstatements can even impress your date, wife or mistress--or all three. They can feel good to make.

But they are Bad for lawyers (and for our witnesses). We should keep them out of pleadings and remarks to arbitrators, mediators and judges. And juries. We have all made them. Yes, overstatements are Bad:

When you overstate, readers [and listeners, too--WAC/P] will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in their minds because they have lost confidence in your judgment or your poise.

Do see "The Only Writing Tip That Really Matters", quoting The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, at Evan Schaeffer's The Trial Practice Tips Weblog.

Blarney Castle, near Cork, Ireland

Posted by JD Hull at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

November 07, 2018

Last Night’s Midterm Election Results.

So what did you think?

I expected Dems to do better in the 2018 midterms.

The House shift to DEM I expected—and is consistent with midterm elections down through history.

But I expected Ted Cruz to lose in Texas and did NOT expect GOP to get stronger in Senate.

.....

Trump, in any event, is one far-out mother, Watched his presser this afternoon, You either like guys like Trump or you don’t. I do. I didn’t vote for him two years ago. But I liked him and still do. Guess I grew up with lots of Greatest Generation men with a dash of Trump.

Posted by JD Hull at 01:50 PM | Comments (0)

November 06, 2018

Vote anyway, Campers.

If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.

--Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Anarchist, Activist, Writer, Leader, Bad-Ass.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)

November 05, 2018

78 Basic Things Long-Divorced American Lawyers Know.

Paris 1952: Willy Maywald, Mannequin en tailleur quai Saint-Michel.

1. Never swive anyone named Zoe, Brigit or Natasha.

2. Let no one leave anything at your house.

3. Don't buy cheap shoes.

4. Shoe trees. Cedar. The most expensive.

5. Sorry. The Harvard Bluebook is always important.

6. British women don't really like British men.

7. Have a coworker in same room if you interview someone.

8. Completely legal interviews are not very informative.

9. Don't jump to hire law grads with blue collar backgrounds. Some think they've arrived and are done.

10. Women make better associate lawyers.

11. On documents Rules 34 and 45 do different things. Know what.

12. If you travel, cats not dogs.

13. Very attractive women think they're ugly.

14. Very attractive men are delusional.

15. Irish, Welsh, Finnish and Afro-American women are totally and forever in charge. They are heroes.

16. A disproportionate number of Irish people are drunks.

17. A disproportionate number of Irish people are verbally and lyrically gifted.

18. Jewish doctors do not get Irish, English or German drunks. Have a cookie instead?

19. Jews and Italians are the best drinkers. They have rules. They have the genes.

20. The Jews really are it. Consistently awesome and world-changing tribe for 2500 years.

21. Well-dressed Russian women are cheap, treacherous and insane.

The Cardsharps, Caravaggio, c. 1594

22. Most lawyers dislike being lawyers. It shows.

23. Lawyers are less well-rounded every decade.

24. Super-smart and super-nice kids--without lots more--make lousy lawyers.

25. There are at most 35 truly excellent American colleges and universities. It shows when you meet their grads.

27. Parisian men are not as insecure, jealous or violent as other men. Let's just talk about this, Luc, okay?

28. Never be impressed by Phi Beta Kappas.

29. Always be impressed by Marshall scholars, Rhodes scholars and Wesleyan grads.

30. Have at least 4 impeccable suits. They should be expensive but need not be tailored.

31. Don't wear bow ties every day. Almost every day is fine.

32. Cuffs on all long pants except jeans and tuxes. Khaki? Summer only.

33. Twice a month you should dress like a pimp from a New Orleans whorehouse.

34. Saabs can be driven forever. They like to go fast.

35. Know who you are. Learn if you can family history back 8 generations at least.

36. Talk to people on elevators. All of them.

37. Don't do Europe with other Americans.

38. Just 2 cats.

39. Commando, guys.

40. When in Rome, do as many Romans as you can. ~ Hugh Grant, Brit actor

41. Always attribute--especially when you think no one will notice. They do.

42. When they notice, they might call me.

43. Don't let people tell you who you are.

44. The Internet teems with folks telling you what you must do/think/say/write. Get off your knees.

45. Always talk to jurors post-verdict.

46. One juror will always surprise you big time. Learn who that is before you close.

47. Don't communicate in any manner ever with that one female juror who seemed to like you a lot.

48. Women are meaner, more vindictive and more treacherous than men.

49. The dumbest woman is 100 times more complex than the smartest man.

50. Most men are easy to suss. Not much going on with most of them.

51. Rule 36, Fed.R.Civ.P., my friend.

52. Rule 56(d) is misunderstood.

53. Civil RICO is an unintended consequence.

54. Seldom watch television.

55. Dads don't get a pass for merely siring. So what?

56. All moms suffer.

57. Your mom is your best friend.

58. Buenos Aires has the best-looking people on this planet.

59. Lovemaking probably cannot be learned.

60. Love can be learned.

61. There are no lapsed or recovering Catholics. This is not bad.

62. Jewish women rarely have great legs.

63. Japanese woman have the best legs.

64. Jewish women are good lovers.

65. Japanese women are the best helpmates.

66. Hopelessly insane WASP women are the best lovers.

67. Fewer people should become parents or lawyers.

68. Brown shoes go well with grey suits. No one knows why.

69. Your handkerchief should never match your tie.

70. We need to bring suspenders back.

71. Being right is expensive.

72. The Dutch have no use for Italians.

73. Most Italians view Germans as classless.

74. The English diss anyone who is not English. This will not stop.

75. The French are playful.

76. The Irish are playful, but in a different way.

77. Women in Prague are not playful.

78. Trust no one in Budapest.

Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)