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July 29, 2023
162 pages, Harper, 2011
Posted by JD Hull at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)
July 28, 2023
St. Thomas Episcopal
I’m not religious. But I like churches. Inside and out. Mainly, the architecture. But also the hope held out. The notion of “sanctuary.” The beliefs of centuries that inspired each one. The endless constellation of them everywhere you go in the Western world, under the radar, and unnoticed, until needed. Washington, DC’s depth/density in the number and variety of Christian churches is second only to Europe’s great cities. This is north corner door of St. Thomas Episcopal, built 1875. S and 16th, N.W. It took me about 3 decades of passing it at least weekly before noticing it.
Posted by JD Hull at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)
July 27, 2023
Satire is Good.
The satirist is to be regarded as our physician, not our enemy.
--Henry Fielding, 1707-1754
Physicians--like lawyers--may no longer be the great community of leaders and societal architects they once were or people had hoped they could be. Both professions now breed technicians. As things get more complex, that, of course, makes sense, and we could do worse. But you still get what Fielding was trying to say.
Satire down through the ages never has had the power, on its own, to make people change things. Satire does clarify and make us think. But the law needs certainty, clarity and steadiness of tone--all kept at a consistent wave-length so we do not lose our place. We need to know the speaker or writer is 100% sober. It's not always fun. It's steady. You can rely on it.
However, you do get excited and think you are about to see some great and epic satire and commentary every time you read a pleading which begins "COMES NOW...", a letter which begins (and our favorite) "Enclosed herewith please find..." or contract which uses "said" frequently. You are disappointed when you realize it's intended to be a serious document.
Legal writing. Legalese. Can't we just "say it"?
From past WAC/P? posts circa 2008
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:55 PM | Comments (0)
July 25, 2023
Folger
Posted by JD Hull at 08:41 PM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2023
Preserve Alphas
Julius Caesar 100 BC - 44 BC
Posted by JD Hull at 08:31 PM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2023
Oh New York City you talk a lot...
You look like a city. You feel like a religion.
--L. Nyro, 1969
Five Points, George Catlin, 1827
Foley Square, 1963 (Bettmann/CORBIS)
Posted by JD Hull at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)