Worst idea for a movie ever

Last night, I went home and there was an old yellow Labrador who came out to see me and wanted in the car. The kid next door told me the dog's name is Gus and pointed out the house where Gus lives. When I saw him again later, I grabbed the line he was trailing and coaxed him back up the street. To me, he seemed kind of old and underweight and confused - but still wanting to chase those cats.

I own the book Marley and Me, but I wouldn't take money to go see the movie.

On Ms. Epps

I read the obituaries (here and here) and then some of the online words of Rozanne Epps.

I liked this quote - "She considered commas an inscrutable art form."
and especially liked this photograph.

There are a lot of people out there who were affected by Ms. Epps - even those who never heard of her before this week.

Golf rules

Check out this story about how J.P. Hayes is as honest as we like to think we are. It says he turned himself in for actually using an unapproved ball, which knocked him out of Q School, which is sort of like turning yourself into the bar examiners upon discoverying after the fact that you were not using a No. 2 pencil on the multi-state.

Every one of the regular readers should read this book

I just finished The Wettest County in the World, by Matt Bondurant. It is an excellent book, sort of historical semi-fiction, mostly about the Bondurant family who figured in the 50-day moonshine trial in the Western District of Virginia against Franklin County officials including the sheriff and the Commoonwealth's Attorney.

You have to play to win

This report on the lawsuit against the Virginia Lottery suggests that the plaintiff if he is totally successful might get a few dollars.

On musical chairs

The Williamsburg paper has this account of the upcoming judgeship maneuverings in that area. It is a shame that our old teacher Judge Zepkin was never made a circuit judge there, he should have been, and almost was.

The best and the worst

Jon Copper, profiled here, was Virginia's best man on defense these past three years - an undersized overachieving and devout family man who earned his scholarship the hard way and led the team in tackles ever since.

Without disrespecting him, you'd hope that there would be more of the same character among the players who are actually recruited to play for the Cavaliers.

Did we ever make one of these before?

On Tuesday we tried a case to the Court in the W.D. Va.

And, per usual, I did some prep on the Rule 50 motion, only come to find out, Rule 50 does not apply to bench trials.

So, I made a motion for judgment on partial findings, under Rule 52(c). I've had a few evidentiary hearings in federal court on preliminary injunctions and such, but don't remember making a motion under Rule 52(c) before - perhaps I should have done.

No - thank you

In response to this post, I received this:

"Steve - I was checking something on Google tonight and saw your post. It sure meant a lot to me. The race on saturday was my third marathon but my first in 10 years. It was very hot (77 deg) and humid - and I found myself badly dehydrated by mile 20. At mile 22 it was so bad I was unable to continue running and had to walk for a bit - but it wasn't long before another played the role of inspirer and got me going again. I got 8 cups of water down at the next stop and came back to life (a bit) and made the last three miles. The last few hundred yards were as emotional of an experience as I've had.

So it was my slowest marathon of the three, but easily the most rewarding.

I thought you might like to see the newspaper story that ran about my dad when he died, by the way. http://www.stpaulsnn.org/new_minister.php

All the best to you, and bless you for your note.

Matthew"

On what the McAuliffe campaign will be selling, and to whom?

"Terry could sell shit to the zoo."

Paul Begala, quoted here on Politico.com.

Boucher hosed because of long-held IP positions?

This piece says that rather than give Congressman Boucher the chairmanship of a sub-committee with control of intellectual property issues, on which he has taken a pro-consumer, anti-industry stance over the years, instead House leaders have dissolved the sub-committee.

The red and the blue

This article in The Nation is set against Barack Obama's June visit to Bristol, as evidence of "A New, Blue Dixie."

This article by Daniel Gilbert from today's Bristol paper points out that Bristol and the rest of Southwest Virginia mostly voted against Obama.

On growing up Beamer

"He knew everybody in the hospital and what was wrong with them."

- Barnett Beamer, talking about his brother Frank's hospitalization as a boy recovering from being burned, quoted in this article about the siblings of the football coach.

Best of the day

I've read two newspapers at the house and a few online, but this is the best item I've seen today, titled Why I will run the marathon Saturday, a son writing about his father, and it begins:

"This Saturday I will run to honor those who help another get to the finish line, whatever that finish line may be. My father, the Reverend Robert H. Steilberg, did this with his life – as the founder of a high school, a faithful comforter and provider to the homeless of Richmond, and a generous minister to any in trouble, sorrow, need, or any other adversity."

The website says that Matthew Steilberg finished on Saturday in 4:09:42.