Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day Weekend to you all. Hope you don't have to labor so much over the holiday. See you all on Tuesday!

Third Second Blawgiversary

DELAWOFFICE is celebrating the 3rd 2nd anniversary of its legal blog "Blawg" in Newark on September 10, 2003. Anyone interested in attending should contact me in advance. Time sure flies when you are writing fun.

OK. You caught us. We've only been doing this for just about two years. It seems longer, and besides, we can't bring the blog out for a drink if it isn't old enough.

Sorry about the "three years" thing. I sent an email to Larry, telling him it was the three year anniversary. He asked me in person if I was sure. I insisted. Should have counted on my fingers, in retrospect.

It's actually the third year that we're going into. Hopefully with some fresh new ideas, and some fun in mind. If we can interest some readers of this blog to join us in the lifting of a glass, or in a meal somewhere on the 10th, please let Larry know. Thanks. -- Bill Slawski

red wine molecule extends life

More evidence in support of one of my favorite and expensive hobbies: US study- ABC News Online

old new castle county courthouse

I visited the little town of North East, Maryland, over the weekend, and came across a great bunch of small restaurants and shops. I stopped in one shop, and found a post card of Delaware's major courthouse in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Once upon a time, where a statue of Caesar Rodney is now prominently on display in the center of Wilmington, was the New Castle County Courthouse:



I think I like the exterior of this building better than the present courthouse. It has a sense of stateliness about it.

the friendly skies

The best thing about the Computerized Airline Passenger Pre-Screening System II seems to be the drawing together of those who oppose it. One reaction that's worth a look is the Don't Spy on us web site.

the dark goddess of replevin fades into the shadows

The dark goddess of replevin speaks. Her voice is fading. She is being engulfed by the big firms. We will miss you goddess.

Confront Your Accusers... Tell them "sit", "stay", then give them a biscuit

Popular Science Magazine published an interesting article about how dogs are being used as witnesses (or not) in courts. As we tap into their nasal resources as a tool in crime detection, many legal issues come to mind:

How do you cross-examine a dog?
How can we distinguish independent dog identification of a scent as from the Clever Hans effect?
How can we verify dog training accuracy and reliability?
How can a defendant overcome the prejudicial "cute puppy effect"?


photo by Stephanie Martucci

Fox Watching the Henhouse - EPA digs up DNREC hypocrisy

In a very embarrassing series of events for DNREC, EPA has found cruddy violations at DNREC site, apparently perpetrated by DNREC, as reported by the News Journal.



photo by The News Journal/SCOTT NATHAN

Dirty Dirt Done Dirt Cheap

The U.S. isn't the only place on the planet (although sometimes we act like it) with political issues involving environmental and corporate responsibility. Taiwan has some dirt of its own. It was shipped to Cambodia and dumped illegally there, and then it was scooped back up along with all of the dirt around it and shipped back to Taiwan.

Does the way that I described this as a "political issue" somehow distance it from real people and their real people lives? And does the term "corporate responsibility" somehow lessen the severity of the criminal acts that people committed? Remember people act. Corporations are artificial (imaginary) legal thoughts. Corporations don't do anything... people do.

This is not to say that the owners of corporations should profit from the irresponsibility or deliberate acts of their employees and agents. To the extent that misdeeds are attributable to that group of people who are a corporation, the financial resources of the corporation are fair game for the cost of the repair of the errant acts.

I don't like the way the word "Corporation" is slurred, as a "C" word, something to be viewed with disdain. Corporations are tremendously valuable and indispensable tools for people to organize and conduct business. I challenge you to look around the room you are sitting in and find something that wasn't manufactured, grown, marketed, distributed, or sold by a corporation. Even the hand-made lawyer's bookcase that my dad made for me that sits next to my desk was made with the use of tools made and sold by corporations. And the wood was grown, harvested, and sold by corporations.

So when we go a' hunting for scapegoats, let's get the correct goats. The ones who did the dirty deeds.

Delaware to Be New Home of Coors (Kinda)

The Denver Business Journal is reporting that Fortune 500 company Adolph Coors Co. might soon be a Delaware corporation. A reincorporation plan has already been approved by the brewer's board of directors and will be voted on by shareholders this fall. Although there are no plans to move its headquarters to Delaware, the company will be taking advantage of Delaware's business-friendly corporate laws.

Adolph Coors Co. was founded in 1873 and is the maker of Coors Light , the fourth ranked beer in terms of sales in the United States and a favorite of many poor college students. Coors has been a Colorado Corporation since 1913.

Kevin Mann
Law Clerk

play ball

The sound of baseball has filled the air this summer. The field next to the Newark VFW hall is within earshot of the law office, and the evening sounds of the Star Spangled Banner frequently signify the start of some innings of ball.

When I was a little leaguer, we didn't have announcers reading our names off. The only ones who came to watch our games were our relatives, and they knew who we were. Baseball these days. The kids get announced as they approach home plate.

I've imagined cameras and play-by-play announcers would be next. I didn't anticipate that it would be this year that we would get to watch little league on TV in Delaware. I didn't foresee Delaware having a team in the Little League World Series.

I hope the cameras and all of the attention doesn't ruin the game for the kids. I also hope that they have a lot of fun, and wish them a lot of luck. Go Delaware.

mobile phones vs emergency rescue

The Washington Post looks at the popularity of mobile phones, limitations of airwaves, and how Wireless Growth Hinders Rescuers.

Maybe this is how the movement to an open spectrum of wireless communications begins.

Delaware first on EPA network

Federal Computer Week is reporting that The State of Delaware is now the first on the EPA network.

Delaware has completed development of its Exchange Network node, making it the first state to have its server operational and able to share vital environmental information on the new network, according to EPA officials.

The Environmental Information Exchange Network will tie together information from all fifity states, Indian Tribes, and the Federal Government.

the ocean's bounty

In The Bounty Hunter, Wired magazine looks at a plan to retrieve the "riches shipwreck in history" and the technology used to make that plan. The same equipment was used for a recent survey of the Hudson Riverbed in New York State.

The results were so revealing that the city refused to release them for fear of mass looting. Every one of the hundreds of barges, tugboats, passenger ships, and pleasure craft that had sunk over the centuries had been identified.

I'd love to see a similar survey done on the waters off of the State of Delaware.

building cities pixel by pixel

The construction crew at City Creator have made the process of building a city fun. Keep in mind that building roads first can be a really good idea.

recording industry to visit the senate

We've been watching the Recording industry carefully, especially in the wake of a large number of suits they've brought against people for downloading music on the web. It appears that the US Senate has also.

hello Delaware

Local paper, the Wilmington News Journal takes a look at blogging and the legal profession with an article titled Lawyers air views on 'blogs'. If you're following the story from the newspaper, to the web, welcome aboard.

We try to cover a wide variety of topics from Delaware specific stories to national and international subjects. Sometimes you'll find something that looks like a rant here. It happens. If there's a topic that you're interested in on Delaware or Delaware and the law, please let us know.

Judge Haile Alford Found Dead

I am saddened to hear of our loss of Judge Alford.

I was working as a Staff Attorney at Superior Court when Judge Alford took the bench. I was struck by her ability to relate on a personal level while also commanding the respect that the Court deserves. She is an excellent role model, and will be sorely missed.

Vacation Notes

Hello from North Carolina. I would say that we wish you were here... but it would be crowded.

See you all in a week or two.