We’ve been posting Christmas-related haiku throughout the
past week, for your Holiday enjoyment. Tonight (instead of
gift wrapping), your procrastinating Editor collected haiku
and senryu by our Honored Guest Poets, plus dagosan, to
create the f/k/a christmas season haiku page. With more
than 40 one-breath poems, there is something to please every
Grinch and Scrooge (and perhaps Christmas Warriors, too).
However, don’t fret that we’ve become too soft and
sentimental here at the home of Prof. Yabut and
skepticalEsq. For example:
Your editor has never gotten all warm or
fuzzy over Christmas and birthday cards from life
and auto insurers, or law firms, and the like. So,
there wasn’t much chance of me smiling joyously at
the e-card greetings that arrived today from Andrew Cuomo,
son of New York’s illustrious former governor, Mario,
and current candidate for State Attorney General.
Nonetheless, just in case his cute daughters and
sappy sentiments are just what you need to get
into the Holiday Spirit, I will repeat them here:
“HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Thank you for a year of friendship, love
and support. We wish you a very happy
holiday season and all good things in the
New Year!
with love,
Cara, Mariah, Michaela and Andrew
My giving “friendship, love and support” without even knowing
about it is quite a feat — just think what might happen if I
were trying. Since Andrew is being so nice, here is a tip
for him: I might very well vote for you next year, but it
won’t be because of your faux gratitude. Phony e-motions
won’t compensate for a perceived lack of humility and
gravitas — but they could easily send potential supporters
looking elsewhere.
Your organizational skills are also a bit suspect: the Holidays
e-message points to the Andrew Cuomo for Attorney Website,
which currently has a blank white page, that declares in the
upper lefthand corner: “AndrewCuomo.com is coming shortly.”
“Coming shortly” is never a great strategy for getting elected.
You’ve got big name-recognition advantages right now over Mark
Green and other opponents, Andrew, but you might squander
it, if you don’t get your act together. Capice?
p.s. Andrew, you have apparently co-opted or purchased
the mailing list of an internet public interest group. Please
tell them from me that I’m not thrilled that they have used
our connection in this way.
another Christmas . . .
my parents visit
the son in prison
Lee Gurga
annoyed every time I see some criminal defense lawyer
arguing that embarrassment is enough of a punishment
for a public figure who breaks the law. This time, we are
supposed to feel sorry for 78-year-old Anthony Doria, who
founded the Vermont Law School, and admitted guilt on tax
evasion — taking $115,000 from a woman in her 70’s and
spending it rather than investing for her. It is equally wrong-
headed for a judge to be persuaded by such rubbish. Here,
U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha sentenced Doria (who
was originally facing up to 145 years) to only one month in
prison. We agree with Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth
Woodcock, who said “embarrassment is not in the senten-
cing guidelines.” (see AP/Burlington Free Press)
Prof. Yabut says:
If you value your reputation and you don’t
want to do time as an octagenarian, you
ought to avoid felonies in your 70’s.
p.s. Christmas Commercialism getting you down?
check out our st. nicholas v. santa claus post.
“snowflakeS”
