Tuesday, September 08, 2009

1-0

C-A-N-E-S

Okay, now that that's off my chest, back to business.

The Chief has formed a committee to look at building a new Broward courthouse. From the DBR:

With its maze-like corridors, dead ends and multi-level pools, the Fort Lauderdale federal courthouse is outdated in the post 9/11 world. The chief judge says it's high time for a replacement. Chief U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno said the courthouse fails to meet the upcoming — and even the current needs — of the Southern District. There are security issues, the courtrooms are small and undignified, and there is a lot of unused space on the tiered floors. But most importantly, Moreno said there is a need to expand. The district’s caseload is shifting north from Miami, and the next federal judge in South Florida will sit in Fort Lauderdale. Moreno has appointed a 16-member committee including judges, magistrates, mayors and a number of high-profile law firm partners, and they plan to hold their first meeting Sept. 15.

Lots of pithy quotes in the article...

George Platt, a Shutts & Bowen partner in Fort Lauderdale, is the committee chairman. He said the current courthouse was built in the mid-1970s. The front entrance features a sun-worshipping tiered staircase, pools and fountains edged with palm trees. But for security reasons, the public must enter through a narrow, dark rear door walled off by a chain-link fence around a ramp. “I would describe it as sort of going into a gulag. It’s a very unpleasant experience,” Platt said. “I guess it was a wonderful idea in someone’s imagination when it was created originally, but once we got into a situation where a courthouse had to be more secure and more efficient, this building has been a disaster.” In recent years, the most prominent feature at the front of the building, the fountain pools, were drained and left empty.

I agree that the building is a disaster, but the actual courtrooms aren't that bad. I like trying cases there: you are close to the jury and to the judge (unlike the Ferguson building). And the acoustics aren't awful like they are in the Tower building in Miami.

For those that are interested, we had the blog Fantasy Football draft last night. I got saddled with the first pick. Here's my (championship) roster:

Philip Rivers
Anquan Boldin
Brandon Marshall
DeSean Jackson
Adrian Peterson
Steve Slaton
Jeremy Shockey
Willie Parker
Knowshon Moreno
Matt Schaub
Chris Henry
Chris Chambers
James Davis
Justin Gage
Kevin Boss
Patrick Crayton
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Mason Crosby
Tennessee Defense
New York Jets Defense

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:19 AM

    I think Judge Zloch made a huge mistake several years ago as chief judge when the city wanted to give the feds land near its current location to build a new courthouse. Judge Zloch held tough for a federal courthouse closer to Las Olas and here we are many years later, still stuck with a 3/4 building that is literally falling apart. Maybe Moreno will not be as stubborn.

    Great game, but Jimbo just lost many, many fans in Tally. Go Gators!

    Finally, DO, you just got a third kid, when do you have time for fantasy football?

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  2. Anonymous1:14 PM

    Isn't it obvious? D.O.M. let his children pick for him. How else to explain that roster.

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  3. I respectfully declined appointment to the committee. They wouldn't let me wear my Rumpole mask.

    If I had that team I wouldn't brag about it.

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  4. So many haters...

    Rumpole, you were invited to play. You declined. Now you wanna criticize. Interesting.

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  5. I hate to pile on (not really) by refuting his progeny-based alibi, but I can confirm that Markus with an O and BT appeared to be picking their own teams. Admittedly, Brian relied on Yahoo's computers so he could continue talking trash to the other owners even during his turn. And, yes, Markus with an O went radio silent every time his turn came up, so maybe he went off to wake the kids for advice -- we cannot know for sure.

    There is no evidence to support the rumor that South Florida Lawyers outsourced his pick to a certain princess of Colombian origin.

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  6. Interesting theory, but the princess is way too smart to go with the Dolphins defense.

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  7. told you dog you don't want no part of me in your league. But Rivers is a good choice, he will have a statistically great year and be one and out in the playoffs. AP is the running back especially when Favre goes out after week one with an elbow/knee injury. Your defense is weak, as are your wide receivers and if Heyward-Bey catches more than 25 balls I will be shocked.

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  8. Your criticism is my last round flier who is my 8th WR? Really?

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