Trend in Pro Se Representations Continues, But Have You Heard of Bundling?

In today's paper (I read the San Antonio Express-News), there is an AP snipnet about the growing national trend of folk representing themselves in a variety of matters. (Here's the link if you want to read it.)

Not big news. Robert Shapiro's been on this bandwagon for awhile -- surely you've heard about LegalZoom by now. And, sure, there are others out there. (Check out my post over at Everyday Simplicity discussing these self-help law mills.)

Bundling Legal Services Is News To Me

However, one thing did catch my eye in today's article: this new idea of "bundling." Seems attorneys in some states (haven't heard of this in Texas, though I could be wrong) are narrowing their representations down to only a segment of a case, or transaction.

Say, for example, you file the pleadings but that's it. You don't do the discovery.

Or, you draft the contract or incorporation documents. Nix on the other stuff - like making sure the annual minutes are done correctly.

Interesting. This way, the lawyer does get paid some fees, and the client does get some professional advice, even though it's far from complete.

I Still Vote that You're Gonna Wish You Had Sprung for a Lawyer

Guess something's better than nothing. And, I'm still holding to the old adage -- these folk thinking that they can avoid a lawyer and represent themselves in major life issues like child custody or property distribution after death have fools for a client.

It's an old litigator joke: do it right at the start, and the trial lawyer doesn't have a job. (Trial lawyer chuckles with glee.)

Bankruptcy - Auto Industry: Mitt Romney's NYT OpEd Piece Is a Must Read

In his op-ed piece today in the New York Times, George Romney's son Mitt lets it fly right with the title, "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt". It's worth the read.

Mitt Romney points to how his dad George turned a dying American Motors around, back in the mid-'50s, and takes that history together with his own two cents worth to offer some solutions for the Big American Automakers.

He's blunt.

"Management as is must go." New labor deals so workers here have pay and benefits analogous to Toyota, Honda, and BMW. A long-term perspective on investments, no more "starving research and development." Do what it takes to keep your top sales people.

Meanwhile, there's lots more talk about conditioning any corporate bailout to a filing of Chapter 11 (reorganizational) bankruptcy -- particularly when those in D.C. already see outlines of the steel, airline, and retail industries on the horizon as the auto makers set before them, hat in hand, their private jets awaiting them over at the Washington airport.

Can you believe those CEOs had the nerve to fly their private jets to Washington? I loved the video of the Congressional hearing when they were called on it. Great stuff.

Nerve? Maybe stupidity. Either way, when Romney writes to throw the rascals out, his words sure resonate with me.

Curiouser and Curiouser: I Didn't See Any Obama Signs Today

Today, the day before Election Day, I was driving around a good part of southwest and west San Antonio for work - and because I wanted to have fun with the new navigation system in my car, I chose the "least obstacles" route and let it have its fun.

My car's version of HAL took me on a nice tour of that part of San Antonio better known as the "west side." It's a cultural experience unique to our community. You can buy agua frescas (don't even try and knock these if you haven't tried one, they put smoothies to shame), you can smell barbeque cooking as you drive the streets if you've got the windows down, and signs are often written in Spanish instead of English.

Bright colors are everywhere, especially pastels -- pinks, greens, yellows -- it's always a little bit Easter here. There are still small mom and pop groceries and taco joints, and while I sat at a long red light, I watched a man in the front yard of his family's body shop, white tee shirt and jeans, expertly taping newspaper over the exterior of what appeared to be a 1940s sedan (think Humphrey Bogart's two seater in The Big Sleep) in preparation for painting it.

My drive was far from efficient, and I got a pretty good tour of the area from HAL. And here's what I found so very interesting today:

There wasn't a single Obama sign, anywhere.

Here in what everyone assumes is a Democratic Heartland, zip. No "Change" signs, no "Obamanos" bumper stickers, no traditional "Obama/Biden" yard signs or fence banners.

Nothing. Just nothing Obama at all.

But there was McCain stuff. There were flags with McCain signs next to them, and I saw one of the biggest McCain signs I've ever personally laid my eyes upon pretty close to where Division dead ends, pretty near the Pan American Mexican Restaurant, where my daddy took me to have my first puffy tacos when I was 4 years old.

Curious, isn't it?

Over at The Drudge Report, I clicked a link where some pundit is pontificating on not just whether Obama will win, but whether he'll win by a landslide -- like Reagan over Mondale, or Eisenhower over Stevenson.

Maybe my ride today means nothing. But if Obama is such a sure fire winner, you would think I'd would have seen some support for him during my ride today.

I think this is something to ponder.

Following Casey Anthony on Websleuths

If you want more information, almost on an hourly basis, on the Casey Anthony case, then you may find Websleuths to be a godsend -- or a curse.

Its forums are filled with the latest news, as well as rumors (is Cindy Anthony on the site? what about those crosses from J.C. Penney's?) and there's lots of traffic.

Some of the membership actively track the story on the site each night while watching Nancy Grace ("NG" on the forums)....

It's not the best site for downloading documents or getting video feeds, but it fills a need. Or an obsession.

Polls? What Polls? I Don't Need No Stinkin Polls!

As the election get closer by the hour, I'm seeing more and more polls popping up - and no two are alike.

Well, no one's called and asked me a thing. No one that I've asked has been asked to reveal who they're voting for, either.

And, truth be told, the majority of us would decline to answer any survey on who we're voting for, if we were asked.

Why? I can't speak for other folk, but for me -- who I vote for is not anyone's business. It may be just my vote, but it's what I've got to give, and I take it seriously.

I'm tired of all this spin and media hoopla surrounding the citizenry choosing the person to lead our country, not to mention the most powerful man in the free world (or so they tell me).

It's not like I'm picking Best Picture of the Year at the Academy Awards. Or I suppose I should say, the People's Choice Awards since I'm not a SAG member. Geez.

I wouldn't trust a pollster to use what I reported accurately. Period. And this includes exit polls, too.

They talk about greed running rampant in our society, well - I see dishonest and self-serving spin running rampant, too. And all these polls, polls, polls -- just a buncha hoohaa if you ask me.

You know what? Bottom line, I wouldn't give them the time of day if they called because as a voter, I feel so ... well ... DISRESPECTED.

Whew. I feel better.