This is a true story about not only bravery, but the importance of preparation and practice. It involves the destruction of a dam in Germany in World War II. The Mohne Reservoir was an artificial lake in the North Rine area. The dam had been built in the early 1900's to control flooding and generate hydropower. Also on this waterway were two other dams, the Sorpe and Eder dams. During World War II the British Air Ministry identified the heavily industrialised…
Harwood "Bill Bannister died Tuesday February 9th 2010. He was 95 years old and my former law partner as well as my mentor. He had an interesting life. His father traveled the Vaudeville Circuit as a magician "The Great Bannister" which also featured Bill in the act as the ventriloquist "Little Alexander and Tommy." In later years Bill was known to entertain the family with magic and ventriloquist performances in the family home. He had graduated from Stadium in Tacoma…
I think many of us have stereotyped someone and formed conclusions that proved to be very mistaken. We are often fooled by appearances. The proverb that you can't judge a book by a cover is very true in life. Scripture scholar William Barclay illustrates this fact by telling a story involving the famous T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence, of course, gained international fame for his role in the 1916-1918 Arab revolt against the Ottoman rule. His writings and reports as well as books about…
Rob McKenna, the republican Attorney General of Washington state has been preparing to run for governor ever since his election to office. His latest media pitch for attention has been to advocate revision of the laws that allow citizens to sue government for their negligence when it causes death or injury. He claims that limiting litigation for government wrong doing would save money and cites examples which he says illustrate frivolous or excessive claims. What's amusing to me is the examples I've seen…
The Battle of Thermopylae (pronounced "ther-MOP-i-lee") in 480 BC is perhaps the most famous military last stand of all times. It was an "against all odds" battle which has inspired people over the centuries because of the bravery and determination of the Spartans. Military leaders cite it as an example of training, equipment and use of terrain. It has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. The battle took place in Greece between the Greek army and the army of…
Many of us can point to someone or perhaps several people who played significant roles in our life. People who made the difference or who were a tipping point at a critical time. Perhaps it was someone whose words or actions changed the direction of our life for the better. For me, after my parents, it is a short list of individuals who had a very significant influence on my life. It includes a third grade teacher, Mrs Marshall, always saw the good in me even in…
The New York Times has an article http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/national/24frozen.html about what melting glaciers are revealing around the world. One of these involves a World War II previously unsolved mystery. One Wednesday morning on November 18, 1942 a trained military pilot and three aviation cadets took off from Mather Field, near Sacramento in an AT-7 Navigator on a four hour training flight. 2nd Lt. William Gamber (Ohio) was flying the plane with passengers John M. Mortenson (Moscow, Idaho) Ernest Munn (Ohio) and Leo M. Mustonen (Minnesota) The…
This week I've been on a poetry search for some reason. Reading books of poetry. Some are new, but most are old. I admit that the ones I enjoy the most are not profound and are old friends from many readings ago. My friend from New Jersey, Dennis Donnelly sent me a poetry book with electic poems and I'm trying hard to learn to appreciate them as much as the old standby ones I know so well, but for now,…
Today is January 11, 2011 or, more significantly, 1/11/11 and we will have the time as 1/11/11 at 11:11:11. That’s produced a lot of strange interpretations including the prediction it is a sign for the return of aliens in UFO’s or the end of the world. On a more realistic level I see that Papa John’s is offering a second large pizza for 11 cents when you buy one for $11 and a New York hotel is offering a day…
I just finished Michael Caine’s latest book The Elephant to Hollywood recently and thought I'd share a couple of passages. The first deals with acting. The advice is directly applicable to trial lawyers like me. Too many lawyers "act like" someone instead of being totally authentic and genuine, but then, so do a lot of other people. Here's what he wrote. As a young actor in rehearsal he was playing the role of a drunk. He says he came "rolling onto…
