For the lawyers

In the last Journal of Legal Education, Eugene Volokh published "lost maxims of equity." They're pretty funny, if you're used to reading courts talk about what equity expects, demands, abhors, etc. Okay, so maybe "pretty funny" only applies to a limited set of people, but as judicial language is more populated with hackneyed phrases than fanfiction.net is, it's still possible to smile at the gentle send-up. My favorites:

Equity abhors a nudnik.
He who seeks equity must do so with full pockets.
Equity is not for the squeamish.
Equity is crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.
Equity, like all of us, prefers the rich and good-looking.

It now turns out that he was unconsciously influenced by another list of not-quite-maxims of equity. Also good:

He who comes into equity must come with clean underwear.
Equity delights in doing justice, but loves a good joke.
Equity pierces through substance to form.
Equity builds strong bodies twelve ways.
He who seeks equity is asking for trouble.
Where there are equal equities, the baby should be cut in half.

I especially like the last because I've been thinking about how I dislike the jurisprudence of Justice O'Connor, who is always splitting the difference, whether the subject be abortion, federalism, affirmative action, or any other damn thing. She thinks it's Solomonic to have no absolute rules and seek the middle ground, but she forgets that when you split the baby, the baby dies. Anyhow, Gene credits the other list here.

(no subject)

From the Washington Post story on, inter alia, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy":

One critic asked [the Bravo network rep] exactly which stereotypes the show -- think "Pygmalion," only Eliza is a straight slob guy and Henry Higgins is five gay guys -- is "breaking down." The "Fab Five," as the show's producers like to call their "queer eyes," are a food expert, an interior decorator, a grooming expert, an etiquette/dancing/all-around culture guy, and a fashionista who likes to tuck in the shirts of straight guys.

"There are negative and positive stereotypes," Gaspin backpedaled, adding that the show is not looking to break down stereotypes so much as to show that gay people and straight people are "not that different."

One critic suggested that the five men represented virtually every gay stereotype.

"Not every one," shot back fashionista Carson Kressley. "We don't have a florist."

Another skeptical critic wondered how it would go over if Bravo bought a series in which each week five straight guys made over a gay guy to be more like them.

"It's called high school," snapped Kressley, who is definitely the breakout star of this series.

Rivka says: I'm gonna watch this show just for you, Carson.