Bag of Randomness for Friday, June 24, 2016

Screenshot 2016-06-23 at 11.12.32 PM

  • When something like the alligator at Disney’s Grand Floridian resort happens, a lawsuit will typically follow. I’ve always wondered if it’s the family that pursues such a thing, or does it develop because lawyers hear the news, contact the family, and then encourages them to pursue action. I’m guessing it’s the latter.
  • I watched Bill Simmons’ new HBO show, and I think it has potential, but he’s got to lay off all the gosh darn Boston bias and references. Boston is a great place, but the world doesn’t revolve around it. He’s very sharp, more quick-witted than I expected. I thought the set was a bit much, and at times it seemed like the director was just trying to show it off. He might be better off using something like Charlie Rose or what Roy Firestone used to have.
  • I have a feeling earlier this week, John Boehner sat in his recliner, turned on CSPAN, and sipped on some of his favorite whiskey with a grin on his face.
  • Can you name the four U.S. states that have a majority-minority? Can you name the three least diverse states? The answer is in the first sentence here.
  • Odd it took them so long, odd they release the news after 5:00 PM, but at least it’s the right thing to do – Baylor agrees to release five 2016 football signees – My guess is they felt pressure from the Big XII.
  • I think certain shows like ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ wouldn’t last long if it wasn’t for social media and the buzz it helps create.
    • Game of Thrones ratings at record high: 23 million viewers
      • U.S. viewership of the HBO fantasy hit have now surpassed 23 million viewers episode when all forms of viewing are counted (that’s originals, repeats, DVR and streaming).
      • that tally is up 15 percent from season 5
      • HBO’s internal data breakdown goes like this: Sunday premiere ratings are up 6 percent (7.3 million). TV and on-demand viewership is up 4 percent. And viewing on HBO Now and HBO Go digital platforms shot up 70 percent over last season (2.5 million streams).
      • Yet we’re still hearing the producers and network are looking to conclude the series, with just 13 more episodes planned after this season – seven next year, six in 2018. (Those plans, however, have not been confirmed by HBO.)
    • Season 6 Spoiler Warnings – Funny Meme1, Funny Meme2
  • James Earl Jones Confirmed as Voice of Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  • Man Named Gambles Wins Lottery for Second Time Using Same Numbers‏
  • I really liked Netflix’s old logo, it reminded me of a marquee, and they changed it something simpler. Now they are changing it again to something even simpler, a red N.
    • The red N reminded me of an old University of Nebraska football joke, who have worn the red N on the side of their helmet for almost forever. I can’t remember the buildup to the joke, but basically, all the players think the N stands for knowledge.
    • In other Netflix news, their content library has dropped by about 40%. Unlike Blockbuster, many say Netflix could see where the future was heading. Networks and movie studios are streaming their own content and Netflix felt the importance to start creating their own stuff.
  • Two neat football charts – NFL Player Totals By State, NFL Player Totals By State
    • Not surprisingly, it resembles a population map. California and Texas — the nation’s most-populous states — have each sent 2,000 players to the league, more than anyone else. They are followed by New York, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania
    • A better version of the map shows the rate of players, in this case the total per 100,000 adult males in each state. Here you see states in the Deep South and Rust Belt — also Nebraska? — fighting above their respective population weight in terms of NFL representation. D.C., which you can’t even see on an actual state-by-state map, tops the list, followed by Louisiana and Mississippi:
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4 Responses to Bag of Randomness for Friday, June 24, 2016

  1. John Mackovic says:

    – The word "majority-minority" makes no sense when you think about it.
    – I don't think there's more to that Nebraska joke
    – Baylor should have given all of it's signees _and_ players the option to transfer as Penn State did a few years back.
    – I think the only reason I keep Netflix is because it has all of the Star Trek series. And I have a feeling that those will go the CBS' new service when it launches.

  2. Ben W. says:

    What you're describing in your first bullet point when a lawyer solicits business from a client they know needs legal representation is called "barratry." Most people would just call it "ambulance chasing," though. Not only is it a violation of the ABA and state bar's ethical codes, but in Texas (and most states, I believe) it is a criminal offense. It's "just" a misdemeanor, but you can lose your license for it, which obviously is the bigger penalty.

    • Geeding says:

      With your explanation, that probably means that the victims seek out the lawyers. So when I see Gloria Allred represent someone, does that mean the client contacted her, or do you suspect she somehow got in contact with them through channels that don’t make it look so bad? Not that you actually know how she does it or any celebrity lawyer, but I’m just curious about your thoughts. Also, and more importantly, I guess this is why Kim Wexler was so hard on Jimmy, trying to recruit clients?

      • Ben W. says:

        You're right – the way it's supposed to work is that the client who needs legal services seeks out an attorney, but it does happen the other way (illegally) sometimes.

        For the "celebrity" lawyers like Allred, they get a TON of clients just because of their name recognition. I occasionally listen to a podcast featuring Mark Geragos (the attorney who has represented names like Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson, and Chris Brown, and who currently represents Kesha). He said that he gets so many requests for representation that he hires teams of people who handle nothing but intake. He admits that some cases/clients he takes for the money, because they allow him to take a lot of other cases for social-justice reasons when he knows the client can't pay or can't pay much.

        Now, that doesn't mean that attention seekers like Allred don't "reach out" to the victims/potential clients and offer to help "in any way." But high-profile attorneys like that also know that they have a target on their backs, so I'm certain that however they get linked up with clients, they make sure that it's above board.

        But more "ethically flexible" lawyers like Slippin' Jimmy? Yeah, they solicit. And you're exactly right – Kim was so tough on him because some of his actions were inconsistent with accepted ethical practices. Not surprisingly, that show gets a lot of things right about the actual practice of law. It's much more accurate than a lot of the legal shows on TV, but that's to be expected from a Vince Gilligan show, I think.

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