Friday Links

In July of 1948, Walt Disney Productions released “The Trial of Donald Duck,” a short in which Donald, our hero, faces the legal system.  Here’s how the Internet Movie Database summarizes the plot of this criminal prosecution, truly the trial of the century:

Donald is caught in the rain while eating his lunch. He ducks into a restaurant for a cup of coffee, but Chez Pierre is a very ritzy place, and by the time all is said and done, he’s facing a bill for $35.99, and he only got a drop of coffee, and he only has a nickel. Pierre takes him to court, where this story is told, and is ordered to pay $10 or wash dishes for ten days.

Directed by Jack King, with a story by Dan MacManus, the story is a fun one which, of course, doesn’t accurately depict the legal process. But who would expect it to? Our favorite legal mistake: Donald’s lawyer, apparently unaware of the burden of proof, offers to prove to the court that his client is innocent.  Further, he doesn’t even request a jury trial. Best part:  You can watch the six minute short here on YouTube!

About a month ago, we ran a piece asking the question, “Is Music on Vinyl Better?”  Fellow lawyer and friend of the blog Matt J. writes in to respond to our conclusion that compact discs may, in fact, offer the better listening experience:

I don’t know whether vinyl or CD is superior.  I’ve always had the belief that people think vinyl is better, because they listened to vinyl on non-portable devices and, therefore, on potentially superior equipment. That’s the case with me.  When I bought The Uplift Mofo Party Plan on LP and killed a party with my NAD amp, Genesis speakers, and Sony turntable, it was 10x the experience of listening to the copy I ripped (at the highest bit rate I could) from CD and listen to on my iPod and pretty good Sennheiser in-ear headphones. I’m still convinced it’s not the vinyl v. CD that matters, but how you listen.

Remember back in October when we published a piece on bath salts? This new drug continues to be in the news, and this week, Natasha Vargas-Cooper at Spin magazine offers a lengthy investigative piece on the history of the drug and the war against it.

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