So you think you have friends?

[BlueStarLizzard]

Almost all judges begin as lawyers, and lawyers typically know other lawyers. If a judge had to recuse him/herself every time an attorney he or she knows happens to appear before the bench, we'd never het anything through the courts. I think it's important to recognize that there's a difference between "friend" as in "friendly acquaintance" versus "friend" as in "best buddy with whom I spend all my free time and who happens to be married to my sister plus we're partners in three businesses."

At the same time, FB content goes a lot of ways given the individual users. Some people are discrete and responsible and others are all out there. Which means information about an individual that should be "best buddy's" only is often disseminated to "friendly acquaintances".

Until we learn to deal with the impact of social media in these terms, I think it's best to err on the side of caution.

[230RN]

^ "Until we learn to deal with the impact of social media in these terms, I think it's best to err on the side of caution."

Agreed.  

The problem of casual acquaintances in these situations has always been there, it's just that social media amplifies it enormously.  And I think it's a stretch that nothing would get through the courts.  This particular case, as I mentioned, smells of some kind of "beyond casual acquaintance" for the simple reason that it had to actually get to a court fight over it.  Motivations seem suspect, to me, because of that.

bluestarlizzard, I think you meant "discreet," though, not "discrete."

It would be a real stretch to make "discrete" work in that sentence.

I don't usually correct things like that, but thought you'd like to know.

[HankB]

Friends . . .

[BlueStarLizzard]

bluestarlizzard, I think you meant "discreet," though, not "discrete."

It would be a real stretch to make "discrete" work in that sentence.

I don't usually correct things like that, but thought you'd like to know.

You people have managed to get me to use caps lock and spell check.

You're just going to have to accept that you're just *expletive deleted*it out of luck when it comes to synonyms.

[Hawkmoon]

This particular case, as I mentioned, smells of some kind of "beyond casual acquaintance" for the simple reason that it had to actually get to a court fight over it.  Motivations seem suspect, to me, because of that.

Not necessarily. It was a defense attorney who wanted the judge to recuse. The attorney might have been hoping for a more lenient judge, or might have simply hoped that the process of recusal and appointing a different judge would buy more time to prepare for the case. The appeals court certainly didn't seem to have any problem with the social media relationship. If any motivations were suspect, I would look first at those of the attorney who raised the question.

[Hawkmoon]

You people have managed to get me to use caps lock and spell check.

You're just going to have to accept that you're just *expletive deleted*it out of luck when it comes to synonyms.

One thing at a time. One of these days we'll introduce you to the thesaurus.

[BlueStarLizzard]

One thing at a time. One of these days we'll introduce you to the thesaurus.

I have one. I have a dictionary too. 

[Perd Hapley]

I have one. I have a dictionary too. 

But have you a lexicon, or glossary?

[BlueStarLizzard]

But have you a lexicon, or glossary?

You know you make me want to kick you sometimes? With goth boots, the kind with the spikes on the toe.

[Hawkmoon]

You know you make me want to kick you sometimes? With goth boots, the kind with the spikes on the toe.

Life follows art?

https://youtu.be/N9-QrG-myF8?t=140

[BlueStarLizzard]

Life follows art?

https://youtu.be/N9-QrG-myF8?t=140

fistful has no hot Bond girl to save him.

[Hawkmoon]

Touche!

[230RN]

I reckon this ain't the time to mention that discreet and discrete ain't synonyms. They just sound the same.

A spell checker would not have caught that because they're both legitimate words in their own rite.

Dear Liz, don't take it personally, but that one just triggered me.  Like breech and breach and a host of other legitimate words which sound the same that our almighty spell checkers won't catch.

[RoadKingLarry]

You know you make me want to kick you sometimes? With goth boots, the kind with the spikes on the toe.

Anyone know how to start a "Go fund me" thing to make this happen?

[RoadKingLarry]

I reckon this ain't the time to mention that discreet and discrete ain't synonyms. They just sound the same.

A spell checker would not have caught that because they're both legitimate words in their own rite.

Well, there ya go, the homonym agenda rears it's ugly head.

[Ben]

they're both legitimate words in their own rite.

Is that a cinnamon or a homonymsapiens? Either is okay with me, I don't stand on ceremony.  

[230RN]

"Well, there ya go, the homonym agenda rears it's ugly head."

Well, there ya go, the apostrophe agenda rears its ugly head.

I'd better get the hell out of here before everybody gets pissed off at me.

<cue sound of galloping hoofbeats receding into the distance>

[Perd Hapley]

fistful has no hot Bond girl to save him.

Whatever that was, I'm pretty sure I could handle it. Probably whack her on the head with a dictionary.