advisory opinions

An advisory opinion is the opinion of a court upon a question or issue raised by a public body. Advisory opinions adjudicate nothing and are not binding, though they are sometimes cited as evidence. The opinions typically refer to the advisability of some contemplated official action. Reminder: these are not declaratory judgments.

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Archive

Apr
3rd

Fri

“Right About Now” - Mousse T. f/ Emma Lanford

We were at the diner when I said it. We’d been hanging out all day - went on a drive through the hills, we were really getting along and totally clicking, you know? And so we were sitting there having milkshakes and fries, how cute, right? And I’m trying to tell him that I’m having a really good time and how much I like him and how cool he is and then comes out of my mouth “I wanna write your name on my t-shirt.” Like what does that even mean, right? I sound like an idiot. An idiot who is in high school.

But he totally got it. He thought it was just my enthusiasm flying out of me. Which is kind of right, I guess, I’m always bursting out with something or other. So I started singing this song about writing his name on my t-shirt and he started throwing fries at me and we totally got kicked out of the diner but it was so fun it was worth it. I really like him.

Mar
29th

Sun

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“Twelve Heads in a Bag” - The Krayolas and The West Side Horns

August 30, 2008. Twelve decapitated men are found, handcuffed together, in Merida in the Yucatan. Their heads are not found. The murders are thought to be a reaction to government roadblocks to prevent narcotrafficking.

October 21, 2008. Four severed heads in an ice cooler are delivered to police station in Juarez. “The heads were from men aged between 25 and 35 and could belong to any of 10 local people who were kidnapped last week by gunmen.”

December 22, 2008. The decapitated bodies of eight soldiers are found in Chilpancingo, near Acapulco. “Mexican newspapers cited a note found beside the heads warning: “For every one of ours you kill, we will kill 10 of yours.”“

January 21, 2009. Three severed heads found in an ice chest in a plaza near Juarez, two days after the head of a police commander was found in an ice chest in a nearby village.

An estimated 7,337 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico since the start of 2007.

For more information, interactive maps, and tons of photos, the LA Times has a very detailed and useful site.

Mar
26th

Thu

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“Jaguar” - Boss Hog

This song is coming to get you. You might not know it yet, you may not have noticed, but she has been prowling around for quite a while. Keeping perfectly still with eyes locked on you, a silky ball of coiled energy and finely honed claws. When she strikes, it will be perfectly planned and precisely executed. And with a ghost of a smile.

He can’t do anything but stay out of the way and admire. Sometimes he even tries to warn them. “Watch out. Watch out.” But it never makes a difference.

Mar
16th

Mon

“Teenage Wristband” - Twilight Singers

I spent a lot of my high school years driving around in cars. Never really going anywhere in particular, just a place to hang out that wasn’t a bar, where we could play our music and get up to our mischief and just generally be teenagers. We always felt invisible, like we could go anywhere and do anything. We would pick one flower from each garden on the block to make a bouquet, then build a pyramid out of the bottles in the recycling bin on someone’s doorstep. We would go to the park to try to swing high enough to touch the stars and at the very top of our arc, kick off our shoes and watch them fly through space. It felt like we were immortal. Like the world was boundless, all laid out before us. Like we were gonna stay up all night.

This is a fan made video, meant just to play you the song, but the kids in the video seem to be having the same kind of meaningless adventure.

Mar
15th

Sun

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“My Dime” - Ce’Cile

Ce’Cile is one of my favorite dancehall/ragga artists. A lot of her songs are about being hot or dancing with rude boys or being hot with her ladies while dancing with rude boys, which is why I find this song so interesting. This being hot and dancing (and more) with rude boys isn’t effortless. Those moments that seemed so spontaneous - tearing her negligee, sipping champagne - that’s not free. She’s not at all upset about it - keep ripping up those negligees - and she feels no shame in demanding compensation. It’s just reality. She’s got stuff to buy.