Shadows and Light.

Sheesh, what to talk about this morning?

I'm reminded of Joni's Shadows and Light:

Every picture has its shadows
And it has some source of light
Blindness, blindness and sight
The perils of benefactors
The blessings of parasites
Blindness, blindness and sight
Threatened by all things
Devil of cruelty
Drawn to all things
Devil of delight
Mythical devil of the ever-present laws
Governing blindness, blindness and sight

Pacenti writes up an ugly lawyer divorce drama that has been percolating for years but which now sweeps up our endless judicial fundraiser system and potential conflicts of interest :

 A Miami-Dade circuit judge won’t step out of a custody battle between two well-known South Florida lawyers even though the ex-wife’s attorney’s firm co-sponsored a political fundraiser for the judge’s re-election.

Carlton Fields partner Paul Calli is appealing Miami-Dade Judge Maria Espinosa Dennis’ decision to stay in the case. She is up for re-election this year.

Calli claims the fundraiser was within 48 hours of a scheduled hearing in the dispute with his ex-wife, Sarah Mourer, a University of Miami professor of clinical legal education and director of UM’s Death Penalty Clinic and co-director of the Innocence Clinic.

This will be very interesting when the 3d DCA rules.

Personally, I'd rather focus on this nice story about Richard Milstein and the issues LGBT couples face as they near retirement:

This is certainly a concern for Richard Milstein, a Miami attorney. He and his partner of 10 years, Eric Hankin, a public school teacher, have made sure their estate planning is in order. But if Milstein, who has two adult children with his ex-wife, were to die first, Hankin won’t be eligible for Social Security spousal benefits — though the couple married in Iowa two years ago.

“My siblings have children and there’s a certain expectation that these children will take care of them,” Hankin says. “I don’t have any children, but I’m fortunate to have stepchildren and we have a good relationship.”

But even that kind of relationship can be tenuous, whether or not the survivor is gay or straight.

Milstein says that’s one of his concerns if he outlives Hankin.

“I’m older so my thought is I will go first,” he says. “In that case, I worry if he will be able to continue that relationship” with Milstein’s children and a new grandchild.

 Here's another real-life consequence of our antiquated prohibition on same-sex marriages -- let's treat them like every other married couple.

Time to cue Joni:

Critics of all expression
Judges in black and white
Saying it's wrong, saying it's right
Compelled by prescribed standards
Or some ideals we fight
For wrong, wrong and right
Threatened by all things
Man of cruelty-mark of Cain
Drawn to all things
Man of delight-born again, born again
Man of the laws, the ever-broken laws
Governing wrong, wrong and right
Governing wrong, wrong and right
Wrong and right

Let's finish with Gabby D on The Daily Show!

Love the clip!

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/31/v-fullstory/2615925/golden-years.html#storylink=cpy