Friday, December 31, 2021
Tenth Circuit Federal Courts--Demographics
The 10th will now join the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 11th circuits as we work our way through the demographics. The tenth sits like a little buffer between the mammoth 9th with its liberal ways and the obstinate little 5th refusing to accept modernity. It is comprised of six states and eight districts: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma (Western, Eastern and Northern) and Kansas. Early on President Biden as focused attention of vacancies in Colorado and New Mexico, while waiting on the open seat in Oklahoma and one to become on January 2nd of the new year in Kansas.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Woolly Mammoth Theatre: A Strange Loop
My second and final holiday theatre adventure was to Woolly Mammoth's pre-Broadway production was to Michael R. Jackson's Meta-black-queer musical "A Strange Loop"--did I mention that it's already won a Pulitzer prize? Woolly Mammoth is an intimate theater with scarcely seating for 120. It has old fashioned theater style seats in the orchestra section with the exception of the last three rows, which are an after thought to the design of the place and fill in around the tech hub with seats that each have their own arm rests. That's where I purchased my seat, and to make things even better, the two seats to my right went unoccupied, and so I was able to create my own bubble of social distancing.
And here are a couple of points, it's a humorous show. I, and my fellow audience members, laughed A LOT. It's also an UN-apologetically GAY show. They warn you in the opening number that there will be buff-fucking, and this is butt-fucking. The lyrics throughout are clever in a good way and thought provoking, too. The entirety of the supporting cast are reprising there Obie Award winning roles from the Playwright's Horizons production in 2020. The lead actor in this production is a newly minted actor straight of drama school for whom there has been quite a bit of positive buzz. Unfortunately, he was available for this performance and instead it fell to his understudy, Christopher Michael Richards to carry to role.
I would love to say theater in the DMV is back, but there no way to know that at this moment in time. My Holiday triple crown was cut to a double by Covid's latest iteration, and honestly, I over predicting things. I'll just be taking it one show at a time. My next foray isn't scheduled until the end of January--so we'll see where things are then, eh? Break a leg!
Sixth Circuit Federal Courts--Demographics
Obviously, in random order, we've looked at Federal District Court Demographics for the 1st, 3rd, and 11th circuits, let's take a gander at the 6th.
The Sixth Circuit scoops out the heart of the Ohio Valley encompassing 4 states and 9 Districts: Michigan (Western and Eastern), Ohio (Northern and Southern), Kentucky (Western and Eastern) and Tennessee (Eastern, Middle and Western).
I have a slight connection to the Eastern District of Kentucky. I went to college with Justice Van Tatenhove. Appointed to a seat on the District court by President George W. Bush, I remember that he was a smart, driven, kind person. I would think that he would interpret the laws and the Constitution with the same qualities.
Everyman Theatre: The Skin Of Our Teeth
As an aside, this is my first visit back to Everyman Theatre company in Baltimore since before the pandemic's start. And it felt damned good. Everyman is my favorite theatre company in Baltimore. It is a repertory theatre with a very talented stable of 19 actors, many of whom I have also seen perform in productions throughout the region to great acclaim. It is always a delight to find their names among and cast.
As to the actors. Not a slider in the entire cast. Each member down to the smallest roll was simply put, perfectly who they were meant to be. Several members played multiple parts, even a couple of the principal characters. Two that deserve singling out were Beth Hylton of Mrs. Antrobus and Zach Powell as Henry, her son. Beth demonstrated the power of restraint in her portrayal, so adroitly holding back until the ideal moment to strike and shine. Zach's character in general is supportive throughout the first two acts. In the third act; however, as the instigator of homicide in the world, he really had and seized the opportunity to show us what he's got.
A final word of gratitude--THANK YOU! Everyman Theatre for printing an actual program!
Monday, December 27, 2021
First Circuit Federal Courts--Demographics
Potato, Cauliflower and White Bean Soup
The simplest of all recipes really!
INGREDIENTS (round 1)
1 lb potatoesSaute garlic and onions in butter for about a minute, then add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil on medium heat for about 20 minutes, then down to a simmer for an hour covered. Remove from heat and let sit about 5 minutes then puree contents in a blender, and return to pot.
INGREDIENTS (round 2)
8 oz sour creamPost-Christmas Present #1
Saturday, December 25, 2021
Christmas Dinner
Christmas Door
Every year I do accumulate my holiday cards and place them upon the inside of my front door for the year to come. It's a lovely way to remember all the joy I am fortunate to be the recipient of.
Christmas Presents!
Santa's helpers have been busy this year! Packages from New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky and Illinois with gifts for both me and Romeo.
Christmas Breakky
Sunday, December 12, 2021
The Third Circuit of the Federal Courts - Demographics
Placing the same lens over the Districts of the Third Circuit of the Federal Courts. The Third Circuit serves a total of 6 Districts covering three states and one U.S. territory. The breakdown looks like this:
- Pennsylvania
- Western District - 10 seats
- Middle District - 6 seats
- Eastern District - 22 seats
- New Jersey - 17 seats
- Delaware - 4 seats, and
- U. S. Virgin Islands - 2 seats
Without further ado, the Demographics:
Saturday, December 11, 2021
The Eleventh Circuit of the Federal Courts: Demographics--part 2
The most telling demographics are those of gender and race/ethnicity. Whenever anyone is called before a Federal Court, they ought to have a fair chance of standing before a Judge who looks like them. To that end 51% of all Federal Judges ought to be women. Further more the Racial/Ethnic backgrounds of the Judges ought to reflect the demographics of the state, if not the district.
Here is what the Eleventh District looks like vis a vis these two data sets.
At a glance, you can see the White Judges make up the vast majority and men outnumber women. The current gender ratio is 7 to 4 in favor of men.Friday, December 10, 2021
The Eleventh Circuit of the Federal Courts: Demographics--part 1
I will confess straight away, I do love keeping up with the Third Branch of Government. Until recent years, most Americans under-estimated the out-sized power the men and women who serve in these seemingly tedious and mundane jobs possess. Clearly, not every day is a home run, but when they are asked to swing at a really big issue, the results of that "hit" can profoundly effect the lives of every single one of us.
Quick tutorial:
- The Federal Courts have three basic levels
- District
- 90 in the states, plus
- 4 territories (Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico)
- Appellate
- 11 state-based Circuits, plus
- District of Columbia, and
- Federal
- Supreme
- 9 Judges, final stop
- The Eleventh Circuit
- Covers three states
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Florida
- Is comprised of 9 Districts
- Each state is divided into three jurisdictions
- Northern
- Middle
- Southern
- The smallest districts (M Alabama, S Alabama & S Georgia) each have 3 Judges
- The largest District (S Florida) has 18 (twice their combined total)
I hope that both of these graphs is self-explanatory enough to leave to you to draw your own conclusions, I would, however point out one thing. President George H. W. Bush served in office from January of 1989 to January 1993, and here as we approach January of 2022--Almost 30 years later--two of his appointees continue to serve full-time in the Districts of Middle and Southern Florida. Judges are the longest living legacy any President has to offer this nation.
Sunday, December 5, 2021
My August Wilson Stats
If I were to give GRADES on the overall quality of the performances
A+: Jitney @ Arena Stage
Dinner: Moroccan Pork Tangine
A bit of a non-traditional take on a dish/style of cooking that would have obviously NOT used pork, but lamb or chicken.
Saturday, December 4, 2021
Arena Stage: Seven Guitars - August Wilson
Two days after the world came to a crashing Covid-19 halt in Mid-March of 2020, I had tickets to see a play at Theatre J here in DC. I did not go. Eventually, I converted the price of the ticket into a contribution to the Theatre J, and over the next several months, converted a host of other tickets into contributions to theatre companies across the DMV: Signature Theatre, Mosaic Theater, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater, Ford's Theater, and a couple of others...
In the interim I have attended a couple of virtual productions at Everyman Theater out of Baltimore, Signature Theater, and Constellation Stage. The DMV is lousy with excellent live theater. But today was my first foray back into an actual theater setting surrounded by other human beings in the flesh to experience a production again. The venue was Arena Stage in DC down on the waterfront in southeast DC. The production was one of playwright August Wilson's 9 play group called the Pittsburgh Cycle. It is my goal to see all nine performed live on stage. They are written to represent a decade from the 20th century. Thus far I have seen: "Gem of the Ocean" 1900's @ Round House Theater, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" 1920's @ 1st Stage, "Fences" 1950's @ Ford's Theater, "Jitney" 1970's @ Arena Stage, "Radio Golf" 1990's @ Everyman Theater, and today "Seven Guitars" 1940's @ Arena Stage. 6 down, 3 to go.
As a plot, "Seven Guitars" reminded me a lot of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Clearly the parallels must have been obvious to Wilson, as well. MRBB is the only play not set in Pittsburgh, but Chicago. The protagonist in SG aspire to go to Chicago. Both plays center around an ensemble of musicians. Both end tragically. While I did not really think that MRBB was his best work, I found this play more compelling. The soliloquy written for some of the main characters were complex and more importantly brilliantly performed by a cast with no loose ends.
Of the seven actors featured, I have only any experience with one, Roz White. Ms. White delivered one of the worst performances I have ever experienced in the DMV in a production of "The Gin Game" at Metro Stage, and so I worried about how much effect she would have on this production. I am pleased to say, quite a wonderful one! She owned the role of Louise, the chain-smoking matriarch of the household. She was sassy and commanded the moment of comic banter especially well. Utterly transformed my respect for her as an actor.
The others wove themselves into and out of their roles with moments of quite recitative in one moment, only to rise up and shine wonderfully in another. This interplay of foci is written into the fabric of the play, but only comes to life in the hands of an accomplished director who both understands how it works and how to build the trust in the actors to make it work. Kudo's to director Tazewell Thompson, a luminary of theatrical talent in his own right.
But the highest praise is saved for Roderick Lawrence in the role of Floyd Barton, the frenetic ne'er-do-well dreamer beaten down by one systemic injustice after another and still hellbent on realizing his success as a musician. A hallmark of Wilson's brilliance is his refusal to sugarcoat reality while creating such complicated and compelling characters. In the adept hands of Mr. Lawrence, you see Floyd's faults clear enough. But you also see his humanity and you want so desperately for him to make real that elusive destiny that he so passionately works to have.
Excellent 5 stars with shout outs to Donald Eastman for his spare, evocative sets, and Harry Nadal for such rich and beautiful costumes. I often find myself appreciating good set design, and yet, rarely does the design of costumes capture my attention and admiration as much as these did.
What a wonderful way to return to live theater!