the law worked to hyperbole

Good question- what does it mean again? vaguely remember it somewhere between Corp+negotiation...(Gt does this speak to your childhood angst about leading the life of a turtle?)
Did you guys get this off the Corp discussion board [I may be completely lost on the substantive law but at least I'm diverted!]:

( Direct from our lecturer)
This story is absolutely priceless - a wonderful example of British eccentricity and ingenuity......

A most extraordinary trial is going on in a UK court at the moment in which a man named Chrysler is accused of stealing more than 40,000 coat hangers from hotels round the world. He admits his guilt, but in his defence he claims that - well, perhaps it would be simpler just to bring you a brief extract from the trial!

We join the case at the point where Chrysler has just gone into the witness box...
Counsel: What is your name?
Chrysler: Chrysler. Arnold Chrysler.
Counsel: Is that your own name?
Chrysler: Whose name do you think it is?
Counsel: I am just asking if it is your name.
Chrysler: And I have just told you it is. Why do you doubt it?
Counsel: It is not unknown for people to give a false name in court.
Chrysler: Which court?
Counsel: This court.
Chrysler: What is the name of this court?
Counsel: This is No 5 Court.
Chrysler: No, that is the number of this court. What is the name of this court?
Counsel: It is quite immaterial what the name of this court is!
Chrysler: Then perhaps it is immaterial if Chrysler is really my name.
Counsel: No, not really, you see because...

Judge: Mr Lovelace?
Counsel: Yes, m'lud?
Judge: I think Mr Chrysler is running rings round you already. I would try a new line of attack if I were you.
Counsel: Thank you, m'lud.

Chrysler: And thank you from ME, m'lud. It's nice to be appreciated.
Judge: Shut up, witness.
Chrysler: Willingly, m'lud. It is a pleasure to be told to shut up by you.
For you, I would...
Judge: Shut up, witness. Carry on, Mr Lovelace.

Counsel: Now, Mr Chrysler - for let us assume that that is your name - you are accused of purloining in excess of 40,000 hotel coat hangers.
Chrysler: I am.
Counsel: Can you explain how this came about?
Chrysler: Yes. I had 40,000 coats which I needed to hang up.
Counsel: Is that true?
Chrysler: No.
Counsel: Then why did you say it?
Chrysler: To attempt to throw you off balance.
Counsel: Off balance?
Chrysler: Certainly. As you know, all barristers seek to undermine the confidence of any hostile witness, or defendant. Therefore it must be equally open to the witness, or defendant, to try to shake the confidence of a hostile barrister.
Counsel: On the contrary, you are not here to indulge in cut-and-thrust with me. You are only here to answer my questions.
Chrysler: Was that a question?
Counsel: No.
Chrysler: Then I can't answer it.

Judge: Come on, Mr Lovelace! I think you are still being given the run-around here. You can do better than that. At least, for the sake of the English bar, I hope you can.
Counsel: Yes, m'lud. Now, Mr Chrysler, perhaps you will describe what reason you had to steal 40,000 coat hangers?
Chrysler: Is that a question?
Counsel: Yes.
Chrysler: It doesn't sound like one. It sounds like a proposition which doesn't believe in itself. You know - "Perhaps I will describe the reason I had to steal 40,000 coat hangers... Perhaps I won't... Perhaps I'll sing a little song instead..."

Judge: In fairness to Mr Lovelace, Mr Chrysler, I should remind you that barristers have an innate reluctance to frame a question as a question.
Where you and I would say, "Where were you on Tuesday?", they are more likely to say, "Perhaps you could now inform the court of your precise whereabouts on the day after that Monday?". It isn't, strictly, a question, and it is not graceful English but you must pretend that it is a question and then answer it, otherwise we will be here for ever. Do you understand?
Chrysler: Yes, m'lud.
Judge: Carry on, Mr Lovelace.

Counsel: Mr Chrysler, why did you steal 40,000 hotel coat hangers, knowing as you must have that hotel coat hangers are designed to be useless outside hotel wardrobes?
Chrysler: Because I build and sell wardrobes which are specially designed to take nothing but hotel coat hangers

cB

word of the week

SURFERNINJA

T.

I have encountered a man after my own heart. it's true...

Unfortunately, he is Russian, and dead by a century (if not more).
Yes my friends:

I have finally read Ivan Turgenev.

Turgenev... is like hearing a voice that speaks directly to my mind from the other side, 'why, it's almost like being in love...'. No, not quite so delusional (ha, you should see how Turgenev writes about love- as Russian as they come, like that Gershwin song says..."I found more clouds of grey, than any Russian play could guarantee").

Reading with Turgenev...is almost spiritual.

What a discovery. I wish I knew this man.
My favourite short story so far is 'The Diary of a Superfluous Man'.

cb

It's Back!!

'People like us' is back in all its satirical glory!
Watch it if you missed it the first few times- 10 on Tuesday nights on the ABC (of course, what would ABC programming be without the BBC?)

The priest episode was on last week, never seen that one. Classic Roy Mallard lines (that make sense out of context):
"Although a man of God, he is also a man very much in touch with his feet, both of which are on the ground"
"After lunch Andrew has 20mins before his next appointment, too long to usefully waste but too short to be any longer."

Also, must see television: 'Human Cargo', 8.30 Friday nights on SBS (of course, who else would have the balls...) Great for a series that takes on what has got to be the biggest taboo of them all as far as Australian TV drama goes...only in Canada. and it's a story that must be told!

I never realised how good 'Enough Rope' was- Andrew Denton brings a certain something to it.
At peril of incurring the wrath of talk show afficianados... I think Denton is better than Parkie. What say you?

cb