BUDGET CUTS

The DBR reported yesterday, HERE
that the 11th Judicial Circuit fired 14 employees and eliminated 14 other jobs that were vacant to snip 1.6 million from the budget. The SAO and PDs office reported that they have also not filled vacant positions, although the comments section of the blog on Friday was rife with rumours that several people had been fired from the PDs office. We have no idea if that is true or not.

Meanwhile on Friday the stock market tanked 3% and oil futures reached a new high per barrel. This is the new reality folks.:
$4.00 + per gallon is here to stay.

When there is speculation in the oil commodities market that is responsible for driving the price higher, you will see a concomitant rise in production from oil producing nations to take advantage of the price hike. That has not occurred. Rather, the increase in demand from new consumers (Asian car owners and factories) and the recognition we are on the down slope of the production and supply curve (translation: we're gradually running out of oil) means that it only gets worse from here.

Time for us defense attorneys to trade in our Escalades for electric scooters.
This is the new world and we'd better start planning how to deal with it.

The International Energy Agency REPORTED
this week that the world needs to invest $45 trillion in energy in coming decades, build some 1,400 nuclear power plants and vastly expand wind power in order to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to an energy study released Friday.

45 trillion dollars! (or eleven more unfilled positions at the 11th Circuit, the PDs office and the SAO- if you include pension and health insurance)
It's enough to make us drink. And to that end, another margarita please...

See you in court Monday, shaking off that margarita hangover.