Blog of law articles

Sheesh what a week. I hope you all survived. However, if you're in a morbid Friday the 13th frame of mind you can see a partial list of those attorneys that didn't here (thanks so much for the downer, Brian!).

Hey, did you know that according to National Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, all you fired lawyers and staffers are now a greater threat to our national security than good old fashioned Muslim terrorists? Well, he did kinda say that.

Me, I'm gonna stay positive. After all, it's Valentine's Day weekend and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival is in town. If I'm lucky maybe I can combine a stop there this weekend with this interesting list of new places to visit. Who knows, maybe I'll even become a bike messenger in Chicago.

Weekends always offer possibilities, don't they?

Whatever you do this Valentine's Day weekend, make it special not just for you, but especially for your loved ones. Nothing brings people closer together than hard times:

Given the economic downturn, is passion too in recession? Or will couples fling themselves into each other's arms to compensate for their inability to spend, spend, spend?

Professor Helen Fisher, of Rutgers University, holds this latter theory.

The sheer stress of money worries in general, and fear of redundancy in particular will, she argues, elevate levels of the chemical dopamine in the brain - and dopamine is associated with romantic love.

"Times of stress can trigger feelings of attraction - quite simply, you're more susceptible," she said.

So go out and have some fun this weekend. Hail, you can even show someone you care by volunteering to help out -- there is no greater balm for the soul than that.

Well, it's nearly quitting time and I want to get out there and windsurf before all the amateurs show up and spoil my ride.

Have a great long weekend everbody!