The warm up for Mardi Gras Rhino Times Schmoozefest will be held at 1618 Midtown at on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. As always beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served gratis to those who sign in and where a name tag.

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I spent the better part of two days in federal court this week, which means I was cell phone deprived. I hate to admit it because I don’t like the idea of being dependent on electronic devices, but I felt completely out of touch because I was. No email checking during recesses, no checking to see who called.

Even on vacation I always have a phone in my pocket. I didn’t like it, but I think I’m going to try to leave my phone behind a little more often.

What was just as hard was going back in time to take notes with a pen and paper. It made me feel like a cave man.

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Speaking of court, it seems like everything is being decided by judges these days. I think I remember a time when legislation was passed and then it didn’t go directly to court but was enacted. People complained but they didn’t file lawsuits to try and overturn legislation they didn’t like.

It seems like every redistricting case since the Republicans took over ends up in court. No doubt if the Democrats take over, the Republicans will be taking everything to court. Maybe it’s that these law schools keep pumping out newly minted lawyers every year and they need something to do.

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I should be used to it, having lived here most of my life, but these wild temperature swings have me confused. I was all bundled up the other day because I was cold and then I realized it was only 50 degrees, which shouldn’t be that cold, but it felt cold to me.

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We don’t cover sports, but what a Super Bowl.

I’m not a big fan of either team, but since Tom Brady is an old guy, and I identify with old guys, I was pulling for the Patriots.

I’m not going to say I had given up on them, but in the third quarter I decided I might as well go to the office and get some work done.

It’s a five-minute drive, and by the time I got here, it was a different ball game.

Needless to say, I didn’t get much work done until after the overtime, and thank goodness for live streaming.