Google images |
…occasionally, even the Law gets wet! Yea; its knotty business and Lawyers are a stiff crowd. But on this spot the ties droop a notch and the starch comes off the collars to allow some hilarity seep in. This weekly buffet will be freely served and the bar is all set with the right spirits. WARNING: Any minute, we may suddenly disappear from your screen without notice, locked up “at milord’s pleasure” for Contempt.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
A few Ways to deal with Difficult Principals this Holiday…
Credit: Google Images |
First, I apologize for the two week-hiatus from this Spot. I have spent the period coming to terms with the definition of mixed blessings: giving ones only sister away in marriage. While wishing the newlyweds happiness and bliss; we must quickly proceed to the business of the day.
It is typical in our profession for the Principal
to use his junior hirelings as a ladder. Little wonder they are always wrong in
his eyes. His every ascent in the profession would not be possible if he were
not availed the junior’s willing backs. And what are the thanks you get?
Nothing! If anything, he wants to climb faster and thus, has already drawn up a
list of unnecessary costs, which may entail salary stagnations and bonus
withdrawals in the New Year.
Of course, he understands that he has you
effectively entrapped in the sham of corporate existence. You enjoy the
trappings of the ‘official’ car and air-conditioned office. He knows you will
never willingly go back to t-shirts and jeans because you adore the little
privileges of the suit and tie. He has your undying loyalty.
Undying loyalty is represented thus: The holidays
are here again, but you have already made the requisite phone calls to your
family telling them that you will not be coming in for the celebrations due to
work demands. Of course, you understand, and so does the Principal, that work demands are nil during this Season.
Everybody is joyful and at peace, so lawyers are not exactly needed. But the
Boss wants you to stick around. And so it shall be.
Now, since the Boss owns the business, it is only
fair that the demands of work should be largely borne by him. But no, he has
already purchased expensive travel-tickets for a two-week cruise round the
globe with the psychedelic wife and a brood of over-indulged rascals
Technically,
you earned all the fees for the year. You wrote the motions; you drafted and
reviewed the Agreements. You chased the government officials around and kept
the most gruesome deadlines. Yet, you gushingly embrace the carton of fruit
juice and litre of vegetable oil as fair end-of-year bonus. Every man has got
to pay his dues. But does a lawyer need reminding that Life is Brief? You
might as well start making it count.
I have therefore
drawn up a little list of actions to lift your back from the principal’s heavy
boots this holiday:
1. GET DRUNK AT THE OFFICE
END-OF-YEAR DINNER
Chances are yearly dinners are a tradition at the
Firm, and are held at some classy Continental spot. But you will be a fool to
think that this is to reward staff for a year of hard work. Nah! The boss
simply wants to show off his array of human trophies. Odds are- his
colourful wife will also be there, with a list of distinguished acquaintances.
Of course, you will be ignored during the entire dinner once your boss has
cursorily swept the lot of you with a wave of the hand as ‘my staff’ during the
introductory pleasantries. His friends will take the cue and you will find
yourself pouring drinks and handing out the curry and salt all evening.
SOLUTION: Since this is about the only
time you get a freebie from the Principal, make the most of it! Soak yourself
up real well, and ignore the warning glint in the boss’s eye. If you are like
me, and wax philosophical when inebriated, you will score a major hit. Push
yourself to the fore of the conversation. By all means, sway on your feet and
keep stories pouring out as you pour the drinks in. Sing of glorious tales
where you kicked the behinds of SANs unaccompanied by the Boss, blab without
stopping.
Most importantly, never let the Boss get in a word.
While you are at it, slip your call cards to his distinguished guests
(whom you have got enraptured with your yarns). Rest assured they will call you
up. They admire your boss, no doubt. But what is friendship to prospects of
cheaper legal costs? The Boss will recognize the threat. He understands how to
play dirty. My guess is he will signal you to the rest-room and attempt to show
how pissed off he is at your behaviour. Upon which you should profusely
apologize, stating that the stress of the year obviously caught up with you.
Voila! You will earn yourself two weeks off, to recuperate.
Now, your case will be strengthened if you flirt
with his pretty wife. Insist on a dance. Make her laugh and giggle. That way,
you subtly announce yourself as a bigger threat outside the firm than inside
it. And your job is safe.
2.
STILL AT THE DINNER TABLE…
If you are too timid to execute (1) above; come to
the event with a list of Schools that advertise post-graduate programmes.
Navigate the discussion to expertise development in the Legal profession. Speak
glowingly of other law firms where such capacity building is the norm. Remind
everyone that there is a Law: the Industrial Training Fund Act which
compels manpower development by employers. Odds are, your boss will agree with
you, and announce that he always had it in his plans to send out a couple of his
staff abroad for further studies in the coming year. His guests will applaud,
and this is when you strike! Make an instant request to take 2 weeks off in
order to get all the originals of the relevant documents for the application
from home. (Our courier services are not to be trusted).
The boss
will smile and say “But of course”. His guests will nod approvingly. Mind
though that you may have to give an eye for this grudgingly given aye.
But then, that is matter for the New Year. Of course, you are not deceived by
the promise of further studies. The break was all you needed. So, from that
dinner table, head straight to the park/airport, and keep all phones firmly
shut down for the next weeks.
3.
GET CHUMMY WITH ALL THE CLIENTS
Chances are the Firm gives out cheap Xmas Cards to its
Clients. Knowing the boss’s miserliness, strike him with it! Purchase more
expensive cards, and throw in hampers for good measure. Personalize your
message to the Clients. They will give you cards in return, personalized as
well. Throw these carelessly around your desk, for the benefit of the early
morning snoop that all bosses are. He will not confront you on the issue; that
will be too petty. But he will wonder how much impact you have made privately
on his clients. (It is deeply frustrating when you cannot measure your enemy’s
strength). He will sulk though, but do not notice. Saunter into his
office and breezily wish him the best of the season, while placing the exact
replica of the cards you sent out on his desk. Smile innocently and request for
a two-week vacation. He will search your face; not knowing which job offers
might have emboldened you so. He will not want to risk the odds, and will nod
his approval.
4.
AND IF THESE DO NOT WORK…HIDE HIS TRAVEL TICKET!
Yes, chances are he uses you as both legal and
admin staff. So at some point in your career, you have procured his Visas and
sorted his travel details. When you get his latest Visa, watch carefully to
know which chamber of the cabinet he stows it away in. Certain of the
huge fear you have of him, he has not bothered with a safe in the office. This
is when you strike! Get that travel ticket and shred it. Hide his passport and
those of his kids, leaving just that of his spouse behind. A wise man will
never allow his pretty wife travel without him. So the whole family stays back.
Maintain your innocence when he queries you. It is double pleasure recalling
that it was he who taught you how to lie. Yours will be a glum
Christmas, away from the family. His will be doubly so, with the nags of a
disappointed wife and howls of irate kids.
FINAL WORDS…
These strategies will work like magic! But I hope
you have been taking your entrepreneurial classes, because there may be no 9-to-5 left
for you in the coming fortnight.
Happy Holidays!
Friday, 2 December 2011
New Legislation: "WHORE AGAINST VIOLENCE"
Art by Suga Belly |
For those who might have written this idea off as some
sick joke by the Deputy Senate Leader; Look what we found looming in the ever-busy
minds of our Legislators:
A
Legislative Proposal for the establishment of a "Sex Trade Development Agency"(STD-A)
“Fellow Citizens, we
have observed that the most urgent challenge facing our nation is neither the
lack of shelter nor clothing, but a chronic lack of love. We hereby present this
report (a result of extensive capital outlay on the best foreign and indigenous
consultants) as our initial effort going forward on a most crucial matter.
First, we acknowledge your
widespread applause for our most recent milestone in denouncing same-sex
marriage, legally. To the minority who are still critical of the worthy step we took, we
offer no apologies. But for the overwhelming majority in support, this proposed
initiative comes to reward your steadfast hold to our collective value system: We hereby propose to legalize Sex Trade in our
country.
We will not bore you with
the many benefits of free expression of (heterosexual) love. But chief on the
list of gains is the reduction of violence. Yes! There is too much testosterone
on display within our territories; thus the destructive outpourings of
terrorist militancy. In our wisdom, we
have carved a fitting slogan: Whore Against Violence (WAV) to stem the tides.
More so, if conducted in a well supervised environment, the Sex Trade
commission will undoubtedly ensure maximum economic impact. You must agree that
it is not accidental that Nigeria has always thrived on its ‘raw’ materials.
Now, to the Practical aspects-
There shall be established
an Agency (the STD-A) which shall be responsible for the day-to-day Regulatory
activities of the Sex Trade. Its primary function would be to issue Licenses
(Or Licentious Clearance) to successful candidates. Candidates are to apply
with two full-sized colour photographs, clearly detailing their bust and derriere
regions; and a clear video recording to demonstrate the needed skill set. PLEASE
NOTE THAT- Licenses would only be issued after comprehensive screening exercises.
This is one screening, where it would be profitable to gain positive remarks from
the designated panel.
For purposes of clarity, the
Licenses would be divided into 4 categories:
-
TYPE
A LICENSE: This would be issued to candidates who are beautiful, sexy and imaginative. Thus, expertise in the practice of Kamasutra, and the various stimulating fetishes as Leather, Spandex and PVC; Whipping and Dominatrix; Teacher versus
Student; Nurse versus Patient; Policewoman-Criminal, etc. is an added
advantage.
-
TYPE
B LICENSE: This would be given to candidates that are beautiful and
sexy; but conventional.
-
TYPE
C LICENSES will be reserved for the fat and the plain
While; the conditional TYPE D LICENSES would be for ageing
candidates whose sagging skins are already mutilated by cellulite.
The life-span of each
license is 2 years; and renewal is at the discretion of the Agency. Applicants
are also advised to acquire self-defence trainings; as the Agency may not
always be there to protect from the ire of a jealous spouse.
We must also point out here
that this Agency outlaws homosexual/lesbian practitioners. It also criminalizes
male practitioners and gigolos. This latter exclusion was a tough decision, but
confronted by the reality that Gigolos are used mostly by wives of rich men; we had no choice. We will not
shoot ourselves in the foot!
Licenses will be revoked and
the holder penalized in the occurrence of any of the following events:
-
Establishment of emotional attachment with
clients
-
Non-payment of license fees and sundry
charges and taxes when due.
-
Extension of services to members of the
same-sex.
-
Unruly Behaviour; etc.
To attain the level of
global best practice spearheaded by the Netherlands and Belgium, all licensed Sex
Traders (We shall henceforth call them LTs- Libido Tamers) should desist from
dimly lit street corners and suspicious neighborhoods. Haggling must never be
done in full public glare. We live in a webbed world and should act
accordingly. Thus, negotiations should be conducted via websites and phone
numbers of the LTs, through specified Booking Guidelines developed by the
Agency.
We have already started necessary processes to update our Contract Laws
to accommodate the subject matter of LTs in the list of enforceable actions. Managers
of Hotels and Guest Houses no longer have to look worriedly over their
shoulders when a skimpily clad female saunters into their premises. If she
displays her License and computer ID card, she should be entitled to a Private
Suite at discounted rates.
Necessarily, the National
budget shall be widened to carve out a Special Fund for the Legislators' ‘private
welfare scheme’ to finance their LTs in global trips. The daily tedium of our
job makes it vital to have Upper and Lower chamber-maids. Of course, it goes
without saying that licenses will be withdrawn and stiff legal means visited on
any LT who knowingly attempts to blackmail a public officer that engages her
services.
At the internal level, there
shall be appointed for the Agency; an Executive Vice Chairman who shall be
responsible for the day to day running of the Agency. There shall also be
regularly made available, such emoluments and reimbursements as are necessary
to bring the Agency’s activities up to speed.
Already, we welcome the inevitable influx of female
opposition when this Initiative gets to the public hearing stage. Many women would
say they are being used as ‘chattels’; but nothing will be further from the
truth. Chattels are goods. Here, we talk, ‘services’. In truth, women only
become chattels when they are actually acquired under typical bride price
arrangements. So that part of our local practices is worth revisiting soon.
Under the proposed Law, women will preserve their much
sought independence, and offer natural services, while maintaining
gainful employment. The practice of the banks and other corporate sharks that
pay them pittance to sell their bodies will be logically curbed when they
discover their limitless options. And unlike the mad schedules of these banks,
they will be afforded more leg-room.
We conclude by emphasizing that no married women shall be
availed any category of the Licenses. It shall not be an excuse that your
husband is not a sufficient breadwinner. The gods forbid that we openly promote adultery!
And, yes, on the issue of a married man patronizing the
LTs, well…it will be a defence in Law to prove that your wife either starves
you, or is not desirous of stepping up her nocturnal imaginations to match
yours. (One of our much cherished collective values being the submission of the
wife to her lord and master).
We must rest our busy pens awhile at this juncture; but
need to make a final crucial point. Under this Law, LTs shall be exempted from
the liabilities of unsolicited electronic correspondence. You must all agree that this
practice area is all about Spam Mails.
Thank You.
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