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[Greiger]

Nothing compared to other folks, in this thread but I need to throw it up someplace to get it all organized,

A friend of my fathers caught a virus.  One of those rogue AVs that practically take over the system.  I agreed to do what I can, and made sure to mention that even after I do everything I could, I'm not a professional shop, and don't have all the tools of one so I can't make any guarantees.

My antivirus tools have been cleaning nicely each one finding the rogue or parts of it.  And removing them, and some comparatively minor buddies. I also clean up both startup sections of registry, the startup folder in the start menu, and the temp folders manually.  I scan again and it seems to have stayed gone through a restart. 

So I disconnect all other computers from the network and re-enable wireless on the infected one to go to the ESet site to use their online scanner, which I have always used for a final 'just to be sure it's gone' check.   Browser redirects, crap, something's still there.  I disconnect the wireless again immediately, and rescan.  It resurfaced.   And my linux CD doesn't load on this system for unknown reasons.   I need a external laptop drive reader so I can scan the drive with the operating system not running.  Something I do not have that a professional shop does.

I know I gave no guarantees I could clean it, and I'm still trying one last thing, but it's not looking good.  Sucks to fail at what you are supposed to be good at.

[alway]

So Truean, a couple questions. You mentioned the reason they were suing was to bankrupt him; you also mentioned they called you and asked how much you were getting paid. First: Are you allowed to lie in said unofficial phone call and tell them you are on retainer (when in fact you aren't), or would it go against you in the case/be easy to figure out you weren't anyway? It's probably to late to use that trick on this case, but still; if telling the opposition that your client has you on retainer avoids expensive lawsuits, it may be a tool to try in the future.

[Korbac]

Truean, your situation is sucks and I think you are doing very well in trying to be a benevolent dude - who - is - under - you - but - saves - your - ass.

Also, you've given me an insight as to exactly WHY the Corps are at an advantage in legal battles. This sucks. I'm sort of surprised as to why my country hasn't nationalised the Law Industry with you having said this (Except in cases including the government, of course.)

[Kamin]

What made me sad today? Knowing how true it is that people--and entities such as corporations--are vindictive, disgusting fucks, out to destroy the lives of others. It makes me sick to my stomach to know so intimately how that works, as I've been there.

[Svarte Troner]

^ In relation to that: A combination of despair for the human condition and rage for rich fucks who think they can trample on basic human rights.

[DarkWolfXV]

What made me sad today? Knowing how true it is that people--and entities such as corporations--are vindictive, disgusting fucks, out to destroy the lives of others. It makes me sick to my stomach to know so intimately how that works, as I've been there.

This:/

[Truean]

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[Pnx]

I don't entirely know the words to say to convince this guy that it really and honestly truly is in his best interest to do this. I mean Jesus, just do the math. $100 x 20 hours a week = $2000/week. Shit. He sure as hell isn't looking to spend that and I'm not certain he has it laying around. However, that's far less than a lot of other lawyers would charge him for this shit. I know opposing counsel, between charging 4x as much as me has racked up about $20,000 in bills to his client (10 hours of his time at $400/hour is $4000 and I know he's spent 50 hours on this crap over the summer before even suing). He's heading into very expensive territory, very quickly. Gah, client does not get it and will be pissed at me for being expensive if he doesn't fucking listen to me and head it off.

How about...

"Here's the deal... The opposing counsel is trying to drown us in paperwork. This is pretty much standard practise for someone with deep pockets, what they're hoping for is that by burying us in paperwork we're going to have to sooo much money clearing it all up that we simply can't afford to keep up the case.

Now, you have some options here... but unfortunately they're pretty much all bad.

1. You can just give up, let them win, and take the loss on the head.

2. You can let me deal with the paperwork at an hourly rate, I'd be happy to do it, but unfortunately I don't work for free. The opposition has phoned me and told me that he's more than willing to do 20 to 30 hours of paperwork a week, and this could drag on for many weeks. Even at my rates which are much cheaper than most lawyer's rates, it will probably wind up costing tens of thousands of dollars if not more. I know you can't afford to pay that, and I really don't want to make you pay that, but I have bills to pay myself, and my time is worth a lot of money.

Needless to say both these options are pretty crap, which is why I'm going to offer you a third option, I don't think you're going to like it very much, but it's the best you're going to get.

3. I offer you retainership. Basically, this is insurance, you pay me a flat fee, and for as long as the policy holds, I cover your ass whenever you get into any legal troubles. Now, generally speaking I don't offer this kind of policy to someone that's already in trouble, I mean, you don't sign on for insurance after the ship has already started sinking. In your case I'm willing to make an exception, just this once. Sign on for a year, and I will fight this legal battle until we win it, and from what I've got in front of me right now it's looking like we can indeed win it.

I really doubt you'll find any other lawyer that will offer you a deal this good, I'm only doing it because I hate the dirty tactics people like them use against people like you, and I want to be able to fight this battle for you, but I can't do it if you don't throw me a bone here."

How was that? Decent speech, sucky speech?

One thing that's confusing me about this is why he's trying to intimidate you out of the game. If burying you in paperwork just makes him richer... Is it just because he'd rather not do the work? Because he honestly doesn't want to have to shove you into the sucky situation of getting your client in debt? Or, is it because he can't actually afford to work too many hours on this case because his position isn't quite as secure as he wants it to seem? It might just be my imagination, but I think I might smell a bit of blood there.

I know it'd be a hell of a lot of work to deal with it all, but if you got the retainership, I might just try to shovel some paperwork his way. Maybe ask some of those would-be lawyers who just graduated and were asking after unpaid work to help you create a paper storm... I dunno, is that a stupid suggestion?

[Korbac]

How was that? Decent speech, sucky speech?

9/10.

And Truean. I'm obviously missing something here, so I'm going to learn - can't you just use intellect and cunning to cut through his paper? I mean, he's going to have to spend time thinking what to write, writing it, and then printing it, and / or searching for relevant files, making copies, etc. Would it be possible to, instead of responding in kind, only include relevant, to - the - point documents? This would mean you spend way less time in the war than he does (You do much less writing  and much more reading, and IMO reading is much quicker) and eventually he will tire out.

Like I said, I know nothing! XD

[EveryZig]

My step-grandfather (stepmother's father) died today. I didn't know him all that well, but he was very friendly and pleasant to be around.

[Lectorog]

My step-grandfather (stepmother's father) died today. I didn't know him all that well, but he was very friendly and pleasant to be around.

Same for my neighbor, and yesterday. A month or so ago he gave me a couple of really nice knives for no reason, so I wrote him a false but very nice "thank you" letter. My dad's spent about half of his waking time over at his widow's house since, dealing with annoying relatives circling in to pick at the remains. All the post-death processes have made me more sad than the death.

I hate when other people use the computer I use. It makes it feel dirty (not talking about the mouse, though they generally do leave that greasy). I informed my dad that I hadn't yet seen The Matrix and should. He searched through his DVD collection, then burned DVD collection (about twice the size of the former), and then got on this computer to start downloading the trilogy (of which only the first I will watch) through BitTorrent, set up to shut down when downloading is complete. My family just disgusts me in general.

I also waited at some DMV office for an hour to be told I needed to take another driving test at another building. Estimated wait there will be 2-3 hours, most likely. My family doesn't really have time for that between now and when I start school on Wednesday, so I'll have to go when my mom is finished with the neighbor's funeral on Tuesday. I wouldn't mind if I could do it alone, but wasting my family's more precious time makes me feel guilty.

Of the three above, the second makes me the most sad. Perhaps that means there's something wrong with my values.

[Truean]

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[Pnx]

Negotiating tip: Show the client the boxes of paper, in fact, it'd probably help impress that you're not bullshitting him about the paperwork.

[Truean]

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[Lord Inquisitor]

this the thing like in the tv shows where they send the papwerwork but a truck shows up and guy says another is coming around corner or has not quite reached that level of lawyer-fu.