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Comment by yobert | Hacker News Reader

That Eleven Magic Words article got me totally hooked on his writing. I found it very powerful too. There's so much of our society that I know nothing about, and he sheds so much light on it. I feel like he tells you the truth.

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http://ymeskhout.substack.com/p/eleven-magic-words-unlocked

I found this a little disappointing after so much build up. It's good writing but there was no payoff as to why those words had the impact they did and the reason was effectively just a random choice by a judge

That’s the entire point of the piece.

Exactly. The machinery of justice is decorated with all kinds of indicators of objectivity and wisdom: precedent, settled law, sentencing guidelines, burdens of proof, law schools filled with eminent scholars.

And yet someone has a bad day, or a change of heart, or ate a tasty taco for lunch, or just fell in love, and lives are ruined or saved.

> Every morning I wonder whether that day has Eleven Magic Words and, if it does, whether I’ll be able to figure them out. And every day that potential scares the shit out of me.

Hello DANmode,

I'm trying to touch base from a few months back about a post you replied to about a start-up ISP.

I have updated my contact info if you still want to chat.

I'm trying to contact you about a post you replied to about a start-up ISP from a few months back. You can contact me at morphle73 at gmail dot com.

Sent you a note!

Aye aye aye I got more and more confused reading this wondering how this was going to relate to the Elves.

Those 11 Magic Words:

"Is there anything the court would like to review to reconsider?"

A great article by a great public defender.

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