June 29-30

Two more quiet days, preparing for and anticipating the big training program on Friday. Wednesday, I made my weekly presentation: on non-litigation tactics. I talked about Corporate Campaigns, including Ray Rogers' current campaigns against Coca-Cola, use of publicity, and my experiences in Herkimer twenty years ago.

The students were in high spirits throughout the day, before the presentation, during a lunch break and afterwards. There was an extended discussion in Mongolian, with much laughter, which Chimge said involved me, but that I wasn't supposed to know what it was about.

Tuesday night, I returned to the square to play chess, where I was instantly recognized and played two games with no monetary stakes. Thursday, the students watched the chess videos: apparently nothing was being said about me, but everyone in the video was trying to help my opponent with advice.

Thursday was a quiet day in the office, reviewing my notes for Friday, discussing the conference with Chimge, and meeting with a law firm that is making a presentation.

Late in the afternoon, we had a meeting with two lawyers from a large local firm that will do a case for CHRD challenging air pollution in Ulan Bataar. They were focusing on getting data proving that there are adverse health impacts: I tried to encourage them to focus on developing a legal theory holding the City legally responsible. I suggested a possible claim under the Constitution which guarantees citizens a safe environment.
I also want to meet with them next week to talk about what they can do to investigate the coal plants. I hope to talk to them about ways of measuring pollution from plants, getting relevant information, pollution control technology and air dispersion modeling; standard concepts for environmental lawyers in the U.S., but new concepts for lawyers here. I also promised to do some Westlaw research about anti-smoking cases in the U.S. which they think might be relevant, and will review clean air cases against coal plants (hopefully I can a find a few that raised non-statutory claims.  


I have also met another neighbor in my apartment building: a former Buddhist monk who went to an American university who is going to Harvard to study theology in the fall. He is familiar, but has not yet met Hugh, who has two Master's degrees in Buddhist studies.  I am looking forward to having a few drinks with both of them: we should have some interesting talks.