worthy films.

So Tuesday's announcement that the New York critics panel will vote on Dec. 3 is something of a compromise. The date is late enough to include such December releases as "Les Miserables," "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Hobbit," but probably still too early for some of the group's more diligent members to see everything they'd like to consider. (As a longtime member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., I can attest to the annual rite of weeping and/or gnashing of teeth among some critics trying to catch up with the year's cinematic bounty in time to, in their minds, properly vote.)

An NYFCC press release notes that the group's awards "are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations. The circle's awards are also viewed -- perhapsCitation Nr: 0032277
Decision Date: 12/11/00 Archive Date: 12/20/00
DOCKET NO. 98-19 587A ) DATE
)
)
On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office and Insurance
Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
THE ISSUE
Entitlement to the proceeds of the veteran's National Service
Life Insurance (NSLI) policy.
REPRESENTATION
M.F. represented by: Disabled American Veterans
S.N. represented by: Anthony Lewis, Attorney at Law
WITNESSES AT HEARINGS ON APPEAL
Appellant and [redacted]
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD
M. L. Kane, Associate Counsel
INTRODUCTION
The veteran had unverified active military service beginning
in 1947. He died in October 1996. At the time of his death,
the veteran had a NSLI policy in force in the face amount of
$10,000.
In October 1996, the veteran's surviving spouse, M.,
requested that the proceeds of the NSLI policy be paid to
her, and this was done in November 1996. However, the
veteran's friend, S., thereafter also requested payment of
the proceeds