Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Military, Politics, Society

Obama Fights To Preserve Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Before Supreme Court

President Barack Obama continued his effort to preserve the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in a filing before the United States Supreme Court. A trial court had imposed an injunction to halt the discriminatory policy. The Administration could have allowed the injunction to stand pending an appeal but succeeded in getting the order reversed. Now, it is defending its intention to continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians in an appeal to the Supreme Court.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society

Turley Affidavit in Canadian Polygamy Case

I previously posted notice of my retention as a legal expert in the polygamy case before the British Columbia Supreme Court — a case that is being watched closely around the world. My office has received a number of requests for the affidavit, which I have been informed is now part of the public record and is linked below.
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Academia, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Lawyering, Politics, Society

The Porteous Impeachment: Post-Trial Brief

We have filed our post-trial brief in the Senate Impeachment Trial of United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous. The brief, linked below, presents the factual record on each of the articles of impeachment after the conclusion of the Senate trial. We are expecting final arguments to be heard in December before all 100 Senators on the Senate floor.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

In the Grip of Controversy: Indonesian Minister Faces Scandal Over Handshake With First Lady

Indonesian Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring is in the midst of a political crisis over a handshake. Sembiring is a conservative Muslim who often blames natural disasters on a lack of morality and avoids any contact with females outside his family. Then it happened on camera. A smiling Sembiring shaking the hand of first lady Michele Obama. It is enough to send a religious nut into a fetal position. The result has been an insistence that Michele Obama was the hand aggressor — effectively grabbing his hand to his disgust and alarm. The pictures seems to belie the defense — showing a smiling Sembiring who appears to grab the First Lady’s hand.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion

Taking the Rap: Iranians Arrest Teenagers Across Country For Playing Rap Music and Using “Western Musical Instruments”

The Iranian police has found another threat to the Islamic faith: rap music. The morals police has raided parties across Iran to nab kids who just want to play rap music. These teenagers have been meeting in abandoned buildings to listen to the music and dance.
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Bizarre, Science, Society

“You Got Chamydia”: English Scientists Develop Device to Allow Cell Phone to Alert You of Sexually Transmitted Infections

You may want to be a bit more careful in borrowing a friend’s cellphone in the future. Mobile phones will soon be equipped with small devices to allow you to urinate or spit on their phones to diagnose sexually transmitted diseases. The devices are being developed in England for both cellphones and computers. Given my recent difficulties with Apple over my alleged submersion of my IPhone, I am a bit leery in picking up the new P-App.
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Academia, Bizarre, Society

The Twinkie Diet: Professor Loses 27 Pounds on Junk Food Regimen

Thank God, a diet I can live with. Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, has reported astonishing results in a novel diet that he created to show that losing weight is all about counting calories –not what you eat. To prove his point, he went on a “Twinkie Diet” where he only consumed junk food every three hours consisting of Twinkies, Hostess HoHos, Little Debbies, Oreos, Dorito chips and the like. He lost 27 pounds in two months. Around the world, rotund fans are raising their Twinkies and Debbies in salute to you, Professor Haub.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Religion, Society

Collared: Massachusetts Priest Accused of Stealing $83,000 To Support Porn Habit

In Massachusetts, prosecutors are dealing with a bizarre case of a man who allegedly store $83,147 to pay for his pornography habit. What makes the case even more bizarre is that the victim was the St. John the Baptist Church and the alleged felon was its pastor, Rev. Keith LeBlanc.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Holy, Inseam, Batman! Bank Robber Foiled By Baggy Pants

While we have been criticizing public officials for their criminalization of baggy pants, it appears that we can now add the objection that they are assisting crime by requiring tailored outfits. Columbus police have a video showing a man who failed in a bank robbery effort when he tripped over his baggy pants.
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Bizarre, Criminal law

Massachusetts Lawyer Accused of Shredding Court File To Block Murder Trial

In Salem, Massachusetts, lawyer Ilya Ablavsky, 32, has been charged in a bizarre alleged crime of stealing the file for his cousin’s murder trial and destroying it. Ablavsky, a recent graduate of Western New England College School of Law, reportedly stated that it was his understanding that, absent the original indictment, a person could not be charged.

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International, Society, Travel Blog

An American in Paris

As promised, here are a few pictures and recommendations from France. One item will await a posting in our series “Things That Tick Me Off.” While October and November are part of the low tourism period, I do not know why. Paris and the French countryside are ablaze in color and the weather is mild. No lines at museums or restaurants. Forget Spring in Paris, think Fall.
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Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Justice, Lawyering, Politics, Religion, Society

The Canadian Polygamy Case

The British Columbia Supreme Court will be some hearing testimony on the criminalization of plural unions — an extremely important case with global ramifications. As has been my practice in past cases, I wanted to confirm my involvement in the case as a court-appointed expert on the legality of such criminal laws. Weeks ago, I was retained to submit written testimony on the right of consenting adults to plural unions under United States and international law.

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International, Media, Society

I Have Returned: Merci Beaucoup To Elaine, David, and Mark

While heavier and a bit jet lagged, I have returned from the France.  I must report that we came and we were captured.  The conference in Paris was fascinating. I had some very interesting discussions on the cultural defense with American and foreign lawyers – including some pending cases in France on the issue. Of course, as in real estate, it was “location, location, location.”  Paris was gorgeous with leaves in full autumnal splender.  It was impossible to get a bad meal or a bad glass of wine.  Trust me, we did an exhaustive survey. I just landed this morning and I will be sharing a few pictures later, but I wanted to check in today.

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Uncategorized

Couple Gets Hitched…Limo Gets Snitched

 Here’s a Sunday morning crime story for you:

 Scene of Crime: Dorchester, Massachusetts

Date: Saturday, November 6, 2010

Time: Approximately 1:30 p.m.

Perpetrator of Crime: Unknown

Description of Crime: A man wielding a hammer carjacked a limousine that was parked outside the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta at St. Margaret’s Church on Columbia Road. The carjacker allegedly whacked a window…and the limo driver. He forced the chauffeur and the bridesmaids out of the vehicle. At the time, the bride and bridegroom were inside the church and unaware of what was transpiring outside.

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Uncategorized

Daylight Saving Time Ends

Note: it’s Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight Savings Time. You can impress your friends with that bit of trivia.

Although Ben Franklin gets credit for inventing DST, we give a shout-out to G. V. Hudson (left) who proposed modern DST in 1895.

I have six clocks to change. Haven’t figured out how to change my body clock.

-David Drumm (Nal)