Thursday, February 10, 2005

Around the 'Net

Just for Greenman: if you win big in Vegas, you could bid to name the monkey. Crappus-Flingus sounds Latinish.



How many calories are there in burnt sienna?



If You Like Pina Coladas . . .



all via Dave Barry.

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Eugene Volokh discusses whether homeowner's policies cover blogging suits. My take: his policy might, from the excerpts he gave. BUT. Many policies I've seen do not include the "personal injury" language in the "bodily injury" definition, and others specifically state that it has to be an actual physical injury. That doesn't really cut it for libel, unless you're in one of those states where the physical symptoms of emotional distress are considered a physical injury. If your policy requires it to be a physical injury, there could be no coverage regardless. Also, it depends on the policy whether the tipjar would be considered a business or not. One thing to look at is how much it makes, some policies allow for $2000 in incidental wages (such as babysitting) without something becoming a business. Bottom line: like he said, read the d*mn thing. No matter how painful it is. He's also got some excellent advice up on what to do if someone threatens you with libel or slander because of something you blogged. You may want to consider saving the info, 'cause you never know.

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Also from the Volokh Conspiracy: Dutch schools ban the Dutch flag:

No symbols that identify specific groups are considered acceptable and any student may be permanently expelled for coming to school with flags on their clothing, shoes or briefcases. Earlier this week readers reacted with fury to another school in IJsselstein, this school forbids any display of flags because this would provoke students of other nationalities.


Allllrighhty then.

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From last week (I got backlogged) Kris from Gradual Dazzle gives a fantistic fisking of Rehka Basu. Cool.

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His Dannyness posts a link for you to get your bad-ass poker name.

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Yesterday's Press-Citizen had the details on the Pierre Pierce matter.



The Daily Iowan has an article on the charges.



The PC also noted a few days ago that DVIP needs funds. If you don't like their politics and so don't want to give funds, you could always donate clothes, old cell phones, toiletries or other stuff that women and children would need in shelter.

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State 29 notes a Des Moines Register article on 911 hacking.

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Via Crimlaw:Ever wonder what a public defender's life is really like?

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Of course, there's the other side of the coin . . . . From today's Des Moines Register: Singing Public Defender Barred. Key quotes:

According to records from the public defender's office, district associate judges Douglas McDonald and Mary Howe told state Public Defender Thomas Becker that, in their opinion, Machetta was incompetent. In a letter to Becker, McDonald said one defendant asked that Machetta be removed from his case because she was "nuts."



McDonald also alleged that one day last year Machetta complained to court bailiffs that her car had been stolen from the courthouse parking lot when, in fact, she had simply forgotten where she parked. Later that same day, she appeared to be unable to find Juvenile Court, where she had been practicing for two years, McDonald alleged.



Howe alleged that Machetta talked out loud to herself in the courtroom while cases were in progress. During one court hearing, Howe said, Machetta asked if she could sing "Looking For Love (In All The Wrong Places)." Other court officials said that in a Black Hawk County case, Machetta sang her closing argument. They described her as "an embarrassment" and "marginally competent, at best."



Machetta admitted that last year she wrote two unsigned notes that advised Cedar County court officials to direct criminal court cases her way. One of the notes, which appeared to have come from the court clerk's office, was written after Machetta's name had been crossed off a list of lawyers available for court-appointed defense work.
You know you've got problems if your court-appointed "clients" ask you to be removed from their case because they believe you're "nuts."



Some of my most memorable moments in the courtroom were praticing in front of Judge Holien from 1997-2000.

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Oklahoma debating whether sex with co-eds should be criminal.

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In honor of Valentine's Day, some miscellaneous family and love bloggin':



Theresa's hosting the "THE HORRIBLE LOVE POEM CONTEST (2005)"



Dylan at Slithery D has a gift idea.



Matt, Ampersand, On the Stage, and Iowa Geek are baby blogging.



Fitz-Hume posts on how he met his wife and his best kiss.

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