Answering a letter to the best of my recollection.
At CLTV here.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
It's All a Matter of Perspective
Sorry to whomever's blog I found this on, but I can't remember and it's just too good not to pass on.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Spam Comments Advertising
Scott laments the spam advertising he's getting as comments. His comments are pretty much spot on, although I'd like to add a couple pet peeves of my own.
1. Someone is putting the Chinese/Japanese/Korean comments on 5 of my posts every month or so (I can't read it, so I don't know which language). My primary question is, WHY? I can't imagine that I have a huge readership in someplace like Hong Kong (and sitemeter backs me up on this).
2. I have gotten paranoid enough that, even when comments are pertinent, I check the link for each comment which comes from someone I don't recognize. The reason for this has been that I have run into comments to things which are actually in the post and then the address of the poster has linked back to some interesting places. Sometimes it's a law office (not too bad); sometimes it's a porn site; a lot of times it's a merchandise site (again, often in a foreign language).
I'm not naive enough to think this will ever stop. However, I must admit that I wonder how people who read my English language blawg, which has a primarily U.S. readership (and a small one at that), come to the conclusion that this would be a good place to link to a Thai language site which is selling Viagra.
1. Someone is putting the Chinese/Japanese/Korean comments on 5 of my posts every month or so (I can't read it, so I don't know which language). My primary question is, WHY? I can't imagine that I have a huge readership in someplace like Hong Kong (and sitemeter backs me up on this).
2. I have gotten paranoid enough that, even when comments are pertinent, I check the link for each comment which comes from someone I don't recognize. The reason for this has been that I have run into comments to things which are actually in the post and then the address of the poster has linked back to some interesting places. Sometimes it's a law office (not too bad); sometimes it's a porn site; a lot of times it's a merchandise site (again, often in a foreign language).
I'm not naive enough to think this will ever stop. However, I must admit that I wonder how people who read my English language blawg, which has a primarily U.S. readership (and a small one at that), come to the conclusion that this would be a good place to link to a Thai language site which is selling Viagra.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Black Defendants Argue Against the Yankee Government
Y'know, I've heard intelligent people make the argument that the imposed amendments to the Constitution are not valid (they were not properly ratified because Southern States were forced at gunpoint to "ratify" them in order to get the army of occupation out of their States). However, I must admit that it is in the jails/prisons that I have seen this raised to an art form. Fringed flags, Esquire as a title of nobility, sovereign citizen, misspelled name on the indictment - you name it, some prisoner has latched onto it (see here).
I'm not terribly surprised that Black prisoners have latched onto this sort of argument despite the fact that it has roots in White separationist-supremacy movements (click through and read the article as well). The guys in prison who are making these arguments don't care where the argument comes from. They want (1) an argument which will invalidate the prosecutor's evidence, (2) cause as much trouble as possible for the prosecution (either on the theory the prosecutor will give up and settle for a lesser conviction or just to be ornery), or (3) to entertain themselves.
When I was doing defense I ran into Black defendants who wanted to use some of these arguments. I can remember back about 2000 reading (and rereading) all sorts of statutes in the UCC section of the Virginia Code because one of my clients swore it would stop a child support case dead in its tracks. Unfortunately for the defendant, I couldn't find any of the stuff he kept swearing to me was there if I just looked in the right section.
I'm not terribly surprised that Black prisoners have latched onto this sort of argument despite the fact that it has roots in White separationist-supremacy movements (click through and read the article as well). The guys in prison who are making these arguments don't care where the argument comes from. They want (1) an argument which will invalidate the prosecutor's evidence, (2) cause as much trouble as possible for the prosecution (either on the theory the prosecutor will give up and settle for a lesser conviction or just to be ornery), or (3) to entertain themselves.
When I was doing defense I ran into Black defendants who wanted to use some of these arguments. I can remember back about 2000 reading (and rereading) all sorts of statutes in the UCC section of the Virginia Code because one of my clients swore it would stop a child support case dead in its tracks. Unfortunately for the defendant, I couldn't find any of the stuff he kept swearing to me was there if I just looked in the right section.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Paucity of Posts
Sorry posting's been light to non-existent. I had three juries scheduled within a week and prepping them took priority. Two of them didn't go forward, but I still had to prep them. And, of course, the one that did go forward was on Friday and I didn't get home until after 8 p.m.
And I just found out I might have another one this Friday. Joy of Joys.
And I just found out I might have another one this Friday. Joy of Joys.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)