Thursday, July 12, 2007

My Hero of the Week

So, you may recall that a couple weeks ago, I blogged on a woman in Nebraska who was allegedly raped, and who was barred from using words such a "rape" and "sexual assault" during her trial.

By the way, I'm still not sure how you run an entire trial where the actual charge is "rape," without once using the word "rape." Confusing, dumb shit there, kids.

Aaaaanyway.

Well, Monday, Bowen (the victim) and her attorney informed the judge that she would not sign an agreement to refrain from using words such as rape.

Said Bowen, "I'm pausing three seconds because I don't know if it's a word that will lead to a mistrial or me being jailed or held in contempt. It's frightening. That's not something a victim should go through."

Here, here. She's already been raped. (Okay, allegedly.) Are you really going to put her in jail for contempt because she used the word "rape" while describing what happened to her? Gross.

So, power to Bowen, who has clearly been throguh enough already, and probably just wants to get all of this behind her so she can get on with a normal life.

Here's the opinion of a nice woman named Melissa on the matter. It's not a bad read.

Back to studying. Love for everyone!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Hate to say I told you so, alright!

would hate (HATE!) to accuse the current administration of fudging the facts for the sake of their personal politics. Really. It would kill me. I might even cry a little.

Riiiiight.

So, earlier today (NYTimes.com link), Bush's former Surgeon General sat in front of a congressional committee and told them that *gasp! shock! horror!* "top officials in the Bush administration repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations."

Say it ain't so, Joe! Just say it ain't so!

Dr. Carmona went on to say that he was not allowed to speak on such topics as stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues. And, he had to "water down" findings on the effects of secondhand smoke. Lest Dubya's cronies get sad.

Carmona told Congress that Bush officials told him they didn't want him reporting on certain topics because "we've already decided which way we want to go."

And - this is brilliant - he was "discouraged him from attending the Special Olympics because, he said, of that charitable organization's longtime ties to the Kennedy family."

Seriously. He couldn't go to the Special Olympics - as the US Surgeon General - b/c the SO could play well with others & Bush couldn't.

A-mazing.

And, to make it even better? "'I was specifically told by a senior person, "Why would you want to help those people?"' Dr. Carmona said."

Because, I mean.... They're just retards & people with horrific debilitating diseases. Fuck them, right?

Apparently, the Doc was telling Congress these things because, in 2 days, Congress will be checking out his replacement, Dr. James W. Holsinger, Jr. According to the Times, Dr. Holsinger - back in 1991 - put out a report, the findings of which "concluded that homosexual sex is unnatural and unhealthy." Clearly this is the guy to head the health & welfare of the nation. A guy who thinks homosexual sex is bad & will probably be more than happy to keep pushing the party line that condoms are evil.

Next, Carmon told Congress that he once (and only once) attended a meeting of top officials on the topic of global warming, where it was decided that "global warming was a liberal cause and dismissed." He tried to explain & discuss the science with them, and was never invited back.

And, finally, the good Doc says that sex ed should always be comprehensive if it is to be effective. But, was forced to preach abstinence-only sex ed b/c that was the policy the White House had already decided on & they wouldn't let him say otherwise.

I feel so bad for this guy. I'm sure he's a normal, level-headed guy who got fucked by his circumstances.

Also, I hate the bar. I want to grow balls so the bar exam can crawl right down by my ass & lick 'em. Lick 'em good!

But, love for everyone else!


Quickies

Here's somethin' quick to entertain you, in case you need it.

Carrie Underwood & Kevin Eubanks (from The Tonight Show) were just voted the world's sexiest vegetarians. No word if they are bacovegetarians - like me - but, I'm guessing probably not. Other hot veggies include:

Alyssa Milano
Chelsea Clinton
Chrissie Hynde
Grace Slick
Natalie Portman
Rachael Leigh Cook
Shannon Elizabeth
Elle Macpherson
Jackie O
Shalom Harlow
Stella McCartney
Andre 3000
Bob Barker
Eric Stoltz
GZA
RZA
Joaquin Phoenix
Prince
Rob Zombie
Tobey Maguire
Billy Idol
John Cleese
Paul McCartney
Thom Yorke

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Murder is still the top cause of death for pregnant women, accounting for just under 20% of all deaths. Charming. Feel free to assume I'm shrieking & pissed right now. I mean, do I ever really need to comment on how fucked up this is? Go ahead & be pissed off for me, because I can't barely even speak.

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And, finally, who's my favorite? Ann Coulter is my favorite!!! ....Person to rip on for being a heinous, hateful bitch. So, Bitch was on Hardball tonight. I missed it, but am very excited to watch the replays online. And, here are a couple clips I have heard about.

Coulter was attacking John Edwards. Again. Saying she wouldn't call him a "faggot" anymore, next time she'd just say she "wish he got killed in a terrorist assassination plot," instead. Then, she mocked the fact that his son was killed in a car accident. And, while she's making fun of his dead son, ELIZABETH EDWARDS CALLS IN! And, what does Lizzy, that bastion of awesomeness and class do? She said, "I'm the mother of that boy who died." Then, she told Coulter that she was calling "to ask her to politely stop the personal attacks."

And, from what I hear, Coulter basically threw up all over herself & accused Edwards of trying to stifle her free speech, or right to write books, or some such ridiculous shit.

Ok, apparently, I'm just lazy, because here is the link to watch Coulter look like a complete piece of shit. Sorry, they didn't have an embed option, so you'll have to go to the website & watch it. Shit, even I ALMOST feel uncomfortable & bad for how akward Coulter seems here. But, then she responds to Edwards asking her to stop making personal attacks by saying Edwards should, basically, shut up because she & her husband have made money being plaintiff's lawyers in medical malpractice and accusing Edwards of cutting off her free speech. It's really appaling to watch, how disgusting Coulter is in this clip. Even the people behind her look uncomfortable.

It's really worse than I can describe to you. She's just replusive. REALLY disgusting and vile and worthless as human being.

I don't get how people can say she's trying to be a comedienne. What she says aren't jokes, they're not even clever or intelligent as satire. They're low-blow personal attacks that have nothing to do with anything. To be satire, aren't you supposed to be commenting on something? Making a point about something? Doing more than saying, "John Edwards & Bill Clinton are faggots"?

That's not satire. That's what 7th grade boys do. It is dumb. It is not intelligent. And, it is only funny to other stupid 7th grade boys. Who are stupid & whose humor consists of dick & fart jokes & calling each other "fags."

But, somehow, when Coulter does the same thing, people say, "Oh! No! She's being a brilliant satirist & comedienne! Don't talk shit!" She's not funny. She yells at & mocks a woman who has called in to ask her not to use personal attacks and to please stop making fun of her son, who has died. And, Coulter responds with, "Oh, my god. That was, like, 3 years ago." And, we're supposed to think she's a satirist?

Fuck that. She is a waste of peopel. A waste of space. Really. Honestly. Just a waste. I hope she hates herself every night when she goes to bed.

But, enough of my bitching. Watch the clip and laugh at her clearly being so uncomfortable that she really does almost throw up all over herself.

Which I would TOTALLY pay to see.

I hate that bitch. I will do a happy dance the day I wake up & hear someone shot her in the head.

Una mezcla! Bueno!

The Senate Judiciary Committee has decided to subpoena a number of the Bush Administration's documents that relate to warrantless wiretapping. So, now the SJC gets to fight with the White House for the next 18 million years trying to explain to Dubya that he is not the king and that piece of paper they keep calling the Constitution is for something other than wiping his ass.

Second, AWESOME news.

Some crazy Japanese dudes came up with a machine..... *Spooky sci-fi/mystery voice* THAT LETS YOU MOVE OBJECTS WITH YOUR MIND!! Hitachi invented a "brain-machine interface" tha translates blood flow in the brain into electric signals. So far, the B-MI has been used to control a train in 2 settings: GO & STOP. Think, and the train goes forward. Stop thinking, and the train stops. But, hey! Everything needs a first step! Soon, I won't have to type, or even speak, my blogs. I'll just think, and my brain vomit will be here for you to enjoy.

And, third, some shit to make you say "What the fuck?!"

So, we all know that - here in the Midwest - we're a little crazy. Wetend to do some weird shit, and the law is no exception. Well, recently, a judge in Nebraska decided that - during a rape trial - the prosecution and their witnesses - were not allowed to use the words and phrases (wait for it...): rape, sexual assault, victim, assailant, or sexual assault kit in their case.

Let's look at that again. In a jury trial. Where the defendant has been charged with rape and sexual assault. The prosecution. And, the prosecution's witnesses. Including the rape victim. Are not allowed to utter the word rape. Or, the phrase sexual assault.

What words are they supposed to use? They are allowed to refer to what happened as "sex" or "intercourse."

Why? Because "
Using words like 'rape' creates unfair prejudices for defendants and invades the (duties) of the jury."

So, when the victim... Sorry! Complainant. For those not "in the know" it is very common these days for defense attorneys to request and judgess to grant motions saying that the victim cannot be referred to as a victim, because that draws a legal conclusion and could prejudice the jury. The allegedly victimized party can only be referred to as the "complainant."

So, when the complainant is sitting on the stand, describing what happened, she can't say, "When I woke up at the defendant's house the next morning, he was raping me." She now has to say, "When I woke up at the defendant's house the next morning, he has having sex with me."

Not quite the same effect, huh?

Yes, it has an emotional impact to use these words. But, that's because these are words society has attached emotional weight to.

What's next? Murder is an emotioanly charged word. Are we going to say a "complainant's" family can't use the word murder in a trial? Or, that a robbery victim can't say "robbery" on the stand?

I mean, for fuck sakes, people. The man is charged with sexual assault. What the hell fucking sense does it make to say you can't say the phrase "sexual assault" during the trial?!? What do you do during the jury instruction part of the trial? What do the jury instructions say?!?!?

"Instruction 4: Intercourse that occurred between Complainant and Defendant that may or may not have been consentual, and which we the jury are here to determine the legality of, the decision of which has not been influnced in any way by the use of even remotely emotionally charged language."

I feel bad, too, for the victim. (Fuck "complainant." If this woman was raped, she is a victim.) She's said, "
I never once would describe [what happened] as sex. He's making me commit perjury."

Do defendants deserve a fair shot? Of course. That's the beauty of our judicial system. Do we sometimes ignore the victim in the process? Yup. I want to protect the guys who get fucked over by the system. But, I also want to make sure that victims are not treated as a collateral part of the process. Victims are more than a witness and something to be overcome by the defense.

Yes, I know. It is better to see ten guilty men go free than to keep one innocent man in jail. Yes, despite all of my ranting, I truly believe that a defendant deserves a fair, just trial and all the protections afforded him by our Contitution and judiciary. But, really. Let's be reasonable.

It is poo.

I know. Sorry. This has become quite lengthy. Yes, I'm a crazy left-winger victim's rights advocate. I'm ok with it. We'll see how that works out with my likely career path of criminal defense attorney....

And, no, Ryan. This still has nothing to do with the Patriot Act.

Love and justice for everyone!

Righteous!

I could totally be best friends with thes guys & make them make me french toast & bacon everyday.




And, just to shout out to my people - the baco-vegetarians. (What? Don't hate. I'm not a "save the animals" vegetarian. I'm a "meat is not yummy to me" vegetarian. Fuck, kill the animals (though, humanely would be nice), and you eat them and I can turn them into lovely new shoes!) And, really? Seriously? A Morning Star Spicy Black Bean Burger with some bacon & cheese? Maybe a splash of ranch dressing and lettuce & tomato on top? Fucking heaven, people.