A mystery for the ages.

So I’ve put on a few pounds. Not that I mind, it’s just now my business suit is a bit…tighter. Today I was at 7-11 on 23 and Penn, when I hear from behind me,

“Girl, your ass be bouncin’ like gummy-bears.”

I turned and looked at the fine gentleman, and asked…”wait, gummy-bears like the candy or the cartoon?”

He didn’t answer, but to emit a “mmm-hmmmmmmm,” and a chuckle. I guess the world will never know which gummy-bear my ass bounces like.

tasteful!

A few nights ago we caught a woman giving a guy a hummer in the parking lot, while taking a leak all over her white stretch-pants, which were artfully bunched around her ankles.

Hooray! Eros theme, here I come!

“Marital rape, all night long!”

Apparently discussions of antiquated legal doctrines and third-world countries help us bowl. We both did really well tonight. Lisa, I bowled my worst when we encountered Bob, so ha. Oh yeah, the above is a quote from Colin as I was dropping him off at your house…..

…concerning the subject of the legal note I am going to be researching tonight.  Sicko.

That should sufficiently explain my sentiments on this subject of bars at the moment.

I am in love with the anteaters, Pua and Stewie. I found their Flickr account, and am disturbingly cheery every time I look at them.

I stick by my prior statement that they are the best things in the world.

Lolrus kickeded the bucketz.

No one will ever steal your bucket again.

ANTEATER IN A SHIRT.

What is cooler than this?

Nothing.

hearsay, I tell you!

Federal Rules of Evidence 413, 414, and 415, enacted as a part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, permit prosecutors and civil plaintiffs to offer evidence of the defendant’s other acts of sexual assault or child molestation, “on any matter to which they are relevant.” George Fisher, Evidence 182 (2002).

“The new rules for sex offense cases authorize admission and consideration of evidence of an uncharged offense for its bearing ‘on any matter to which it is relevant.’”Susan Molinari, Concerning the Prior Crimes Evidence Rules for Sexual Assualt and Child Molestation Cases, Cong. Rec. H8991-92, Aug. 21, 1994. This means that evidence of offenses for which the defendant has not been prosecuted or convicted is admissible, alongside evidence of prior convictions.

So what’s the big deal? While I understand that the court is attempting to make it tougher for child and sexual predators to get off the theoretical hook, the application of these rules simply serves to usurp the power of FRE 404(b), which is a safeguard in our court system created specifically for this purpose.

Rule 404(b) provides that “evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that the perosn acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence or mistake or accident.”

“The purpose of Rule 404(b) in a criminal trial is to ensure that the defendant is tried on the merits of the crime as charged and to prevent a conviction based on evidence of other crimes or wrongs.” State v. Bassett, 139 N.H. 493, 496.

By allowing evidence of crimes for which the defendant has not been previously prosecuted nor convicted of in the past, courts are allowed to circumvent a major safeguard that has been built into our system. There is no right to trial, fair or otherwise.

404(b) provides a way to admit the evidence 413-415 seeks to welcome in, but it requires a standard. Our courts should not be welcoming a melee of conflicting opinions and stories. Rules are in place specifically to protect hearsay and plotting from wiggling their way into the system.

*Please note, obviously I find the crimes heinous, but it doesn’t mean that those on trial for them deserve any less than the full protection our courts provide everyone else.

Photos from San Diego trip

Set Here.

I always forget about my paramount destiny and mission!

“The natural and proper timidity and delicacy which belongs to the female sex evidently unfits it for many of the occupations of civil life.”

“The paramount destiny and mission of woman are to fulfill the noble and benign offices of wife and mother. This is the law of the Creator. And the rules of civil society must be adapted to the general constitution of things, and cannot be based upon exceptional cases…”

–Bradwell v. Illinois (1873)

“Accidental Tourist’s Guide to Maintaining Privacy Against Government Surveillance”

“To maintain privacy, one must not write any checks nor make any phone calls. It would be unwise to engage in conversation with any other person, or to walk, even on private property, outside one’s house. If one is to barbecue or read in the backyard, do so only if surrounded by a fence higher than a double-decker bus and while sitting beneath an opaque awning. The wise individual might also consider purchasing anti-aerial spying devices if available (be sure to check the latest Sharper Image catalogue). Upon retiring inside, be sure to pull the shades together tightly so that no crack exists and to converse only in quiet tones. When discarding letters or other delicate materials, do so only after a thorough shredding of the documents (again see your Sharper Image catalogue); ideally, one would take the trash personally to the disposal site and bury it deep within. Finally, when buying items, carefully inspect them for any electronic tracking devices that may be attached.”

–Scott E. Sundby, “Everyman”’s Fourth Amendment: Privacy or Mutual Trust Between Government and Citizen

stuffs

New comic I just finished up for Colin. I’m too lazy to fix the text, and I don’t really know how to use photoshop or a ruler, so this is basically what you get. I might break out the ink again on the early pages.