This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Legal

  • A Court Gets One Right

    We often complain about US courts and their verdicts/decisions.  But on occasion, they get one right.

    Yesterday, Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, age 35, was sentenced to 18 years in Federal prison – plus 10 years of supervised release afterwards.

    Abdul-Latif had been convicted in Federal court of conspiring to attack the MEPS in south Seattle with automatic weapons and grenades.  The motive?  Revenge for “atrocities by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan”.

    The MEPS complex Abdul-Latif was plotting to attack contains a day-care facility.

    Abdul-Latif was arrested in June 2011 when he went to a Seattle-area warehouse to pick up the weapons and grenades to be used in the attack.  Turns out someone heard about the plan and tipped authorities.  Authorities then set up a “sting” buy at which Abdul-Latif was arrested.

    Enjoy your time in the crossbar hotel, Abu.

    Now, I wonder if this jackass is naturalized – and if so, if this might be grounds for stripping him of his naturalized citizenship?

  • A Breath of Fresh Air

    Well, I have to say I’m surprised.  Apparently there is still some amount of respect for private property in Europe.

    The Parliament of Cyprus yesterday refused to approve the law required to seize place a tax on bank deposits.  The EU bailout of Cypriot banks is now in question.

    That in and of itself wasn’t too surprising.  But I did find it surprising that the vote against was unanimous.

    Let’s see what happens next.  Things could get interesting.

  • Spreadsheet from Hell

    You often hear the term “<whatever> from hell” used to refer to things that are unusually disagreeable or difficult.  But on occasion, the phrase is chillingly apropos – and literal.

    Consider Adam Lanza, Sandy Hook mass murderer.  He was obviously mentally disturbed.  But he could be meticulous about things that interested him.

    How meticulous?  Try conducting extensive research on past mass-killings – and creating a spreadsheet containing information about over 500 people killed in such incidents.   Lanza’s research was both extensive and detailed, including such things as the number of people killed in an incident, their names, and the weapons that were used – down to the precise make/model of the weapons in some cases.

    The spreadsheet, printed in 9-point type, would have measured approx 7 feet long and 4 feet wide.

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  • About That Bank Account of Yours . . . .

    Most TAH readers are fans of limited government.  Most thus have pretty strong reservations concerning a central government with expansive authority and power.

    But we have a few readers who seem to believe in and want a government with unlimited powers.  Others may be willing to accept such on an “emergency basis” or for a “limited time”.

    Well, here’s some food for thought.  Take a look at what’s going on in Cyprus today.

    If you’re still a fan of government with unlimited power after reading that – well, it’s still a free country. You’re entitled to whatever opinion you want, no matter how foolish.

    However, Cyprus apparently isn’t so free.  Be glad you live here and not there.

  • Should Due Process Really Be Optional for the Second Amendment?

    Something IMO noteworthy happened the other day in Granola State, AKA the People’s Republic of Kalifornia.  It’s actually been happening there for some time.

    The police went to a person’s home and confiscated their firearms.

    California requires registration of certain types of firearms.  It thus also maintains a database of registered firearms – close to one million of them at present.

    Periodically, they also cross-reference this database against those recently convicted of felonies, and against those involuntarily committed to mental institutions.

    In theory, there’s no issue.  The Constitution’s 10th Amendment clearly places barring felons from firearms possession or ownership within the scope of state authority; Federal law likewise says felons cannot lawfully possess firearms.  Their original criminal trial provided the due process required under the 5th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution for that to be permissible.

    And those who’ve been involuntarily committed “clearly” shouldn’t have access to firearms.  Allowing that would be absurd – right?

    And yet . . . .

    Well, let’s tale a good look at that second part.  Because I for one find certain facts regarding and implications raised by one recent case occurring in California disturbing as hell.

    And since Jonn lets me post here, you’re gonna hear about my concerns – whether you want to or not.  If you keep reading, that is.  (smile)

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  • Earnest G. Smith, Georgia Idiot

    You would think that a state lawmaker should be at least passingly familiar with the US Constitution.  After all, there is this little thing called the “Supremacy Clause” in the US Constitution that says if state and Federal law conflict, Federal law takes precedence.  Plus there’s also that pesky little fact that the US Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”.

    Well, apparently someone forgot that.  As in Earnest G. Smith, Representative for the Georgia House of Representatives District 125.

    Seems that Smith is none too pleased about a recent rather crude but arguably complimentary bit of Photoshop satire which imposed his head on the body of a porn star.  So he’s come out in favor of  making such vulgar satirical use of Photoshop illegal in Georgia.  “No one has a right to make fun of anyone,” he says.

    No, I’m not kidding.

    What a freaking idiot.  But he managed to get elected anyway.

     

  • Getting Screwed by the IRS . . . .

    Literally.

    A man in Oregon has filed a lawsuit alleging that an IRS agent forced him to have sex in order to avoid tax penalties.

    I have no idea if the man’s claim is true or not. Frankly, to me it sounds more like some teenage guy’s fantasy.  Or maybe the plot to a bad 70s porn movie.

    But given the story Jonn posted earlier today – and the one posted by TSO immediately afterwards – well, I hesitate to dismiss it out of hand as bogus.  Stuff that used to be considered outrageous is today rather common.

    And if I’ve learned anything in life, it’s this:  no matter what you’ve seen or heard, when it comes to sex you just ain’t seen or heard it all yet.

  • So, Do Strict Gun Control Laws Really Lower Crime?

    Just ask the folks in Massachusetts.

    In 1998, Massachusetts overhauled their gun laws.  Gun purchase and ownership was restricted significantly by the changes.

    Since 1998, murders using firearms have risen 87.7 percent; aggravated assaults, 26.7 percent; and robberies using firearms, 20.7 percent.  In contrast, during that same time frame the population of Massachusettes rose only approximately 7.0 percent – from 6.175 million in 1998 to 6.607 million in 2011.

    Yep – stricter gun control laws work really well to reduce crime, don’t they?