Editor's note: Your ProbateShark suggests that you click on Andrew Mancilla, Esq.    A most interesting post...   Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com

15 Jan 2014 at 5:03 PM

9th Circuit, Drugs, Food, Non-Sequiturs, Parties, Police, Technology, Wal-Mart

Non-Sequiturs: 01.15.14

By Joe Patrice

* Wal-Mart may recall loads of donkey meat from their stores. Not because they sold donkey meat — they intended to do that — but because there was fox meat mixed in. What does the Fox Say? Nothing, because it was ground into donkey meat. The end. [MSN Money]
* Of course Colorado got rid of mile marker 420. But it’s not because they don’t like weed — it’s legal there, after all — check out the real reason. [Lowering the Bar]
* Judges are reading briefs on iPads now? Here’s how you write a brief for a judge who has an app for “law.” [Columbia Business Law Review]
* A listing of this lawyer’s previous representations. In the words of our tipster: “Don’t know what’s worse: Courtney Love or the Gambino crime family.” [Andrew Mancilla, Esq.]
* The Ninth Circuit gave the go-ahead for about 60,000 tech workers to sue Google, Apple, and other companies for artificially driving down wages by agreeing not to poach each others’ employees. Hey, give these folks some love, not every one of them is going to go start a new video game company. [Reuters]
* A lot of Cuban-American families in Miami blow a lot of money on quinceañeras. Here’s a way to recoup some funds: throw a completely innocent party and wait for the cops to come by and commit police brutality. This guy netted $90,000 that way. [Miami New Times]

18 Sep 2013 at 5:03 PM

Crime, Non-Sequiturs, Philosophy, Pornography, Sex, Sex Scandals, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns

Non-Sequiturs: 09.18.13

By Joe Patrice

He may not look like much, but this little guy’s name is ‘John Holmes’ for a reason.

* A woman and her husband are charged with making dog porn, which is… well, it’s filming dogs having their way with the woman. So if you’re in North Carolina and get called for jury duty, that might be in your future. [Huffington Post Weird]
* Instead of a gun fight over getting cut off in traffic or someone dissing a sports team, this Russian guy opened fire with rubber bullets over an argument about Immanuel Kant. Much more cultured over there. [Critical-Theory]
* Gypsy family tries to pay bail with gold and the state judge cried foul, probably because he feared he was being… ugh. What followed was a thorough investigation of Romany culture. [New York Times]
* Judges in Chicago have to comply with a small sampling of the demeaning security procedures everyone else has had to deal with for the last 12 years and they deal with it graciously throw an absolute bitchfit. I mean, their complaints are sound, but still… [Chicago Sun-Times]
* Man held by authorities for peacefully protesting a photo enforced traffic light. Some things, like a guaranteed stream of city income, are too important to let free speech get in the way. [Autoblog]
* A judge has ordered a new trial for the cops convicted of the Danziger Bridge slayings in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Among the reasons, the prosecutors were writing disparaging comments about the defendants on online comments sections. As if anyone takes internet commenters seriously. [The Times-Picayune]
* Only a few more hours to register for this event featuring Kathy Ruemmler, counsel to President Obama, talking about women in law, leadership, and government. [Ms. JD]

Massachusetts man who authorities say plotted to kill and eat his children

13 Sep 2013 at 4:28 PM

American Constitution Society (ACS), Crime, DUI / DWI, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Jury Duty, Music, Non-Sequiturs, Religion, SCOTUS, Supreme Court

Non-Sequiturs: 09.13.13

By Joe Patrice

* A lawyer fresh out of law school botched a domestic violence case by gushing all over Tom Hanks… who was serving as a juror. Which, in fairness, was awfully Big of him. [TMZ]
* Federal prosecutors are seeking at least 27 years in prison for a Massachusetts man who authorities say plotted to kill and eat his children based on a search of his home and car, which is presumably a Saturn. As one law professor observed, “Perhaps the lawyer will make a free exercise argument and claim that eating children is a requirement of his religion.” [CNN]
* If you’re going to drink and drive, be sure to toss a few back with the judge first. [KVUE]
* A criminal defense lawyer who begins every cross by making the cop look more humane and respectable. I thought the public defender from My Cousin Vinny was the lowest criminal defense could go in the comical incompetence department. [Katz Justice]
* Putin crony claims 100 percent of profits in a “public” oil company by flat ignoring minority shareholders. Shhhh! Stop giving Exxon ideas. [Breaking Energy]
* Elizabeth Wurtzel knows music (a subject she covered for the New Yorker for New York Magazine). In this article, she writes about The Replacements (something Wurtzel has made her past employers, including Boies Schiller, become familiar with). [The Daily Beast]
* On Monday, the American Constitution Society will host a preview of the upcoming Supreme Court session. Panelists include Pamela Harris, Randy Barnett, Joshua Civin, Andrew Pincus, and David Strauss. [American Constitution Society]
* Then next Tuesday, The Cato Institute’s Center for Constitutional Studies will host a symposium titled “The Supreme Court: Past and Prologue: A Look at the October 2012 and 2013 Terms.” Panelists include Tom Goldstein, Marcia Coyle, and Howard Bashman. [How Appealing]

Sorority offered free drinks to members to vote in Tuscaloosa City Board of Education race

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By Melissa Brown | mbrown@al.com al.com
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on August 28, 2013 at 8:00 AM, updated August 28, 2013 at 4:52 PM

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Vans, limousines and at least one bus were seen picking up people along University of Alabama's sorority row Tuesday afternoon, shuttling them to and from the District 4 polling station a few blocks away. (Melissa Brown/al.com)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- A University of Alabama Greek organization offered incentives to members in exchange for voting in the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education election, according to an email obtained by AL.com Monday.

The email, sent to sorority members residing in District 4 from a ranking member of the chapter's executive board, encourages members to vote for Cason Kirby and Lee Garrison in exchange for incentives including free drinks at two local bars and limousine transportation to the polls.
Kirby challenged incumbent Kelly Horwitz for the District 4 seat and Garrison ran for board chair against Denise Hills. Both were elected by slim margins in Tuesday's election, though neither Horwitz nor Hills conceded the race by the end of the day.
(All punctuation and emphasis is found in the original email.)
"In a list that was e-mailed to me this weekend, y'all are the only [members] registered in the specific district that are allowed to vote," the email states. "Cason Kirby, a past SGA president of the University of Alabama is running for the City Board of Education, and Lee Garrison a UA Alum is also running."
"They would really appreciate/need your vote to win this election. It's going to be really tight, and it is SO IMPORTANT that they get the Greek Vote. I told both of them that I would do my best to make sure that I got every Chi O that was registered to the polls. There is a big incentive for you going as well!!"
The email goes on to list five "incentives," including that both the sorority and individuals who vote would receive points to go toward UA's Panhellenic and the sorority's in-house point systems, which reward participation within the system.
In addition, the author states "they rented out Innisfree and Moe's" -- two downtown Tuscaloosa bars -- and wristbands good for one free drink at each venue and free cover would be made available to members who showed an "I Voted" sticker to the sorority representative.

[See also: PAC money, student voter fraud allegations lead up to contentious school board elections]

On Tuesday night, many Innisfree patrons wore matching wristbands, though no wristbands were offered at the front gate. Cason Kirby was seen celebrating his election with friends and family.
A variety of vehicles, including stretch limousines and a large passenger bus, were seen along sorority row Tuesday, shuttling passengers to and from the District 4 polling station several blocks away.
Students have been more vocally involved in this year's school board campaign than in years past, with the College Democrats canvassing on behalf of Kelly Horwitz and several sororities and fraternities displaying Cason Kirby placards in their front lawns.

On Friday, TV station WVUA reported that 10 unrelated people are registered to vote in a single family home in District 4.
WVUA reports that a resident in the home said his "fraternity pledge brothers" are using the house as a residence to vote, but don't actually live inside the home.