Getting A SLAPP

Forgive Me For Trespassing In The Effluent-Laden Waters Of Politics

I'm not asking, I'm telling.  Remember who's got the Remote Nuclear Detonator here.  

     In today's Intro we are going to take a look at South Canadian law and politics.  The first is notable for it's restrained language, the second for being over-the-top and flamboyant.  This also involves Citizen Trump, so you may want to put on a blindfold and sing the National Anthem instead.

     For Facebook purposes, however, we need a picture that's not going to repel readers, so let me tickle Art with this cattle-prod -

"Sarah was about to make a sinister discovery ..."

     This is a shot from "The Brain Of Morbius" and you  can see why this particular "Doctor Who" drama-mentary got that title.  Another nod to our fascination with brains in bottles, you might say.  Of course - obviously! - it wouldn't be DW without a monster, and we eventually get Morbius' brain in a patchwork monster Frankenstein'd together by a mad doctor.  Not The doctor, just a bonkers one, played by the splendidly sinister Philip Madoc.  Art!

     Sorry, that was an aside.  Where were we?

     O yes.  You may remember when Citizen Trump lost the 2020 election and had his lawyers make 60 cases in court, supposedly about election fraud.  However, whilst the lawyers would happily chat about election fraud on the courthouse steps, once in court they would go on about how this case was to do with the stripes in toothpaste or it's unfair that the Moon isn't made of green cheese.  Judges, you see, take a verrrrry dim view of perjury, especially from lawyers, and most especially from lawyers without any evidence.  Art!

     This is Alina Habba, one of Citizen Trump's lawyers.  She's not that good, but vanishingly few lawyers will work for Trump because he's seen as a toxic brand, he stiffs people on their payment and he won't listen to legal advice.  So he's stuck with her.

     Now, it seems, judges are fed up with frivolous legal claims submitted by Ms. Habba on behalf of Citizen Trump, because she's been hit with a $937,000 sanction for bringing a case against Hilary Clinton.  District Judge Middlebrooks said "This case should never have been brought. Its inadequacy as a legal claim was evident from the start. No reasonable lawyer would have filed it. Intended for a political purpose, none of the counts of the amended complaint stated a cognizable legal claim,"

     The judge's order runs to 46 pages, so I can't do much more than give a flavour of the whole thing.  Suffice it to say that Judge Middlebrooks is deeply unhappy at what he considers to be political interference with the judicial system in order to satisfy The Drugged-Out Man-Baby's* ego and thirst for revenge.  Art!

     Have some more citric commentary: 

“provocative and boastful rhetoric,” “a political narrative carried over from rallies,” disregard for legal principles, attacks on the news media and “when a ruling is adverse, accusations of bias on the part of judges.”

     Because Citizen Trump doesn't like being told what to do, or losing, he will undoubtedly appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, who will reject his appeal as they always do.  In fact the only judge who showed any sympathy for him was Judge Cannon (the 'Special Master' lady), who was only recently given a severe dressing-down from her Circuit court superiors, and who will now be stuck with all the very worst cases until she either retires or gives up.

     It's also quite possible that Citizen Trump will attempt to save on costs by not paying Habba as he's done this before to his legal team, who had to sue him for their salaries after winning a case for him.  As I said above, this is one reason no major law firm wants to work with him.  Canny Chris Kise got his $3,000,000 fee up front before joining Team Trump.

     Ah, South Canada - a fruitful source of blog content!

Lord Peter's Crossword

Don't fret, we're over half-way through this beast.  Just think how reading the clues and solutions is broadening your mind!  Today the 'clue' is: "Highest and lowest both to me lay claim, The little hyssop and the king of fame."

     And the solution?  SCARLET

     Conrad is guessing that the 'Hyssop' in question is a flower?  Art!

     The 'King of fame'?  No idea.  Scarlet King?  King Scarlet?  Art!

Close enough

"The Sea Of Sand"

The Doctor, having  gotten an inventory of the supply depot, is carefully considering carnage.

‘Useful and important because the bio-vores have no knowledge or experience of liquid fuel or it’s use as a weapon.  Nor do they know anything about x-ray equipment, because their world lacks the trans-uranic elements that produce radiation.’

          Most of the audience looked blank, though Sarah nodded and tried to seem knowledgeable.

          ‘A person with sufficient background knowledge and experience could use the radiation source in that x-ray machine to construct an atomic bomb, for example,’ said the Doctor in a blasé tone.

          ‘What!’ exclaimed most of the listeners at once.

          ‘You sound like something from H G Wells,’ snorted Roger.  Then, struck by a sudden inspiration, his face broke into an expression of surprise and excitement.  ‘I say!  You don’t think these aliens might get laid low like the Martians - ’

          ‘No!’  The Doctor’s tone was forceful.  ‘Insufficient genetic similarity.  There won’t be any such deus ex machina here, Lieutenant.  This is your world and you will have to fight for it.’

          Tenente Dominione and the Italians had most of the conversation explained to them by Sarah, who stumbled a little when translating “atomic bomb”.

     Like something out of the pulps, hmmmm?

"The War Illustrated"

We've not had one of these for a while, because the Intro has taken up so much of the daily content.  Art!

     These are Moroccan Goumiers, French colonial troops with a frightening reputation for cruelty, who made the Teutons feel very unloved.  Good with pointy stabby things and not inclined to bother about the Geneva Convention very much.  They were part of General Juin's army in Italy and were dab hands at mountain warfare, playing a very important part in forcing the Teutons out of Cassino.  Art!

     Conrad's unsure why they put this picture in, as it dates from 1941 rather than late 1943 as the date on the cover.  Here we have the aircraft carrier HMS 'Illustrious' after being hit by bombs, and burning.  The fire was fought for six hours until she docked at Valetta in Malta.  Despite what you see, it could have been worse, because the decks of British aircraft carriers were armoured, unlike South Canadian ones.

Finally -

Right!  My step-count is way down, so a constitutional into Royton beckons.  Not only that, I shall be taking a few paperbacks in to hand over in a charity shop, to better balance the books-in/books-out ratio.  Three Josephine Tey novels, before you ask, because they're murder mysteries and once I've read them I shall not forget who dunnit nor how.  Art!

Recognised at last!

     It's a shame she didn't write more <sad face>.  O well, we've hit the word count, time to get marching!

*  Joe Rogan's words, not mine