The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Off The Shelf

Posted on | August 15, 2014 | 13 Comments

— by Wombat-socho


This week we have something old (but repackaged) something new (but also repackaged) and something else new that isn’t repackaged, all from the shelves of the Fairfax County Library. Let’s start with the oldest of the three, A.E. van Vogt’s Transgalactic, which is interesting for a number of reasons. First, van Vogt himself was one of the premier authors of SF’s Golden Age, with classics such as Slan, The World of Null-A, and The Weapon Shops of Isher. Many of these were “fix-up” novels, cobbled together from short stories originally published in Astounding, and Transgalactic inverts that in an interesting way by reprinting the stories that made up Empire of the Atom and The Wizard of Linn as the separate short stories they once were. Harshly criticized by Damon Knight, Empire of the Atom and its sequel are of course riffs on Robert Graves’ classic I, Claudius, except that Clane Linn’s world is a post-apocalyptic “Rome” where atomic science has become a religion, examples of lost technology are everywhere, and the barbaricum is on Mars and Venus. In my opinion, this is the best part of the book; the other two parts – two short novels about men and the extremely lethal ezwal of Carson’s World, and three more from The Mixed Men weren’t nearly as interesting. Still, if you enjoy old-fashioned SF where the Big Idea tends to drown out the plot and the characters now and again, you could do a lot worse than pick up Transgalactic.


Hugh Howey has become one of the authors on the front lines in the current kerfluffle between Amazon and legacy publisher Hachette, and his novel Wool is one of the reasons. Originally rejected by major publishers, Howey published Wool with a small press and then on Kindle Direct Publishing, which is where it took off, selling so well that Simon & Schuster eventually offered him a contract to publish Wool – which he took, but wisely retained the e-publishing rights. The book itself is a fascinating dystopic tale of a city built in what sounds very much like a scaled-up missile silo, with tight controls on behavior and breeding and the ultimate punishment being assigned to “cleaning” – going out into the uninhabitable outer world and cleaning the lenses that give the silo its view of the outside. The wheels start coming off when several people discover that IT has been sabotaging the cleaners’ suits and faking the views of the outside. The first two citizens to find out that IT’s been faking the view -the silo’s Sheriff and his wife – are sentenced to cleaning and die, but the third one, a new Sheriff appointed from the ranks of the maintenance technicians, figures out the sabotage and manages to get a suit prepared that doesn’t break down…and not only refuses to do the cleaning, but manages to make her way to another silo that seems to be abandoned – or wrecked by rebellion. It’s a compelling story, and although Howey paid attention to his readers’ reactions as he was writing, the book definitely doesn’t seem written by committee. I enjoyed it, and I expect you probably will too.


Finally we come to Mark Van Name’s One Jump Ahead. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since my only previous exposure to Van Name’s work had been “A Clear Signal” in the anthology Foreign Legions, and that hadn’t moved me much one way or the other. Still, David Drake seems to think highly of him, so I figured I’d give it a try. It’s about a man (Jon) with the ability to create and coexist with nanobots in his body (something the science in this book holds to be impossible) who comes into possession of a light cybertank with spaceflight capability (Lobo) after taking care of a kidnapping for a corporate exec. While trying get the parts to bring Lobo up to 100%, Jon becomes aware that a bounty’s been placed on his head, and he spends the rest of the novel -in contrast to the title – one jump behind, saved on several occasions by his cybernetic partner and a former comrade he’s hired for the job of snatching the exec he thinks is trying to have him killed. It was an okay novel, definitely passable brain candy, but it didn’t make me want to run right out and grab the sequel.


And if science fiction doesn’t interest you, there’s always this. 😉


Category: Books

So Nice, We’re Doing It Twice

Posted on | August 15, 2014 | 19 Comments

— by Wombat-socho


So, El Jefe De Oro calls me yesterday afternoon to let me know that while this idea of doing a Field Expedient Smittypalooza next month is all well and good, he’d like to see all y’alls’ smiling faces a little earlier than that, preferably in mid-week sometime. Consulting my calendar to see when I’m going to get paid again, it looks like the most opportune time for this knees-up would be the week of August 24-30, which isn’t quite two weeks warning, but it’s the best we can do without shoving things into August. I am tentatively looking at Wednesday the 27th or Thursday the 28th, probably at the RockIt Grill mentioned by Smitty in the comments of the last post since it’s convenient to the Metro. Leave suggestions, RSVPs, and appropriate image macros in the comments.


Also, in case nothing better comes along, this will serve as the Friday Morning Open Thread.


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Category: Uncategorized

LIVE AT FIVE: 08.15.14

Posted on | August 15, 2014 | 9 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Missouri Governor Nixon Orders Highway Patrol To Take Over Security In Ferguson

Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, a native of Ferguson, walks with demonstrators Thursday

Johnson orders armored vehicles kept away, gas masks put away
Politicians unite in calling for police to be demilitarized
Obama calls for calm in Ferguson
Police faulted over use of military tactics in Ferguson




New Gaza Truce Holding After Shaky Start
No further violence after IDF bombers strike following Hamas rocket fire
Palestinians voice optimism as truce holds

Embattled Iraqi PM Al-Maliki Steps Down
Announces he’ll support successor Haider Al-Abadi



POLITICS
First Wave Of National Guardsmen Takes Up Posts On Texas’ Border With Mexico

A Guardsman exits an observation tower in Hidalgo, Texas

Soldiers bolstering police, Border Patrol by putting more eyes on the border


CO Governor Hickenlooper Struggling To Fend Off GOP Challenger


How The IRS Botched A Case Of Identity Theft

Hawaii Judge Rejects Hanabusa Protest, Says Makeup Vote Will Proceed As Planned

Chuck Todd Replacing David Gregory On “Meet The Press” As Gregory Leaves NBC

Prosecution Rests In McDonnell Case

NY Pols Want Federal Investigation Of Eric Garner’s Death

Mayor Emanuel Blames Middle-Class Crunch For Dismal Poll Numbers



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Asian Crude Recovers From Nosedive On Bargain Hunting, Downbeat Global Economic Data: WTI $95.66, Brent $102.62
Asian Shares Poised To End Week On Up Note
Coca-Cola’s Monster Deal Turns Founders Into Billionaires
JCPenney’s Earnings Enthuse Wall Street
Pershing Square Capital Management To Sue Feds Over Fannie, Freddie Mortgage Profits
Berkshire Hathaway Stock Tops $200K
Samsung Snaps Up SmartThings, Embracing Internet Of Things
Intel, 50 Cent’s SMS Audio Team Up On Headphones That Track Your Heart Rate
New Mobile Market Data Shows It’s Android, Android Uber Alles
Spring iOS App Simplifies Mobile Shopping
NYT: Make Internet Providers Public Utilities For Net Neutrality



SPORTS
Rob Manfred Elected Commissioner – But Not Before Jerry Reinsdorf Acts Like An Obnoxious Jerk

Ladies and gentlemen, the new commissioner of Major League Baseball

Hardline owners upset with Manfred for negotiating three player agreements without a strike, apparently
Tom Werner’s ideas worth a look

Pedro Martinez: Bonds, Clemens Belong In Cooperstown

Fish Rally, Edge Snakes 5-4 In 10th

Dee Gordon Scores Four As Dodgers Top Braves 6-4

Feldman Pounded As Astros Fall To Red Sox 9-4

Royals Break Loose In Seventh, Beat A’s 7-3

Keith Olbermann Is Mad As Hell At The NY Daily News

Odorizzi Shines As Rays Beat Rangers 6-3

Scherzer K’s 14, Tigers Top Pirates 5-2

Nats Beat Mets For 11th Straight Win In Queens



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Lindsay Lohan Reveals Stage Fright Ahead Of Theater Debut

“Excited about rehearsals”

“I’ve never done a play before. I’ve never even taken acting lessons, I’ve never done anything like that and it’s something new to me and it’s live.”

Robin Williams Was In Early Stages Of Parkinson’s, Says Wife

Kendall Jenner Threatens To Sue Waitress Over Inadvertent Dine & Dash

“Today” Show Anchor Savannah Guthrie: It’s A Girl!

Michael Strahan And Nicole Murphy Together Again?

Elvis Presley’s Granddaughter Engaged To Stuntman

Reese Witherspoon, Dancing Queen

Betty Boop Movie In The Works With Simon Cowell

Derek Hough Joins Cast Of ABC’s “Nashville”

Alice Eve Engaged To High School Sweetheart

Christina Aguilera Wants To Pose Nude For Playboy After Delivering Her Second Baby

Farrah Abraham Working At Austin Strip Club, Claims She’s Doing Research

Chelsea Handler Goes Topless In Instagram Photo

Billy Joel Donates Proceeds Of May MSG Show To Help Homeless Animals

Real Life “Orange Is The New Black” Character Lands Book Deal

“Star Wars Episode VII” To Resume Filming This Month



FOREIGNERS
Putin Sounds Conciliatory Note On Visit To Crimea
Chinese Catholics Cheer Pope’s Visit To South Korea
Two Japanese Cabinet Ministers Pay Visit To Yasukuni Shrine
Abbott: Iraq Aid Flights Will Continue Until Refugees Are Safe
Narendra Modi Vows To Fix Government Muddle In I-Day Speech
Ukraine Rebel Leader Igor Strelkov Resigns
Four Jihadis Killed, Eight Police Injured In Attack On Quetta Airbase
US Halts Hellfire Missile Transfer To Israel
Chicom Cops Open Fire On Tibetan Protesters, Ten Injured
Fears Of Political Instability As Tens Of Thousands March On Karachi
Supporters Of Haiti’s Aristide Accuse Authorities Of Persecution



BLOGS & STUFF
The Quinton Report: Navy Lodges To Put Bibles Back In Rooms
Doug Powers: Head Of Fraternal Order Of Police Says Obama “Discussing Tactics From Martha’s Vineyard Not Helpful”
Twitchy: NH Senator Jeanne Shaheen Stalked By Giant Chicken
American Power: Police Militarization
American Thinker: Seven Reasons The ACA Pot Keeps Boiling Over
BLACKFIVE: Robin Williams, Depression, Our Troops – And An Appeal
Conservatives4Palin: Who’s The Real Quitter, Mr. Begich?
Don Surber: Political Scoreboard, August 14
Joe For America: Mark Udall In Trouble In Colorado
JustOneMinute: That Was Easy! Or Not…
Protein Wisdom: Outlawing Liberty
Shot In The Dark: Trulbert! Part V – Atlas Hocked
The Gateway Pundit: Ferguson’s Michael Brown Pictured Flashing Gang Signs
The Jawa Report: “Peaceful” Muslims Joined ISIS Slaughter Of Yazidis
The Lonely Conservative: Mexican Billionaire Wants US To Find Jobs For Illegals
This Ain’t Hell: Urination Video Marine Found Dead
Weasel Zippers: Hollywood Moonbat Rob Reiner Compares Tea Party With Hamas, Says They Need To Be “Eliminated”
Megan McArdle: Money Won’t Buy Your Kids A Future


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Category: Live at Five

The Unspeakably Vile David Brock

Posted on | August 14, 2014 | 10 Comments

The latest news from Evil, Inc.:

In a major power play that aligns liberal muscle more fully behind the Democratic Party — and Hillary Clinton — the self-described right-wing hitman-turned-Clinton enforcer David Brock is taking over a leading watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Brock was elected chairman of the group’s board last week after laying out a multifaceted expansion intended to turn the group into a more muscular — and likely partisan — attack dog, according to sources familiar with the move.

Regular Right Guy has this commentary:

But just so no one has to guess at who Brock had to bl*w to get his money, it was George Soros.

I once actually met David Brock. In 1999 or 2000, as I recall, Salon.com had a big event at Union Station in D.C. At that time, David Horowitz was the token conservative columnist at Salon.com, and I managed to wangle press credentials to cover the panel he was speaking on. Horowitz and I were already acquainted, because I’d done a feature article about his latest book. After the panel discussion, I sort of tagged along while Horowitz made his way through a huge reception, with 300 or 400 people, many of them media/political types who rank as celebrities inside the Beltway.

So we’re making our way through this crowded cocktail party when we encountered David Brock. Horowitz stopped briefly to chat, just a two- or three-sentence exchange of necessary social courtesy.

Merely a spectator, I was struck by Brock’s languid, blasé manner. He reminded me of certain dopeheads I used to know in the late 1970s — “dudes on ‘ludes,” we called ’em, referencing the popular tranquilizer Qaalude. Maybe Brock was stone sober that night. I don’t know. But my distinct impression was that he was on something — maybe cold medicine, maybe Valium, maybe Prozac, or maybe he’d just had too many glasses of wine at the reception.

When he later became head of Media Matters, I didn’t pay much attention, figuring that Brock’s job was as a figurehead money-magnet — the “name brand” who schmoozed the donors, rather than actually doing any work. In 2012, when the Daily Caller reported on Brock’s “volatile and erratic behavior and struggles with mental illness,” I was not surprised. He’s just a creepy guy.

Bad causes attract bad people. Q.E.D.

 

Category: Liberals, Media Bias

Elementary School Teacher’s Lesbian Affair Causes Texas Political Scandal

Posted on | August 14, 2014 | 54 Comments

Corinne Saenz (left) and her lesbian girlfriend Ermicin Paredes (right).

In 2002, elementary school teacher Corrine Morris Rodriguez Saenz married attorney Jonathan Saenz. By 2010, the couple had three children, while Jonathan Saenz rose to political prominence:

Jonathan M. Saenz, Esq., is the President of Texas Values, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving and advancing a culture of family values in the state of Texas.
Prior to leading Texas Values, Jonathan headed the Liberty Institute offices at the Texas Capitol in Austin where he served as Director of Legislative Affairs and Attorney for Liberty Institute. He frequently presents research, analysis, and testimony before the Texas Legislature, State Board of Education, and other government entities on various issues affecting faith, family, and freedom.
Jonathan believes in religious liberty, sanctity of human life, family values, and constitutional rights and has been involved in numerous court cases, including cases before the Texas Supreme Court and the United State Supreme Court.

When you’re doing the Lord’s work, it’s important to remember that Satan will be working full-time to do everything he can to destroy you, and in Texas, the state satanic headquarters is in Austin.

Corrine Saenz was teaching at Becker Elementary School in Austin where, according to court records, she met fellow teacher Ercimin Paredes, who became her lesbian lover. Corinne Saenz became “deeply involved in her relationship with Ms. Paredes as early as the fall of 2010,” according to a document filed by her husband. The Saenzes separated in July 2011. Corinne filed for divorce a month later, and her husband initially opposed the divorce. In February 2012, a court issued an order forbidding Corinne’s lesbian girlfriend from “from being in the presence of the [Saenz] children,” and also ordering Corinne to undergo psychiatric evaluation. Ultimately, Corinne’s demand for a divorce was granted, and joint custody was awarded, with no stipulation as to the children and Corinne’s partner.

For some reason, the liberal media is treating this story as a Republican sex scandal, although it strikes me that Jonathan Saenz is the injured party, and that it is his ex-wife who is inflicting emotional damage on their children: “Mommy doesn’t love Daddy anymore. Mommy’s a lesbian now. Don’t worry, kids. Daddy will pay for your psychiatrist and your anti-depressant prescriptions.”

 

Category: Education, Gays, Scandal, Sex

LIVE AT FIVE: 08.14.14

Posted on | August 14, 2014 | 6 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
As Riots In Ferguson Continue For Fourth Night, Police Respond With Tear Gas To Molotov Cocktails

Police responding with tear gas and smoke bombs

Protesters and reporters arrested at McDonald’s
Officer’s name still being withheld
Body of Michael Brown released to family
Ferguson police chief defends his officers


Two Journalists, Four Hamas EOD Men Killed In Bomb Disposal Accident
Over 1000 unexploded bombs, missiles, etc. retrieved since ceasefire went into effect

Yazidis On Mount Sinjar Freed
Kurdish force with US air support breaks jihadi siege



POLITICS
CA Governor Brown Signs $7.5 Billion Water Spending Bill

A tire rests on the dry bed of Lake Mendocino, a key reservoir in Ukiah

Compromise struck between reservoir construction and conservation efforts


Rift Grows Between Obama, Media As Journalists Blast Administration Spin



Gay Marriage Could Be Legal In Virginia August 20 Unless Supremes Grant Stay

Pro-Gun Milwaukee Sheriff Defeats Rival Despite Bloomberg Opposition, Spending

Private Sector Steps Up To Protect Power Grid As Feds Stall

LA To Pay $26 Million After Banning Garbage Workers’ Naps

Fox Poll Shows Majorities Disapprove Of Obama On Iraq, Israel, And Ukraine



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Asian Crude Bounces Back From 13-Month Low: WTI $97.31, Brent $103.78
Cisco Cutting 6000 Jobs As CEO Forecasts Stagnant Growth
Shares, Bonds Rally As Investors Bank On Endless Stimulus
Biotech Stocks Lift Wall Street; Dow Back In The Black For 2014
Unions Rack Up Wins At Virgin America, Macy’s

Gov. Patrick Urges Market Basket Workers To Return To Work
Samsung Pins Its Hopes On Galaxy Alpha’s Metal Frame
Charter Weighs Options On Time Warner Cable Financing
Echoes Of Y2K: Engineers Buzz That Internet Is Outgrowing Its Gear
Senator Urges FCC To Hold Net Neutrality Hearings Outside Washington
Sony PS4 Sales Surge Past 10 Million Mark



SPORTS
Search For MLB Commissioner Selig’s Successor Gets Dirty

The Prince of Insufficient Light

Owners’ quarterly meeting in Baltimore next week will probably generate more drama than anything between the lines
Mark Cuban warns MLB not to pick another dictator



Braves Get Elusive 3-2 Win Against Dodgers

Cardinals’ Masterson Dominates Fish For 5-2 Win

Weaver Keeps It Close, Kendrick & Boesch Get 2 RBI Each To Beat Phillies

Twins Take Rubber Game From Astros 3-1

Vargas Goes The Distance As Royals Blank A’s 3-0

Bombs Away As Rays Rout Rangers 10-1

O’s Rally For Four In The Eighth, Top Yankees 5-3

Mets Rally Falls Short In 3-2 Loss To Nationals



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
“Game Of Thrones” Star Sophie Turner Picked To Play Mary Shelley In Frankenstein Remake

Will play Mary Shelley opposite Jeremy Irvine as Percy Shelley

“Mary Shelley’s Monster” to be more about Mary than the monster


Ciara’s Future Doesn’t Include Future


Robin Williams’ Daughter Zelda Abandons Twitter Due To Trolls


Gwyneth Paltrow Dating “Glee” Co-Creator Brad Falchuk

No Jail For Justin Bieber As He Cops Plea In Careless Driving Case

“Dancing With The Stars” Season 19 Pros Announced

“Teen Mom” Stars Catelyn Lowell, Maci Bookout, And Amber Portwood Returning For New Season

“Guardians Of The Galaxy” Soundtrack Hits #1 On Billboard Hot 200

Chris Brown Gets Glowing Probation Report, Judge Orders Less Drug Testing

The Undeniable, Indescribable Appeal Of Idris Elba

Dog’s On The Hunt For War Machine…And The Clock Is Ticking

Tom Hiddleston Courted For “Ben-Hur” Title Role

Lifetime To Air Brittany Murphy Biopic

“Gossip Girl” Star In Custody Fight Feels Betrayed By US Justice System



FOREIGNERS
Russian Aid Convoy Blocked As Ukraine Fears Invasion Pretext
Tony Abbott Visits Troops Involved In Iraq Humanitarian Air Drops
Pope Francis Sends Message To Beijing, But Some Chinese Unable To Attend Papal Event
Renewed Gaza Ceasefire Off To Shaky Start
Brazilian Presidential Candidate Campos Killed In Plane Crash
Saudis Give UN $100 Million To Fight Terrorism
Europe Divided Over Iraq Crisis As Hopes Of Coordinated Response Falter
Kerry Pushes Thailand On Rights
Poachers Force Massive Rhino Evacuation From South Africa’s Kruger National Park
Singer Who Tried To Smuggle 20,000 Euros To Turkey In Her Panties Cleared Of Terrorism Aid Charges
Canadian Sect Leaders Face New Polygamy Charges
Letter From Ayatollah Sistani Turned Maliki’s Dawa Party Against Him



BLOGS & STUFF
The Quinton Report: Norks Fire Missiles As Pope Francis Arrives In South Korea
Cobb: Obligatory Seriousness On The Killing Of Michael Brown
Michelle Malkin: The K Street President
Twitchy: “Spoiler Alert” – White House Having A “Good Time” While Ferguson Burns
American Power: Germany’s Beautiful Scrap Metal Ladies
American Thinker: What’s Inside Those 280 Russian “Humanitarian Aid” Trucks Headed For The Ukraine Border?
BLACKFIVE: Free Book For You (Tom Kratman’s TRAINING FOR WAR)
Conservatives4Palin: Gov. Palin – Obama’s Betrayal Of American Workers
Don Surber: Political Scoreboard, August 13
Joe For America: Planned Parenthood Covering Up Rapes Of Underage Girls
JustOneMinute: Ground Troops In Iraq?
Protein Wisdom: Guerrillas In Our Midst
Shot In The Dark: Priorities
STUMP: Public Pensions Watch – NEW JERSEY HAS A COMMISSION!
The Gateway Pundit: Ferguson Protesters Lash Out At Obama, Sharpton – “You Haven’t Changed Nuthin. F*ck Y’all!”
The Jawa Report: When Islamists Dialogue
The Lonely Conservative: NY Dem Wants Food Prices To Rise
This Ain’t Hell: Obama – Bush’s Fault He Withdrew Troops From Iraq
Weasel Zippers: Simon & Schuster Passes On Book By Bergdahl’s Platoon Mates Because “It Could Be Used Against Obama”
Megan McArdle: Only Stupid People Call People Stupid


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Category: Live at Five

Smittypalooza? Delayed Victory Celebration? Whatever!

Posted on | August 13, 2014 | 29 Comments

— by Wombat-socho


People have been suggesting that we do another Smittypalooza or similar get-together for a while now, but nobody has suggested a venue. Given a year to work with and a staff of at least a dozen, I could probably rent a hotel and accommodate about a thousand folks – oh, wait, I’m thinking about anime conventions. Never mind. I’m going to go ahead and set a date – September 12 – and see if I can find someplace in Fairfax County where we can have some quiet drinks, conversation, and bar food that won’t remind people of CPAC’s legendary #UnsustainableBarTab. I am of course open to suggestions; a small neighborhood venue is preferred over some noisy sports bar like Buffalo Wild Wings, and a hotel bar/lounge is absolutely the last resort unless someone knows one that doesn’t charge far, far out the ass for potables and nibblements.


Post suggestions in the comments. I hope to have settled on a location with Stacy and Smitty no later than Labor Day.


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Category: smittypalooza

Sue Me Again, You Evil Liar

Posted on | August 13, 2014 | 70 Comments

“Brett Kimberlin is a pedophile,” Ali A. Akbar said Tuesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court, as he concluded his argument for dismissing the notorious bomber’s $1 million Maryland defamation lawsuit, Kimberlin v. Walker, et al. Forty-five minutes later, Judge Eric Johnson issued his ruling, finding in favor of the defendants: bloggers Aaron Walker and John Hoge, Akbar and me.

The two-day trial concluded without the defendants ever having to put on the case for our innocence. Kimberlin presented his case — calling all four defendants as witnesses, presenting examples of our writing and even putting his own 15-year-old daughter on the witness stand to testify she was never molested by her 59-year-old father. When the plaintiff rested his case, the defense moved for dismissal.

Attorney and free-speech advocate Ken White writes at Popehat:

After the close of Kimberlin’s day of “evidence,” the judge granted a motion for a directed verdict against him. Under Maryland law, that means the judge necessary found “a total failure of legally sufficient evidence to prove” Kimberlin’s remaining defamation claim. The judge didn’t just find Kimberlin’s evidence unpersuasive; he effectively found it irrelevant. . . .
Furthermore, even though the court ruled that Kimberlin could testify on his own behalf (despite a statute suggesting that people convicted of perjury may not), Kimberlin did not testify. Perhaps he was concerned about how testifying would expose him to a cross-examination that would lovingly recount his history of lawlessness, sociopathy, and crazed litigiousness. Perhaps he recognized the risk of a new perjury charge. Perhaps he realized that he would look ridiculous questioning himself. Perhaps he never planned to, and the purpose of this was always mere harassment. . . .
This result bodes well for Kimberlin’s remaining ludicrous and vexatious claims in federal court against a wide variety of people and institutions. The federal court will see the result and, no doubt, view Kimberlin with even more skepticism. The state ruling may have legal effect in the federal case — let’s let Brett Kimberlin discover why and how. And, most importantly, the trial shows that for all his braggadocio about having filed a hundred suits, Brett Kimberlin is too nutty and disorganized to do even a half-assed job in court. If only one could litigate by drug dealing, perjuring, and blowing the leg off innocent bystanders, he would have been an elite courtroom attorney.

Judge Johnson’s ruling Monday to let Kimberlin testify despite his 1973 perjury conviction (see chapter 7, pp. 46-50, of Kimberlin’s 1996 authorized biography, Citizen K) was the divine green light for Ali Akbar’s decision to go pro se, representing himself at the trial. Our highly competent attorney, F. Patrick Ostronic, had represented us pro bono since Kimberlin filed his meritless and vexatious suit nearly a year ago. Ostronic’s handling of pre-trial motions was as extraordinarily skillful as Kimberlin’s was inept. For example, Ostronic successfully argued that several of the allegations that Kimberlin made in his lawsuit — conspiracy, stalking, harassment, yadda, yadda, yadda — simply were not recognized as causes for civil claims under Maryland law. Stalking and harassment are crimes, not torts, and by suing us for these claims, Kimberlin was effectively attempting to appoint himself as prosecuting attorney, a role the infamous felon clearly covets for himself.

Any student of Christian theology knows that Satan is always the accuser, torturing us with the guilt of our sins, dishonestly attempting to convince us that our wickedness places us beyond the help of God’s grace. At the Day of Judgment, confronted by the infinite righteousness of God, we shall be unable to save ourselves from eternal destruction, except to claim the blood of Jesus as having atoned for our sins. Thus, to become a Christian requires first that we acknowledge what wretched sinners we are — “total human depravity,” in Calvinist doctrine, “sinners in the hands of an angry God,” as Jonathan Edwards so memorably phrased it — utterly helpless to deserve salvation by our own merit, and completely dependent on God’s mercy.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray that God’s will may be done “on earth as it is in heaven,” and there are times when divine providence is made so apparent by signs and wonders that the faithful may see the earthly path that God shows. So there was a lot of prayer Monday night, and it was as if God himself was telling Ali to go pro se. When Ali announced this decision in the courtroom, Judge Johnson called him, Ostronic and Kimberlin to the bench where, in a conference, the judge urged Ali to reconsider, and Kimberlin (himself proceeding as his own attorney) actually tried to argue that Ali shouldn’t be allowed to represent himself.

Bingo.

This is what poker players call a “tell.” Kimberlin’s haphazard and arguably unethical methods as a pro se plaintiff have been a weapon in his nearly four-year lawfare campaign against his critics, dating back to October 2010, when he sued Seth Allen and threatened to sue Patrick “Patterico” Frey and Mandy Nagy, writing in an e-mail to Patterico:

“I have filed over a hundred lawsuits and another
one will be no sweat for me. On the other hand,
it will cost you a lot of time and money . . .”

Judges don’t want to do anything prejudicial to a pro se litigant, which might allow him to appeal on the basis of perceived unfairness. In effect, this means that judges have seemed at times to bend over backward on Kimberlin’s behalf, cutting him breaks that a professional lawyer could never expect to get. No matter how dishonest and unethical he may be, as a pro se litigant, Kimberlin never has to worry about being disbarred. In some sense, then, a professional attorney is at a disadvantage against Kimberlin, who not only acquired vast experience as a “jailhouse lawyer” during his 17 years in federal prison, but is also absolutely shameless in the deceitful methods he employs while pursuing vexatious lawsuits to harass, discredit or intimidate his critics.

So when Ali Akbar announced he was going pro se,  Kimberlin became visibly agitated by the prospect of going up against a defendant who might be similarly uninhibited by legal niceties.

Ask yourself this: If Kimberlin had fought so hard to overcome the prohibition on testimony by convicted perjurers, why didn’t Kimberlin ever actually testify at the trial? Do you think that maybe Kimberlin feared cross-examination by the crafty Ali Akbar, who might ask questions to which Kimberlin — as both witness and lawyer — would be compelled to object, or plead the Fifth Amendment?

The verdict: The innocent defendants won, evil lost, and Brett Kimberlin has vowed to continue his litigious harassment:

The trial transcript and audio will cost more than $900 — readers are urged to go to BomberSuesBloggers.com and chip in $10 or $20 to help defray that expense — so we’ll have to wait to get the official highlights of the trial, including my own “colorful” testimony, and Ali Akbar’s masterful arguments. (Hint: Ali was a champion debater and mock trial participant in high school.) But the bottom line is this: Brett Kimberlin lost, and lost badly, because lies can never ultimately prevail in battle against the truth, nor can evil ever hope to triumph where good men have courage and trust in that great Truth that is eternal and infinite.

To God be the glory. Selah.




 

Category: The Kimberlin Files
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