Alan, Esq.

Irony is Dead.

2008-05-03T09:39:09Z

From a recent Pro-Tibet Rally:

"Responses" to My Yale Article.

2008-05-02T06:44:51Z

I was pleased this morning to see that Instapundit had linked my article.

I also noticed that a "feminist" law blogger, a law professor from the University of South Carolina had also linked the article, and was quite hostile. I certainly love a good intellectual debate; however the entire response is little more than an angry diatribe filled with ad hominem attacks against myself and the editorial process of the Yale Law Journal. She's even nastier to any commenters who dare disagree with her. It appears that anyone who disagrees with her is either stupid, intellectually dishonest or lying. Frankly, I was a little taken aback at how juvenile a response could be from a law professor.

As for her contention that my article is badly written, it is quite ironic that she writes gems like these:

I'm sure you will be shocked, utterly shocked, to learn that the Yale Law Journal folks are using the porn article referenced above to market the Pocket Parts to potential readers. Woo-hoo, porn and swingers! Barf.

Barf??? Oh my... How can I compete with writing like that?

Published.

2008-04-29T22:15:04Z

My article about the ongoing legal battle over the constitutional issues surrounding 18 U.S.C. 2257, which requires recordkeeping for sexually explicit depictions, in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals was just published by the Yale Law Journal.

How "Swingers" Might Save Hollywood from a Federal Pornography Statute.

I suppose it's not often that the Yale Law Journal publishes an article that includes references to both Alberto Gonzales and Nina Hartley.

Advice to Obama: Try Not to Defy the YouTube Gods.

2008-04-08T19:25:01Z

I'm amazed that the media is taking Obama to task for this. Even the leftist Columbia Journalism Review is doing so.

Some Days Are Worse Than Others...

2008-04-03T04:12:34Z

*sigh*

Did They Not Think the Whole World Would be Watching?

2008-03-31T11:58:02Z

The 2008 Olympics may be the most political since the 1936 Berlin Games.

Of course dissidents are going to use the Games as an opportunity to highlight the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese government.

Why in the world did China fight so hard to get the Olympics?

Words Do Matter.

2008-03-31T04:17:47Z

This is going to be a fun election.

A Democrat with Some Guts...

2008-03-24T23:31:06Z

James Carville Refuses to Apologize for Comparing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to Judas.

I'm not saying it's the politically wise thing to do. Also, when he and Mary Matalin are on Meet The Press, I change the channel, since I find their whole "odd couple" routine boring and trite. But at least he has the courage to stand up for what he said.

I must admit that it is quite enjoyable watching the Democrats rip each other apart.

The Worst Children's Toy Ever?

2008-03-21T14:48:59Z

I wonder if any of these toys still exists?

When in a Hole, Obama Can't Seem to Stop Digging.

2008-03-21T14:43:35Z

Ok... so earlier this week, Obama gave his "race" speech, which I found to be quite revealing about who Obama is. Who else could try and get away with getting caught having a 20 year relationship with a race-baiting hate-mongering bigot and use it as an opportunity to give us all a 37-minute lecture on race relations? You really got to love Obama... In his entire speech, he never once apologizes or takes responsibility for anything he has done or said. Rather he blames everyone else for racism in the world. (Rev. Wright, Geraldine Ferraro and even his own grandmother)

One of the portions of the speech he is getting the most criticism for is his comparison of Wright's comments to that of his white grandmother. Could the "Sister Souljah" moment be replaced by the "Throwing your grandmother under the bus" moment? Later Obama tried to clarify his reference to grandma by claiming she is merely a "typical white person." OH BOY!!!! Can you just imagine the uproar had Hillary Clinton or John McCain had uttered the line, "typical black person"? It would appear that his rhetoric, which has served him well, is now beginning to betray him.

Even some folks at HuffPo are starting to question the messiah's judgment. We keep hearing that Obama is somehow "above" racial divisions, and that he will "unify" us. Can anyone still believe that now without being intellectually dishonest?

Watching the Democrats' Circular Firing Squad...

2008-03-21T06:13:25Z

Geraldine Ferraro fires back against Barack Obama for comparing her to Rev. Wright.

"To equate what I said with what this racist bigot has said from the pulpit is unbelievable," Ferraro said today. "He gave a very good speech on race relations, but he did not address the fact that this man is up there spewing hatred."

Barack Obama was a much better candidate when all he talked about was "hope" and "change."

His campaign is now "hoping" the media will soon "change" the subject.

As a proud McCain supporter, I am just loving this and am looking forward to the DNC convention...

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Barack Obama.

2008-03-19T04:04:58Z

A portion of Barack Obama's speech today:

But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial. They weren’t simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.

Wright's comments "elevates what is wrong with America"???

You mean the part where America invented AIDS to kill black people, or the part where Crack Cocaine was invented by the U.S. Government to addict black people?

Or how bout the part where America deserved 9/11?

Later he says:

I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.

So when Don Imus made an unfortunate joke, which he apologized for, you stated that MSNBC should fire him. Meanwhile, has Rev. Wright ever apologized for any of his comments? Yet, it was ok for him to be part of your election campaign. Of course, when the truth was exposed, Wright was no longer on your campaign. Slick politics there, Barry...

Up until now, I never really had negative feelings about Barack Obama. While I was critical of the Pro-Obama media bias, and found it dubious that he was a politician supposedly "above politics", I now see him exactly for what he is... a craven politician who happens to be very eloquent. However, when he is confronted with actual issues he boldly votes "present" and then gives a good speech about hope and unity.

I cannot deny that he gave an eloquent speech. But should I be surprised when an eloquent speaker gives an eloquent speech?

Color me unimpressed.

Not Jim Cramer's Best Day.

2008-03-18T00:09:52Z

Ouch!

And let's see Cramer try and explain himself.

Double Ouch!!!

A Constitutional Right to Prostitution?

2008-03-17T17:32:42Z

Spitzer v. United States, ___ U.S. ___ (2010).

Cute, (especially the name of the justice who replaces Stevens) but I would have also drafted up a dissent.

Bye Bye Bear Stearns...

2008-03-17T17:25:24Z

So, lending people mortgage money who have poor credit histories, low incomes and own overvalued homes is a bad thing?

Not the Unity he had in Mind...

2008-03-17T13:31:03Z

Let me get this straight... Geraldine Ferraro is a racist. But Barack Obama can get away with describing his hate-filled preacher, Jeremiah Wright as "like an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with"?

Oh how effective this Obama campaign has been... Not only have I been defending Hillary Clinton against overwhelming media bias, but now I'm defending Geraldine Ferraro?

Is this what the Obama campaign means by "unity?"

Is the Luster Starting to Wear Off?

2008-03-17T13:21:47Z

Obama's story that he was not aware of Pastor Wright's hate sermons is starting to get exposed as a dubious by the blogosphere. While the MSM is not really reporting on this controversy, the bloggers are using old stories from the MSM to show the contradictions in Obama's story. How ironic that the glowing stories the MSM wrote to boost Obama as some kind of messiah character, are now being used as evidence to show that he's still nothing more than a politician.

Wright blessed Obama's house as well? The Rezko house? ohmydearlord.

Ouch! Well... Obama is a Chicago politician...

The Anatomy of a Media Hitjob.

2008-03-17T04:22:08Z

First, let me say that I think Glenn Beck is usually an ass, and is usually unwatchable. However, this clip of how his offhanded remark is taken out of context and then parroted by supposed "journalists", only makes folks like Olbermann and the New York Times look incompetent, and makes Beck look good.

Oh, THAT Liberal Media...

What is it About Governors from NY and NJ?

2008-03-17T04:08:40Z

Former NJ Governor McGreevey allegedly had threesomes with another man and his wife. The NY Post really has benefited the most from all this. My favorite quote from the "other man."

"I would have kept my mouth shut about this forever, but she subpoenaed me, and now it's all going to come out at trial,'' Pedersen said.

Apparently not...

This is the Magical Unity Pony?

2008-03-15T18:43:27Z

So who is Barack Obama's pastor? The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. pastor of Mr. Obama's Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago has recently been getting greater scrutiny. Below is a clip of some of his sermons.

Not only has Wright been Obama's pastor for 20 years, but he presided over Obama's wedding and was even a member of Obama's campaign. Finally, Wright's words are seeing the light of day, and Obama is responding just like a politician.

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

I call bullshit.

You claim you did not hear about these comments until the beginning of your campaign which started two years ago. First of all, I simply don't believe you when you say that you had not heard statements like these in your 20 years with the church. But if we assume to take you at your word, if you knew about them when you started your campaign, then why was he a member of your campaign all this time? This is not mere "guilt by association". You chose this man to be your spiritual advisor. You chose him to be your pastor. For you to now be surprised by his views now is hollow.

If this is your idea of unity, hope and change, I don't want any of it. I don't think a majority of Americans will want it, either.

Where did the Week Go?

2008-03-08T04:02:05Z

So in the week since I've posted last, CineKink was completed, I've billed an ungodly number of hours and have flown to Austin, Texas for the SXSW film festival.

We got here last night, have eaten mass amounts of BBQ and have seen our first film, Obscene, a documentary about Barney Rosset, of Grove Press, who published many novels which faced obscenity charges in the 60's and 70's: "Lady Chatterley's Lover", "Tropic of Cancer" and "Naked Lunch"... It is ironic to look back on these works now that they are considered "quaint", yet people would go to jail for selling them. The doc was ok although it needed a lot of editing work.

Tomorrow, is Lisa and our panel on 18 U.S.C. 2257.

We shall see how the rest of the festival is.

Upcoming Publication...

2008-02-29T22:16:45Z

Two months ago, while I was visiting my in-laws in Portland Oregon, I wrote an article about Connection Distrib. Co. v. Keisler, 505 F.3d 545 (6th Cir. 2007), the Court of Appeals decision striking down 18 U.S.C. 2257 as unconstitutional. This is the statute that requires producers of explicit adult materials to maintain records attesting to the age of the performers.

When I finished the article, on a lark, I submitted it to the Yale Law Journal, which has an online compendium, The Pocket Part, publishing smaller articles on current topics more geared to a general audience. I just learned this week that they have accepted my article for publication.

Obama Runs Into One of Those Pesky "Issues."

2008-02-29T22:06:20Z

Looks like Barack Obama has been caught being against NAFTA and for NAFTA at the same time.

He's making a big mistake by trying to actually take a stand on a complex issue. Rather, he needs to rely more upon platitudes about hope and unity.

The Villification of Hillary Clinton Continues...

2008-02-26T03:33:03Z

The latest attack: She once was assigned by an Arkansas court to serve as a public defender of an indigent man accused of raping a 12 year-old girl. So what did she do? Ummmm... She proceeded to zealously defend her client... In other words, she did her job and she did it well.

But there is a little-known episode Clinton doesn't mention in her standard campaign speech in which those two principles collided. In 1975, a 27-year-old Hillary Rodham, acting as a court-appointed attorney, attacked the credibility of a 12-year-old girl in mounting an aggressive defense for an indigent client accused of rape in Arkansas - using her child development background to help the defendant.

When I read the article, I was struck by how good a lawyer she was. However, for this, the band of Hillary haters are attacking her as though she is somehow evil. Andrew Sullivan, who I once respected as a thinker, reveals his lack of critical thought (he lost it months ago) when he calls the incident "ugly". He's not referring to the alleged crime, but rather, Hillary's defense of her client. I now suppose effective litigation skills are another reason why Hillary Clinton is evil?

Let's make one thing clear... I will never vote for Hillary Clinton. Her policies and positions would be destructive to this country. For the record, Barack Obama's policies are equally destructive. Nevertheless, the double-standard of Hillary's coverage by the media is nothing short of disgusting. I'd love to see equal criticism of one of Barack Obama's past cases. However, it's not like the media is interested in anything Barack Obama has accomplished in his life.

Jimmy Kimmel Gets Payback.

2008-02-26T03:12:21Z

You may remember when Sarah Silverman revealed to Jimmy Kimmel that she was f*cking Matt Damon. Well, Kimmel responds: