|
Home
|
|
Some New Shameless Self-Promotion |
|
By B John Burns
June 25, 2010
It’s been almost two months since I’ve contributed to my blog. A number of people have actually commented about that to me. I’ve had two opportunities in the past week to catch up with many of my old friends in the state public defender system. Last Friday, of course, I had the privilege of doing the case law update at the PDA seminar at Tama. That was a good day all around. From what I saw, it was an excellent seminar, and well-attended.
And then, on Wednesday of this week, I stopped by the Lucas Building to say goodbye to my old secretary, Sue Dillon, one of the thousands of state employees to make their way to lifeboats as the state struggles to overcome the damage of the iceberg of the recession. Sue started out in 1986 as my secretary and, like all my secretaries of the past 25 years, escaped to another position within the system. She was a good worker, easy to deal with (you all know this), and she laughed at most of my jokes.
It’s not that there has been absolutely nothing to write about. The Iowa Supreme Court, although not terribly prolific in recent months, has published a number of interesting decisions, including the trio of cases two weeks ago dealing with the loss of good time for failure to complete sex offender treatment while incarcerated. At least two were victories for the defendants – but all apparently have long since completed their prison sentences. Congratulations to Phil Mears for his persistence. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
CCR Critical of Elena Kagan’s Nomination |
In response to President Barack Obama’s nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the United States Supreme Court, Center for Constitutional Rights Executive Director Vincent Warren issued the following statement:
“When the president nominates a woman or man to sit for life on the highest court of the land, we must look seriously at the broadest and most long-term implications seating that person will have for our country. At the Center for Constitutional Rights, we have fought at the forefront to hold back presidential overreach and the dangerous growth of executive power, particularly as it concerns torture, detention, surveillance and racial profiling, areas where the government has flouted the law most blatantly over the last decade. I am sad to say that Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s record indicates a troubling support for expanding presidential powers, something we must be vigilant about at this time. President Obama would appear to be seeking to appoint a Supreme Court Judge who will endorse his policies and appease conservatives. This is not the way to make a decision that will affect our nation for decades to come.” |
|
|
Protestants, Prostitutes, Prosecutors and the Honorable Mary Tabor |
|
By B John Burns
May 7, 2010
I was no more than six or seven years old and living in Massachusetts when an uncle sat me down and told me a story:
“Sister Janice was teaching her second-grade class. She began asking her pupils what they wanted to be when they grew up. Not surprisingly, most of the kids’ aspirations matched the career paths of their parents.
“‘Paulie, what do you want to be when you grow up?’
“‘I’m going to be a pharmacist.’
“‘And Mikey, what are you going to be?’
“‘I’m going to be a mail man.’
“Sister Janice then turned her attention to Sandy, a quiet girl who was seven going on twenty.
“‘And Sandy, what do you want to do when you grow up?’
“Sandy looked Sister Janice in the eye, and spit out her answer.
“‘A prostitute.’
“Hearing that, Sister Janice turned beet red and passed out cold, collapsing on the floor like a downed redwood. Sister Cornelius, the principal, and a half dozen other penquins rushed in to revive her. It was probably ten minutes before she was back. Her eyes flickered open, and then focused on Sandy, who was standing right at her side.
“‘Sandy, what did you tell me you were going to be when you grow up?’
“‘A prostitute,’ Sandy repeated defiantly.
“‘Oh, glory be,’ Sister Janice bellowed cheerfully. ‘I thought you said you were going to be a PROTESTANT!!’” |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Annual Criminal Law Seminar |
The annual criminal law seminar sponsored by the Public Defenders Association of Iowa will be held in a new location this year. The seminar will take place June 16-18, 2010, at the Meskwaki Bingo and Casino Hotel, 1504 305th Street in Tama, Iowa. The seminar rate for a standard hotel room is $69 with a 7% tribal tax. The PDAI is not subsidizing hotel rooms this year.
You may reserve a hotel room by calling 1-800-728-4263. To get the seminar rate, you may need to mention this is in conjunction with the Waterloo Public Defender. Get your brochure here. Go to website: http://pdaseminar.webs.com
|
|
By B John Burns
April 20, 2010
On my vacation last week, I read an autobiography of Phil Ramone that my wife bought for me for a dollar at the 99 Cent Store. Phil Ramone is the legendary record producer who has worked with giants such as Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, and many, many others.
Among the artists with whom Phil Ramone has enjoyed a fruitful life-long relationship is Barbra Streisand. Phil was involved in the sound recording of movies such as A Star is Born, which utilized, for the first time, the technique of live sound recording in a musical. Phil was also involved in Yentl. He bragged about his participation in Yentl. That’s where he lost me.
I’m sorry. I know a lot of people liked Yentl. For me it was the longest three hours of my life. I enjoyed Barbra in A Star is Born, Nuts, The Prince of Tides, to name just a few. Yentl was just too much Barbra. Barbra wrote the screenplay. Barbra was the director. Barbra wrote the songs. Barbra was the star. I think Barbra operated the boom mikes when she wasn’t in the shots. It was all about Barbra. A bunch of us went to see it after our final exam of the fall semester of our second year in law school. I wanted to relax and enjoy myself. I left the theater angry as hell that I just let three hours of my life slip away.
I haven’t hated a movie that much until I saw The Mirror Has Two Faces, probably 15 years later.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
| << Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
| | Results 6 - 10 of 131 |
|
|
Poems From Guantanamo
Published by the University of Iowa Press
|
