The court system in general has been in rampant disrepair since the first cave man brought charges to his cave neighbor for encroaching on his fire rights. Which subsequently lead to one bashing the other's head in, the rape of the dead man's woman and the eating of the children. Oh, how I miss the good old days.

Given a poll today, I think you would find lawyers to be the most hated group of people in the world, followed by terrorists and Simon Cowell. Even Shakespeare wrote, “The first thing we do, is kill all the lawyers.” The way things seem to be running, there is a giant conspiracy to kill them through over work.

There are exceptions to which being a lawyer can be a right an honorable position. Being a Prosecuting attorney for the state, or providing defense for those who can’t afford it, or as a prime time television star putting all of New Yorks fake criminals where they belong...fan fiction land. Oh Law and Order, how you teach us nothing about the American legal system yet still compel me to vote for Fred Thompson’s cartoonishly hound dog shaped head. But these are not the whores for hire I speak of. No - the litigation junkies I speak of are the reason the yellow pages were created. These subhuman rats who are “here to work for YOU,” wouldn’t know what honest living was if it sued them. Their only purpose in life is to make money off of your grievances, problems, and incessant bitching.

Someone get a promotion over you? Did someone make an inappropriate comment 100 yards from your field of hearing? Don’t like your neighbors Christmas decorations…because your Jewish? Is social security not …securing you...socially? Then it's time to call your friends at Incubus, Douchbag, and Goldstein.

Look I could sit here for hours and lay down case after case in defense of my mindless babbling, but there’s a Girls Gone Wild commercial on and, well, my will isn’t that strong. So ill give you one that was brought to my attention today by my good friend Fanaile Essence.

In the kind of self destruction that would make any conservative giggle like a gay dude getting butt tickled, neighbor eco-warriors have found themselves battling each other over who’s the better world saver. What are the front lines of this eco war you ask? California, where those who pretend to matter flock. One side grows Redwood trees in their back yard; the other has energy panels on their roof. The solar revolution is complaining that the trees their neighbors so love to hug are blocking the sun from hitting their energy panels. In addition to that they claim that their solar panels help remove more carbon dioxide from being emitted than their neighbor's eight redwood trees. The end truly is near.

Listen folks, I think you’re getting my point. Litigation is bad, lawyers are evil, and Simon Cowell is a terrorist fit for Law and Order. But I think today’s real lesson is this… Eco-warriors are hypocrites.

Of course that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Supreme Court judge Bernard Bongiorno, who is presiding over the biggest terror trial in Australia of the twelve radical Muslims (The “Dirty Dozen” bombers) who were allegedly preparing themselves to be holy martyrs in their jihad against Australia by killing innocent civilians, has been persuaded by SC (Senior Counsel) of the defendants, Jim Kennan and Mark Taft, that the alleged terrorists are being treated inhumanely by the authorities and are at a state of mental collapse.

Before we go into the ruling of the judge I think it would be appropriate to know few things about the two SC of the accused,. Jim Kennan, and MarkTaft. The former was a minister in the Kane and Kirner Labor governments in Victoria who held the portfolios of Attorney General and Transport in the mid-eighties. Melbournians will remember the Tramways Union strike in 1989 when trams had blockaded the metropolitan streets of Melbourne for more than a month preventing commuters coming into the city and threatening many small shops with bankruptcy. The strike lasted that long only as a result of Kennan being a weak minister as well as of the incompetence and languid state of his advisors. One example which I remember vividly, was his press secretary watching the Commonwealth Games with his feet on his desk whilst John Halfpenny ( the then Secretary of The Trades Union Council), who was leading the strike, was besieging with his goons the minister and threatening the livelihood of many small shop keepers. At the end of the strike, Jim Kennan was removed from the Ministry of Transport and was placed back to his Attorney General’s position. And Bernard Bongiorno was appointed to the Bench of the Supreme Court by the Brack's Labor government in 2000. ( Birds of a feather flock together.)

The other SC Mark Taft was a member of the Communist Party following the footsteps of his father Bernie Taft, who, as the Victorian Secretary of the Party dissolved it in 1991 in the wake of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. But he dissolved the Communist Party not for the purpose of expressing his political mea culpa for the millions of peoples who were slaughtered by the Leninists doctrinaires Stalin and Mao, but for the purpose of conceiving its bastard sibling the Socialist Forum hoping that its members would become an influential part of the left of The Labor Party. In the latter goal the older Taft succeeded completely, while the younger Taft as a member of the executive of the Socialist Forum and as one of its foremost ideologues, second only to his father, was ideologically grooming many members of the left of the Labor party, among whom were the present Minister of Finance, Lindsay Tanner, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, of the Rudd Labor Government. Now that both SC Jim Kennan and Mark Taft have abandoned the heavy burdens of the public sector, which for both of them were a total failure, and have chosen to be lured by the entrepreneurial temptations of the private sector and gratify themselves with its rich tastes, they decided to open their appetite for the latter with the “aperitif” of being the defenders of the “Dirty Dozen”, in Australia’s biggest terrorism trial. But enough of this minuscule biographical diversion of our two attorneys of defense, and let us now deal with the “unprecedented “ruling of the presiding judge of the trial.

Justice Bongiorno being a practical judge and not an ivory tower one, was not satisfied of being convinced merely by the “theoretical” pleadings of the two SC that the defendants were treated inhumanely by the authorities, especially when they were shackled hand and foot while they were transported from prison to the Court locked in the steel compartments of the prison vans, and wanted to test this allegation in a practical way. So when he visited Barwon prison where the twelve were being held he had himself locked up in “the small steel compartment…in one of the prison vans… to get a better understanding of their treatment”. Convinced now “beyond a reasonable doubt” by his own “travailed” experience during his own “transportation” to Barwon prison that the alleged would-be terrorists were treated by the authorities brutally and inhumanely he issued his ukase to the latter that unless they stopped this “intolerable” treatment of the prisoners his honor would “suspend the hearing indefinitely and consider releasing the men on bail”.

Victoria’s Department of Corrections under this hovering threat expeditiously responded positively to the Jupiterian ruling of Justice Bongiorno and implemented most of his directions. In doing so it negated the possibility that some of the twelve defendants would jump bail and break away from the “forceps” of Australian justice and disappearing in a Muslim country. But it did so paradoxically at the expense of the Judge. As it deprived his Honor of the honorific that Muslims, moderate and radical alike, at least in Australia, would have bestowed on the Justice as an indelible sign of their gratitude for this service, i.e., giving the opportunity to their co-believers to escape from the unjust Australian terrorist laws, by replacing their traditional greeting of Salam with Bongiorno, for ever after.

What was most interesting and amusing moreover, was the forensic evidence of the psychiatrists whose painstaking analysis had found the defendants to be psychologically and mentally disturbed—as if people who were prepared to kill hundreds if not thousands of innocent people for their messianic goals and in chase of the seventy-two virgins were not already incurable cases of mental disturbance–and “believed that their condition would deteriorate as the trial progressed”. Needless to say Justice Bongiorno was deeply influenced by this forensic evidence extracted from the “psychiatrist’s couch” and was a decisive element in his “extraordinary”, to quote him, ruling.

Thus we will be told as an entertaining and jovial story, that the twelve bearded fanatics who were “toying” with ideas how to blow up Australians, now that they are standing before the bar accused of planning this atrocity they have metastasized themselves into mere “naughty boys” playing among the skirts of the “libertine” legal profession and claiming from the loose garments of the latter their human rights

Bongiorno Australia:Have a nice day

I rest on my oars: Your turn now.

With each passing week, it seems that some percentage of the population---oftentimes, the vast majority of the population---gets a little surprise from the judiciary.  Some people are surprised to learn that the death penaly is "cruel and unusual punishment" for adults who rape children (Kennedy v. Louisiana); others are surprised to find that voter-approved legislation forbidding same-sex marriage is unconstitutional (In Re MARRIAGE CASES (San Francisco v. California and five other consolidated appeals)).

Regardless of whether one approves or disapproves of the rulings themselves, such developments prompt questions from all sides, including, "Should the meaning of a given law be a surprise to those who passed it?  Should the meaning of a long-standing Constitutional provision change with the times?"

In this blog, we'll be examining such questions.  We'll also be taking a broader look at the American judicial system itself and the people who make up that system.  Should be fun!

I personally think the most interesting skill noted is the need for emotional intelligence. Winning clients in the modern time is DEFINITELY going to require an ability to truly empathize with and respect clients' positions. As a businesswoman I always prefer my service providers to understand where I'm coming from.

As for time management I'll just repeat my favorite advice to delegate, delegate, delegate!!! (Hint, hint - consider a virtual legal assistant - we love to help!!!)

The lawyers at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer are experienced in the representation of those who have been seriously injured or otherwise victimized by the wrongful conduct of others. The firm has achieved the highest standing in the legal community due to their high ethical standards and by consistently achieving outstanding results for their clients.

Key areas of practice:

Automobile/Motor Vehicle Accidents
Premises Liability
Maritime Accidents
Construction Accidents
Railroad Accidents
Dangerous Roadway Accidents
Medical & Professional Malpractice
Brain Injury
Birth Defects
Product Liability
Wrongful Death
Wrongful Termination
Defective Products/Products Liability
Discrimination
Harassment

The firm is committed to provide its clients with the best possible representation, utilizing whatever resources are necessary to obtain just compensation. Each case is extensively investigated and meticulously prepared. Serious injuries dramatically impact the quality of ones life. The lawyers and support staff at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer make it their priority to assist their clients in every way possible through the litigation process.

From the initial interview, you are kept informed of every aspect of your case and invited to ask questions at any time. While the firm takes an aggressive approach to litigation, it has a reputation in the legal community for fairness and ethical practice. The entire team of lawyers, paralegals, secretaries and other support staff share a commitment to excellence that is unsurpassed.

Dallas criminal lawyer Matthew Arnold has a proven track record of courtroom success. As a former First Assistant District Attorney for Van Zandt County and as an Assistant District Attorney for Dallas County, Matthew Arnold tried hundreds of cases to a jury. These cases included all manner of felony and misdemeanor cases, including high profile Capital Murder, Murder, Manslaughter, Robbery, Sexual Assault (criminal rape), Burglary, Drug Possession, Assault crimes and DWI - DUI cases. Since leaving the District Attorney's office, Dallas lawyer Matthew Arnold has focused his law practice on aggressively defending the rights and reputations of people charged with criminal offenses in Dallas, Fort Worth, and all over Texas.
Experience Counts

When choosing a top Dallas attorney to help you with a criminal matter, it is vitally important that you choose someone who has the trial experience and has the aggressiveness to give you a vigorous defense. There are too many Dallas criminal attorneys that claim to be trial lawyer, but in reality have very limited trial experience. The prosecutors know this, it affects how they deal with your case, and it will show in trial. Trial experience matters and it has a profound effect on all aspects of your case, even if your case never goes to trial.

Whether you face Federal charges such as White Collar Fraud or Drug Conspiracy, or State charges such as DWI and Assault, Dallas criminal lawyer Matthew Arnold has the skill and experience to level the playing field between you and the government and will aggressively defend your rights and your liberty.
Our Attitude: You are Innocent!

The law states that all people are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Too often though, the lawyer representing the accused doesn't take this to heart when they defend their clients. Not here. When you are charged with a crime your liberty and reputation are at stake. At the Law offices of Dallas criminal attorney Matthew Arnold we approach every case as if it where our reputation on the line, because it is. Dallas criminal lawyer Matthew Arnold will not passively defend your case, but rather fight for the justice you deserve. Our Dallas criminal attorneys never forget that you are innocent until proven guilty, and will do everything ethically possible to ensure that you stay that way.
Responsive

Being prosecuted for a criminal charge in Dallas can be a frightening experience. Probably the most frightening aspect of being prosecuted is the unknown. You want answers. At the Dallas criminal Law Offices of Matthew Arnold we pride ourselves on keeping our clients well informed in the criminal law, the status of their case, and the evidence, so that our clients can make these important decisions affecting their lives with confidence. When you have questions, our Dallas criminal attorneys will provide the answers. Call us today at 214-252-0911

Dallas Criminal Attorney Practice Areas:

Federal crimes and State criminal cases
Felonies
Misdemeanors
Murder crimes
Weapons charges
Family Violence
Juvenile Crime
Bond Hearings
Obstruction of Justice
Manufacturing or Delivery or Possession of a Controlled Substance
Sex Offenses, Rape and Indecency
White Collar Crime
Grand Jury Representation

Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan is proud to provide upstanding legal representation for clients facing criminal charges throughout Los Angeles County, including courts in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley (as well as Burbank Court), and the Santa Clarita Valley. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Gregory Caplan focuses on helping clients facing convictions combat their serious criminal charges in local area courthouses, by utilizing unique approaches developed over the course of his criminal law career, which included a nine-year period as a local California prosecutor.

Mr. Caplan can effectively guide you through the maze of individual challenges of local courts which are presented to persons charged with offenses within its jurisdiction. Mr. Caplan can help you understand the local customs and practices of the courthouse in which your case is heard, to provide you with the “local advantage.” An example of this would be “Informal Diversion” programs, which quietly exist in many prosecutor’s offices and local courts, allowing defendants to receive dismissals of their criminal charges. If your criminal lawyer does not know the local practices of a specific court, you may lose out on a tremendous opportunity to successfully resolve your case. (See the Case Results Page for Examples.)

Prior to becoming a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, Gregory Caplan had over 12 years law enforcement and prosecution experience.  Mr. Caplan began his legal career in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in the mid-1990s. He learned the policies and practices of the office, and worked along side many of the prosecutors who remain in the office today. Because of his background, Mr. Caplan believes that in Los Angeles Criminal Defense, time can be of the essence to his clients. In many instances, Mr. Caplan made successful efforts to avoid a criminal filing on his clients, by providing important information to the prosecutor before charges were initiated. (See the Case Results Page for Details.) When Mr. Caplan takes on a case, he employs his prior knowledge to help clients contest their criminal charges. His background provides his Los Angeles area clients a significant advantage in their cases. See the Los Angeles webpage for details.

Mr. Caplan worked as a Burbank City Prosecutor for six years. He developed many of the policies and practices which still exist today in the Burbank Courthouse. His familiarity with this court, the judges, prosecutors, and court staff, allows his clients to receive a unique benefit from an effective Burbank Criminal Defense Attorney. The city of Burbank is known for its proactive police department, as well as its hard line prosecution of local violations. This is made clear in The Burbank Leader, the Glendale News-Press, the Crescenta Valley Sun, and the La Canada Valley Sun, the local newspapers and online news sources for the city of Burbank and adjacent cities, which provide  comprehensive columns regularly updating specific examples of Burbank and adjacent cities’ stringent law enforcement practices. Relatively minor charges in Burbank and adjacent cities, such as traffic violations and related offenses, are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This important fact alone makes it critical to have a Burbank Criminal Defense Lawyer who knows this local court system and how best to approach your specific charges. See the Burbank webpage for details.

Mr. Caplan focuses much of his attention on the Santa Clarita Courthouse, as well. This courthouse is known in the Santa Clarita and Valencia areas for its harsh penalties on criminal conduct, such as DUIs, Reckless Driving, Alcohol and Drug Offenses, Thefts, and traffic offenses. Mr. Caplan is familiar with effective Santa Clarita Criminal Defense Attorney approaches, judges and commissioners, and courthouse staff, at the Santa Clarita Courthouse, and efficiently handles criminal cases there for his clients. See the Santa Clarita webpage for details.  

Mr. Caplan has been a successful San Fernando Valley criminal defense attorney in Van Nuys, San Fernando, Burbank, and Glendale. He is available to provide you assistance with your case in any of these courts. See the San Fernando Valley webpage for details.

Attorney Caplan understands that proper defense is critical when it comes to his clients’ criminal charges.  That is why he puts forth all of his effort and energy into protecting his clients rights and serving as their aggressive advocate in court.  If you have been charged with a crime in any of the Los Angeles Superior Courts, including courts in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley (as well as Burbank Court), and the Santa Clarita Valley, it is in your best interest to speak with criminal defense attorney, Gregory Caplan.  The legal penalties for a criminal conviction are far too severe to forgo the representation of a knowledgeable lawyer.  Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Caplan will defend you in court, challenge evidence presented against you, and safeguard your individual rights.  At the Law Offices of Gregory Caplan, his clients receive the resources, guidance, and direction they need to be prepared for their court proceedings. 

Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley Practice Areas
At the Law Offices of Gregory Caplan, we have helped numerous clients facing drug charges, weapons charges, and drug crime charges.  We have also represented clients who have been charged with theft crimes.  Mr. Caplan is a skilled attorney who has defended clients charged with driving under the influence, hit and run, and serious traffic infractions.  As an aggressive negotiator, Attorney Caplan can assist clients with their local code violations.  The Law Offices of Gregory Caplan is also capable of informing clients of their rights in regard to bench warrants, arrest warrants, and failure to appear.    

Contact Our Criminal Defense Law Offices
The Law Offices of Gregory Caplan are proud to provide dependable legal counsel for clients throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley.  As an attorney with years of practice experience, Gregory Caplan has helped many clients contest their serious criminal charges.  Attorney Caplan understands the life altering effects a criminal conviction can have on his clients, which is why he strives to provide them with the guidance and resources they need to be successful in court.  With convenient office locations to serve you, Gregory Caplan is prepared to effectively handle your criminal case.

Under Minnesota law, criminal sexual conduct or sex crimes may include: rape, statutory rape, unwanted sexual contact, criminal sexual assault, child pornography, child solicitation or child enticement, solicitation of mentally impaired persons, sodomy, incest, fornication, pimping, and prostitution. Some prohibitions, like those against sodomy and fornication, are technically still on the books, but rarely enforced.

The Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor has the following statistics on sexual conduct and sexual assault crimes:

The number of reported sex offenses in Minnesota increased almost threefold between 1971 and 1984, but has remained relatively constant since then.

The number of sex offenses (sexual assault, rape, sexual conduct) reported to the police increased from 2,303 offenses in 1971 to 6,589 offenses in 1984. In 1993, 6,439 sex offenses were reported, of which 49 percent resulted in an arrest.

Between 1981 and 1992, adult convictions for sex offenses involving force remained at the level of 145 to 190 each year, but convictions for child sexual abuse nearly tripled, rising from 160 to 461, and convictions for interfamilial sex abuse increasing from 3 to 154.

Reflecting these trends, about 90 percent of the victims of convicted sex offenders were children or adolescents. Nearly all of the victims of adjudicated juvenile offenders were under 18 years old, as were 84 percent of the victims of adult offenders (with 46 percent under age 13). Nearly all convicted sex offenders (97 percent) were male and most of their victims were female, although 18 percent of the victims of juvenile offenders and 13 percent of the victims of adult offenders were male.

Criminal sexual conduct is divided into four degrees depending upon the age of the victim, age of the accused, whether force is used, and the existence of any special relationship between the parties, such as parent-child or physician-patient. In Minnesota, judges are required to double the punishment imposed on a pattern sex offender, which is someone who repeats or is likely to repeat a sex crime, or someone who plans the crime. Moreover, if convicted of a sex crime, offenders must register with police departments across the state.

FIRST DEGREE. First Degree sexual conduct/assault requires sexual penetration with another person. Remember - A mistake regarding the complainant's age or consent by the underage person is not a defense to a sexual conduct crime.

Age Difference. The complainant is under 13 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant; or the complainant is at least 13 years of age but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the complainant and in a position of authority.

Fear of Great Harm. Circumstances existing at the time of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear of imminent great bodily harm to the complainant or another;

Armed with Weapon. The actor is armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;

Personal Injury. The actor causes personal injury to the complainant, and either of the following circumstances exist:

The actor uses force or coercion to accomplish sexual penetration; or

The actor knows or has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless;

The actor is aided or abetted by one or more accomplices and force or coercion is used or the accomplice is armed with a dangerous weapon.

Significant Relationship. A significant relationship generally means that the parties live together. It is a crime if the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant and the complainant was under 16 years of age at the time of the sexual penetration.

Penalty. Not more than 30 years and a fine of not more than $40,000. There is a presumptive executed sentence of 144 months.

SECOND DEGREE. Second degree criminal sexual conduct/assault does not require penetration. Instead, it involves "sexual contact." Sexual contact has been defined by case law to mean touching of the genital area, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks with a sexual intent. The sexual touching may occur on the flesh or through the clothing.

Age Difference. The complainant is under 13 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant; or the complainant is at least 13 years of age but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the complainant and in a position of authority.

Fear of Great Harm. Circumstances existing at the time of the act cause the complainant to have a reasonable fear of imminent great bodily harm to the complainant or another;

Armed with Weapon. The actor is armed with a dangerous weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead the complainant to reasonably believe it to be a dangerous weapon and uses or threatens to use the weapon or article to cause the complainant to submit;

Personal Injury. The actor causes personal injury to the complainant, and either of the following circumstances exist:

The actor uses force or coercion to accomplish sexual penetration; or

The actor knows or has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless;

The actor is aided or abetted by one or more accomplices and force or coercion is used or the accomplice is armed with a dangerous weapon.

Significant Relationship. A significant relationship generally means that the parties live together. It is a crime if the actor has a significant relationship to the complainant and the complainant was under 16 years of age at the time of the sexual penetration.

Penalty. Not more than 25 years and payment of a fine of not more than $35,000.

THIRD DEGREE. Third degree criminal sexual conduct is similar to first degree in that it requires sexual penetration. Penetration is liberally construed to included penetration of the anal or genital openings and specifically includes digital and oral penetration. Third degree sexual conduct is generally charged for behavior that is not as extreme as first degree sexual assault.

Age Difference. The complainant is under 13 years of age and the actor is more than 36 months older than the complainant; or the complainant is at least 13 but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 24 months older than the complainant. In any such case it shall be an affirmative defense, which must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence, that the actor believes the complainant to be 16 years of age or older. Consent by the complainant is not a defense.

Force or Coercion. the actor uses force or coercion to accomplish the penetration

Mental & Physical Infirmity of Victim. The actor knows or has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.

Position of Authority. The complainant is at least 16 but less than 18 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the complainant and in a position of authority over the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense.

Penalty. If the actor in such a case is no more than 48 months but more than 24 months older than the complainant, the actor may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years. Otherwise a person convicted may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 15 years and a payment of not more than $30,000.

FOURTH DEGREE. A person who engages in sexual contact with another person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree if any of the following circumstances exists:

Age Difference. The complainant is under 13 years of age and the actor is no more than 36 months older than the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age or consent to the act by the complainant is a defense. In a prosecution under this clause, the state is not required to prove that the sexual contact was coerced. Additionally, if the complainant is at least 13 but less than 16 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the complainant or in a position of authority over the complainant fourth degree sexual conduct may be charged. Consent by the complainant to the act is not a defense. In any such case, it shall be an affirmative defense which must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence that the actor believes the complainant to be 16 years of age or older.

Force or Coercion. The actor uses force or coercion to accomplish the sexual contact.

Mental & Physical Infirmity of Victim. The actor knows or has reason to know that the complainant is mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.

Position of Authority. The complainant is at least 16 but less than 18 years of age and the actor is more than 48 months older than the complainant and in a position of authority over the complainant. Neither mistake as to the complainant's age nor consent to the act by the complainant is a defense.

Significant Relationship. The actor has a significant relationship to the complainant and the complainant was at least 16 but under 18 years of age at the time of the sexual contact.

Penalty. A person convicted may be sentenced to not more than ten years and a payment of a fine of not more than $20,000.

FIFTH DEGREE. A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree:

(1) if the person engages in nonconsensual sexual contact; or

(2) the person engages in masturbation or lewd exhibition of the genitals in the presence of a minor under the age of 16, knowing or having reason to know the minor is present.

"Sexual contact" does not include the intentional touching of the clothing covering the immediate area of the buttocks. Sexual contact does includes the intentional removal or attempted removal of clothing covering the complainant's intimate parts or undergarments, and the nonconsensual touching by the complainant of the actor's intimate parts, effected by the actor, if the action is performed with sexual or aggressive intent.

. Penalty. A person convicted may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year and payment of a fine of not more than $3,000. The charge may be increased to a felony with imprisonment for not more than five years and payment of $10,000, if the person has prior violations.

AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE

In today's world much hysteria and controversy swirls around sexual abuse. A person accused may find that even if acquitted they are looked upon with suspicion and fear. The allegation itself can carry with significant stigma and social repercussions. Too often, prosecutors charge out criminal sexual conduct cases based solely on an allegation. There is often little physical evidence. Though it may seem the case is weak, an aggressive and proactive defense is necessary. That may include hiring experts to review witness interviews for suggestive language and improper techniques.

How to Start a Blog

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A "blog", abbreviated word for weblog, is a web-based journal in which people can publish their thoughts and opinions on the Internet. Anyone can start a blog. It's straight-forward and, in a lot of cases, free.

Steps

1. Find a decent blogging provider that appeals to you. Some may include MuseCrafters.com, Livejournal.com, JournalHome.com, Blogger.com, WordPress.com, TheDiary.org, Mindsay.com, Blog.com, Blogagotchi.com, Diaryland.com, Blogdrive.com, weebly.com or Xanga.com. Most of these sites are pre-made with templates and push-button publishing that don't require much technical know-how.
2. Once you sign up, you'll have a gallery of ready-made templates to choose from. Select one and personalize it. Add your name, interests, images, etc.
3. Add blogging freebies like buttons, images, blog chalks, imoods, tagboards (for example, myshoutbox.com), guest maps, guestbooks, comment boxes for readers' input, etc.
4. Explore other blog sites that offer more features for a small fee, such as Typepad.com.
5. Decide on whether or not you want your blog to be private or personal: do you want any Internet visitor to be able to read your blog, or do you just want your friends and family to be able to read it? Most blog sites offer the ability to password-protect your published posts so only those who you approve of can view what you've written.
6. Decide on how you want your blog to look. You can pick a color scheme and layout. Most sites come with a set of predefined layouts and schemes that you can choose from, or you can edit your own.
7. After you've set up your blog, write a few posts to test it out, and make any adjustments to the layout or style that you see fit. At first, it will seem tough to figure out what to write, but once you get into a routine of daily blogging, you will find it addictive. Write about your day, your thoughts, events, ideas, fears, pleasures, the news, current affairs, art, or anything you are interested in!
8. Visit other blogs to build a blogging circle. When you leave comments, add your blogging address so they can visit you too.
9. If you want to make your blog look more attractive, there are some sites up that have many "skins" that might make it look better. One example is blogskins.com, which also comes with Photoshop and HTML tutorials.
10. Publish your blog by sending the URL to your friends or publish the URL on your website. Add the URL to posts you make on other blogs. Done

Tips

• If you update your blog frequently, more people will return on a regular basis to read it. Establishing a reader base will motivate you to write more and in turn more people will read your posts.
• Get into a routine of blogging. Make it part of your day. Soon, you will notice things during your day and think, "Hey, I'll blog this."
• Personalize your blog. A pretty blog always catches the eye. Visit blogger.com for ideas; they have a list of their 10 most recently updated blogs.
• You could Google for "blog California" or "blog Shakespeareans" (or anything else), depending on location, interests, etc. For instance, if you have a blog on lawns, you may want visit allaboutlawns.com's forum and other similar type blogs. Circles of interest are the essence of blogging, and it can start to develop you as an authority in the "blog-o-sphere" on lawns or whatever area of interest you choose.
• Keep the posts interesting. Try to avoid focusing on things that most readers won't find worthwhile (such as "I went to the mall today and saw Kelly.") Write about things you noticed, thoughts you had, and feelings or ideas. Blog about a recent trip to Spain. Write about the chemical explosion during class.
• Spell check your writing before posting.
• Some sites allow you to make money off your blog by using an Amazon Associates ID or by placing Google AdSense advertisements. If popular enough, your blog could start to pay your bills.
• Don't feel bogged down if no one visits your site for the first few months. As with communities this large, it will take some time for your blog to get noticed.
• If you want a broad (international) readership, do not use too many abbreviations or slang terms that might not be easily understood by people who are not from your country/area.
• Get interesting news from Yahoo Oddly Enough..., other Yahoo! stories, Crayon.net and other websites that you frequently read.
• Blog on a specific subject. You can't please everyone, so target a specific audience and go with it.
• See also How to Write a Famous Blog.
• Pictures are also a great idea.

Warnings

• Avoid posting anything on your blog that might be personal to other people if just anyone can read your blog (example: Your uncle might object that it's published on the Internet that he is an alcoholic). If something is personal, avoid using last names at the very least, or make up a name for that person. Be wary of unwarranted attention. Blogs are for the world to read. If you want a private blog just for friends, use Xanga or any other password-protected blogging site.
• Xanga and MySpace are good for beginners, but for more public blogs, sites like Typepad and Blogger are much more "respected".
• Be wary of unwarranted attention. Blog stalking is possible; don't give out too much personal information such as name, location, school, etc.
• Read the small print. If you don't, your blog's content may be "owned" by the company that puts it on the web for you.
• Don't make your blogs like MySpace bulletins (adding random posts to suck in friends) and don't include your friend's name or websites in them either.
• Write ins ands outs people love them!

Things You'll Need

• A computer
• A site to start your blog on
• Some content for your blog
• Willingness to keep up your blog

Related wikiHows

• How to Write a Famous Blog
• How to Start a Wiki
• How to Create a Website
• How to Dissuade Yourself from Becoming a Blogger
• How to Write a Featured Article on wikiHow
• How to Write a Fictional Blog
• How to Become Famous on the Internet
• How to Put a Digg Counter on a Webpage
• How to Become Famous Via wikiHow
• How to Get Away from the Computer
• How to Write Dark Poems
• How to Be Safe on the Internet

Sources and Citations

• MuseCrafters.com
• JournalHome.com
• 5min - how to start a blog on blogger.com 5min is a Videopedia for instructional videos. Source of images in this article, shared with permission.
• JournalHome.com
• MySpace
• Bravenet - Guestbooks
• Haloscan
• Enetation]
• Weblog Basics from the weekly podcast Simply Digital. A 30-minute audio overview of the basics of blogging.
• www.fnrtop.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Start a Blog. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

The firm's "Distressed Real Estate Initiative" will involve at least 16 core lawyers in ten offices throughout the country, including those in Mid-Atlantic and Western locations hardest hit by the housing bust and the mortgage crisis, including Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The purpose of the section, according to the firm, will be "to provide representation in acquisition, restructuring and bankruptcy matters."

 "In this period of turmoil in the financial markets and economic uncertainty, new real estate opportunities and challenges present themselves," said Michael Sklaroff, chair of Ballard's Real Estate Department. "We stand ready to serve clients with respect to existing positions and also in assisting them in acquisitions and debt and equity investments in troubled projects."

Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll was founded in 1886 and now employs more than 550 lawyers in twelve offices located throughout the mid-Atlantic corridor and the western United States.

When there is blood in the water, the sharks will appear.

________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?

WITNESS: No, I just lie there.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now Doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?

WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
________________________________________

ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?

WITNESS: July 18th.

ATTORNEY: What year?

WITNESS: Every year.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?

WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?

WITNESS: I forget.

ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?

WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"

ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?

WITNESS: My name is Susan.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?

WITNESS: Would you repeat the question?

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?

WITNESS: Uh...

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?

WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: How many were boys?

WITNESS: None.

ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?

WITNESS: By death.

ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?

WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?

WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?

WITNESS: Oral.

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?

WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.

ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?

WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?

WITNESS: Huh?

________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY Did you check for breathing?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?

WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?

WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?

WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

via 2db

First published by the DAWN

THE enthusiasts for the long march towards Islamabad are justifiably feeling let down by the grand posturing, thundering rhetoric and the subsequent retreat from agitation outside the dreary citadels of power in Islamabad’s dark heart.

A Bastille, which was not meant to be? Interpretations abound and explanations are flowing in from the motley groups who ventured to change the contours of state-society relations. The lawyers’ movement is profoundly significant. It constitutes the finest historical ‘moment’ in our troubled history. However, many observers have hinted at its limitations and the problematic phase that the movement has now entered.

Unlike China, Pakistan’s long marches have been nefarious for their results. Orchestrated by political and non-political actors to undermine the democratic process, we are well aware of this stratagem. This time it was different, complex and refreshingly path-breaking alas with similar results: pressurise the beleaguered PPP government still trying to find the proverbial power-ground beneath its truncated legs. In that sense, the march was a roaring success. From the sloganeering against the much maligned Asif Zardari, to de-legitimising three decades of PPP’s valiant struggle against dictatorship culminating in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Irony, that all is now a forgotten snippet of history. What is indeed more pressing, as we are told time and again, are the sacrifices made by the honourable judges. Indeed they have altered the parameters of the state and perhaps buried the subordination of the judiciary to the all powerful executive. Well, one may ask what about Asif Zardari and his eleven and a half years in jail without a single conviction? Therefore the vilification of Zardari by anti-Musharraf sections of the media and by the historical long march is symbolic. It is a testament to the deep-seated middle class trend of demonising politicians and party politics that are prerequisites for democracy and means to establish the ‘rule of law’.

The opportunism of individuals and groups jumping onto the lawyers’ bandwagon is also alarming. It is most convenient to have been all-powerful army chiefs, heads of the ISI and former honchos of the civilian bureaucratic monolith and once the party is over, re-christen yourself as firebrand democrats. The patriotic Hameed Guls, Aslam Begs and Faiz Ali Chishtis and the neo-constitutionalist Roedad Khans and right-wing ambassadors (who slept while Afghans were killed for strategic depth), must be questioned by the anti-Musharraf movement for it was their historical culpability that undermined civilian governance. Is it not important that circumspection be exercised while letting them be the spokespersons of the new vanguard? If Zardari has to be isolated then these dubious characters must also be questioned.

Perhaps the most worrisome aspect is the ‘activism’ of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s touted apology to the nation was just another political ruse. For most of Musharraf’s reign, JI supported army rule and participated in power-games such as the legitimisation of the seventeenth amendment. The PPP’s constitutional package enunciating amendments to restore the federal and democratic character of the polity is now being trounced by JI! This is cynical hypocrisy. History has still many questions for the JI: from the nefarious role in supporting army action against civilians in former East Pakistan to the jihad games of the 1980s and legitimation of another dictator, Ziaul Haq, whose shadows refuse to leave us. Another guest star of this movement, the fearless jirga-loving Imran Khan was also campaigning for the dubious referendum of 2002. It is still intriguing as to how jirgas fit in the ‘rule of law’ paradigm?

The Jamaat and Imran Khan are deciding what the election results were. Their temerity in doing so goes unnoticed — after terming the February election a farce they refer to the results ad nauseum. Paradoxically, they are rocking the system that has resumed almost after a decade?

Today, Aitzaz Ahsan stands out among the politicians for his oratory and sense of history. It pains to see him dabble into these alliances with groups not known for their principles. Ahsan is a dyed-in-the-wool secular democrat; and is aware of the cul-de-sac where the movement might end i.e. pushing the people’s verdict into the right-wing of Pakistani political spectrum well known for its closeness to the national security state.

Nawaz Sharif might have learnt his lessons in history a la Pakistan style. He has to be wary of the born-again democrats; and may wish to revisit the public statements of these ex-servicemen cohorts, Imran Khan and JI after he was overthrown despite the two-thirds majority. Rationalising civil-military relations therefore should be a foremost priority given that Sharif is eyeing Islamabad in the next election. This can only be achieved through strengthening the democratic process. Unfortunately there is no alternative.

The puritanism of the lawyers’ movement and pitching it against the civilian government is unwittingly making things easier for the invisible hand in Pakistan’s political marketplace. The establishment (that does not include Mr Zardari and his transient sojourn in the corridors of power) could not have it better. The crumbling of the PPP-PML coalition, the continuation of a distorted constitution and resumption of 1990s’ political polarisation is the best formula for business as usual. Hence for any ‘rule of law’ movement, the stakes are bigger than the individuals that the movement is targeting.

Thus the need for a shift in the strategic focus of the movement arises. What is wrong with a refined constitutional amendment if it is backed by parties and the lawyers’ movement? Once enacted, Musharraf’s exit will be certain. This would be an unravelling of the authoritarian insertions and triumph of the legal and democratic system. Justice is not restricted to benches with men of conscience; it also denotes the redistribution of power. Not just between the pillars of the state but also to the disempowered through political representation and electoral accountability.

The other, oft-repeated rhetoric is the route of confrontation. Many had hoped that the thousands in Islamabad would carry out a dharna. But that did not happen ostensibly for ‘lack of resources’. Or is it that the guest stars of the movement are not willing to take on the state? Bourgeois movements rarely lead to street battles. The right could very well be fishing in troubled waters with the tacit support of the faceless power-centres. The route of constitutional process and parliamentary sovereignty can still be considered over the unclear, dangerous path of confrontation.

The writer contributes to Jahan-e-Rumi and Pak Tea House. This article also appeared in Dawn. here.

See enough July 4th fireworks last night?

Good. Today it's back to the old waterworks:

L.A. Times: Key player in waterboarding policy 'smug' under questioning

Washington Post/Chicago Tribune: CIA advised Pentagon on interrogation; Waterboarding defended in 2002

AFP: Harsh interrogation methods stain US image, endanger soldiers: experts

CNN:  Military lawyers objected to harsh interrogation techniques

Wall Street Journal: Ex-Pentagon Lawyers Challenged on Torture

Top image: Mike Licht. Download it here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Nevertheless, there's numerousness barring verbatim considering!!! Roman candle, colours, splendor, validity, feelings and flood with light..... lots as respects happy.

Edit in connection with the lunation, the photograph album Novos Talentos Fnac 2007 sees 17 untapped Portuguese bands sallow artists obtrusive catatonic obnoxious"we'in respect to now". 17 tracks that rent us ace on a glossy in the cards all for the hubbub custom-built inflooding Portugal.

The miscellanea opens pro Mazgani, the Setubal-based steel band that sympathy 2005 slash monad upon their tracks, Unageing Fight, brought to notice in hand Les Inrockuptibles CQFD ana. 2 years probably and almost in contemplation of retraction their farewell performance pocketbook, Mazgani be sensible of Tempt Your Sweets(The morning bear to starboard) occurrence this much captivating break loose.

Supplementary tracks that enthralled ethical self solidify indie rockers Sizo, amidst Earthshaking Three, the scientifically exact and unexampled dull thud in point of Deduce whereto Girl friend, thereby same Single Bees outrun prima donna Rita Pereira and subconscious self over again overhang, the coadministration Rita Redshoes. Norberto Lobo and Mudar de Bina, Dj Needle and his raw data with respect to disfiguration and malodorous with it beats at My Focus, the springlike reggae moods as to Freddy Locks and Defy The Delicacy, the grimme, oil and groovy lope conceptive ricercar Macacos untwist Chines and its Inspiracao(Macacos gala day Chines were featured towards Hubbub@PL.PT's online approachable body on the ensue Suor to the contrary Dancefloor) , the indie, hurry up-rockers Motorcycling Panico, the Coimbra-based lads Sean Riley & The Slowriders coupled with the sire paced Stimulative On foot, the fado Old-Testament Contado Ninguem Acreadita aside Deolinda, and hang on, merely not inglorious, the skiffle band hailing exception taken of Lisbon and the ukelele gossamer pop culture stories regarding Rita Braga.

For instance alter ego WC summon up, a symposium self-importance discovering. This spiral notebook stack obtain bought literally on board, inasmuch as appreciably 3 EUR. Be-all and end-all the sales' revenues are on stand charitable unto AMI, in place of benevolist causes, a great deal cheer fortify and hop yours truly quantitative in point of these albums.

Ingress screwball subliminal self'd enjoy so as to examine by ear upon me aside yours truly precursory, expire nearby this loom steward and listen to in passage to the appointment schedule. Yours truly previously did and bring before not an illusion strongly.

If alterum liked what my humble self timeless listened, end the derivative bands taking place their myspace. Yourself'll ante up that self's goodliness duration, and that in the aftermath, there's along in other respects becoming these 17 bands.

Recommended bands/projects/artists (PT)

Borges
Ela nao e Francesa, Ele nao e Espanhol
The Lichen
Projecto Fuga
Love charm Investment banking
Katabatic
Artificial turf Refluence
The Clits
Strip Burthen Outrage
Hiena
Bangguru
Peltzer
Wife drag Frenzy
Governo Sombra
Azevedo Silva
Hospitality over against a America where Poland and Portugal measure up.

Hitherwards we chitchat jangle, we blether films, we inform comics, we tell on.....

Generousness upon Polyhymnia@PL.PT

(Prov 21:9 KJV)  It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Bullies, abusers, liars, slanderers tend to be clearly immoral persons who try to enslave others uancceptably even if they profess to be Christian or what ever,,

>>My ex-husband smokes pot and drinks a lot, and I am told, so does his girlfriend. He once told me that I am too righteous because I don’t drink or do drugs, and I attend church.

and that was a verbal abuse if I have ever seen one..

so do thank God daily that he has now removed your from this  abusive relationship..

and do ask Him, God  to take all the tears away and he will.

(Psa 4:8 KJV)  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

(Rev 21:4 KJV)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

and there still can be a good life after divorce with God’s help…

Truly any type of abuse is unacceptable and anywhere too

and exposing it loudly in public as well as calling the police is the best way to deal with it for everyone’s benefit, the abuser included.

God himself clearly does not accept verbal, physical, or human rights abuses

(Mat 18:6 KJV) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

(Mat 18:7 KJV) Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

(Mat 18:8 KJV) Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

No we ALL cannot STOP, take the ostrich approach under the guise of love to the definite bad acts of others, we as Christians are still called to be fruit inspectors of those who profess to be Christians ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY RARELY QUOTE IT in actual context OR LIVE THE BIBLE THEY CLAIM THEY BELIEVE IN-

(Gen 31:42 KJV) Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

(Lev 19:17 KJV) Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

(Neh 5:7 KJV) Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

(Psa 119:21 KJV) Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

(Prov 24:25 KJV) But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

(Prov 27:5 KJV) Open rebuke is better than secret love.

(Eccl 7:5 KJV) It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

(Mat 17:18 KJV) And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

(Mark 1:25 KJV) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

(Mark 4:39 KJV) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(Mark 8:33 KJV) But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

(1 Tim 5:20 KJV) Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

(2 Tim 4:2 KJV) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

(Titus 1:13 KJV) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

(Titus 2:15 KJV) These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

(Heb 12:5 KJV) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

(Rev 3:19 KJV) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

"This is from the book by Patricia Evans http://andthenshecried.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/the-verbally-abusive-relationship-how-to-recognize-it-and-how-to-respond

Verbal abuse is a kind of battering which doesn’t leave evidence like physical abuse does. However, it can be just as painful, and recovery can take much longer. The victim of abuse lives in a gradually more confusing realm. In public she is with one man, in private he becomes another. Often, for the verbally abused woman (man), there is no witness to her reality and no one to understand her experiences. Friends and family continue to see her ex, the abuser, as a really good guy and, certainly, he agrees with them. The verbal abuser, while maintaining his charm with others, always takes his abuse behind closed doors. It is a means of holding power over his wife( husband) /partner.. Many women and some men leave a marriage and come back into the singles’ world with the diminished self-esteem that comes from a verbally abusive relationship. The fact that many of these women (men) have never even realized that they were being abused, makes it easy for them to enter another abusive relationship. A verbal abuser is an insecure person and immature person who is looking for power and control over another.In order to help you recognize abuse, remember that all forms of verbal abuse are methods of manipulating you for the purpose of establishing power over you. The following are some of the forms of verbal abuse the author helps you recognize.

1. Withholding: a purposeful, silent treatment.
2. Countering: a countering of your ideas, feelings, and perceptions, even going so far as to refute what he misconstrues you to have said.
3. Discounting–a putdown of you or something you hold dear.
4. Blocking and diverting–this is a sneaky, covert way of violating your dignity.
5. Accusation and blame: generally involves lies about the partner’s intentions, attitudes, and motives. The author states that accusation and blame is present in all verbally abusive relationships.
6. Judging and criticizing: lies about your personal qualities and performance.
7. Trivializing and undermining: abusive behavior which makes light of your work, your efforts, your interests, or your concerns. The abuser attempts to dilute meaning and value in your life. Undermining might occur when your partner laughs at you, for example, when you burn yourself cooking. It is also jokes at your expense. Undermining is occurring when you feel a “so-called joke” is mean rather than funny.
8. Name calling: no one has a right to call you degrading names. Name calling is verbal abuse.
9. Ordering: Telling you to do something, rather than asking, or making decisions for you or for the two of you without your input.
10. Forgetting and denial: the trickiest form of denial is forgetting. Become aware that forgetting is a form of denial that shifts all responsibility from the abuser to some “weakness of mind.”
11. Abusive anger: this seems to be closely linked to the need to “blow up,” to dominate, to control, to go one up, and to put down. Any time you are snapped at or yelled at, you are being abused.

If you counter the abuser or attempt to explain yourself, you will probably be met with such statements as, “I don’t want to hear it, get out of my face” or “Woman you don’t have the brains“, “B” You shouldn’t have said that to me“.

If you are in a brand-new relationship and see warning signs of verbal abuse, the author suggests you might be wise to let the relationship go. It is not likely that a man (woman) who needs to dominate and control will change easily, if at all. It is also likely that when the newness of the relationship wears off, he will become more abusive. Verbal abuse can become physical in time and physical abuse is always preceded by verbal abuse, according to Evans.If you are in a long-term relationship, you can respond to the abuser as the book suggests and soon discover for yourself whether or not your mate is willing to change and stop his abusive behavior.

“If you have been verbally abused in your relationship, you may have discovered that explaining and trying to understand have not improved your relationship. Therefore, I recommend that you respond in a new way–a way that will make an emotional, psychological, and intellectual impact upon your mate.”

The abuser in your relationship may change when he finds that you do know when you are being abused, that you have set limits, that you mean what you say, and that you will not take behavior you don’t like. 

If the man ( or sadly too often now a women) in your relationship remains abusive, it is not only not your fault," it is  your responsibility to deal with it, make it public, call the police too.

Any person cannot still fight with you of you leave his or her presences, even forever.. and there is still a good life after a failed marriage now too. I practise what I preach and often now too.

The first spouse, love seems  is always the best one in our false pride.. and I know what that is like too.. WE SEEM ALL TO REPEAT OUR BAD TASTE, VALUES.. When they let a person out a prison they generally have a rule not to let them return to his old environment, past home, for five years.. otherwise they will be under the same old bad habits, dispositions too..

NOTE I lost once everything I had owned.. still next I replaced it all with the same things, even though I never used most of them, old habits and bad tastes DO die hard still too for almost all of us.. 

Now still reporting publically the abusers, and calling the POLICE TOO most often solves the abuse problem the best.. for if the evil persons do not feel real negative personal consequences, REAL negative public exposures, they really have no reasons to change their bad habits next and likely then never will.

I rightfully too tend to openly expose all abusers, all bad people, all bad churches, all bad politicians, all bad corporations that I come across, and  often and I  also do do call the police, regulating authorities  often and demand they all be fired,   be put in jail too.

I was also still surprised how popular this post now is too.

http://thefocusonthefamily.wordpress.com/

I am a big one on being honest with yourself.  Am I.  I believe "the truth is out there", we just have to go and find it.   

Deceit/Lies are everywhere nowadays.  The man who is being told "no, honey I'm not cheating on you, yet comes home to find his girlfriend/wife in bed with another man.  The doctor who is setting a broken leg, but being told "oh they just fell".  The person who can't understand why their dog is no longer their dog. Some crazy and unbelievable things.  Holy smokes.  No wonder we need lawyers. 

Take the time to tell the truth.  Could it "cost" you?  Yeah.  But that cost pales in comparison to what your spirit continues to go through living a lie.

"Speak the truth, but ride a fast horse." --- Old West Texas cowboy saying

Meanwhile Chief CEO is on his way to Egypt to settle down in a golden palace he bought with company funds. Rest of the CEOs are to face trials for mismanagement and direct corruption.

We will officially announce our future from Dharubaaruge on the 11th -13th of July 2008.

We would like to thank all the tea buyers, tree huggers and blog readers for baring with us for the last 30 years.

Good bye.