George Zimmerman Back In Court And The News

The Orlando Sentinel covers the latest Zimmerman court appearance.

There was some back-and-forth about attempts to identify the voice screaming for help on one of the 911 tapes. I liked this:

About 30 minutes into the hearing, the state and defense reached an impasse on the subject of the 911 audio of the shooting in which screams for help are audible.

"There has been an effort made in this case to identify the person making those cries for help," defense attorney Don West said.

Some witnesses have said it was Trayvon, others say that it was Zimmerman. West asked the state to identify any witness who has given an opinion.

De la Rionda countered that it's the defense's job to depose witnesses in the case and find out if they have an opinion. He added that Zimmerman, in a police interview, said the screaming voice didn't sound like his.

So Zimmerman may or may not know what he souds like when screaming - imagine my surprise. Personally, I have high hopes that if I were getting beaten down on the sidewalk I would scream for help in a properly manly manner, but my faith, while resolute, is untested.

However, I learned over the weekend that others have a similar self-image. Here is NFL superstar RGIII on the hit he took last weekend:

“I knew as soon as I got hit. I screamed. Like a man, of course,” Griffin added with a laugh. “It hurt really bad.”

I haven't heard any tape so I can't judge the manliness of his screaming, but maybe some sports fans can help.

As to Zimmerman, prosecution agreed not to pull any surprises:

After a 10-minute recess, the state said it would disclose if a witness identified Zimmerman as the voice on the recording to the defense.

 

Comments

[Rob Crawford]

As to Zimmerman, prosecution agreed not to pull any surprises:

Oh, yes, the special-ed persecutors have been *SO* forthcoming with discovery, and *SO* honest about the proceedings so far.

[Danube of Thought]

I know nothing at all about how discovery is done in Florida criminal cases, but this assertion strikes me as very strange:

De la Rionda countered that it's the defense's job to depose witnesses in the case and find out if they have an opinion.

[daddy]

test

[daddy]

Dueling Headlines:

Newsweek: The War on Christmas Is Over

FOX: Navy Cancels Nativity over Atheist Complaint

The NewsWeek story goes to reputable authorities for it's Meme:

Jon Stewart recently introduced his annual skewering of the “war on Christmas” with a montage of Fox News personalities breathlessly reporting the latest outrages against the holiday’s religious origins. “Let’s face facts,” Stewart said. “The annual Fox ‘war on Christmas’ has become a little predictable.”

Just as an experiment to get to the truth, could I suggest that if you can across any stories today that tend to indicate "a War on Christmas" would you mind posting them? For instance:

FOX: White House “Holiday” Card Spotlights Dog, Not Christmas

The 2012 card made no mention of any specific holiday nor did it include a Bible verse noting the birth of Christ. Etc.

[maryrose]

daddy:
They"in the White House" are NOT Christian. Ergo no mention of the real Nativity or meaning of the Christmas Holiday. It's all about the dog. It's like Christmas cards from your relatives with a picture of their family on the card. It's all about them ,not Christmas.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Tribune Co. is offering up both The Chicago Tribune and LA Times. Rupert has already expressed an interest. Papers are nice, but I bet he wants to tie the WSJ database to CareerBuilder, a motor for traffic.

[daddy]

Number of Christians in England and Wales falls by more than 4 million since 2001,

while on the flip side:

'Jedi' religion most popular alternative faith:

"Today's Census figures show that 176,632 people in England and Wales identify themselves as Jedi Knights, making it the most popular faith in the "Other Religions" category on the Census and the seventh most popular faith overall."

Feel the Farce, Luke.

[Danube of Thought on IPad]

Let us not forget simpering Linc Chafee hastily lighting the "holday tree," then claiming that calling it a Christmas tree is "not traditional."

[lyle]

Of course, the Obamas aren't Christian. Barry thinks Jesus should exalt him not the other way around.

[NK]

The Major Lib Media Cos cannot die out fast enough as far as I'm concerned. The NY Times Co will be the last one standing of course, but its day will can't come soon enough. Before that, Tribune, WaPo, Comcast News, McClatchy, and Reuters all give up the ghost. Of Course the Beeb will use its taxpayer subsidy to go on forever.

[narciso]

'We have never been at war, with Christman' I mean Eastasia, but they are going out of business in three weeks,

[narciso]

Yes, but how many Sith, that's the real question,

[Manuel Transmission]

Today's Census figures show that 176,632 people in England and Wales identify themselves as Jedi Knights, making it the most popular faith in the "Other Religions" category

In college, a few of us put "Druid" in the "other" category. Never got an invite to that group, though. This was decades before Excaliber, of course.

[Dave (in MA)]

The day is young, but comment of the day so far:
http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2012/12/11/report-jenny-sanford-on-short-list-for-sc-senate-appointment/comment-page-1/#comment-2213900

[Melinda Romanoff]

Dave-

That just rocks.

[rse]

Speaking of Darth Vader, I now understand why Bill Ayers is such an advocate for Social Justice. And why he has always found it so amusing when people write about what he wants taught.

It's much more the how. http://www.invisibleserfscollar.com/now-its-head-heart-and-hands-to-get-us-to-environmental-social-and-economic-justice/

I used an excerpt from that fine essay from the Mises Institute as well as Ludwig explaining no one advocates for inequality as an end in itself.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Tagliabue vacates Saints punishments.

[narciso]

I brought to your attention, this bizarre lawsuit, from one of the commissioners who had been suspended for a time, against the Mayor and
the local state attorney, a hack of prodigous status, which sort of impinged on the Chief Lee like situation, regarding a series of justified
police shootings in our fair burg, she was the swing vote, on his firing, without real cause,
after having done the full hamlet,

[narciso]

Why would he do that, because they hadn't killed anyone yet?

[Melinda Romanoff]

Playoffs!

[narciso]

Above all, don't mention the war, however you can remark on the tenderness of the lamb;

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2012/12/apologists-write-new-army-handbook-disaster.html

[narciso]

Civility it would be an interesting concept;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/12/michigan-right-to-work-protests-live/

[Dave (in MA)]

Mel, the article linked off Drudge is pretty sloppy journalism. Nowhere does it say how ex-Comm. Tag has any power to rule on it. (He was appointed by Goodell)

[Melinda Romanoff]

I was repeating the WSJ feed. I do recall an appeal process that Goodell allowed.

[narciso]

Is this the piece, Dave;

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_22167010/bounty-ruling-players-finally-at-hand?source=rss

'out of hand, you're paying players to sriously injure and maim,

[NK]

TARP-- I'd have to go an check Treasury IG reports, but my recollection is that the Taxpayers only LOST TARP money and CIT and some regional bank bailouts. Every other FINANCIAL institution bailout -- including AIG now, made some money for the taxpayers. Alas, owing to the Obamaniacs taking over in January 2009, TARP will probably turnout to be a net loser for TPs based on the GM/UAW bailout, and deadbeat home mortgagor bailouts. But, as much as I disliked the TBTF bailouts, the Bush/Paulson bailouts, didn't cost the TPs. Infact the TBTF financials bailouts made quite a for the TPs and mitigated Fed deficits. Think of it, if it weren't TARP, the Obama deficits would have been worse!

[narciso]

No, that's not the standard, TARP was designed to buy and quarantine, troubled assets, how successful have they been at that score,

[Captain Hate]

Good luck finding Macy's Christmas tree because Tagliabue just shoved it up Goodell's ass.

[narciso]

Just change the name of the sport to Rollerball, the 70s one with James Caan, not the carpy remake with Rebecca Romijn

[narciso]

I know it's a scam, but it's a legendarily underforming one;

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/12/11/stunner-californias-cap-and-trade-system-delivers-14-of-promised-revenue-in-first-auction/

[Melinda Romanoff]

That one's a classic.

[cathyf]

I'm curious -- if you take each of the individual TARP payments that have already been paid back in full, and you simply take them out of the debt -- remove the money going out from the years that it went out, and remove the money coming back from the years it came back, it will make the 2009 deficit smaller and the 2010, 2011 & 2012 deficits bigger. Has anyone ever seen the result of that calculation?

I have debt numbers:
date debt deficit
9/30/2007 9.00765E+12 $500,679,473,047.25
9/30/2008 1.00247E+13 $1,017,071,524,650.02
9/30/2009 1.19098E+13 $1,885,104,106,599.30
9/30/2010 1.35616E+13 $1,651,794,027,380.00

[NK]

Narc-- paulson knew that buying MBS assets was a cinch loser for TPs, even that schmuck Geithner realized it was a loser and limited the damage he did to some idiotic mortgage workouts that wasted taxpayer money, but were relative minor eff ups (thank God Fannie's administrator told Timmie to eff off about writing down mortgage principal.) No, for once, the DC gangsters left the MBS clearing to 'the market' and it has been happening-- slowly, but happening. If GM had done a normal bankruptcy without Obama's payoff to the UAW, TARP could have been a real profit center for the taxpayer. Alas, TARP profits will be dwarfed by GM/UAW and the Fannie Mae losses.

[narciso]

'We're shocked gambling is going on here'

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/11/3137268/fbi-investigating-miami-cops-in.html

[narciso]

It's like egg nog, with a little less alcohol in it;

http://pjmedia.com/blog/its-not-science-its-cnn/?singlepage=true

[NK]

CathF@216-- that is a very, very fair question. The apples to apples comparison is to reduce the Bush/paulson FY2009 deficit by the 2010-2012 financial repayments, and increase the FY 2010-2012 in turn. Obama's FY 2009 and 2010 deficits may have each been $2T. Just sick and scary.

[Janet]

FOX: Navy Cancels Nativity over Atheist Complaint

How sad. Here is one Drudge highlighted a bit ago - Lawsuit threat cancels Christmas concert

"For the past six years, the award-winning group and volunteers from the New Hope Church have raised more than $200,000 for a charity that treats poor people in Africa."

Couldn't have that.

I posted this before - It is time to go rogue. Atheist groups suing schools & cities (now the military)...why respond? Are they gonna arrest everyone? Don't show up in court, don't pay any fine,...just carry on. Put up the Christmas trees...more than ever, have the plays, don't change your city flag. If they sue because of an old war memorial with a cross...put up hundreds more of them.

We can learn something from illegal immigrants...just carry on & multiply. Ignore the system.

Have multiple nativity scenes in Bahrain. If you don't have to be in uniform...maybe everyone should dress as damn shepherds!!

[Jim Eagle]

Talk about shocking!

I didn't post it but I read a tweet that took me to a NPR story about how a huge number of people (of a certain range of age) are unaffiliated relgious or completely secular and they overwhelmingly voted for Obama.

[Gee Mann]

Now the good guys are allowed to defend themselves. It will no longer be just the bad guys carrying guns in illinois. When the Treyvons assault, the victims will be able to protect themselves.

"Court strikes down Illinois concealed carry law"

http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_22168932/court-strikes-down-illinois-concealed-carry-law

[NK]

And Ben B doubles his monthly asset purchases and increases the Fed's balance sheet to $4T. I wonder what Ben B will use to replace the Dollar when he's rendered it completely valueless, a completely spurious form of money. Someday, someone will analyze BenB's conduct, it won't be an economist, it will be a psychiatrist, or an Exorcist.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-11/fed-seen-pumping-up-assets-to-4-trillion-in-new-buying.html

[Tom Maguire]

Re:

De la Rionda countered that it's the defense's job to depose witnesses in the case and find out if they have an opinion.

After exerting my full Powers of Positive Rationalization on behalf of the prosecutor I figured that in the context of an overly broad defense request this answer might make sense.

E.g., the prosecutor might be saying, look, we can flag the witnesses *we* talked to that opined on the voice ID, but we can't promise to flag *all* the witnesses because some will be people the defense dug up.

Otherwise, yeah, that prosecutor comment was weird.

[RichatUF]

I'd have to go an check Treasury IG reports, but my recollection is that the Taxpayers only LOST TARP money and CIT and some regional bank bailouts. Every other FINANCIAL institution bailout -- including AIG now, made some money for the taxpayers.

Check the last IG report. AIG will most likely be a net loser once the warrants are cashed in (and all the remaining good parts have been sold off) and the GM saga is going to be replayed in bankruptcy (at this point I don't think there is much the judge can do other than sanction administration personnel). The FMs were and are big money losers too. Overall the program will be a net loser.

And when Old Lurker wonders on by let him know I sent him an email. Thanks.

[RichatUF]

ooops that is an odd typo

wonders->wanders

[narciso]

Well remember those folks with the special voice ID equipment, that assured us, 'they could confirm without a doubt' that it was Travyon screaming, in other news, the analyst that Jessica Chastain is playing, is having almost a bad lot as Claire Danes character in 'Homeland'
sans electroshock,

[Danube of Thought on IPad]

Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? PLAYOFFS? I just hope we can win another game.

[RichatUF]

In re the deficit and debt in the last years of the Bush Administration the calculation for healthcare benefits for the VA was different. It was most of the 07 and 08 budget deficits. Surprising the formula was changed in 09 and made the deficit less bad during the Obama Administration.

[narciso]

This will workout as well as the Taif accord, did for Lebanon;

http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2012/12/11/report-new-afghan-peace-plan-would-increase-pakistans-role/

[NK]

RichUF-- I have read that the AIG warrants will put the TPs in the Red with AIG, and no doubt, when The Obamaniacs writeoff GM and realize the stock loss, the Bankruptcy Court will slice and dice those UAW legacy costs and maybe even punish some DC crooks. And yes the FM losses will be enormous Trillion(s)? But technically, the FMs weren't TARPs, receivers were appointed by Bush/Paulson when the GSEs became insolvent .

[NK]

TomM-- weird comment?, or just really a hack prosecutor pushing the legal chow?

[narciso]

It will probably turn out like this, in fact;

http://www.theblogmocracy.com/2012/12/11/how-to-embrace-psychotic-murderers-and-alienate-a-continent/

[Porchlight]

Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? PLAYOFFS? I just hope we can win another game.

Heh. Just this morning I quoted that in an email to my brother (I'm in my fantasy football playoffs).

[Rob Crawford]

WTF is Jesse Jack....son... doing in MI? Shouldn't he be tending to his son?!

[Melinda Romanoff]

Texas judge blocks Keystone construction in Nacogdoches County on behalf of a 64 yr old landowning student/Marine.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Rob-

"Paid to Incite".

[Danube of Thought on IPad]

Has anyone heard from Sue since last night's game?

[Janet]

Here's a good little post on - Environmentalists hate poor people

"A recent rule, added in response to a lawsuit brought by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, imposes blind caps on the total CO2 emissions in OPIC's portfolio, which ends up barring the agency from nearly all non-renewable electricity projects."

Ya figure our tax dollars reimbursed those organizations lawyers under EAJA?

[fdcol63]

Oh, the irony. MI unions protesting the "right to work".

Do you think they get it? LOL

[NK]

Irony? Maybe not. Unions inherently try to supress the labor force in order to artificially increase the amount paid by employers to the Union 'members". In reality, those inflated costs mostly went into Union Boss pockets not members (my Dad's corrupt carpenters' union was Exhibit A of that.) Violence has always been a way to suppress the labor force-- the movie "On the Waterfront" was damn near a documentary film.

[narciso]

I know, it's like trying to explain air to a a fish;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQs6x4yghB0&feature=youtu.be

[Dave (in MA)]

It's like egg nog, with a little less alcohol in it

Speaking of which, I saw this in the supermarket the other day and had to give it a try: http://www.wearenotmartha.com/wp-content/uploads/Egg-Nog-Polar-Seltzer.jpg

[NK]

Narc-- who's the talking corpse in that YouTube video? looks like the mother in Psycho-- not the one played by Tony Perkins, the other one.

[Rob Crawford]

Best suggestion I've heard in re Michigan violence:

I say we make a BFD out of this and accuse Obama of inciting violence.

HotAir of all places...

[Rob Crawford]

Oh, the irony. MI unions protesting the "right to work".

"Right to Work" is best known as "Right to Not Fund Democrats". That's why the left is terrified of it.

[narciso]

I got that off Conn Carroll's twitter feed;

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2172549

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

I say we make a BFD out of this and accuse Obama of inciting violence.

The scary part is that we have to be told to do that.

Re: Zimmerman: I'm assuming the prosecutor has finished her investigation and feels no need to do anymore - leaving it to the defendant. Florida prosecutors seem to have interesting ethics.

[narciso]

This is that earlier piece I was referring to;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-zero-dark-thirty-shes-the-hero-in-real-life-cia-agents-career-is-more-complicated/2012/12/10/cedc227e-42dd-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_story.html?hpid=z1

[Rob Crawford]

Florida prosecutors seem to have interesting ethics.

Start from the fact that Janet Reno was their finest...

[Sue]

I have been watching video of the union mobs in Michigan. If you aren't armed, you better get yourself armed. This country is not a safe place right now.

[Sue]

DoT,

I watched the Mavs/Kings game last night, if that is the one you are referring to.

[Sue]

Someone tell me again how the TEA party got tagged as violent and the union thugs are not?

[Dave (in MA)]

http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/12/michigan-right-to-work-protests-live/

Liberalism at work. Well, perhaps "at work" was not the best choice of terminology.

[NK]

C'mon Sue- the Union Thugs and the Legacy media are all on the same team -- the legacy media have to keep the 'narrative' going, even if it means saying up is down, black is white, in is out and 'we have never been at war with Oceania.'

[Rob Crawford]

Someone tell me again how the TEA party got tagged as violent and the union thugs are not?

Union thugs have been given the authority to commit violence without any repercussions. Heck, one of the major union chiefs was tied to multiple shooting deaths, but he's walking the streets because, well, it was a "labor dispute".

[Jim Eagle]

Now, will everyone, agree with me that we have a cowardly judicial system in Florida, especially, Seminole County. This is going to trial (you can follow it on CourtTV unless you are lucky like bgates and me and get channel 13). It will be so devastating that race riots and murder and mayhem will break out after the verdict is read. You think Rodney King set the standard then wait for the GZ case.

naricso, you need to stay clear of Liberty City that day.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Forty years ago, one of my major duties as a young associate in a management labor law firm was flying around the country obtaining emergency TROs and injunctions against union violence on picket lines and other places. As you can imagine, gathering evidence was sometimes hazardous to my physical well being. Frankly, for the most part, I felt safer and more secure when I was in Vietnam, but my experience there helped immeasurably.

[narciso]

Now mind you, they seem to have excised the 'John' character from the film, because he's too George Clooney as opposed to Nicole Kidman, who would be playing Chastain's role, a decade ago.

[Rob Crawford]

Jim -- ISTR reading that some of the National Guard troops at Kent State had just been involved in escorting truck drivers working despite a Teamsters strike -- and that being fired on wasn't unusual during that strike.

[Clarice]

I hope NBC gets its proper share of the blame should that happen,JiB.

[Rob Crawford]

I hope NBC gets its proper share of the blame should that happen,JiB.

What? The Filth Estate be held accountable for their actions?

I think that would violate the 1st Amendment or something.

[narciso]

Has there being in recent memory, anything like the Yablonski shooting;

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/11/libyans-say-sharia-will-be-law-of-the-land.html

[Jim Eagle]

I hereby nominate Bob Beckel for King of the Idiots. Please kneel before me Bob so I can dub you King Boob with the can of Budweiser I hold in my hand.

[narciso]

Wait, you're leaving out Bob Shrum, he appears less often, but has a remarkable level of cluelessness, with a 0-11 record.

[Rob Crawford]

I thought that ritual required a can of Natty Light, Jack.

[Rob Crawford]

Hoffa promises a "civil war" over right-to-work.

Because the union movement did so much for his father.

[narciso]

well I was concerned there for a minute, carry on;

http://www.humanevents.com/2012/12/11/teamsters-boss-predicts-civil-war-in-michigan/

[Jim Eagle]

Rob,

No Natty nor Hudy 14K here in Florida but we do have a cornhole tournament with Empress or Skyline chili from time to time:)

/only 4 way, damn it. I'm a 5 way guy.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

The major problem with Beckel's diatribe is that his illustrations are from the UAW of 80 years ago. Walter Reuther would be so proud.

[narciso]

Those Lutherans, angry over the overcooked hasefefer, in the LUN

[Jim Eagle]

A poll you can believe in:

[Rob Crawford]

/only 4 way, damn it. I'm a 5 way guy.

4-ways are too error prone. You ask for onions, they give you beans. Safest to get the 5-way with both.

[narciso]

I stand corrected;

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/matthew-vadum/union-gangsters-richard-trumka/2/

[Rob Crawford]

Trumka encouraged and approved acts of violence by UMW strikers during a labor dispute in the late 1980s. As Virginia Circuit Court Judge Donald McGlothlin, Jr. declared, “The evidence shows beyond any shadow of a doubt that violent activities are being organized, orchestrated and encouraged by the leadership of this union.”

From narciso's link.

[Danube of Thought on IPad]

AP:

"At a July 2011 news conference, Obama said the government could increase such revenues by $1.2 trillion over 10 years without raising income tax rates. It could be done, he said, 'by eliminating loopholes, eliminating some deductions and engaging in a tax reform process that could have lowered rates generally while broadening the base.'"

That was 17 months ago. Now, however, it is worth it to him to take the country over the fiscal cliff rather than do precisely that.

[Sue]

So, where are these former Californians going?

The Census Bureau calculates that the most popular destination is Texas (58,992), a state that is luring California companies.

Well shit. They will move here and vote the way they voted in California until Texas becomes California.

[narciso]

I was referring more to this bit;

After a UMW member shot and killed non-union worker Eddie York, eight UMW strikers threw rocks at security guards who came to check on the victim. Trumka not only refused to discipline the hoodlums, but used a metaphor to justify their behavior. “[I]f you strike a match and put your finger in, common sense tells you you’re going to burn your finger,” he said.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--What? The Filth Estate be held accountable for their actions?--

Shouldn't that be the Filth Column?

[Porchlight]

Hopefully, Sue, they will mostly move to cities like Austin and urban counties that are already solid Dem. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard a lib say that Austin is the only Texas city in which they'd even consider living.

[Old Lurker]

You might be better off moving that fence from your southern border to your western state line Sue.

[Sue]

Porch,

They piss in their own habitat then move on till they've pissed in everyone else's habitat making them inhabitable.

[Sue]

OL,

I'm thinking about putting in a mote. Around my little slice of heaven.