Author Archive for: bmaz
About bmaz
Bmaz is a rather large saguaro cactus in the Southwestern Sonoran desert. A lover of the Constitution, law, family, sports, food and spirits. As you might imagine, a bit prickly occasionally. Bmaz has attended all three state universities in Arizona, with both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Arizona State University, and with significant post-graduate work (in physics and organic chemistry, go figure) at both the University of Colorado in Boulder and the University of Arizona. Married, with both a lovely child and a giant Sasquatch dog. Bmaz has been a participant on the internet since the early 2000’s, including active participation in the precursor to Emptywheel, The Next Hurrah. Formally joined the Emptywheel blog as an original contributing member at its founding in 2007. Bmaz grew up around politics, education, sports and, most significantly, cars; notably around Formula One racing and Concours de Elegance automobile restoration and showing. Currently lives in the Cactus Patch with his lovely wife and beast of a dog, and practices both criminal and civil trial law.
At Mastodon: @[email protected]
Entries by bmaz
A Big Day at SCOTUS on Obamacare and Fair Housing
/17 Comments/in Congress, Democrats, Health Policy, Law, Obama Administration/by bmazA little more than two hours ago, a fairly monumental day at the Supreme Court got underway. Two big boxes of opinion were brought out signaling at least two, and perhaps as many as four, new decisions were going to be announced. It was only two, but they are huge and critically important decisions King […]
No, There Is No Relative Human Value Status In Tragic Shootings
/53 Comments/in Culture, Domestic Policy, Galactic Stupidity, Guns, Ideas and Ideology, Law/by bmazThe BREAKING NEWS tonight is nine people being shot to death in Charleston South Carolina. From ABC News: Nine people were killed when a gunman opened fire in a historic Charleston, South Carolina church Wednesday evening and police were searching for the suspect. Police said that eight people were found dead inside the church. Two […]
DOJ Is Back On The Baseball Beat; Is Their Past Prologue?
/21 Comments/in Cybersecurity, Department of Justice, Law/by bmazWhile it is not quite as exciting as Trump!-mania, the other news this morning is that DOJ is getting back into the baseball game. Having brought responsibility to the financial sector, sent the Wall Street scourges all to prison, and accountability to out of control warrior cops, DOJ is now focused like a laser on […]
The Shame of Formula One in Bahrain
/32 Comments/in Trash Talk/by bmazThis weekend is the Grand Prix of Bahrain at the International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Three years ago I wrote about the local protests in Bahrain seeking some modicum of civil liberties and fair treatment. Instead there was a violent crackdown by the tyrannical ruling Khalifa family leading to bloodied protestors and dead bodies near […]
Loretta Lynch Is A Dubious Nominee For Attorney General
/24 Comments/in Congress, Department of Justice, Drug War, Ideas and Ideology, Law, Leak Investigations, Obama Administration, state secrets, Torture, Unitary Executive/by bmazLoretta Lynch is an excellent nominee for Attorney General, and her prior actions in whitewashing the blatant and rampant criminality of HSBC should not be held against her, because she didn’t know that at the time she last whitewashed that criminal enterprise, right? No. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a cop […]
Emptywheel’s Super Bowl XLIX Trash Talk
/153 Comments/in Arizona Politics, Football, Trash Talk/by bmazWelp, here we are for our last regularly scheduled Trash Talk for the football season. It may be the biggest game of the year, but it is always a tad melancholy because it means no more football. On that note, off we go. Super Bowl XLIX is right here in the Phoenix Valley of the […]
Marissa Alexander, Jeff Toobin and Blackledge
/6 Comments/in Ideas and Ideology, Law/by bmazBy now, you probably know the story of Marissa Alexander, a charming young woman who tried to defend herself and her children from a criminally abusive ex in Florida. Another soul outrageously and scandalously prosecuted by the, by all appearances, morally and ethically bereft Angela Corey, the state prosecutor in Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit. Marissa […]
NFL Conference Championship Trash Talk
/89 Comments/in Football, Trash Talk/by bmazBack by popular demand, and in the face of kudzu like anti-sports grumps, it is Emptywheel’s Famous Football Trash Talk! The field is now down to four Green Bay at Seattle, and Indianapolis at New England. The early game is the one that Phred and I will be glued to the TV for. The Packers […]
NCAA Football Championship Trash Talk (after NFL games)
/167 Comments/in Football, Trash Talk/by bmazUPDATE: Allright Emptywheel lugnuts, here is yer update to the post I said would serve all huge games this expanded weekend. Not much has changed on my original discussion below, however, Oregon had a number 3 receiver, Darren Carrington, suspended because of a terminally stupid positive pot test. Both teams are not at perfect strength, […]