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
Scalia, SCOTUS & Troy Davis’ Last Gasp
/39 Comments/in Culture, Law/by bmazLate yesterday afternoon, the Supreme Court of the United States stayed the execution, set for Tuesday night, of Cleve Foster in Texas. The words of the order were simple: 11-6427 FOSTER, CLEVE V. TEXAS (11A302) The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Scalia and by him referred to the […]
Trash Talk: NCAA Shame, Ephs and Jeffs
/186 Comments/in Culture, Economics, Football, Trash Talk/by bmazMarcy is correct, the article this week in the Atlantic magazine by Taylor Branch is an absolute must read. Entitled The Shame of College Sports, the article opens with a 2001 investigatory hearing in front of the Knight commission, a NCAA oversight board where slimy promoter Sonny Vaccaro matter of factly tells the Commission exactly […]
Italian Grand Prix 1961-2011: Monza, Death of von Trips & A Yankee Champion
/84 Comments/in automobiles, Football, Trash Talk/by bmazWhen we started the 2011 Formula One season back in March, I noted that 2011 is the 50th anniversary of the magical 1961 F1 season in which Phil Hill, driving for Ferrari, became the first, and other than Mario Andretti in 1978, only American Formula One Grand Prix World Champion. From our season opening post […]
Trash Talk: The NFL Season Begins Packers & Saints
/69 Comments/in Football, Trash Talk/by bmazIt’s Here!! It seemed like it may never happen the way things looked in the spring and early summer but, unlike those mopes in Washington DC, the NFL and the players figured out what needed to be done for the long term, and got it done. Not some freaking kick the can down the road […]
William Welch & DOJ’s Dishonest Intelligence Witness Against Jeff Sterling
/18 Comments/in CIA Leak Case, Department of Justice, FISA, Intelligence, Law, Obama Administration, PATRIOT/by bmazIn a comment to Marcy’s The Narratology of Leaking: Risen and Sterling post yesterday, MadDog related this nugget regarding the Sterling case from a Steve Aftergood article in Privacy News: I know EW’s post’s focus was on Sterling’s defense team’s strategy, but I’d be remiss in not commenting on this tidbit from Steven Aftergood’s post: […]
Trash Talk: NCAA On The Way To Save The Day!
/124 Comments/in Football, Trash Talk/by bmazThis joint needs some football, and the college kids are back to give it to us. We have already seen a couple of notable things. First, Wisconsin looked scary good, even though it was Podunk State (UNLV) they clobbered. No, the Runnin Rebs were not much of a substitute for the real power of the […]
Obama & Holder Push AZ USAtty Burke Out Over ATF GunRunner Cock-Up
/38 Comments/in Congress, Democrats, Department of Justice, Law, Obama Administration, USA Purge/by bmazComing across the wire this morning was this stunning announcement by the Department of Justice: Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Resignation of U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke 08/30/2011 01:01 PM EDT “United States Attorney Dennis Burke has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Department of Justice and the […]
Trash Talk: Belgian Grand Prix A Trip To The Spa
/29 Comments/in emptywheel, Football, Trash Talk/by bmazWell, as Rosalind helpfully pointed out on the Gone Fishing thread, I am a bit of a late tease with the Trash Talk thread this weekend. Sorry about that,things got a bit catawampus yesterday. Today is my daughter Jenna’s sweet sixteen birthday (scary!!), but somehow the big party got shifted to Saturday. This entailed taking […]
Trash Talk: I’m Still Mad In Memphis West Edition
/42 Comments/in emptywheel, Football, Trash Talk/by bmazFor any that carelessly stumble in here without having read the earlier Emptywheel blog ice pick into the temple of southern comfort regarding the West Memphis Three and the obliteration of fundamental fairness occurring in an American court right down the stinking street, go back to go. Do not collect jack squat on the way. […]