"Fun Facts Saturday" Unlike American troops, British troops salute by “slapping” the back of their hand against their forehead with the palm facing forward. Several former colonies of the British Empire follow this tradition, including: Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan. The predominant theory for the origin of this salute is that Medieval knights used … Continue reading The “Unusual” British Military Salute
"Court Case Friday" A plethora of people have asked, "Why retire after 35 years on the bench? You get treated with respect, and people laugh at your jokes -- unlike at home." Now that my free speech rights have been "restored," and I can be candid about the reasons for my retirement. Summary One of the … Continue reading “Why retire?” (1/4) – Dealing with Hardened Criminals – Again
"Sunday Sermon" Sun Tzu (371-256), the great military strategist, recognized that the key to victory is: “Know thy enemy.” (The Art of War) Satan is our eternal enemy. To avoid being outsmarted and outmaneuvered, we must know his strategies. Ignorance leaves us vulnerable. “Knowledge is power.” That is why Brigham Young taught, “We should not … Continue reading Satan’s Strategies. “Know Your Enemy.” (Introduction)
"Fun Facts Saturday" I, and many other people, believed that Albert Einstein flunked math in school. When students struggle with math, teachers and parents try to console and encourage them by telling them, “even Einstein flunked math.” In truth, Einstein did not flunk math. In fact, he always excelled in it. In 1935, a rabbi at … Continue reading Einstein did NOT flunk math. (Another “Brain Barnacle”)
"Court Case Friday" Pro per prisoners often send complaints to judges without requesting a remedy (“prayer for relief.”) In these “snivel sheets” (guards’ lingo), they whine and complain, sometimes legitimately. However, they often don’t explain what they want the court to do. As a prosecutor, I received such a petition filed by a prisoner in … Continue reading Another “Dumb” One – “Prayer for Relief”
"Sunday Sermon" The Book of Mormon prophet Lehi shared an important gospel gem when he announced, “Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.” (1 Ne. 8:2) Lehi went on to describe his spectacular Vision of the Tree of Life. This verse explains that dreams can be visions … Continue reading Dreams and Visions (1 Ne. 8:2)
"Fun Facts Saturday" For centuries, the City of London has been famous for its frequent “pea-soup” fogs. These are great backdrops for stories by Charles Dickens and tales about Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, and the American Werewolf. But on December 5, 1952, a high-pressure inversion layer settled over London. It trapped the fog … Continue reading The Killer Fog of London
"Court Case Friday" I had a case where a uniformed Garden Grove Police Officer was on foot patrol in a large multi-apartment area adjacent to Santa Ana. The residents were predominantly day laborers and poor working families. There was significant drug trafficking and gang activity in the area. At the request of the law-abiding residents, … Continue reading Another “Dumb Criminal” – Sold Heroin to a Cop in Uniform
"Patriotic Wednesday" (This speech was given two decades before the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln, our greatest president, warned against divisiveness, lack of civility, and political violence. His warning is relevant today.) We find ourselves under the government … of political institutions, more essentially to the ends of civil and religious liberty, than any of … Continue reading Abraham Lincoln: American Will Only Die by Suicide.
"Sunday Sermon" Literary Characterization One of my favorite topics of my 3-year literary analysis of the Book of Mormon, in the 1970s, involves the "cast of characters." In fiction, quality of "literary characterization" is measured three ways: one, diversity; two, consistency; and three, realism. One, do the different characters act differently? Two, are the characters' … Continue reading Book of Mormon Cast of Characters (More Evidence)
The London Edition 