In Canadian criminal law proceedings...

When the accused has pretty clearly done something insanely monstrous, and the defense lawyer spits out something so monstrously insanely monstrously insane that it would be far better just to say "he didn't do it, neener neener", who is responsible for that?  The defendant and his lawyer by consensus?  Would it be that the defendant has come up with it and the lawyer has to do what the defendant says?  (And the lawyer can't withdraw from the case?)  Surely a defense based on mental incompetence doesn't require that the lawyer lack mental competence?

Appalled.  Boggled.
 

Goes nicely with "Harperman"

Well-known Ottawa folk musicians Shelley Posen and Ian Robb have crafted a nice song and video, "There's Always Money For A War".  Though the sentiment is general, it pokes at Stephen Harper in particular.  I recommend it.
 

National security and other black holes

To paraphrase from Dave Barry's Homes and Other Black Holes: Ask any conservative politician to name the three most important factors in maintaining national security, and he'll say, "Terrorists, terrorists, terrorists."  Now ask him to name the location of the Supreme Court, and he'll say, "Terrorists, terrorists, terrorists."  This tells us that we should not necessarily be paying a whole lot of attention to conservative politicians.