Target Centermass

Day: February 24, 2005

  • Court: Man Can Sue Over Surprise Pregnancy

    Okay, one more quickie post, rather appropriate for this story.

    A man who says his former lover deceived him by getting pregnant using semen obtained through oral sex can sue for emotional distress but not theft, an appeals court has ruled.

    Dr. Richard O. Phillips accuses Dr. Sharon Irons of a “calculated, profound personal betrayal” six years ago, but she says they had the baby through sexual intercourse.

    The Illinois Appeals Court said Wednesday that Phillips can press a claim for emotional distress after learning Irons had used his sperm to have a baby, but agreed that however the baby was conceived, Irons didn’t steal the sperm.

    “She asserts that when plaintiff ‘delivered’ his sperm, it was a gift,” the decision said. “There was no agreement that the original deposit would be returned upon request.”

    […]

    Phillips, a Chicago family doctor, alleges that he and Irons never had intercourse during their four-month tryst, although they had oral sex three times. His suit contends that Irons without his knowledge kept some of his semen.

    The relationship ended, the suit said, when Phillips learned Irons had lied to him about being recently divorced and was still married to another doctor.

    Quite an interesting case of he said, she said. I’m keeping my mouth shut on this one, which is again appropriate to this story.

  • Quality Time and a Canada Tidbit

    Not much tonight, folks.

    One quick observation: CNN currently has the links to the following two stories side by side on their front page:

    Interceptor Missile Hits Test Target

    Canada Won’t Join Missile Defense Shield

    From the latter story is this little gem:

    Talking to reporters several minutes after his foreign minister first announced the move in the House of Commons, Martin said Canada would instead focus on strengthening its own military and defense in proposals laid out Wednesday in the federal budget.

    “Canada recognizes the enormous burden that the United States shoulders, when it comes to international peace and security,” [Canadian Prime Minister Paul]Martin said. “The substantial increases made yesterday to our defense budget are a tangible indication that Canada intends to carry its full share of that responsibility.”

    The federal budget presented to the House of Commons calls for $10.5 billion in the next five years to increase the country’s beleaguered armed forces — including an additional 5,000 soldiers and 3,000 reservists — the largest commitment to defense in two decades. It also called for another $807,950 to improve Canada’s anti-terrorism efforts and security along the unarmed, 4,000-mile border with the United States.

    Substantial increase? Largest commitment? Damian Brooks over at Babbling Brooks disagrees. Quite strongly.

    Don’t get me wrong: this is much better than the kick in the teeth our people in uniform have gotten for at least the past ten years. But to sell this bandaid as some blessed newfound commitment to our military is typical political dishonesty.