Write Once, Libel Anywhere Free Speech6/5/2000; 7:10:44 AM March 23, 2000: So what do you get when you allow lawyers to develop technology? Write Once, Libel Anywhere.

Until recently, Bethesda author Humayun Mirza never had to think about international libel law. A financier by trade, Mirza spent three decades working at the World Bank in Washington. He only turned to writing in retirement, devoting years to a biography of his father, the first president of Pakistan. Last November, his first book, "From Plassey to Pakistan: The Family History of Iskander Mirza," was published by the University Press of America.

But early this month, Mirza received a startling letter from a British law firm.

His father's second wife, who lives in London, was threatening Mirza and University Press, a client of my law firm, with libel litigation. She was unhappy with the book's depiction of her influence on his father's political fortunes. And she was considering filing suit not in the United States, where Mirza and his publisher would be protected by the First Amendment, but in England, where the book had recently been distributed--and where libel laws are notoriously friendly to plaintiffs.To paraphrase that last sentance, "Realizing she could never win in the US, she decided to sue in a country where she would have an easier time." Yeah, it's great strategy, that's for sure, but scary. You're always breaking a law somewhere! I'm about to break the law in some of the countries in the East:

I hope you had a good Easter, if you care about Easter. (Note: If it's illegal to participate in Easter in your country, please ignore that sentance.)

Point to ponder: Easter is a far more importent holiday to Christianity then Christmas, yet a far bigger deal is made about Christmas. Why?

Money, of course. Easter only allows us to sell chocolate Easter bunnies. Christmas allows us to have a complete consumer feeding frenzy. Therefore, Christmas is more celebrated.Can I now be sued?