Why is toilet paper so high on the list of budget cuts for states? We previously noted how states moved immediately against toilet paper after tightening their belts. Now, we can add California as places that are announcing BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper) for tourists in some state parks.
Continue reading “In California, It’s BYOTP”
Year: 2010
This week Congress held hearings on the controversial decision by the Obama Administration to drop charges against Black Panther members for voter intimidation in Philadelphia in 2008. I have previously criticized the decision since I fail to see how these pictures did not show intimidation and the Obama Administration has created a dangerous precedent (if not an invitation) for other groups to engage in the same practices at polling places. In the hearing, Christopher Coates, former voting chief for the department’s Civil Rights Division, called the decision a “travesty of justice” and deepened the controversy over the policies and practices in that division.
Continue reading “DOJ Official: Black Panther Decision a “Travesty of Justice””
This video is making the rounds of a preacher who “installs” a new hip for this woman with the magic words “bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.”
Continue reading “Who Needs Surgery? Bam, Bam, Bam, You Have A New Hip”
A 49-year-old man in Michigan has been arrested following a novel alleged crime: a man-on-parrot fight. Police say that the man was seen shaking and punching his pet parrot.
Continue reading “Polly Want a Crack? Michigan Man Arrested in Fight With Parrot”
Civil libertarians enjoyed a major victory yesterday against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) with the ruling in the case of Maj. Margaret Witt — ordering her reinstatement despite the fact that she is a lesbian. This important victory, however, was tempered by the news that the Obama Administration is seeking to limit the earlier blockbuster ruling that found DADT unconstitutional. The Administration had the option of not seeking such a change (an option taken by Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Brown in the Proposition 8 case) but decided to try to gut the national impact of the court’s order.
Continue reading “Judge Orders Lesbian Nurse Reinstated While Obama Administration Fights To Limit Earlier Ruling Finding DADT Unconstitutional”
You heard of cow tipping, this is copter dipping. Two Navy helicopter pilots from North Island Naval Air Station have been grounded after this video showed them “copter dipping” with $33 million aircrafts in Lake Tahoe.
Continue reading “Copter Dipping: Navy Pilots Suspended After Damaging Two Helicopters in Water Play”
It appears that, before the Queen asked the government to take over responsibility for the finances of her palace, she had asked for the government to use energy-saving grants for low income families to heat the palace.
Continue reading “We Are Not Amused: Queen Sought Low-Income Funds To Heat Palace”
Marine Shayne Smalling, 20, appears to have a curious way of having fun. He pleaded guilty to stoning of 50 ducks to death June 2008 in a petting zoo in Cedar Rapids.
Continue reading “Fowl Crime: Marine Pleads Guilty to Killing 50 Ducks at Petting Zoo”
Vice President Biden noted yesterday that he hoped that the Tea Party might finally get Democratic and liberal votes out of their “lethargy.” The comment struck a nerve with me since various Democratic leaders have expressed surprise and mild criticism over the lack of enthusiasm by Democratic voters. What is striking is the fact that Biden and others continue to consider their own failure to give voters a reason to become active after years of broken campaign promises and outright betrayals of core values. The best that they can come up with (yet again) is that the other people are worse than we are.
Continue reading “Biden Laments The “Lethargy” of Democratic Voters”
This video of a Chinese teacher responding to a student speaking on his cellphone has appeared on the Internet. I must confess considerable sympathy (and, yes, a degree of vicarious pleasure) in watching her response to a rude student.
Continue reading “Can You Hear Me Now? Chinese Teacher Terminates Cellphone Call in Class”
With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I was asked in this cover story for the Civil War Magazine to explore the rivaling constitutional claims that were made at the start of that bloody conflict. As a military history buff, I have occasionally written for these history magazines but I found this assignment particularly intriguing.
Continue reading “Uncivil Action: Was Lincoln Wrong on Secession?”
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was given only a one-week suspension without pay after he fired nine rounds at a vehicle that bumped his cruiser. In the incident caught on this videotape, Trooper Timothy E. Nichols was responding to a call about a man suspected of stealing two bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches from a Palm Harbor gas station. However, an investigation showed that (as indicated on the video) the driver was innocently backing up his SUV when the bumping of the cruiser occurred — triggering Nichols’ shower of bullets.
Continue reading “Florida Trooper Fires Nine Rounds in Retirement Center Area After His Car Is Innocently Bumped — But Is Given Only One Week Suspension”
The Washington Post is reporting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to extend a freeze on new settlements in exchange for the release of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. It is an astonishing offer, if true, since the settlements have long been a major barrier to peace negotiations but under this deal would be frozen in exchange for a spy’s release. It would seem to undermine the substantive arguments in favor of such settlements.
Continue reading “Report: Israel Offers To Extend Freeze on Settlements in Return for The Release of Convicted Spy Jonathan Pollard”
In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala (shown here)has made a controversial decision not to charge a Kennedy Township police officer with leaving the scene of a crime after he allegedly drove drunk and hit a man — leaving him critically injured. Zappala announced that, because Frank Caliguiri eventually came back, he will not be charged with leaving the scene. What is astonishing is that this is not the only such case recently against an officer in this area.
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Police Officer Charged With DUI Accident While Not Be Charged With Leaving Scene of Accident”
It has become almost a mantra in contemporary news articles: a minister who preached against homosexuality accused of hidden homosexual relationships. In the case of Atlanta-based megachurch pastor Eddie Long (shown here in a past sermon), he is by last count accused in three lawsuits by young men who claim that they came to him for spiritual help and were used for his sexual pleasures.
Continue reading “Three Former Male Church Members Sue Megachurch Pastor Eddie Long For Sexual Harassment”