Thomas Jefferson called an educated public as “the only safe depositories of their own liberty.” If so, a new poll conducted by the University of Pennsylvania suggests that we have a serious problem. The poll made a truly alarming finding that many Americans cannot name a single first amendment right. Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center found 37 percent could not name any of the five rights protected by First Amendment and fewer than half (48 percent) could name freedom of speech.
As a Game of Thrones fan, I was surprised to hear that Hillary Clinton viewed herself as one of the main characters in the series. I assumed that the character would be such tough women as the Dragon Queen and “Breaker of Chains” Daenerys Targaryen or perhaps the fierce warrior Brienne of Tarth. Instead, Clinton picked the one character that every focus group would likely tell her to avoid at any cost: Cersei Lannister, a loathsome and incestuous character who has no qualms in using torture, murder, lies, and betrayal to attain power. Indeed, for Clinton critics, Cersei seemed to sum the the Clinton era with her statement that “Everyone who isn’t us is an enemy.”
Continue reading “Clinton Identifies With Which Game of Thrones Character?”
We have been discussing the rise of groups on campuses that assert the right not to simply protest but to prevent other students from hearing speakers or participating in events. The latest such incident occurred last week at the University of Virginia where members of a social justice group called UVA Students United disrupted a “cops and robbers”-themed party at a campus fraternity. The group would not allow a party that it claimed made “a joke of systems that kill and brutalize marginalized communities.” Ultimately, the party was canceled.
How exactly does this help? Clowns are protesting the movie “It” as magnifying fear of clowns in society. Professional clowns are reporting sharp drops after the release of the blockbuster movie. However, I fail to see how having clowns outside of the movie theater will help . . . beyond being a truly outstanding advertisement and draw for the movie.
Continue reading “Clowns Protest Movie “It” In Effort To Get The Public To Like Them”
The Miyazaki Prefectural Government was the scene of an accident that seems right out of a tort exam. Government officials wanted to show a dead and live blood-sucking tick that is spreading a lethal disease in Japan. The problem is that, after warning about the lethality of tick, the officials put the live tick on a table and it promptly escaped — sending panicked reporters and officials running for the doors. The tick was never found.
Police and the public have searched for a man shown on a video throwing a dog not once but twice into a ravine. The man was eventually identified as Andres Spancky Raya, 21, and he was charged with animal cruelty. Fortunately, the pit bull — known as Mary Jane — survived with injuries but was eventually adopted by a family. As for Raya, he is heading to prison for five years.
It takes a great deal for me to feel sympathy of Martin Shkreli, but the recent filing by the Justice Department has me wondering if he is not being treated unfairly due to this infamous reputation. The DOJ has asked for Shkreli’s bail to be revoked because he offered to pay anyone $5000 for a hair of Hillary Clinton. It was a stupid posting that Shkreli later said was “satire” but the DOJ insists that it makes him a danger to society. I do not agree. What it does (as with so much of the statements and conduct of Shkreli) is undermine his case before the Court. Indeed, in addressing any fine, the court could take that view that (if Shkreli views a hair worth $5000 of his money) the sky is the limit for a truly impactful fine.
While Shkreli gained infamy as a pharmaceutical executive due to his obscene price increase for the drug Daraprim, was actually convicted in August of three of eight fraud counts related to hedge funds he ran. He is free on a $5 million bail.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has become an international pariah for his orders to police to murder drug suspects and his bragging about his own killings. Thousands of suspected drug dealers have been killed under Duterte. Now however he might want to reconsider his extra-judicial kill order. His son, Paolo, and his son-in-law have been implicated in a massive drug conspiracy. Paulo appeared before a Senate hearing to deny the allegations but then (on the advice of his father) refused to answer the questions of the Commission.
Continue reading “Duterte’s Son and Son-In-Law Implicated in Massive Drug Conspiracy”
There is a new free speech controversy on a university campus this week. Robbie Travers, a 21-year-old third-year law student at the University of Edinburgh, is under investigation for a “hate crime” after mocking ISIS fighters targeted in a massive air strike by the United States. Esme Allman, a second-year history student, accused Travers of “blatant Islamophobia” and creating an unsafe environment for students through his mocking of the terrorists being helped to paradise.
I have previously written about the myth created by TSA that jokes at an airport security point about bombs constitute a crime. In an odd twist, nine men have been thrown off an early-morning Ryanair flight to Madrid after one of them shouted “Allahu Akbar” “as a joke.” However, the phrase simply means “God is Great.” Nevertheless, the men appear to have thought it was funny to use the phrase associated with terrorist attacks.
In the German town of Völklingen, far-right mayoral candidate Otfried Best has promised to rid his town of one of the most insidious influences of Islam: Arabic numbering. During a debate, an opposing candidate from the satirical Die Partei party asked about the ubiquitous presence of Arabic numbers and Best pledged to change the numeric infiltration of Arabs.
Continue reading “German Candidate Suggests Dropping Arabic Numbers To Combat Muslim Interference.”
A Chinese company, Xingbao, sells knockoff Legos as “LEGO compatible” sets for different scenes and buildings. Its traditional Chinese street series as one curious element unlikely to be approved by LEGO corporation: a house of prostitution with an assortment of Chinese courtesans. It is not clear if this is an effort to get Dads more interested in playing with the kids but LEGO’s slogan “Just Imagine” certainly takes on a new meaning.
Continue reading “Putting The Leg Back Into Lego: Chinese Company Sells Kit To Build Brothel”
Palm Beach County clerk Anita Pedemey , 54, reportedly admitted to stealing the fees paid by exotic dancers. The reason, however, was a bit novel: she reportedly told police that her husband has been “spending a lot of money at Home Depot.” So much for the slogan “More Saving, More Doing.” I guess his “more saving” produced her “more doing.”
A Cambridge University student with Pembroke College has become persona non grata after a disgusting display in front of a homeless man. When unemployed crane operator Ryan Davies asked for money, Ronald Coyne burned a £20 note in front of him as a taunt. The video was posted on YouTube and Coyne is now internationally despised.
Continue reading “Cambridge Student Denounced After Taunting Homeless Man By Burning £20 Note”