There is a fight brewing about an Ebay sale after a supporter of Sarah Palin bought an effigy of her by mistake, thinking that it was just another item to add to his Sarah Palin collection. It turned out to be the controversial effigy of Chad Morrisette, a professional window dresser, who hung it in protest. The Palin supporter is now refusing to pay the $2,200.
Continue reading “Palin Fan Mistakingly Buys Infamous Effigy on EBay and then Refuses to Pay”
Category: Politics
South Carolina state senator Robert Ford is seeking to criminalize bad language in songs and droopy pants. The former civil rights worker believes that he has the right to dictate the speech and styles of citizens — dismissing any claims of constitutional rights. Indeed, he has proudly proclaimed that “[w]e’re talking about teenagers. They have no rights.”
Continue reading “State Legislator Seeks to Criminalize Bad Language and Droopy Pants”
The international trend toward criminalizing any insulting of religion has reached Austria, which has now convicted far-right legislator Susanne Winter for making anti-Muslim statements, including the oft-stated charge that Mohammed was a pedophile for marrying an underaged girl. Winter is an obvious wingnut and her statements obnoxious. However, the first amendment is being sharply curtailed by a movement to criminalize insults to religion, including a United Nations resolution.
Continue reading “Winter of Discontent: Far-Right Politician Convicted of “Humiliating a Religion””
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID) has finally changed the status of the investigation of Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a highly decorated, 24-year-old Green Beret, from “accidental” to “negligent homicide.” Maseth was killed in an act of unbelievable negligence and carelessness by KBR in a shower where he was electrocuted. After months of controversy and criticism, the Army finally acknowledges that the company “failed to ensure that work was being done by qualified electricians and plumbers, and to inspect the work that was being conducted.”
Continue reading “Death of Sgt. Maseth in KBR Shower Incident Re-Classified From “Accidental” to “Negligent Homicide””
A Spanish court has rendered an interesting decision: ordering the Catholic Church to re-hire a teacher fired for adultery and to pay back pay of $12,888 to Maria del Carmen Galayo.
Continue reading “Catholic Church Ordered to Reinstate Teacher Fired for Adultery”
The New York Times had a curious op-ed piece this week from Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi who proposed a “one-state solution” to the Palestinian crisis: a new Israeli-Palestinian state called Isratine. It was a surprising source for advice on the issue from a man not only linked to “Carlos the Jackal” and terrorist operations like the destruction of Pam Am flight 103, but a man whose previously solution was to push Israeli Jews into the sea.
Continue reading “Oh Isratine: The One State Solution”
You simply can’t make this stuff up. Former French President Jacques Chirac was rushed to a hospital after being bitten by his white Maltese poodle, Sumo. Sumo has been under care for clinical depression, including treatment with anti-depressants.
President Barack Obama issued four executive orders Thursday, including one requiring that the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year. It was a widely anticipated move. The question remains, however, what to do about the war crimes committed at the facility. In the meantime, the Republicans are demanding that Holder promise not to investigate war crimes as a condition for their votes for confirmation.
Continue reading “Obama Moves to Close Gitmo Prison While Republicans Move To Delay Holder Nomination”
U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman has struck down the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act as unconstitutional. The decision is based on the Doctrine of Separation of Church and State and constitutes a departure from other rulings around the nation upholding such laws. It is a particularly important ruling for non-believers.
Continue reading “Silent No More: Federal Judge Strikes Down Moment of Silence in Illinois”
What is often missing in the political debate over the environment is the direct cost of pollution on the health and lives of Americans. While the Bush Administration was attacking environmental regulations across the board, officials rarely acknowledged that the lower standard meant more children with asthma and earlier deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Indeed, most citizens fail to understand that pollution shortens their lives. They need to read this week’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Continue reading “Medical Study Finds Direct Link Between Reducing Pollution and Extending Lives”
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has weighed into a religious controversy, demanding a retraction and an apology from Islamic cleric Samir Abu Hamza for telling followers that they can beat their wives and force them to have sex under the Koran — in violation of Australian law.
Continue reading “Australian Cleric Defends Right of Husbands to Beat Their Wives and Force Them to Have Sex”
In what must be one of the most embarrassing moments for a Chief Justice, Chief Justice Roberts gave President Barack Obama the oath for a second time on Wednesday in the White House map room. After a day of researching the question, the President’s White House counsel appeared to agree that he had not technically satisfied the oath due to an error by the Chief Justice. As I discussed recently on NPR, Obama is now the third president to taken the oath twice — joining Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge.
Continue reading “Obama Re-Takes the Oath”
It was Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s version of a wardrobe malfunction. He flubbed the 35-word oath and learned why his predecessor Chief Justice William Rehnquist always read the oath for accuracy. Now, there is a debate as to whether the oath is constitutionally valid and the possibility that Obama should take the oath again out of an abundance of caution. Today I did this segment on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. I will also be discussing this tonight on MSNBC Countdown.
Continue reading “Chief Roberts’ Grammatical Malfunction: Does the Oath Count?”
Controversial lawyer Geoffrey Fieger has lost a critical appeal before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which reversed a lower court decision in his favor. At issue is a state code requiring “civility for lawyers in their dealings with judges. In a 2-1 decision, the appellate panel ruled that the requirement is not is not unconstitutionally vague.
Continue reading “Fieger Loses in Appeal Over His Lack of Civility”
The National Park Service has a curious way of protecting history. The Service cut down four “witness trees” from the Gettysburg battlefield. The white oak trees were between 160 and 229 years old and were present at the battle. They were supposed to be protected, but the NPS appears to chop now and ask questions later on matters of history. The NPS policy appears to be to cut down and let God sort them out.
Continue reading “Letting God Sort Them Out: National Park Service Cuts Down Gettysburg “Witness Trees””