A label on a small tractor that warns, “Danger: Avoid Death,” has been chosen as the nation’s wackiest warning label in an annual contest sponsored by a consumer watchdog group. The Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-LAW) has released its eleventh annual results of “The Wacky Warning Label Contest” featuring the silliest warnings on products. However, the contest itself should come with a more prominent warning about the basis for the contest and the motives of its organizers. Continue reading “Tort Reform Group Releases Annual List of Wacky Warnings — Without A Warning of its Own Motivation and Bias”
Category: Politics
Administration officials are reporting that the CIA not only destroyed the tapes of the two suspects at the center of torture scandal, but they also did not allow transcripts to be made. This a very irregular practice given the importance of the suspects and further evidence to support a conspiracy to avoid or destroy evidence of torture. Continue reading “CIA Does Not Have Transcripts of the Interrogations from the Destroyed Tapes”
A federal district court has ruled against the auto industry’s attempt to stop California from requiring cleaner cars. The ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Ishii now puts pressure on the Bush Administration to either allow the important environmental measure to take effect or, once again, block an effort to combat greenhouse gases. Continue reading “Federal Court Rules Against Car Manufacturers; Pressure Now on Bush Administration”
For those distressed by the sectarian turn of American politics, it just got worse. Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are now in a tussle over whether Mormons believe Jesus is the brother of Satan. Continue reading “Latest GOP Campaign Issue: Is Jesus the Brother of Satan?”
Across the country, men are challenging specials for women at bars,athletic clubs, and other establishments as discrimination based on gender. They have a point and feminists may now be in a tough position: choosing between supporting popularspecials and opposing gender discrimination. Nevertheless, these cases pose some very novel questions. Continue reading “Ladies Nights and Specials Being Challenged Across Country as Gender Discrimination”
The United States has been working to guarantee equal opportunity for women in the new Iraq. However, this effort conflicts with the recent decision to allow sectarian groups greater powers (particularly Muqtada al-Sadr) in the government. Now, the Iraqi government has quietly ordered all women in the police force to turn over their weapons to men in an apparent bow to religious extremists. Continue reading “Iraq Orders All Policewomen Disarmed as Un-Islamic”
In an extraordinary interview, former CIA officer John Kiriakou has come forward to publicly admit that he led the raid, which captured the al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, and witnesses the waterboarding of the suspect. He further admits that waterboarding is torture — a fact already established by U.S. courts. Continue reading “CIA Interrogator Admits Publicly that Torture was Used on Suspects”
Below is today’s column in Roll Call on the potential basis for criminal prosecution in the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. Continue reading “CIA Interrogation Tapes: “Bad” is Hardly the Word — Call it Criminal”
ABC News is reporting a shocking story of an woman who claims to have been ganged raped and then held in a container box by Halliburton/KBR in Iraq. The story of Jamie Leigh Jones is shocking and demands a congressional investigation into whether this contractor and the Justice Department covered up a heinous criminal act. Continue reading “Halliburton/KBR Accused of Cover-Up in Gang Rape”
In Utah, Gov. Mike Huckabee told Southern Baptist pastors that his election would “take this Nation back for Christ” and revealed his deeply held view that the government needed to turn to faith-based institutions to solve its problems. The comments reveal that, if elected, Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, would likely expand President Bush’s controversial faith-based initiatives. Continue reading “Huckabee Called for Faithful to “Take This Nation Back for Christ””
The Washington Post has disclosed sources saying that Democratic leadership, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, were told of waterboarding in secret briefings in September 2002. While some have already denied any recollection of the discussion of waterboarding, the Post is reporting that such briefings occurred in 2002 and the only objection heard from members of Congress was whether the torture technique was harsh enough. Continue reading “Wash. Post: Democrats, including Pelosi, Told of Waterboarding in 2002”
In the immediate aftermath, one of the most curious responses of the Democrats has been the almost uniform call for an investigation of the destruction of the CIA tapes by the Bush Administration itself. Now, at least Sen. Joe Biden is calling for a special counsel. Continue reading “Bravo: Biden Calls for Special Counsel”
The family of former judge and Denver City Attorney Larry Manzanares announced their intention to sue Jefferson County district attorney, Scott W. Storey, his deputy and an investigator for contributing to her husband’s death. It is a case that raises disturbing questions over the causes of suicide and the increasing tendency of prosecutors to play to the media in high-profile cases. Continue reading “Family of Former Judge and Denver City Attorney Sue District Attorney Over Suicide”
While the President insists that he has “no recollection” of being told about the plan to destroy CIA interrogation tapes, the White House admitted late Friday that former White House Counsel Harriet Miers knew. Continue reading “White House Knew of Plan to Destroy CIA Interrogation Tapes”
A lesbian couple has been denied the right to divorce in Rhode Island — seeking to dissolve a license from Massachusetts. While some could claim that anti-gay marriage advocates are now preserving such a union, the Rhode Island Supreme Court has ruled that there is no marriage to dissolve since in that state only men and women can marry. Continue reading “Lesbian Couple Loses Effort to Divorce in Rhode Island”