There is an interesting ruling in Los Angeles where United States Judge Andre Birotte Jr. has lifted a temporary restraining order against a California synagogue performing Kapparot, a ritual where chickens are twirled in the air and then slaughtered. We previously discussed the controversies surrounding the Yom Kippur ritual.
Category: Society
In what has been one of the exciting playoff series in years, my Chicago Cubs came back in the 9th inning tonight to beat the Giants. They now head to the National League championship. As a lifelong Cubs fan (raised blocks away from Wrigley), it was a glorious night.
Continue reading “GIANT KILLERS: CHICAGO CUBS HEAD TO NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP”
There is an interesting polling figure out this month that shows how different millennials are for American culture and values. Only one in five millennials (defined as ages 18 to 34) have tried that iconic American meal, The Big Mac.
Continue reading “Only One In Five Of Millennials Have Tried A McDonald’s Big Mac”
We have been discussing the concerns over free speech on our campuses, including the question of equal treatment given social postings by faculty in their private time. Douglas Muir, an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia’s Engineering School, has become the focus of these concerns after he took a leave of absence after he was criticized for calling Black Lives Matter as the biggest racist organization since the Ku Klux Klan. It was clearly an inflammatory statement and understandably viewed by many as insulting and ill-informed. However, there remain free speech concerns over when such statements have resulted in disciplinary actions for academics.
The election of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte constitutes the lowest point for the struggling Filipino democratic system. Duterte has used profanities against President Obama, the United States Ambassador to the Philippines, Pope Frances, the United Nations and others who have questioned his blood-soaked reign as president. Recently, he even compared himself to Hitler in not only refusing to stop his extrajudicial killings of alleged criminals but saying that he was prepared like Hitler to murder millions. This budding tyrant has declared that the very concept of human rights is the “anti-thesis of government.” Finally, Duterte has pledged to end military training exercises with the United States, break away from the close alliance with the United States, and rely more on China and Russia. He has even been taunting the CIA to try to oust him. For those already familiar with our checkered history of supporting dictators and even enemies of the United States, it will come as no surprise that (just as Duterte is pledging to support Russia and China and fighting the United States), our government just approved another $180 million in aid to someone widely viewed as blood-soaked, anti-American lunatic.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has held on to power as he and his predecessor Hugo Chavez ruined the strongest economy in Latin America with their “Socialist Revolution.” They combined disastrous economic policy with a crackdown on civil liberties, including unrelenting attacks on journalists and political dissidents. With the vast majority of the nation calling for his resignation and new elections, Maduro and his cronies in government have delayed any elections while allowing the country to descend further into economic and social chaos. However, it is not like he is doing nothing. He has created a new award: the Hugo Chavez Peace Prize. The first winner? The paragon of peace . . . Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Continue reading “Venezuela Awards First Hugo Chavez Peace Prize To Vladimir Putin”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
A long-overdue measure to compensate persons convicted of violating Germany’s 19th century anti-homosexuality law–since repealed–is to finally arrive. The German government set aside a reported thirty-million euros to be distributed among potentially an estimated fifty-thousand men convicted of homosexuality. The award stems for convictions spanning seventy years since the destruction of the Nazi Government.
Continue reading “German Government Set To Pay Compensation To Gays Convicted Of Violating Anti-homosexuality Laws”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
Another Law Enforcement Officer suffered a senseless death at the hands of a career criminal. This time, as is usually the case, a caring, officer who established himself within his community and by simply doing his job, died far too early.
Sergeant Steve Owen, who worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff for twenty-nine years, was ambushed and assassinated after responding to a burglary complaint.
His fellow community members shared much grief over the loss of a well liked deputy who served many and fostered remarkable attention to those in need–above expectations and for the benefit of many.
Continue reading “In Memoriam: Sergeant Steve Owen, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
A nefarious, existential threat was recently vanquished by the post-coup censorship offices of Turkish President Erdoğan. No, it was not the PKK, nor ISIS, nor Fethullah Gülen. It was SpongeBob SquarePants and Smurfette, broadcast on a Kurdish Language children’s television network.
The media crackdown in the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey has led to closures of dozens of news services and thousands of firings among journalists. Cartoon networks can now become labeled as seditious.
Apparently, SpongeBob’s cohort Squidward Tentacles nefariously slithered into the fabric of the state’s security apparatus and cunningly attempted to dismantle it from within. His ink: it sows discord by fueling the printing presses of subversives.
Continue reading “SpongeBob SquarePants Posed Existential Threat To Turkey”
For the first time in decades, the Cubs won a playoff game without giving up a run. The San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs showed incredible pitching tonight and this is going to be a hard fought series. Indeed, I was hoping that my Cubs would face the Mets. (I am equally concerned about facing the Los Angeles Dodgers down the road). However, for all Chicagoans, it was a sweet start to the series.
Continue reading “CUBS WIN FIRST PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST THE GIANTS”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
It’s time for some out of the box thinking.
I performed a very informal study to discover a way the average person could engage homeless persons in the hope of fostering empathy for these citizens, their lifestyles and outlook.
Most of us are removed from direct interaction with the homeless. The closest approach is perhaps to give them money and to then walk away, with little more than a greeting and a thank-you being the entire discourse. Our time among them is momentary and relegated to simply a transaction initiated and dismissed by each side with expediency.
I discovered cigarettes can change it all. Now, we can have a dialogue.
Continue reading “Learn Empathy For The Homeless: Give Them Cigarettes”
Hillary Clinton has campaigned tirelessly for women votes, including heralding her nomination as a historic moment for all women. However, she continues to be unpopular not only with voters as a whole but a majority of women. The new Washington Post-ABC poll shows her at a record low despite spending roughly $100 million in political advertisements and an overwhelming media barrage against Trump. While seen by supporters as more of an anti-establishment figure, Trump has equally shocking figures and even top Clinton in unpopularity with many groups. Voters continue to reject both Trump and Clinton but that overwhelming voter anger at these choices does not appear to matter in our political system. The importance of this poll is not to suggest that Clinton will win. Rather, for voters, many believe it simply does not matter. Their views of Trump or Clinton seem immaterial to a system that is detached from the wishes of the majority of the electorate. While the Washington Post reports that Clinton has halted the polling “swoon” in August, the overwhelming distrust factor from the earlier poll continues.
We have been following the investigation of the murder of Florida State Professor Dan Markel – a case that has cast suspicions on the family of his ex-wife and fellow professor Wendi Adelson. Much of this suspicion has been drawn to Adelson’s brother, Charlie Adelson. Charlie Adelson was reportedly romantically involved with Katherine Magbanua, who just happened to be the mother of two children with Sigfredo Garcia, one of the two accused hit men (with Luis Rivera). Now, Magbanua has been arrested — drawing the case even closer to the Adelson family. UPDATE: Rivera has cut a deal to cooperate in a guilty plea. That deal appears connected to this arrest and will likely increase the pressure on Magbanua to cut her own deal.
Continue reading “Police Arrest Third Suspect In The Murder Of Professor Dan Markel [UPDATED]”
Last night I appeared on Fox to discuss the Trump tax disclosure and my view that such use of debt or losses to avoid taxation are allowed under federal law. This is not say that such practices are based on good tax policy but rather that such practices are not unlawful. Conversely, I have previously stated that the allegations over the status and operation of the Trump Foundation do raise potential liability. Now, the F0undation has been ordered by New York AG Eric Schneiderman’s office to “cease and desist” from soliciting charity contributions.
Confronted about abuse at a Pueblo, Colorado special needs center, the staff had a novel defense: “paranormal activity.” That’s right, ghosts scratched words like “die” and “kill” into people with severe disabilities.
Continue reading “Staff At Colorado Special Needs Facility Blame Abuse On “Paranormal Activity””