Alana Newhouse has an interesting op-ed in the New York Times about a move in the Israeli Knesset that would give the Orthodox rabbinate control of all conversions in Israel. The authority (extending to matters of all Jewish births, marriages and deaths) would allow ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi rabbis) to define who is Jewish under standards that could exclude a significant portion of the population.
Category: Society
In an interview with Raw Story, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) denounced President Barack Obama for blocking any investigation or prosecution of torture under the Bush Administration as inviting ‘tyranny.”
Continue reading “Nadler Denounces Obama’s Failure to Prosecute Bush Officials For Torture”
In an astonishing concession under pressure from the Catholic Church, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission has agreed to remove language from a draft report that simply stated that New Zealand is a secular state and that religion was only for the “private sphere.”
Continue reading “Human Rights Commission To Remove Language Referring to New Zealand as Secular State Under Pressure From the Catholic Church”
The French Parliament has voted to become the second country (Belgium) to ban full burqas. The lawmakers voted to make it illegal for women to wear a full burqas or nijab in public. It is a direct assault on religious freedom from a nation that helped define the basic rights of all humans.
Continue reading “France Parliament Votes to Ban the Burqa”
The Church of Scientology has launched a campaign against Anderson Cooper for his coverage of controversies surrounding the church. The church has released a glossy magazine on Cooper entitled “History of Lies.”
Continue reading “Scientology Targets CNN’s Anderson for Coverage on Church”
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge O. Peter Sherwood has put an end to an interesting tort lawsuit over the use of a picture in the movie “Couples Retreat.” Former bikini model Irina Krupnik was disgusted when the movie showed actor Jon Favreau’s character masturbating to her picture and claimed that such use went beyond what was agreed to in a contract. She demanded $10 million but, according to Judge Sherwood, she will receive nothing.
Continue reading “Former Bikini Model Loses Tort Claim Over Use of Photo in Movie”
Researchers have announced that they believe that they found the location of the famed round table of King Arthur. They believe it was not in a castle and not actually a table but a Roman-built structure designed to house up to 1000 knights. It was, however, round.
Continue reading “Report: King Arthur’s Round Table Discovered”
In a surprising rebuke to the United States, the Swiss have decided to block the extradition of filmmaker Roman Polanski on the curious grounds “that it was not possible to exclude with the necessary certainty a fault in the US extraditionary request.” Putting aside that the reason is incomprehensible, the decision appears to affirm that there are two different systems of justice for celebrities and non-celebrities.
Continue reading “Swiss Refuse To Extradite Roman Polanski”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has issued directives to school officials to accommodate Muslim students during Ramadan, including canceling swimming lessons, tests, and sex ed classes.
Scientists have gone public with allegations that the Obama Administration has continued the practice of the Bush administration in blocking scientists and ignoring scientific conclusions for political reasons.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released a disturbing account in its monitoring of abuses by police in that country. The AHRC alleges that Babul Kazi, a mechanic, was tortured to death after he was unable to pay bribes to the police. Babul was arrested with the two men who worked for him in his auto-ricksaw. Kazi was later brought to the hospital dead and showing signs of torture.
Continue reading “Bangladesh Police Accused of Murder of Man Who Could Not Pay Bribe”
The Pentagon has sent out a questionnaire for troops, including questions on how they feel about the lifting of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban. The questions have been challenged as homophobic and designed to enrage the troops. The military insists that it is merely trying to gather data on the views of the troops and was not trying to trigger a backlash.
Continue reading “Pentagon Questionnaire on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Called Homophobic”
First there was the sighting of a vampire after a crash on the roads of Colorado. Now, witnesses have come forward to report of a car of zombies who first crashed their car on Interstate 84 and then got out and walked around.
Continue reading “Zombies! Witnesses Describe Car Filled With Undead in Oregon Crash”
There is an interesting controversy at the University of Illinois where the university has fired adjunct professor Dr. Kenneth Howell for teaching why homosexual acts violate natural moral law under the tenets of the Catholic church. Howell taught courses on the Catholic faith at the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center. He was fired after a student labeled his statements “hate speech.”
Continue reading “Illinois Professor in Catholic Studies Fired After Student Objects That Teachings Constitute Hate Speech”
San Francisco’s Commission of Animal Control and Welfare has proposed a ban on the sale of any pets with the exception of fish. The new ordinance would make it unlawful to sell dogs, cats, hamsters, mice, rats, and other pets.
Continue reading “If Pets Are Criminal, Only Criminals Will Have Pets”