Hugo Chávez continues his assault on political and legal protections in Venezuela. In a move that has been denounced internationally, including by Amnesty International, Chávez demanded the arrest of Judge María Lourdes Afiuni after she granted bail to an accused banker. He is demanding 30 years in prison even though his prosecutors could find no bribe (as he originally alleged on the radio). Instead, they found “spiritual corruption” and threw her in jail with many convicts that she previously incarcerated.
Continue reading ““Spiritual Corruption”: Chávez Jails Judge Who Granted Bail To Banker”
OK, this is bad. Just as many wives are at their wits end with husbands who have turned to couch potatoes during the playoffs, scientists have found another species that made males obsolete. Spanish investigators have discovered that dragonflies are capable of parthenogenesis, asexual reproduction without fertilization by a male. While plenty of women are avid football fans, the announcement of this discovery during the playoffs can only be viewed as a direct threat to the male gender.
Continue reading “Are Males Obsolete? Female Dragonflies Go It Alone”
Once again, God has reached down from heaven and blessed his chosen team, the Chicago Bears. In what can only be described as a Biblical contest between Good (Bears) and Evil (Packers), the NFC championship is set for next Sunday.
Continue reading “And God said, Let the Bears Bring Forth . . . And It Was So.”
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
I realize that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter, but when organizations are added to the Federal government’s list of Terrorist Organizations, the Supreme Court has determined that any assistance to that organization is a criminal act. Even a speech in support of that particular group can be a criminal act. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1498.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/03/opinion/03cole.html?_r=1 It seems that in December of 2010, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey along with former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and Rudy Giuliani, a former Mayor of New York City and a former Presidential candidate, all spoke at a conference in Paris in support of the Mujahedeen Khalq. The Mujahedeen Khalq is an Iranian dissident group that the State Department has labeled as a terrorist organization. http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm
Continue reading “Are Michael Mukasey, Tom Ridge and Rudy Giuliani Aiding and Abetting the Enemy?”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Few words have sparked as much emotion on the blog –and may have even cost it a victory lap in the ABA blog voting this year — as the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Seems the history of the Amendment was just as jumbled and ferociously fought, or so contends Law Professor David E. Vandercoy, in his short history of the Second Amendment.
Continue reading “Their Rights As Englishmen: A Brief History of the Second Amendment-Part I”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Tara L. Tobin, a 20-year-old woman from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, decided to “mug” for her mug shot after police arrested her for drunk driving recently.
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Only on rare occasion do I disagree with our host on interpretations of law. On football, well that’s another matter. An unabashed Steeler and AFC fan, I run head long in Professor Turley’s (shall I say it?), obsession with those “Monsters of the Midway,” the Chicago Bears. Today, all that changed.
Continue reading “Tacoma Student Sent Home For Wearing Wrong Jersey: Bears Gain New Fan”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
For those not familiar with William Lane Craig (WLC), he is a Christian apologist and a Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He debates atheists and he usually wins. He doesn’t win on the merits of his arguments but he is a skilled debater, while his opponents are not.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
This is a question faced by many municipalities. That question will be answered in Austin, Texas, where two men were arrested this week for DWI while one was riding a horse and the other was riding a mule. It is perfectly legal to ride a horse in downtown Austin. The two were arrested on E. 6th Street, the where-it’s-happening place in Austin.
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty(rafflaw), Guest Blogger
We have seen and heard on many occasions the Tea Party claim that it desires Congress and the Federal Government to follow the letter of the Constitution instead of reaching beyond the four corners of the document. With that thought in mind, I was intrigued by a recent article on the Think Progress site that reviewed the You Tube video claims made by U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah, that Congress’ passage of laws outlawing and restricting Child Labor, was unconstitutional. http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/14/lee-child-labor/?wpmp_switcher=desktop
Continue reading “Are Child Labor Laws Unconstitutional in The Tea Party World?”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
I thought I’d do a follow-up to my Let Civil Liberties & Freedom Ring! post about the erosion of civil liberties in Britain—which, in my opinion, is akin to what
has been happening here in the United States in the past decade. My inspiration for a second post on the subject was Glenn Greenwald’s most recent piece at Salon—Homeland Security’s laptop seizures: Interview with Rep. Sanchez.
I have been reading about the seizures of cell phones and laptop computers by the DHS. I have found it troubling that our government has no compunction about confiscating the personal property of some of its own citizens without any warrant, probable cause, or suspicion that the citizens may have been involved in a criminal activity.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Navarre, Florida, resident Jackie Trebesh was pulled over by a Santa Rosa County deputy and given a trespass warning after leaving mass at St. Sylvester’s Catholic Church in Gulf Breeze. She was also denied communion during mass. Here crime? Someone said her daughter, Kelly, had improperly disposed of the host in the parking lot.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed, here, the data from NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies showing that 2010 as the warmest climate year on record. We now have confirmation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to NOAA scientists, 2010 tied 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record, with record keeping beginning in 1880.
Also, Global Historical Climatology Network states that 2010 was the wettest year on record, in terms of global average precipitation.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed John Freshwater, a controversial teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who used a Tesla coil to brand crosses into the arm of a 7th grade student, here and updated his story, here.
The Mount Vernon School Board has voted, 4 to 1, to fire middle school science teacher John Freshwater.
As someone who has always loved foxes, I am struggling to feel sorry for the subject of this story. A man in Belarus was participating in one of the favorite sports of that country (fox hunting) when the fox shot him.