A new report establishes that the National Security Agency’s violations of federal law are much broader in scope than previously known, including the interception without warrants of the emails and telephone calls of American citizens. Once again, the question is where the congressional intelligence committee were during these continued violations and why citizens should place any trust in members who are tasked with the oversight of these programs.
US News and World Report has issued the national rankings of part-time JD programs, giving first place to Georgetown and George Washington in the top two spots.
Facing a tough challenge in his primary for reelection, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has taken up a curious new campaign slogan: Secession. In the audio tape below, Perry threatened that Texas reserved the right to secede from the Union in when it became a state in 1845. While Perry’s call for secession is likely to be echoed by many liberals across the country who have long criticized the state’s politics and politicians like George W. Bush, it may be a bit early to buy those Republic of Texas license plates and exchange your currency.
Continue reading “Republic of Texas: Governor Raises the Prospect of Secession From the Union”
In a rare demonstration, 300 women marched in Kabul to protest a new law that legalized marital rape and restricts the ability of women to leave their homes. Over three times the number of counter-demonstrators formed in response and showered the women with stones. Some reportedly shouted “Death to the slaves of the Christians.”
Continue reading “Afghan Women Pelted With Stones During Protest of Law Legalizing Marital Rape”
American Apparel over the use of his image in ads for the company. The company ran a picture of Allen from the movie Annie Hall where he is dressed as a Hasidic Jew. They are now claiming that he is entitled to little of the $10 million that he sought in the lawsuit because he already destroyed the value of his reputation. Instead, it is suggesting that he is trying to get an Annie “Hull” by overstating the value of the image from the movie. It appears that the company does not agree with Allen that “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
Continue reading “Annie Hull: Company Challenges Value of Woody Allen’s Endorsement in Tort Case”
After his recent trip to the Middle East to reach out to Muslims appears to have born fruit. A Pakistan leader has adopted the position of the Obama Administration on war crimes. Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi chief Sufi Mohammad has announced that Taliban murderers who have been accused of such crimes as burning schools, throwing acid in the faces of school girls, and killings should not be prosecuted because “[w]e intend to bury the past. These things will be left behind and we will go for a new life in peace.” It is the very logic that our President has been trying to advance as an excuse for not allowing an investigation into the torture program. Obama has insisted that “no one is above the law” while immediately guaranteeing that Bush officials are above the law by stating “My orientation’s going to be to move forward . . . getting things right in the future as opposed to looking at what we got wrong in the past.”
I have long been a critic of the faux judges on television who turn criminal justice into a form of caricatured entertainment. Now, “Judge” Greg Mathis is opening his own video game to compete with such games as Grand Theft Auto. His game includes such fun risks as prison rape.
Continue reading ““Judge” Mathis Goes Video: Fun With Prison Rape and Other “Justice Issues””
There is an interesting report offering striking figures on the level of pollution caused by container ships, which use extremely low-grade fuel. United States researchers have found that a single container ship can release the equivalent of 50 million cars and that these ships kill 60,000 people a year in the U.S. alone. The report follows new measures by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has added pressure on the European Union.
Continue reading “Report: Container Ships Produce the Same Pollution 760 Million cars and Cause 60,000 Deaths Each Year”
Mary Beesecker, 53, has been sentenced to a year’s program and compensation of veterinary costs after a court agreed with the owner that she engaged in animal cruelty by allowing the pet of Michelle Schmitz to eat like a pig. The pet, Alaina Templeton, is a pig but tripled in weight while in Beesecker’s care.
Continue reading “Minnesota Pet Sitter Sentenced to Probation for Allowing Pet to Eat Like a Pig”
A federal appellate court has tossed out the lawsuit by Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich sued Rep. John Murtha for defamation after the congressman said that his Marine unit killed Iraqi women and children “in cold blood” in Haditha.
Continue reading “Appellate Court Throws Out Murtha Defamation Lawsuit On Immunity Grounds”
Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza in Washington state has granted a temporary restraining order against Sean B. Fawcett to prevent him from giving his 9-year-old son access to a shotgun. The mother, Laura Vissydas, argued that her son came back with bruises on his shoulder and that Fawcett is unable to fully protect her son due to his deafness.
Continue reading “Family Court Bars Father From Giving Shotgun to 9-Year-Old Under Visitation”
There are reports that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin may be backing off of her nomination of Wayne Anthony Ross for state attorney general Palin’s nominee has long been a controversial and far-right figure. Various groups have come forward with extremist and bizarre statements attributed to Ross, who like to drive around in his Hummer with W.A.R. on this license plates (his initials)
Continue reading “W.A.R. (What is He Good For?): Sarah Palin’s Attorney General Triggers Firestorm”
Taliban forces in Afghanistan meted out their brand of Sharia justice this week by executing a 19-year-old woman and 21-year-old-man for the crime of wanting to elope. The couple were shot by a firing squad before witnesses.
Continue reading “Taliban Executes Young Couple for Trying to Elope”
Thomas Frazier, 42, has a novel claim. If he is (as alleged) is the father of 14 children by 13 different women, he simply cannot afford half million dollars of unpaid child support.
Continue reading “Prosecutors Jail Deadbeat Dad with 14 Kids With 13 Women”
Spanish prosecutors reportedly will seek criminal charges against Alberto Gonzales, Federal Appeals Court Judge and former Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee, University of California law professor and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo, former Defense Department general counsel and current Chevron lawyer William J. Haynes II, Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff David Addington, and former Undersecretary of Defense Douglas J. Feith. In a particularly embarrassing moment for the United States, the Audencia Nacional court in Madrid asked if or when the United States was going to investigate and said that it would not order the investigation if such an investigation is begun — yielding to the United States. This is precisely what was discussed in previously on Countdown.