The Vegan conspiracy is complete. There is now a tick aptly named the “Lone Star tick” that is leaving people with a red meat allergy. This was news to me despite my following the tick population closely as an avid hiker.
Continue reading “Vegan Ticks: “Lone Star Tick” Leaves People Allergic To Red Meat”
President Donald Trump escalated the debate over immigration this weekend in calling for the deportation of people who “invade our Country”, without hearings or judges. The call would raise serious questions under both U.S. and international law. It would be a denial of the most basic protections of due process for those with credible claims for asylum. The position is both extreme and untenable if he is referring to any and all cases. It also undermines otherwise strong arguments being asserted for expedited procedures for dealing with the influx of undocumented persons.
Continue reading “Trump Calls For Deportations Without Hearings Or Judges”
It was in vogue in past years for Republicans to call for the elimination of the IRS, a ridiculous and demagogic call. Now Democrats appear to have their own demagogic rallying cry in suggesting the elimination of ICE. Various Democrats went to the airways in the last week to suggest that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be abolished, including Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) who wrote in a Medium pos that ICE had to be abolished “to protect our families.” Sen. Kamala Harris (D. Cal.) also said that the elimination of ICE might have to be occur to protect innocent people. New York Democratic candidate and former “Sex in the City” star Cynthia Nixon went as far to call ICE a “terrorist organization” and demanded its abolishment.
Continue reading ““It Is A Terrorist Organization”: Leading Democrats Call For Abolishing ICE”
We have previously discussed how the sentencing for animal abuse in some states remains artificially low – destroying any real deterrence impact of criminal laws. That seems to be the case in Louisiana where Steven Sadler and Boots Stanley were sentenced for slitting the throat of a dog and posting the disgusting video of the action on social media. That would seem to easily warrant jail but Judge Carl Sharp gave them both probation. Continue reading “Two Men Shown In Video Laughing And Slitting The Throat of a Dog Are Given No Jail Time By Louisiana Judge”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper about the passing of my friend Charles Krauthammer. I spoke on Fox News about Charles, who was an extraordinary mind and an extraordinary man.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “The Life and Genius of Charles Krauthammer”
Melisa Aquino Arias, 23, opted for a novel signature disguise as a bank robber. Arias pleaded guilty to wearing a nun’s habit to rob a bank in Passaic, New Jersey with another woman, Swahilys Pedraza-Rodriquez, 19.
Continue reading “Bad Habit: Woman Arrested After Wearing Nun’s Outfit To Rob Bank”
We have been looking at the early mugshots from West Midlands, England. This photo is from a different archive and contains one character called “Dick the Devil” who was sentenced to 21 days of hard labor. Continue reading “Victorian Mugshots: Dick The Devil”
Recently we discussed the disturbing protest carried out at the MXDC restaurant against Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Members of Congress like Rep. Jackie Speier (D., Cal.) defended the protesters in disrupting the restaurant and forcing Nielsen to leave. It was a sad statement on the utter loss of any sense of civility in our current political discourse. Now, the owner of the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Virginia is at the center of this debate after throwing out White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and her family from breakfast. Many liberals celebrated the rude denial of service by the owners while conservatives have directed their anger at the restaurant. Much of the criticism has been misdirected against the Red Hen in D.C. which has gone to pains to point out that they are not associated with the Lexington Red Hen. Many critics on Yelp and other sites have unleashed on the restaurant. The co-owner responsible for the decision was Stephanie Wilkinson. Wilkinson founded the restaurant with John Blackburn, who reportedly named the restaurant after his favorite childhood story. Wilkinson is reportedly the founder and publisher of Brain, Child magazine. She lists herself as a co-owner of the restaurant. UPDATE: Wilkinson says that she is proud of her actions and would do it again.
Continue reading “No Breakfast For You: Red Hen Kicks Out Sarah Sanders And Her Family [UPDATED]”
The University of Exeter has had the embarrassing task for apologizing for its distribution of an inspiration quote to students that “One cannot permit unique opportunities to slip by for the sake of trifles.” The problem is that the quote is from General Erwin Rommel. What should be the most alarming aspect of this story is not the use of the Rommel quote but that the university personnel did not know who the “Desert Fox” was. Continue reading “University of Exeter Apologizes For Use of Inspirational Quote From Erwin Rommel”
We have been looking at the recently discovered early mugshots from West Midlands, England. However, we have not really seen the other side so here are the officers from Birmingham. This is the local police from the Moor Street public office in Birmingham between the 1850s and 1870s.
In a major win for privacy, the Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 in a decision on Friday that police need warrants to gather phone location data as evidence for trials. The decision is a reversal of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Carpenter v. United States. Continue reading “Privacy Prevails: Supreme Court Rules That Warrant Is Required For Cellphone Location Data”
The Supreme Court overruled its prior decisions in a historic decision this week that will allow politicians to tap into Internet sales with new taxes. President Donald Trump has praised the decision in allowing Internet sales to be now subject to taxation from all 50 states. The decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair overturns the prior 1992 ruling in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota (what is it about those Dakotas and Internet taxes?). South Dakota wanted to take a cut of Internet sales even though these business have no property or employees in the state. To do so, the Supreme Court had to guy its prior requirement of a physical presence in a given state. It just did by a vote of 5-4. The opinion also contains a body blow to the doctrine of stare decisis (“to stand on the decisions”) under which the Court strives to maintain its own prior decisions. We now have a doctrine of abdicare decisis (“To ignore the decisions).
This morning I posted a column in The Hill newspaper on the passing of Charles Krauthammer, one of the truly great columnists of his generation. For those of us who had the privilege of knowing Charles as well as his millions of followers, this is a devastating loss that will leave a deep and lasting void. Continue reading “FAREWELL, CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER”
Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has been dropped by his speaker’s bureau and widely denounced for his mocking of a story of a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome who was separated from her mother. Now, after refusing to apologize, Lewandowski is denouncing the entire story (of playing his own words) to be “fake news.” Continue reading “Lewandowski Declares The Use Of His Recorded Words To Be “Fake News””
In an act of utter Parliamentary pusillanimity, members have declared that the traditional pudding served in the Stranger’s Dining Room would be stripped of its name, “The Spotted Dick.” For generations, ordering the Spotted Dick has been the subject of good-natured chuckles and teasing. However, the current members appear constantly on the lookout for any term or practice that can sanitized as socially or culturally offensive. So, the pudding will now be called “Spotted Richard” – a change that is entirely divorced from any connection to the original meaning of the dish. The proof is in the pudding, but Parliament does not give a wit for the historical meaning of eating a dick. Continue reading “The Proof Is In The Pudding: Parliament Bans “The Spotted Dick” From The Strangers’ Dining Room”