Northern Arizona President Under Fire For Refusing To Commit To “Safe Spaces”

DrRitaCheng15_004MedNorthern_Arizona_University_logo.svgI previously wrote a column on the need for academics to rally around the University of Chicago, which has taken a courageous stand in support of free speech by rejecting speech codes and “safe spaces.”  Some schools have followed UChicago’s lead.  The latest is Northern Arizona University where President Rita Cheng decided to stand firm on the free speech foundations for our academic institutions. The result has been demands from students and faculty that she resign for her fealty to free speech and refusal to create “safe spaces”. It is another example of the rising intolerance and taste of speech regulation on our campuses.

Continue reading “Northern Arizona President Under Fire For Refusing To Commit To “Safe Spaces””

Comedian Under Fire After Abuse of Kangaroo in Detroit Captured On Video

A minor actor is in a major controversy after abusing a chained kangaroo on stage in Detroit.  Mike Epps, 47, who is primarily known for starring in juvenile “Hangover” movies, was captured on videotape with an obviously terrified kangaroo on stage.  Epps ran after “Skippy” hit him.  His handler Javon Stacks should have his licenses revoked for his shocking treatment of the animal.

Continue reading “Comedian Under Fire After Abuse of Kangaroo in Detroit Captured On Video”

Two People Die in Separate Eating Competitions in Connecticut and Colorado

caitlin-nelson-facebook-3image1_1491240579424_9136742_ver1.0We have previously discussed (and here and here)the liability issues associated with eating competitions.  This week we have see two deaths in pancake eating and doughnut eating competitions.  Caitline Nelson, 20, died at a fraternity and sorority event at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.  Travis Malouff, 42, died in a giant donut competition in Denver, Colorado.

Continue reading “Two People Die in Separate Eating Competitions in Connecticut and Colorado”

Textualists and Originalists Are Again AWOL in Wars on Syria and Yemen

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_cropped220px-B-2_spirit_bombingBelow is my recent column in The Hill Newspaper on the increased U.S. involvement in the fighting in Syria and Yemen.  As usual, there is little concern (beyond Sen. Rand Paul) over the sending of troops into foreign conflicts without congressional approval or anything resembling a specific declaration of war.  Indeed, when members insist that modern national security threats do not make specific declarations or authorizations practical, they sound much like “living constitution” advocates.  Yet, we have now engaged in hundreds of military actions with only a small number of declarations and a small percentage of authorizations.  As the Framers feared, war has become a continual and unilateral exercise of executive authority.

Continue reading “Textualists and Originalists Are Again AWOL in Wars on Syria and Yemen”

Federal Court Rules That Trump May Have Incited Violence At Kentucky Rally

David_J._Haledonald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedIn Kentucky, United States District Court Judge David J. Hale has ruled that President Donald Trump’s statements at a campaign rally could be viewed as incitement to violence.  At a March 2016 rally, Trump told supporters to :get ’em out of here” in reference to protesters. Supporters proceeded to assault protesters Henry Brousseau, Kashiya Nwanguma, and Molly Shah who filed this action.  Hale rejected the claims that the lawsuit violates President Trump’s free speech protections.  They are suing for incitement to riot, vicarious liability, and negligence.

Continue reading “Federal Court Rules That Trump May Have Incited Violence At Kentucky Rally”

Pakistan Reportedly Moving Toward Compulsory Study Of The Quran For Both Private and Public Schools

Flag of PakistanWhile the United States government often discusses the threat of Iran in spreading Islamic extremism, it is often silent on the same influence of our close allies in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and other countries.  Pakistan is reportedly moveing to eviscerate any remaining separation of mosque and state buy making Quran education compulsory in not just public but private schools.

Continue reading “Pakistan Reportedly Moving Toward Compulsory Study Of The Quran For Both Private and Public Schools”

Irish Court Awards €20,000 Damages To Woman Who Bumped Knee On Restaurant Table

440px-TablebasicstructureHairdresser Annette O’Connor has been awarded for something that has happened to many diners.  When O’Connor was shown a table in The Mullingar Park Hotel restaurant, she sat down and hit her knee on the leg of the table.  Since the leg was not covered by the table cloth, Justice Mary Faherty upheld the prior damages and increased it to €20,000 and costs for the hidden danger.

Continue reading “Irish Court Awards €20,000 Damages To Woman Who Bumped Knee On Restaurant Table”

Ninth Circuit Rules H1B Visa Program Violates 13Th Amendment

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

In a surprise reversal of a District Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in what is likely to be a landmark decision ruled that the H1B Visa Program, a temporary worker policy of the United States Government, enacted to allow relaxed work permits of needed high-tech foreign workers, violated the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The act disparaged workers by forcing tech-workers to labor exceedingly long hours for below-market wages under legal coercion. The Court further held that employers held undue influence and subjected foreign workers to be bound to a particular employer or else face cancellation of their Visa after termination.

The software industry likely will be one of the largest segments to undergo sudden changes to their hiring practices. Yet, the decision likely will be a boon for the Trump Administration in that the hiring of lower-cost foreign workers will reduce and recent citizen graduates of technical colleges and universities could have greater job opportunities.

Continue reading “Ninth Circuit Rules H1B Visa Program Violates 13Th Amendment”

English Woman Guilty Of Defrauding People With Sale of Fake Disney Passes

PAY-Ellie-Catchesides2Ellie Catchesides, 28, is as lucky as she is dishonest. The mother of three  sold thousands of dollars worth of fake Disneyland tickets to friends. Yet, she will not be going to jail for her disgraceful betrayal of people who were seeking to take their families to Disney in Paris.

Continue reading “English Woman Guilty Of Defrauding People With Sale of Fake Disney Passes”

Flynn in 2016: “When You Are Given Immunity, It Means That You Probably Committed A Crime”

Today I discussed how people should not assume that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has committed a crime or is turning on President Trump because his lawyer is seeking an immunity deal.  Lawyers often seek immunity as an added protection, particularly in cases with powerful political interests.  Moreover, some immunity deals are based on a witnesses information and not necessarily a witness’ culpability.  It would seem that one person who would have to be convinced of that fact is Flynn himself.  Flynn is shown below in 2016 saying that if someone gets immunity it probably means that you committed a crime.

Continue reading “Flynn in 2016: “When You Are Given Immunity, It Means That You Probably Committed A Crime””

California AG Charges Pro-Life Activists With 15 Felony Counts In Troubling Prosecution

We recently discussed the shocking effort by a California Democratic legislator to curtail free speech in a reckless effort to combat “fake news.”  Now the Democratic California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has brought an equally chilling criminal case against two anti-abortion activists responsible for the videotapes that triggered national protests against Planned Parenthood.  The 15 felony counts against  David Daleiden and Susan Merritt are breathtaking and even warranted a rebuke from the Los Angeles Times.  The prosecution could represent a radical shift toward prosecuting activists from environmentalists to animal right activists to pro life/pro choice protesters in their effort to record alleged abuses or violations.

Continue reading “California AG Charges Pro-Life Activists With 15 Felony Counts In Troubling Prosecution”

Iranian Morality Police Force Christian Women To Wear Islamic Hijab Inside of Church

Iran’s infamous morality church has reportedly turned its attention to a segment of the population that appears distinctly non-Islamic:  Christians.  The police stopped women outside of churches like the medieval Holy Savior Cathedral in Isfahan to enforce the requirement of veils under the country’s Islamic modesty laws.  So Christian women are expected to dress Islamic in church.  That captures the lunacy of these Sharia-based legal systems that are so insecure about their values that they must force others to follow them at risk of arrest and imprisonment.

Continue reading “Iranian Morality Police Force Christian Women To Wear Islamic Hijab Inside of Church”

In Like Flynn? General Reportedly Offer To Testify In Exchange for Immunity

Washington is abuzz with the news that former national security adviser Michael Flynn has offered to cooperate with congressional investigators in exchange for immunity from prosecution. The offer was reportedly made by his lawyer to both the FBI and Congress.  This has triggered a gleeful media frenzy as commentators hold forth on what damaging information Flynn might offer in exchange for immunity.  However, the offer could also reflect a general preference of lawyers for immunity before allowing their clients to face potentially wide ranging interrogations or testimony. Update: President Trump has said that Flynn should demand immunity.

Continue reading “In Like Flynn? General Reportedly Offer To Testify In Exchange for Immunity”

California Politician Seeks To Radically Curtail Free Speech To Combat “Fake News”

Chau_headshotCalifornia Assemblyman Ed Chau (Democrat, Monterey Park) appears to be finally running into opposition over one of the most chilling, anti-speech pieces of recent years.  Chau is trying to criminalize “fake news” and in the process would curtail free speech for everyone from parodies to comedies to opinion writers.  He is the latest example of how some of the greatest threats to free speech around the Western world today appears to be coming from the left of the political spectrum from speech restrictions on campuses to new criminal laws on inciteful or intimidating speech.

Continue reading “California Politician Seeks To Radically Curtail Free Speech To Combat “Fake News””

Five-Year-Old In North Carolina Suspended for Playing With Stick Like a Gun During Recess

The teachers and administrators at McLauchlin Elementary School in North Carolina have prevented a major security breach with the apprehension of the notorious Caitlin Miller, 5.  Miller shocked her teachers by using a piece of wood like a gun in a fantasy game with her friends.  A teacher whisked her off to the principal for summary suspension. It is another towering victory for the moronic use of “zero tolerance” policies.

Continue reading “Five-Year-Old In North Carolina Suspended for Playing With Stick Like a Gun During Recess”