The United House of Prayer on M Street NW in Washington, D.C. has a curious view of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. The Church has claimed that the city is denying the freedom of religion by seeking to add a bike lane on one side of its street. While there is a rich literature on the scope of the protections afforded to religious practices, it is perfectly delusional to claim that the addition of a bike lane violates “constitutionally protected rights of religious freedom and equal protection of the laws.”
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The 6-4 win of the Cubbies was an incredible moment for those of us raised in Cubbie blue. We moved closer to making this scene in Back to the Future II a reality. You may recall Marty McFly standing within sight of Hill Valley’s famous clock tower when there’s a sports flash in the sky declaring that the Cubs have swept Miami to win the World Series. 2015 as foretold by the prophesy.
Continue reading “Back to the Future With The Chicago Cubs”
Saudi Arabia is about to add another victim to its adherence to the medieval Sharia law system imposed by the Kingdom. Karl Andree, 74, is a sick asthmatic Englishman who has survived three periods of cancer treatment. He has already been held in prison for a year but will now face 350 lashes . . . for having homemade wine. He has been held for a year despite that fact that his wife Verity is dying of Alzheimer’s — all under the Kingdom’s insistence on carrying out the tenets of Islamic morality codes.
Continue reading “Sick 74-Year-Old Brit Faces 350 Lashes For Possessing Homemade Wine In Saudi Arabia”
The increasing recognition of politicians of climate change has been a welcomed change from the long denials of the past. However, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has made a curious pitch in a BBC interview: increased oil drilling to offset climate change that most people associated with oil consumption.
Jennifer Connell, of New York City, has lost a case but appears to have won the distinction of being the worst aunt alive. Connell, 54, sued her 8-year-old nephew Sean Tarala for $127,000 for jumping into her arms at a party. The act caused her to fall and break her wrist. It is the type of thing that happens in families but Connell sued her nephew in torts. A six-member Connecticut jury unanimously rejected the claim in just 25 minutes — barely enough time to get to the jury room, take their seats, and vote down the case.
Continue reading “New York Aunt Loses Lawsuit Of 8-Year-Old Nephew For Jumping Into Her Arms”
There is an interesting case out of the 9th Circuit where the court ruled that yogi Bikram Choudhury cannot copyright 26 poses.
The Center for Constitutional Studies at the Utah Valley University will hold a conference today on federalism with leading academics from around the country. The conference is being held pursuant to a grant from the Utah State Legislature.
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Yesterday, I flew from Chicago to Utah for a conference at the Utah Valley University. As an avid hiker, I never miss an opportunity to hit the trails in Utah, one of my favorite places on Earth. One could spend a lifetime experiencing the natural wonders of Utah and only scratch the surface. On this trip, I went directly from the airport to hike the Wasatch Mountains, which were in full Fall glory. Given my flight, I started rather late to do the Red Pine trail, a challenging hike that takes you to the high ridge of this alpine hike where you can see two gorgeous lakes.
There is an interesting criminal case in Canada where American Peter Hasler, 25, of Murrells Inlet, S.C., is under arrest for possession of child pornography. However, the images were not of human beings but cartoon characters. Canada treats sexual cartoon images as pornography – a view widely rejected in the United States as inimical to free speech protections.
We have another alleged “honor killing” in Europe. Rokstan M. is a woman who was gang raped by three Syrian soldiers and fled for freedom in the West. Her family however treated her as unclean and guilty for being gang raped. She reportedly feared being killed by her father and brothers. The young pregnant woman was found stabbed to death and her Syrian father is believed to have fled back to Syria. Police are also seeking her brothers who are believed to have participated in the savage murder. Rokstan wrote on social media shortly before her death that “I am awaiting death. But I am too young to die.”
Continue reading ““I Am Too Young To Die”: Pregnant Syrian Rape Victim Allegedly Murdered By Father And Brothers in Muslim “Honor Killing””
The irony is truly crushing. Elephants may be the key to eradicating cancer in humans, according to new research. Yet, humans continue to wipe out elephants to fuel Chinese ivory and herbal medicine markets. More elephants were poisoned this week and four rangers protecting them were murdered. These same criminals like the recently arrested Chinese “Ivory Queen” could well benefit from the cancer key found in elephants . . . assuming they leave any alive for study.
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
It only took a few minutes for Home Depot to tell the world I visited its website. Now, my home computer reminds me of the mistake I made in providing Home Depot the chance to earn my business. I went to look at one of their products and got spammed as a result. It is truly a sign of disrespect Home Depot shows its customers for walking into its digital doors. Well, I can now add Home Depot to my list of “Fired Corporations Replaced By Small Businesses.”
It seems that window shopping is best left to actual windows instead of Microsoft Windows.
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
The issue of abortion is at the very least highly contentious. Decades of heated arguments are not likely to end this discussion soon even in light of various statutory and common law mandates laying out a legal framework for which it is permitted or denied. The matter is a perennial source of political maneuvering, and litmus tests that can in some areas make or break the careers of politicians. This article will not discuss the ethical or legal aspects of abortion but rather the perspective and moral position of those who support pro-life, and why they cannot abandon their cause. It is an exercise in empathy that is applicable to other subjects in ethical studies.
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By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
In another low in the animal poaching world poachers are reportedly starting to utilize cyanide in hunting protected elephants.
Rangers for the Hwange National Park stated they discovered six elephant carcasses having their tusks removed. A week later, four more died but had not yet suffered the harvesting of their ivory. Necropsies and pathology tests of the animals’ kidneys and livers revealed the presence of cyanide. Matusadona National Park later lost three elephants to the same fate. Historically, cyanide is used in poaching of exotic fish.
The effect of cyanide often leads to deaths involving convulsions and considerable suffering if death is not immediate, adding to the cruel ordeal poachers exact upon the elephants.
Continue reading “Ivory Poachers In Zimbabwe Reportedly Using Cyanide Laced Food As Bait”
We have often discussed how universities have become battle grounds over so-called “microaggressions” and offensive terms or images involving race, religion, or culture. Some of these efforts raise serious questions of the erosion of free speech as well as double standards applied to faculty and students. The example of the sensitivity toward such objections was evident this week at Clemson University, which apologizes for racial or cultural insensitivity for holding “Maximum Mexican” night featuring Mexican cuisine. Two students were offended and the university has apologized.
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