Constitutional Law, Politics

Scraping The Bottom Of The Analogical Barrel

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Neville ChamberlainArguments by analogy are used to justify a controversial claim by invoking a similar claim in a less controversial instance. While not deductively valid, a good analogy can provide a strong reason to accept the claim. In an effort to drum up support for a military strike on Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said that Syrian President Bashar Assad “now joins the list of Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein who have used these weapons in time of war.” Other war drum beaters are warning about the “lessons of Munich” and Obama looking like Neville Chamberlain. When the analogy is tenuous, the argument becomes ludicrous.

Continue reading “Scraping The Bottom Of The Analogical Barrel” →

Uncategorized

Eight-Year-Old Raped By 40-Year-Old Man; Told By Indian “Caste Council” To Marry Man’s Son; Then Raped Again By Same Man

India flagWe have yet another case of the rape of a child in an Indian province. In Jaipur, a six-year-old girl was raped by a 40-year-old man, identified as Kailash. Rather than go to police, the family went before a “caste council” or panchayat that ordered the family to marry the girl to the eight-year-old son of the alleged rapist. As negotiations continued with the caste council and the victim’s family, the girl was allegedly raped again by the man.

Continue reading “Eight-Year-Old Raped By 40-Year-Old Man; Told By Indian “Caste Council” To Marry Man’s Son; Then Raped Again By Same Man” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Military, Politics, Religion

Diplomacy By Rape: Prominent Iranian Warns That Daughters Of American Officials Will Be Kidnapped And Raped In Retaliation For Syrian Attack

250px-flag_of_iransvgVarious news sites are reporting that Alireza Forghani, prominent Khamenei strategist and former governor of southern Iran’s Kish Province, has warned that the daughters of American officials will be kidnapped and raped by Muslims in response to any Syrian attack. He would presumably include President Obama’s daughters in a latest insight into the twisted religious fanaticism of Iranian officials. The quote is all-too-believable for Forghani who previously called for the eradication of Jews in Israel. He also previously proclaimed “In the name of Allah, Iran must attack Israel by 2014.”

Continue reading “Diplomacy By Rape: Prominent Iranian Warns That Daughters Of American Officials Will Be Kidnapped And Raped In Retaliation For Syrian Attack” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Ohio Judge Reversed After Denying Public Defender To Adult Because His Parents Could Pay For Lawyer

grimIn Ohio, Athens County Municipal Judge William A. Grim has been reversed in his denial of the right to appointed counsel to a young man accused of interfering with police. While Kelly Kasler, 22, is an adult and her parents declined to pay for a lawyer, Grim refused counsel to her because she was being supported in college by her parents. It was a clearly wrong decision and the concerns over Grim’s judgment were magnified in a case where a citizen is accused of interfering with police.

Continue reading “Ohio Judge Reversed After Denying Public Defender To Adult Because His Parents Could Pay For Lawyer” →

Constitutional Law, International, Politics, Religion

Taliban Murders Sushmita Banerjee, Author and Women’s Rights Advocate

article-2412697-1BA46672000005DC-81_306x423In a culture of the oppression and abuse of women, Sushmita Banerjee stood out. An Indian married to an Afghan businessman, Banerjee wrote of the rule of the Taliban and her effort to flee the medieval Islamic rules placed on women. Her book “A Kabuliwala’s Bengali Wife” was an inspiration for women facing religious oppression and was later made into the movie “Escape From The Taliban.” The title proved tragically optimistic. This week, after she returned to her husband in Afghanistan, Banerjee was executed at her home by the Taliban.

Continue reading “Taliban Murders Sushmita Banerjee, Author and Women’s Rights Advocate” →

Academia, Science

Waterworld? Japanese Astronomers Believe GJ 1214 Could Be “Super Earth” Saturated With Water

article-2412151-1BA20D8D000005DC-705_634x568GJ 1214 b is a planet that is getting a great deal of attention this month after Japanese astronomers found evidence that the planet (some 40 light years away) could be a “super Earth” with a thick, steamy water-rich atmosphere.

Continue reading “Waterworld? Japanese Astronomers Believe GJ 1214 Could Be “Super Earth” Saturated With Water” →

Bizarre, Congress, Media, Military, Politics

NYT: Rebel Forces Composed Of Increasing Criminal and Extremist Forces

Rebels-thumbWide-v3A New York Times story is challenging the image advanced by the White House that the rebels forces are largely moderates who are worthy of yet another military intervention by the United States. The story recounts the latest massacre of captured Syrian soldiers as a commander reads a menacing prayer over their clearly beaten bodies before executing them in violation of international law.

Continue reading “NYT: Rebel Forces Composed Of Increasing Criminal and Extremist Forces” →

Academia, Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Media, Politics, Society

Michigan State University Professor Under Fire After Student Posted Video Of Anti-Republican Rave

Penn_WSThe video below of Michigan State University Professor William Penn on the first day of his creative writing class has triggered an investigation by the university into a diatribe against Republicans. A student filmed the comments (and it was released by a conservative group) where Penn is heard attacking Republicans for “raping” America and refusing to pay taxes. The case will pit values of academic freedom against the need for an open and welcoming environment for students at universities.

Continue reading “Michigan State University Professor Under Fire After Student Posted Video Of Anti-Republican Rave” →

Constitutional Law, Society, Torts

Faux YouTube Ad Draws Real Defamation Complaint

Techdirt found an interesting example of how easy it is to censor videos on YouTube. After this faux ad appeared to criticize the control of cable companies, someone filed a defamation complaint and, as shown below, the video was removed. That’s right a faux ad criticizing unnamed cable companies was the basis for a defamation complaint according to the site.

Continue reading “Faux YouTube Ad Draws Real Defamation Complaint” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Media, Politics, Society

Obama Administration Secures Gag Order To Prevent Activist From Discussing Online Surveillance

220px-Barrett_Brown_2007In its latest attack on the free speech, the Obama Administration has secured a gag order to prevent activist-journalist Barrett Brown and his lawyers from discussing his work exposing online surveillance by the Administration. On this occasion, however, Eric Holder and the Obama Administration convinced a federal judge to go along. U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay in Dallas Texas has issued a sweeping gag order to prevent not just Brown but his legal team from discussing the online surveillance. The Justice Department insisted on the order to protect Brown. That’s right, they insist that, if Brown discussed the abusive surveillance by the Obama Administration, it would endanger his right to a fair trial.

Continue reading “Obama Administration Secures Gag Order To Prevent Activist From Discussing Online Surveillance” →

Bizarre, Congress, Military, Politics

Kerry: Free War!!!

220px-John_Kerry_official_Secretary_of_State_portrait187px-Vince_Offer_at_Rosebowl_FleamarketThis week Secretary of State John Kerry became the Sham-Wow man for the latest war by the United States. Here is how a Sham-War pitch works. Kerry announced that the Arab countries will pay for our entire war if we invade Syria. That’s right, we can simply rent out U.S. personnel like mercenaries for Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations. First we have Nancy Pelosi explaining the war literally in five-year-old terms and now John Kerry doing his imitation of Offer “Vince” Shlomi.

Continue reading “Kerry: Free War!!!” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Military, Politics, Society

Once Upon A Time There Was An Imperial President. . . Pelosi Explains To Five-Year-Old Why We Are Again At War

220px-nancy_pelosiWe have been following the abandonment of virtually core liberal values by Rep. Nancy Pelosi in her adherence to the cult of personality surrounding Barack Obama. From her attack on privacy to her new enthusiasm for war, Pelosi is the truest believer of the true believers surrounding Obama in the Democratic Party. Now she has been sharing a charming little story of how “Mimi” explained to their grandson how we are now at war. It turns out it is all about the children . . . not about the chemical weapons or reports that Obama is playing to turn the tide of the losing war for the rebels. Sort of like Save The Children . . . but with cruise missiles.

Continue reading “Once Upon A Time There Was An Imperial President. . . Pelosi Explains To Five-Year-Old Why We Are Again At War” →

Academia, Science, Society

Duke’s Plastic Fantastics: Team Develops New “Mechanophore” Plastic That Actually Gets Stronger Under Pressure

170px-Duke_Blue_Devil_mascot_cropped220px-Two_small_test_tubes_held_in_spring_clampsThere is a very cool discovery to report this week out of Duke University, now to be known as those “Plastic Fantastics.” The team has invented a “mechanophore” a material that responds to mechanical force rather than light, heat or chemical exposure. In this case, they have invested a plastic that actually gets stronger when it is stressed. That’s right. As mechanical force or pressure is add, it gets stronger — a breakthrough that could transform material for cellphones, medical devices, prosthetic limbs etc.

Continue reading “Duke’s Plastic Fantastics: Team Develops New “Mechanophore” Plastic That Actually Gets Stronger Under Pressure” →

Academia, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Media, Politics, Society

UCLA Students Declare “Illegal Immigrant” To Be Racist And Discriminatory

Ucla_logoDespite the obvious free speech concerns, UCLA’s undergraduate student government unanimously passed a resolution  last week to declare that  any use of the term “illegal immigrant” is now deemed racist and offensive.  It is an example of how anti-discrimination policies are cutting deeply into free speech.  Millions of people in this country are indeed here illegally.  While many would prefer to use “undocumented workers,”  many others believe that these individuals are illegal by definition and should not be allowed to circumvent immigration laws.  It is a worthy debate with arguments on both sides. However, I am very uncomfortable with students (who historically have been voiced for free speech) declaring that use of this descriptive term is now considered racist or prejudicial.

Continue reading “UCLA Students Declare “Illegal Immigrant” To Be Racist And Discriminatory” →