Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Politics, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

An Example of Why We Need Health Care Reform

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty-Guest Blogger

 

With the recent news of an appeals court decision that struck down the individual mandate portion of the Health Care Reform act, the problems with our Health Care system is on the front page again.  While we hear politicians claim that the market place should decide all health care cost and access issues, millions are without coverage and the costs Americans pay for health insurance is staggering. Continue reading “An Example of Why We Need Health Care Reform” →

Politics

Buying Your Way Off The US Terrorist List

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK/MKO) has been designated a terrorist organization since 1997 when the Clinton administration put the MEK on the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The Bush administration added two alleged MEK front organizations to the State Department’s terrorist list in 2003.

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Courts, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

Boys of Fall: Coach Orders Carpenter Off Job For Wearing Wrong Tee Shirt

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

With the end of summer comes the beginning of the fall ritual that is college football. You know, where men of strength and character mold the  minds and bodies of our youth into men of strength and character. There are plenty of good examples and one particularly curious one. Oklahoma State FB coach Mike Gundy is a world-wide phenom for his 2007 YouTube meltdown in which he attempted to deflect criticism from a OSU football player with his famous, “I’m a Man. I’m 40!” tirade against the local newspaper reporter, Jenni Carlson, for printing, well, the truth. You can re-live that moment here. 

Continue reading “Boys of Fall: Coach Orders Carpenter Off Job For Wearing Wrong Tee Shirt” →

Academia, Torts

Widener University Goes Soviet On Law School Professor

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

We have previously discussed the events at Widener Law School regarding Professor Lawrence Connell and Dean Linda Ammons, here, here, and here. The university formed a committee to hear the allegations of racial harassment, sexual discrimination, and retaliation. The committee, in its report, found no clear and convincing evidence of a university code violation on the racial harassment or sexual discrimination allegations.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Politics

Court of Appeals Strikes Down Individual Mandate As Unconstitutional

In a major victory for opponents to President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta has ruled that the individual mandate provision is unconstitutional. The decision affirmed part of a January ruling by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of Florida.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

The Torroll Under The Bridge: Music Teacher Arrested After Reportedly Having Sex With Child-Like Dolls Under Bridge Leading To Elementary School

Tennessee music teacher Daniel Torroll, 56, was arrested Thursday after being allegedly seen engaging in sex acts with a child-like doll near an elementary school. His statements to police and press are a good example of how half a defense is sometimes worse than no defense at all.

Continue reading “The Torroll Under The Bridge: Music Teacher Arrested After Reportedly Having Sex With Child-Like Dolls Under Bridge Leading To Elementary School” →

Academia, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Science, Society

The Xinjiang 13: China Blacklists Leading American Academics While Universities Remain Silent

We have seen the gradual dependence of the United States on China, which holds a huge amount of our debt. The result has been foreign policies designed to appease the Chinese government, including near silence on human rights abuses by that country. Now, academia has its own scandal of kowtowing to the Chinese, which have become equally dominant in research and education. Schools like Georgetown and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have said virtually nothing after their faculty were barred from entering China or flying on Chinese airlines due to objections to their writings. They are called the “Xinjiang 13” and their virtual abandonment by leading universities shows how academic freedom values have been sacrificed to maintain our dependence on Chinese funding.

Continue reading “The Xinjiang 13: China Blacklists Leading American Academics While Universities Remain Silent” →

Uncategorized

[Do Not] Bring Out Your Dead: Illinois Announces It Can No Longer Pay For Burials

As our leaders continue to spend billions in three unpopular wars, our cities and states continue to move closer and closer to a state of nature. This week, the state of Illinois will stop paying to bury the dead. Funeral directors have been sent a letter that they will have to find something to do with indigent dead people.
Continue reading “[Do Not] Bring Out Your Dead: Illinois Announces It Can No Longer Pay For Burials” →

Politics, Religion, Society

Perry Prays For Pollution? Perry Tells CBN That He Asks God To Intervene With The EPA

Texas Governor Rick Perry appears to be out doing his opponents who have made the curtailment or actual elimination of the EPA a major part of the Republican presidential election (here and here). While Newt Gingrich wants to disband the EPA, Perry has brought in the big guns and announced that he actually prays to God to seek divine intervention in curtailing pollution laws.
Continue reading “Perry Prays For Pollution? Perry Tells CBN That He Asks God To Intervene With The EPA” →

Bizarre, International, Politics, Science, Society

Now Putin The Archeologist: Russian Strongman “Discovers” Ancient Jars At Ancient Site

Call me a skeptic. For years, the world has been fed a constant stream of images of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin engaged in what may be the longest running mid-life crisis in history. Putin has been shown as a race car driver, great white hunter, jet pilot, oceanologist, martial artist and other action hero outfits. Each appearance has been accompanied by some fawning account of his aides on how he is superhuman. Now, Putin’s macho action series has turned to scuba diving. While only having dived three times, Putin was shown at an ancient Greek Black sea site and . . . you guessed it . . . he “discovered” two sixth century urns under the water. What is really amazing is that the urn were less than seven feet from the surface, together, and just lying exposed for thousands of years waiting for Putin. It was almost like someone put them there and directed Putin who was only in the water for a brief time when he added world-class archeologist to this action hero box.
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Bizarre, Criminal law

Oregon Man Arrested For Urinating On Sleeping 11-Year-Old Girl on JetBlue Flight

Robert Vietze, 18, of South Warren Vt. caused a commotion on a JetBlue flight from Portland to New York yesterday when he urinated on a sleeping 11-year-old girl. What is interesting about this case is the charge: indecent exposure rather than assault or other more serious charge.
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Criminal law, Free Speech, Media

Datz A Wrap: Suffolk Drops Charges Against Cameraman After Abusive Arrest

Criminal charges have been formally dropped against New York news cameraman Phil Datz who was arrested at a crime scene last month. The video of the clearly abusive arrest was placed on YouTube (below) and shows an officer threatening and then arresting Datz. This is part of a continuing trend of officers arresting citizens and reporters for filming them in public — acts found to be unconstitutional but remain clearly tolerated (if not encouraged) in some jurisdictions.
Continue reading “Datz A Wrap: Suffolk Drops Charges Against Cameraman After Abusive Arrest” →

Politics, Religion, Society

Survival of the Righteous? Creationism Museum in Kentucky Showered With Tax Breaks

There is an interesting story in Kentucky about a series of generous tax breaks given to a Bible-themed amusement park, Ark Encounter. The creationist museum is evolving into a heavily subsidized endeavor despite the absence of any independent study to support its projected profits and employment figures.

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Criminal law, Lawyering, Society

Kentucky Man Kills Woman in DUI — and Receives Four Days In Jail

Now this could make for an interesting challenge. Brian Pollard was arrested for DUI in an accident that led to the death of Peggy Williamson. He received only four days in jail after pleading guilty. When the family cried foul, District Judge Rebecca Phelps and prosecutors insisted that they had no idea someone died. They are now moving to charge him again — after he was sentenced on the crime for DUI.

Continue reading “Kentucky Man Kills Woman in DUI — and Receives Four Days In Jail” →