The University of Kentucky (Lexington) is reportedly investigating an incident that is captured on a YouTube video where police force their way into a student’s dorm room in search of alcohol after a report of alcohol being dumped from the window. The student is told that he could be expelled and that they do not need a warrant to enter the room. Indeed, one officer is heard saying that “there is no fourth amendment.” One officer has been terminated, but notably the university says that it was not due to the entry into the room.
Mohammad Safi appears to have found the American dream. In 2006, Safi graduated from a medical school in Afghanistan. He then came to the United States and began working as a psychiatrist at a California mental hospital. By 2010, he made $822,302. As California struggles with this economic crisis and shuts down needed social programs, the state is still paying absurd annual salaries like Safi’s. His windfall is due entirely to the failure of the correctional department to meet minimal standards of care for prisoners. The state waited to be ordered to meet mental health standards before having to go into a bidding process to quickly secure such doctors. This set off an instant wage war with the mental health department, which had to bid higher for its doctors. The result? Some 16 California psychiatrists, including Safi, made more than $400,000
A new survey in England shows that the Jedi faith is the seventh most prevalent faith in England. The new figures reveal that the lightsabre-wielding follows Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. Notably, non-religious or non-responding individuals are excluded in the rankings. This leaves those who “trust the force” as one of the leading religions in the country. The number of atheists, agnostics, and non-affiliated citizens have risen significantly in England, including polls that suggest that over half of the country now follows no identified religion.
Continue reading “Jedi Faith Ranks Seventh Among Religions In England”
During his campaign for president, France’s Socialist President Francois Hollande famously declared “I don’t like the rich” and upon taking office hit the wealthy with a 75% tax rate — a rate that I have criticized as economically foolish and part of an increasing demonization of the wealthy around the world. Now wealthy French citizens have responded predictably by moving out of France and last week famed French actor Gerard Depardieu joined the exodus. The steady stream of departures has left the Hollande government incensed and this week Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault blasted the rich. The English have also seen the same decline in wealthy taxpayers after it imposed a 50% tax. They are now going to reduce that tax after the departure of many wealthy Brits and David Cameron controversially pledged to “roll out the red carpet” for any French residents fleeing the massive tax hike. In the meantime, anger at the wealthy continues to rise in France, where “eat the rich” signs are appearing. The problems is that you cannot eat the rich if the rich flee before the meal.
We have previously discussed the often hostile treatment of victims of sexual abuse in some Orthodox Jewish communities. On Monday, one such case reached verdict with the conviction of Nechemya Weberman, a religious counselor in Brooklyn’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community. Weberman was convicted of 59 counts for the sustained sexual abuse of a girl who was sent to him after she began to question her faith and dress immodestly. The case highlighted the harsh treatment of those who reveal such crimes in the Orthodox community. During the trial, three men were charged with criminal contempt for snapping images of the victim on the witness stand with cellphone cameras and then posting them online. Previously, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes charged four men with trying to bribe the accuser to drop the charges. The case also raised troubling questions of special treatment given to the accused in this politically powerful community by Hynes in withholding their names from the public.
Unnamed experts are stating today that the powerful numerological forces of 12-12-12 could be decisive for the Turley blog in its competition for top blog in the ABA survey. The alignment of numbers is expected to support our civil liberties blog over the non-aligned opposition. Despite being put up against some of the largest legal blogs in the world this year as part of the “news/analysis” category of the ABA Journal competition, we remain in a remarkably strong position (third) with only a couple weeks left. We remain one of the most popular civil liberties blogs in the world and need some of our foreign regulars to organize whole continents to rally to the cause. (I am talking to you, my English and Canadian friends). We remain almost even with the leading conservative, Volokh Conspiracy. It is time to call former boyfriends, girlfriends, ex-spouses, dependent children, non-dependent children, pet sitters, and any marginally stable individuals in your neighborhood with a computer. The blog needs your vote! It only takes a very quick registration. Just click here and vote today!
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was at it again yesterday. I have previously criticized Scalia’s apparent insatiable appetite for public notoriety, including violating judicial ethical rules by discussing issues in pending cases. He is the very model of the new celebrity justice that I have criticized in past columns (here and here and here). Now, at Princeton while pitching his latest book, “Reading Law,” Scalia succeeded in not only discussing an issue in two pending same-sex marriage cases but reaffirming homophobic prejudices. Scalia was questioned about his controversial comments equating homosexuality with bestiality by a gay student. Scalia admitted that such comparison are “not necessary, but I think it’s effective.” That appears to be the standard used by this justice in using profoundly insulting language: whether it is effective prose or argument. I will be appearing on Lawrence O’Donnell tonight on MSNBC with the student, freshman Duncan Hosie.
Continue reading “The Absurd Reduction: Scalia Reaffirms Comparison of Homosexuality To Bestiality”
As we continue to gush billions of dollars for Afghanistan and Iraq as well as giving $100 million buildings to Israel, our school system continues to decline and our student school continue to rank below a long list of other countries. The most recent reports of fourth and eighth graders shows the United States lagging behind Asian and European countries in math and science. Nevertheless, we will continue to give billions to wealthy countries like Israel with better schools and increasingly hostile countries like Pakistan and Egypt. The real threat to this country is the collapsing educational system and erosion of our competitive labor force.
Continue reading “Report: U.S. Again Lags Behind In Math And Science Scores”
We discussed earlier how the top Justice Department attorney in Washington State said that the federal government would not yield to the state referendums legalizing marijuana use and possession. This followed a statement the day after the election that the Administration would not change their policy on targeting marijuana, including medical marijuana. However, a new Gallup poll shows an impressive 64 percent of Americans object to the enforcement in state legalizing or decriminalizing pot. Only 34 percent supported the continuation of the Obama policy.
We previously discussed the on-going saga of West Virginia Judge William “Chip” Walkins III who verbally attacked Rev. Arthur DR. Hage, 63, in a divorce case, screaming for him to “Shut up” and accusing him of telling a “damn lie.” It was not the only such incident of abusive behavior and Watkins has now been hit by a recommendation that he be suspended for the rest of his term. That suspension extending to 2016 is justified in part on what the hearing board found to be his glaring and hostile posture toward one of his accusers.
In an important ruling today, U.S. District Court Judge James C. Fox ruled that North Carolina is violating the Constitution by issuing pro-life license plates without issuing a pro-choice license plate. We have discussed this contradiction below and I believe Fox is absolutely correct on the issue.
Continue reading “North Carolina Judge Finds Pro-LIfe Plate To Be Unconstitutional”
We have been following the increased attacks by political (here and here) and religious figures (here and here) against atheists and agnostics in recent years. A new report is out from the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) detailing this trend globally.
Continue reading “Report: Atheists and Religious Critics Persecuted Around The World”
The tragic death of Jerry Brown, Jr. a linebacker on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, and the arrest of nose tackle Josh Brent, 24, adds another tragic note to this season after the murder-suicide involving Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher. Given a prior DUI conviction and the high visibility of this case, Brent is unlikely to be able to avoid a serious sentence for this alleged homicide unless the blood-alcohol tests can be challenged.
Continue reading “Cowboy Charged With Manslaughter In DUI Accident That Killed Fellow Team Member”
Corey Curtis, 44, is a Wisconsin man who is the subject of a novel court order. Racine County Circuit Court Judge Tim Boyle ordered Curtis to stop having children after he sired nine children and is already $100,000 in arrears for child support. Six different women had children with Curtis who said that he will now agree to stop producing children.
Continue reading “Wisconsin Court Orders Father Of Nine Children To Stop Procreating”
A twenty-eight-year-old British woman was allegedly kidnapped and gang raped by three Iranian men in Dubai. When she and her roommate went to police, they found an all-too-common hostile response from police in the Islamic state. While the police sought (and ultimately arrested two of the three Iranians), the woman was charged with “drinking without a license.”