Immigrants typically bring their customs, beliefs, and habits with them. But when you’re in another country, you’re subject to its laws. Don’t bring drugs with you to Indonesia, or you might get to visit that country’s notorious “Execution Island” (grisly details [...]
Archive for November, 2024
November 15th, 2024 - 6:15 pm § in Law and Courts
Immigrant parents jailed for honor killing attempt in Washington
These GOP senators aren’t fit to govern
Following Trump’s re-election, the GOP is rapidly descending from amoral to depraved. By now it’s common knowledge that Trump’s attorney general nominee, ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), has shall we say “background check problems.” Gaetz resigned from Congress a couple days [...]
November 15th, 2024 - 12:16 am § in Law and Courts
Bellevue Pride art vandal arrested
On three separate occasions last summer, a young male BMW driver (photo below) performed “burnouts” on Pride street art (vide0). On Tuesday, November 12, 204, police arrested Ivan Barzul, 21, of Renton, Washington (read story here). Hate crime? Or just being an immature jerk? Barzul is c[...]
November 14th, 2024 - 11:33 pm § in Israel/Palestine, Schools & Colleges
This isn’t how to get sympathy for Palestinians
What’s happening to Palestinians in Gaza, and the West Bank, is a tragedy. Yes, Palestinian militants have a long history of terrorism, and the Oct. 7 terror attacks incited the violent Israeli response. But the only “crime” of the Palestinian children being killed and maimed is un[...]
That was a nice health care system you had there …
… and it’ll be a real shame if something happens to it. Well, something may, because a re-elected Trump will appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, in effect putting a conspiracy theorist in charge of federal oversight over Americans’ health. This [...]
November 14th, 2024 - 10:27 pm § in Science
Are we alone in the universe?
A famous formula, the Drake Equation (explained here), argues there must be life elsewhere in the universe, based on probability principles. But Columbia University Professor David Kipping (profiled here) says, “Not so fast.” The devil is in the details. The moral of his 26-minute lectur[...]
“The Onion” buys InfoWars
Rightwing provocateur Alex Jones owes a $1.4 billion judgment to Sandy Hook families which he can’t pay. But he can pay something; after all, he made millions by selling supplements on his podcast show. To help satisfy that judgment, his assets are being sold off in bankruptcy court. One of th[...]
November 14th, 2024 - 12:36 am § in Law and Courts
Teen swatter headed for prison
When he was 16 years old, Alan W. Filion (photos below), of Lancaster, California, made at least 375 swatting calls targeting “religious institutions, schools and universities, government officials, and other innocent victims.” The malice of his swatting calls is illustrated by “a [...]
Dumbest senator doesn’t get advise and consent
“He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of th[...]
Should Biden pardon everyone on Trump’s “enemies list”?
The Atlantic thinks so; their headline says, “Pardon Trump’s Critics Now” (see story here), arguing Biden has a moral obligation to do so. However, I can think of reasons why he shouldn’t. First and foremost, people who haven’t committed crimes don’t need pardons,[...]