The jokes will be legion, but the policy is sound. And this is a move that Libertarians, Republicans and Democrats can all applaud.
From The AP:The jokes will be legion, but the policy is sound. And this is a move that libertarians, republicans and democrats can all applaud.
From The AP:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration will [...]

So, it looks like the artist behind the iconic poster of Barack Obama actually did use an A.P. image as a template to create it. Still, there’s a lot to discuss about copyright infringement, Fair Use, etc.
However, first the details from the NY Times:
The A.P. claimed in January that Mr. Fairey owed them credit and [...]

If you’re not familiar with the word rescission, this is the practice of canceling policies because people didn’t reveal a preexisting condition. And it’s one of the key reasons why the health insurance companies can claim that there’s $100 billion in health care fraud every year.
Here’s one example of what they consider fraud…
“They said I [...]

So Canada has basically decriminalized marijuana possession and Mexico has added cocaine, meth, heroin and LSD to the mix.
Wonder what’s going to happen in the US in the next decade…especially given the current reality in California where shops are selling pot out in the open?
The Daily Beast has more…
In an effort to garner control in [...]

You may have heard about this before, and one Florida lawmaker is finally doing something about it.

Yes, I realize these laws are meant to prevent repeat offenses, but either up the penalties for those offenses or just leave them be. Once somebody gets out of prison, that should be it. End of story. If they [...]

Many of us are already regard the Bush administration as a bad, distant memory, but today we’re reminded of just how morally bankrupt they were.
From Wash Post:
The dismissal of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias of New Mexico in December 2006 followed extensive communication among lawyers and political aides in the White House who hashed over [...]

After the release of a study that showed somebody is 23 times more likely to get into an accident, Dems in Congress are working on legislation that would make it illegal across the country.
From the AP:
WASHINGTON — States would be required to ban driving while texting or face the loss of highway funds under legislation [...]

The A.P. continues to come up with one dumb idea after another.
I have more on this craziness over at True/Slant.

As we continue to have conversations about reforming the way we cover our health care expenses, especially huge, end of life costs, the following story about euthanasia seems very topical.
More at True/Slant.

This is an incredibly significant step because it paves the way for an actual revolution.
From Times Online:
Iran’s biggest group of clerics has declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election to be illegitimate and condemned the subsequent crackdown.
The statement by the Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom is an act of defiance against the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah [...]

Nearly 9 months after the election, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel for Minnesota.
From the AP:
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Democrat Al Franken be certified as the winner of the state’s long-running Senate race.
The high court rejected a legal challenge [...]

A bombshell story broke today about the Obama administration drafting an executive order that could be used to hold terrorism suspects indefinitely.
First, here’s the story…
Obama administration officials, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, are crafting language for an executive order that would reassert presidential [...]

Watch the following video of George Tiller’s suspected murderer and tell me if you don’t see something wrong with this picture.

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Roeder actually did kill Tiller. Does that guy look like he has even a shred of remorse? It sounds like he’s getting directions to a restaurant, not being [...]

Number six is now official.
From MSNBC:
CONCORD, New Hampshire – New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage after the Senate and House passed key language on religious rights and Gov. John Lynch — who personally opposes gay marriage — signed the legislation Wednesday afternoon.
After rallies outside the Statehouse by both sides in the [...]

“I think that freedom means freedom for everyone. As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay, and it is something we have lived with for a long time in our family. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish. Any kind of arrangement they [...]

Wish fewer people smoked? Maybe it’s time for visual warnings on packages.
Cigarette packages should show graphic images of yellow teeth, blackened gums, protruding neck tumors and bleeding brains to alert smokers to their disease risks, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
WHO says 20 nations already use some form of visual warning and evidence suggests [...]

This was a bit of a surprise when I heard about it, but apparently Ted Olson has joined forces with the Equal Rights Foundation and they’ve just sent out a press release about yesterday’s decision.
Here are some key excerpts (.pdf) …
“Yesterday, the California Supreme Court said that the California Constitution compels the State to discriminate [...]

Anybody who reads this blog knows where I fall on the gay marriage issue, but the Supreme Court of California wasn’t reallly deciding the validity of gay marriage itself, so the ruling was actually dead on in my opinion.
This article from Bloomberg points out why…
The court legalized gay marriage a year ago before California voters [...]

No doubt you’ll be hearing A LOT about this decision…
Although Sotomayor has not had a case dealing directly with abortion rights, she wrote the opinion in Center for Reproductive Law and Policy v. Bush, 304 F.3d 183 (2d Cir. 2002), a challenge to the “Mexico City Policy,” which prohibited foreign organizations receiving U.S. funds from [...]

The unusual case of a cancer-stricken thirteen year-old who is refusing treatment is quickly becoming one of those unusual and unfortunate legal cases that mix religion, law and the rights of the individual.
With the support of his parents, the thirteen year-old in question is refusing chemotherapy because the family believes in “natural” healing (they are [...]