Court Strikes Down Ill. Video Game Law

I guess what I don't understand about the ruling in Illinois striking down the restrictions on the sale of violent and sexually explicit games to minors is why it's different from what they do at the movies?

Lawmaker Calls Hearing on 'Flawed' BCS

Don't lawmakers have anything better to do than to regulate the BCS?

Geez.

Why blame the Army?

David Bernstein from The Volokh Conspiracy raises an interesting point: Why do institutions like Harvard and their students blame the military for "Don't ask, don't tell" when it was Congress that passed the law?

The Iraq story: how troops see it

Isn't it amazing when the peaceniks say "We support the troops!" and have vigils when soldiers die, yet when the soldiers over in Iraq tell a more positive story over there, the moonbats basically say that soldiers are idiots?

Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood

In general, my position about minors seeking abortions is comparable to the law being challenged in New Hampshire: that the parents must be notified, unless a judge grants a bypass. Of course, I also think an exception must be made for the physical well-being of the mother. I say physical well-being because the usual 'health' exception is much too broad: it even allows for the mental health of the mother. So, if the mother, if she gives birth to a child, will suffer mental distress, that in itself is excuse enough for an abortion.

I must clarify that this is not my position on abortion regarding adults. Although I am generally pro-life, I don't believe that it is my place to interfere with the sovereignty of another person. Of course, when the other person (the mother) is potentially interfering with the sovereignty of the fetus, then there's the rub. Then it comes down to the question of when the fetus is considered a person. Right now, I support the general rule of thumb that forbids abortions in the third trimester until the medical world generally comes to a consensus otherwise.

U.S. Is Said to Pay to Plant Articles in Iraq Papers

If true, then the NYT story of how the Pentagon is placing propaganda as news stories into Iraqi newspapers doesn't sit right with me. Once the secret gets out (as it seems to have), it will have a devastating effect on Iraqi public trust of its newspapers. It would smack of the days under Saddam where the media was state-controlled and may even put the lives of Iraqi journalists into more dangers as they may be accused of collaborating with the U.S.

I hope to see more of this story, as well as the government's response and rationale, but I can't say that this bodes well for the administration.

Torture

An interesting take on the question of torture. It probably most closely follows my own viewpoint. A money quote:

An aside: The Geneva Conventions prohibit torture, and any form of "coercion." Customary and traditional interpretations of international law are binding, insofar as any vaguely written treaty with noble intentions can provide a useful legal standard. The customary and traditional interpretation of the "no coercion" clause is that it refers to actual torture, that you can say really really mean things to people and make them a bit physically uncomfortable, if that's what it takes to get useful tactical information from them. Our NATO allies all follow this doctrine; the Warsaw Pact followed a much looser version of it

Oddly enough, Andrew Sullivan of the 'wrapping Muslim detainees with the Israeli flag is torture' fame thinks the emailer 'gets it'. Exactly what does he get: that torture is ugly, but sometimes necessary or that being mean isn't torture?

Like I've said before: reading comprehension.

MoveOn: turkeys

MoveOn's latest ad for Thanksgiving asking the government to bring home our troops shows that they can't even tell which troops to bring home, since their ad shows British troops, not American.

***UPDATE***

It looks like MoveOn caught wind of its gaffe and has photoshopped pants on the British soldier who was wearing shorts to make him look American! Too bad the soldiers' camo in that shot is also British. Here is a before and after pic.

***UPDATE II***

Now it seems that MoveOn has removed the ad altogether! Amazing!

Senator backs off threat of T.O. investigation

Tell me again why the Terrell Owens dispute is any of the Senate's business?

Sometimes, Arlen Specter dumbfounds me.

50 Cent totally sells out

50 performing at a bat mitzvah?

How the mighty have fallen.

Via The Superficial.

Cindy Sheehan Claims Photos Falsely Implied Her Book Signing was a Flop

Cindy Sheehan gets bad press, whines.

Pathetic.

The real question

Deborah Davis was arrested for refusing to show ID when the bus she was on entered the Federal Center in Lakewood, Colorado.

Now, authorities are deciding whether to pursue the case. Ms. Davis is casting this fight as a battle against the Patriot Act, saying that it's "the big guys pushing the little guys around." As a contrast to her hyperbole, the arresting officer said that "she was entering a federal facility and that the regulations for entrance did require her to present identification, before being allowed access." She, of course, did not, and was subsequently arrested.

The website that is advocating her position is filled with exaggeration and plays down the fact that the bus's route goes through federal property, where it is required to show identification when requested. This policy has been longstanding and is unlikely to be successfully challenged.

So, the real question isn't about the big guy versus the little guy, but about the lawfulness of the regulation that requires one to present ID when entering the Federal Center. If the authorities decide to proceed with charges, I expect that things will look unfavorably for Deborah Davis.

Joe Lieberman

Joe Liberman gets it.

Now why can't the rest of the Democrats?

Cowboys' Day Nguyen considering retiring

Say it ain't so, Dat!

You were one of my favorite players. You hustled and you played above and beyond your physical limitations.

Sympathetic Vibrations

Hmmm...it looks like many Americans are getting tired of the defeatism and (unconstructive) criticism coming from the Democrats. The poll by RT Strategies says that:

Seventy percent of people surveyed said that criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale -- with 44 percent saying morale is hurt "a lot," according to a poll taken by RT Strategies. Even self-identified Democrats agree: 55 percent believe criticism hurts morale, while 21 percent say it helps morale.

And that:

Their poll also indicates many Americans are skeptical of Democratic complaints about the war. Just three of 10 adults accept that Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to "gain a partisan political advantage."

I think that's right. Americans, at their core, don't like whiners, and they don't like cowards. We're stubborn and hot-headed, and, unlike the Europeans, know right from wrong.

Bruce Willis comes out fighting for Iraq’s forgotten GI heroes

Alright, Bruce!

Unbiased MSM

A CNN switchboard operator was fired for calling the 'X' shown during Dick Cheney's conference as "free speech" when a caller complained about it.

Nice.