At Reason TV:
BONUS: From Charles Cooke, at National Review, "An Open Rant Aimed at Those Who Would Repeal the Second Amendment."
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Governor Jerry Brown Signs Assisted Suicide Bill Into Law
There's supposed to be all kinds of safeguards with the legislation, but I still don't like it.
At the Los Angeles Times, "After struggling, Jerry Brown makes assisted suicide legal in California."
FLASHBACK: "Assisted Suicide of Healthy 79-Year-Old Raises Right to Die Issues."
At the Los Angeles Times, "After struggling, Jerry Brown makes assisted suicide legal in California."
FLASHBACK: "Assisted Suicide of Healthy 79-Year-Old Raises Right to Die Issues."
'Open Your Eyes'
Actually, a corny song, complete with campy theatrics.
But then, with the level of political ignorance among today's youth, old Stiv might've been onto something.
The Lords of the New Churchs, "Open Your Eyes."
But then, with the level of political ignorance among today's youth, old Stiv might've been onto something.
The Lords of the New Churchs, "Open Your Eyes."
Video games train the kids for war. Army chic in high-fashion
stores.
Law and order's done their job. Prisons filled while
the rich still rob.
Assassination politics. Violence rules
within' our nation's midst.
Well ignorance is their power tool. You'll only know what they want you to know.
The television cannot lie. Controlling media with smokescreen eyes.
They play a politician's picture show. The acting's lousy but the blind don't
know.
They scare us all with threats of war. So we forget
just how bad things are.
You taste the fear when you're all
alone. They gonna git'cha when you're on your own.
The silence
of conspiracy. Slaughtered on the altar of apathy.
You gotta
wake up from your sleep. 'Cause meek inherits earth...six feet
deep.
Open your eyes see the lies right in front of ya.
Open your eyes...
Charlotte McKinney Posted Sexy Selfie in Plunging Top on Instagram on Wednesday
At London's Daily Mail, "'Late night on set!' Charlotte McKinney posts a sexy selfie in plunging top."
And on Instagram, "Late night on set .. Excited to share with you guys."
Plus, flashback, "Charlotte McKinney: They're Real. And They're Spectacular (VIDEO)."
And on Instagram, "Late night on set .. Excited to share with you guys."
Plus, flashback, "Charlotte McKinney: They're Real. And They're Spectacular (VIDEO)."
Governor Jerry Brown Signs Major Climate Change Bill (VIDEO)
At the San Diego Union-Tribune, "California governor signs major climate change bill to boost renewables, building efficiency."
Also, "California wants renewable energy for half its power by 2030."
And flashback to June, from Joel Kotkin, "Putting climate change ahead of constituents."
Also, "California wants renewable energy for half its power by 2030."
And flashback to June, from Joel Kotkin, "Putting climate change ahead of constituents."
Jessica Mendoza Attacked After Debut in Nationally Televised Postseason Broadcast
I just don't see what's the big deal. If she knows her stuff, let her get out there and announce some games.
At the New York Times, "Criticized for Being a ‘Woman Announcer,’ Jessica Mendoza Shines Anyway."
And flashback to August, "Jessica Mendoza Debuts on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball."
At the New York Times, "Criticized for Being a ‘Woman Announcer,’ Jessica Mendoza Shines Anyway."
And flashback to August, "Jessica Mendoza Debuts on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball."
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Iraq After Russian Intervention in Syria
From Patrick Martin, at the Institute for the Study of War:
The Russian formation of a coordination cell in Baghdad is an inflection point aimed at undercutting U.S. influence over the direction of the anti-ISIS efforts in Iraq and Syria. However, the Russian footprint in Iraq is much smaller than in Syria, while U.S. influence over the ISF and Iraqi state are much greater than U.S. influence in Syria. The U.S. and the U.S.-led Coalition can maintain its position as Iraq’s essential ally in the anti-ISIS fight by increasing advisory, materiel, and aerial support to the Iraqi state, without substantially increasing its ground presence. Such changes must prepare Iraq to recapture territory from ISIS quickly in order to demonstrate the value of cooperation with the U.S.
Christopher Harper-Mercer Discharged from Army After Attempting Suicide
Well, I knew he was discharged from the Army after just weeks of basic training, but I didn't know that was the reason.
At the Wall Street Journal, "Alleged Oregon Shooter Discharged From Army After Suicide Attempt":
At the Wall Street Journal, "Alleged Oregon Shooter Discharged From Army After Suicide Attempt":
The gunman who allegedly killed nine people and wounded nine others at a rural community college in Oregon last Thursday had been discharged from the Army after attempting to commit suicide, according to law-enforcement officials familiar with the case.Still more.
Christopher Harper-Mercer, who was 26 years old at the time of the shooting, was discharged from basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., after just one month in 2008. The Army said it couldn’t confirm details of his discharge due to privacy regulations. But law-enforcement officials familiar with the investigation into last week’s mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg said the discharge occurred after Mr. Harper-Mercer tried to take his own life.
The details of the suicide attempt haven’t been made public. But it is the latest indication that Mr. Harper-Mercer—described by former friends and neighbors as a disaffected loner who loved firearms and disliked religion—had been deeply troubled long before opening fire on fellow students and a teacher in Oregon.
The Army discharge didn’t affect Mr. Harper-Mercer’s ability to legally purchase firearms. He didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, which would have required a court-martial, according to an Army spokesman. Because he didn’t have that type of discharge, often deemed equivalent to a felony, he wasn’t precluded from buying guns under existing federal law.
The nature of his administrative separation is protected by privacy laws, and an Army spokesman said it could have been for a wide variety of reasons.
Mr. Harper-Mercer’s parents couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific events that unfolded on Thursday,” the family said in a statement Saturday. “Our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers go out to all of the families of those who died and were injured.”
An official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said last week that a total of six guns—five pistols and a rifle—were recovered from where the shooting took place, along with a steel-enhanced flak jacket and five magazines of ammunition. Eight more guns were found at the nearby apartment that Mr. Harper-Mercer shared with his mother, officials said.
The guns all appeared to have been purchased through a federally licensed firearms dealer by Mr. Harper-Mercer or his relatives, federal officials said.
Friends and neighbors have described Mr. Harper-Mercer as reclusive and odd, and also having shown a keen interest in guns. A classmate also told The Wall Street Journal that he attended a school for emotionally troubled students while living in Torrance, Calif. And in online postings linked to his email account, Mr. Harper-Mercer showed a fascination with mass shootings.
At a Wednesday news conference, Oregon authorities said that two plainclothes Roseburg police detectives were the first to confront Mr. Harper-Mercer after he opened fire on a writing class at the college. The two came across Mr. Harper-Mercer in a hallway and exchanged fire with him, wounding him once...
Simon Sebag Montefiore, Stalin
I've been dipping into this the last few days, and it's finally starting to grab a hold of me.
At Amazon, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar.
At Amazon, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar.
Gallup Won't Do Tracking Polls for Campaign 2016
Well, Gallup's not doing tracking polls right now, and so far it has no plans to.
An interesting piece, at Politico, "Gallup gives up the horse race."
An interesting piece, at Politico, "Gallup gives up the horse race."
Radical Feminists Storm Red Carpet at London Premiere of 'Suffragette' (VIDEO)
Check out the homepage of these radical feminists, Sisters Uncut:
We are Sisters Uncut. We stand united with all self-defining women who live under the threat of domestic violence, and those who experience violence in their daily lives. We stand against the life-threatening cuts to domestic violence services. We stand against austerity.
In the UK, two women a week on average are killed at the hands of a partner or ex-partner. The cuts make it harder for women to leave dangerous relationships and live safely.
Safety is not a privilege. Access to justice cannot become a luxury. Austerity cuts are ideological but cuts to domestic violence services are fatal.
Every woman’s experience is specific to her; as intersectional feminists we understand that a woman’s individual experience of violence is affected by race, class, disability, sexuality and immigration status.
Doors are being slammed on women fleeing violence. Refuges are being shut down, legal aid has been cut, social housing is scarce and private rents are extortionate.
What’s more, local councils are selling out contracts to services who are running them on a shoestring – putting the safety of survivors at risk and deteriorating the working conditions for those who work with abused women.
To those in power, our message is this: your cuts are sexist, your cuts are dangerous, and you think that you can get away with them because you have targeted the people who you perceive as powerless.
We are those people, we are women, we will not be silenced. We stand united and fight together, and together we will win.
Demands
No more cuts to domestic violence services
Restore funding that has been cut
Secure funding for specialist domestic violence services; this should be ring-fenced* at a national level
Local Authorities to fully meet the demands of their communities, recognising that different women have different needs
Guaranteed access to legal aid for women experiencing domestic violence
Provide access to safe and secure social housing for women who otherwise cannot afford to flee
Panic rooms should not be classified as a spare room under the Bedroom Tax
Safety should not be subject to immigration status; extend access to safe housing to women with no recourse to public funds
The Year We Obsessed Over Identity
One of the themes of my earlier post is how the Democrats have become a cultural Marxist party on identity politics, while keeping a surprisingly centrist economic policy. See, "How Did the Democrats Become Favorites of the Rich?"
And there's more on that, especially on the larger pop cultural trends, at the New York Times, "2015's headlines and cultural events have confronted us with the malleability of racial, gender, sexual and reputational lines. Who do we think we are?"
And there's more on that, especially on the larger pop cultural trends, at the New York Times, "2015's headlines and cultural events have confronted us with the malleability of racial, gender, sexual and reputational lines. Who do we think we are?"
Holly Williams Reports on Russia's Attacks on Opposition Forces in Syria (VIDEO)
Following-up from last night, "U.S. Concludes Russia Targeting CIA-Backed Rebels in Syria (VIDEO)."
And here's Holly Williams, at CBS News This Morning, "Russians launch new airstrikes on Syrian opposition forces."
And here's Holly Williams, at CBS News This Morning, "Russians launch new airstrikes on Syrian opposition forces."
Obama's Justice Department to Release 6,000 Prisoners, the So-Called 'Non-Violent' Drug Offenders
I'm obviously not so thrilled about this, but Obama promised a fundamental transformation, so there you go.
At the New York Times, "6,000 Inmates to Be Freed as U.S. Tries New Tack on Drugs."
Also at Pajamas, "Happy Halloween! Feds to Release 6,000 Prisoners at End of Month."
FLASHBACK: From Heather Mac Donald, at City Journal, "Is the Criminal-Justice System Racist?"
At the New York Times, "6,000 Inmates to Be Freed as U.S. Tries New Tack on Drugs."
Also at Pajamas, "Happy Halloween! Feds to Release 6,000 Prisoners at End of Month."
FLASHBACK: From Heather Mac Donald, at City Journal, "Is the Criminal-Justice System Racist?"
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