News of the Week for Mar. 24th, 2019
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Gun Rights
Pennsylvania Submits Firearms Registration Bill
Pennsylvania Submits Firearms Registration Bill. A new bill introduced in Pennsylvania, HB0768, would boldly establish a gun registry within the state. The Democrats that introduced the bill areMary Louise Isaacson (D), Angel Cruz (D), and Mary Jo Daley (D). The Pennsylvania General Assembly has referred the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The Myth That Australia’s Gun Laws Reduced Gun Homicides
The situation is more complicated than reporters suggest.
New Zealand Prime Minister: Gun Confiscation “Just The Beginning” Of Things To Come
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday that the nation now plans to enact extreme gun laws in the wake of last week’s terrorist attack: Banning semiautomatic firearms and forcing citizens to turn in the banned weapons.
People v. Brown – FOID ruled unconstituional in IL District Court – Judicial Second Amendment Case Discussion
Lady with a clean record, in possession of a single shot, bolt action rifle .22 in the home for personal protection. No FOID but otherwise eligible for a FOID. Judge ruled requiring a license and charging a fee/tax to exercise a Constitutional right in the home unconstitutional.
Hide the Decline
Environment &
“Green Energy”
The Sky’s Not Falling
Abraham Lincoln told the story of boarding with the family of a Presbyterian minister on the night of the greatest meteor shower ever recorded in North America. He was tom mcclintock congressmanawakened by the minister who shouted, “Arise Abraham, for the heavens are falling and the day of judgment has arrived.” But Lincoln noticed that despite the hysteria around him and the chaos above him, he could still see the familiar constellations fixed in the sky, and he knew the world was not about to end.
Judge temporarily halts drilling on Wyoming public lands over climate change
A federal judge late Tuesday temporarily blocked oil and gas drilling on thousands of acres of public land in Wyoming, ruling that the Trump administration failed to “sufficiently consider climate change.”
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
Finland’s government resigns over failed healthcare reform
Finland’s entire government has resigned over its failure to achieve a key policy goal on social welfare and healthcare reform.
War & Terror
Three Dead in Utrecht Shooting, Police Identify Turkish Suspect
Police confirm that the main suspect — whose photo they earlier released — has been taken into custody.
National
Space in 2019 will be all about the moon, and one weird asteroid
Fifty years after Neil Armstrong’s historic step, robots from China, India, Israel, the US and elsewhere are heading back.
CUNY: ‘Whiteness continues to be a crucial problem in our English department’
The City University of New York’s graduate school will host an event called “Refusing Institutional Whiteness: Possibilities, Alternatives, and Beyond” later this month.
Chinese sci-fi writers give us a glimpse into China’s dystopian present and future
In contemporary China, it’s hard to know what people outside the party dictatorship think about the future. As in the former Soviet Union, often the best guide may be not in the controlled media or cowed academia, but in the speculative wanderings of writers.
Low-income mothers ask Supreme Court to stop Montana from limiting school choice
A relic of anti-Catholic bigotry
University bans white professor from honors program for quoting black author
But he still gets to teach
Cornell, Harvard Drop GRE for English Ph.D.
Move goes against the norm for top-ranked doctoral programs.
Supreme Court Is Back in Session. Here’s What’s on the Docket.
After a two-week break, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument in several cases during its March sitting.
Scientists devise method for levitating, propelling objects with light
“We have come up with a method that could levitate macroscopic objects,” Caltech physicist Harry Atwater said.
Rubio to introduce legislation to keep Supreme Court at 9 seats
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Wednesday he plans to introduce a constitutional amendment to limit the Supreme Court to nine justices after some Democrats have floated expanding the number of seats on the high court.
Preschool Teacher Punished Kids By Making Them Stand Naked In A Closet
An Illinois preschool teacher and her aide have been placed on administrative leave after police say they forced children to stand naked in a closet as a form of punishment. Officials say the teacher, who has been working for the Head Start program run by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for three years, started using the punishment in February. The identities of the 26-year-old teacher and her 41-year-old aide have not been released.
Stop the presses. Clarence Thomas asked a question.
Something very unusual happened at the Supreme Court yesterday, but it didn’t have much to do with the case being considered. Near the end of oral arguments in a case involving alleged racial bias in jury selection, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas “stunned” the crowd by asking a question. It wasn’t even a particularly unusual question and definitely seemed relevant to the issues at hand, but the simple fact that Thomas even opened his mouth was sufficient to generate headlines.
Kentucky Governor Exposes His Children To Chicken Pox
You can file this one under “educated but insanely stupid”. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin has admitted that he intentionally exposed his children to Chicken Pox. The father of nine children and governor of a state exposed his children to a deadly childhood disease rather than vaccinate them.
There’s a Concerning Trend of Pet Owners Wanting to Turn Their Carnivore Animals Vegan
Cats and dogs may be carnivores, but that hasn’t stopped a surprising number of pet owners from wistfully wishing they could switch their furry friends to a plant-based diet – or even already doing so.
Chicago’s Democratic socialists on brink of transforming city’s politics
Six Democratic socialists may join city council this year, reflecting the progressive momentum in national politics
Wisconsin Democratic Judge Says Duly Elected Republicans Can’t Pass Laws
Democrats don’t like our Constitution very much. From their perspective, there’s not much to like.
CCSD using taxpayer resources to promote teachers union’s agenda
The Clark County School District has been using taxpayer resources to advance the political agenda of the teachers union.
“American Political Thought” course at CU Denver removes all white men from curriculum
“Nothing on Washington. Or Jefferson. Or Madison. Or Hamilton. Not a mention of Locke or Rousseau. None of that.”
Barbra Streisand says Michael Jackson’s accusers were “thrilled to be there” and his “sexual needs were his sexual needs”
Barbra Streisand is under fire for comments she made about two men accusing Michael Jackson of sexually assaulting them as children.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Electron microscopy, therapeutic insoles, and (allegedly) thieving police.
Barr’s summary letter
Attorney General Barr’s summary of the Mueller report has just been posted on Scribd. I am embedding it below. It is easily accessible elsewhere. I think there is no substitute for reading the summary letter yourself and I commend it to your attention. Barr’s letter indicates his scrupulous compliance with the applicable regulation and his intent to go beyond it so far as is possible while preserving grand jury secrecy.
Economy & Taxes
How Trump’s Tariffs Hiked Taxes on Americans by $14.4 Billion in 2018
Each year, the Council of Economic Advisers releases the “Economic Report of the President,” which assesses the state of the U.S. economy and the impact of the current administration’s policies.
Trump nominates Stephen Moore for Fed seat
“It is my pleasure to announce that @StephenMoore, a very respected Economist, will be nominated to serve on the Fed Board. I have known Steve for a long time – and have no doubt he will be an outstanding choice!”
Walmart Builds a Secret Weapon to Battle Amazon for Retail’s Future
The world’s largest retailer is using Jetblack, a money-losing personal-shopping service, to develop artificial intelligence to compete with e-commerce giant Amazon
International
“Is Unspeakable”: How Maduro Used Cuban Doctors to Coerce Venezuela Voters
Yansnier Arias knew it was wrong. It violated the Constitution, not to mention the oath he took as a doctor in Cuba.
Brexit leader: We may be stuck with May’s deal
Will the third time be the charm for Theresa May’s beleaguered Brexit deal? Now that Parliament has overwhelmingly voted against a no-deal exit and for a delay on its Article 50 deadline … maaayyyybeeee. Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg, who leads the influential Brexit hardline group European Research Group, signaled today that he and his band of 80 MPs might throw in with May to prevent a no-Brexit outcome
NZ Threatens 10 Years In Prison For “Possessing” Mosque Shooting Video; Web Hosts Warned, “Dissenter” Banned
New Zealand authorities have reminded citizens that they face up to 10 years in prison for “knowingly” possessing a copy of the New Zealand mosque shooting video – and up to 14 years in prison for sharing it. Corporations (such as web hosts) face an additional $200,000 ($137,000 US) fine under the same law.
EU to May: Please assume your crash-out positions
The best-laid plans of mice, men, and Theresa May often go awry – especially when the latter somehow overlooks a parliamentary rule in place for 415 years. Last night, May’s plan to bring another vote on her Brexit deal with the EU got halted in its tracks by Commons Speaker John Bercow, who ruled a second vote on the same question in the same session out of order. That derailed May’s plan to give Tories one last chance to avoid a significant delay in Brexit.
Scientists make “impossible” discovery off coast of Africa
Researchers have found rocks on a small island between Madagascar and the eastern coast of Africa, a discovery that has been described as mysterious for one very important reason – they shouldn’t be there.
After Mass Detentions, China Razes Muslim Communities to Build a Loyal City
Authorities take down once-bustling Uighur neighborhoods to create a compliant economic hub
Gender Pronouns Now a Police Matter in the UK
I realize I’m just another dumb white cishet male and therefore the source of all the problems in the world, but I am utterly baffled by the growing insistence that gender pronouns are a matter of opinion.
Dutch populist wins provincial elections after Utrecht attack
Dutch PM Rutte loses Senate majority after the Forum for Democracy party makes gains in regional polls.
EU Agrees to Extend Brexit Deadline to April 12 as Tories Grow Frustrated With Theresa May
How much longer can this go on?
Canada considering forcing social media companies to remove extremist content
Canada is considering whether to force social media companies to remove hateful and extremist content online.
Troubling signs New Zealand shooting is being used to turn my country into Islamic State
I live in New Zealand. I’ve become alarmed at developments in my country since the shootings last Friday. What I see unfolding seems so disproportionate to the magnitude of the crime. It seems like I’ve woken up and all of a sudden live in an Islamic State.
The French Genocide That Has Been Air-Brushed From History
On March 4 2011, the French historian Reynald Secher discovered documents in the National Archives in Paris confirming what he had known since the early 1980s: there had been a genocide during the French Revolution. Historians have always been aware of widespread resistance to the Revolution. But (with a few exceptions) they invariably characterize the rebellion in the Vendée (1793–95) as an abortive civil war rather than a genocide.
The New Zealand government has deemed the Christchurch shooter’s manifesto illegal, sharing it could result in jail time.
The New Zealand government has deemed the Christchurch shooter’s manifesto illegal, which is basically what he wanted. The idea was that he wanted State parties to increase censorship to force people to rebel against the measures to create more divide. The New Zealand government has obliged his whims with aplomb.
Opinion
Feminism, Darwinism, and the Extinction of Women Like Sophie Vershbow
Has it ever occurred to any feminist that her ideology is self-destructive? That whatever emotional benefit she gains from the sense of collective solidarity comes at the cost of her long-term happiness as an individual? Does any feminist have the objectivity necessary to step back from herself and evaluate whether the alleged “oppression” she has devoted her life to battling really exists? Can an intelligent woman ever examine the feminist movement critically and ask herself, “Cui bono?”
There’s a Fake Outrage Machine on the Right, Also
Last week I was dragged relentlessly on Twitter for suggesting that Tucker Carlson was subject to a “fake outrage” campaign when Media Matters dredged up his years-old, terrible comments to radio shock-jock “Bubba the Love Sponge.” I stand by my assertion. A group like Media Matters isn’t responding to public pain, it’s trying to create public pain by highlighting comments that no one cared about then and no one remembers now. It’s reacting to Tucker’s old comments not in sorrow but with vengeful glee. For opposition researchers, finding the killer quote is a cause for celebration, not lamentation. “Maybe now the bad man will go away.”
Homelessness and drug addiction in Seattle: Message from a dying city
A locally-produced news story about Seattle’s homeless problem is a microcosm of what Leftist governance will do to a community.
Marriage Isn’t About Making Adults Feel Nice, It’s About Raising Children
I’m grateful that gay conservatives are fighting the religious bigotry being imposed on people of faith this era of “tolerance.” However, gay marriage presents a more significant threat to another vulnerable group.
The reason we’re in such a mess over Brexit is because of Theresa May – it’s time for her to go
The United Kingdom is in crisis, says Number 10. It is a doubly odd statement to make. For one thing, although the situation in Westminster is indeed lamentable, there is no crisis in the country at large. We have just recorded the best employment figures in our history. Growth, exports, the stock exchange, manufacturing output and wages are all rising. The deficit is back to pre-Gordon Brown levels.
