January 15, 2005

* Juneau, Alaska: Republican Rep. Jay Ramras, a freshman legislator from Fairbanks, has proposed House Bill 21, which declares a "person may not make a false statement in election advertising with knowledge that the statement is false or with reckless disregard for whether or not the statement is false." Political advertising in all forms of media would be covered under the bill. However, in 1998, the Washington Supreme Court struck down a similar law. The justices there ruled that the law violated the First Amendment.

* Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessean filed a legal challenge last month to oppose the gag order placed on parties involved in 32 lawsuits filed about the multi-fatality nursing home fire in Nashville that killed 16 people in 2003. All court records from 29 of the 32 lawsuits that have been settled, and a pending suit against the Nashville Fire Department, were sealed. Citing the First Amendment and the public's need to know, The Tennessean says the federal and state constitutions and previous court rulings guarantee access to those court documents.

* Chattanooga, Tenn.: East Ridge High School in Chattanooga, Tenn., has changed its dress code to allow students to wear religious headscarves in class. The Council on American-Islamic Relations complained on behalf of Emily Smith, an 18-year-old senior who was told she couldn't wear her headscarf, or hijab, on campus.

* Pepperell, Mass.: Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman ruled last week that a local resident may keep his three-story backyard shrine, even though he had never obtained any permits to build it. When neighbors complained about the size of the display and the amount of foot traffic it generated in the neighborhood, city officials asked Dube to take it down. His shrine features a 30-foot painting of Jesus, a 24-foot illuminated cross and a 20-foot mural of Our Lady of Fatima. Since the shrine is used for religious purposes, Judge Fishman said the First Amendment, as well as a state law that prohibits zoning ordinances from regulating structures with a religious purpose, protect it.

* Washington D.C.: A federal judge has rejected atheist Michael Newdow's effort to block the recitation of Christian prayers at President George W. Bush's inauguration. U.S. District Court Judge John Bates ruled that a religious blessing does not violate the Constitution's prohibition against government endorsements of religion.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
--Albert Einstein

January 12, 2005

A new Jaded Writings column has been posted. This week, I pay tribute to the master of the macabre.

* Jack London - 1/12/1876
* Joseph W. Miles - 1/12/61
* Andrea M. Zander - 1/14/74
* A.A. Milne - 1/18/1882
* Edgar Allan Poe - 1/19/1809

January 11, 2005

The Compass Center, a Seattle-based service organization for homeless and low-income people, organizes a memorial for homeless people each year. In 2004, 152 people who were homeless, previously homeless or on the edge of homelessness, died in the Seattle area. It took nearly an hour to read all of their names.

"The list this year is longer than it's ever been," said Pastor Sue Wanwig.

Greg Hammonds, who lost his wife to breast cancer last year, has decided to hold a fundraiser in her honor. For every comment you leave in his blog today, he'll donate $1. If he receives more than 500 comments, InterComp will donate an additional $500.

I was a man. I was born somewhere in Central Africa approximately in 1350. My profession was librarian, priest and/or keeper of tribal relics.

My brief psychological profile in that past life: Seeker of truth and wisdom. I could have seen your future lives. Others perceived me as an idealist illuminating the path to the future.

The lesson that my last past life brought to the present: Learn to care about the weak and helpless.

Who Were You?

January 10, 2005

Rule #1: Don't leave explosive material in kindergarten classrooms. This was something the Salem County Sheriff's Department K-9 Unit apparently forgot when they visited Broad Street School in Bridgeton, N.J., last month.

The officers were giving a demonstration for the students on how police dogs sniff out explosives. Unfortunately, they accidentally left a fuseless stick of dynamite behind, which was later discovered by a kindergarten teacher. The school was evacuated twice that week after it received two bomb threats. It was evacuated a third time to give the officers a chance to pick up their dynamite.

What would happen if you dialed 867-5309 in every area code? One man with a lot of time on his hands decided to find out. (Hip Clicks)

January 9, 2005

Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a.k.a. Mal or Captain Tightpants.

You saw most of your men die in a war you lost and now you seek solitude with a small crew that you are fiercely devoted to. You have no problems being naked.

Which Firefly character are you?
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Past Afterthoughts