This week the Supreme Court ruled that those being arrested, not convicted of any crime, can have their DNA taken and entered into a database to compare against DNA taken from cold cases. Last week a federal judge ruled that Google must turn over records to the government, even though the FBI had no warrant, [...]
Just when you thought it was safe to ignore Washington for the summer, more scandals and reports of government misconduct are circling. This time, the Justice Department has been caught having secretly subpoenaed the phone records of Associated Press reporters. In investigating a leak over a story on North Korea’s nuclear program, the department searched the [...]
When I was in high school and college, I had a number of teachers and professors who loved Voltaire’s* famous quote, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it!” (Always stated in grand tones, sweeping gestures.) That’s been replaced with the pithier: “Faster pussycat, kill, [...]
The Texas legislature meets every other year for 140 days (in regular session, special sessions can also be called.) This limits the mischief they can achieve, but it also means that all the damage they do inflict happens fast and furiously. I fully intended to be aware of all the goings on in Austin this [...]
For just shy of 13 hours on Wednesday and into Thursday morning, Senator Rand Paul held an honest to God filibuster. Not one of those namby pamby fake filibusters where all you have to do is get 40 senators to say, “Yeah, yeah, we’re having a filibuster,” and then they all go on with their [...]
A friend shared this quote by Penn Jillette on Facebook, so I stole it. Er… “shared” it. I heartily agree with the main point that charity isn’t charity if compelled and being generous with other people’s time, property, or labor isn’t anywhere close to actual generosity. But the line that started me thinking (cue [...]
A free people does not allow it’s government to regulate soda sizes. A free people does not stand by while government bureaucrats randomly drug test 11 year olds. A free people doesn’t accept foolish regulations to shut down community pools. A free people doesn’t allow a hard working honors student to be jailed for failure [...]
I just realized the first couple of months of my old blog “Question the Culture” didn’t transfer (April through June 2007). With Rick Perry entering the presidential race, there’s been renewed discussion of his push to make the HPV vaccine mandatory. I have serious issues with that-his apology not withstanding-but this isn’t specifically about that. [...]
Last fall when I wrote about the TSA molestations (Yeah, I’m gonna use that loaded term. It’s what they are. Deal or don’t read.), I figured it would be a temporary thing because Americans would never put up with this kabuki theater. Once our moms and grandmas started getting felt up, once our grandfather’s urine [...]
and I’m thinking he needs to pick up the pace a bit. But this was worth the wait. This cartoon has a similar scary message. (ht a dozen different places.) Well, we’re so excited about those boys on American Idol and the interesting British lady with a pretty voice that we don’t notice our government [...]