Turnabout is fair play

Ore. deer hunter mauled by wounded bear

Happy Beethoven Awareness Month!

It's Beethoven Awareness Month at WQXR.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Rape remark costs Indiana Republican Senate hopeful poll support We don't need religious fanatics in the senate.
• Voters' Picks: The Storm Changed My Vote from Romney to Obama I'll take Obama votes wherever I can get them.
• Chicago's Cook County is first metro area to levy gun tax
• Texas man jailed after failing to appear for jury duty

Justice!

I received notification that a settlement of a class action suit against Classmates.com has been approved. As a member of the class I am receiving $3.93.

The aftermath of Sandy

FreshDirect cancelled my usual Sunday night grocery delivery right before the storm, so I got what I could from my supermarket during the day. Then I put in a small FreshDirect order for this evening, for a few things that were unavailable. This morning they sent me an email saying 5 of the items in my order were unavailable.

I had only ordered 6 items. Tonight they will be delivering me one quarter pound of cheese.

UPDATE: It came!

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Polls: Obama Stakes Strong Lead In Iowa, Narrower Ones In Other Battlegrounds
• Greek bank list editor Costas Vaxevanis acquitted
• NJ to use military trucks as polling places Great idea.

Bad News

• Ex-Penn State President Charged (Another article) I'm not the least bit surprised by this.
• Chinese Cafe Owner Given 8-Year Sentence Over Online Messages A reminder that although China may have abandoned traditional communist economic principles, it remains a totalitarian country, politically. 

Why did the salmon cross the road?

Salmon swim across flooded road in Washington

Today's news round-up

Good News

• California judge rules large Arizona campaign donation can be audited
• Israeli Defense Chief Says Iran Postponed Nuclear Ambitions
• Polish rape victim 'should have had abortion access'

Bad News

• Nasty campaign tactics: Phony voting instructions
• Romney collects supplies in Ohio for storm victims I wonder what will happen to all that stuff. The Red Cross has said it can't use it. This is a poorly thought out political stunt.

It's going to take a bit of work to get the Metro-North trains running on the Hudson Line

--From the MTA website

Living with wild hogs VI

Wild boar attacks and injures 4 people in Berlin

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Advantage Obama in hunt for 270 electoral votes

Bad News

• Tunisian Salafis attack alcohol sellers in capital
• Greek editor arrested over list of Swiss accounts
• Attack on Nigerian Church Kills 8 and Wounds Dozens

Mixed Good and Bad News

• A Village Rape Shatters a Family, and India’s Traditional Silence It's bad that these rapes are happening, but good that people are beginning to fight the trend.

Re: Hurricane Sandy

I haven't posted anything here, but I'm fine. All my Facebook and Twitter friends who were joking about it all day, and dismissing the precautions taken, have now shut up, with serious flooding happening, building facade collapses, a probable electrical transformer explosion at a ConEd station, etc. And high tide is just occurring now.

Trans United for Obama

Semi-random thoughts

• In my wife's mind, taking a nap in bed is being lazy, but if she does it on the couch it's OK.
• It was a disastrous Saturday for alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. The football team lost to Michigan State in overtime, which ended their 21 game home winning streak (second best in the nation). But much worse, our young but quickly improving quarterback broke his collarbone, and is probably out for the rest of the season. And on top our football woes, our men's basketball team lost its newly-named starting point guard for the season due to a torn ACL in pre-season practice. 
• I always keep a Chrome window open, in addition to my normal Internet Explorer one(s). This is so I can keep two Yahoo Mail ID's open simultaneously. Now I've found another use for my Chrome window: When a newspaper website limits me to a certain number of free articles per month, I can switch to the other browser and get double.
  

Recent news round-up

Good News

• MTA To Release App Providing Info From Subway Countdown Clocks
• New Orleans sees revival of historic streetcars

Bad News

• AP poll: Majority harbor prejudice against blacks
• Friends Say Staten Island Teen Who Jumped In Front Of Train Was Bullied

Animal headline of the day

Panicking cow kills Palestinian in Muslim feast

If someone were trying to kill me I might panic, too.

Re-affirming everything I (don't) believe about religion

Deeply Religious Newburgh Man Crushed By Falling Crucifix, Loses Leg

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Anti-bullying program draws more participants despite boycott call
• Up to 40 percent may vote early in U.S. election; Obama ahead
• Consumer sentiment at highest in five years in October

Somali thugs keep losing

Dutch Warship Destroys Pirate 'Mother Ship'

This means the parents aren't gifted, of course

New Gifted and Talented Test Leaves Parents Stumped

Seriously, a great many parents have a seriously inflated opinion of their children's capabilities. Most children aren't gifted. This test was designed so that coaching, by parents or anyone else, isn't going to help.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• New York Gay Marriage Withstands Legal Threat
• Bloomberg To Spend $500,000 In Support Of Gay Marriage In 3 States
• TSA Pulls Use Of Controversial Full Body Scanners At JFK, LaGuardia Airports
• Columbia Reverses Decision to Cut Funds for Student Abortions
• American plans to hire 2,500 pilots
• New Polls Show Obama Maintains Lead in Ohio; Closes Gap Nationally with Romney

Bad News

• Aurora school board repeals transgender protections
• N.C. church members charged in alleged extreme hate crime
• Stop-and-Frisk Targets Transgender Community Unfairly, Study Says
• In N.J. Surrogacy Case, Infertile Wife Loses Appeal to Be Named Legal Mother
• 2 Kentucky men acquitted of hate-crimes charges

Romnesia?

Question of the day

Why do "terribly pretty" and "pretty terrible" mean opposite things?

Today's news round-up

Good News

• DeGeneres honored for lifetime as U.S. entertainer This is very nice, but isn't 54 a little young to get a lifetime achievement award?
• Mauled by Ads, Incumbents Look to Declaw Outside Groups Hoisted on their own petard.
• Hedge Fund Manager Donates $100 Million for Central Park
• Court blocks Indiana law cutting Planned Parenthood funds

Bad News

• $2.50 Base Fare for Subways and Buses Is Likely, Transit Chairman Suggests
• New York lesbian couple accuses wedding venue of discrimination

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Uncertainty Clouds Polling, but Obama Remains Electoral College Favorite This is my favorite commentary blog on the election.

Bad News

• Russia's jailed punk rock band members sent to prison camps
• L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists guilty of manslaughter If this verdict stands I don't see how they will ever get any more scientists to serve on this board.
• Afghan police say man killed wife for wanting job
• Parents considering legal action over school yoga The religious aspects have been removed. These parents are paranoid.

Semi-random thoughts

• I was very happy to see the Yankees swept out of the playoffs. I'm an Indians fan. I hate the Yankees.
• At first I thought the Wisconsin Badgers football team was just going to have a "rebuilding year," but it looks like it might only have been the beginning of the season. They've won their last three games, and are looking better and better each week.
• I generally don't read any news article with a question mark in the headline. Usually it's about something that isn't true, or at least is totally unsubstantiated.

Animal headline of the day

Chickens Threaten to Divide Community

From Overheard in New York

Wife: I'm cold. Are you cold?
Husband: Not really.
Wife: How come men never complain about being cold?
Husband: We have good thermostats, you have multiple orgasms. Wanna trade?

--MoMA
via Overheard in New York, Oct 17, 2012

Cartoon of the day

Close To Home

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Judge blocks Arizona law that bars funding to Planned Parenthood
• Obama immigration stance locks in Hispanic support
• Ohio voter fraud billboards to come down, sponsor stays unnamed

Animal headline of the day

Prosecutor: Florida Man Charged In NY For Illegally Importing Dinosaurs

Fight bullying!

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Mormon feminists? Yes they exist, and they're for Obama
• Star Commentator Is Out as Christian College President After Scandal I'd call him a hypocrite except idiot seems more appropriate: “I had no idea that it is considered wrong in Christian circles to be engaged prior to being divorced.”
• Doctors say shot Pakistani girl improving
• Ill. Amtrak train set to hit 110 mph in test run

Bad News

• Soup kitchen in Ryan photo op losing donors The Romney campaign should make a donation to compensate for this loss.
• Judge allows Texas cheerleaders to use "Bible banners" for now Regardless of who pays for the uniforms, when they are on the football field they are representing their school. What they do should be considered an official act of the school.
• France delays debate on gay marriage

Traveler's insurance fail

Now I understand more fully why my automated credit card payment for my Traveler's insurance failed last month. I had made an extra payment on the credit card, as I was getting close to my limit and the charge was large. I just thought the payment got delayed. It seems that was not the problem.

After the charge didn't go through, I got a letter from Traveler's saying that my automatic charges to my credit card had been cancelled, and I had to sign up for it again. I did this, specifying that I wanted the charges to made on the 20th of the month. I then got another letter from them saying my credit card would be charged on October 22 (because the 20th is a Saturday).

The charge went through today, the 19th.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Dad Protests for Son Suspended After Standing Up to Bully I was once punished a couple of times for standing up to bullies. The school administrators who do this should be fired.
• Man held in plot to attack Federal Reserve in NYC I'm really glad there are law enforcement people out there catching fanatics like this.
• New Polls Have Good News for Obama
• Appeals court rules against Defense of Marriage Act
• Belfast judge: Gay, unmarried couples can adopt
• Same-Sex Marriage Support Has Grown Among Latinos, Survey Finds

Bad News

• Turkey tries pianist Fazil Say for insulting Islam

What a waste of money, Knights of Columbus

Thugs still active off west Africa

Pirates kidnap seven crew members off Nigerian coast

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Pakistan sends girl shot by Taliban to UK for care
• High court won't block early voting in Ohio
• Obama extends slim lead over Romney in White House race: Reuters/Ipsos poll
• Cuba to End Exit Visa Requirement in January

Bad News

• Exotic Bird Decapitated at Las Vegas Casino; Law Students Charged I kind of doubt they will ever be lawyers.
• UK blocks extradition of alleged hacker to US

Cartoon of the day

Plat du jour

Semi-random thoughts

• Recently I had lunch with an old friend at his office. He works for Google, and it's as wacky a place as I've heard. If I worked there I'd probably be as big as a house, with all that yummy, free food. The most amazing thing I saw was a rack where people can park their scooters. There were two scooters neatly parked.
• Somehow I'm on the Chabad's mailing list. Oy.
• The Browns finally won a game! After only 11 losses in a row (dating back to last season).

Micro movie review

Argo: The gripping story of the 1980 escape from Iran of the U.S. embassy employees who were not captured there. Despite some over-dramatizations and exaggerations (trucks, even police cars, can't go that fast), a fine movie.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• James Levine plans Met Opera return in May
• "Million Muppet March" planned to defend U.S. backing for PBS

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Arrests Made in the Shooting of 14-Year-Old Pakistani Girl But Taliban Reiterate Vow to Kill Pakistan Girl

Somali thugs keep losing

Somalia: EU Naval Force Quick to Capture Suspect Pirate Boat

Dutch navy detains Somali pirates

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Philippine High Court Suspends Contentious Internet Law

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Russian Supreme Court Upholds But Limits ‘Gay Propaganda’ Law

Bad News

• Supreme court won't review telecom immunity for surveillance
• Alex Karras with wife, kids after kidney failure He was great as Mongo.

Animal headline of the day

Woman texting while driving kills prize-winning cow

Why political movements have so much trouble

Last week I got a group e-mail asking us to say which of three times we're available for a conference call. Today I checked to see if there was a consensus. Ten people have replied. Five of us are available for each of the times.

Oy.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Court rules N.Y. shooting victim can sue gun maker, distributor
• French police kill one in raid linked to Jewish market attack
• Indiana Senate race may hinge on disenchanted Lugar backers The Democrats could pick up a seat here.
• In Va., ex-Rep. Goode may pose risk for Romney He could be the Ralph Nader of the Republicans.

Bad News

• Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman split after 30 years

My tax update

My taxes are done! My taxes are done! My taxes are done!

Micro movie review

Arbitrage: Any resemblance between this film and reality is purely co-incidental. There isn't even anything about arbitrage in it.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Boston man named 1st 'Price Is Right' male model Why is his being from Boston relevant?
• Meryl Streep donates $1M to The Public Theatre
• Jobless Rate Falls to 7.8%, Lowest Since January 2009
• Loitering Rules in Projects Are Too Vague, Judge Says

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Federal judge approves scaled-down Florida voter purge

Bad News

• Romney closes gap with Obama to 2 points after debate: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Update on my taxes

Taxes are going pretty well. It started slowly Monday, as I had difficulty (re)installing TurboTax, and then getting it to run. Their website was quite helpful in getting past the installation problem (though I did have to try their procedure twice to get it to work). But it was of little help in getting the software to run. After I tried all of their possible solutions, which did nothing, I decided to uninstall and reinstall. It was only when I went to do that did they offer me the alternative to "repair" the program--which did the trick. It should have been one of the suggestions on their "troubleshoot" page. Then I transferred the info from my 2010 return, and downloaded my state tax software. Finally I imported the data from my stock broker. This was critical, as it would take forever to type all of that stuff in--my 1099 is 24 pages long.

I resumed working on my taxes Wednesday. I organized all my documents, then started doing the income information. There were a couple of cost basis figures missing from the 1099s (one of mine, one of my wife's), but I was able to find the numbers pretty quickly. I'm not quite done with all the income items.

I'm taking today (Thursday) off to go out, and I'll start again on Friday.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• New Mexico removes "forcible" from state regulation mentioning rape
• Pennsylvania judge: Voter ID law a no-go for November 6

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Pakistan: Attack on Hindus prompts blasphemy case Blasphemy should not be a criminal act. But I'm glad the thugs who did this might be brought to justice.

Just Plain Bad News

• Chick-fil-A chief: 'We support Biblical families' I guess this means he supports polygamy.
• Gay pride march banned in Serbia
• Study: Fraud growing in scientific research papers

If anyone wants me

I'm doing my taxes this week.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Obama leads Romney 49-42 percent in latest Reuters/Ipsos survey
• U.S. immigration to treat same-sex partners as relatives
• California bans "gay conversion therapy" for minors

Bad News

• Muslim protesters torch Buddhist temples, homes in Bangladesh

Plat du jour--guest submission

Found by Joanne.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Romney: I might win Pennsylvania! Polls: No, you won’t
• California man behind anti-Muslim film jailed over probation I said before that I hoped they put this guy in jail.
• Obama Up In Iowa As Early Voting Begins

Bad News

• Calif. kids' football team hit with bounty scandal
• Ex-Sens. Bond, Talent now backing Akin Senate bid

Plat du jour

Purple with blue accents is quite fashionable in the City.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Americans say Obama's ads are more honest, but expect both sides to lie, Esquire/Yahoo poll finds
• Obama leads in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania: Poll
• U of Calif to pay pepper-sprayed Occupy protesters
• Google offers 25 cent Android apps to celebrate 25 billion downloads
• Proposal Sets Circumcision Regulations in Germany As much as I dislike religion, as well a lot of "parental rights" ideas, I do believe that this is a legitimate religious practice, and should be allowed.

Bad News

• More Republican leaders get behind Akin in Missouri Senate race Even beyond the question of which party controls the senate, this guy is particularly horrible.
• At U.N., Egypt and Yemen Urge Curbs on Free Speech

Plat du jour

I guess it means "no one's in."

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Report: Americans feel more confident in economy
• Prosecutor Deals Blow to Stop-and-Frisk Tactic
• Obama Tells U.N. New Democracies Need Free Speech

Bad News

• Some conservatives consider funding Akin in Missouri Senate race
• Court rejects bid to block Arizona "show your papers" immigration provision
• Conservative group launches ad attacking Florida Supreme Court

Maybe my "pirates" series is coming to an end

Party seems over for Somali pirates

Recent news round-up

Good News

• U.S. gas prices come down for first time since July
• The Statistical State of the Presidential Race

Bad News

• Voting laws may disenfranchise 10 million Hispanic U.S. citizens: study

Woe is the Cleveland sports fan

The Indians outscored the Browns today. Both are still in last place.

Animal headline of the day

Sweet times for cows as gummy worms replace costly corn feed

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Romney campaign trails in crucial ground game
• Tide shifts to Obama in most competitive states

Bad News

• Chick-fil-A CEO Denies Giving 'Concessions' to Open Chicago Restaurant

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Pro-American Libyans Besiege Group Suspected in U.S. Envoy’s Death
• Judge lets Walmart discrimination case proceed for now
• VP candidate Ryan heckled, booed at retiree event I love watching the Republicans self-destruct.

Bad News

• Texas cheerleaders win court battle over high school 'Bible banners' I'm sure this will be appealed
• Illinois cannot make pharmacists give 'morning after' pill: court

Delusion of the day

Herman Cain says he would have a ‘substantial lead’ over Obama

Today's news round-up

Good News

• New poll shows Obama leads Romney in swing states
• Egypt's mufti urges Muslims to endure insults peacefully A voice of reason.

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad, News

• Chick-fil-A agrees to stop funding antigay groups, Chicago alderman says However, the owner is still homophobic. Apparently he missed an awful lot of the marriages described in the Bible. Then there's this: Chick-fil-A makes another statement on controversy

Animal headline of the day

Hero pig saves baby goat from drowning

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Obama inches ahead in key voter polls There seems to be an article like this almost every time I do one of these round-ups.
• Iran says saboteurs cut power to nuclear plant
• Study: Tax Cuts for the Rich Don't Spur Growth I could have told them that. If you give a larger after-tax income to people who already have more money than they will ever need, their immediate tendancy is usually to spend the extra, mostly on luxury items that generate relatively few jobs. On the other hand, government spending tends to create jobs, either directly (like teachers and fire fighters), or indirectly (like building bridges or high speed rail).

Bad News

• Complaints about automated calls up sharply We get tons of them. If we don't recognize the Caller ID, we let it go to the answering machine, which is on 24/7.

Micro movie review

The Bourne Legacy: The series is re-bourne (sorry, I couldn't help myself).

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Obama up by four points with likely voters
• Norway court upholds ban on tobacco store displays
• Probation department looking at filmmaker I hope he goes to jail.
• Wal-Mart loses Brooklyn store site, still looking I'm proud to say I've never set foot in a Wal-Mart.
• Judge Strikes Down Wis. Law Limiting Union Rights
• Judge temporarily blocks possible Iowa voter purge

Bad News

• Va. Board Approves Tougher Abortion Clinic Rules

Animal headline of the day

Chicago looking for goats to graze at O'Hare

Romney is so out of touch with the average citizen

Romney: 'Middle-income' between $200K and $250K

How in the world could he lead the country when he has absolutely no idea how the average person lives?

Today's news round-up

Good News

• 3 Electoral College members may pass on GOP ticket However: GOP elector in Iowa who wavers on Romney resigns
• Mobile Device Privacy Act is on its way to becoming a law

Bad News

• College Football Player Kicked Off Team After He Outs Himself During a Game
• Malaysia holds seminars on how to spot gay children

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Appeals court upholds Illinois campaign disclosure law
• Obama expands lead, Romney still in striking distance
• Teen Boy, Pa. Hershey School Settle AIDS Bias Case

Bad News

• Despite pleas, missing SC boy falls by wayside As I suspected, the boy is African-American. What I didn't think about was his gender. 

Plat du jour--guest submission

I guess this refers to the celtic music group from Canada.

This was found quite a while ago by Joanne.

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Web Businessman Sentenced for Threats Aside from this guy going to jail, the best thing about this story was how Google moved to stop this maneuver using their system.
• Queens Carwash’s Employees Are First in City to Join Union
• Players’ Support of Gay Marriage Alters N.F.L. Image

Fairey gets probation

Shepard Fairey Is Fined and Sentenced to Probation in 'Hope' Poster Case

I have written about this a number of times, most recently here and here. I'm disappointed he got no jail time. Maybe he has learned something from all this, but I have to wonder if this will deter anyone else from doing what he did.

Semi-random thoughts

• I am now older than my father was when he died. Hopefully I'll be at least as lucky as my mother--I've got 18 years to go to equal her longevity.
• I always like it when the catcher throws out a runner trying to steal. Stealing is wrong.
• Citibank now gives me the option of having the record of my ATM transaction e-mailed to me. No more little slips of paper to handle. 

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Federal judge orders Massachusetts to pay for killer's sex change I just wish the judge and the writer of this article had used female pronouns.

Bad News

• Judge OKs contentious part of Ariz immigration law
• Appeals court blocks Minnesota law on corporate political spending
• Colo. Shooting Suspect James Holmes Got 'A's, but Called '2nd-Rate Student' A perfect example of grade inflation.

Headline of the day

People with purple beds have the most sex, according to study

Remember, correlation does not imply causation.

I give this cartoon iiiii

From xkcd

Micro movie reviews

The Dark Knight Rises--I think I liked it, but I'm not totally sure because, for some reason, the dialog was very hard to understand when I saw it.

Sleepwalk With Me--A snooze, mildly amusing. The sleepwalking has almost nothing to do with the rest of the film.

If anything is needed to prove the Somali "pirates" are just thugs

Somali pirates kill hostage held for 2 years as ransom demand

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Teen Becomes First Female Quarterback to Play in Florida
• Neon Museum set to open in downtown Las Vegas This sounds interesting.

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad News

• Government ends criminal probe of controversial Arizona sheriff They're still investigating Arpaio for civil rights abuses, which I consider far more important. 

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Judge Rules Against Zoning Law on Sex-Related Businesses This is censorship, pure and simple.
• Washington state Catholic bishop warned over anti-gay marriage campaign I hope this stops him.

Bad News

• New York priest says child often seducer in sex abuse cases Idiot.

Polite euphemism headline of the day

Ryan takes factual shortcuts in speech

What that really means, is, "Ryan lied."

It's what Republicans have been doing a long time: If the facts don't support your beliefs and positions, just make something up that sounds like it could be true. For example, weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

West African thugs grab a ship

Pirates Hijack Tanker Carrying $54 Million Cargo of Gasoil

Hijacked Greek-run tanker traced to Nigerian waters

Recent news round-up

Good News

• Facebook Israel-Arab youth group has rare meeting
• FAA to study use of electronics on planes Right now the situation is ridiculous. On my last flight I saw a number of people using their phones to listen to music, playing games, and perhaps texting.
• Judge to lift restrictions on Florida voter registration Confusing headline.

Animal headline of the day

Firemen called to rescue cow stuck up a tree

I was hoping this would be about a cow that thinks it's a cat.

Thank you, Amazon

Now I'll really know when to expect delivery.

Your estimated delivery date is:
Friday, August 31, 2012 -
Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Israel arrests 3 settler boys suspected of attack on Palestinians
• "Go-Topless Day" in New York seeks equal rights to bare chests
• Seattle names Russell Wilson starting QB Former Wisconsin quarterback makes good. I guess being a little bit short doesn't matter.

Sort of Good, Sort of Bad News

• Isaac Upsets Plans for GOP Lobbyists, Wealthy Donors If I weren't an atheist, I'd say this was god's way of disapproving of what's going on. Unfortunately, it's still proceeding, though with a smaller attendance.

Semi-random thoughts

• I just noticed that I've passed the 7th anniversary of this blog.
• My monthly health insurance premium now exceeds my mortgage payment! 
• The software that categorizes news stories is confused about recalls. Stories on product recalls are appearing in my political news summaries. 
• A couple of my friends had their Facebook accounts hacked. They appeared to be posting recommendations for a weight loss drug, saying things like "I've lost 20lbs. in 3 weeks!" Ironically, both of them are dancers. If either of them lost 20lbs. she'd be on death's door.  All of their Facebook friends know this, so the ads are totally ineffectual. 

Living with mountain lions XII

Nevada: A mountain lion in a casino? Don't roulette out

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Galliano stripped of French Legion d'Honneur award What really angered me about Galliano's statements were the people who said it's OK because he's an artist.
• Russian court acquits Kasparov regarding rally While I'd like to think this is an indication Russia is not as repressive as it seems, I think it might only be having a judge who's a chess fan. 

Bad News

• Court strikes down graphic warnings for cigarettes 

Plat du jour

Recent news round-up

Good News

• High school valedictorian denied diploma over ‘hell’ speech says she won’t apologize I'm glad she's standing up for her rights.
• Lesbian brides win settlement from Vermont inn
• Egypt President Passes Law Against Media Detention It's a good first step.

Bad News

• U.S. court strikes down EPA pollution rule This article does not say why the court struck the rule down. Bad reporting as well as bad news.
• Appeals court rules Texas can cut off Planned Parenthood funding Another article that doesn't explain the court's reasoning.

Stupid headline of the day

U.S. Open tennis referee accused of killing husband with coffee mug

The only thing her being a tennis referee has to do with this story is to explain why she is in New York. This is a minor detail which does not belong in the headline.