News – The Right to Recruit

North America

A Suprepe Court Dispatch in the case of Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights. In this case, we have the military, which wants to recruit in law schools and law schools which have a policy of allowing no employer who discriminates. The military discriminates through the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy. Add on the Solomon Amendment that withholds Defense Department funds from any school that denies the military access for recruiting and you have a stage set for battle. Personally, I don’t see the military as being discriminated in this. The Solomon Amendment gives them the same access as any other employer. And they have that. If they dropped the discriminatory policy they hold, they’d not have a problem, but as it stands they have as much access as would any employer that discriminates. No foul there. The arguments delve into speech issues and war protest, but to me it’s pretty cut and dry. So long as the law school is evenhanded with it’s nondiscrimination policy, the military can’t claim they have any less access than any other comparable company. End of story.

Condi announces that the US now has a worldwide ban on U.S. personnel subjecting prisoners to cruelty. I guess they decided they needed good PR more than a torture exception.

Bush’s next speech will focus on Iraq reconstruction gains. Makes me wonder if he’ll have pictures and evidence or just say that this and that are done. Occasionally I hear those allegations that when congress folk go to visit, they take them to just one school or some such like that. Makes you wonder, it does.

Wisconsin Rep. James Sensenbrenner puts forward a tough immigration bill designed to curb illegal immigration, punish those who employ illegal aliens and give the government more powers to detain and deport them.

A report by the UCLA Anderson Forecast predicts no recession despite the slow down in the housing market.

Forecasters predict the 2006 hurricane season will be a busy one. Which means federal, state and local governments need to seriously deal with the levees in New Orleans if people insist on repopulating the area. It might not be probable that something as strong as Katrina might show up, but disaster preparedness is squarely based on preparing for those exceptions.

A federal jury in Florida clears former professor Sami al-Arian of some, but not all of the terrorism charges against him.

A guide to congressional leadership elections.

Why Bush likely dislikes the holidays. All I have to say is yeesh and yetch.

Middle East

Saddam finds a new means of sticking it to his trial, by causing a few hours of chaos with his absence at the trial. He’s a bad man, but he’s got spunk, no matter how many consider him defeated.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah appeals to Muslim leaders to unite against extremists at the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Central America

Mexico shuts down the U-Turn For Christ Youth Ranch, a rehab center and deports 13 teenagers who workers are suspected to have abused.

General

The blogs look at the significance of the remaining charges against Tom DeLay, the nasty grades handed out by the 9/11 commission and Chicago’s pending smoking ban.

Today’s Papers has bombs in Iraq, projections that heating bills will rise about 25% from last year, DeLay’s troubles and more in the one page news.

Amusements

It’s a Christmas miracle, Florida style: Salvation Army kettle bandit has apparently been found inside his stolen, car which has been found upside-down at the bottom of a canal. God bless us everyone

Determined not to succumb to the senseless violence in today’s video games, designer creates video game staring Lapis the Blue Bunny, who just wants to teach you and your friends how to masturbate

Bad: You need $7,900 to pay a modeling agency. Worse: You hire a hitman to whack a guy and take his cocaine stash so you can sell it and pay the $7,900. Fark.com: The cocaine is actually a wheel of cheese and you are going to jail

Family Research Council opposes creation of a .xxx domain extension, saying it would increase online porn. Farkers reply, “Is that even possible?”

“Well, if I’m going to be well known for eating a kangaroo testicle, then so be it,” says reality show winner Carol “Margaret’s Daughter” Thatcher

Good news for those who like to spend $10 to go to movies to watch commercials: More commercials are on the way

It’s a sad day for America’s youth when a Sonic waitress manages to foil your counterfeiting schemes. Bonus mugshot goodness

Bad: Dropping your cell phone down a toilet. Worse: Getting your arm stuck trying to retrieve it and needing firefighters to rescue you. Worst: Winding up here

Scientists, in their infinite wisdom, develop cure for cancer that is delivered in the one food that most people won’t eat

<A HREF="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10352764/”>Ten reasons to drink during the holidays

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Where’s the Fark.com squirrel?

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this roller-blader flyin’ high

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this LARPer