I was reminded recently of a post I published - when I was still studying law - about just and unjust laws based on Dr. Martin Luther King's "letter from Birmingham Jail". I thought that some of you might find it an interesting read as well, so I will republish it here. In his "letter from Birmingham jail" Martin Luther King jr. writes about something he calls 'just' and … [Read more...] about Just and Unjust Laws: According to Dr. Martin Luther King jr.

H/t Interested: Denmark acted on Monday to calm Muslim indignation at a new series of cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad and advised its citizens against traveling to the Middle East as Islamic leaders condemned the drawings. Muslim anger was roused when a public Danish television station aired amateur video footage showing members of the youth wing of the anti-immigrant … [Read more...] about Danes Advised Not To Travel To Muslim Countries

Recent news stories from Afghanistan are alarming. First, the British troops are under real pressure/threat and may now withdraw owing to the constant attacks they face in parts of Afghanistan. The second story relates to General David Richards, the British officer commanding Nato troops in Afghanistan, statement yesterday that 70 per cent of Afghans may start supporting the … [Read more...] about Afghanistan: British Soldiers Feel The Heat

How real/immediate is North Korea's nuclear threat? While the rest of the media is getting into the blame game, the CNN has carried an interesting Associated Press report about how dangerous or immediate are the consequences of this nuclear test. "North Korea may have the bomb. But the twin complexities of developing nuclear warheads from a successful test explosion and the … [Read more...] about North Korea Nuclear Test: Strong or Weak?

Down, down, down he goes. … [Read more...] about MN’s Incumbent Repub. Gov. Pawlenty: Falling

There are other, more pressing stories out there -- North Korea, for example -- but if you want an excellent dissection of who Mark Foley is why the GOP supported him, check out this post by Reaction guest blogger Capt. Fogg. Key quote: "The loss of the flimsy Halloween costume gravitas of right-wing opinion shouters, spewing non sequiturs and slanders in the vain hope that … [Read more...] about Palm Beach County’s Favorite Son

From the BBC: Tens of thousands of people have marched through the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, in support of the main opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales. Mr Rosales will face President Hugo Chavez in December's presidential poll. The march, which filled the main avenues of the city centre, was the biggest opposition rally Venezuela has seen since early 2004. The upcoming … [Read more...] about Opposing Chavez

The bottom line: tough talk from the United States and the United Nations failed to do the trick. North Korean conducted a nuclear test anyway, and there are even a few suggestions another one will be on the way. And what can and will the U.S. and the United Nations do? The bottom line again: not much to actually reverse the situation or remove the threat — except … [Read more...] about North Korea Nuclear Test Triggers World Concern And Finger Pointing (UPDATED)

The Washington Post has some, umh, negative news about Virginia Senator George Allen: For the past five years, Sen. George Allen, has failed to tell Congress about stock options he got for his work as a director of a high-tech company. The Virginia Republican also asked the Army to help another business that gave him similar options. Congressional rules require senators to … [Read more...] about Senator George Allen Simply Does Not Know A Lot

Yet another American has won the Nobel Prize. "Edmund S. Phelps won the 2006 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences on Monday for explaining the relationship between inflation and unemployment, work that has had a profound impact on macroeconomic policy." Phelps is a professor at Columbia University and is 73 years old, he "challenged prevailing views in the 1960s by … [Read more...] about America 6: Rest Of World Keeps On Hoping To ‘Score’

According to NYT's DealBook, Google may announce a deal to buy YouTube for 1.6 billion dollars today. "Discussions could still break down, however, or another party could present a more-attractive offer." … [Read more...] about Google Could Announce Take-Over YouTube Today

US President George W. Bush has called on the UN to respond to North Korea's nuclear test ASAP. He described the test as a "provocative act". He also said that the US does not stand alone in this: China, Russia, South Korea and Japan all agree that the UN should act / respond immediately. He could not yet confirm NK's claims but said that "such a claim itself constitutes a … [Read more...] about Bush: UN Must Respond Immediately To NK’s Provocative Act

Does the center really exist? Or is it that "centrism doesn't really exist as a philosophy, but it's still vital. ;-)" More HERE. … [Read more...] about Does The Center Really Exist?

Report: North Korea appears to have conducted a nuclear test. UPDATE: AMERICAblog is watching this closely. … [Read more...] about MSNBC – N. Korea Nuclear Test Reported

The problem the GOP — and House Speaker Dennis Hastert — has with the Foley teen page email scandal has just gotten a few notches worse with this story from the The Washington Post:A Republican congressman knew of disgraced former representative Mark Foley's inappropriate Internet exchanges as far back as 2000 and personally confronted Foley about his … [Read more...] about GOP Congressman Knew Of Foley Emails In 2000

Speculation continues to mount on a future American Iraq policy and on thing is clear: Serious thinkers are not saying it's "stay the course." The New York Times notes this significant hint from James Baker, head of a bipartisan commission set up by Congress and a longtime Bush family advisor — and close associate of the first President Bush:James A. Baker III , the … [Read more...] about Will Bipartisan Iraq Commission Recommend Dividing Iraq Into Three Parts?

The fountain at Balboa Park. Photo by teen photographer Greg P in San Diego. … [Read more...] about The View From San Diego: Balboa Park

So you thought the Taliban had been ousted in Afghanistan? Yes — but there's a real danger they could be back, NATO's chief warns:NATO's top commander in Afghanistan said Sunday the country was at a tipping point and warned Afghans would likely switch their allegiance to resurgent Taliban militants if there are no visible improvements in people's lives in the next six … [Read more...] about NATO Chief Warns About Afghanistan Stability

Lt. Commander Charles Swift, attorney for Salim Hamdan in the landmark Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, was effectively kicked out of the Navy after being denied a promotion to full Commander. Under the Navy's "up or out" standard, personnel denied this promotion are retired from service. Swift received word he would not promoted two weeks after defeating the Bush administration in Hamdan. … [Read more...] about Hamdan Lawyer Out of the Navy

Time has a fascinating column by GOP pollster Frank Luntz where he takes a cold hard look at the political landscape (not good for Republicans) and offers Republicans some advice (which could lose them more votes). Part of his analysis:Had enough? America has. Anyone who reads the polls accurately and honestly will acknowledge that the Republican Party is likely to lose … [Read more...] about GOP Pollster Frank Luntz: Foley Scandal The Last Straw