Innocent Bystanders

Saving the Memory of Matthew Snyder March 30, 2010

I’m sure you all remember Fred Phelps’ noxious Westboro Baptist Church organization that goes around carrying “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” signs at military funerals. Well, a father of a Marine who received this nasty treatment sued Phelps & Co. for defamation and emotional distress. He won, but Phelps appealed. This is how it ended up:

The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters from Kansas was ordered to pay the protesters’ appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s funeral in 2006.

Now the Marine’s dad wants to take it to the Supreme Court. I tried to read the Fourth Circuit’s judgment to see what the chances of a win in the Supreme Court were. IANAL, but I have to say, I didn’t think much of the 4th Circuit’s “they’re obviously loony, so nobody would take their defamatory statements seriously” logic.

So I personally think there’s a chance. And even if there’s not, it’s nice to see somebody trying to take the Phelps gang to task for their despicable behavior. If you agree, you can help the cause by donating at a site set up for Lance Corporal Snyder: www.matthewsnyder.org.

Amazing March 29, 2010

Retired Geezer sent me this video.  Stick with it — this guy gets really incredible at the end.

RG says: “I have worked hundreds of Magic Acts from Penn and Teller to Copperfield. I have absolutely no clue how this is done.”

Me neither. You figure it out.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Those Darn Russkies March 26, 2010

Back in January and early February, I was teasing the administration about the ever-slipping nuclear arms treaty with Russia. It was only to be expected: the Obama administration is negotiating for nuclear arms reduction, while the Russian administration is negotiating for political advantage. In the last post I said:

I don’t doubt that they’ll eventually sign it. I’m just waiting for the last-minute demands to emerge when Russia thinks it has the administration over a media barrel.

And whaddaya know, that’s kind of how it worked out:

Well aware that President Obama desperately wants to hold in his hand a piece of paper guaranteeing nuclear arms cuts in our time, Moscow has been stalling and brawling to force us to bend to its will.

With a few last sticking points in play (which the White House refuses to make public), the Russian government blindsided US negotiators by announcing that the deal was done and the signing was on the calendar.

Folks, this is diplomacy at a level we can’t begin to touch. With their unilateral announcement, the Russians ensured that Obama will cave on the final points — otherwise, it would look as though he scuttled the disarmament deal and undercut his own argument for anti-nuclear sanctions on Iran.

The Russians never disappoint. The Obama administration, on the other hand…

Tea Partier Tries To Say Democratic Operatives Are Doing Damage To Democratic Buildings March 25, 2010

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Initial Unemployment Filings as of mid-March March 25, 2010

The Department of Labor released the initial unemployment filings report for last week, announcing a seasonally-adjusted figure of 442,000 filings. Here’s where we stand:

Ed Morrissey points out that they changed the seasonal adjustment this week, giving themselves 8000 fewer filings than they would have had with the old adjustment.

But even with the revised adjustment, I think the striking thing is how closely the weekly data hews to the line. The message there is that the job recovery has been independent of the Obama administration’s policies. Stimulus programs have caused oscillations around the line, but the linear trend doesn’t change much.

The only notable change since I started plotting these numbers last year has been that the date when we reach “break-even” status has slipped by 2 months, from mid-June to mid-August. That’s the real effect of the administration’s policies – pushing recovery off as increased government spending and a business-unfriendly political environment continue to suffocate America’s companies.

Ancient Chinese Secret, Hunh? March 24, 2010

Thanks to Hot Air.