Pharmacies cannot be allowed to refuse sale of contraceptives

An increasing number of pharmacists are refusing to sell contraceptives based on ?morality? concerns. After the recent report that teen pregnancies are at a new low, this is a concerning trend that could undermine years of sex education. It may also raise infection rates for HIV/AIDS as condoms are withheld from potential customers.

The Washington Post quoted Steven Aden of the Christian Legal Society?s Center for Law and Religious Freedom speaking on such pharmacists behalf: ?More and more pharmacists are becoming aware of their right to conscientiously refuse to pass objectionable medications across the counter.?

We are talking about condoms here, not crack.
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Proof found ? U.S. is transferring detainees for torture

Federal Aviation Administration logs proof at least one individual was “apprehend” and “deported” to Syria where he was tortured for 10 months.

This made worse by the circumstances in which he was detained. He was on a layover stop in the United States on his way back to Canada from Tunisia, where he had been on vacation.

Such practices are not only against international law, they are also against standing U.S. policy.

Read the New York Times story here.

EU backs Wolfowitz as World Bank chief

The EU gave the nod today to the contentious appointment of Paul Wolfowitz, the US deputy defence secretary, to head the World Bank.

European commissioner Olli Rehn “was satisfied with everything he heard from Mr Wolfowitz concerning free trade and also on poverty reduction and development policy,” a spokeswoman told reporters. Guardian

Pope gets feeding tube

Not sure if there is a god or not, but if there is she sure has a twisted sense of humor.

Blockbuster has no right to mislead customers

?No late fees,? apparently doesn?t necessarily mean ?no fees.? Blockbuster Video advertised their new ?no late fees? program at length, only for customers to find out they automatically ?purchased? videos or games they did not return within a set timeframe. Forty-eight states, including Florida, sued on the consumer?s behalf and won the lawsuit Tuesday.

According to a press release from Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist?s office Blockbuster will pay $630,000 for attorney fees and costs of litigation and agreed that it will not suggest or state in any way that there are no late fees or only limited late fees unless the ?buy? option is clearly stated and customers are advised by store personnel upon signing the contract.
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Fox-blocker

Sick of the Fox “New” Network? Tired of even getting a second of their programming when you are merely trying to zap by their channel? Fear no longer! The Fox Blocker has arrived!

Capitalism at its finest.

More guns in schools would only complicate matters

When 10 people die in a shooting at a school, the logical consequence would be to evaluate gun control laws. Yet a National Rifle Association vice president suggested this weekend such an incident would be avoidable if teachers were allowed to carry guns in class.

NRA Vice President Sandra S. Froman said, speaking to the Associated Press, ?I?m not saying that that means every teacher should have a gun or not, but what I am saying is we need to look at all the options at what will truly protect the students.? Froman said further that if teachers carried guns, they could keep gun-toting students at bay, like a teacher did in an incident at Pearl, Miss., in 1997, when he went to his car to get a gun.

Froman is right to say that the existing laws that ban weapons from most schools did not stop this incident. But this should not mean to throw such laws out altogether but rather to take a look at what went wrong.
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“Christian” Right cashes in on Schiavo

I cannot tell you how discusting I find quotes like this:

What this issue has done is it has galvanized people the way nothing could have done in an off-election year. That is what I see as the blessing that dear Terri’s life is offering to the conservative Christian movement in America.”

- Rev. Lou Sheldon, founder of the notoriously anti-gay organization ?The Traditional Values Coalition?

The “Christian” Right is using a dying woman to get donations. I guess the irony will hit them when they do not receive reserved parking in paradise, after all.

Extensive NY Times coverage on such money grabbing here.

Public education well worth the investment

The commonwealth of Massachusetts is proposing to create a public law school. A study declares the endeavor a “high-risk, low-reward proposition” and says the expenses such a school would cost taxpayers are irresponsible. It’s a prime example of how little our country is prepared to invest in education.

The main concern is the price tag, which the study says would clock in at $39 million over the next seven years. What many do not consider is that the estimated $5 million a year would give less-affluent prospective students the chance to study law. In that regard it would be a steal.

Making the counterarguments in the study even more dubious are the initiators of the study: It was commissioned by two law schools that would likely feel the competition from the new public rival. Naturally they would like to prove that a public law school is not worth financing.
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Congress’ chiming in on Schiavo will backfire

One thing I did not include in today’s edit is that in their zeal to be ethically pompous, Congress ticked off those voters they attempted to impress.

From Maureen Dowd’s column today:

A CBS News poll yesterday found that 82 percent of the public was opposed to Congress and the president intervening in this case; 74 percent thought it was all about politics. (link)

Similarly listed St. Pete Times columnist Howard Troxler lists some of the responses he got via voicemail and email. He says he received an impressive response from 1,085 via email, of which only 40 sided with Congress.

One example:

I must be feeling the emotions that Ronald Reagan felt when the Democratic Party “left him.” I have been a conservative Republican all my life but now I feel that I’m being left behind by my party and even by all of those conservative radio talk hosts.

As a Goldwater Republican I’m saddened at this garbage that the Bush boys are pulling off right now. This could lead to tens of thousands of these battles for no good purpose. My son is profoundly handicapped … I have guardianship and would be very upset if someone came in and told me how to care for my son. It’s MY call, not some jerk in Washington. (link)

Keep it coming. The Republican party is slowly but surely painting itself into a corner.

Exploitation of Schiavo for political gains must be stopped

Terri Schiavo?s case has been discussed at length. One either agrees with her husband or her parents. But personal opinion had little to do with the most recent developments. It has become an attempt to cash in on an individual?s personal distress to further a political agenda.

Last weekend?s ?emergency session? by Congress was little more than excessive chest-thumping. Individuals such as House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) went on oratory crusades, abusing Schiavo?s plight for their own political gains.

DeLay took this despicable art form to new heights when he spoke in front of a conservative Christian group. ?One thing that God has brought to us is Terri Schiavo, to help us elevate the visibility of what is going on in America,? he said to the crowd. ?This is exactly the issue that is going on in America, of attacks against the conservative movement, against me and many others. A huge nationwide concerted effort to destroy everything we believe in.?

DeLay himself made the news due to being cited for numerous ethics violations by the House of Representatives. To keep him from having to step down, as House rules would have required, the Republican majority voted to simply change the rules. For politicians such as DeLay to trample over personal rights to put themselves into the political limelight is as troubling as it is repulsive, and his insinuation that God intentionally made Schiavo suffer just to convince people of DeLay?s own beliefs defies description.

Similarly other politicians are ready to exploit the case. A talking-points outline circulated in Congress by an anonymous Republican made this abundantly clear.

Bill to cut taxes on textbooks offers relief to students

Adding to rising tuition costs, textbooks account for a large chunk of college student’s expenses. A bill that was proposed in Florida’s House of Representatives last week would slightly alleviate the financial burden by making textbooks exempt from sales taxes. In an environment where virtually all college-related costs are rising, this would be a welcome change.

The money saved by students may not appear much at first. The seven percent charged to each textbook sale amounts to $7 for each $100 spent. This may indicate that the bill would not be worth it for students. But over a student’s career it would add up. It’s almost a cliché, but in such cases every little bit helps.
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Tapping Alaska for oil is the wrong approach

The Senate passed a measure, Wednesday, that makes oil drilling in Alaska?s protected wilderness likely. But even in the best-case scenario, such measures only promise to supply a fraction of U.S. oil needs. At the same time, drilling and transportation of oil could come at disastrous ecological costs, making the decision to drill there even more shortsighted.

Oil prices are rising. Even members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who supply about two-thirds of the world?s oil, stated it is unlikely oil production would increase significantly. Experts predict oil prices could easily double in the near future. This makes for a good argument to bolster the attempt of America to become less dependent on oil imports.

The rising costs have garnered support for the drilling in Alaska?s protected areas. But even though Americans feel the pinch at the pump, popular support is lacking. Fifty-three percent oppose the measure, while 38 percent condone it.

The goal to become less dependent on foreign oil is a worthy one. Having to rely on foreign countries, the United States can be taken hostage, as has happened in the past. When OPEC countries did not agree with U.S. foreign policy, oil supply to the United States was cut, leaving the nation in economic turmoil. A crisis like the ones that occurred in the 1970s should be avoided at all costs.

But to drill in Alaska is the wrong approach. Estimations vary, but most studies put the best output numbers from 5 to 10 percent of America?s oil consumption. The reserves would also likely tap out after only a few years.
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Supreme Court ruling compromises civil rights

When state troopers found 32 kilos of marijuana during a routine traffic stop in Illinois last November, they most likely did not foresee the waves the case would make. But since a drug-sniffing dog was brought onto the scene and was used without a warrant or apparent signs that drugs were present, the case ended up before the federal Supreme Court. The final ruling, passed in January, determined that the use of the drug-sniffing dog had been permissible.

Civil rights groups continue to battle the controversial decision to this day, as it leads to an infringement of civil rights even for the average citizen who has no ambition to traffic drugs.
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US calls for Beijing rethink over Taiwan law

China unveiled laws yesterday that put considerable pressure on Taiwan to force a re-unifaction with the Republic of China. Today the White House responds via the Financial Times:

The White House on Tuesday urged Beijing to reconsider plans to enshrine in law its threat to use military force against Taiwan if the island moved towards formal independence.
Beijing will enact the legislation next week. Chinese officials on Tuesday attempted to soften the impact of the law, insisting that ?non-peaceful means? would be used only as a ?last resort?. The White House condemned the move, saying it would add to instability in the Taiwan Strait. FT.com

Aside from the cutesy “non-peaceful means” remark, this is increasing the pressure in an already volatile region.

Huge Pro-Syrian demonstrations in Lebanon

Hundreds of thousands of pro-Syrian protesters poured into a central Beirut square this afternoon in a demonstration called for by the militant group Hezbollah that vastly outnumbered recent rallies demanding that Syrian forces leave Lebanon.
New York Times

The bad news here is that the Bush administration recently attemted to have Hezbollah officially classified as a “terrorist organization” by the U.N.. Thwis would put them on their to do list in terms of the war on terror.

The number of protestors also outnumber those of recent protests demanding Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon. With such large numbers of individuals in Lebanon taking sides with Hezbollah and Syria it may make the administration take some harsher steps than simply “saying” Syria should pull out.

Lebanon protest backs Syria

Syria has started pulling out its troops from Lebanon. But at the same time the sentiment is apparently shifting quite a bit:

Crowds chanted “Beirut is free” and “America get out”, as people streamed into a central square in the city. BBC

That’s the problem. Even if the war in Iraq spawned democracy in the Middle East, something I still very much doubt, there is no indication it will shift how the U.S. is seen in the region.

If anything, that war made matters worse rather than helping things.

Confidentiality of sources important in journalism

Journalists are a pesky bunch. Often referred to as the Fourth Estate of the U.S. government, the press functions as part of the ?checks and balances? system the government operates on, unearthing information that often embarrasses or even incriminates someone. And even though such journalism is protected under the First Amendment, journalists are increasingly pressured to reveal sources. Such practices erode one of our most basic civil rights: free speech. It is therefore necessary to adopt a nationwide law that protects not only journalists, but also the identity of their sources.

Such protection would most effectively occur by the nationwide adoption and implementation of so-called ?shield laws.? The implementation would prohibit anyone from pressuring journalists into revealing their sources, be it by subpoenas or otherwise.

Many states already have such laws; Florida implemented its shield law in May 1998. The protection, however, varies from state to state. It is important to standardize the protection nationally to ensure adequate coverage no matter where a story is published.

Sources will talk to journalists only if they can be assured that confidential information will indeed remain confidential. If this is not guaranteed, investigative journalism is virtually impossible.
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The amazing adventures of Ahmed Chalabi

The situation in Iraq can be best characterized by telling the tale of Ahmed Chalabi. After being one of the main lobbyists for the war and a main source for the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, Chalabi had a falling out with the U.S. administration, only to become one of the big players in the newly formed Iraq government.

Chalabi has had quite an illustrious past. He was born in Iraq in 1944 to a wealthy Shi’a family. His family, however, left Iraq in the mid-’50s, allowing Chalabi to study in the United Kingdom and United States, receiving a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Chicago.

In 1977, Chalabi founded the Petra Bank in Jordan and that’s where it starts to get murky. When his bank went broke, he was tried in absentia and convicted of bank fraud. There are stories that he had to flee the country in the trunk of a car, accounts he himself has dismissed as politically-motivated rumors, labeling them “ridiculous.” In fear of the outstanding 22-year prison sentence with hard labor, he is no longer able to visit Jordan.

Most Americans first took note of Chalabi when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and made him one of the ruling members on the interim governing council. But his involvement in the war started before the invasion.

His agenda to take out Saddam Hussein was featured in front-page stories written by Judith Miller for The New York Times that prominently shilled for the war - albeit only named as an anonymous source.

But Chalabi also fed information to the CIA that we now know was untrue. Nicknamed “Curveball,” he essentially told the Bush administration what it wanted to hear to justify an invasion of Iraq. He was banking on a position in the government of Iraq once Saddam was taken out, and looking at how things played out he got what he wanted, albeit with some detours.
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I-275 remains problem after repeated upgrades

Anybody who regularly uses Interstate 275 must have cursed its planners more than once. The highway is constantly being repaired and expanded; yet the love-hate relationship commuters have with it has, like the traffic congestion, not changed. But it?s not today?s planners of such infrastructure that should bear the blame. If anything, it?s bold city planning that is needed to solve long-term problems like I-275 is likely to pose in the near future.

The interstate was built at a time when cars seemed to be the way of the future. In the early ?70s there were nowhere near as many cars, making a highway connecting the Tampa Bay metropolitan area with the already-existing Interstate 4 the right solution. Today though, when the smallest traffic accident causes thousands of individuals to be late for work, this idea has to be re-examined.
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Ari Fleischer: Bush administration is more secretive than others have been

I just about fell my off my couch when I was watching Thursday night’s episode of The Daily Show a few minutes ago:

Jon Stewart: Were they right (the press) with their grudge that this White House was more restrictive on information than others have been?

Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer without hesitation: Yes.

Wow. Ari is now officially ostracized.

Sudan getting upset over food dye

Here’s a puzzler: Sudan is getting upset over a food dye causing panic in the UK because it is also named “Sudan.” (link)

If they are really this concerned over appearances, how about stopping the genocide within their own country’s borders?

President Bush backs EU on Iran

“I have told our European friends who are handling the negotiations on behalf of the rest of the world that we want to help make sure the process goes forward, and we’re looking at ways [to do this],” President Bush after meeting with the IAEA, Tursday. BBC

Seems like the only choice, since invasion apparently is ridiculous.

But seriously, with troops tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan that’s likely the only way to go about it for now. Watch President Bush get the Nobel Peace Prize because his military is spread too thin to bomb Iran to bits.

Schools blowing off civil rights

Going to class drunk is not a good idea, and it is understandable that school officials don?t like to see this happen. But the way in which high school teachers want to make sure that students don?t show up under the influence of alcohol is teaching their students something else as well: Privacy doesn?t matter.

Schools nationwide are administering breathalyzer tests to ensure that students are sober while attending classes. According to The New York Times, schools across the nation routinely use breathalyzers to check on underage students at proms, pep rallies and other after-school events. At first, such uses were contested, but over time have become accepted.
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