Clipmarks | Law Clips

US oil reserves estimated over 3x that of Saudi known reserves

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:29:22 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners
clipper's remarks: And Pelosi thinks drilling for all that oil wouldn't effect oil and gas prices.

Clip Source: www.cnsnews.com

In 2006, the Interior Department estimated that about 85.9 billion barrels of “undiscovered technically recoverable” oil sits offshore on the Outer Continental Shelf within U.S. territory.

In 2007, the Energy Department’s “Task Force on Strategic Unconventional Fuels” reported that: “America’s oil shale resource exceeds 2 trillion barrels

as much as 800 billion barrels of oil equivalent could be recoverable from oil shale resources

This combined 885.9 billion barrels of recoverable oil that the government estimates lies undeveloped within U.S. territory is almost three and a half times as much as the 260 billion barrels in proven oil reserves that lie under Saudi territory.

Unless Congress enacts a new law banning offshore leases and oil-shale leases, Interior can legally start selling these leases on Oct. 1.

Tags: oil, usa, saudi arabia, politics, gas

Accused dog abuser won't sign agreement, remains in jail

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:41:20 GMT

clipped by: deadcowkid

Clip Source: www.santacruzsentinel.com

SANTA CRUZ - The Boulder Creek man accused of neglecting dozens of dogs remains in County Jail this morning, despite a judge's order that he be released if he follows three rules outlined in court.

"He's refusing to sign the conditions the judge imposed on him yesterday," prosecutor Heather Jones said.

Brunette was granted conditional, supervised freedom after his preliminary hearing Monday afternoon.

Judge William Kelsay told Brunette he had to call into Pretrial Services every three days to check in, not possess or care for any dogs and allow law enforcement officers to search his property for dogs at any time.

Animal Services officers have confiscated 51 puppies and dogs from the hilly, rural land since late July, when they responded to a neighbor's complaint about dogs crying at all hours of the day and night. Most of the dogs suffer from several ailments, including worms, severe flea problems, skin infections and being malnourished.

Tags: animal neglect, animal abuse, pets

Doctors Can't Deny Lesbians Care on Religious Grounds

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:56:45 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: abcnews.go.com

The California Supreme Court today ruled unanimously that doctors cannot cite their religious beliefs as grounds to deny gay and lesbian patients medical care.

Justice Joyce Kennard ruled that two Christian fertility doctors who refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian couple cannot claim a free speech or religious exemption from California's anti-discrimination law.

The ruling extends a state law barring sexual orientation-based discrimination to the medical profession.

In 1999, after a year of surgeries and hormone treatments — all covered by insurance — Benitez was finally ready to get pregnant. But at the crucial moment, her doctor refused to do the procedure for "religious" reasons.

Benitez is a lesbian and sued her doctors under California's civil rights laws, charging that they discriminated against her because of her sexual orientation.

Tags: medical, gay, lesbian, religion, belief, discrimination

Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:36:03 GMT

clipped by: raisins4peace

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.

In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.

The actions by Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest private employer -- reflect a growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate.

make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in,

Saudi girl drinks bleach to escape marriage

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:42:34 GMT

clipped by: missjackson
clipper's remarks: Father was 'swapping' her for a 13-year-old bride

Clip Source: www.alarabiya.net

A 16-year-old Saudi girl drank a bottle of bleach in an attempt to commit suicide to escape a forced marriage to a 75-year-old man, press reports revealed Sunday.

The girl identified only as, Shaikha, said her father was forcing her to marry the old man so that he could marry his 13-year-old daughter in an exchange deal, Bahrain's Tribune reported.

Shaikha told the paper how she begged and pleaded not to be forced into marriage but both of the men ignored her pleas.

The 16-year-old appealed to the National Society of Human Rights to intervene and stop the marriage saying she never consented to it, the Tribune said, adding Shaikha also begged to go live with her mother.

“Judges can punish men who force their daughters to marry like this," Sheikh Abdul Mohsin Al Obeikan, Shura Council member and adviser to the Minister of Justice said, adding the marriage contract was void because it violated Shariah law, the Tribune reported.

Freedom under attack- rest of the story

Wed, 07 May 2008 17:51:01 GMT

clipped by: rvnurse2b
clipper's remarks: Aceslucky and anyone who wanted more info on this case- hopefully this is it.

Clip Source: www.aclj.org

Gina maintains a 3.9 overall GPA and did very well on the first few philosophy class assignments, her grades in the philosophy course dropped significantly after the question of God’s existence and attributes became the focus of class discussion. Gina read the assigned materials and participated in class discussions, presenting traditional philosophical arguments on whether God exists and whether He possesses certain characteristics such as being all-knowing or all-good. However, Gina was unwilling to state that she would reconsider her personal religious beliefs on God’s nature and existence, and her grades suffered as a result.

Gina was posed with the difficult choice of either violating her religious beliefs by publicly declaring, “I am Gina. I am not free because I am determined” or being penalized by failing to receive extra points like her classmates.

Gina chose to adhere to her faith because she could not, in good conscience, make that statement.

may not grade

religious faith

Tags: church, state, law, religion, reedom, christian, god, education

The War On Terrorism In Sweden

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:36:43 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

Clip Source: www.lewrockwell.com

On June 18 a new law was passed in Sweden granting the national defense’s civilian agency National Defence Radio Establishment (FRA) the right to collect and analyze all communication data that in some way passes the borders of the Kingdom of Sweden.

The official lie offered as excuse for this horrid, uncivilized law is, like in all other countries, the threat of terrorism. It is unlikely anyone actually believes Sweden, an insignificant socialist country in the far north in moral, financial, and political decline, is on the terrorists’ list of future targets, yet the sense of a common external threat of a faceless enemy seems to be as effective in Sweden as elsewhere.

Most of these Orwellian laws are part of a new "anti-terrorism" initiative in the European Union, where a new union-level situation center in Brussels, called SitCen, is proposed in order to coordinate the EU countries’ national security police, intelligence and surveillance efforts

How to Pray

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:14:23 GMT

clipped by: laceym
clipper's remarks: Poe's Law? Anyone?

Clip Source: www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org

Tags: epic, lulz

Calif top court: Docs can't withhold care to gays

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:29:38 GMT

clipped by: queerty
clipper's remarks: Isn't it a wonderful world, when the MEDICAL profession need to be told that by a COURT?

Clip Source: hosted.ap.org

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- California's highest court on Monday barred doctors from invoking their religious beliefs as a reason to deny treatment to gays and lesbians, ruling that state law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination extends to the medical profession.

Justice Joyce Kennard wrote that two Christian fertility doctors who refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian have neither a free speech right nor a religious exemption from the state's law, which "imposes on business establishments certain antidiscrimination obligations."

In the lawsuit that led to the ruling, Guadalupe Benitez, 36, of Oceanside said that the doctors treated her with fertility drugs and instructed her how to inseminate herself at home but told her their beliefs prevented them from inseminating her. One of the doctors referred her to another fertility specialist without moral objections, and Benitez has since given birth to three children.

German minister says schools should teach Islam

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:52:13 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Offering Islam in schools will be "a very, very considerable contribution to integration and peaceful coexistence," said Bekir Alboga, a spokesman for the Muslim participants.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Schools in Germany should offer Islam - along with Christianity and Judaism - as a required religion class in the future, the interior minister said Thursday, but he insisted that the courses be taught in German.

Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said that it would take a while before Muslim community leaders worked out a legally binding agreement with the state, but that an agreement on the issue had been reached.

"It will take some time, but we are moving ahead," Schäuble said after a third conference with representatives of Germany's estimated three million Muslims. Other participants said it would take several years before the classes became available.

Both sides have wrangled for years over the teaching Islam in state-run schools, where religion classes are required by law. Pupils now only have the choice of Roman Catholicism, Protestantism or Judaism. Many schools also offer ethics classes as an alternative.

Tags: germany, islam, schools

SF Values

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:22:34 GMT

clipped by: sillysam

Clip Source: townhall.com

Pimps, Pedophiles: Welcome to S.F.

A careful reading of the initiative, "Enforcement of Laws Related to Prostitution and Sex Workers," however, shows a measure that shields child prostitution and traffickers of human beings

Yet the San Francisco ballot measure completely ignores the prostitution of children. The measure simply states, "Law enforcement agencies shall not allocate any resources for the investigation and prosecution of prostitutes for prostitution." Astonishingly, there's no exemption that encourages police to enforce the law for minors.

If the measure passes, the city is likely to become an international haven for pimps who peddle girls and boys, and perverts seeking sex with minors.

The other big problem: The measure prohibits city law enforcement from applying for grants to prosecute human traffickers. That's right, this measure gives a free pass to the human sex-slave trade -- in a city that is a central stop for international sex-trade rings.

Ohio Becomes Little Zimbabwe

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:21:56 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners

Clip Source: gatewaypundit.blogspot.com

Democrats in Ohio have passed a law that assures a win for Obama this year!

Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Wednesday issued a directive advising county elections boards that they must have procedures in place to allow voters who register to be immediately issued an absentee ballot. She said boards can delay voting if they have concerns over the validity of a registration.

Brunner said absentee ballots are verified once they are cast and counted after polls close Election Day.

"The prospect of someone coming in with no ID and registering and voting is contrary to every sort of protection that legislators and lawmakers have built into this system for decades," said Kevin DeWine, a Republican lawmaker

"The processes and the law and the systems in our 88 counties are not equipped to handle same-day registration."

Nice work, democrats!

And, you thought bogus laws like this were only in place in tinpot dictatorships like Zimbabwe and Venezuela!

Tags: ohio, corruption, democrats, vote, fraud, politics, election

Goverment Spying: The Target is You

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:23:22 GMT

clipped by: ratilfar
clipper's remarks: "They say the measures preserve civil liberties and are subject to internal oversight."

Oh yes, I find oxymoron so comforting.

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

The Justice Department has proposed a new domestic spying measure that would make it easier for state and local police to collect intelligence about Americans, share the sensitive data with federal agencies and retain it for at least 10 years.

The proposed changes would revise the federal government's rules for police intelligence-gathering for the first time since 1993 and would apply to any of the nation's 18,000 state and local police agencies that receive roughly $1.6 billion each year in federal grants.

Taken together, critics in Congress and elsewhere say, the moves are intended to lock in policies for Bush's successor and to enshrine controversial post-Sept. 11 approaches that some say have fed the greatest expansion of executive authority since the Watergate era.

They say the measures preserve civil liberties and are subject to internal oversight.

Tags: spy, intelligence, civil liberties, law, injustice, constitution, imperial, presidency

Legal milestone for open source

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:26:46 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley

Advocates of open source software have hailed a court ruling protecting its use even though it is given away free.

The US federal appeals court move overturned a lower court decision involving free software used in model trains that a hobbyist put online.

The court has now said conditions of an agreement called the Artistic Licence were enforceable under copyright law.

"For non-lawgeeks, this won't seem important but this is huge," said Stanford Law Professor Larry Lessig.

"In non-technical terms, the Court has held that free licences set conditions on the use of copyrighted work. When you violate the condition, the licence disappears, meaning you're simply a copyright infringer.

"This is a very important victory."

anyone using that free code had to attribute the author, highlight the original source of the files and explain how the code had been modified.

Individual credit for contributions not cash drives the community

The Sins John Edward Did Not Commit

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:53:30 GMT

clipped by: debbyski
clipper's remarks: You know what? I get sick and tired of the moral majority being the judge and jury of a personal situation which is between a husband and wife, especially since so many of them just love to pork it up with hot babes themselves or better yet, love getting same sex encounters in public restrooms.

Clip Source: www.opednews.com

John Edwards did not lie to get America into a war that has cost more than 4,000 American lives.

John Edwards did not commit acts of torture that violate the Geneva Conventions, American laws and commonly accepted standards of decency.

John Edwards did not commit massive acts of violation of the FISA law that involve thousands of counts of spying on Americans in violation of federal law.

John Edwards did not slander war heroes such as John Kerry and Max Cleland in the mindless pursuit of power.

John Edwards did not claim executive privilege in the most outrageous, extra-legal manner in order to cover up major wrongdoing and probable criminal acts by multiple members of his administration.

John Edwards's sin hurt one very good woman and good kids, which is an unpardonable wrong.

John Edwards will not issue pardons for crimes that did grave damage to the nation.