Category Archives: government, law, and politics

Exact Science?

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Much ado is made over the alleged imprecision and/or inaccuracy inherent in DNA
detective work. However, it would seem trusty ol’ fingerprinting isn’t so fool-proof
as most believe. Perhaps “We always get our man” should be changed to
“We usually get a man”.

Printing Problems
The inexact science of fingerprint analysis.
By David Feige
Posted Thursday, May 27, 2004, at 2:35 PM PT

” The release and exoneration this month of Brandon Mayfield, the Portland, Ore.,
lawyer arrested in connection with the Spanish train bombings, raises important
questions about the nature of scientific evidence. Mayfield, a 37-year-old lawyer,
ex military officer, and convert to Islam, was jailed for two weeks after the FBI
discovered his fingerprint on a bag of detonators recovered after the deadly Madrid
bombing that killed 191 people in March. Mayfield, it was also quickly disclosed,
represented a defendant in a child custody case who was linked to terrorism. After
matching the print and reviewing the evidence, special agent Richard Werder swore
out an affidavit and used it to get a material-witness warrant. Mayfield was quickly
arrested and sent to jail. More quick and aggressive police work in a terrorism
case, keeping the homeland secure.”

” Except for the part about how the fingerprint wasn’t Mayfield’s at all.”

Persecution in China

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Despite some softening on religion, perhaps largely to ease the People’s Republic
of China into the Western business world, there are still gross injustices, such
as the disappearance of two bishops and the arrest of two priests who had been teaching
Chinese
couples about Natural Family Planning (NFP) and Catholic marriage theology.

For those who want to know more about NFP check out the Pope
Paul VI Institute or the Couple
to Couple League. Excellent popularizers of Catholic teaching on marriage are
Christopher West and
Gregory Popcak.

Setting Sun?

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Benjamin Franklin declared the sun on the back of President Washington’s chair to be rising. I wonder now if it is setting. Some nuggets of wisdom from G.K.Chesterton:

On ethics: "We are learning to do a great many clever things. The next thing we are going to have to learn is not to do them."

On morality: "The next great heresy is going to be simply an attack on morality: and especially on sexual morality. The madness of tomorrow is not in Moscow but much more in Manhattan."

On nationalism: "There are three stages in the life of a strong people. First, it is a small power, and fights small powers. Then it is a great power, and fights great powers. Then it is a great power, and fights small powers, but pretends that they are great powers, in order to rekindle the ashes of its ancient emotion and vanity."

Related to the last point:

Where Does Iraq Stand Among U.S. Wars?
Total Casualties Compare to Spanish-American, Mexican and 1812 Conflicts
By Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 31, 2004; Page A16

"With more than 800 U.S. military personnel killed and more than 4,600 wounded, U.S. casualties in Iraq over the past 14 months now compare to those of several of the smaller wars in the nation’s history."

What’s to Debate?

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Pa.
House delays vote on same-sex marriage
Critics of bill cite difficulties it could cause seniors, heirs
Thursday, May 27, 2004
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

“HARRISBURG — After nearly two hours of emotional debate on legislation to prohibit
same-sex marriages in Pennsylvania, state House members decided they weren’t ready
to take a stand on the hot topic, and put off a vote until after the Nov. 2 election.”

I’m really at a loss as to why there’s even a debate in the PA legislature about
homosexual marriage. According to Title
23, Chapter 17, Section 1704, neither in- nor out-of-state homosexual marriages
are recognized, endorsed, or legal. I’m not a lawyer, nor do I know any. Perhaps
a reader can help me with this.

“It is hereby declared to be the strong and longstanding public policy of this
Commonwealth that marriage shall be between one man and one woman. A marriage between
persons of the same sex which was entered into in another state or foreign jurisdiction,
even if valid where entered into, shall be void in this Commonwealth.”

The Horror!

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Some naive soul in College
Christian Fellowship posted this:

“Hey guys, what do you think of this website?”

“Do you think this is Biblical, or are the scriptures being taken out of context?”

“http://christiansagainstbush.bravehost.com”

This question is representative of the evangelical mindset I’ve been encountering
a lot of lately. To be Christian is to support Bush. To suggest otherwise to them is
scandalous. *sigh* I can name plenty of good Christians who don’t support George
“War is Peace” Bush – and I don’t mean the wishy-washy kind that think
gay marriage, abortion, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia are
good ideas.