How Appealing



Monday, October 27, 2008

Programming note: My son and I will be attending tonight’s game five of the 2008 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

I was just about to turn sixteen years old in 1980 when I attended game six of the World Series between the Phillies and the Kansas City Royals at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Here’s hoping that by the end of tonight’s game, I’ll be among the fortunate few who attended both games in which the Phillies clinched a World Series victory.

Additional posts will either appear here overnight or on Tuesday afternoon.

Posted at 4:38 PM by Howard Bashman



“Judge defines enemy combatant status for detainees”: Lara Jakes Jordan of The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Al-Qaida or Taliban supporters who directly assisted in hostile acts against the United States or its allies can be held without charges as enemy combatants, a federal judge ruled Monday.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Defining a wartime ‘enemy.’

Posted at 3:07 PM by Howard Bashman



“Ex-Pa. justice apologizes for anti-Obama e-mail”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice is apologizing after her signature was on an e-mail message to Jewish voters that likened a vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to ignoring warning signs that led to the Holocaust.” The AP also reports that “Republicans fire consultant over e-mail to Pa. Jews.”

And JTA reports that “Pa. GOP letter invokes Holocaust.”

Update: JTA has posted the text of the email at this link.

Posted at 1:45 PM by Howard Bashman



“Award to Justice Breyer spurs Catholic protest”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “The leader of the Catholic church in New York is among those criticizing Fordham University for giving an award to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a supporter of abortion rights.”

Back on August 19, 2008, Fordham Law announced that “Justice Stephen Breyer to be 33rd Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize Recipient.”

LifeSiteNews.com reports that “Fordham Students Petition University President to Revoke Award Offer to Justice Breyer” and notes that an electronic petition can be accessed at this link.

And National Catholic Register reported in its October 19, 2008 issue that “Fordham to Honor Pro-Abortion Justice.”

I’m certain that the law school will do its best to ensure that Justice Breyer feels more welcome than a Tampa Bay Rays fan in Philadelphia.

Posted at 11:45 AM by Howard Bashman



“Court: Sex offender law unfair to homeless; Registration requirements ruled to be ‘unconstitutionally vague.'” Bill Rankin of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a news update that begins, “The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday declared unconstitutional a provision of the sex-offender registry law, because it fails to inform the homeless who have no address how they can comply with the statute. In a 6-1 decision, the court found that the law’s registration requirements are ‘unconstitutionally vague.'”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Court: Ga. sex offender law is unfair to homeless.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Georgia at this link.

Posted at 11:24 AM by Howard Bashman



“9/11 kin to watch trial at Guantanamo; Five relatives of Sept. 11 victims will be able to attend a hearing for an alleged al Qaeda kingpin in December”: Today in The Miami Herald, Carol Rosenberg has an article that begins, “With the war court’s future uncertain, the Pentagon has made plans to bring victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — chosen by lottery — to watch a hearing of reputed al Qaeda kingpin Khalid Sheik Mohammed’s death penalty trial.”

Posted at 9:22 AM by Howard Bashman



“More felons learning — to their surprise — that they can vote; At least a dozen states have changed their laws since 2003 to allow offenders no longer in prison to regain the right to vote”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

Posted at 9:10 AM by Howard Bashman



“South Dakota to reconsider vote on abortion ban; The measure is a version of a 2006 one but has exceptions for rape and incest”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

Posted at 9:07 AM by Howard Bashman



“‘I’ is for irony, cellmate”: Columnist Al Lewis of Dow Jones Newswires has an essay that begins, “It’s getting tougher to say who might end up in prison first, former Qwest Communications International Inc. CEO Joe Nacchio or the federal judge who slapped him with a six-year sentence on insider-trading charges.”

Posted at 9:03 AM by Howard Bashman



“A Line in the Sand for Same-Sex Marriage Foes”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “While the battle over same-sex marriage has been all but invisible in the presidential race this year, it is raging like a wind-whipped wildfire in California.”

Posted at 8:45 AM by Howard Bashman



“Where Does the Vice President Belong?” Today in The New York Times, Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds (author of the “InstaPundit” blog) has an op-ed that begins, “The presidential campaign has taken a detour into a dispute over the constitutional status of the vice presidency.”

Posted at 8:37 AM by Howard Bashman



“In Drug Case, Justices to Weigh Right to Sue”: The Wall Street Journal today contains an article that begins, “For nearly a century, Americans have been able to sue drug companies for deaths or injuries caused by medicines. Now the pharmaceutical industry and other big businesses are hoping the Supreme Court will sharply curb that right.”

Posted at 8:10 AM by Howard Bashman