MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'crimes'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:59:47 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921389&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVCGzljbsd4E%2F By Tim LynchHappy Birthday to my friend and Cato senior fellow Nat Hentoff.  He’s 86, but he continues to crank out columns and books on everything from censorship, torture, and the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches, to his passionate love of jazz.  He sat down for a taped interview last month where he offered his views on current threats to free speech and his personal encounters with John Yoo and, way back in the 1950s, with Che Guevara. Check out his books here. Happy Birthday Nat Hentoff is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921389 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:17:07 +0100 4921389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872071&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa_Un7_4waZg%2F By Ted Galen CarpenterThe arrest of Ratko Mladic is a welcome development that should remove the last major obstacle to closer relations between Serbia and the United States and the EU nations.  For too long, the Western powers have placed an excessive emphasis on his apprehension as a condition (explicit or implicit) for Serbia’s full inclusion in the Western community. If the objections now continue, Serbs will understandably conclude that the Mladic issue was little more than a convenient excuse that Western governments used to justify a less-than-friendly policy toward Belgrade.  An expected improvement in relations now that Mladic has been apprehended is especially pertinent with respect to Serbia’s path toward membership in the European Union. The arrest will have li... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872071 Thu, 26 May 2011 14:02:17 +0100 4872071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684276&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FgEBqscRwQUU%2F By Tim LynchYesterday, Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, held a press conference and announced that Khalid Shaik Mohammed (KSM) would be prosecuted for war crimes before a military tribunal.   It's probably fair to say, as some newspapers have noted, that the idea of bringing KSM to New York City to be tried in civilian court for the 9/11 atrocity was Holder's "signature" decision since becoming attorney general--and that that idea is now dead.    However, Obama and Holder conceded a place for tribunals more than a year ago and they could never really offer a good explanation as to why some persons would go to civilian court and why others would go before tribunals.  Like Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, Obama and his people would just sorta decide case-by-case. Conservatives are ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684276 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:12:23 +0100 4684276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592358&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fkj9MA3WDFUo%2F By David BoazI hope you've got your NCAA bracket in by now. The NCAA estimates that 35 million Americans will do so. But keep in mind: As the Washington Post notes, you're breaking the law: Office pools, despite the warnings of law enforcement officials, are among the country’s most popular illegal activities. The FBI estimates that roughly $2.5 billion is gambled on the NCAA tournament, and only $80 million is bet legally through Nevada sports books. A good portion of the rest takes the form of $5 or $10 entry fees to participate in a bracket-pick NCAA tournament pool. Is this the most popular illegal activity in America? Well, the Office of National Drug Control Policy says that 104 million Americans have used marijuana, 28.5 million in the past year. Does it make sense to criminalize... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592358 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:49:08 +0100 4592358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225668&cid=t_102049_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fcompulsive-gambling%2F Image via Wikipedia Compulsive gambling is being unable to resist impulses to gamble, which can lead to severe personal or social consequences. Symptoms: People with Compulsive gambling often feel ashamed and try to avoid letting others know of their problem. Compulsive gambling is assed as having five or more of the following symptoms: Committing crimes to get money to gamble Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut back or quit gambling Gambling to escape problems or feelings of sadness or anxiety Gambling larger amounts of money to try to make back previous losses Having had many unsuccessful attempts to cut back or quit gambling Losing a job, relationship, or educational or career opportunity due to gambling Lying about the amount of time or money spent gambling Need... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225668 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:29:00 +0100 4225668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121919&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F31%2Fare-your-children-safe-on-halloween%2F The short answer is, “Yes.” At least from sex offenders. Halloween is today. And parents around the country walk along their young children for fear of their safety. And yet, what do the data show about sex offenders offending on or around Halloween? Are they more likely to target the holiday because so many children are out and about? Police are on alert during Halloween, especially for sex offenders. The common wisdom is that sex offenders are out and about on Halloween, looking for targets. Researchers led by Mark Chaffin (2009) looked at the National Incident-Base Reporting System which reports crime report data. They examined sex crimes data from 1997 to 2005 against children ages 12 year and younger by non-family members. Halloween crime rates were compared with expected ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121919 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:43:34 +0100 4121919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972905&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpLNHOwmfIrg%2F By David BoazKentucky attorney general Jack Conway went on TV Tuesday with an ad attacking Rand Paul for . . . endorsing freedom. The ad shows a clip from a 2008 panel show in which, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, there was a “wide-ranging discussion that involved such things as the wisdom of motorcycle helmet laws, the lottery and expanding gambling. In response to a question about whether he favors more gambling, Paul said he opposes ‘legislating morality’ and then added: ‘I’m for having … laws against things that are violent crimes, but things that are non-violent shouldn’t be against the law.’” The ad features that last sentence and then cuts rapidly to uniformed sheriffs criticizing Paul’s position. But note that ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972905 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:16:38 +0100 3972905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790685&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGF9W2eRZRAE%2F By Benjamin H. FriedmanIn publishing a massive trove of government documents on the war in Afghanistan, WikiLeaks has done a useful thing. And because it often publishes information that is embarrassing to government, rather than dangerous to it, WikiLeaks is a good thing for democracy. I say that to prevent the criticism below from getting me labeled as part of an effort to silence WikiLeaks or distract from the news it generates. For starters — and this is more about the media than WikiLeaks — there’s the fact that thus far there is little new here. As we saw last week with the Washington Post’s Top Secret America blockbuster, the media fetishizes secret information, even when it merely elaborates on stories we’ve already heard. My problem with WikiLeaks is ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790685 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:54:06 +0100 3790685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714145&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fshould-aghanistan-be-allowed-to-put-women-in-prison-for-moral-crimes%2F When you think of prison inmates, you probably imagine people who’ve been accused of heinous crimes like murder, armed robbery, or embezzlement, but in Afghanistan, women are jailed for being accused of much less. At the only women’s prison in Afghanistan, at least half the women there are incarcerated under accusations of bad character, and other “moral crimes.” Women are often falsely accused of crimes and jailed because of grudges or vendettas, or merely because their husbands are the ones who accuse them. When one woman’s husband claimed she was an adulteress, she was thrown in prison – all while she was three months pregnant with his child. Putting their wives in jail certainly seems like an easy way for Afghan men to get out of being married and keep w... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714145 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:50:17 +0100 3714145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3665959&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_1D6SgH6YJw%2F By David RittgersThe Heritage Foundation and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) made a stir by announcing their joint report, Without Intent: How Congress is Eroding the Criminal Intent Requirement in Federal Law. The report highlights the growth of federal criminal provisions in the 109th Congress. Many criminal statutes are drafted without the traditional requirement of criminal intent. When there is no requirement that the government prove you “willfully” or “knowingly” broke the law, mistakes are treated the same as intentional criminality. Some laws are written so broadly that it is impossible for anyone to know what conduct is illegal. Criminal provisions are included in statutes that are never reviewed by the judiciary committees of either chamber of Co... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3665959 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:30:37 +0100 3665959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648616&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F10%2Fthe-situation-of-hate-crimes%2F Here is another segment from John Quinones excellent ABC 20/20 series titled “What Would You Do?” — a series that, in essence, conducts situationist experiments through hidden-camera scenarios. This episode asks, “what would you do if you witnessed a hate crime?” (and includes analysis from social psychologist John Dovidio). * * * * * * To review a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Jena 6 – Part I,” “The Situation of Racism in LA Gangs,” “Racial bias clouds ability to feel others’ pain,” “An Apathy Epidemic,” “The Situation of Blaming Rihanna,” “Situationist Theories of Hate – Part III,” “Obesity and Bullying,” “Hoyas, Hos, & Gangstas,” “Unrec... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648616 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:01:45 +0100 3648616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644743&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fkeeping-your-boyfriend-while-in-prison-piper-kerman-author-of-orange-is-the-new-black-opens-up%2F Watch the previous installment of our exclusive video chat with Piper Kerman, where she opens up about spending six years in limbo before she was locked up in prison. When Piper Kerman was 34, she was sent to federal prison for a ten-year-old drug smuggling and money laundering offense. She spent 13 months in a minimum-security correctional facility for women in Danbury, CT, which isn’t necessarily what you’d expect from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Smith graduate and Red Sox fan from a nice, New England family. Piper’s excellent memoir about her prison experience, Orange Is the New Black, was just published by Random House – with back cover blurbs by Dave Eggers and Elizabeth Gilbert (not too shabby for a first-time writer). Piper sat down with Blisstree for the af... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644743 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:42:58 +0100 3644743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644753&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXaUN0TC_Smg%2F By David RittgersQuinn Hillyer has an excellent piece at the Washington Times highlighting the simultaneously farcical and frightening use of armed agents in enforcing suspected regulatory violations. ”The government,” wrote 50-year-old Denise Simon, “is too big to fight.” With those words, in a note to her 17-year-old son, Adam, she explained why she was committing suicide (via carbon monoxide) three days after 10 visibly armed IRS agents in bulletproof vests had stormed her home on Nov. 6, 2007, in search of evidence of tax evasion. Her 10-year-old daughter, Rachel, was there with Simon when the agents stormed in. “I cannot live in terror of being accused of things I did not do,” she wrote to Adam. To the rest of the world, in a separate suicide note, ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644753 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:15:29 +0100 3644753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595553&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpublic-policy-do-accused-rapists-deserve-privacy-protection%2F photo: Thinkstock We all know the sites you can visit to find out how many sex offenders live or work near you. It’s seen as a measure of public safety to keep the community informed of their whereabouts. It also may be another form of punishment for the offender; a reminder that they’ve lost all privacy. In England and Wales, there’s a movement to keep the identities of rapists anonymous. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition thinks the fact that the victim is unnamed, but the accused is identified, creates a double standard. Great Britain tried not naming accused sex offenders once before for 12 years, but the policy was eventually repealed because it was impeding police investigations; authorities wanted other victims who had been attacked by the accused to come ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595553 Mon, 24 May 2010 22:35:21 +0100 3595553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585597&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fo3I329STTmw%2F By Tim LynchLaw Professor Michelle Alexander: Lately, I’ve been telling people that I’m a criminal. This shocks most people, since I don’t “look like” one. I’m a fairly clean-cut, light-skinned black woman with fancy degrees from Vanderbilt University and Stanford Law School. I’m a law professor and I once clerked for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice — not the sort of thing you’d expect a criminal to do. What’d you get convicted of? people ask. Nothing, I say. Well, then why do you say you’re a criminal? Because I am a criminal, I say, just like you. Read the whole thing. (H/T Sentencing Law and Policy).  Judge Alex Kozinski and Misha Tseytlin make a similar point in an essay in my book entitled, “You’re (Probab... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585597 Thu, 20 May 2010 18:46:51 +0100 3585597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581580&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fexclusive-video-our-conversation-with-piper-kerman-author-of-orange-is-the-new-black%2F At age 34, Piper Kerman went to prison for a ten-year-old drug smuggling and money laundering offense. She spent 13 months in a minimum-security correctional facility for women in Danbury, CT, which isn’t necessarily what you’d expect from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Smith graduate and Red Sox fan from a nice, New England family. Piper’s excellent memoir of her prison experience, Orange Is the New Black, was just published by Random House – with back cover blurbs by Dave Eggers and Elizabeth Gilbert (not bad for a first-time writer). Piper sat down with Blisstree for the afternoon to discuss all aspects of her time locked up, from food quality, fitness routines, and friendships to the torturous six years she and her now-husband spent in limbo between her conviction and t... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581580 Wed, 19 May 2010 19:59:08 +0100 3581580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287941&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D433 As most of my readers probably know, the US congress passed a hate crimes law late last year that covered violent crimes against five groups of victims: people victimized on the basis of sexual orientation, religion, national origin, gender/gender-identity, and, most relevant to this blog, disability (it also covers crimes against people perceived to be in these classes by the attackers and crimes against military servicemen). It also does some other things, like pay a bit to local law enforcement for prosecuting hate crimes and establishing new categories for the FBI to track hate crimes as part of their statistics on crime. (The rest of this post is likely US-centric, due to the nature of this law) What it does not do is limit anyone’s speech. In fact, the law specifically says two... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287941 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:41:19 +0100 3287941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089255&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEL7rZ51xm9Y%2F By Chris Moody Whether you’re insured, uninsured, get health insurance on your own or through an employer, own a small business or work for someone else,  this is what the health care bill means for you. An update on the hidden taxes in the health care bill. Why Obama should order the DEA to make more pot available for medical research. The U.S. Constitution mentions only three federal crimes (treason, piracy, and counterfeiting). Today, there are more than 4,000. Podcast: “Myths of Health Care Reform.” (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089255 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:05:45 +0100 3089255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995773&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F16%2Fare-we-racially-color-blind-yet%2F This study shows that these transference errors may be more likely in cross-race identifications. Ouch. That means that when it comes to eye-witness identification, whites are twice as likely to mis-identify a black person than a white person. Obviously, this sort of high error rate has significant ramifications for trials and the use of eye-witness accounts. With lower accuracy comes a higher likelihood of error and identifying someone as the perpetrator of a crime when, in fact, they were not. As the researchers noted, context is especially important. “When making an identification, witnesses must not only remember whether they have ever seen a specific individual, but also in what circumstance they encountered that individual.” Just because you recognize a face doesn’... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995773 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:50:01 +0100 2995773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2946891&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Ftfa4F3zb0io%2F Law professors James Jacobs and Kimberly Potter make an interesting point: Laws do not spring forth from a groundswell of public opinion, but rather are the product of lobbying by interested (”interest”) groups that must mobilize support among politicians.  The hate crime laws are passed because of the lobbying efforts of organizations that advocate on behalf of blacks, Jews, gays, and lesbians, a few other ethnic and nationality groups, and in some cases, women. …Regardless of what it accomplishes, the passage of legislation boosts morale and the status of the organizations and their constituencies. That’s from their excellent book on the subject, Hate Crimes: Criminal Law and Identity Politics (Oxford University Press, 1998), p. 66.  If liberals write laws to ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2946891 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:01:42 +0100 2946891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920161&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBKljAOERYaE%2F The Senate is about to vote on Defense Department funding with an expanded federal “hate crimes” bill. This well-intentioned piece of legislation threatens to make violations of the fundamental right against Double Jeopardy a routine practice, as federal courts will now have the power to re-prosecute defendants for what are traditionally state crimes. The House removed language that the Senate put in place to ensure that the “hate crimes” provisions did not stretch to encompass free speech, threatening to attach criminal liability to core rights of free expression. This expansion of federal jurisdiction guarantees that high profile cases will be retried until a guilty verdict is obtained to satisfy political factions. This politicization of justice will only harm ou... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920161 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:26:57 +0100 2920161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876011&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2fOmAu13ijY%2F Last night, the House of Representatives approved a defense spending measure that included a totally unrelated bill that would ban so-called “hate crimes.”  I’ve testified twice against federal hate crimes proposals.  Here’s the case against the law (in brief): First, the federal hate crime law is unconstitutional because it is beyond the powers of Congress.  Second, the law will not prevent violent crime.  Anyone already inclined to kill or beat up another human being is not going to reverse course because Congress passes a new law against violence motivated by bias.  Third, the law does take the state too close to the realm of thought crimes.  In order for a prosecutor to prove the “hate” aspect, detectives have to dig into a person’s life,... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876011 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:44:30 +0100 2876011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645272&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQe18rsRHyBs%2F The 20th Century featured many examples of genocide, mass murder, brutality, and other forms of human horror at the hands of totalitarian governments.  Perhaps none was worse — at least in terms of the proportion of the population slaughtered and resulting impact on the survivors — than Cambodia. The commandant of the notorious S-21, or Tuol Sleng, is currently on trial.  The proceedings offer a stark reminder of what monstrosities cruel social engineers with guns can wreak.  Reports Reuters: A senior Khmer Rouge prison guard on Thursday told a war crimes tribunal he was forced to send thousands of detainees to an execution site, where they were brutally killed and their bodies thrown into mass graves. Him Huy, 54, a guard at Phnom Penh’s notorious S-21 prison, said ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645272 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:21:57 +0100 2645272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2605941&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7mNZfNFQ8is%2F Unsure about prospects on passing the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act as a stand-alone bill, proponents intend to attach it as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill. As I have said previously, this bill is an affront to federalism and counterproductive hater-aid. Federal Criminal Law Power Grab This legislation awards grants to jurisdictions for the purpose of combating hate crimes. It also creates a substantive federal crime of violent acts motivated by the “actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person.” This is a federalization of a huge number of intrastate crimes. It is hard to imagine a rape case where the sex of the victim is not an issue. The same goes for r... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2605941 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:43:24 +0100 2605941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584216&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F08%2Fmichael-jacksons-brain-and-the-false-narrative%2F Since the news media seems to be unable to tear itself away from the Michael Jackson story, we learn about every fascinating detail about his life, and his death. Including the details of standard autopsy procedures, as though they were new or bizarre. The latest, of course, is that Michael Jackson’s body is being buried without his brain. But this is not unusual in an autopsy where the cause of death isn’t certain and the brain is suspected to carry some clues. The brain needs to harden, in order to perform the later slicing needed in the autopsy procedure: It involves removing the brain from the skull and leaving it to soak in a diluted mixture of formaldehyde and water called formalin. This soaking process usually takes four weeks and the brain genuinely does harden. Vaug... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584216 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:24:00 +0100 2584216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570376&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYTWEc7fIpeU%2F Andy McCarthy makes a good point over at The Corner about Laith al-Khazali, a member of a Shiite militant group responsible for the deaths of American troops in Iraq. Al-Khazali has been released, allegedly as part of negotiations with terrorists holding British hostages. Senators Sessions and Kyl have questioned this action in a letter to President Obama. McCarthy lays out the facts on al-Khazali here. Al-Khazali participated in a sophisticated attack on American troops in Karbala. The militants wore American uniforms and took American soldiers hostage. After leaving the site of the attack, the militants executed their prisoners. Though I have disagreed with McCarthy on other issues, he makes a valid point here. Al-Khazali is guilty of honest-to-goodness war crimes. Wearing an enemy&#8217... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570376 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:14:27 +0100 2570376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561206&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F9oyADo3qUv4%2F Last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearings (video at the link) on the proposed federal hate crimes bill showed the dark underbelly of the Senate. The road to undermining the rule of law is being paved with the best of intentions and casual disregard (if not outright hostility) for the principles of limited government and equality under the law. I raise some objections to the bill in this podcast: The bill federalizes violent acts against victims by reason of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Never mind that these acts are already prosecuted by the states, and that violent crimes of this nature are universally perceived as an affront to justice. Matthew Shepard, the gay man brutally kille... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561206 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:21:22 +0100 2561206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512482&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D379 This has been late in coming, but that’s in large part because I wanted it to be a considered post, not an impulsive one. Officer Johns and the millions of people affected by the holocaust deserve that. On June 10th, Officer Johns was at his post at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It’s a sad testament to the state of the world that, at a museum dedicated to proclaiming the horrors of hate, that a guard would even be needed. But, sadly, guards are needed there. Spotting a visitor whom he thought needed assistance opening the door, Officer Johns unknowingly opened the door for his killer. The killer (this blog’s policy has long been to not deem people committing murder to be worth of a name, but rather place emphasis on remembering the victim) shot Officer John... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512482 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:15:42 +0100 2512482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441606&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F27%2Fthe-situation-of-racism-in-la-gangs%2F Thomas Watkins and Christina Hoag of the Associated Press have an interesting piece on the role of racism in LA gangs.  We excerpt it below. * * * In dueling newspaper opinion pieces last year, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca maintained that race fueled gang violence while Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said skin color was seldom a factor. “If you do a survey within the African-American community . . . you are in constant fear that your young male offspring is going to be killed because of the color of his skin,” Baca said in an interview after his piece appeared in the Los Angeles Times. * * * Baca, an elected official, says his opinion comes from running the county jail system where he has to segregate inmates because of gang affiliations that break along racia... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441606 Wed, 27 May 2009 16:55:05 +0100 2441606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405020&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FAnqYnHgMcgM%2F With the support of President Obama, so-called “hate crime” legislation is on the move in Congress. According to Cato senior fellow Nat Hentoff, laws that punish one time for the crime and another time for the hate violate the First Amendment, the 14th Amendment and protections against Double Jeopardy. In April, Hentoff spoke at the Cato Policy Perspectives seminar in New York City about the current expansion of hate crime legislation. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405020 Thu, 14 May 2009 20:17:49 +0100 2405020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381445&cid=t_102049_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F01%2Fjudy-shepard-rejects-rep-foxxs-apology%2F It would be easier for North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx to drive a school bus through a subway turnstile than to try and explain herself via an attempted apology. Appearing on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show, the mother of Mathew Shepard, Judy, said the Congresswoman was apologizing for semantics, not the sentiments expressed. The bill ultimately approved [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381445 Fri, 01 May 2009 07:09:11 +0100 2381445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376555&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fassume-moral-position-mr-bush.html War Crimes T-Shirt by webcarveI just found this via Reddit"War crimes will be prosecuted, war criminals will be punished and it will be no defense to say, 'I was just following orders'." --GW BushIt's a CNN transcript of a speech from 2003 - which, oddly enough, is some time after torture - those would be war crimes - had been authorized and butt-coverage issued by Yoo, et al. (TPM)Nonetheless, it is a statement that is founded solidly in both international and domestic law. Uttered as it was and by whom it was, it may be and should be taken as the official position of the United States. Indeed, it always has been. We were not supposed to learn of the conditional exceptions; the Pentagon and White House went to rather great lengths to keep these things out of the news. No doubt this was in... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376555 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:01:00 +0100 2376555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349329&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fwar-criminals.html The ACLU is trying to pressure US AG Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor. Last night, George Washington University constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley delivered some refreshing straight-talk on the Rachel Maddow Show. Noting that conducting a criminal investigation into the authorization of torture and abuse of detainees by Bush administration officials is not only about values but is about enforcing the law, the good professor called for the appointment of a special prosecutor — just like we didI wonder aloud what Canada might do, in light of Spanish and British investigations into the matter. Apparently, little enough. I cannot begin to stress, though, the problems caused for all members of the global community - and particularly for the United States - caused by... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349329 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:42:00 +0100 2349329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125987&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspieweb%2F%7E3%2FdUoaES_23Ow%2F Gary McKinnon, a UK based hacker who may have Aspergers Syndrome has through his lawyers states that extraditing him to the United States for hacking into a disrupting United States national security systems - to which he has admitted “could be suicidal”. According to the Enfield Independent Mr. McKinnons lawyers in a last ditch effort to help [...] This is an excerpt from an article on AspieWeb.net, A blog writen by an Autistic Blogger. (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125987 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:25:04 +0100 2125987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862836&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fthursday-13-165-spotting-evidence.html Thirteen Things about spotting incriminating evidence 1. I know who stole the Sharpie pen, the evidence is written permanently on his face.2. I know who unraveled the toilet rolls from the partial square stuck on his foot.3. I know who hid the toothbrush, next time hide your sister’s.4. I know you can use scissors now because of the evidence in the trash.5. I know who was on U-tube as you have a history.6. I know who has a secret wound and who was brave, from the Band aid wrapper, the scissors and the blood.7. I know who can use their brakes from the squashed tomatoes in your bike tyres.8. I know who read after lights out, from the Garfield quotes this morning.9. I know where you got that phrase from, because I checked your U-tube history.10. I know who cut off the shoe laces and why. Fu... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862836 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:59:00 +0100 1862836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1763877&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F04%2Fis-mental-illness-relevant-in-reporting-a-crime%2F Liz Spikol comments on the media’s reporting of a horrible and tragic shooting in Alger, Washington on Tuesday by 28-year-old Isaac Zamora. Philip chimes in over at Furious Seasons. Both suggest that mental illness is a relevant fact to the story, because it helps explain the criminal activity. I say “Bollocks!” A person’s mental illness no more “explains” someone’s criminal activity than someone who has no such history of an illness. Spikol says, for instance: If that’s what made him [the murderer] go on a rampage–a disconnect from reality–that’s information. It sure is. But what kind of information? Most people who have a disconnect from reality (virtually anyone diagnosed with schizophrenia or a psychotic disorder) ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1763877 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:50:19 +0100 1763877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1754778&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D335 On a list I’m on, there’s a lot of talk about how to respond to hate speech. As many readers know, what one would think is a non-controversial idea - that autistics have a right to enjoy life, communicate their experiences, be free from cruel or unusual “treatment”, and be treated as full members of the human race (not lesser or partial beings) - is in fact quite controversial to some. We’ve been called sub-human, empty shells, and damaged. We’ve been told that it would be a better world if people like us did not exist, and even that it would be more human to murder us before we “knew what was going on”. This is hate speech, plain and simple, and must not be tolerated. But there are tons of ways of responding. The responses need to vary with ... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1754778 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:24:24 +0100 1754778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700672&cid=t_102049_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Fwhy-do-innocent-people-confess%2F Most of us look scratch our heads when we hear about an incidence of someone being found innocent, despite being convicted of a crime by a jury. We think, “How could the jury have gotten it so wrong?” But we really sit up and notice when not only an innocent person is sent to prison, not just on an eyewitness’s testimony or such, but on the convicted person’s own confession! What could lead an innocent person to confess to a crime they did not commit? Sadly, this happens far more often than you might realize. Somewhere between 20 to 25% of all DNA exonerations involve innocent people who confessed to the crime. DNA exonerations are where a crime’s evidence is re-evaluated and tested using modern DNA discovery procedures not available at the time the crime wa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700672 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:13:00 +0100 1700672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268508&cid=t_102049_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F243538910%2Faddicts-alcoholics-overload-prison.html 1 Out Of 100 Americans now in jail For the first time in American history, according to a study released by the Pew Center on the States, more than one in every 99.1 adult men and women are now in prison or in jail. States spent a total of $49 billion on prisons in 2007, compared to $11 billion 20 years ago. The United States incarcerates a larger percentage of its population than any other country. China ranks second.“For all the money spent on corrections today, there hasn’t been a clear and convincing return for public safety,” according to Adam Gelb, director of the Pew Center’s Public Safety Performance Project. The report says that higher incarcerations rates have not been caused by increased crime or a corresponding surge in population numbers. Rather, stricter sentencing po... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268508 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:51:00 +0100 1268508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=918034&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D252 A man who is suspected of being a guard at a Nazi concentration camp has been found by US officials in Atlanta, GA. Despite the fact that the things he is accused of doing occurred 65 years ago, it’s still very important - vital in fact - that human rights abusers face justice. It’s not a matter of revenge or preventing them from harming others, neither of which is likely to be served by picking up senior citizen Nazis. Instead, it’s about justice - and respect for the millions who died because men like this man refused to stand up to a system, and, in fact, joined that system. It is for the victims, both living and dead, that we must seek justice. We must never forget. The consequences of forgetting this history, failing to seek justice…it’s something that mu... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918034 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:08:53 +0100 918034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=773364&cid=t_102049_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnc-senate-waters-down-school-bullying.html I just received this note from Equality NC. The NC Senate has removed the list of protected categories from the School Bullying Prevention Act. This is a critical part of the Bill to ensure protection for the most vulnerable students in primary and secondary schools in North Carolina. We need your quick action to help preserve the inclusive nature of the bill as passed in the NC House.RonFirst the good news. The School Violence Prevention Act is finally moving through the Senate!Now, the reason I need your help. The Senate's version of the bill removes the list of categories of students most impacted by bullying and harassment, including sexual orientation and gender identity. We need the House to vote NOT TO CONCUR with the Senate version, so a conference committee can work out the differ... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=773364 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:27:00 +0100 773364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=728458&cid=t_102049_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fnews-round-up-11-july-2007.html US House Keeps Cheney Budget IntactYesterday, I was heartened to hear that a bill had been introduced in the US House to cut off funding for the Office of Vice-President Dick Cheney. This bill was introduced in response to the Vice President's legal efforts to avoid providing documentation and details of his activities to House oversight. The apparent secrecy of this administration is unprecedented in my lifetime and I lived through the Watergate scandal and the Nixon administration. I had hoped that his bill would succeed in bringing the Vice President into line to recognize that he and his office are not above the law. Sadly, the bill was narrowly defeated today.URGENT: Please call your Senators to support Senate Bill 1105, the Matthew Shepard ActFrom the Human Right Campaign:Today Sen. ... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=728458 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:05:00 +0100 728458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=690032&cid=t_102049_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fhate-crimes-human-rights-campaign-and.html You've got to watch this video. It was produced for Cyndi Lauper's True Colors tour this summer, and it's a pretty amazing testament to one of most heartbreaking problems in our country today. Thousands of people are attacked every year because of their sexual orientation, and there's still no federal hate crimes law to protect them. It would mean a lot to me if you could take a minute to watch the video and write your Senators. Feel free to share this link with your friends.If you would like to learn more, please visit the Human Rights Campaign website.Categories: homophobia intolerance hate+crimes Human+Rights+Campaign+Fund Cyndi+Lauper Fight+Hate (Source: 2sides2ron) 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=690032 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:51:00 +0100 690032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=583209&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F01%2Fgenetic-modification-to-control-the-forces-of-nature%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Drugs, Research, OpinionIt's logical that the Nation is up-in-arms about putting genetically modified meats and produce on the shelves in grocery stores and getting due diligence from the government for it. It makes a lot of sense to test something you will use to fuel your body before it is permitted to penetrate the market. So how did genetically modified human insulin overtake the market again? Oh - there must not be any side effects like a diabetes epidemic or something crazy like that, right? But I digress on the topic in honor of springtime, when "love is in the air". As we all know, love is one of the strongest forces of nature. So is it fair that it went unnoticed by the FDA that human synthetic insulin results in a lo... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=583209 Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 583209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=541243&cid=t_102049_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F13%2Fmr-universe-assaulted-by-police-during-low-blood-sugar-episode%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Adult Onset, Daily News, EventsAccording to Diabetes Health Magazine -- he is a well-spoken and forthcoming man with a good sense of humor and an easy-going manner. His name is Doug Burns and he's Mister Universe, for crying out loud! So why was he severely beaten by police? Sad but true - it happened during an episode of low blood sugar that occurred at a movie theater in Redwood City, California. Doug states that he remembers seeing his friend in the theater and then feeling that he was getting low. He had recently started using a new drug to treat his diabetes. He hurried to a snack counter to find food but apparently was intercepted by a security guard who thought he was intoxicated, even though he did not smell of liquor and was wearing a medic alert brac... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=541243 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 541243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488324&cid=t_102049_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D132 I report abuses of autistic people in a few different places, as I become aware of them. (For instance, LiveJournal Autistic Abuse Community) I try to be fair, and try to minimize any editorial comments about the abuse, as I think it is really important to not make abuse reporting into a political game. Some people still see my reports (mostly linking to news reports) as political. I’ve been accused of being anti-parent. Usually what happens is several abuses (or murders, in the worst cases) occur at the hands of parents. I report on each of these, as I think they are worth mentioning in the context of the abuses autistic people face. I don’t report on these because I hate parents, think parents are all abusers, or anything else. I certainly don’t ignore other abuses to r... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488324 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:00:32 +0100 488324