The unimportant news thread

[DavidW]

Dipshits at Stonehenge

Yeah I saw that!  What idiots.  I also saw protestors trying to tag Taylor Swift's jet... but they got the wrong one by accident!  What a bunch of fools.  Especially Stonehenge.  That really makes me want to chuck recyclables in the trash. THEY ARE NOT HELPING.

[JBS]

Some people like to speculate that Just Stop Oil is an elaborate operation on the part of the fossil fuel industries.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

CBS News: 16 Nobel Prize-winning economists warn that Trump's economic plans could reignite inflation.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-economy-nobel-prize-winners-letter-inflation-warning/

[Todd]

CBS News: 16 Nobel Prize-winning economists warn that Trump's economic plans could reignite inflation.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-economy-nobel-prize-winners-letter-inflation-warning/

Deporting immigrants could shrink the labor force, creating more competition for U.S. workers and pushing up wages, also adding to inflationary pressure, economists warn.

At least economists can tell the truth about the economic motive behind unlimited migration, though one must see wage-push inflation as a/the main concern to share this article's concern.  It is also noteworthy that this concern is not publicized quite so much when the minimum wage is increased by 25% or more.  And of course, the Biden Administration has heartily embraced tariffs, but apparently those are good, non-inflationary tariffs.

It is also worth remembering that Nobel Prize winning economists ran LTCM, which almost brought down the global economy all by its lonesome.

[Todd]

From American Pravda NBC News: Julian Assange returns home to Australia a free man after U.S. plea deal

Assange got a time served sentence because he served five years at Belmarsh.  But of course, prior to that, he was holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years, so he really served twelve years.  For publishing facts about crimes committed by the United States government.

[Todd]

From LiveScience: Astronauts stranded in space due to multiple issues with Boeing's Starliner — and the window for a return flight is closing

Oh, Boeing.

[DavidW]

Oklahoma state superintendent orders the Bible taught in public schools so much for the constitution I guess.

[Todd]

Oklahoma state superintendent orders the Bible taught in public schools so much for the constitution I guess.

This is designed to force lawsuits and elevate it as a wedge issue for 2026 and 2028.

[Todd]

From American Pravda NBC News: Boeing sanctioned by NTSB over release of details in 737 Max investigation

Oh, Boeing.  Again. 

[DavidW]

From American Pravda NBC News: Boeing sanctioned by NTSB over release of details in 737 Max investigation

Oh, Boeing.  Again. 

I feel kind of embarrassed now that we used to take students on a tour of Boeing to show them possible career choices as engineers or physicists.  Oof. 

[NumberSix]

This is designed to force lawsuits and elevate it as a wedge issue for 2026 and 2028.

Absolutely. Just like the Louisiana governor, who was basically begging to be the victim of a lawsuit so that he could be a martyr for his beliefs. But I believe the people suing chose to sue other folks than him, which has to be disappointing for the guy. Poor thing.

[AnotherSpin]

https://eutoday.net/avishai-cohens-moscow-concert/

[JBS]

https://eutoday.net/avishai-cohens-moscow-concert/

I was not keen on him in the first place. If it was Avishai Cohen the trumpet player, then I'd be concerned.

[AnotherSpin]

I was not keen on him in the first place. If it was Avishai Cohen the trumpet player, then I'd be concerned.

Similarly, I like the recordings of Avishai Cohen the trumpeter, and have no interest in Avishai Cohen the bassist. But, the mere fact that any Israeli musician is performing in Moscow now seems outrageous, especially when you consider that the recent Hamas attack on Israel was organised with the participation of three countries, Iran (arming and training), Russia (intelligence), and China (funding). Who knows, maybe bassist is pro-Hamas and came to Moscow to express his deep gratitudes

[Todd]

Similarly, I like the recordings of Avishai Cohen the trumpeter, and have no interest in Avishai Cohen the bassist. But, the mere fact that any Israeli musician is performing in Moscow now seems outrageous, especially when you consider that the recent Hamas attack on Israel was organised with the participation of three countries, Iran (arming and training), Russia (intelligence), and China (funding). Who knows, maybe bassist is pro-Hamas and came to Moscow to express his deep gratitudes

lulz

[Florestan]

Oklahoma state superintendent orders the Bible taught in public schools so much for the constitution I guess.

Actually, let's see.

Constitution of Oklahoma:

SECTION I-1. Supreme law of land.

The State of Oklahoma is an inseparable part of the Federal Union, and the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.

SECTION I-2. Religious liberty - Polygamous or plural marriages.

Perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of the State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship; and no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. Polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited.

Constitution of the US, First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I am not a lawyer, much less a US constitutional lawyer, but --- my own logic and common-sense doesn't see anything in the above prohibiting the Bible being taught in public schools. If I will be proven wrong I will stand corrected.

[AnotherSpin]

lulz

не розумію

[Todd]

I am not a lawyer, much less a US constitutional lawyer

The applicable SCOTUS decisions are available freely online right now.  Do some research and report back.

[Florestan]

The applicable SCOTUS decisions are available freely online right now.  Do some research and report back.

https://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Politics/Bible-in-Schools.htm

The Bible and the Religious-Liberty Rights of Students

Many Americans continue to hold the mistaken view that the Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s concerning prayer and devotional Bible-reading prohibited students from expressing their faith in a public school. Actually, the Court did not eliminate prayer or the Bible from public schools; it barred state-sponsored religious practices, including devotional use of the Bible by public-school officials.

What do the courts say?

The Supreme Court has held that public schools may teach students about the Bible as long as such teaching is "presented objectively as part of a secular program of education."6

In recent years, a consensus has emerged among many religious and educational groups about the appropriate role for religion in the public-school curriculum. In 1989, a coalition of 17 religious and educational organizations issued the following statements to distinguish between teaching about religion in public schools and religious indoctrination:

        The school's approach to religion is academic, not devotional.

       
        The school may strive for student awareness of religions, but should not press for student acceptance of any religion.

       
        The school may sponsor study about religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion.

       
        The school may expose students to a diversity of religious views, but may not impose, discourage, or encourage any particular view.

       
        The school may educate about all religions, but may not promote or denigrate any religion.

       
        The school may inform the student about various beliefs, but should not seek to conform him or her to any particular belief.20

When teaching about the Bible in a public school, teachers must understand the important distinction between advocacy, indoctrination, proselytizing, and the practice of religion - which is unconstitutional - and teaching about religion that is objective, nonjudgmental, academic, neutral, balanced, and fair - which is constitutional.

Looks like I am right.

[DavidW]

Actually, the Court did not eliminate prayer or the Bible from public schools; it barred state-sponsored religious practices, including devotional use of the Bible by public-school officials.

What do the courts say?

The Supreme Court has held that public schools may teach students about the Bible as long as such teaching is "presented objectively as part of a secular program of education."6

Looks like I am right.

Nope!  You have to pay careful attention to the wording that you read.  You might always want to google Lemon Test.  And hiding under the academic umbrella doesn't satisfy the spirit of the law as enforced multiple times by the Supreme Court, which is that of religious neutrality.