News and Politics - Mike Cohen

Bush appoints anti-gay member to AIDS panel.

January 23, 2003 by Mike Cohen

Bush appoints anti-gay member to AIDS panel. Jerry Thacker runs the Scepter Institute, a Christian Ministry. Their website states that “Both Jerry and his wife, Sue, [are] HIV-positive. How could it be? Jerry and Sue were committed Christians.” The L.A. Times notes that Thacker has described homosexuality as a “deathstyle,” and describes significant revisions that have been made to the Scepter Institute’s website.

I wonder if Thacker will be applying for some funds to renovate Scepter’s offices, now that he is providing such a valuable social service? [metafilter.com]

Serratia Marcesens and Project 112

January 22, 2003 by Mike Cohen

Project 112 was a secret, cold-war era project to determine vulnerabilities of US warships to various chemical and biological attacks. While lots is known about what happened, there’s still a lot of information that hasn’t been released yet.

In the early 1950s, the US Army sprayed the bacteria Serratia Marcesens over San Francisco. While the government thought that it was safe, many people ended up checking into the hospital. One elderly man even died as a result of the US testing chemical and biological agents against it’s own citizens. [metafilter.com]

The Memory Hole

January 6, 2003 by Mike Cohen

The Memory Hole [rescuing knowledge, freeing information]

(thanks to morons.org)

Iraq Explained

December 27, 2002 by Mike Cohen

November is past

December 4, 2002 by Mike Cohen

It’s now past November, and Canon’s OS X Support Page still says the drivers for my CanoScan N650U will be available in November.

Bill of Rights Defense Committee

December 4, 2002 by Mike Cohen

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee supports repeal of parts of the USA PATRIOT Act and Executive Orders that infringe on Constitutional rights. This web site documents and supports local efforts to restore civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, which have been threatened by the Act and Orders.

A Sad Ending

November 15, 2002 by Mike Cohen

I’m pretty upset about the outcome of the King brothers case. I still believe that they’re innocent & shouldn’t be in jail.

I’m really worried about them. I’m especially worried about Alex & don’t think he’ll survive even in a youth facility, since he’ll be the youngest and smallest inmate.

I was hopeful that they’d be going to Boys Town (of Father Flanagan fame), which everyone involved in the case was pushing for. I can’t believe Stokes allowed this to happen.

Defense of Freedom Amendment

November 9, 2002 by Mike Cohen

Current Editorials: Do We Need a “Defense of Freedom” Amendment?. With all the unconstitutional crap going on, and the unwillingness of the legislature to learn from their mistakes, do we need a new tactic? [Morons Dot Org]

Mediation

November 7, 2002 by Mike Cohen

Mediation in the King brothers case begins today. Assistant prosecutor Rimmer is out for blood & wants those boys in jail.

Alex’s attorney, Jim Stokes, and Derek’s attorney, Sharon Potter, along with their family and everyone else involved is hoping there won’t be a new trial and the brothers will be allowed to go to Boys Town, where they were already accepted and will receive the therapy they need to overcome their ordeal and be on their way to a reasonably normal life.

Another weird case in Florida

November 6, 2002 by Mike Cohen

Aaron paparella is a 16 year old mentally handicapped boy charged with raping a 12 year old girl.