The amazing Radley Balko has just posted a story he uncovered about a couple of forensic experts working on a case for the state of Lousiana who apparently mutiliated a child's corpse in order to frame a man for murder. Really. There's video. The images are disturbing. … [Read more...] about Manufacturing Guilt in Louisiana
Unrelated Stories: Photographing Cops
Via Nobody's Business comes the news that our British cousins have made it illegal to take pictures of cops: From today, anyone taking a photograph of a police officer could be deemed to have committed a criminal offence. That is because of a new law - Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act - which has come into force. It permits the arrest of anyone found "eliciting, … [Read more...] about Unrelated Stories: Photographing Cops
The Amherst Stabbing Case
Well, I'm lazy, and don't want to replow the ground that others have already plowed; I'm more inclined to do a little freelance gleaning at the corners. And since somebody asked, and I was writing on it anyway . . . So let's start here, with the reporting on how Jason Vassell stabbed Bowes and Bosse. Sounds pretty simple, no? Well, no. Quick jump … [Read more...] about The Amherst Stabbing Case
Stupidity and Darwin and Liberals and Molotov Mitchell
In another post, I mentioned that I was worried that I might write something that was so bad it wasn't even wrong. I borrowed that phrase from Steven Pinker (who borrowed it from someone else), and since saying that, I've been concerned that people might not understand what I mean. I'm talking about a level of level of misunderstanding so profound that it's difficult to … [Read more...] about Stupidity and Darwin and Liberals and Molotov Mitchell
Thinking About the Stimulus: Fear Itself
This is the 2nd post of my amateur exploration of the reasoning behind the stimulus bill. I think I do okay writing about microeconomic issues, but this is my first real attempt at discussing macroeconomics. There's a distinct possibility that some of this is very badly wrong, or worse, so badly written that it's not even wrong. My last post explained what happens to Gross … [Read more...] about Thinking About the Stimulus: Fear Itself