Father of Slain Marine Forces to Pay Protesters' Legal Fees

[Schmedlap]

Cases like this make me long for the days when a man could address a public insult by challenging the slanderer to a duel. The lack of consequence results in a lower level of discourse. Kind of like how we no longer let kids rough house on the playground. As a result, they are more prone to run their mouths and say stuff that, to some extent in my day, and to a greater extent in my father's day, would have merited and resulted in an ass-whooping.

[Pete]

Sometimes when courts render unusual rulings or verdicts it's a good idea to remember what one of Charles Dickens' characters said in the novel Oliver Twist--"The law is an a**." As an example, the following is from today's Irish Times, Dublin:

A High Court judge has ruled that a stone quarry that has been operated near the shores of Lough Corrib in Co Galway since the 17th century requires planning permission. Mr Justice Peter Charleton upheld Galway City Council’s decision that quarry owner Michael O’Reilly must apply for planning permission and submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA) if works are to be allowed to continue there.

Today's Daily Telegraph in London has a story on a proposed change to public decency law that is peculiar--click here to read it.