Interesting News - 8 February 2008

Today's interesting news, below the fold

Here is a bit more on the company Obama keeps. Obama’s rhetoric is soring, but the few things I can see undergirding it are disturbing – to me and others. About the only thing I like about Obama – and its one of the things I like about McCain – is his stand on trade. I thought Obama had at least one vote wrapped up. I was wrong.

Classical Values endorses McCain and does so for all the right reasons. Much could be riding on McCain’s choice for VP. Confederate Yankee is thinking that if McCain chooses Fred Thompson, that would go far to ameliorating Conservatives. Meanwhile, American Digest ponders MDS – McCain Derangement Syndrome. As I wrote here, I am not infected with that dementia.

This is incredibly troubling. Sharia law arbitration agreements now being recognized in Texas. And see here and here. True, parties can choose whatever law they wish to govern their private agreements. But we also have a long legal tradition that we will not enforce laws that contravene public policy – and much about Sharia law is antithetical to public policy in the West. One example of how antithetical it can be is demonstrated in this story of how "kumbaya gets t-boned by reality" in Ridyah.

Lionheart has up a fascinating post on the narcojihadism in Luton and Britain at large, as well as explaining why he has decided to seek asylum in the United States.

What is the value of Human Rights Commissions when they are being used to stifle freedom of speech and force secular left values on people who object to the same, in this case on Christian grounds?

The problem, Georgia’s incredible growth and below average rainfall has left the state with a severe water problem. The proposed solution – annex Tennessee, or at least that part of it with significant water resources. One wonders how many wars have been motivated on similar grounds since time immemorial. At any rate, break out the battle flags and muskets, and let Civil War redux commence.

Is the next little Ice Age already upon us? It certainly would put in perspective the politicization of science that has made the Goracle rich and now threatens to regulate us back to the stone age. Meanwhile, in Canada, there are calls for those who question the authenticity of global warming to be jailed. (H/T LostINto2)

Hook-handed hate cleric Abu Hamza is appealing his extradition to the U.S. where he will be tried on terrorism charges. His lawyer is concerned. "There are grave concerns about what might happen if the extradition goes ahead. The Americans have said he will not face the death penalty or be sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp - but how can we be sure? "I also fear that if he was sent to America he would become a victim of torture." The thing of it is, between British and EU Courts, I actually wonder if his appeal might not work. (H/T Sheik Yer Mami)

Taqiyya, the revered Muslim practice of fooling the Kafir and others, is explained. And you can see taqiyya in action here.

A 34-year-old Italian man who had sex with a 13-year-old girl has had his sentence cut by a two-thirds because a court decided there was "real love" between the pair.