Now if only they can do this with the health care bill. The Democrats have a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, but you wouldn’t know it by the way that Indiana Judge David Hamilton’s nomination to a federal appeals court has languished. Eight months after he was first nominated (and four months after he cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee), a filibuster blocking a vote on Hamilton was finally broken today. We look forward to how the Democrats handle the health care bill. source
Sharon Keller closed her office early, stood by her decision. The Texas judge, currently on trial for misconduct, prevented lawyers from appealing the execution of Michael Richard. She closed her office at 5 p.m., refusing to let the lawyers, fighting against a 6 p.m. execution deadline (and computer problems), have more time. Richard died as a result. Her argument: Another judge was on duty that night and they could have handed the appeal to them. Keller could be removed from the bench for the five counts of judicial misconduct. source
first A blog named Skanks in NYC wrote this mean, biting statement about model Liskula Cohen: “How old is this skank? 40 something? She’s a psychotic, lying, whoring, still going to clubs at her age, skank.” Cohen saw it and got mad.
second Cohen sued a few months ago, and on Monday, the court ruled that she was allowed to sue the anonymous blogger for defamation. And worse: Google has to reveal her identity. Yikes. This is bad precedent. source
He is the only man in the music industry who turned down the Spice Girls and said we would never work. I like that fact that he’s honest. I think he’s very funny.
Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham • On working with Simon Cowell on “American Idol.” The former pop star, now better known for being married to the biggest soccer star in the world, will be a guest judge on American Idol next season and was in Denver Friday to watch some auditions. Fake pop star, fake pop star-making show … makes sense. • source
What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me.
“American Idol” judge Paula Abdul • On her Twitter account last night, revealing to the world that she was leaving American Idol. As her banter between Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson has been downright essential to the show’s success, fans are obviously freaking out over this news. MTV’s going through the seven stages, themselves. • source
Judge: Let’s outlaw linking!In this corner:Seventh Circuit Appeals Court Judge Richard Posner, based out of Chicago. A pretty smart guy. His argument:Posner, in an argument on his blog, says that “Expanding copyright law … to bar linking to or paraphrasing copyrighted materials without the copyright holder’s consent, might be necessary to keep free riding on content financed by online newspapers.” Why he doesn’t get itBecause his idea is against the very nature of the Internet and nobody would support him. Plus, his article has a trackback function enabled to encourage linking!
Columnist: Let’s tighten laws!In this corner:Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, still a solid print product. Her argument:Schultz says that there’s too many free riders on the journalism bandwagon and they’re coming at the cost of newspaper revenue. She subscribes to David and Daniel Marburger’s theory that copyright law needs to force aggregators to share ad revenue with producers. Why she doesn’t get itWhile her idea is less crazy than Posner’s (she’s not advocating the blocking of linking), it’s cut from the same cloth. Also, you can share her column on Reddit and Digg!