XIAM007 - Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World: 09/29/11

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Military to Collaborate with Wyoming Cops in Drunk Driving Crackdown -

The Department of Justice will work with authorities in Wyoming to violate what remains of Posse Comitatus, according to the Star-Tribune.

“In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, F.E. Warren Air Force Base will collaborate with state and local governments and law enforcement to cut down on underage and irresponsible drinking,” the newspaper reported earlier this week. “State, local and military police will also work together under the program to crack down on drunk people who disobey the law.”

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs provided funding for the three-year project, estimated to cost $300,000-per-year.

The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. § 1385), passed on June 18, 1878, following the end of Reconstruction, restricts the federal government from using the military in state and local law enforcement. The statute specifically prohibits the Army and Air Force and units of the National Guard under federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity.

“Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both,” 18 U.S.C. § 1385 states.

In 2006, following Hurricane Katrina, Bush urged Congress to pass legislation overriding Posse Comitatus. The result was the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. It allowed the federal government to use the armed forces to “restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States” during national emergencies such natural disasters.

Car Center Requires Customers to Recite Bible Verse to Redeem Coupon for Oil Change... - ‘For God So Loved The World’ -

A Collin County business offering customers a break on the price of an oil change is requiring a little more than just bringing in a coupon.

Customers are being asked to quote a Bible verse, and some of them are finding out that if they won’t it will cost them.

Resident Marshall Wei, who had been to the Kwik Kar on Custer Road in Plano before, was happy to find the coupon hanging on his door last week.

Above the promised $19.99 price though, the coupon says customers must quote the New Testament verse John 3:16 to get the deal.

“I think maybe I forgot exactly what it is, and I needed to go look it up online,” Wei said

With the verse in hand, Wei drove to the store and pulled into the garage, but as he waited he started having second thoughts about the offer.

“Why should I be compelled to quote something I do not feel comfortable to quote?” he asked.

After a short discussion with a store manager about the verse, he declined to recite it, and ended up paying more than $46 for the service, more than twice what he expected.

“I’m paying you,” Wei said. “Why can’t you treat me like others?”

Store owner Charlie Whittington is standing by what he asking customers to do for a deal. “If I’m standing for what I believe, so be it,” he said. “Bring it on.”

The verse is popular for containing the central beliefs of traditional Christianity:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV)

Northern California teacher says he is lowering students grades if they say "bless you" after someone sneezes -

A Northern California teacher says he doesn't want to hear a common courtesy in his classroom.

He's even lowering students' grades if they say "bless you" after someone sneezes.
Steve Cuckovich says the practice is disrespectful and disruptive. He's banned saying "bless you" in his high school health class in Vacaville.
He even knocked 25 points from one student's grade for saying the phrase in class.
Cuckovich says the policy has nothing to do with religion, but says the phrase is just a outdated practice and disrupts class time.
"When you sneezed in the old days, they thought you were dispelling evil spirits out of your body," Cuckovich said. "So they were saying, 'god bless you' for getting rid of evil spirits. But today, I said what you're doing doesn't really make any sense anymore."
After parents complained about students losing points for saying "bless you", Cuckovich says he decided to stop the practice.
However, the teacher says he will just find another way to discipline students for saying "bless you" in class.
Read more -
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/state&id=8372183