So let's see... (EDITED)

So there's been a flurry of bad Supreme Court decision.

* Supreme Court rules 9-0 against file-sharing company Grokster. "The US Supreme Court has ruled that file-sharing companies are to blame for what users do with their software...The Supreme Court judges were expected to rule in favour of the file-sharers because of legal precedents set when video recorders first appeared." (BBC)

* Supreme Court votes 5-4 against the 10 Commandments in courthouses. Ok, so this is a good thing, but look at those numbers -- 5-4. What the hell is that?

* Led by Scalia, SCOTUS decides 7-2 local governments have no duty to protect you from someone under a restraining order. Here's the scary one. "In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled that local governments have no constitutional duty to protect from private violence an individual who is shielded by a court's restraining order. Such individuals do not gain an enforceable interest in that protection, the Court declared in an opinion by Justice Scalia. The case was Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales (04-278)." (SCOTUS blog near the end)

* Then there's that whole Eminent Domain thing. Basically, they're trusting local gov to know when not to kick people out of their homes so a new Walmart can be built. Given the local govs I know, I'm not quite as trusting.

(no subject)

This is super cool.

Its the The Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection, which contains 1,082 titles and costs $6,658.87 (+ $1,331.12 "sourcing fee"), but the shipping is free.

Even more fun from the Supreme Court

Now we've got a ruling that states that reporters *must* tell the government about their confidential sources.

From SCOTUS blog:

"The Supreme Court on Monday turned aside pleas by two reporters and a magazine urging the Justices to create, for the first time, a right not to be forced to reveal to the government their confidential news sources. The action means that, at least for the time being, the Constitution and federal common law do not recognize a “reporter’s privilege” of confidentiality. (The Court denied review in Miller v. U.S., 04-1507, Cooper and Time Magazine v. U.S., 04-1508.)"

This really seems like a denial of first amendment rights. What about Watergate and Deep Throat? They managed to keep him under wraps for decades because of freedom of the press -- that's no longer legal somehow. Hopefully this will be reversed somehow.