Buzz Blog

While climate change activists focus on the Keystone Pipeline other advocates are hoping to make some noise about the planned $3.8 billion Cove Point natural gas pipeline project.---

Top of the Alty World

“The Other Keystone”--The Nation

Intelligence agencies like the NSA and the FBI have been sued over their refusal to disclose information about U.S. Role in imprisonment of Nelson Mandela.--Democracy Now!

Virginia's Democratic governor signed into law bills that allow genetic counselors to refuse to see gay and lesbian couples.--Mother Jones

A new study finds thousands of children across the country are locked up in juvenile facilities for offenses that even an adult couldn't be jailed over.--Rolling Stone

Top of Alty Utah

Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis resigns.--Utah Political Capitol

The LDS frontman of Prov band the Neon Trees has come out as gay.--Salt Lake City Weekly

The Utah GOP is mulling a lawsuit over the Count My Vote compromise bill from the 2014 Legislature.--Utah Policy

After some last minute negotiations from X 96's new ownership, the Radio From Hell show will remain as the alternative station's morning show.--Salt Lake City Weekly

Rantosphere

Slate argues that the Supreme Court relied on selective history lessons in advancing corporate personhood.

“The court itself, and especially Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, have been telling us for decades that American history deserves significant deference. So it seems reasonable that before altering the balance of power between corporations and the American people, the court should carefully consider recent scholarship in history.

Contrary to present efforts to depict corporations as simple and natural entities—like persons—entitled to constitutional rights, a different view prevailed for most of American history. Until the mid-20th century, the corporation was seen as a special and artificial creature of the government. It has never been seen as entitled to the same array of rights guaranteed to citizens.”--Slate

The Long View

Despite multiple confessions laying the blame for the murder of Edward Byrom Senior on other parties the state of Mississippi wants to murder the deceased's wife, Michelle Byrom by the end of this month.

"I sit in my room for a good 1 1/2-2 hours, and dad comes in my room, and goes off on me, calling me bastard, nogood, mistake, and telling me I'm inconciderate [sic] and just care about my self, and he slaps me, then goes back to his room. "As I sat on my bed, tears of rage flowing, remembering my childhood my anger kept building and building, and I went to my car, got the 9mm, and walked to his room, peeked in, and he was asleep. I walked about 2 steps in the door, and screamed, and shut my eyes, when I heard him move, I started firing. When I opened my eyes again, I freaked! I grabbed what casings I saw, and threw them into the bushes, grabbed the gun, and went to town."

Edward Byrom Jr. confessed to murdering his father, Edward Byrom Sr., on June 4, 1999, in a letter to his mother, excerpted above. One of at least four known confessions—there are two additional letters and a statement to his court-appointed psychologist—it might have been evidence to convict "Junior" for murder. Instead, Tishomingo County deputies arrested Junior as part of a murder-for-hire conspiracy. Junior's friend Joey Gillis was the shooter, they said, and his mother, Michelle Byrom, was the mastermind.”--Jackson Free Press