Current events

This is what I call useful groundbreaking research:

Awwww:

WASHINGTON (AP) - It could be the only day before Nov. 6 without explicit partisan rancor.

Both President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney plan to take down their negative ads in honor of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Neither planned to appear at overtly political events, although Election Day is never far from their agendas.

Charlie White, say hello to Wendy Rosen:

Wendy Rosen, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Andy Harris in the 1st Congressional District, withdrew from the race Monday amid allegations that she voted in elections in both Maryland and Florida in 2006 and 2008.

Good for Leon:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is suggesting that a retired Navy SEAL be punished for writing a book giving an insider's account of the U.S. raid that killed terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

How would you like your fate to be in the hands of these 12 imbeciles?

Story by 89 WLS reporter Mary Frances Bragiel
JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) - Day two as jurors deliberate in the Drew Peterson murder trial.

Just after noon jurors sent Will County Judge Edward Burmila a note asking for the definition of "unanimous."

Sigh. The Indianapolis Star used to have such a nice little editorial page, reliably and clearly conservative. Today, that page is -- well, I don't know what it is; kinda all over the map, the way a good Gannett "on the other hand" editorial page should be, I guess. A recent editorial joined the knee-jerk "we can't quite make the connection between gun control and gun violence, but let's control guns anyway" crowd:

Well, I guess Mr. Peabody's coal train ain't a gonna haul Vincennes away:

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Peabody Energy Corp., one of the world's biggest private-sector coal companies, said Wednesday that it has ended production and will permanently close one of its mines in Indiana, citing continued soft market conditions.

[. . .]

At least this isn't another tiresome attempt to stetch the First Amendment to cover things other than political speech:

 Is nude dancing an art? New York's highest court will consider legal arguments by a strip club on whether it is and deserves a state tax exemption as such.

If that chart doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. Just to spell it out:

I think it's about to be a lot of fun to be a screwup student in New York City but there are tough times ahead for serious students who might actually want to learn something. The school system is easing its discipline code so that smoking, cursing and cutting classes will no longer result in a suspension. This is just fine with "education law specialist" Nelson Mar, who says the adjustments will be a "great first step" in changing school culture.