Neutering the Judiciary

I actually read about this on Friday, but didn't get around to blogging it until today (long weekend of apartment-related purchases and furniture assembly). On Thursday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would prohibit all federal courts (including the Supreme Court) from hearing any case regarding the removal of the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. Whether you believe that the words should be included or that they should be removed, anyone who's taken a basic Civics class in the U.S. should realize that this will set a very dangerous precedent.

While I first thought that this law was a violation of the Constitution (in terms of checks and balances; one branch is usurping critical power from another), I found that I was wrong. Article III, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution lets Congress limit the Supreme Court's power to hear appeals: "In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make." In other words, Congress can limit the power of the judiciary except with regard to certain issues. That this is how the Constitution is supposed to work is the most surprising and disheartening part. As kids, we were taught that the legislative branch makes the laws, and the judicial branch essentially tests the laws for their Constitutionality. However, a single clause tucked away in the Constitution allows Congress to say that the Supreme Court cannot decide on certain things. If this bill gets through the Senate, I can only imagine what issues this Christian-conservative-controlled Congress will stop the Supreme Court from hearing next.

The only thing that gives me comfort is that at least Congress can't bar the court from hearing cases against states. And that may very well be our saving grace, since the Republicans prefer a balkanized nation. Though I imagine that once states start being sued for all these issues and the Supreme Court has no choice but to hear the cases (since it would have original jurisdiction), the court will need far more staff and far more money. And of course the Republicans will gripe and complain about having to spend more money on government and it will eventually become the liberals' fault in some way. *sigh* Welcome to America.

I can see my house!

My house was in the newspaper this weekend! Well, sorta . . .

The New York Times Real Estate section did an article on Crown Heights, the neighborhood to which we seemingly sometimes belong and sometimes do not (some people say we live in Crown Heights, others say we live in Prospect Heights). The article talks in general about how gentrifiers (hmm, are we included in that?) are coming into the neighborhood to take advantage of its low housing costs. What really made me like the article enough to blog about it, however, is that our building gets three [newsprint] paragraphs!

Large apartment buildings that command market-rate rents in the neighborhood are still relatively rare. But some 700 rental apartments, as well as a supermarket and restaurant, are now being carved out of what used to be the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital on Prospect Place.

The hospital, which is now known as the Interfaith Medical Center, moved to more modern quarters in Bedford-Stuyvesant in 2002. It had occupied an entire block of buildings between Classon and Franklin Avenues, and one of its original buildings has been turned into apartments with 12-foot-high ceilings [that's us!!!].

Steve Valiotis, a developer from Astoria who now owns the old hospital buildings, said that he is asking $1,200 to $2,500 a month rent for the new apartments, which have either one, two, or three bedrooms.

I didn't even know they were putting a supermarket in one of the buildings. If it's any good, maybe it'll keep me from having to go to Atlantic Terminal every time I want some good frozen foods. I think they ought to build a gym too. Yes, and a bookstore and a Brooks Brothers, and a ferris wheel . . .

Looking Back

New York is nothing if not a museum-goer's playground. Having been to both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in Queens, I was ready, however, to see something a little different. So, Colin and I ventured today to the American Museum of Natural History, and I must say that I was quite impressed. We began our tour with the ancient societies of Africa and North/Central America. I think I found this part more interesting than Colin did (though he was quite the trooper). We then went on to view exhibits on other early human cultures (including the societies of southeast Asia, which seemed quite far ahead of their contemporaries), and various animal exhibits, including one of the Mastodon skeleton shown above. Though we saw most of what the museum had to offer, I think I want to go back again soon to get a more detailed look at the third and fourth floors (which we breezed through rather quickly due to our mutual fatigue). All in all, I think the Museum of Natural History is my favorite so far. Below are some more pictures from our visit.

These are the jaws of a very large (extinct) predator, though who that predator is escapes me at the moment. Whatever the case, I'm just glad it's not still around.

This is a ziggurat built by early Central/South Americans (though the term is more commonly used to describe the temples of Mesopotamians).

This is a disk carved from stone by the Teotihuacan, who occupied the area north of present-day Mexico City (I actually visited this site in early March). It's really quite huge - I should have included something in the picture to give an idea of the size.

This is Colin standing outside of the entrance to the Human Evolution exhibit (don't worry, I did get a picture without that horrid little kid in it). The flash from the camera caused an interesting effect in this picture, though. Doesn't it look like the human skeleton is passing some kind of magical object to the ape (yes, I'm a nerd, I know)?

This is a scale model of the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

A cute little set-up in the Human Evolution exhibit. There's a little dog skeleton in the corner by the TV, but it's hard to see in this picture.

This is the giant whale that dominates the room housing the aquatic animals exhibit. You really have to be there to appreciate how big this animal is.

This is me and Colin at the end of our very long museum tour. We'll be back again. Soon.

Saved?

Well, it looks like former child actor and Michael Jackson boy-toy Macaulay Culkin is in trouble again. Only, this time, it's not two inept burglars trying to "get that kid". No, no, this time it's something much worse: the Oklahama City P.D.

Yep, Culkin is in trouble again over the good stuff. Apparently, he was found by the Oklahoma City police with a bag of marijuana and another small bag of prescription meds (which it seems were not his).

I really thought Macaulay was finally cleaning himself up. Afterall, he's started making good movies again and seems to have finally shaken that really odd look he had as a child (though I can't say what inspired the sinister line-mustache in the photo above). Ah well, maybe it's just a bump in the road back to success. I do have one question for Macaculay, though. Why the hell were you in Oklahoma?

Another false start?

Hmmm, I wonder if anyone even reads this blog anymore. . .

As campaign season gets into really high gear (the election is right around the corner, folks), we've begun to hear more and more promises from our current and would-be political leaders. Not to be outdone, I have come up with my own campaign promise: I promise to resume blogging. Oh yes, it has been said before. But the fat cats in Washington don't know how to make it happen! Well, I've outlined my own plan for the return of Shockster: 

1. This blog will be updated at least three times a week. That's the promise I make to you, America.

. . . That's pretty much the whole plan. Okay, so come back soon, and there will be new stuff. Politician's honor.

 

p.s. The more astute among you may note that I'm not actually running for anything, so I can't really make campaign promises. Those same individuals will also note that "Washington fat cats" have absolutely nothing to do with my failure to update this blog. Well if you're so smart, how come I'm the one who's gonna get elected?