Came for the news, stayed for the Jon Katz comments. Though he wasn't all that bad, just kinda annoying.

I'm not sure why everyone is so focused on whether he 'invented' the clock. Who cares? The real issue was the absurd over-reaction of the school administrators and police. Their conduct was pathetic, embarrassing and possibly illegal. I don't care if this kid's father is the biggest douche this side of the Mississippi, its nothing next to the cowardly mindlessness of those school authorities.

You are correct but there is still a big problem with scientology: it enjoys rights that no other religions in the USA enjoy via secret deals its made with the IRS that we are not privy to. This is a source of concern given its history of governmental infiltration & espionage.

http://www.nysun.com/national/judges-press-irs-on-church-tax-break/70957/

'Illegal offshore Internet gambling sites are a criminal enterprise, and allowing them to operate unfettered in the United States would present a clear danger to our youth, who are subject to becoming addicted to gambling at an early age,' says Representative Spencer Bachus, Republican of Alabama and the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee.

And that is why online horse betting is totally OK.

Not to defend the current theocrats, but you do realize Shah was a dictator and already "politically regressed to a very dangerous stage" which is why the revolution happened. The current government is learning that that fever of the revolution has died and people just want to live their lives. The progress will be slow but I have confidence Iranians will increasingly reject the cultural neanderthals within their current government.

I just recently re-read Forever War (as well as Starship Troopers funnily enough), I actually like the ending simply since I think it fits the overall message. That is the 'happiness' of the ending demonstrates how pointless the wars often are. The war is over and the original reasons for are vague and the 'solution' seems equally vague and meaningless. It's simply just over, you can all go on with your lives now, if you were expecting an answer, there really are none. Maybe I'm giving too much credit for the idea which was intended more as a way to end the book than contribute to its whole theme of disconnection and arbitrariness of action.