The Morning Blog, Running Late on this Morning Edition

Obviously, unemployment in America is a significant issue. Still though, not sure I'd want this job.

A Rwandan opposition figure has been arrested. This is pretty troubling to me actually. Rwanda has made enormous strides since....well, that whole genocide thing. And that whole invading the Congo thing. But those aside, the country has done a wonderful job of moving forward and becoming an example for other states. Unfortunately, Paul Kagame, has become more than a little dictatorial with the charge "propagating genocide theory". It seems as though anyone who opposes him suddenly gets arrested for being a closet genocidaire. The real test will be when his term (his constitutionally mandated last), comes to a close. If he steps aside, good. If not, expect more of the same. Personally, I expect him to pull a Putin: he won't be President, rather he'll be "Chief Advisor to the President on All Affairs Relating to Everything"

The family of Cameron Todd Willingham is attempting to clear his name. Willingham was executed in Texas under pretty dubious circumstances in 2004 for the arson murder of his three children.

Amongst other issues, the evidence presented at trial by the fire marshals had been widely discredited by nine different investigators who characterized it as "junk science".

The complete lack of motive for Willingham to burn his children to death was explained by assertions that he was a sociopath. One psychologist came to this conclusion based on his possession of an Iron Maiden poster (this expert for the prosecution, also went goose hunting with the prosecutor, had a practice devoted to family therapy and had never published any research in the field of sociopathic behavior). Another expert described Willingham as an "extremely severe sociopath", a diagnosis he apparently applied somewhat liberally: Three years after Willingham's trial, he was expelled from the American Psychiatric Association for ethics violations having been found to repeatedly arrive at a "psychiatric diagnosis without first having examined the individuals in question, and for indicating, while testifying in court as an expert witness, that he could predict with 100-per-cent certainty that the individuals would engage in future violent acts.”

For an in depth article on the case, I would suggest this from The New Yorker.

Finally....

The Pentagon will comply the injunction against Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Do they have a choice in the matter? I might be mistaken here but I certainly like to think that the military doesn't have to option to defy any branches of our civilian government, be they legislative, executive or judicial.