WASHINGTON, NOV. 28 – In the first officially contested election since 1876, the Republican and Democratic parties remain at a standstill concerning the future of the presidency. While Florida’s Secretary of State Katherine Harris officially announced Sunday that Bush certifiably won the state by 537 votes, the weeks-long debate will not end there. Gore and his team of lawyers are contesting the case, claiming that not all the counties were allowed enough time to accurately and completely recount their ballots. “A vote is not just a piece of paper, a vote is a human voice, a statement of human principle, and we must not let those voices be silenced,” Gore said in a speech.
WASHINGTON, NOV. 28 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the police practice of performing random drug searches at highway checkpoints is unconstitutional. These roadblocks were designed to check for license and vehicle registration, but motorists were also subject to searches for any signs of drug use, and a drug-sniffing dog walked around the outside of each stopped car. “Because the primary purpose of the Indianapolis checkpoint program is ultimately indistinguishable from the general interest in crime control, the checkpoints violate the Fourth Amendment” wrote justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
WASHINGTON, NOV. 27 – The Supreme Court blocked the execution of Johnny Paul Penry in Texas this month, hours before his scheduled death. Penry, however, has an IQ of 50 and the reasoning capacity of a seven-year-old. He was condemned for raping and stabbing a housewife in 1979. Prosecutors say Penry is ignorant, not retarded, and can be “purposely deceptive.” A ruling is scheduled for July of 2001.
WASHINGTON, NOV. 27 – In his last weeks of office, President Bill Clinton will review pending requests for executive clemency, including that of Leonard Peltier. Peltier was convicted of murdering two FBI agents in South Dakota in 1975, yet he maintains his innocence. The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee and Amnesty International have both fought for Peltier’s case, saying that the initial trial judge refused witnesses that could have swayed the jury’s opinion. “I know it’s very important to a lot of people,” Clinton said. “And I think I owe it to them to give [the case] an honest look-see.”
EUROPE, NOV. 25 – Agricultural officials in Germany announced this week that high levels of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) were found in dairy cows. This ailment is better known by the increasingly scary name, mad-cow disease. In France, another infected cow was found, after two deaths due to the disease occurred. Beef consumption in Europe has declined rapidly, and the European Union is currently discussing whether or not to implement national bans on beef from certain states.
WASHINGTON, NOV. 27 – The software giant Microsoft appealed in court on Monday for an antitrust charge filed earlier this year. This charge ordered Microsoft with a break-up, designed to divide the corporation’s structure. Microsoft states that they did not engage in anti-competitive conduct, and consumers benefit from their products. “The case went awry from the outset, and our appeal provides a comprehensive picture of why Microsoft should win this case,” said Microsoft spokesman Vivek Varma.
CHICAGO, NOV. 28 – Scientists at the University of Rochester School of Medicine claim they have located the brain’s “funny bone.” It’s the right frontal lobe just above the right eye, which scientists claim “appears critical to our ability to recognize a joke.” Test patients were given an MRI to test brain activity while they were told jokes. This discovery may help answer questions about depression. The research may also help explain why some stroke victims lose their sense of humor. Isn’t that funny?