Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Giving New Meaning to Navel Gazing

"The human navel should be designated as a bacterial nature reserve, it seems. The first round of DNA results from the Belly Button Biodiversity project are in, and the 95 samples that have so far been analyzed have turned up more than 1,400 bacterial strains. " Read the Washington Post, Scientists find a rich array of unknown bacteria in human navels.

Is It Déjà OJ All Over Again?

UPDATE V: "A creepy lawyer, a greedy juror, a crazed observer. What a show." Read The New York Times, A Sordid Cast Around Casey Anthony.


UPDATE IV: For a follow-up on last weeks show, read The Daily Beast:

Why Casey Anthony Was Acquitted, and

What Casey's Defense Got Right, which compares the Anthony case to the murder trial in Italy of Amanda Knox.

UPDATE III: Why did the jury find Casey Anthony not guilty to the exclusion of and beyond a reasonable doubt? Would you?

See page 76 of the Florida Criminal Jury Instructions. We'll discuss the case today.


UPDATE II: Do you support "'Caylee's Law' [which] would make it a felony for parents or caregivers to not report the death of a child to authorities -- accidental or otherwise -- within one hour. It also would make it a felony for guardians to not notify law enforcement of the disappearance of a child within 24 hours"? Read USA Today, 'Caylee's Law' online petition builds interest after verdict.


UPDATE: Did Nancy Grace's obsession with the Caylee Anthony case to pull "down huge ratings," contribute to Casey Anthony's acquittal? For an interesting perspective, read the Detroit Free Press, Did Nancy Grace assure Tot Mom Casey Anthony's acquittal?

Do you think that "the jury in the Casey Anthony trial was made up of the only 12 people in the entire United States who didn’t feel as though they already had enough evidence to pass judgment on Casey Anthony." Read the Washington Post, Does it matter if Casey Anthony was innocent?, which notes that:

"Casey Anthony will be joining the dark second circle of malign celebrity, whipped about by strong winds from Mary Kay LeTourneau’s Hot For Teacher Club Nights to O.J. Simpson “If I Did It” book parties. It’s almost inevitable at this point. For every three indignant screams on Twitter expressing the desire to club her and bring “street justice” against her, there are several expressing the desire to go clubbing with her.

Justice? Injustice? It’s a show, and we didn’t like the ending."