Uh Oh, He Got Into The News Again

A few choice tidbits from around the globe:

750,000 Die Every Year From Chinese Pollution

If you think this country is polluted, and parts of it still really are, consider how much worse it could be.

Beijing engineered the removal of nearly a third of a World Bank report on pollution in China because of concerns that findings on premature deaths could provoke “social unrest”.

The report, produced in co-operation with Chinese government ministries over several years, found about 750,000 people die prematurely in China each year, mainly from air pollution in large cities.

China’s State Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and health ministry asked the World Bank to cut the calculations of premature deaths from the report when a draft was finished last year, according to Bank advisers and Chinese officials.

Advisers to the research team said ministries told them this information, including a detailed map showing which parts of the country suffered the most deaths, was too sensitive.

China is trying to improve its image in the West, in part because no one wants another Cold War over oil rights, and things like this just don't help.

The Chamber of Commerce Owns The Supreme Court

They even brag about it. This is a June 2007 press release.

The National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC), the legal arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, ended the Supreme Court term with a record number of victories in cases critical to the business community.

"This year's record of 13 victories is an all-time high for our Supreme Court practice," said Robin Conrad, NCLC executive vice president. "We've been representing the business community before the Supreme Court for 30 years, and
this is our strongest showing since the inception of NCLC."

[...]

"In case after case, the Court this term understood the business community's need for clarity and predictability in the law," Conrad stated. "The Litigation Center will continue to press these concerns in the Supreme Court and in the lower courts."

What else does the Chamber of Commerce believe in (besides lobbying like crazy)? Go and find out for yourself.

White House "Unsure" if Libby Got Special Treatment

They're very up front about their confusion. You really need to read this whole link.

It wasn't a trick question: should Americans lie to the FBI during a criminal investigation? Apparently, Bush doesn't have an opinion on the matter.

Shortly thereafter, a reporter asked Tony Snow during a press briefing, "If there are more than 3,000 current petitions for commutation -- not pardons, but commutation -- in the federal system, under President Bush, will all 3,000 of those be held to the same standard that the president applied to Scooter Libby?"

Snow replied, "I don't know."

In other words, the White House press secretary isn't sure whether there's one standard of criminal justice for the president's friends, and another for everyone else. Maybe he can find out and get back to us? I'm sure there are thousands of American convicts and their families who would love to know why the White House no longer believes we're all equal under the law.

Kind of speaks for itself. I hope this information takes on a life beyond the blogosphere.

Anyway, more as the world turns.