Texas judge gives 7 year old right to decide custody

A seven year old boy was at the center of a county courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy had a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree possible.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried and said that they also beat him.

After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him. After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Dallas Cowboys, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.

Oh lordy. Perhaps the kid could teach them a trick play:

Eeek

(reddit) This is Excalibur, billed as the highest climbing wall in the world, located in the Netherlands:

Quote of the day

"Joy unbound at the final whistle, the entire USA bench pouring on to the pitch. Victory at last, over their opponents, over injustice and, most importantly, themselves." —USA 1 Algeria 0

The winning goal at 90+1:

Illustrated guide to World Cup Soccer

I love the Onion.

What if everybody in Canada flushed at once?

Up to 80% of Canadians watched last week's hockey medal game.

Sentences to ponder

The Hill:

The College Football Playoff Act of 2009 would ban promoting, marketing or advertising a "national championship game" unless the game is part of a single-elimination playoff tournament like the National Football League playoffs. The bill threatens to hold college football's governing body in violation of Federal Trade Commission truth-in-advertising provisions.

Photos of the day

Physically challenged Chinese swimmer Xuqing Jin dived into the pool as he competed in the men’s 400-meter relay race at the Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre in Bangalore on Tuesday. More than 800 athletes from 43 countries are participating in the weeklong International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation’s World Games. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images)

QUADRIPLEGIC HUNTER: James Cap, a quadriplegic since a 1979 high school football accident, held the tube in his mouth that he uses to aim and fire his shotgun in a shed where he hunts in Manville, N.J., Tuesday. Mr. Cap recently won a court battle to use the contraption.

Where's Rob?

Waterloo

Better than clearing brush

(from the White House blog)

Link blag

Lefties are upset that more centrists healthcare reforms such as the Healthy Americans Act are being considered.

Andrew: the Right has forgotten what tyranny is.  (but at least they finally found something worth mocking)

Megan and Manzi examine torture's effectiveness with their logic caps on. Conor quibbles.

Radley: Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) is a ridiculous hack.

Sad news: Ann Coulter's mother is dead. Worse news: Ann Coulter is still alive. (hey don't look at me, she's said far more outrageous things)

Maine gay marriage hearing is a riot.

Cato: We have a "People's Garden"? Deus mio.

High-class redneck hunting. The orange cap is a nice touch.

Kid studies female anatomy.

One under par

Now that's what I call a birdie shot!

But of course it was all luck. This is skill.

Many things are possible

2:07 through the hoop is spectacular

Swimsuit journalism

I'm so glad we have CNN's Reliable Sources to keep S.I.'s Swimsuit Edition honest . . . .

You may want to go view read more of the offending gallery story.

Super Bowl anthems

Until now, this stood highest:



Eighteen years later I think we have a new winner:



Of course, it was lip synced.

My favorite Super Bowl commentary

Les Steelers    [Denis Boyles]

Watching the Superbowl on France 2 is a dissonant kind of experience, cognitatively speaking. There's just something strange about o-la-la as a color comment on a fumble. Meanwhile, Harrison's amazing interception and run was awarded no less than seven incroyables. For those of you not yet on the metric system, that equates to one incroyable every 13 metres.

02/01 08:13 PM

Random thought

Super Bowl L will occur in the midst of the 2016 primaries.

Tennis paradise?

I hope they brought extra balls. At least they won't have to worry about hooligans.

Football? More like Flukeball

The Economist is not impressed with our national sport's championship system.

Banish the BCS and NFL divisions!

Your name is Icarus

Via Donklephant it has become official. Human beings can fly.



Er, glide at least. Holy shit at 3:12.