California less loopy than Scotland?

By Marty Waveland

Susan Atkins, the Manson family murderess, was denied parole this week for the 13th time. Ms. Atkins attended the parole hearing in a hospital bed, where, under heavy sedation, she slept through her parole hearing.

At 38 years, she is the longest-serving female prisoner in the California prison system.

There's lots of loopiness in California, but in this case the parole board decided to let a life sentence mean a life sentence.

Now let's look at Scotland, known more for Scotch, kilts, and golf than for loopiness. Yet earlier this week, al-Meghiri, the cold-blooded killer of 270 innocent Lockerbie passengers, was set free on "compassionate" release grounds (really, though, to appease Libyan oil interests).

Scotland, we hardly knew ye. If it's really true that al-Meghiri has mere weeks to live, does his release really appease anyone? What were you thinking? Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the loopiest of them all?