Congress, Courts, Justice, Politics

Just How Sunny is Sunshine Week?

 

Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

I know what you may be thinking. What is that crazy title all about? It wasn’t discussed much in the Corporate Mass Media, but this past week was dubbed, Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week was supposed to celebrate “open Government practices”. I for one, wasn’t convinced that our government had any “open” practices. The Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1966 and it was designed to allow individuals the right to find out exactly what government was doing on our behalf. The Act has been amended on several occasions and it has aged with mixed results. Continue reading “Just How Sunny is Sunshine Week?” →

Animals, Uncategorized

A Jack & Rudy Post: Dog Gone Wild on Saint Patty’s Day!

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

Here’s a picture of my older brother Jack Murphy. It was taken on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Jack is a real party animal. He especially likes to party hearty on the day in March when we commemorate the patron saint of the Emerald Isle. My older sibling likes to dress in green, don his shamrock shades, and go wild! And I mean—WILD!  

Continue reading “A Jack & Rudy Post: Dog Gone Wild on Saint Patty’s Day!” →

Criminal law, Religion

IRS to Conduct Abortion Audits?

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

If Republicans get their way that’s a distinct possibility. Under a GOP-backed bill the Internal Revenue Service would be required to police how Americans pay for abortions. Under the Republicans’ “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act”, known as H.R. 3, IRS agents would also have to determine if the terminated pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

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Bizarre, International, Lawyering, Politics

Gullet’s Travels: How “Mark of Ireland” Got His Name

Submitted By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

 

Col. T.E. Lawrence

Greetings from Dublin Ireland, the home of the most famous dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift. Suzanne and I have embraced the Irish and the hug seems mutual. Dublin is caught up in the frenzy of the five-day Saint Patrick’s Day Festival and, even more so, with the spectacle of European Rugby’s version of the Super Bowl played yesterday at Aviva Stadium. The city is teaming with rugby fans from five other nations. We’ve met so many wonderful people here from our ever helpful doorman at the Brooks Hotel, Connor, to our favorite barkeeper, Pawel, to scores of others, all anxious to help two hopelessly lost American travelers. We’ve even met a Turley or two.

 

Continue reading “Gullet’s Travels: How “Mark of Ireland” Got His Name” →

Congress, International, Military, Politics, Society

Missiles Away! Obama Commits U.S. To Third Military Campaign

At a time when the American people overwhelmingly oppose our continued military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, President Obama has responded by committing the United States to another war. Today, the U.S. attacked Libyan forces with over a hundred cruise missiles hitting the capitol and surrounding areas. With the two wars already draining the United States of billions a day, these cruise missile attacks alone will cost hundreds of millions in both the equipment and commitment of forces.

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Uncategorized

Let Them Eat…iPads!: William Dudley Antoinette Visits Queens

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

William Dudley, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, recently visited Queens where he got a “street-corner” education on the cost of living. Evidently, the Federal Reserve has been trying to sell its monetary policy to average folks—who aren’t exactly buying into to its talking points.

Dudley, a former chief economist for Goldman Sachs, gave a speech in Queens in which he spoke about the economy’s progress and the Fed’s successes. When the question and answer period rolled around, people in the audience wanted to know why the prices for food and gas were rising. As noted in a Wall Street Journal article—“the Fed doesn’t think food and gas prices matter to its policy calculations because they aren’t part of “core” inflation.”

Continue reading “Let Them Eat…iPads!: William Dudley Antoinette Visits Queens” →

Congress, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

Is This The America That We Want?

 

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw) Guest Blogger

Over the past few weeks and months, we have read repeatedly about how politicians are upset that the government is doing nothing about jobs.  We hear it from the Right and we hear it from the Left, but the unemployment rate is still around 9.0% with many out of work Americans no longer looking for work.   With this background, I was incensed when I read about a Minnesota legislative proposal to bar citizens on public aid from having more than $20.00 cash in their pocket at any time! Continue reading “Is This The America That We Want?” →

Animals, International, Media

Rush Limbaugh and Some Other Heartless Americans Make Light of the Plight of Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Victims

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

In recent days, Rush Limbaugh was heard making fun of Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims living in a refugee camp on his radio program. Rush seemed to think it was funny that the refugees had already organized a recycling effort at the camp.

RUSH: Did I really hear this? Did I really hear — Diane Sawyer is in a refugee camp in Japan. Play this again. This is almost like a kindergarten teacher talking to the 4 year olds. That is how old you are in kindergarten, right? Five? Five? Four? All right. This is — some of these people here for days, and look, look, it’s recycling — organized for recycling.

You can read more excerpts from Rush’s disturbing conversation with a caller at the Media Matters post Limbaugh Laughs in the Face of Human Suffering.

Limbaugh wasn’t the only American who made inappropriate comments about the Japanese in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that have devastated the island nation of Japan.

Continue reading “Rush Limbaugh and Some Other Heartless Americans Make Light of the Plight of Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Victims” →

Academia

Northwestern Journalism Professor Pulled From Class

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Famed Northwestern University professor David Protess, whose class helped free more than 10 innocent men from prison, won’t be teaching the investigative journalism course in the upcoming quarter. Protess will continue to head the Medill Innocence Project, but any affiliation with the journalism course is unknown.

Cook County prosecutors had subpoenaed the notes and grades of the students in what appeared to be a case of prosecutorial intimidation.

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Constitutional Law

Student Arrested With 4th Amendment on Body Sues DHS and TSA

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Government photo of Aaron Tobey being held at Richmond International Airport on December 30

The Rutherford institute, on behalf of Aaron Tobey, has filed a civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Virginia. Aaron Tobey was arrested for disorderly conduct at Richmond International Airport (RIC) when he stripped down to his shorts exposing a portion of the Fourth Amendment written on his torso.

Aaron Tobey, an architecture student at the University of Cincinnati, was arrested and handcuffed after successfully passing through the security screening.

 

Continue reading “Student Arrested With 4th Amendment on Body Sues DHS and TSA” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Former High-Ranking Democratic Officials Charged With Wide Array of Fraudulent Election Documents

Two former high-ranking members of the Oakland County (Michigan) Democratic Party are facing election corruption charges in an alleged scheme to to trick Tea Party supporters to draw votes away from Republican candidates. Former Democratic Party Chairman Michael McGuinness and ex-operations director Jason Bauer were arraigned this week. The scheme described by prosecutors is quite bold . . . and reckless.

Continue reading “Former High-Ranking Democratic Officials Charged With Wide Array of Fraudulent Election Documents” →

Bizarre, Religion, Society

Pay and Pray: Pastor Accused of Withholding Communion After Parishioners Refuse To Hand Over Their Tax Refunds

Pastor John Goodman is accused of having a rather curious view of attending his flock: fleecing before ministering. Members of the Houston Unity Baptist Church have accused Goodman of refusing to give them communion after they declined to hand over their tax refund to the church.
Continue reading “Pay and Pray: Pastor Accused of Withholding Communion After Parishioners Refuse To Hand Over Their Tax Refunds” →

Society, Torts

Swill and Swim: Royal Caribbean Offers “All-You-Can-Drink” Package

We have often discussed dram shop actions and liability for “over-serving” patrons at bars and other businesses. Royal Caribbean appears willing to go where few other businesses are now willing to venture. The cruise line has introduced a new one-price, all-you-can-drink cruise package. I wonder how much legal analysis occurred before this floating dram shop case was launched.
Continue reading “Swill and Swim: Royal Caribbean Offers “All-You-Can-Drink” Package” →