Animals, Justice, Politics, Things That Tick Me Off

Puppies vs Corporations

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

In just the latest example of corporations taking over the reins of government, the Missouri State Senate has decided that the voters of Missouri are stupid. Last fall, the voters approved a referendum that placed restrictions on the countless puppy mills in the state to ensure humane and healthy conditions were enforced by state regulators. Of course, the tea party lobbied against the passage of the referendum and since the Republicans gained a majority in the State Senate, a new bill was passed in the Missouri Senate to over ride the will of the people in the fall referendum and remove the safeguards that were approved directly by the voters! Continue reading “Puppies vs Corporations” →

Courts, International, Justice

Spanish Judges Rule That U.S. Torture Case Can Proceed

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

We have previously discussed the Obama administration’s attempt to derail a Spanish judicial investigation into torture, here. Spanish law recognizes the principle of universal jurisdiction. Universal jurisdiction (UJ) is a doctrine of international law that holds that certain crimes are so terrible that the duty to prosecute them transcends all borders.

Continue reading “Spanish Judges Rule That U.S. Torture Case Can Proceed” →

Congress, Politics

The Koch Energy and Commerce Committee

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

The Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee is paying off a debt. The debt is financial and campaign support from some of the nation’s worst polluters. The payoff is the “Energy Tax Prevention Act“, which, with an audacity that only Republicans seem to pull off, simply and blatantly redefines what constitutes an “air pollutant.”

Continue reading “The Koch Energy and Commerce Committee” →

Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Media, Society

In One Texas Town, There is No Such Thing as Rape!

Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

 

I actually thought that I had misread the article when I first read it.  It described the horrific gang rape of an 11-year-old in the Texas town of Cleveland.  Eighteen young men and teenagers have been charged with the rape that is alleged to have started in a house and eventually moved to a deserted trailer nearby.  I am sure that this kind of vicious crime occurs all too often in our country, but there is one thing that makes this crime a little different.  Many of the townspeople are blaming the eleven year old girl for her own gang rape! Continue reading “In One Texas Town, There is No Such Thing as Rape!” →

Politics

On Scott Walker, Wisconsin, and the Budget Repair Bill: Is the Story Over Yet?

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

I have already written three posts about Governor Scott Walker, his budget repair bill, and the protesters in Wisconsin. People have been interested in the Wisconsin story and have left nearly 1,800 comments at my three posts. I’ve even received requests to write up another post so that we could continue the discussion on the subject. I think there are others like me who believe the Wisconsin/Walker story is not over yet.

Continue reading “On Scott Walker, Wisconsin, and the Budget Repair Bill: Is the Story Over Yet?” →

Supreme Court

Talley v. California (1960) and Anonymous Blogging

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Thanks to the internet, free speech has never been more in evidence. Blogs and their comments sections enable anyone with internet access to speak their mind. The anonymity provided by the IP address encourages people to write what they think. The Supreme Court held that the First Amendment protects the right to speak anonymously in a case that bears the name of Manuel Tulley, who founded the Los Angeles chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality.

Continue reading “Talley v. California (1960) and Anonymous Blogging” →

Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, Justice

When Judges Become Linebackers

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Poster’s Note: Today’s  will be my last set of posts for a couple of weeks. Suzanne and I will be traveling to her family’s homeland for a pint and song or two. I’ll try to send JT a picture from Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day. Erin Go Braugh !

America's Version of a Football Judge, Hon. David Doty, Embroiled in His Own Contest

The usual skills of judgeship like prudence, patience, neutrality, and gravitas pale sometimes to good tackling form. His honor Judge Marks Moore,60, learned that fact the hard way immediately following a jury trial in his London courtroom.

Continue reading “When Judges Become Linebackers” →

Politics

Hey! Who Stole My Democracy?…or What’s Going on in the State of Michigan?

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

Warning: You are about to enter the Twilight Zone.

Imagine, if you will, that you live in a state where a governor wields extraordinary power over its residents. Imagine, if you will, that your governor has the legal authority to appoint an “Emergency Manager” to oversee the local government in the town where you reside. Imagine that the monetary compensation for the Emergency Manager of your community has no cap. Imagine that your Emergency Manager declares that there’s a financial emergency in your town and then takes over control of it. Imagine that the Emergency Manager can break contracts, seize and sell assets, eliminate services—and can also fire duly elected public officials who serve your community. Imagine, if you will, that the Emergency Manager empowered by your governor to run your town has the right to dissolve your school district and to disincorporate your town. AND imagine that you and your fellow residents have no say about what is going on! Just imagine how you might feel if you lived in a state where that kind of thing was going on. Well, the people who live in Michigan may not have to imagine much longer.

Continue reading “Hey! Who Stole My Democracy?…or What’s Going on in the State of Michigan?” →

Bizarre, Torts

More Heat Than Light: Sheen Files Against Warner Brothers and Lorre

I just read the filing by Marty Singer and I was a bit surprised by the language of the filing against Chuck Lorre and Warner Brothers. The complaint is below. In contains such lines as “Chuck Lorre, one of the richest men in television who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, believes himself to be so wealthy and powerful that he can unilaterally decide to take money away from the dedicated cast and crew of the popular television series, ‘Two and a Half Men,’ in order to serve his own ego and self-interest, and make the star of the Series the scapegoat for Lorre’s own conduct.”
Continue reading “More Heat Than Light: Sheen Files Against Warner Brothers and Lorre” →

Criminal law, Politics, Society, Torts

Hockey Injury in Canadians-Bruins Game Raises Calls For Criminal or Disciplinary Action Against Bruin Zdeno Chara

Canadians are debating where to draw the line between rough sports and criminal conduct after Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty (left) was hospitalized due to a bodycheck by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (right).
Continue reading “Hockey Injury in Canadians-Bruins Game Raises Calls For Criminal or Disciplinary Action Against Bruin Zdeno Chara” →

Academia, Bizarre

GW Professor Gets Thrown Out of Colonial Game and Becomes Internet Sensation

A George Washington Accounting professor went to the game this week between our Colonials and Dayton to be honored for his financial contributions to the athletic department. He ended up becoming a virtual campus icon — honored for his confrontation with a referee in defense of the Colonials in a video (below) that has gone viral.

Continue reading “GW Professor Gets Thrown Out of Colonial Game and Becomes Internet Sensation” →