I guess I ate too much too soon yesterday, because by noon, I was urping again. I’m current with replies and am shooting for tomorrow.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:47 (average 4:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: A growing number of shooting enthusiasts are creating legal trusts to acquire machine guns, silencers or other items whose sale is restricted by federal law — a mechanism that bypasses the need to obtain law enforcement approval or even undergo criminal background checks.
The trusts, called gun trusts, are intended to allow the owners of the firearms to share them legally with family members and to pass them down responsibly. They have gained in popularity, gun owners say, in part because they may offer protection from future legislation intended to prohibit the possession or sale of the firearms.
But because of a loophole in federal regulations, buying restricted firearms through a trust also exempts the trust’s members from requirements that apply to individual buyers, including being fingerprinted, obtaining the approval of a chief local law enforcement officer and undergoing a background check.
Unless you realize that a number of these so-called "shooting enthusiasts" are NRA Republicans bent on committing TEAbuggery, see me about the ski resort I have for sale in the Central Kansas Alps.
From Houston Chronicle: Two U.S. Supreme Court justices – Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer – took the rare step of admonishing a federal prosecutor from Texas on Monday after reading a racially inflammatory statement he made while questioning a defendant in a drug case.
Sam Ponder, an assistant U.S. attorney working in San Antonio office of the Western Texas district court, invoked race and ethnicity at a 2011 trial.
"You’ve got African-Americans, you’ve got Hispanics, you’ve got a bag full of money. Does that tell you – a light bulb doesn’t go off in your head and say, ‘This is a drug deal?’ " Ponder asked during cross-examination.
I’m assuming that the Fascist Five had no problem with this, because only these two signed onto the separate concurring opinion.
From AOL: In theory it should be possible to be both a loyal employee and a responsible person at the same time. So when bartender Twyla DeVito last week noticed one of the regular customers at the American Legion Post in Shelby, Ohio, enter the bar in a heavily intoxicated state, she felt that it was her duty to alert local police when the patron hit the road. Her reward? She got fired, she says.
Is it any surprise that the Legion gives 86% of their political donations to Republicans?
Cartoon: 
Even misogyny is bigger in Texas! 😉
18 Responses to “Open Thread–2/26/2013”
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3:44 My powder is wet so I ain't firing! Obviously TC, you're firing on all cylinders!
3:32 Well, TomCat, you sure blew me out of the water on this one.
3:13 TC is definitely TopCat when it comes to cannons!
It was one of those rare days when I could see where almost everything when, and when I diud guess, I was lucky.
Well, to be fair it's extremely rare to have any written opinions on a simple denial of Writ of Certiori – and it should be noted that other than Justice Breyer, neither of the other two liberal justices joined.
(You can read Justice Sotomayor's opinion here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-6142_2co3.pdf )
That said, what is disturbing (beside Ponder's racist remarks) is that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals did not go further than calling his comments "impolitic".
The good news is that his conduct was referred to the Office of Professional Responsibility at the Justice Department – but it's not clear what action (if any) was taken.
Thanks, Nameless. I agree, but the 5th is pretty conservative.
I now regret that I am a paid up for life member… sigh
Thanks Richard. I would too.
It looks like Trusts, just like Corporations, are just another way to get around laws that govern us normal mortals. Pretty soon republicans will be saying, "Trusts are people, my friends!"
What an excellent point Jerry. I think you are prophetic.
Puzzle — 3:44 My powder is wet so I ain't firing! Obviously TC, you're firing on all cylinders!
NY Times — Now this is a "loophole" that MUST be closed! Why was the US so concerned about WMD in Iraq when they have their own WMDs called the NRA and an over armed citizenry right at home? The more I hear, the angrier I get!
I didn't know you had a ski resort in the Central Kansas Alps!
Houston Chronicle — Poor choice of words, and even poorer if he believes them. There is no room in the law for such racist remarks.
AOL — I applaudher action. The Legion was wrong to fire her. She was looking out for the welfare of a patron as well as anyone else on the road that might have been injured or killed. Here in BC, if you are the host of a party and someone leaves drunk and has an accident while driving drunk, the host can be held accountable. Or if an establishment serves too much liquor to a patron when it is clear they are intoxicated, the establishment can be fined. Imho, the employee did the right thing and the Legion is wrong.
Cartoon — I remember there was a hullabaloo but I can't remember the details. Tried googling but didn't come up with anything.
See above.
Isn't that the truth!
Amen.
Agree.
There was an outbreak about it, and she made a joke about it. The joke brought national attention. Prices fell. Texans sued.
15 or more minutes… Fun though…
Keep Trying!
Enjoyed all of the above. I am sorry you are still sick. Hang in there!
Thanks Edie!
TC, are you sure you don't have a big old fur ball stuck somewhere?
Could be!