statism

NJ Supreme Court Says Judges Can’t Do Stand Up Comedy

"For the humorously challenged, exposing the funny takes several ingredients. First, you need to be in a position to observe everyday occurrences that can be mocked or exposed for ridicule. Then you need the ability to craft a joke about that topic. Finally, you need the ability to deliver that joke. Vince Sicari has those ingredients. He's also a part-time judge in New Jersey, which is the sort of thing I didn't know existed (part-time judges, not the great state of New Jersey). Unfortunately that apparently makes him the bane of the legal system, as the New Jersey Supreme Court has ordered him to step down from the bench if he continues working in comedy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNJ Supreme Court Says Judges Can’t Do Stand Up Comedy

Students Banned from Passing Out Constitutions on Constitution Day

"Modesto Junior College in California told a student that he could not pass out copies of the United States Constitution outside the student center on September 17, 2013—Constitution Day. Captured on video, college police and administrators demanded that Robert Van Tuinen stop passing out Constitution pamphlets and told him that he would only be allowed to pass them out in the college's tiny free speech zone, and only after scheduling it several days or weeks ahead of time." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingStudents Banned from Passing Out Constitutions on Constitution Day

Brazilian district bans sales of toy guns to ‘change the culture of violence’

"A Brazilian territory is believed to have become the first region in Latin America to ban the sale of toy guns as the country attempts to staunch an epidemic of firearm-related crime. The initiative to ban the sale and manufacture of toy guns was part of a government program to protect victims of violence. Children were asked to turn over their toy guns in exchange for a book. Local authorities set a four-month deadline and provided trade incentives to stores saddled with stocks of toy guns they can no longer sell. In 2005, the government of then president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) called a referendum to ban the sale of firearms nationwide, but 64 percent voted against." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBrazilian district bans sales of toy guns to ‘change the culture of violence’

Court rejects bid by Jehovah’s Witness to refuse blood transfusion

"The 17-year-old, who suffers from an aggressive cancer, lost his case against Sydney Children’s Hospital in March in which he had argued that treating him with blood products or a transfusion would breach his relationship with God. 'There is no doubting (the applicant’s) devotion to his faith, but his life has been cocooned in that faith,' Justice Ian Gzell said at the time. 'The sanctity of life in the end is a more powerful reason for me to make the orders than is respect for the dignity of the individual.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCourt rejects bid by Jehovah’s Witness to refuse blood transfusion

Pittsburgh Residents Being Fined For Parking In Their Own Driveway

"It sounds absurd: tickets and warning letters for parking in your own driveway. But Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Connor says it’s happened on two city streets – one in the West End and one in Squirrel Hill. A pregnant mother of seven who lives across the street is trying to follow the rule, but can’t get out of the driver’s side of her van anymore. She has to crawl out of the passenger’s side when she parks the vehicle between her home and her neighbor’s. O’Connor says the tickets and warning letters are issued by the Bureau of Building Inspection. KDKA was unable to reach anyone from that office Wednesday night. He says one family ended up paying a $2,400 fine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPittsburgh Residents Being Fined For Parking In Their Own Driveway

The Mindset of a Hero

"A local cop has cruised the parking lot of her place of employment, noted the 'Antique Vehicle' tags – and actually went in to the place to issue a 'friendly warning' (that is, a not-so-thinly-veiled threat) to the supervisor of my wife’s friend that it is a 'ticketable offense' to drive a vehicle with 'Antique' tags to work. Which is true – there is a 'law' to that effect. But it takes a real Inspector Javert type to worry about it. Much less to take action. I’m actually surprised this cop didn’t simply park his taxpayer-extorted free (for him) squad car, engine idling using gas he didn’t pay for, and wait as long as it took for the 'law breaker' to emerge, in order to confiscate some more of other-people’s money." Continue reading →

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Investigators say police charity hired felons to take credit card numbers

"Police Protective Fund raises millions of dollars each year in the name of fallen officers. On Tuesday, four men in charge of the charity’s telemarketing operations were arrested on charges of hiring felons to raise that money. All four are managers who oversee the charity’s phone rooms in the Tampa Bay area and in South Florida. Charity regulators with Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services descended on the boiler-room operations Tuesday afternoon and began running criminal background checks on each employee. Florida law bans charities and professional solicitors from knowingly employing telemarketers who have been convicted of fraud and other financial felonies." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInvestigators say police charity hired felons to take credit card numbers

Woman sues officers for seizing $31,000 cash from real estate sale

"The suit said Dutton was traveling from Azle to Amarillo to visit a friend when Fry pulled her over for a suspected speeding violation. Fry claimed he smelled marijuana in the vehicle and asked to search it, but Dutton refused. Dutton told the officers that the money they found inside the vehicle, still wrapped in bank wrappings, was the proceeds from a recent real estate transaction. Later, Jolly arrived with a drug dog that alerted on Fry’s vehicle and the officers seized more than $31,000 in cash from the pickup, the suit said. In January, District Attorney Luke Inman’s office refused to accept charges in the case." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWoman sues officers for seizing $31,000 cash from real estate sale

Idaho Falls Police Crash a Backyard Birthday Party

"Alissa’s husband Victor, a naturalized citizen from the Dominican Republic, expressed frustration about getting a citation for 'disturbing the peace.' Officer Clark Lund snottily replied: 'If you don’t like it, you know how to leave.' Seconds later, for no identifiable reason, Lund barged into the house, then tasered Victor and his brother, Delosanto after shoving a pregnant woman to the floor and threatening a young mother who was holding a baby. Another officer shoved a 79-year-old grandmother. Two officers responding to Lund’s call for aid invaded a neighbor’s home with guns drawn. At least 11 police cars arrived, closing down the entire block." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIdaho Falls Police Crash a Backyard Birthday Party

Family of man killed by Phoenix officer suing his former partner

"The family of a man shot and killed by a Phoenix police officer is suing the cop's former partner alleging he failed to stop the officer from using excessive force. During the trial, Chrisman's partner, Sergio Virgillo, testified for Rodriguez's family saying he saw no threat justifying the use of deadly force. But despite his testimony, Rodriguez's family is suing Virgillo. The suit claims, 'Officer Virgillo has an opportunity to intervene and stop Officer Chrisman from using excessive force against Daniel and failed to do so.' The family says Officer Virgillo knew that Chrisman was going to shoot Rodriguez sooner or later and he turned away to 'get out of the danger zone.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFamily of man killed by Phoenix officer suing his former partner