Remember yesterday when I suggested donating to Common Cause RI so they could continue keeping an eye on our elected and non-elected officials? This is exactly what I was talking about! Katherine Gregg writes in today’s Providence Journal “Convention Center Authority bonuses questioned” that the CCA may have violated the Open Meetings Act. And I …
Convention Center Authority Awards Itself Bonuses Read More »
(10.30) Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, will speak Monday at Brown University. As U.S. Attorney, Bharara oversaw the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Southern District of New York. He supervised an office of more than …
Look at that face. Check out the new exhibit — “Protecting Providence: Three Centuries of Policing in Rhode Island’s Capital City” — Providence City Hall, second floor. Great old photos, documents, and artifacts like old handcuffs and billy clubs. Lots of fun gangster names and quirky stories (Lizzie Borden got arrested for stealing paintings from …
“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” So said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre today in a news conference, urging Congress to put an armed law enforcement agent in every American school. Put the pikes away people, let this idiot speak. In a …
Keep Talking Wayne, You’ve Really Gauged The Mood Of The Nation Read More »
I love this woman! According to the Marijuana Policy Project, Rhode Island State Representative and Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee, Edith Ajello, will re-introduce legislation for the regulation and taxation of marijuana at the next legislative session. On Election Day, voters in the states of Colorado and Washington approved ballot initiatives to remove criminal …
State Rep Edith Ajello To Proceed With Further Marijuana Reform Read More »
(11.8) In the course of their career, visual artists often confront a number of legal issues — and types of contracts — involving copyrights, trademarks, and the rights of privacy and publicity. Join Attorney David Spatt for a workshop focusing on these issues including a discussion of the various types of contracts you may use …
Specifically the Sixth Amendment, enacted way back in 1791 by those Founding Fathers you Republicans are always talking about. “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial . . . and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.” But Brendan Doherty continues with his odious …
Attention Doherty — It’s Called The Bill Of Rights Read More »
(10.3) Action Speaks kicks off its new season Wednesday. This year Action Speaks looks at moments when the rights of the individual have clashed with the needs or beliefs of the public and where the line between private and public has been defined or blurred. In its fall 2012 season, Action Speaks: Underappreciated Dates that …
Testimony in front of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in support of reforming our marijuana laws has concluded. There are actually two separate initiatives under consideration: decriminalization and legalization. Last week the house committee heard testimony on H7092 — the decriminalization bill introduced by Representative John G. Edwards (D-Portsmouth, Tiverton), which would make possession …
This Is The Year For Marijuana Reform In Rhode Island Read More »
Remember the lady who scalded herself you-know-where with a cup of McDonald’s coffee? Were you sympathetic to her complaint or was a lame joke immediately forthcoming? Yes, even some enlightened progressive thinkers (well, me) heard about this one and went “Oh come on!” But whose version of the facts were we responding to? Only McD’s …
Part one of “Prohibition” a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick premieres tonight, Sunday October 2nd, on PBS at 8pm (repeats at 10pm). Parts two and three air Monday and Tuesday nights. Without specifically mentioning our failed “war on drugs”, Burns suggests in a recent interview on The Colbert Report that viewers will note …
You’d think with someone named Weed at the helm . . . oh well, maybe next year. Big big thanks to Representative John Edwards (D-Tiverton) for sponsoring the ‘Marijuana Decriminalization’ bill which, despite having 40 cosponsors, apparently lost momentum in the final days/hours of this year’s sausage-making session of the General Assembly. (More on what …
The editorial board of the Providence Journal has come out in favor of bill H-5031/S-270 so that we may join the 14 other states that have eliminated jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana. (ProJo 6.23.11) . . . we strongly support a bill in the Rhode Island General Assembly sponsored by state …
Eleven years ago, my old-school editor Joe and I presented our hottest item to our production team: an “interactive edition” textbook that included a CD-ROM with both audio and video content. [To get what a big deal this was at the time, note that my cubicle was full of floppy disks containing backed-up files from …
Here’s a fantastic article and video about the White House honeybees. Yet a blurb last year about a White House bee swarm prompted one commenter to accuse Michelle Obama of breaking a D.C. ordinance stating that hives can’t be kept within 500 feet of a residence (although “enclosed properties” are exempt—does the White House fence …
[youtube]JCwlaLyjtcA[/youtube] The story of Betty Anne Waters, Roger Williams University School of Law ’98, just had to be a movie. Hilary Swank snagged the lead and heads an amazing cast in the upcoming movie ‘Conviction’. Ms. Waters is featured in the Summer 2010 Amicus, the magazine of the RWU School of Law. (The school is …