U.S. Magistrate Judge Andr M. Espinosa told interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba that her office must "operate with a higher standard," as he criticized the "hasty arrest" and quick dismissal of a trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. read more
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) announced Monday a new federal lawsuit challenging Connecticut's state law that prohibits adults under the age of 21 from purchasing, owning, or carrying handguns. read more
Christian Paz: Voters are souring on Trump -- but that doesn't mean they're turning back to the party. read more
Immigration authorities appear to have begun deporting migrants from Myanmar and Vietnam to South Sudan despite a court order on removals to third countries, attorneys for the migrants said Tuesday. read more
China has long sought to intimidate Taiwan with its massive navy, air force and the world's largest standing army, but it's mere dinghies that are now causing the most consternation. read more
Workers barely benefited from Trump's sweeping tax cut, investigation shows (2019)
www.theguardian.com
... Big companies drove Donald Trump's tax cut law but refused to commit to any specific wage hikes for workers, despite repeated White House promises it would help employees, an investigation shows.
The 2017 Tax and Jobs Act -- the Trump administration's one major piece of enacted legislation -- did deliver the biggest corporate tax cut in US history, but ultimately workers benefited almost not at all.
This is one of the conclusions of a six-month investigation into the process that led to the tax cut by the Center for Public Integrity, a not-for-profit news agency based in Washington DC.
The full findings, based on interviews with three dozen key players and independent tax experts, and analysis of hundreds of pages of government documents, are published today in an in-depth piece. ...
@#7 ... What is Israeli's destination? ...
Along that line of questioning ...
Goals of Israel's renewed Gaza offensive are unclear, even to Israelis
www.csmonitor.com
... With Israel embarking, again, on a major offensive in Gaza to achieve "total victory" over Hamas and secure the return of the remaining Israeli hostages, the operation's true aims are regarded as a mystery even as opposition to the war builds.
Even within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fractured and squabbling ruling coalition, it is unclear if the assault is focused on territorial conquest or on pressuring Hamas to capitulate in negotiations seeking to halt or possibly end the war. ....
Reminds me of ...
The New Colossus
en.wikipedia.org
... "The New Colossus" is a sonnet by American poet Emma Lazarus (1849 -- 1887). She wrote the poem in 1883 to raise money for the construction of a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World).[2] In 1903, the poem was cast onto a bronze plaque and mounted inside the pedestal's lower level. ...
Text
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"[12]
And I do note that the donation of the Statue of Liberty by France to the American people was approved by Congress, as the Constitution says such donations should be approved.
There's this ...
US must keep control of migrants sent to South Sudan in case removals were unlawful, judge rules
apnews.com
... A federal judge ruled late Tuesday that U.S. officials must retain custody and control of migrants apparently removed to South Sudan in case he orders their removals were unlawful.
U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Massachusetts issued the ruling after an emergency hearing, after attorneys for immigrants said the Trump administration appears to have begun deporting people from Myanmar and Vietnam to South Sudan -- despite a court order restricting removals to other countries.
Murphy said the government must "maintain custody and control of class members currently being removed to South Sudan or to any other third country, to ensure the practical feasibility of return if the Court finds that such removals were unlawful." ...
@#18 ... Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would hold a lead over Senator Chuck Schumer if she challenged him ahead of his next election, according to a poll released Friday.
Wow.
Found this ...
AOC's Chances of Beating Chuck Schumer in New York
www.newsweek.com
Yeah, the Democrats need to take a step back and evaluate their strategy for 2026.
On the other hand, there's this ...
Wow, fun tune ...
BR5-49 -- Me "N" Opie (Down By The Duck Pond)
www.youtube.com
Wow, genius.com has the lyrics. Color me surprised ....
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
[Spoken Intro]
Well, it looks like it's twelve-midnight, ladies and gentlemen. Is that right? Y'all know what that means: it's time to tell you the true story, all about the lost episode of The Andy Griffith Show.
It's a particularly heinous story about drug abuse and sexual deviance. Looks like it's right up your alley.
[Chorus]
Don't tell Andy, don't tell Aunt Bee
They will come a-lookin' for Opie and me
Tell 'em we're dead or tell 'em we're gone
Me and Opie down by the duck pond
[Verse 1]
I went [?] some homegrown [?]
Me up the side the head, I never felt that way
Aunt Bee said we'd be in dutch
If the sheriff ever caught us smokin' that stuff
...
[Verse 2]
I heard a little holler down in the woods
Sounded like someone saying, 'Mm mm good!"
I move a little closer, sneaking just like a squirrel
Otis was slurpin' up his favorite girl
...
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