Jul 28, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 28, 2014 | 0 comments
On Saturday, a District Court for Washington DC handed down its decision in a case called “Palmer v. D.C.”
The opinion invalidated as unConstitutional laws having the effect of banning the carrying handguns in the District of Columbia.
From the decision:
D.C. Code § 7-2502.01(a) provides that “no persons or organization in the District shall possess or control
any firearm, unless the persons or organization holds a valid registration certificate for the firearm.”
D.C. Code § 7-2502.02(a)(4) provides that individuals who are not retired police officers may only register a handgun “for use in self-defense within that person’s home.”
…..
Defendants require gun registration applicants to submit “[p]roof of residency in the District of Columbia (e.g., a valid DC operator’s permit, DC vehicle registration card, lease agreement for a residence in the District, the deed to your home or other legal document showing DC residency.”
A first violation of the District of Columbia’s ban on the ownership or possession of unregistered handguns is punishable as a misdemeanor by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. See D. C. Code § 7-2507.06. D.C. Code § 22-4504(a) provides that “[n]o person shall carry within the District of Columbia either openly or concealed on or about their person, a pistol, without a license issued pursuant to District of Columbia law, or any deadly or dangerous weapon capable of being so concealed.” The first violation of this section by a non-felon is punishable by a fine up to $5,000
and imprisonment of up to five years.
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Jul 27, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 27, 2014 | 0 comments
One of the cites we like to visit is called “Clients from Hell.” There, you can find all sorts of interesting stories in dealing with clients in the graphics world. As a friend of ours says “it is about as real life as it can get.”
One of the stories caught our eye was this one:
So last week I tried using a language analogy for a client’s project. The project manager said the project was straight HTML/CSS when in fact it was C++.
To help him understand the problem I used this analogy: “Let’s say you’re asking me to write something in a specific language, I am fluent in English and Spanish. Meanwhile, your project is in Chinese. Since I don’t know Chinese and it is not remotely similar to any of the languages I know, I am not your best option for this project. You need someone who is fluent in this specific language for the project to be successful and stay on budget.”
He said he understood and thanked me for my time.
This morning I received an IM from another developer asking: “Why is ‘so and so’ asking us if we are fluent in Chinese?”
We’re still laughing at that one.
Jul 26, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 26, 2014 | 0 comments
Once again we feature one of our favorite political cartoonists, A. F. Branco.
(courtesy A. F. Branco at Comically Incorrect.)
Jul 25, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 25, 2014 | 0 comments
Allow us to introduce you to Nigel Sykes, seen in the image to the left.
In 2010, after being linked to crimes against eight other establishments, Sykes decided he would rob Seasons Pizza in Newport, Delaware.
The then 19 year old Sykes walked into the pizza store with a gun and robbed a delivery man of $140 but before he could leave with his ill gotten booty, Sykes was grabbed from behind by another employee and wrestled to the ground. Additional employees fought Sykes to subdue him. During the struggle, the gun which Sykes brought into the pizzeria went off, narrowly missing an employee.
The police were called and Sykes was arrested. At trial, Sykes pled guilty to the robbery.
With nothing else to do while in jail, Sykes decided to sue Seasons Pizza, the employees and the police. What is amazing is that a judge is allowing portions of the lawsuit to go forward:
Sykes alleges assault in a federal civil complaint claiming the rough treatment was “unnecessary” and that as a result of the injuries he suffered during his attempted hold-up, he is due over $260,000.
Sykes also claims in his suit, filed without an attorney, that after employees subdued him, two Newport police officers improperly used stun guns on him and denied him access to medical attention.
Normally lawsuits like this are tossed out after a brief review by the court. And while U.S. District Judge Sue L. Robinson tossed out several of Sykes’ claims, she allowed the case to move forward against the pizza employees, two arresting officers and Seasons.
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Jul 24, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 24, 2014 | 0 comments
An interesting video from the folks at the Prager University.
The U.S. government has spent trillions of dollars in recent decades attempting to combat poverty, yet the poverty rate has remained virtually unmoved. Why? As social economist Michael Tanner explains, the “War on Poverty” has both discouraged work and ensnared people in hardship. The “War on Poverty,” it turns out, is actually a “War on Work.” In five minutes, learn the truth about government’s counterproductive efforts to eliminate poverty.
Jul 23, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 23, 2014 | 0 comments
A group called “The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership” has launched a program to plant one tree for each fallen soldier from the Civil War along the byways of what they consider some of the richest historical sites in America.
The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is a non-profit, four-state partnership dedicated to raising awareness of the unparalleled American heritage in the region running from Gettysburg, PA., through Maryland and Harpers Ferry, W.VA., to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, VA. With more history than any other region in the nation, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground was
recognized by Congress as a National Heritage Area and offers authentic heritage tourism programs and award-winning educational programs for students of all ages.
The group plans on planting 625,000 trees – one for every solider who died in the Civil War. The group is asking for donations of $100 per tree and hopes to have mature trees planted by the bicentennial of the Civil War.
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Jul 23, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 23, 2014 | 0 comments
Danusha V. Goska was born to Eastern European, peasant immigrants in New Jersey. She has lived in remote villages and large cities in Africa, Asia, Europe, on both coasts, and in the heartland, of America. She has traveled extensively, often alone, by hitchhiking. She has been published by Basic Books, Oxford University Press, TheScreamOnline, and Beliefnet. Her writing has won the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant, the PAHA Halecki Award, and others. Professional critics have called her work “inspirational,” “important,” “courageous,” and
“groundbreaking.” Goska holds an MA from UC Berkeley, and a PhD from Indiana University Bloomington. She teaches at WPUNJ.
Goska was an avowed leftist.
How avowed?
She writes:
How far left was I? So far left my beloved uncle was a card-carrying member of the Communist Party in a Communist country. When I returned to his Slovak village to buy him a mass card, the priest refused to sell me one. So far left that a self-identified terrorist proposed marriage to me. So far left I was a two-time Peace Corps volunteer and I have a degree from UC Berkeley. So far left that my Teamster mother used to tell anyone who would listen that she voted for Gus Hall, Communist Party chairman, for president. I wore a button saying “Eat the Rich.” To me it wasn’t a metaphor.
Over on the American Thinker website, Goska has an interesting article entitled “Ten Reasons Why I Am No Longer a Leftist.”
We have seen a lot of these types of articles before and have always found them to be a little “over the top” in tone. Many of the articles we have read almost have a smugness to them of “I was a leftist and then I saw the light and am now much smarter than the universe!”
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Jul 22, 2014
Posted by AAfterwit on Jul 22, 2014 | 0 comments
FedEx has been indicted by a grand jury for failing to examine the contents of some of the packages it ships.
Specifically, the Federal government claims that FedEx was shipping from illegal pharmaceutical companies to customers in the US.
The operator of the world’s largest cargo airline was charged by the U.S. with 15 counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and misbranded drugs and drug trafficking that carry a potential fine of twice the gains from the conduct, alleged to be at least $820 million for it and co-conspirators. The company, while denying the allegations, said today in a regulatory filing that conviction could be “material.”
The indictment claims that FedEx knew, or should have known, that some of the packages it was delivering contained illegal substances or drugs.
The problem is that FedEx is not a law enforcement agency. It’s company model is to deliver packages from point “A” to point “B.”
UPS paid a $40 million dollar fine for the same offense last year.
UPS put out a statement that doesn’t sound even remotely forced upon it by DOJ people holding guns.
“We believe we have an obligation and responsibility to help curb the sale and shipment of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies,” said Susan Rosenberg, a UPS spokeswoman.
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