n2doc

n2doc's Journal

September 10, 2016

Weekend toon Roundup 2: The Rest

CONgress

Health

Wells Fargo

Lawsuits

Climate

iPhone

September 10, 2016

Weekend Toon Roundup 1: Leader of the Deplorables

September 9, 2016

The Washington Post Just Declared War on The New York Times

by CHARLES P. PIERCE
SEP 9, 2016

I don't think it is vastly overstating the case to say that, on the matter of whatever-the-hell-else is going on with Hillary Rodham Clinton's e-mails, The Washington Post just declared war on The New York Times.

In fact, Ms. Clinton's emails have endured much more scrutiny than an ordinary person's would have, and the criminal case against her was so thin that charging her would have been to treat her very differently. Ironically, even as the email issue consumed so much precious airtime, several pieces of news reported Wednesday should have taken some steam out of the story. First is a memo FBI Director James B. Comey sent to his staff explaining that the decision not to recommend charging Ms. Clinton was "not a cliff-hanger" and that people "chest-beating" and second-guessing the FBI do not know what they are talking about. Anyone who claims that Ms. Clinton should be in prison accuses, without evidence, the FBI of corruption or flagrant incompetence.

(And I hope that it escaped nobody's notice that this volley from the south coincided with another over-hyped NYT nothingburger in which various anonymous Chaffet…er…sources repeated something we'd already known for weeks. This is getting embarrassing.)

And I don't think it's speculating wildly to assume that the Post's expression of exasperation might have originated with a certain unassuming, never-would-know-he's-in-the-room hardass to whom shoddy journalism is a personal affront.

This should be great fun the rest of the way.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a48468/washington-post-nytimes-clinton-email/

September 9, 2016

At UW-Madison, Sonia Sotomayor speaks to need for greater equity in justice system

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was warm and funny, but principled and passionate, too, in a 90-minute informal talk Thursday with an audience made up largely of law students and members of the local legal community at the Wisconsin Union Theater.

In a discussion that was part memoir, part primer on the U.S. justice system, and a call for equity in access to justice throughout, Sotomayor answered questions posed by two of her former law clerks for the Robert W. Kastenmeier Lecture, presented annually by the University of Wisconsin Law School.

The first Latina and the third woman to be named to the court, Sotomayor said it is not so much gender or ethnicity that shapes how she comes to the issues, but life experience.

“Sonia is not just a Latina, not just a woman,” she said, but also someone who went to Catholic school, worked as prosecutor in New York City, practiced commercial law and served on the federal district and circuit court benches.

more
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/university/at-uw-madison-sonia-sotomayor-speaks-to-need-for-greater/article_d28fe817-c526-5c6c-bced-65a32c22a165.html

September 9, 2016

Wisconsin will pay Planned Parenthood lawyers $1.6 million after admitting privileges lawsuit

The state of Wisconsin will pay three organizations, including Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, $1.6 million in legal fees for a lawsuit over the state's admitting privileges law.

Last month, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services wrote in court filings that their legal bills totaled $1.8 million. The state Department of Justice said at the time it would likely challenge the request to ensure it didn't overpay.

“Gov. (Scott) Walker’s unconstitutional abortion restrictions have proven to be an expensive bill for the taxpayers of Wisconsin," said Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin president and CEO Teri Huyck. "Funds that would be better spent ensuring that women in Wisconsin had access to basic birth control and preventive health care are instead being wasted on unconstitutional restrictions aimed at blocking access to abortion in our state."

more
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/election-matters/wisconsin-will-pay-planned-parenthood-lawyers-million-after-admitting-privileges/article_1354281d-a462-5f79-b06a-8797e1765c4a.html

September 9, 2016

Friday TOON Roundup 2 - The Rest

Ailes

Aleppo

Fanatic

Lauer

Zika

Climate

iphone

Protest

Rip

September 9, 2016

Friday TOON Roundup 1 - Straight from the Sphincter

September 8, 2016

Hawaiian seafood caught by foreign crews confined on boats

By MARTHA MENDOZA and MARGIE MASON

HONOLULU (AP) — Pier 17 doesn't even show up on most Honolulu maps. Cars whiz past it on their way to Waikiki's famous white sand beaches. Yet few locals, let alone passing tourists, are aware that just behind a guarded gate, another world exists: foreign fishermen confined to American boats for years at a time.

Hundreds of undocumented men are employed in this unique U.S. fishing fleet, due to a federal loophole that allows them to work but exempts them from most basic labor protections. Many come from impoverished Southeast Asian and Pacific nations to take the dangerous jobs, which can pay as little as 70 cents an hour.

With no legal standing on U.S. soil, the men are at the mercy of their American captains on American-flagged, American-owned vessels, catching prized swordfish and ahi tuna. Since they don't have visas, they are not allowed to set foot on shore. The entire system, which contradicts other state and federal laws, operates with the blessing of high-ranking U.S. lawmakers and officials, an Associated Press investigation found.

The fleet of around 140 boats docks about once every three weeks, occasionally at ports along the West Coast, including Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, but mainly at Piers 17 and 38 in Honolulu. Their catch ends up at restaurants and premium seafood counters across the country, from Whole Foods to Costco, and is touted by celebrity chefs such as Roy Yamaguchi and Masaharu Morimoto.

more
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/39ae05f117c64a929f0f8fab091c4ee1/hawaiian-seafood-caught-foreign-crews-confined-boats

September 8, 2016