Morning Paper

Rappers Not Delightful, 50 Cent Sued For Gansta Life

  This one is a long time coming.  I'm surprised that it took this long for something like this to happen to the music industry, but mainly Rap. 

A 14 year-old boy has sued Universal Music Group and 50 cent for promoting a "gangsta lifestyle".  The boy is seeking damages from the rapper, the company and all of its labels because friends of 50 assaulted him.

James Rosemond says with his mother, that 50 and the labels endorse and promote violence which is why he was assaulted by 50's crew.

James was assaulted because he was wearing a T-Shirt that promoted an ex-member of 50's crew and blah, blah, blah.  If you break this down to its basic, this kid is suing because he knows he got beat up to put 50 and his crew back into the limelight so everyone can see he and his crew are still hard.

I have never been a big fan of rap.  But back when it was trying to say something, and or was about having a good time on a non violent non drug induced level, it was cool and had it's place.  But when it turned to kill, degrade women and all the rest, I checked out.  As a musician, I am completely amazed that it's still around, but I can see the writing on the wall finally.  And when record companies start getting sued by kids because grown men beat them up for wearing a T-Shirt, that turns into liability they don't want or need. 

At long last we are now marching toward the grave site with a headstone that reads "Gansta Rap, RIP"  The RIP part will be added as a touch irony.   

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New Bill Seeks To Hold Video Game Makers Liable For Violence

  The old "Guns don't kill, people who use them do" adage is turning up in new ways these days.  Like in the video game world.  Increasingly violent video games are roughing the feathers of many who see them as the cause of increasing violence in today's youth.  There is definitely proof of this.

But can you hold a company that created a game liable for an act of violence perpetrated by an individual that happens to own a violent game in their collection?  The Arizona state legislature is seeking to do just that.

"A bill currently under consideration in the Arizona state legislature would impose liability on persons who produce or distribute "dangerous or obscene" content (including audio, video, interactive media, and even written content) that is found to be the material cause of a terrorist act or felony. The broadly-worded proposal, which is touted by its supporters as a tool for financially punishing makers of violent rape films, is viewed with serious concern by movie producers and video game developers who fear that it will be abused." --- arstechnica

I don't believe this will ever pass, nor should it.  But on the other side of that fence, there is evidence that these games have some form of control over weak minded and or unsupervised kids.  Not to mention unstable adults.   

Every few weeks a new game enters the market with far more realistic violence than the weeks of games prior.   When you hear stories of a brother killing his brother because it was his turn, you have to stop and wonder if this stuff is going to far and contributing influence toward the increasing disregard for human life.

Gas tips to help you save a couple of bucks...every bit counts!!

Remember the good old days when gas was two dollars a gallon...oh I believe in yesterdays. With the oil companies charting record profits and no forseeable end in sight in gas increases, we must share whatever tips we can on saving money at the pump. And, I don't want to hear any blah blah about alternative fuel sources because WE ALL KNOW THAT ALREADY, but it is not as though some switch can be flipped to make the change, it will take time, research, and enough sabotage to make it work. What's interesting about the whole world wide gas increase is that it doesn't matter if you are Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, Scientologist, or Terrorist, we are all getting screwed! The following link should provide some common sense tips to help all of us, please utilize them. Read

Autism medical coverage is a must...Insurers have compassion, YEAH!!

Ryan Unumb a 7 year-old boy that like millions of others around the world, is normal, cute, and inquisitive youngster. However being diagnosed with Autism, the challenges of his young life may not seem apparent to him, but to his mom and dad, Lorri and Dan, it is all too real. Presently, most states don't have medical coverage for Autism, although it is slowly changing the financial burden for this semi-epidemic can be staggering. Dan and Lorri are lawyers that wrote a bill to change the law in South Carolina, and with the support of families and State Legislators, Ryan's Law will be in effect in July. "Ryan's Law mandates that insurance companies provide up to $50k a year for behavioral therapy up to the age of 16. It also prohibits insurers from refusing other medical care to children because of their Autism. It doesn't, however, apply to people or companies who are self-insured, such as the Unumbs." Read

Big Top slavery...Some people are truly sick!!

In Rome, Italy, two teenage Bulgarian sisters 19 and 16, that were employed by a circus in southern Italy were recently rescued by the police as they were forced to swim in a clear tank with piranhas and the other was forced into a container and was injured by snakes being thrown at her by co-workers. According to Yahoo, three Italians who managed the circus were arrested for having the sisters subjected to slavery conditions. This definitely not your father's Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus, the three that were arrested should be forced to swim naked with the piranhas, I bet they won't find it so damn funny.

Rattlesnake Vodka...going, going, gone!!

The reason why other countries and cultures absolutely despise us Americans is because of that indomitable entrepeneurial spirit that says "Freedom". Bob Popplewell is the largest exporter of live turtles to Asia, and with the success of that business, he next logical move would be to sell his baby rattlesnake vodka to them as well. To some Asian countries, rattlesnakes are considered an aphrodisiac, so to that ol' crazy Bob, 1+1 does equal 2. The unknown snag was that he doesn't have a liquor license, so the 411 ten inch bottles that were going to be sold for an affordable $23 were all confiscated by The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Is there a genuine market for baby rattlesnake bootleg shine? Because I gots a whole mess of baby snakes and vodka and no where ta goes. Bob, I can't knock your hustle, just keep it legal. Read

Sorry Nebraska, No Vonage Tax Collections For You

  In a rare moment that should be marked on everyones calendar just for the hell of it, Vonage stepped into a courtroom with legal briefs, and walked out victorious.

You may remember that the good state of Nebraska was trying to squeeze more tax money from the VoIP provider by trying to make Vonage pay into it's Universal Service Fund. 

This was another tax on top of all the taxes the company (any communications company) is already required to pay up.  But Vonage argued that they are not a telecommunications company (which is news to me) they are in fact a data service, therefore exempt from those fees.

A Federal Court agrees with Vonage and Vonage walks away with a rare court victory.

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Four of the five people should get the guillotine...Evil, certainly exists in this world!!

Stories, like the following, I get no pleasure out of reporting, but I realize that although it pains me and brings me to tears, our readers deserve to know it. I firmly believe that the greater amount of us on this planet, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation/or not, geographical location, or political beliefs, are working for/towards the greater good of society. However, when we are faced with such abject evil, my tolerance is zero, and my usual high level of compassion goes M.I.A. A pregnant, 29 year-old mentally challenged mother of a one year-old boy, Dorothy Dixon lived the last few months of her life in hell. The horror story centers around five people who physically and mentally abuse Ms. Dixon, but the ringleader, Michelle Riley, worked with the developmentally disabled, befriended and took in Ms. Dixon. Riley, who had suffered from years of drug abuse while raising her children, overcame tremendous odds only to become a manipulative monster with a sense of entitlement. Dixon was made to sleep on a thin mat in the basement of their home, having her Soc. Security checks taken from her by Riley while being beaten by the four accomplices. Although she was allowed out of the house, the neighbors didn't suspect any wrongdoing. Fast Forward, during the autopsy, x-rays showed 30 bb's lodged in her, deep tissue burns over 1/3 of her body, and she was severly dehydrated. It was not reported what abuse her son received, but when he was taken into State Custody, the one year-old was only fifteen pounds. My heart aches for the pain this infant/toddler must have endured to witness his mother being abused and the pain Dorothy endured to provide for her son. May each one of these souless beings face a punishment 100x worse than imaginable. Our condolences to the family and those who knew Dorothy Dixon. Read

Did Ohio Voters Break The Law?

  16,000 Republicans switched parties in Cuyahoga County says the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  That's just a small sampling of the voters who switched parties at the behest of their lord and king, Rush Limbaugh.   

In the weeks leading up to the Ohio and Texas primaries, Rush started a campaign to have Republicans vote for Hilary Clinton because he and most Americans believe that John McCain will have a much easier time beating her in the general election. 

Callers into their saviors show have been bragging about their votes and comentors across the internet have been doing so as well.  Of course this will fall on deaf ears of Clinton supporters and Republicans who really want to retain the White House.  But democrats should take a step back and remember for a moment.  RIP 2000/2004.  All that foul you were screaming then, is just as foul now.

However this time it's not just foul, it's illegal.  A new law punishable by 6 to 12 months in the poky and a $2,500 fine.   Ohio (my home state) revised its election code to include a falsification clause (Revised Code 3513.20).

But don't expect anything to come out of it.   I think its really interesting to consider the fact that a candidate for the US Presidency is being voted for because the opponents believe strongly and openly that one is easily beatable, and one isn't.

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With Eliot Spitzer on the Budweiser "Hot Seat", here comes Dave Paterson!!

With the N.Y.GOP basically telling ESpitz to "kick rocks" for his very public call girl scandal, embarrassing himself, his family, and constituents, his resignation should be imminent. With that being said, who is David Paterson? David Paterson is the Lt. Governor who is the first African-American and legally blind person to hold his position. He has optic atrophy, and is unable to see out of left eye and seriously limited vision in his right eye. History could be made very shortly, but I seriously hope that he doesn't have any career ending skeletons in his closet as well. Read