#US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

[craigsumter-justice]

This will be used to improve the quality of my blog and the discovery process.

[quordleona03]

"Janet Wilkerson had a problem. As vice president of human resources for Peterson Farms Inc., she was having trouble filling the overnight shift at her chicken processing plants. The hours were long. The pay was low. And there never seemed to be enough workers."

"It was a slave camp."

“We felt like nobody had ever listened to us,” said one of the plaintiffs, Lucas Miller-Allen, when reached by phone today. “When all of our drug courts send us there, it’s like you don’t exist. It feels like you’re forgotten, like you’re thrown away. Like slavery. You’re dreading waking up each day, working for free, for nothing.”

But Janet Wilkerson was having trouble filling work shifts at her chicken processing planet, and she doesn't now. Judges in Oklahoma are still sending her men to work for free. The "rehab program" keeps their wages and workers-comp for injuries on the job.

The above stories are from 2017. OPINION AND ORDER by Judge Terence Kern ; dismissing/terminating case ; granting (Document 131) Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma / Copeland eta v. C.A.A.I.R et al

This is from 2022:

CAAIR, as it is commonly known, began more than a decade ago sending residents to work at Simmons Foods Inc., a processing giant that Walker touts as a principal partner and supplier to his distributorship, Renaissance Man Food Services. State judges assigned convicted offenders to CAAIR, giving them a choice between the residential program and its requirements or serving time in conventional jails or prisons. Simmons would then contract with CAAIR for labor at its plants; CAAIR program participants were not paid.

Herschel Walker, who was Donald Trump's preferred Republican candidate for the 2022 US Senate election in Georgia, appears to be one of those "Christian businessmen" who profits from the free labor provided by CAAIR.

[mightyflamethrower]

BREAKING: Professor and Election Expert J. Halderman Hacks into Dominion Voting Machine in Court on Friday in Georgia in front of Judge Totenberg USING ONLY A PEN TO CHANGE VOTE TOTALS

Hackers have their own websites where they share data on how to breach different systems. If your software has been hacked all the hackers know how to do it.

[rebeleden]

United States v. Tokars, 839 F. Supp. 1578 (N.D. Ga. 1993) :: Justia

[ejesgistnews]

The United States government has escalated its legal action against Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, CEO of Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, by seeking the forfeiture of assets valued at approximately $14 million. This follows an amended indictment submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, accusing Onyema and his associate, Ejiroghene Eghagha, of a range of financial crimes including bank fraud, credit application fraud, and money laundering. Allen Onyema, Air Peace CEO, Faces New US Money Laundering Charges The charges focus on a series of fraudulent financial transactions made between 2016 and 2018. Prosecutors allege that Onyema and Eghagha used false export letters of credit to illegally transfer over $20 million into U.S. bank accounts, ostensibly for the purchase of five Boeing 737 aircraft. The indictment claims that the company used for these transactions, Springfield Aviation, had no legitimate involvement in aviation. Tinubu Hasn't Challenged US Court Order, Forfeiture Of $460,000 From Drug Trafficking In Any Court Till Date ; Peter Obi Tells Tribunal According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the funds were transferred into accounts at JP Morgan Chase Bank and the Bank of Montreal, linked to Springfield Aviation and Blue Stream Aero Services Inc. The government is now seeking to recover $4.02 million from a JP Morgan Chase account and a further $9.97 million from Bank of Montreal accounts. Should these specific assets be unreachable, the U.S. authorities are prepared to seize alternative assets owned by the defendants that are equivalent in value. Additionally, the indictment accuses Onyema and Eghagha of attempting to obstruct the federal investigation by submitting falsified documents to U.S. authorities. In one instance, they allegedly directed a manager at Springfield Aviation to backdate a contract to mislead investigators and unfreeze the associated accounts. You lack jurisdiction to enforce US Court order of $460,000 forfeiture against me — Tinubu Tells Tribunal In response, Air Peace has maintained that its executives are innocent of all charges, emphasizing that the airline's operations remain unaffected by the ongoing legal battle. The airline insists that Onyema and Eghagha are entitled to due process and should be presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Ryan K. Buchanan, is leading the prosecution, supported by federal prosecutors Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber. Buchanan highlighted that the charges underscore the seriousness of using fraudulent schemes to manipulate the U.S. financial system. He also noted the importance of holding individuals accountable for obstructing justice and engaging in financial misconduct on an international scale. While this case continues to unfold, the outcome will likely have significant implications for Onyema, Air Peace, and the broader Nigerian business community. The legal proceedings mark a high-profile international case in which a major African business leader faces substantial criminal charges in the United States. As the trial progresses, the focus will be on whether the U.S. government can substantiate its claims beyond a reasonable doubt, determining the future of Onyema’s assets and potential legal consequences. Popular Investigative Journalist Reveals Why He Rejected ₦800,000 Bribe to Blackmail Dangote Refinery Sources: U.S. District Court filings for the Northern District of Georgia Department of Justice statements

[internetcompanynews]

More Political and Physical Attacks on Libraries - Notice Global Web - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/more-political-and-physical-attacks-on-libraries/?feed_id=153162&_unique_id=66add6a01675e Katie’s parents never told her “no” when she asked for a book, which was the start of most of her problems. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Lake Forest College and is working towards a master’s degree in library science at U of I. She works full time at a public library reference desk in northern IL, specializing in readers’ advisory and general book enthusiasm, and she has a deep-rooted love of all things disturbing, twisted, and terrifying. (She takes enormous pleasure in creeping out her coworkers.) When she’s not spending every waking hour at the library, she’s at home watching Cubs baseball with her cats and her cardigan collection, and when she’s not at home, she’s spending too much money on concert tickets. Her hobbies include debating the finer points of Harry Potter canon, hitting people upside the head who haven’t read The Martian, and convincing her boyfriend that she can, in fact, fit more books onto her shelves.Tessa Thompson is starring in and executive producing an adaptation of His & Hers by Alice Feeney.Sony has acquired two of Liz Moore’s novels for adaptation.Updates on Amazon’s series adaptation of Fourth Wing.An update on Bridgerton, Season 4. The Court of Thorns and Roses TV series faces another setback as the showrunner exits the production.Trailer for Season 2 of Pachinko.24 new and upcoming book adaptations in 2024. Google News Censorship NewsThe ongoing censorship of high school AP courses. From NPR’s Code Switch podcast: “Not a badge of honor:” How book bans affect Indigenous literature. From the US Department of Education: Book bans aren’t just bad policy — they raise civil rights issues as well. EveryLibrary released a statement about Project 2025 and how it would affect libraries.More states are passing book banning rules. Here’s what they say. Lake Travis ISD (TX) adopted a (flawed) new book challenge policy.The Selby Public Library (FL) had to evacuate after a man came into the library and made a bomb threat.The Nassau County School District (FL) is claiming in a lawsuit that the school’s decision to ban books constitutes government speech, which is not protected by the First Amendment.Pinellas County School Board (FL) candidate Danielle Marolf is going around complaining that Gender Queer in the school libraries. Except…it isn’t! The superintendent banned the book in 2021! The Volusia County Council (FL) just abolished its library advisory board.(Paywalled): A look at the various ways that contentious books go missing in Massachusetts libraries.Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin appointed a book banner to the state board of education, who ALSO happens to be the daughter of Antonin Scalia.The chilling effects of Georgia’s “divisive concepts” law. The Clay City Manager (AL) told library board members that they could no longer purchase religious books for the collection in an effort to avoid lawsuits from political groups. Again, this is a local elected official who has no education or expertise in library matters trying to take over library operations, although thankfully the city has since backtracked.Arkansas State University received a bomb threat targeted against the library and the student union.The Francis Howell School District (MO) is backpedaling on a policy proposal that would make it easier to challenge books.The St. Joseph School District’s Board of Education (MO) will decide on the fate of The Bluest Eye next month.The Dayton Metro Library (OH) has and always will protect and promote the right to have access. “In an escalation of Michigan’s book wars, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday began the process of firing all members of its public library board over their handling of a handful of children and teen books with sexual themes.”After public pushback, the Lansing

School District (MI) is backing away from its original plan to cut all school librarian positions. The state of book bans: Wisconsin’s battle with “parental rights.” Durango Public Library (CO) has strengthened its book challenge policy in order to stay in compliance with the state’s recent anti-book ban law.The North Idaho Community Library Network has declined to change its policy on kids accessing materials, which is good because the proposal included a restriction on all children’s library cards to prevent them from checking out any adult materials, even if their parents already approved access.A group of Idaho lawyers have filed a lawsuit against the state’s new library materials bill. Washoe County (NV) libraries have canceled all future Drag Story Hour events due to escalating safety concerns.A Maricopa (AZ) resident wants to see the city adopt a “code of conduct” for LGBTQ library books.While book ban attempts have increased nationally, the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library (OR) has kept challenges low. Lodi Unified School District (CA) has dissolved its book review committee after the committee mistakenly took votes on the status of three titles, even though it was only meant to act in an advisory capacity. Plus, one of the high school librarians speaks about about how staff were instructed to use BookLooks to review recently purchased titles, and how some of the books went “missing” from the order until the community brought it up with the superintendent.Google News Books & Authors in the NewsWhy your local indie bookstore might not have Hillbilly Elegy in stock this week (or ever).Irish author Edna O’Brien has died at 93. Francine Pascal, the creator of the Sweet Valley High series, has died at 92. Google News Numbers & TrendsThe bestselling books of the week. The most-read books on Goodreads last week.The short shelf-life of the White House tell-all. Google News Award NewsThe 2024 Booker Prize longlist has been released.In Ascension by Martin MacInnes has won the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award.The winners of the 2024 TikTok Book Awards have been announced.Google News Bookish Curiosities & MiscellaneousWhy don’t straight men read novels? (I didn’t realize this was a thing…)Cambridge Dictionary adds over 3200 new words. When poetry used to be an actual Olympic sport. Why rare book collectors go after books made with poisonous materials. Google News On the RiotWhat does it mean when a book makes you forget that you were reading? Google News And Here’s a Cat Photo!Wednesday was Dini’s fourth Gotcha Day! So here’s one of my favorite photos of our little Doodle. He has so much personality and he gives the best couch snuggles (when he feels like it). And just look at dat face!All right, friends. That’s all I have, but I’ll be back on Tuesday!—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.“Library bomb threats, poisonous book collectors, and more of this week’s must-read library news…”Source Link: https://bookriot.com/more-political-and-physical-attacks-on-libraries/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/pexels-photo-6453484.jpeg More Political and Physical Attacks on Libraries - Notice Global Web - #GLOBAL BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[lboogie1906]

Judge Glenda A. Hatchett (born May 31, 1951) is the star of the former court show, Judge Hatchett and current day The Verdict with Judge Hatchett, and founding partner at the national law firm, The Hatchett Firm.

She was born in Atlanta. She received her BA in Political Science from Mount Holyoke College. She has been recognized as a distinguished alumna and awarded an honorary degree by the college. She then attended Emory University School of Law and received her JD.

She completed a coveted federal clerkship in the US District Court in the Northern District of Georgia, followed by a position at Delta Air Lines. At Delta, she became the airline’s highest-ranking woman of color worldwide, serving both as a senior attorney and public relations manager. She litigated cases in federal courts throughout the country, and as Manager of Public Relations, she supervised global crisis management, and media relations for all of Europe, Asia, and the US. Her outstanding contributions were recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named her one of the “100 Best and Brightest Black Women in Corporate America”. She was awarded the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an alum by the university.

She accepted an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court. She became Georgia’s first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country.

She began presiding over the nationally syndicated television show, Judge Hatchett which taped regular episodes for eight seasons. She authored the national best-seller, “Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say” and released “Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose”, which became a #1 National Bestseller. She has served on the Board of Directors of Gap, Inc. the Hospital Corporation of America, and The Service Master Company. She has been a board member of the Atlanta Falcons Football Organization since 2004 and serves on the Board of Advisors for Play Pumps International. She serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Board of Governors. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[craigsumter-justice]

My Legal Battle with my Family and their Co-horts / Co-conspirators (216):

The image attached to this post (Post #216) of an affidavit I wrote on 2-12-18 regarding a phone call I had with my parents, Leonard and Gloria Sumter, on 2-8-18 from the inmate phone system while at Riverbend Correctional Facility.

Keep in mind it was November 2017 that I filed a Motion with the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, as part of an open lawsuit I had against these "conspirators" in which I sought to add as defendants other "known" conspirators. Just after filing that Motion to Add as Defendants, my parents quit sending me money just after having started sending me money since April 2016 when they stopped after I filed a lawsuit in federal court against they, Creighton Hussey and David Scott.

In the phone call my dad, whose attitude was nasty, used the phone call to cause me emotional distress. He took two low-blows by first rubbing in my face how nice it [was] to be able to use the internet and to look things up and second by rubbing in my face how life was passing me by while I [was] incarcerated.

These were meant to beat down emotionally, to cause me stress and served as an implied threat. First the threat was only implied here versus directly stated as I had already asked about my mother, Gloria Sumter, by sworn interrogatory about her threatening me while on the phone from DeKalb County Jail in June / July 2015 that I was never going to get out of jail or prison unless I dropped the lawsuit I had filed against David Scott on June 1st, 2015 (only 20 days earlier), deleted my Twitter account where I had posted (one year earlier) how my mother, Gloria Sumter, had molested me in the bathrub when I was nine (9) years old and she nastily rubbed in my face about me calling DCS (Department of Child Services) to report the child abuse I had seen November 2013 while at my sister's house in New Albany, Indiana (which was a confidential report that I withdrew the next day) and mother admitting that she said they just all assumed it was me that reported it.

[justiceheartwatcher]

BREAKING: Professor and Election Expert J. Halderman Hacks into Dominion Voting Machine Tabulator in Court on Friday in Georgia in front of Judge Totenberg USING ONLY A PEN TO CHANGE VOTE TOTALS

[partisan-by-default]

A federal court has granted an emergency hearing regarding an injunction request from Isaac Hayes’ estate against Donald Trump over the unauthorized use of the song “Hold On, I’m Coming.”

According to Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, the Northern District of Georgia Federal Court in Atlanta has scheduled the hearing for September 3rd.

Earlier this month, Hayes’ estate threatened Trump with a copyright lawsuit after identifying 134 instances where the former president allegedly used “Hold On, I’m Coming” at campaign rallies without permission. The estate gave Trump until August 16th to pay a $3 million licensing fee or face further legal action.

After the deadline passed, the estate filed the lawsuit against Trump, also naming the RNC, the NRA, and Turning Point USA as co-defendants.

In a video posted to social media earlier on Saturday, Isaac Hayes III explained that while Trump may have initially been shielded by an ASCAP or BMI license, the estate opted out of those licenses once Trump began playing “Hold On, I’m Coming” at campaign events. As a result, Hayes claims that by continuing to play the song, Trump is liable for a $150,000 fine for every instance in which he has done so.

Trump is also facing potential legal actions from Foo Fighters after playing “My Hero” at a campaign rally with Robert Kennedy Jr. this past Friday.

[mystlnewsonline]

James Ellner, M.D. and Company's Agree to Pay $625,000

James Ellner, M.D., Georgia Pain Management, P.C., and Samson Pain Center, P.C. agree to pay $625,000 to resolve allegations. ATLANTA, GA (STL.News) James Ellner, M.D., and his Woodstock, Georgia pain management practice, Georgia Pain Management, P.C., and ambulatory surgical center, Samson Pain Center, P.C., agreed to pay $625,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting improper claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs for evaluation and management services and medically unnecessary urine drug screening tests. "The federal government expects that physicians and their practices will properly bill Medicare and TRICARE for services they provide," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.  "The Department of Justice will work diligently to hold healthcare providers accountable when they break the rules and overbill federal healthcare programs." "Health care fraud abuse like this case erodes the trust patients have in the health care system," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  "Government subsidized programs like Medicare help protects the healthcare needs of deserving Americans, and the FBI is determined to work with our partners to prevent people from illegally profiting off of them." "When providers submit improper claims, they threaten the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs and take those valuable resources away from their intended recipients," said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  "HHS-OIG is committed to protecting federal health care programs from fraudulent and wasteful practices at the hands of providers." The FCA is a federal law that imposes civil liability on any persons or entities who submit, or cause to be submitted, false claims for payment on the federal government or its contractors.  It imposes treble damages (that is, three times the loss caused by the false claims) and a civil penalty between $12,537 to $25,076 per false claim.  The FCA is the primary authority used by the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office to redress fraud, waste, and abuse within federal programs, including, but not limited to, Medicare and TRICARE. The United States alleges that between May 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019, James Ellner and Georgia Pain Management, P.C. (Georgia Pain) submitted false claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs for evaluation and management (E&M) services that were not reimbursable under federal health care programs.  Medicare generally prohibits healthcare providers from separately billing for E&M services provided on the same day as another medical procedure unless the E&M services are significant, separately identifiable, and above and beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the medical procedure.  If an E&M service satisfies these criteria, the provider can use a billing code known as "Modifier 25" to bill for the significant and separately identifiable E&M services.  In this case, the United States alleges that Georgia Pain used Modifier 25 to improperly unbundle routine E&M services that were not separately billable from other minor surgical procedures performed on the same day; as a result, Georgia Pain claimed reimbursement from Medicare and TRICARE that it was not due. The United States also alleges that Ellner and Georgia Pain entered into an arrangement that violated the Anti-Kickback Statute, whereby a reference laboratory paid the salary of an individual who functioned as a free employee of Georgia Pain in exchange for Ellner's referral of urine drug tests – many of which were medically unnecessary. The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by a former employee of Georgia Pain under the qui tam, or whistleblower provisions, of the FCA.  United States ex rel.  Amy Tyson v. Georgia Pain Management, P.C., Samson Pain Center, P.C., and James Ellner, M.D., Civil Action 1:18-cv-5520.  Under the FCA, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government.  The whistleblower will receive $118,000 from the settlement. The civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mellori Lumpkin-Dawson.  The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice Read the full article

[ejesgistnews]

US Govt Indicts Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema, Files New Fraud and Obstruction Charges. The United States government has filed new charges against Allen Onyema, the founder and CEO of Air Peace, Nigeria’s leading airline, accusing him of obstruction of justice in connection to previous bank fraud and money laundering allegations. In the latest indictment, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia on October 8, 2024, Onyema and Ejiroghene Eghagha, Air Peace's Chief of Administration and Finance, are facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice and falsifying documents in a bid to halt the ongoing investigation into their previous charges. Alleged Scheme Involving Fraudulent Activities. According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, Onyema is alleged to have used his airline as a front to commit fraud on the U.S. banking system. The indictment claims that Onyema, along with Eghagha, submitted falsified documents to obstruct the investigation. How A Nigerian-British Man Got A 7-Year Jail Term In US For Multi Million-Dollar Fraud “Onyema and his co-defendant allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct,” Buchanan stated. Background of the Case. The initial allegations against Onyema date back to a scheme spanning from 2010 to 2018, during which the Air Peace CEO is accused of moving more than $44.9 million from foreign accounts into U.S. bank accounts. Starting in 2016, Onyema and Eghagha reportedly used falsified export letters of credit to funnel over $20 million into the U.S., allegedly for the purchase of Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace. Nigerian Man Arrested In South Africa For Posing As White Man On Facebook And Defrauding Woman Of R3 Million However, investigators claim the documents were fraudulent, and that Springfield Aviation, a company allegedly tied to Onyema, had no real links to the aviation industry. In 2019, after learning of the investigation, Onyema and Eghagha are said to have submitted a backdated contract in an attempt to deceive U.S. authorities and unfreeze their bank accounts. They were initially indicted in November 2019 on charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, credit application fraud, and money laundering. Ongoing Investigation. The investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is still ongoing. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Division, emphasized that the charges against Onyema and Eghagha reflect their efforts to hold individuals accountable for criminal activities involving fraud and money laundering. Despite the new charges, Onyema and Eghagha maintain their innocence and will face trial in the United States. Tinubu’s Govt Demanded $150 million Bribe to Quash Illegal Fraud Charges: Binance CEO   The case has drawn widespread attention due to Onyema's prominent role in Nigeria's aviation sector and the scale of the alleged financial misconduct. Both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

[internetcompanynews]

More Political and Physical Attacks on Libraries - Journal Important Internet - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/more-political-and-physical-attacks-on-libraries/?feed_id=153150&_unique_id=66add57b88109 Katie’s parents never told her “no” when she asked for a book, which was the start of most of her problems. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Lake Forest College and is working towards a master’s degree in library science at U of I. She works full time at a public library reference desk in northern IL, specializing in readers’ advisory and general book enthusiasm, and she has a deep-rooted love of all things disturbing, twisted, and terrifying. (She takes enormous pleasure in creeping out her coworkers.) When she’s not spending every waking hour at the library, she’s at home watching Cubs baseball with her cats and her cardigan collection, and when she’s not at home, she’s spending too much money on concert tickets. Her hobbies include debating the finer points of Harry Potter canon, hitting people upside the head who haven’t read The Martian, and convincing her boyfriend that she can, in fact, fit more books onto her shelves.Tessa Thompson is starring in and executive producing an adaptation of His & Hers by Alice Feeney.Sony has acquired two of Liz Moore’s novels for adaptation.Updates on Amazon’s series adaptation of Fourth Wing.An update on Bridgerton, Season 4. The Court of Thorns and Roses TV series faces another setback as the showrunner exits the production.Trailer for Season 2 of Pachinko.24 new and upcoming book adaptations in 2024. Google News Censorship NewsThe ongoing censorship of high school AP courses. From NPR’s Code Switch podcast: “Not a badge of honor:” How book bans affect Indigenous literature. From the US Department of Education: Book bans aren’t just bad policy — they raise civil rights issues as well. EveryLibrary released a statement about Project 2025 and how it would affect libraries.More states are passing book banning rules. Here’s what they say. Lake Travis ISD (TX) adopted a (flawed) new book challenge policy.The Selby Public Library (FL) had to evacuate after a man came into the library and made a bomb threat.The Nassau County School District (FL) is claiming in a lawsuit that the school’s decision to ban books constitutes government speech, which is not protected by the First Amendment.Pinellas County School Board (FL) candidate Danielle Marolf is going around complaining that Gender Queer in the school libraries. Except…it isn’t! The superintendent banned the book in 2021! The Volusia County Council (FL) just abolished its library advisory board.(Paywalled): A look at the various ways that contentious books go missing in Massachusetts libraries.Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin appointed a book banner to the state board of education, who ALSO happens to be the daughter of Antonin Scalia.The chilling effects of Georgia’s “divisive concepts” law. The Clay City Manager (AL) told library board members that they could no longer purchase religious books for the collection in an effort to avoid lawsuits from political groups. Again, this is a local elected official who has no education or expertise in library matters trying to take over library operations, although thankfully the city has since backtracked.Arkansas State University received a bomb threat targeted against the library and the student union.The Francis Howell School District (MO) is backpedaling on a policy proposal that would make it easier to challenge books.The St. Joseph School District’s Board of Education (MO) will decide on the fate of The Bluest Eye next month.The Dayton Metro Library (OH) has and always will protect and promote the right to have access. “In an escalation of Michigan’s book wars, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday began the process of firing all members of its public library board over their handling of a handful of children and teen books with sexual themes.”After public pushback,

the Lansing School District (MI) is backing away from its original plan to cut all school librarian positions. The state of book bans: Wisconsin’s battle with “parental rights.” Durango Public Library (CO) has strengthened its book challenge policy in order to stay in compliance with the state’s recent anti-book ban law.The North Idaho Community Library Network has declined to change its policy on kids accessing materials, which is good because the proposal included a restriction on all children’s library cards to prevent them from checking out any adult materials, even if their parents already approved access.A group of Idaho lawyers have filed a lawsuit against the state’s new library materials bill. Washoe County (NV) libraries have canceled all future Drag Story Hour events due to escalating safety concerns.A Maricopa (AZ) resident wants to see the city adopt a “code of conduct” for LGBTQ library books.While book ban attempts have increased nationally, the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library (OR) has kept challenges low. Lodi Unified School District (CA) has dissolved its book review committee after the committee mistakenly took votes on the status of three titles, even though it was only meant to act in an advisory capacity. Plus, one of the high school librarians speaks about about how staff were instructed to use BookLooks to review recently purchased titles, and how some of the books went “missing” from the order until the community brought it up with the superintendent.Google News Books & Authors in the NewsWhy your local indie bookstore might not have Hillbilly Elegy in stock this week (or ever).Irish author Edna O’Brien has died at 93. Francine Pascal, the creator of the Sweet Valley High series, has died at 92. Google News Numbers & TrendsThe bestselling books of the week. The most-read books on Goodreads last week.The short shelf-life of the White House tell-all. Google News Award NewsThe 2024 Booker Prize longlist has been released.In Ascension by Martin MacInnes has won the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award.The winners of the 2024 TikTok Book Awards have been announced.Google News Bookish Curiosities & MiscellaneousWhy don’t straight men read novels? (I didn’t realize this was a thing…)Cambridge Dictionary adds over 3200 new words. When poetry used to be an actual Olympic sport. Why rare book collectors go after books made with poisonous materials. Google News On the RiotWhat does it mean when a book makes you forget that you were reading? Google News And Here’s a Cat Photo!Wednesday was Dini’s fourth Gotcha Day! So here’s one of my favorite photos of our little Doodle. He has so much personality and he gives the best couch snuggles (when he feels like it). And just look at dat face!All right, friends. That’s all I have, but I’ll be back on Tuesday!—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.“Library bomb threats, poisonous book collectors, and more of this week’s must-read library news…”Source Link: https://bookriot.com/more-political-and-physical-attacks-on-libraries/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1722666608_441_pexels-photo-6453484.jpeg More Political and Physical Attacks on Libraries - Journal Important Internet - #GLOBAL BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[drbobbimorse]

It’s astounding to me that, even tough a fetus has no brain activity until 5-6 weeks, it is considered alive but patients with no brain activity are considered brain dead and we can ��pull the plug”. Brain dead means a person is on artificial life support and has no brain functions; they will not regain consciousness or be able to survive without mechanical support. Even when their heart is still beating, we are within our rights to do this because, without brain activity, the person is legally dead. The same logic can be applied to a fetus with no brain activity: a fetus cannot live without our bodies acting as life support. But go on and tell half the country that a heartbeat determines life in order to further control and oppress them.

It’s astounding to me that no one can force me to be an organ donor or force me to give my blood, even if it means saving someone else’s life. I have that right. I have bodily autonomy over that. But I could potentially be forced to give birth to a child I don’t want, that I can’t afford, that puts my life directly in danger, that was conceived through sexual assault or incest or rape, etc. with no exceptions. A fetus could override my bodily autonomy and have more of a right to my body than I do. Hell, I have more bodily autonomy as a corpse then I would if I ever became pregnant if Roe v. Wade is overturned, because its illegal to even ask someone to give up their bodily autonomy once they've died, even if it means saving someone else's life. No one can take anything from your corpse -- donating your body to science or taking organs you no longer have a use for -- unless you have given specific, prior consent before you died.

It’s astounding to me that forced pregnancy is listed as both a war crime and a crime against humanity under the United Nations. Forced pregnancy is defined as when a person becomes pregnant without having sought or desired it, and abortion is denied, hindered, delayed or made difficult. The UN is international law and, to my understanding, international agreement is a self-executing treaty, which has the same effect in domestic courts as an act of Congress and therefore directly supersedes any inconsistent state or local law. If RvW is overturned and abortion is made illegal in some states, people all across the country would be subjected to forced pregnancy and be victims of a crime against humanity under UN law.

Here’s the breakdown on abortion rights at the time of the draft:

Expanded access: the right to abortion is protected by state statutes or state constitutions, and other laws and policies have created additional access to abortion care: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington

Protected access: the right to abortion is protected by state law but there are limitations on access to care: Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Rhode Island

Not protected: abortion may continue to be accessible but would be unprotected by state and district law. In some of these states, it is unclear whether the legislature would enact a ban if RvW is limited or reversed, but concern is warranted: New Hampshire, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Virginia

Hostile: these states and territories are extremely vulnerable to the revival of old abortion bans or the enactment of new ones, and none of them has legal protections for abortion so they could immediately prohibit abortion entirely: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

A healthy reminder that getting rid of RvW only ends access to safe abortions. We can only hope that this draft is thrown in the dumpster. If it’s not, then the country will be divided almost in half into abortion havens, where care would continue to be available, and abortion deserts, where it would be illegal to access care. People had abortions for centuries before RvW, and people will find a way to have them again if it is overturned. But the problem is that the old methods, even herbal remedies, led to untold deaths and can have lifelong complications.

Again: you’re only getting rid of the right to safe abortions, not abortion itself.

[mariacallous]

Yet there are reasons for optimism. Globally, patrilineal culture is in retreat. The selective abortion of girls is declining. The male-to-female ratio at birth peaked in China and India and has fallen since. In South Korea, Georgia and Tunisia, which used to have highly skewed sex ratios, it has fallen back to roughly the natural rate.

Child marriage is falling, too. Since 2000 more than 50 countries have raised the legal minimum age of marriage to 18. Globally, 19% of women aged 20-24 were married by 18 and 5% by 15, according to Unicef, the UN’s children’s fund, but that is down from 31% and more than 10% in 2000. Polygyny is less common than it was, and often unpopular even where it is widespread, because of the harm it does to women and non-elite men. Women’s groups have pushed for bans in countries such as India, Uganda, Egypt and Nigeria.

Even in rural Iraq, some sexist traditions are in retreat. Mr Manshad says it is no longer acceptable for men to pay blood debts by handing over a daughter. “It is haram [sinful],” he says, though local feminists say it still goes on.

Other trends that help include urbanisation and pensions. When women move to cities, they earn higher wages and increase their clout at home. Their clan ties tend to loosen, too, since they live surrounded by non-members.

When the state provides pensions, old people no longer depend so completely on their children to support them. This weakens the logic of patrilineality. If parents do not need a son to take care of them, they may not desire one so fervently, or insist so forcefully that he and his wife live with them. They may even feel sanguine about having a daughter.

That is what happened in South Korea, the country that in modern times has most rapidly dismantled a patrilineal system. In 1991 it equalised male and female inheritance rights, and ended a husband’s automatic right to custody of the children after divorce. In 2005 the legal notion of a single (usually male) “head of household” was abolished. In 2009 a court found marital rape unconstitutional. Meanwhile, increased state pensions sharply reduced the share of old Koreans who lived with, and depended on, their sons. And among parents, one of the world’s strongest preferences for male babies switched within a generation to a slight preference for girls.

The change was so fast that it prompted a backlash among bewildered men. By comparison, it took ages for patrilineal culture to wither in the West, though it started much earlier, when the Catholic church forbade polygamy, forced and cousin marriage and the disinheritance of widows in the seventh century.

Individual attitudes can evolve. In Uganda, which has seen five violent changes of government since independence and invaded most of its neighbours, 49% of women and 41% of men tell pollsters that it is sometimes acceptable for a man to beat his wife. But this rate is in decline.

In the northern district of Lira, which is still recovering from a long war against rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army, domestic violence is rampant, says Molly Alwedo, a social worker. But it is falling. She credits the REAL Fathers Initiative, a project designed by Save the Children, a charity, and the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University. It offers older male mentors to young fathers to improve their parenting and relationship skills.

Gary Barker of Promundo, an NGO that promotes such mentoring globally, says: “There’s always a cohort of men who say, wait a minute, I don't believe in these [sexist] norms. [They see the] consequences for their mums and their sisters.” It is local dissidents, rather than parachuting Westerners, who make the best messengers. Mentors do not tell young men their attitudes are toxic. They get them to talk; about what happens in their homes and whether it is fair. Peers swap tips on how to control their anger.

It doesn’t work everywhere. But a randomised controlled trial with 1,200 Ugandan fathers found that such efforts resulted in a drop in domestic violence. Emmanuel Ekom, a REAL Fathers graduate, used to come home drunk and quarrel until morning, says his wife, Brenda Akong. Now he does jobs he once scorned as women’s work, such as collecting firewood and water. One day she came home and discovered him cooking dinner. ■

The cost of misogyny: Societies that treat women badly are poorer and less stable