#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.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A Georgia man was sentenced to 240 months in prison after he was charged with shooting into two convenience stores in an attempt to kill Black and Arab people, according to the Department of Justice.

Court records say Larry Edward Foxworth, 48, fired numerous rounds from a Glock pistol through a window and door of a gas station convenience store located in Jonesboro, Georgia in July of 2021. He used the same weapon to fire into another convenience store nearby just minutes later. No one was injured in either shooting despite the store being occupied.

Foxworth was arrested shortly after the second attack. He admitted to police that he hoped to kill his targets.

"Foxworth used a firearm to commit a brazen and heinous hate crime," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia.

"He fired repeatedly into convenience stores in his effort to kill those inside based solely on the color of their skin. This abhorrent act of violence and intimidation left the victims, their families, and the community traumatized, and merits the prison sentence Foxworth received. The Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously prosecute hate crimes."

“Hopefully this lengthy sentence proves that the FBI will not tolerate intimidation and violence against anyone because of their race or ethnicity,” said Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of FBI Atlanta Field Office. “The FBI’s Civil Rights Program will continue to use every resource available to ensure criminals, like Foxworth, that commit bias-motivated violent crimes are held accountable and removed from our streets.”

[recentlyheardcom]

Trump Ordered to Halt Use of Isaac Hayes Song

“Donald Trump for President has not had valid license for [nearly] 100 days, and @realDonaldTrump has NEVER had a license.” – @IsaaHayes3 According to media reports, Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia ruled from the bench Tuesday that the estate of Isaac Hayes is entitled to a preliminary injunction to stop the Donald J. Trump campaign from…

[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

[novumtimes]

Former Attorney Sentenced 7 Years For Stealing $15M In PPP

by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton June 9, 2024 Shelitha Robertson was convicted in December. A judge sentenced former Atlanta Assistant City Attorney Shelitha Robertson to seven years and three months in prison for stealing approximately $15 million in loans from the government-assisted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Robertson’s punishment after her Dec. 19, 2023, conviction. A jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg also sentenced her to three years of supervised release following her prison term. “Motivated by greed, Robertson deceptively obtained funds that were designated to provide emergency financial relief to struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute criminals who stole pandemic relief funds.” Robertson used the money she received to buy luxury items, including a 10-carat diamond ring. She and her co-conspirator, Chandra Norton, submitted false tax documents to support the false statements for each of the four companies listed on the application. Robertson used the loan proceeds to purchase luxury items, including a 10-carat diamond ring. She also transferred funds to Norton and family members. “I’m dead broke. My business is gone. My (law) license is gone. My assets are gone. The only thing I have left is my family and my faith in God,” she said in court hours before learning her sentence, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Robertson will serve the sentence minus the six months she has already spent in custody since her December conviction. PPP was a federal stimulus program authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Authorities have seized over $78 million in cash proceeds from more than 192 fraud defendants in over 121 criminal cases involving fraudulently obtained PPP funds. Numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with these funds were also confiscated. RELATED CONTENT: Atlanta Lawyer Found Guilty In PPP Loan Fraud Case Source link via The Novum Times

[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

[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

[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

[rosyroyville]

Allen Onyema: US Court Acquits Air Peace Boss, Fines Mayfield $4000

Allen Onyema: US Court Acquits Air Peace Boss, Fines Mayfield $4000

  After three years of investigation involving about five agencies of the American government and the subsequent legal fireworks, the District Court in Atlanta, Georgia has finally exonerated the Chief Executive of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema of any business fraud.   The court, which discovered that there was no loss against any bank in the indictment suit filed by the Attorney for the Northern…

[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.

[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

[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

[pixoplanet]

It's January 30th, 🗽 Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. In 2010, then-Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger signed this commemoration into law. It's now also being celebrated in Hawaii, Virginia, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Utah, and South Carolina. The list is growing. This special day is dedicated to a Japanese-American civil rights activist and is the first such day in the history of America to be named after an Asian American.

Mr. Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland, California, on this day in 1919 to Japanese parents who immigrated to the US 14 years earlier. As a youth, he attended public schools and worked in his family's flower nursery. When 🌸 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, America panicked. President Franklin Roosevelt implemented Executive Order 9066, and the government forcibly relocated about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to hastily-built concentration camps.

Korematsu did not go willingly, though. He remained in California, claiming that Executive Order 9066 was unconstitutional. He went into hiding but was arrested, jailed, tried, and convicted. In 1944, the US 🏛️ Supreme Court ruled that Executive Order 9066 was constitutional.

The decision in Korematsu v. United States was very controversial. In 1983, his conviction for evading internment was finally overturned in US District Court for the Northern District of California. In 2011, six years after Korematsu’s death, the Department of Justice officially acknowledged that the US Supreme Court decision against Korematsu had been erroneous, but it still hasn't been explicitly overturned. Let's hope the Governator's act eventually succeeds in doing just that. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet