Saturday, April 30, 2011

Gaddafi is making this hard.

April 30, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 30 is … National Honesty Day

This National Day is not recognized in Washington DC. I wonder why? If you ask “The Joke”, he would say because they are stupid and then he would have another drink.
What would Willie do? Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas on this day in 1933. Once just a singing cowboy, today a superstar whose major concern is the welfare of the American farmer, that’s pretty much the way Willie Nelson would describe himself.
His major love throughout his life has been to sing and play his guitar. He’s been through several wives and not had much time to spend with his children, not that he didn’t want to but the call of the road has been all too powerful for the bandana-wearing, singing cowboy. Willie Nelson loves nothing better than to travel in his bus (you’d recognize it with its colorful, painted mural) across the United States, stopping at music theatres along the way to sing to his fans.
His other dedication is to the plight of the American farmer. Every year, Willie leads the Farm Aid benefit to raise money to help the poor farmers who have lost so much to major farm conglomerates and big government.
Willie Nelson is no stranger to big government. He’s probably the only American to have owed $32 million in back taxes and paid every penny he owed including penalties and interest. He almost lost his Texas ranch, his bus, and everything else he owned.
But, the recipient of the 1989 Grammy Living Legend Award prefers to sing. “I’m on the road again...”

Arizona's governor has signed a bill designating the Colt Single-Action Army revolver as the state's first official firearm.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed the bill without comment on Thursday. Legislative supporters argued that the designation was appropriate because the revolver was widely used during Arizona's territorial days. Opponents say it was inappropriate to give the official designation to an out-of-state company's commercial product. Colt is based in Connecticut.

Democratic Rep. Albert Hale also says the gun was an instrument of destruction that was used against Native Americans. Mr. Hale that check has been cashed enough. To the victors belong the spoils. Get over it.

This is giving a whole new meaning to “Rape, pillage and plunder”.

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council on Thursday that troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were increasingly engaging in sexual violence and some had been issued the impotency drug Viagra, diplomats said. Several U.N. diplomats who attended a closed-door Security Council meeting on Libya told Reuters that U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice raised the Viagra issue in the context increasing reports of sexual violence by Gaddafi's troops.

"Rice raised that in the meeting but no one responded," a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The allegation was first reported by a British newspaper. Pfizer Inc's drug Viagra is used to treat impotence.

If it is true that Gaddafi's troops are being issued Viagra, diplomats said, it could indicate that they are being encouraged by their commanders to engage in rape to terrorize the population in areas that have supported the rebels. The use of rape as a weapon during wartime has received increasing attention at the United Nations. Last year, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a special envoy on sexual violence during armed conflict, Margot Wallstrom. Earlier this month, Wallstrom chided the Security Council for failing to mention sexual violence in two recent resolutions on Libya, despite having made the subject a priority. Wallstrom said at the time that reports of rape in Libya remained unconfirmed but cited the highly publicized case of Eman al-Obaidi, the woman who burst into a journalists' hotel in Tripoli last month saying she had been raped by pro-government militiamen.

The International Criminal Court is already investigating whether Gaddafi's government committed war crimes in its violent crackdown against demonstrators who demanded greater freedoms. The crackdown sparked a rebellion that has turned into a civil war.

We entered this war two months ago. Things have gotten worse after the initial victories. Our Armed Services are either incapable of winning a war or our military leaders will not let them win. We used the unproven excuse of stopping the mass murder of civilians by the government to get involved. Obama then reversed his decision then reversed it again. If we are involved to stop atrocities I think mass rapes fit the bill. Either get in and end this skirmish or come home and save our money. As it stands right now we are merely spending money and building more hatred against the United States amongst the inbreeding Muslims in the world.

Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.

Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

"Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought." - Henri Bergson








Friday, April 29, 2011

Superman, say it ain't so!

April 29, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 29 is … National Shrimp Scampi Day

Isn’t it just like a Royal, getting married on America’s National Shrimp Scampi Day! By the time you read this, England will have a new Princess for the British Press to drool over and try to catch in embarrassing moments. Congratulations Prince William and Princess Kate.

I have been watching the murderous weather plaguing the southern United States. Al Gore and his disproved theory of global warming have been conspicuously missing in the news coverage. The devastation being caused by the weather is rare but not unprecedented. The ever expanding 24/7 news coverage we have in this country along with the fact nearly everyone has a video camera in their pocket or purse makes the weather damage appear to be something man is causing by the way we use the earth, atmosphere and environment. This is not the cause of the rash of killing storms or natural disasters the world is experiencing. This too shall pass.

What is the world coming to? In Action Comics # 900, Superman visits Iran. President Ahmadinejad declares that Superman’s activities are part of U.S. policy. This false accusation disturbs Superman. To avoid becoming embroiled in an International incident, Superman denounces his U. S. citizenship. So much for “Truth, justice and the American way”. My guess is this is not going to work out for the publisher of Action Comics. Superman has been associated with everything American since his debut in 1938. Step up to the plate America, enough is enough. We need an American hero not an International hero. Do not buy these comics.

I do not feel the Vietnam War ever actually ended but on April 29, 1975 the final soldiers were killed, in country.

Charles McMahon Jr US USMC lance corporal, killed in Vietnam
 
Darwin Judge USMC-corporal, 1 of last US soldiers killed in Vietnam
 
Michael John Shea USMC-Lieutenant/pilot, 1 of last soldiers killed in Vietnam
 
William Craig Nystul USMC Captain, 1 of last US soldiers killed in Viet
DUKE ELLINGTON: The man who became one of the twentieth century’s finest composers, Edward Kennedy Ellington, was born on this day in 1899 in Washington, D.C. Right from the git-go, the handsome, sharply dressed teenager (that’s where he got the nickname, Duke) was headed for success. At first it was art. He won a poster-design contest and an art scholarship, left school and started a sign-painting business. But it was his natural piano-playing ability that attracted the young women, so Duke Ellington headed in that direction. He played with Elmer Snowden’s band and took over leadership in 1925. They played and stayed at New York’s Cotton Club from 1927 through 1931, broadcasting shows live on the radio. From then on it was tours, recordings, and history in the making. Ellington would be one of the founders of big band jazz. With the players in his band as his instruments, the Duke would create big band pieces, film scores, operas, ballets, Broadway shows, even gospel music. He would work with each section of his orchestra as an entity unto its own and then bring them together to create the unique sounds such as, Mood Indigo. Over 1,000 musical pieces are credited to the great Duke Ellington. James Lincoln Collier studied the Duke and his Orchestra, comparing Duke Ellington to a “master chef who plans the menus, trains the assistants, supervises them, tastes everything, adjusts the spices ... and in the end we credit him with the result.”
Andre Previn said, “Duke merely lifts his finger, three horns make a sound, and I don’t know what it is.”
According to Duke Ellington, who died in 1974, “There are only two kinds of music: good and bad.”
In 1969, 1969 - Sir Duke, Duke Ellington, celebrated his 70th birthday. He was honored with the presentation of the Medal of Freedom, the U.S. government’s highest civilian honor.
Say it ain’t so Dick! On this date in 1960 - Dick Clark told a House of Representatives investigating committee looking into the payola scandal that he, the host of American Bandstand, never took payola for records featured on his daily TV show. Clark would, however, relinquish rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated 30 years later, amounted to about $80 million.

 A man appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, hoping to get into heaven.

“Have you ever done anything of particular merit?” St. Peter asked.

“Well, I can think of one thing,” the man replied. “On a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of bikers who were threatening a young woman. I told them to cut it out and leave her alone, but they would not listen. I approached the biggest, baddest biker and smacked him in the face, kicked his bike over and ripped his nose ring out, throwing it to the ground at his feet. “Now back off and leave her alone or I’ll kick the shit out of all of you!’ I yelled.

St Peter seemed impressed and asked, “When did this happen?”

“Couple of minutes ago.” was the response.

Just a couple of my thoughts.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.

Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

"Would the boy you were be proud of the man you are?" - Laurence J. Peter


Thursday, April 28, 2011

Weird news and "The Joke" Trump go together


April 28, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 28 is … Great Poetry Reading Day and Kiss-Your-Mate Day

How did you like my Easter poem? It was written for Easter and in celebration of Great Poetry Reading Day and in New York prisons you can kiss your same-sex mate.

So President Obama has released a document he claims is his Birth Certificate from Hawaii. By taking him over two years to release it, he has placed a cloud of distrust on the authenticity of the document. President Obama referenced how busy he was and how important the issues he was dealing with were. He said he released the copy of the Birth Certificate because he had more important things to deal with.

He was having a brief news conference, without taking questions, while on his way to appear on the all important Oprah Winfrey Show to be followed by a fund raising trip to New York City and three separate fund raising events. Must not be many important things to do today.

Donald ‘Duck’ Trump immediately took credit for forcing the President to release the Birth Certificate. Trump would not agree the Birth Certificate was authentic or that it was definitive proof of the President’s place of birth. Word is now circulating Trump has signed on to play a villain in a new Batman movie called ‘The Joke’.
Small cars were offered for sale in the U.S. for the first time on this day in 1939. Actually, these little cars would make today’s compact cars look like land yachts! Imagine a car that sold for $325, was 10-feet long, and had an 80-inch wheelbase and a four-gallon gas tank. We just described the Crosley which became fairly popular back in 1939 -- but wouldn’t survive.
Once the war effort got underway, auto manufacturing was cut back for defense needs. After World War II, people wanted luxury and size in their automobiles; considered better for family needs. The little Crosley fought an uphill battle and was replaced less than 15 years later by the popular German Volkswagen Beetle. Remember? It was more affectionately called the Bug. Every now and then we see one of these little cars (with their engines in the trunk) still chugging around. The Bug’s newest relative, the version with bug-eyed headlights (the engine’s in the front), is the latest popular small car.
The next really small car promises to be the electric one ... and, they are small, very small ... hardly bigger than a roller skate.

On this date in 1967, Muhammad Ali, the former Cassius Clay, refused induction into the U.S. Army. Critics and supporters spent years discussing the boxing champ’s refusal to serve in the armed forces. In fact, Ali’s world heavyweight crown was later taken away from him as a result of his actions, which he said were based on religious grounds.

Weird news from Harper’s weekly:

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad lifted the country's
48-year-old state of emergency and legalized peaceful
protests in an attempt to placate opposition groups who
have been calling for him to step down. The following
day, Syrians returned to the streets to protest,
security forces shot into the crowds, and more than 100
people died, according to witnesses. "Bullets started
flying over our heads like heavy rain," said one
protester. The civil war in Libya was "moving toward a
stalemate," according to Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the U.S. military
confirmed that two armed Predator drones were flying
combat missions over the country. An internal report by
the British Ministry of Defence warned that the
increasing use of drones may, by keeping soldiers from
the horrors of battle, make war more likely. NATO forces
may have begun an "incremental and involuntary journey,"
the report said, "towards a Terminator-like reality."
Senator John McCain (R., Ariz.) visited rebel stronghold
Benghazi to show his support for democracy. McCain, who
met with Qaddafi and his family in 2009 and agreed to
help them purchase military equipment from the United
States, called the rebels "my heroes." The Taliban freed
at least 476 prisoners from the political wing of a
prison in Kandahar, Afghanistan, by digging a tunnel
hundreds of meters long. Classified U.S. military
documents about prisoners at Guantanamo, obtained by
WikiLeaks and shared with U.S. and British newspapers,
revealed that one detainee, a senior Al Qaeda member,
was "so dedicated to jihad that he reportedly received
injections to promote impotence and recommended the
injections to others so more time could be spent on
jihad (rather than being distracted by women)."

Standard & Poor's downgraded its outlook on the United
States to "negative," based on concerns that the
government won't be able to resolve its long-term budget
deficits. Stock indices fell and the price of gold
reached a new high in response to the cut. President
Obama said he would create a task force to investigate
"the role of traders and speculators" in retail gasoline
prices, which have climbed by 30 cents in the past
month. "We are going to make sure that no one is taking
advantage of the American people for their own
short-term gain," he said. A Philadelphia phone company
was found to have hoarded 1.7 million toll-free numbers,
including 1-800-Cadillac, 1-800-Worship, and
1-800-Firetip, and re-directed most of their calls to
phone sex businesses. McDonald's restaurants across the
United States held the chain's first National Hiring
Day, with plans to hire 50,000 new employees. "It's a
good place to work," said one Ohio job-seeker. "I come
here almost every day to eat anyway." Researchers found
that people eat more after looking at overweight
individuals and that dieters tend to be confused by
unhealthful foods that are labeled "salad." An Arizona
man was arrested for exposing himself to a woman dressed
in a Statue of Liberty costume. After police took him
into custody, the man said he just wanted to go home and
do his taxes. Dr. Lazar Greenfield, president-elect of
the American College of Surgeons, resigned amid
persistent criticism over a Valentine's Day editorial he
wrote in "Surgery News" that suggested semen contains
mood-altering compounds that make women happier. "So
there's a deeper bond between men and women than
St. Valentine would have expected," Greenfield wrote,
"and now we know there's a better gift for that day than
chocolates."

In anticipation of the Easter holiday, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection reminded its agents that chocolate
Kinder Eggs, which contain "non-nutritive
object[s]"--plastic toys--inside them, are banned in the
United States. Texas Governor Rick Perry called for
three days of prayer to end a drought that has damaged
crops and caused thousands of wildfires, and some
members of the Kyrgyzstan Parliament slaughtered rams to
banish "evil spirits." Chinese writer Zhang Yiyi planned
to spend more than $150,000 on ten plastic surgery
sessions that will make him look like William
Shakespeare, and "Land's End," the 25-room,
24,000-square-foot mansion on Long Island that was
rumored to have inspired Jay Gatsby's home in "The Great
Gatsby," was demolished. Termites ate 10 million rupees
stored inside a steel chest at an Indian bank, sugar was
proven to mitigate the harmful effects of
methamphetamine on fruit flies, and peppermint was found
to ease the discomfort of irritable bowel
syndrome. Researchers determined that the happiest
states have the highest suicide rates. "If humans are
subject to mood swings," said Dr. Andrew Oswald, "the
lows of life may thus be most tolerable in an
environment in which other humans are unhappy." Rapper
Lil B received death threats after announcing the title
of his forthcoming album: "I'm Gay." "I'm very gay, but
I love women," Lil B explained. "I'm not attracted to
men in any way. But yes I am gay. I'm so happy. I'm a
gay, heterosexual male."

You cannot make most of this up. It is too unbelievable what comes out of our leaders, major thinkers and researchers.

Music at the top of the charts over the years on April 28th;

1950 If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake - Eileen Barton
My Foolish Heart - The Gordon Jenkins Orchestra (vocal: Eileen Wilson)
The Third Man Theme - Alton Karas
Long Gone Lonesome Blues - Hank Williams
1958 Tequila - The Champs
All I Have to Do is Dream - The Everly Brothers
The Witch Doctor - David Seville
Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson
1966 (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration - The Righteous Brothers
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Cher
Secret Agent Man - Johnny Rivers
I Want to Go with You - Eddy Arnold
1974 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees
Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me - Gladys Knight & The Pips
The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk
Hello Love - Hank Snow
1982 I Love Rock ’N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
We Got the Beat - Go-Go’s
Chariots of Fire - Titles - Vangelis
Crying My Heart Out Over You - Ricky Skaggs
1990 Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’Connor
I Wanna Be Rich - Calloway
How Can We Be Lovers - Michael Bolton
Love on Arrival - Dan Seals

Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.

Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

 "The inability to forget is infinitely more devastating than the inability to remember," - Mark Twain



Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Blackhawks cannot beat Canada; US cannot beat Syria.


April 27, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 27 is … Tell A Story Day

The Blackhawks are still reigning NHL champions but they are no longer defending NHL champions. The hole they dug themselves into did not come with a tall enough ladder. Overall, it was a disappointing season.

Have we invaded Syria yet? We would have we just are not sure if the despot that will take over is any better than the one in power now; we know how he thinks, at least we think we know how he thinks but our intelligence throughout the world is misnamed.

On tell a story day let me tell you about…

About a bird named Woody. He was a loud, often annoying bird but equally misunderstood. His mission in life was to provide housing for under beaked birds throughout the avian world. He was always ready to stand up against all odds to make sure his nemesis suffered. He was…
On this, his birthday, we pay tribute to the man who created the fun-loving, slightly manic bird he called, Woody Woodpecker. Cartoonist Walter Lantz was born on this day in 1900 in New Rochelle, New York.
Many remember Walter Lantz only for Woody; however, one of his most famous moments was the creation of an animated opening sequence for Universal Studio’s first, major musical, The King of Jazz in 1930.
Lantz’ Woody Woodpecker made his first appearance in the 1940 film, Knock, Knock. He became so popular that his wacky laugh and taunting ways were celebrated in The Woody Woodpecker Song. By 1948, Lantz and his studio were celebrating the hit record success of that song, too.
Walter Lantz put several more decades of wonderful cartoon characters and films under his belt before he was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. It was 1979 when he was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscar ceremonies.
Walter Lantz has left us and many generations to come with a lifetime of enjoyment; one can still see Woody Woodpecker in cartoons on television. You’ll recognize that zany laugh anywhere!

This is not going to be welcome news at Attica State Prison in New York. Al Capone must be rolling over in his grave.

 New York inmates who are in same-sex marriages or civil unions are being allowed conjugal visits with their spouses or partners. Go ahead, read that again only slower. You probably read it correctly the first time.

The state officially announced the change in policy last week, making New York one of the few states (Thank God) to grant the private visits for gay and lesbian inmates in legally recognized same-sex partnerships. Although the policy will directly affect a relatively small number of people, advocates for same-sex marriage say it's an important step toward full equality for gay and lesbian couples. I was under the impression prison was a punishment. By committing crimes you lose certain aspects of equality and rights.

"This is a recognition of same-sex couples as families," said Molly McKay of Marriage Equality USA, a group that lobbies for same-sex marriage. "These are exactly the kinds of indignities that same-sex couples have suffered when they were not recognized." Who in their right mind wants to keep these families intact and make sure children are raised by criminals? Although same-sex marriage is not legal in New York, the prison policy honors same-sex relationships that are legally recognized in other states.

California began allowing conjugal visits for inmates in same-sex domestic partnerships in 2007, and a similar policy is in effect in Washington State. In Connecticut, where same-sex marriage is legal, no conjugal visits are allowed for any inmates. Prison officials there said today that no requests have been made so far for what it calls "extended family visits" by inmates in same-sex relationships.

The New York policy was approved in 2008 by then-Gov. David Paterson but was not added to the state Register formalizing the change until April 20, according to the New York Daily News. Peter Cutler, spokesman for the New York Department of Correctional Services, told the Daily News he couldn't explain why the policy was just recently formalized.

Under the new visitation policy, New York inmates in legally recognized same-sex relationships can also apply for permission to visit spouses who are gravely ill. David Fathi, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project, said private visits with family members help inmates maintain relationships that will encourage them to stay out of prison after their release. "One of the best predictors of prisoners successfully reintegrating when they leave prison is whether they've stayed in contact with family on the outside," Fathi told AOL News today. "These visits are very important to sustaining those connections." This is ignoring the obvious; this gives family members time alone to plan escapes or additional crimes upon release. Released prisoners are more likely to return to prison than not. Why spend the resources and give privileges to people who do not deserve them or do not really care. Some people can only exist in prison. Making it seem more like the outside defeats the concept of punishment. Even the stupidest liberal knows rehabilitation does not work in our prison systems. I am not sure why a prison inmate wants to publically declare their sexual orientation. This seems to guarantee the “you’re my bitch” policy found in prisons everywhere.

Cutler said there has been one request for a conjugal visit so far by an inmate in a same-sex relationship. He said the request is pending.

Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.

Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

"Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it." - Lou Holtz


Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Valpo Law School, The Haircut and Earth Day nuts!

April 26, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 26 is … Richter Scale Day and National Pretzel Day

Nice combination. Look out Freeport, Illinois, the big one could be today.

GO BLACKHAWKS!   GO BULLS!

My middle child, Ross, is graduating from Valparaiso Law School in a three weeks. He has a classmate, C. Nicholas Cronauer, who is the son of Charles Cronauer, an attorney in Sycamore, IL. These two young men did not know each other until they started Law School at Valparaiso University.

The Winter 2011 Volume 45 Number 2 Valparaiso University Law Review recently was published. This is a legal research treatise that is published by most Law Schools in two volumes each year. Some of the articles are written by Law School Professors but most6 are written by students on Law Review. It is an honor to make Law Review and a very high honor to have your article accepted for publication in the Law Review book. Every Law School Library has Every Law School’s Law Review Publications in their library. Of course, in this day and age, Law Reviews are available online also.

My son, Ross A. Brennan, had an article published in the most recent volume of the Valparaiso Law School Law Review. His article is a scholarly piece detailing and explaining civil commitment of a Sexually Violent Person. Charles Cronauer’s son, C. Nicholas Cronauer was also published. His article is an in depth look at the Livestock Management Facilities Act.

Both articles are timely in their subject matter and expertly written. Hundreds of hours were put in by both men in the research, drafting, editing and redrafting of these works. Congratulations to both young men DeKalb County has produced at least two of the next generation of lawyers that will uphold the fine legal profession.
Below is just a little fun from email wars.


The Haircut
 One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.
Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

Last week, on April 22, 2011 some people celebrated Earth Day. Here are a few predictions from the first Earth Day in 1970 made by same-minded people making similarly outlandish predictions on Earth Day 2011.

“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” — George Wald, Harvard Biologist

“Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years.” — Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

“By…1975 some experts feel that food shortages will have escalated the present level of world hunger and starvation into famines of unbelievable proportions. Other experts, more optimistic, think the ultimate food-population collision will not occur until the decade of the 1980s.” — Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

“It is already too late to avoid mass starvation,” — Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day

“Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions….By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine.” — Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University

“Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support…the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution…by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half….” — Life Magazine, January 1970

“At the present rate of nitrogen buildup, it’s only a matter of time before light will be filtered out of the atmosphere and none of our land will be usable.” — Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

“Air pollution…is certainly going to take hundreds of thousands of lives in the next few years alone.” — Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

Ok, Ehrlich was sorta right on this, if you restrict his predictions to modern Communist China, where they are showing the typical communist/socialist contempt for the environment.

“By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate…that there won’t be any more crude oil. You’ll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill ‘er up, buddy,’ and he’ll say, `I am very sorry, there isn’t any.’” — Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

Now we get to my personal favorite, although probably not Al Gore‘s favorite.

“The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years,” he declared. “If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.” — Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

Who is Kenneth Watt and what does he sy now, if he is still living?

Remember kids, Environmentalism Good, Watermelons Bad!

FYI, Watermelon: Thin layer of Green on the outside, Red to the Core! NOT SURE WHAT THIS MEANS, Anonymous quote I found.

Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

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Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him." - Aldous Huxley