March 6, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
March 6 is … National Frozen Food Day
Remember the Alamo. It was on this day in 1836, the last of a thirteen-day siege, that Mexico’s dictator, Santa Anna and his thousand-man army defeated a little band of Texas volunteers. The last of these 189 brave men (who included Davy Crockett) died on March 6, holed up in the Alamo. Their fight for Texas’ liberty did not go unnoticed. 46 days later, with the battle cry, “Remember the Alamo,” General Sam Houston and his Texans captured Santa Anna and finished the job started at the Alamo. Texas gained its independence. You don’t mess with Texas.
Watch the videos and pictures taken of animals around the world over a several year project by the Smithsonian Institute. Many of these pictures were captured at night using motion detection equipment. There are over 200,000 pictures. Check this out.
A friend of mine, who also is a gun owner, gave me a suggestion the other day. He suggested gun owners, as a group, file a Freedom of Information Request form on the Office of the Attorney General seeking Lisa Madigan’s home address, phone number and list of government provided assets she gets. Since Ms. Madigan wants the world to know if I can own guns and what type of guns I own, why shouldn’t we know the same things about her. I am also going to request information as to whether or not she gets security and if she does, are they armed? If they are armed, who are they, where do they live and what guns do they own?
Here is the information about filing a FOIA Request with the Illinois Attorney General;
How to File a Freedom of Information Act Request with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
The following are instructions on how to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General:
1. Please make your request for records in writing. The Office of the Illinois Attorney General does not require the completion of a standard form for this purpose. You may submit your written request by mail, fax or e-mail. Please direct your request to:
2.
FOIA Officer - John Costello
Public Access Bureau
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
500 S. Second Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Fax: (217) 782-1396
E-mail: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us
Public Access Bureau
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
500 S. Second Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Fax: (217) 782-1396
E-mail: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us
3. Please be as specific as possible when describing the records you are seeking. Remember, the Freedom of Information Act is designed to allow you to inspect or receive copies of records. It is not designed to require a public body to answer questions. To the extent that you wish to ask questions of a representative of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, you may call our Springfield Main Office at (217) 782-1090, our Chicago Main Office at (312) 814-3000, or our Carbondale Main Office at (618) 529-6400, to be directed to the proper person.
4. Please tell us whether you would like copies of the requested records, or whether you wish to examine the records in person. You have the right to either option.
5. There is no fee for up to 50 pages of standard paper copies. For pages beyond 50, there is a .15-cent-per-page charge.
6. You are permitted to ask for a waiver of copying fees. To do so, please include the following statement (or a similar statement) in your written FOIA request: “I request a waiver of all fees associated with this request.” In addition, you must include a specific explanation as to why your request for information is in the public interest—not simply your personal interest—and merits a fee waiver.
7. Please include your name, preferred telephone number(s), mailing address, and, if you wish, your electronic mail address.
Below is a Freedom of Information Request form. Print or cut and paste this document to send to her once you have filled it out. It can also be used for other government agencies, cities, towns, counties, etc.
FOIA REQUEST
Note to Requester: Retain a copy of this request for your files. If you eventually need to file a Request for Review with the Public Access Counselor, you will need to submit a copy of your FOIA request.
Name and Address of Public Body Receiving Request:
Date Requested:
Request Submitted By: ___ E-mail ___ U.S. Mail ___ Fax ___ In Person
Name of Requester:
Street Address:
City/State/County Zip (required):
Telephone (Optional): E-mail (Optional):
Fax (Optional):
Records Requested: Provide as much specific detail as possible so the public body can identify the information that you are seeking. You may attach additional pages, if necessary.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you want copies of the documents? YES or NO
Do you want Electronic Copies or Paper Copies?
If you want Electronic Copies, in what format?
Is this request for a Commercial Purpose? YES or NO
It is a violation of the Freedom of Information Act for a person to knowingly obtain a public record for a commercial purpose without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose, if requested to do so by the public body. 5 ILCS 140.3.1(c).
Are you requesting a fee waiver? YES or NO
If you are requesting that the public body waive any fees for copying the documents, you must attach a statement of the purpose of the request, and whether the principal purpose of the request is to access or disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or legal rights of the general public. 5 ILCS 140/6(c).
Date:_______________ ____________________________________
If you do not like the government knowing what you own and publicizing it, send off this request. A little civil disobedience can’t hurt. This may also save you from getting telemarketing calls from the NRA, gun shows, gun dealers, gun manufacturers, ammunition makers, etc. You know the State of Illinois will sell the list to whoever wants to buy it.
The Texicans would not have won independence for Texas if the enemy knew exactly what they were facing. Remember the Alamo!
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.
Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
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.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ (do a quick search, Title, my name)
http://www.smashwords.com/ Do a Title or author search, Check this site out.
https://dtp.amazon.com/mn/dashboard NEW SOURCE FOR BOOK
“The best of all the preachers
are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
is what everybody needs.”
are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
is what everybody needs.”
