LAWYERBRUCE

http://www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com/

http://www.lawyerbruce.blogspot.com/

Friday, October 15, 2010

Square watermelons?

OCTOBER 15, 2010

I just noticed I am writing this while wearing my wedding ring. Normally, I do not wear it while preparing this column. We will see if it makes a difference. Perhaps my wife’s influence coming through the wedding ring will soften my opinions.

As early as next season, Americans may see a long-time favorite with a different look. Although the Japanese have had this innovation on a small scale for a few years, it is close to hitting the American grocery store produce section big time. SQUARE WATERMELONS are on their way. They will not replace the traditional round or oblong watermelon but they will be available. The fruit is said to taste the same and will be sold in seedless and seeded varieties.

If you are wondering why someone would mess with a popular staple like the watermelon, you do not have to look to far for the reason. Anytime a new idea or innovation is trotted out for no apparent reason, you only have to look at the money. Producers will save large sums of money in shipping costs. Square watermelons can be stacked for shipping and display. Whether or not the consumer will see a cost savings is another question. I would bet not with the explanation being the cost spent on research and development has to be recouped and the price would have risen if the savings were not realized by the producers and shippers. We have never heard that explanation before.

Remember when the Supreme Court decided corporations have a First Amendment Right to free speech. That was about a year or so ago. Legally, corporations have always been ‘citizens’. They exist, they can sue, they can be sued, they can be fined civilly, they can be criminally prosecuted, they can enter into contracts, they can make charitable contributions, they pay taxes, etc. The Supreme Court ruled they could fund and buy advertisements for or against a political candidate or cause. This right is unlimited.

Legally, this is the correct ruling. Corporations are affected by laws and regulations passed by the legislatures at the local, state and national level. “No taxation without representation” is a myth from the time of the Revolution. This was never a big rallying cry or cause for the Revolution but it fits here. Why should corporations be subject to laws and regulations without being able to express their opinion?

Political action committees, Unions, the ACLU and a few others have always been able to advertise politically. Now every corporation can do the same thing. A corporation can be formed to air commercials. Because of this Supreme Court ruling, we are seeing a plethora of commercials for or against a candidate or cause that were not legal two years ago. One problem being discussed is that a corporation can be formed with foreign money or seek foreign contributions for its political arm and that will not be public information. Corporations are private entities and do not have to allow public access to its books.

I think this is a good change. Unions have long had the power to exert influence over who is elected. Now corporation can do the same thing. I just hope the money does not get out of hand.

Originally, Republicans were for the change while Democrats were against it. President Obama caused a Supreme to react to a part of his State of the Union speech in January when he derided the decision in his speech. Since the change is now being implemented, it looks like it is a draw. The real winner is the Tea Party.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

http://www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com/

http://www.lawyerbruce.blogspot.com/

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Are Judges overpaid. The Kingdom of Sycamore.

OCTOBER 14, 2010

Weather forecast; Chile today, hot tamale! Way to go Chile, lead on.

The pictures did not come through yesterday. I hope you looked at them through Google. They are pretty neat. I have added a slideshow to http://www.lawyerbruce.blogspot.com/ and http://www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com/

If you get this blog by Email, go to one of the original websites I just referenced to see the purple squirrels. They are part of the slideshow. They are also listed below.

Illinois Circuit Judges get paid $174,303.00 annually. Circuit Judges are elected or appointed at the beginning, which is how most get started. Associate Judges make a little less than Circuit Judges.

Illinois ranks second in paying Circuit Judges in the nation. Appellate Judges are also the second highest paid in the nation. Supreme Court Judges are the third highest paid in the nation but they also receive free room and board in Springfield. Appellate Judges receive $189,949.00 annually with Supreme Court Judges getting an annual salary of $201,919.00, plus the room and board.

Overall, Illinois Judges rank second in the nation in annual pay, not including pension benefits, days off and staff. The average per-capita personal income in Illinois is $41,411.00. Illinois ranks 29^thin the nation in cost of living.

The room and board for the Supreme Court Judges consists of apartments on the third floor of the Supreme Court building. The apartments come with housekeeping, a cook, maid service and 24 hour security. They do not get a vehicle.

Illinois Circuit Judges are paid $39,855.00 more than similar Judges in Iowa, $43,908.00 more than Judges in Indiana and $49,701.00 more than Judges in Missouri.

Why is this relevant, other than the fact Illinois is broke? We have an election coming up where we will be asked to vote for a Circuit Judge. One of the candidates is from a law firm that three of the five current Judges were once part of. If we add a fourth, Judge Gallagher, who now sits in Kane County, it would mean that over $697,000.00 would be paid to former members of single Sycamore law firm, annually.

Judge Gallagher’s daughter is running for DeKalb County State’s Attorney, a job that pays over $150,000.00 annually. If she wins, adding that salary to the salary of the four Judges means the County of DeKalb will be paying former members of one Sycamore law firm or a close relative of a former partner, over $850,000.00 annually. It would also mean the City of DeKalb, whose only sitting Judge is retiring right after the election, would not be represented on the Bench. The largest City in the County would not be represented.

This is just another reason Tom Doherty should get your vote on November 2, 2010. Tom Doherty is more qualified than his opponent, has an open mind and he does not have a home field advantage in the Courthouse with a built in team. Nor should he have such an advantage.

This is also an important reason why Clay Campbell should be elected State’s Attorney. The appearance of impropriety is to be maintained under the legal code of ethics. That would be hard to do with the State’s Attorney having her father on the bench along with three of his former partners.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

http://www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com/

http://www.lawyerbruce.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

purple squirrel and Chile

OCTOBER 13, 2010

As I write this, nine men have been rescued from the bowels of the earth in Chile. This is a miracle, man-made and otherwise. The whole world, except for the Muslim nations, came forward to help accomplish this rescue. Where was this help during the Gulf Oil Spill? If this had happened in the United States, the government red tape would have prevented this type of successful outcome.

Does Will County need to be disbanded? Remember the Riley Fox case? It was rushed to a conclusion right before an election. They were wrong and paid millions in damages. Drew Peterson has been a circle jerk for three years. That caser will not end successfully. Now comes the police officer arrested for the shooting spree in Illinois and Indiana. Once again they rushed to an arrest right before an election. They released him. They determined they were wrong, again. What a bunch of jerks. A monkey with ears could do a better job as the head of police and prosecution in Will County.

Do you know what a ‘purple squirrel’ means? It is a term used in the employment recruiting industry and by human resource people. The term is synonymous with ‘ideal candidate’. It refers to a person who is a perfect fit for a particular job.

THE PURPLE SQUIRREL

Most recruiters know that a Purple Squirrel is a very rare, highly sought after, almost extinct species of candidate. In other words, it is the hire that requires very specific knowledge and qualifications. Perhaps the one above or below qualifies.

Experts are not sure how this squirrel got to be purple. It could be genetics. It could have fallen into purple paint, they just don’t know. They cannot catch it for a real good look. It lives outside of a school in Hampshire, England, or at least it did.

One clue is that he frequently pops into a building where old printers are stored. TV wildlife expert Chris Packham said: 'It is possible he has been chewing on a purple ink cartridge and then groomed that coloring into his fur.

Next time you are watching squirrels eat or play, give the purple squirrel a thought. He just might brighten your day. If pictures did not come through, google 'purple squirrel' and click on result that says experts baffled.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Why do naked people read?

OCTOBER 12, 2010

It was nice to see the Blackhawks finally win a regular season game. It was a good game against a feisty Buffalo Sabres team. Final Hawks 4 – Sabres 3.

The DeKalb City council is going to borrow money to finance projects the public doesn’t want. That apparently isn’t a concern for our leaders. After all, they know what is better for us than we do. The argument of borrowing money at no additional cost is selling fluff. Before this debacle is over, years from now, when the current powers are long gone, the term will be extended, taxes will be raised, expenditures will be raised, because now we have a new police station to furnish and staff. The argument will be, “It is cheaper to purchase new equipment than move the old equipment. We get state-of-the-art technology and we don’t have the expense of moving the old equipment.”

Too bad the book missed Obama, at least then we would know the title of the book. Why did they let naked people into the speech anyway? A book thrown at President Obama narrowly missed him on Sunday. As of this moment, the book thrower is unknown. The name of the book is also not known. You can bet the Secret Service folks are getting an earful today, at least they should be.

After the book throwing, that the President did not seem to notice, a naked man was seen being led away in handcuffs. It was obvious he had no weapons on him. The pen is mightier than the sword, someone once wrote. The writer was probably not the naked guy.

The Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, is the largest generator of real estate property taxes in Cook County. I will go out on a limb and say it is the largest generator of real estate property taxes in Illinois, although I have not researched that fact. The Willis Tower pays twenty million dollars a year in real estate taxes. How would you like that divided by 12 and be made a part of your monthly mortgage payment?

Favre looked like a politician or public figure caught sexting Monday night. His mind was not into the game. His career is about over. Brett, think Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Ken Griffey, Jr. or Ron Santo. It is over. Don’t make us remember you as a struggling old man. Call John Elway for some advice on this. The wife probably isn’t saying much right now anyway.

Just three weeks until the election. I hope everyone votes, even if it isn’t for the candidates I am voting for. At least stand up and exercise your franchise.

Remember two weeks ago when the news was 24/7 about an eminent terrorist attack. What happened? I don’t think any attack was cancelled because NBC talked about it. Once again our intelligence isn’t and the government can manipulate the press. Every time a President is having a rough patch or Congress wants off the front page, a new troubling story is leaked to the press, who run with it. Wag the dog.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

http://www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com/