by

NYTimes: In the Gun Law Fights of 2023, a Need for Experts on the Weapons of 1791

In the Gun Law Fights of 2023, a Need for Experts on the Weapons of 1791 https://nyti.ms/402xCjd

By Shawn Hubler NYT

Lawyers are turning to historians as they comb through Colonial-era statutes to litigate modern gun laws.

“Gun historians across the country are in demand like never before as lawyers must now comb through statutes drafted in the Colonial era and the early years of the Republic to litigate modern firearms restrictions. From experts on military gun stamping to scholars of American homicide through the ages, they have been called — many for the first time — to parse the nation’s gun culture in court.”

“Cases now explore weapons bans in early saloons, novelty air rifles on the Lewis and Clark expedition, concealed carry restrictions on bowie knives and 18th-century daggers known as “Arkansas toothpicks,” and a string-operated “trap gun” that may or may not be comparable to an AR-15.”

by

60 Years Later, Gideon’s Legacy Lives On | United States Courts

https://www.uscourts.gov/news/2023/03/16/60-years-later-gideons-legacy-lives

“Clarence Earl Gideon, a Florida drifter who spent time in and out of prisons for nonviolent crimes, was an unlikely individual to help redefine a criminal defendant’s right to counsel 60 years ago in the Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright. Public Defense Week and National Public Defender Day, which occur March 18, commemorate the landmark case and the vital work of public defense lawyers.”

by

Victory for spotted owl as Trump-era plan to reduce habitat is struck down

Revisiting the spotted owl.. started it all… good news but not enough

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/09/biden-trump-plan-northern-spotted-owl-habitat?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

“We’re glad the Biden administration repealed the ridiculous and politically driven decision to strip 3m acres from the spotted owl’s critical habitat” said Noah Greenwald, the endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It needs all the habitat it can get if it’s going to make it.” But, he called the exclusions that remain, “disappointing”.

“The Biden administration is condoning the cutting of old growth forests on BLM land,” he said. “It is definitely not what the owl needs and it’s not what our climate needs.”

by

The H2O highway

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classics-st-lawrence-seaway-connects-mid-america-to-sea

‘The 63rd navigation season on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System was launched on March 22nd during an official opening ceremony.

“Moving goods by water through the Seaway ensures trade is flowing freely between the U.S.
and Canada while also reducing emissions,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
“After 62 years of operation, the binational Seaway System remains a model of international
cooperation and partnership and showcases how we can work together to address the challenges
of climate change.”

Keep reading….

by

NYTimes: What Are Republicans So Afraid Of?

What Are Republicans So Afraid Of? https://nyti.ms/3f7DKCK

Excerpt:”To appeal to moderate suburban voters, Bush would make education a priority and promise a “compassionate conservatism.” To strengthen the party’s hold on white evangelicals, Bush emphasized his Christianity and worked to polarize the country over abortion, same-sex marriage and other questions of sexual ethics and morality. Bush courted Black and Hispanic voters with the promise of homeownership and signed a giveaway to seniors in the form of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. He also made it a point to have a diverse cabinet, elevating figures like Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales.”

A good beginning to understand how Congress got to gridlock and polarization. We need a functioning Congress to rebuild outdated infrastructure and keep our edge in trade and tech, combat natural disasters, etc.