The law and the jungle

Carry on

By Leo Morris — Thu, 12/20/2012 - 12:23pm — Opening Argument

Anyone want to tell me why this isn't a good idea?

HARROLD, Texas (AP) - In this tiny Texas town, children and their parents don't give much thought to safety at the community's lone school - mostly because some of the teachers are carrying concealed weapons.

In remote Harrold, the nearest sheriff's office is 30 minutes away, and people tend to know - and trust - one another. So the school board voted to let teachers bring guns to school.

Posted in: Current events, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares, The state of the culture

All the rage

By Leo Morris — Thu, 12/20/2012 - 9:08am — Opening Argument

Here's a new malady for you -- cheeseburger rage:

DECEMBER 19--A Pennsylvania man has been charged with assault and disorderly conduct for his alleged rampage last month at McDonald’s, a meltdown reportedly triggered when his drive-thru order contained a hamburger with an unwanted piece of cheese.

Posted in: Current events, Food and Drink, The law and the jungle

Six-gun Joe

By Leo Morris — Wed, 12/19/2012 - 1:18pm — Opening Argument

What could possibly go wrong?

President Obama on Monday began the first serious push of his administration to attempt to reduce gun violence, directing Cabinet members to formulate a set of proposals that could include reinstating a ban on assault rifles.

Posted in: Current events, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares, The state of the culture

Guns and mental illness

By Leo Morris — Mon, 12/17/2012 - 10:37am — Opening Argument

Everybody's going to have an opinion about the Connecticut shooting horror. FWIW, here's my two cents in the editorial I wrote for today's paper. It isn't meant to offer solutions, just the place where the conversation should start:

There are two things we desperately need to talk about – the availability of guns and the failures of our mental health systems. We can't seem to talk seriously about either one, but for different reasons.

Posted in: Current events, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares

Tough enough

By Leo Morris — Fri, 12/14/2012 - 10:27am — Opening Argument

What do you think about this?

Officials in a central Indiana county have repealed a local smoking ban that was stricter than a statewide ban the General Assembly approved earlier this year.

[. . .]

Posted in: Hoosier lore, The law and the jungle, Our town, Politics and other nightmares

Feel watched?

By Leo Morris — Fri, 12/14/2012 - 8:51am — Opening Argument

"Let's party like it's 1984" department. From my current favorite libertarian, Andrew Napolitano:

Posted in: Cudrrent events, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares

Blips on the gaydar

By Leo Morris — Mon, 12/10/2012 - 10:25am — Opening Argument

I guess I'm a little surprised it's coming this soon, but we've been talking about this here for a few years -- the obvious need of the Surpeme Court to tackle the gay marriage question. It has decided to review the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8, both of which make "one man, one woman" the standard.

Posted in: Current events, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares, The state of the culture

Red light special

By Leo Morris — Wed, 12/05/2012 - 9:19am — Opening Argument

How communities can make a ton of money without raising taxes: 1. Install red-light cameras. 2. Shorten the yello-light time below the federally mandated three seconds. 3. Rake in the dough.