Category Archives: Ron Paul

Former Paul Revere and the Raiders singer/guitarist Keith Allison has died. He also worked with Ringo Starr, the Monkees and the Beach Boys over the years.

It is with deep sadness [we] announce the passing of Keith Allison, Paul Revere and the Raiders said in an official statement. We all here in the Raider family are terribly heartbroken. Keith will always be a Raider. Our love goes out to Keiths wife Tina, son Ryeland, daughters Allison and Brenda, and all the grandchildren. Keith was a friend to all, and everyone loved Keith. His presence will be strongly missed.

Allison had been associated with the group for several years before somewhat reluctantly joining in 1968. He came to their attention after being hired as a permanent audience member for Dick Clarks TV show Where the Action Is, as a result of bearing a resemblance to Paul McCartney.

I'd just signed a recording deal with Warner Bros., and I just signed a solo contract with Dick Clark Productions, Allison later told Classic Bands. I felt it would be like kicking Dick Clark in the shins. I thought that would have been bad karma.

Allison light-heartedly described his decision to finally become a member of the Raiders as a step sideways. I was doing the same thing I always did. I traveled with them everywhere. I toured with them all the time. We were on the TV show together," he said. I was so closely associated with them that it wasn't that big of a jump one way or the other, because of the TV show. I had played on a lot of their records, played guitar on 'em, on several of their hits. So it was a natural transition, actually.

Watch Keith Allison Perform Louise

Allison remained with the band until 1975, by which time they were using the shortened title of the Raiders. He also worked with the Crickets, Roy Orbison, and Sonny & Cher, among others.

He released the solo album Keith Allison in Action, and served as Starrs musical director. He pursued a career in acting, then returned to music, joining the Waddy Watchel Band and appearing on Jerry Lee Lewis 2007 LP Last Man Standing.

I've had a great time, Allison said, reflecting on his career. I've enjoyed the highs and lows. It's like a roller coaster. But it's always been that way, up and down and up and down and up and down.

Remembering themusicians, actors, producers and others who havedied in 2021.

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Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders Dies - Ultimate Classic Rock

Updated at 4:45 p.m. on November 20, 2021.

In 2008, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi invited his good friend Vladimir Putin to Sardinia, where Berlusconi had a vacation home, to discuss Italy and Russias business and energy ties. At a joint press conference held during the visit, the Russian journalist Natalia Melikova asked Putin a question about his rumored relationship with the former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva. As an angry Putin stayed silent and cameras rolled, Berlusconi mimicked shooting Melikova. The Italian press dismissed this and similar acts by the prime minister as gaffes, treating them as little more than social faux pas. Yet they were much more than that. Humiliating women, or even mimicking shooting them, was central to Berlusconis strongman brand and a key to his power

Exercising an autocratic style of governance within a nominal democracy, Berlusconi cultivated an image as a virile leader untouchable by the law and able to have whatever and whomever he wanted, on demand. The commercial-television networks and ad agencies he owned mirrored his misogynist actions, saturating Italy with images of women in submissive and degrading roles. By 2011, when the Eurozone crisis forced Berlusconi out of office, he had survived 20 indictments and seven convictions for corruption, and a sex scandal involving a minor, without losing the support of his base or going to prison. But a United Nations Commission report that year warned that persistent portrayals of women as sex objects by politicians and the media lowered womens social status, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination. This man offends women and offends democracy, a feminist manifesto published in La Repubblica had warned two years earlier.

Authoritarianism has evolved over the past century, and old-school dictatorships are now joined by electoral autocracies. Yet at least one constant remains: Illiberal political solutions tend to take hold when increased gender equity and emancipation spark anxieties about male authority and status. A conquest-without-consequences masculinity, posing as a return to traditional values, tracks with authoritarianisms rise and parallels the discarding of the rule of law and accountability in politics. We commonly associate autocracy with state restrictions on behavior, but the removal of checks on actions deemed unethical in democratic contexts (lying, thievery, even rape and murder) is equally important to its operation and appeal.

Thats why its unsurprising to see a culture of lawless masculinity developing within the GOP, which adopted an authoritarian political culture during the Trump years. Renouncing democratic norms, the Republicans have normalized disinformation, election subversion, and violence as a means of governance, as expressed in their support for the January 6 coup attempt and the fiction that Donald Trump, not Joe Biden, won the 2020 election.

Read: The pussy presidency

Its symptomatic that a recent Fox News chyron trumpeted the need to embrace masculinity, and that Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri now styles himself the defender of traditional masculine virtuesthings like courage and independence and assertiveness against a left trying to feminize men. The fist pump Hawley gave to the insurgents who had gathered to assault the Capitol hints at the real political agenda behind such calls for renewed male strength.

The anime-style video that Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona recently released, which spins a male fantasy of being acclaimed for murdering a female adversary, typifies the feelings of empowerment that come from belonging to a group that has legitimized criminal behavior. In it, an idealized Gosar saves the nation, attacking President Biden with swords and killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. While Democrats have called for Gosars expulsion from Congress and passed a measure on Wednesday to formally censure him, the strategic silence of the GOP leader Kevin McCarthy gives tacit approval to this public expression by a sitting lawmaker of murderous misogynist rage.

Flamboyant virility has always tended to go hand in hand with authoritarian politics, which is driven by the need to possess and exploit bodies, minds, national resources, and more. Its easy to laugh at the pectoral-baring performances of Mussolini and Vladimir Putin, and dismiss the rape jokes made by Jair Bolsonaro and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, but the strongman style of leadership responds to perceived threats to male authority by upholding patriarchal privilege and the rights of men to satisfy their natural male desires.

Trump announced his allegiance to this tradition early on. I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and I wouldnt lose voters, he asserted in January 2016. In October of that year, his assaultive approach to women became public through the leak of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape (When youre a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, Trump said). In spite of widespread predictions that the leak would be the end of the Trump campaign, it merely enhanced his macho profile.

The ethos of lawless masculinity is a lubricant of corruption, normalizing behaviors and redefining illegal or immoral acts as acceptable, from election fraud to sexual assault. These new norms attract collaborators who find it thrilling to be able to commit criminal acts with impunity. (Gosar used promises of blanket pardons to recruit participants for the January 6 coup attempt.)

From the June 2015 issue: Why it pays to be a jerk

Charismatic authoritarians diffuse models of power based on brute force, and soon the political system spawns individuals who earn status by imitating them. The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had surrogates and proxies who repeated his hypermasculine performances and bombastic oratory, starting with his son-in-law, Galeazzo Ciano, who mimicked Il Duce's chin thrusts, earning the nickname The Jaw. The Italian writer Italo Calvino, who grew up during the dictatorship, recalled how his generation internalized the gestures, opinions, and behaviors of Mussolini from an early age.

Trumps success at birthing mini-Trumps is notable, considering that he governed in an open society for only four years (so far, at least). Mike Pompeo, who as secretary of state violated ethics standards and screamed obscenities at a female journalist, boasted about leading through swagger, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantiss 2018 campaign identity as a pitbull Trump defender has become so entrenched three years later that he routinely mimics the former presidents hand gestures.

In classic authoritarian fashion, Trump attracted collaborators by making it easier for men to act on their desires without fear of punishment. In 2019, his administration partly decriminalized domestic violence, limiting its definition to physical acts of harm (which effectively legalized sexual, emotional, economic, and psychological actions or threats of actions). Trump also defended men accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault, including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and populated high-profile government positions with men, including Steve Bannon, who were accused of sexual harassment, domestic abuse, or inappropriate workplace behavior. How fitting that his chief of protocol, Sean Lawler, carried a horsewhip around in the office to intimidate co-workers.

Whether or not Trump returns to office, the GOP has made his brand of outlaw glamour its own. A real man takes what he wants, when he wants it, whether in the bedroom, the workplace, or politics, and pays no penalty. As the Republican quest to destroy democracy intensifies, so will abusive, predatory, and criminal behavior be further enabled and justified. For a century, getting away with it has been central to authoritarianisms allure, and it will be no different as the American version of illiberal rule unfolds.

This article originally stated that Silvio Berlusconi once grabbed a female traffic cop from behind and simulated copulation. Though accounts vary as to the origin and veracity of this anecdote, the video clip linked to in the description was from a fictional, satirical film about Berlusconi.

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The Lawless Masculinity of the GOP - The Atlantic

Rutgers mens basketball suffered a bad loss on Thursday night in Chicago to DePaul 73-70. It was a continuation of what has been a frustrating and concerning start to the season. Lets review five areas that this team needs to address quickly as the schedule ramps up significantly in the next couple of weeks.

Rutgers has trailed at the half in all four games so far this season. Its a disturbing trend that needs to change quickly. Getting into the game cant include a feeling out period that leads to reckless and sloppy play. Better focus overall, establishing the post on offense while making rebounding a priority are ways to find a rhythm in the game. Rutgers isnt doing that. Poor decision making and forcing things on both ends continually puts this team in a hole. Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. need to assert control from the get go while as a team, they need to adjust to the speed of the game and have better recognition from the opening tip on.

A major issue is that Rutgers is lacking discipline on the defensive end. They have been a step slow in defending penetration and are taking too many chances trying to force turnovers. They have the length to cause opponents problems, but they arent using it to their advantage. Being more fundamentally sound with their defensive stance and footwork will allow them to keep in front of who they are defending. They arent forcing opponents to beat them off the dribble or require as much ball movement because they are late to spots and getting beaten off the ball. Last night, DePaul won the game from the three-point line down the stretch and Rutgers was late closing out on shooters.

These are unforced errors that need to be corrected.

It led to major foul trouble in the loss to DePaul. Head coach Steve Pikiell said after the game, If we could have defended without fouling, that would have helped us. That gave them a huge advantage. When we got down and guarded them, we did a good job.

Cliff Omoruyi is an example of a player taking too many risks on the defensive end. His second foul to send him to the bench in the first half was an overaggressive play. He was trying to block a shot without being in proper position. Blocking opponents from behind while they have position to the rim will draw a foul 100% of the time. While the third foul called on him for a push was a bad call since he didnt actually touch the player, he let it impact his decision making and picked up a fourth foul soon after with over 14 minutes to play in the game. He was effective last night, but not on the court nearly enough because of his foul trouble. An advanced stat is fouls committed per 40 minutes and Omoruyi charted at 8.4 last night. He wants more offensive opportunities but he needs to learn that thats not going to happen if he improve defensively.

Rebounding on the defensive end was an issue last season and was again on Thursday night. It goes back to footwork and being fundamentally sound by getting bodies on the opponent for effective box outs. DePaul is a very good rebounding team so far this season and they grabbed 14 offensive boards, which burned RU in a big way.

In regard to rebounding, Pikiell said after the game, You cant defend the free throw line. We fouled too much. When you are on the road, when you have that disparity, I was disappointed that we didnt rebound missed free throws. You have to make up for a lot of points when you put a team on the foul line that much. I was most disappointed with our free throw blockouts. I have to do a better job making sure we do that. We werent able to overcome that in the game, fouling was a huge issue. We have to do a better job of rebounding without fouling.

The offense isnt as much broken as its stuck in first gear. A lack of ball movement, making the extra pass and working the defense with ball reversals was mostly absent on Thursday night. There was way too many isolation plays and it led to poor shot selection and too many jump shots. There isnt enough movement off the ball and players are stagnant. This also negatively impacts rebounding as well.

When Rutgers takes mostly threes to start a game, its typically a bad sign. They missed their first three attempts in the first five possessions against DePaul and went 2 of 12 in the first half overall. They did a great job of making threes in the flow of the offense down the stretch once they were in rhythm in the game, making 8 of 15 from behind the arc in the second half.

As said in the section related to starting games faster, Rutgers has to do a better job of establishing the post early in games. Ron Harper Jr. and Cliff Omoruyi are matchup problems not only for low to mid major teams, they will be for a lot of Big Ten opponents as well. Taking the game to them and working inside out needs to be a priority.

Another issue is Rutgers is completely reliant on their halfcourt offense to score. They only had 3 points in transition against DePaul. They arent going to play with a fast tempo, but they need to be more opportunistic in running off of turnovers and defensive rebounds. While its obvious the quickness of Jacob Young leading the break is sorely missed, Id argue Myles Johnsons ability to throw accurate and timely outlet passes is missed even more. Rutgers isnt completing passes downfield off of defensive rebounds. Theyre dumping off to Geo Baker and Paul Mulcahy more times than not. Ron Harper Jr. and Aundre Hyatt have been the two best rebounders and both are capable of getting the ball up the court on their own.

Pikiells strategy in non-conference play is open to criticism but his intention is clear. He wants the opportunity to play a deeper rotation, mix and match lineups, keep his starters fresh ahead of the Big Ten grind and get development time for his younger players. The problem is due to issues mentioned just above, Rutgers hasnt had many opportunities for experimentation and development, while also playing his starters a ton of minutes.

You saw even more against DePaul, the shift back to Geo Baker as the primary ball handler is taking place. That being said, Paul Mulcahy played his best game of the season. He played with more confidence, hit some shots and provided some much needed energy on the floor. Pikiell said of his play, Paul does a lot of good things for us. He did a good job keeping the ball live, he gave us tremendous effort. We needed that and his maturity on the floor. While he did take a good amount of possessions as the lead ball handler, he looked more comfortable switching with Geo. Something to keep an eye on and Id be surprised if this wasnt the way forward long term.

While Aundre Hyatt is essentially playing like a sixth starter in terms of minutes played and being on the court late in games, the other bench players provided good support offensively in the first half against DePaul. Mawot Mag had 2 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds along with playing with purpose on the offensive end. Jaden Jones hit a corner three in the flow of the offense that gave Rutgers a six point lead. He is a natural scorer who can score in all three phases. The problem is each are having issues on the defensive end. Because of that, Jones only got 2 minutes in the second half and Mag didnt get on the court at all.

Pikiell is a tough, old school coach in the sense that defense either keeps you on or takes you off the court. In these tight games, he is sticking with his veterans on the floor who have the best defensive understanding on the team. Hyatts transition into the rotation has been smooth in part because he has picked up the defensive principles quickly. For younger and inexperienced players like Jones and Mag, they are essentially learning on the fly. The issue is they are going to have to fill roles this season off the bench in Big Ten play. Taking lumps with them now seems beneficial long term in getting them ready for whats ahead. It will be interesting to compare minutes in this game to when they play at UMass next weekend as to whether they are given more time.

Caleb McConnell is a key player for this team, but his offensive play has been detrimental in the early going. He went 0 of 6 last night, but it was more the way he took shots and dribbled out possessions without moving the ball that hurt the most. He is the best defender on the team, brings toughness as well as an above average defender and rebounder. Pikiell is a coach who tries to inject confidence into his players, but figuring out a way to build that on the offensive end for McConnell while also improving the flow when he is on the court is vital moving forward.

With Cliff Omoruyi in foul trouble against DePaul, Ralph Gonzales-Agee and Dean Reiber were unable to provide enough production in his absence. Defensively, both struggled and Gonzales-Agee missed opportunities near the rim by pump faking and dribbling too much when he had the ball. If these are issues against DePaul, something has to improve before Big Ten play.

One adjustment to watch for is Pikiell going smaller by playing Ron Harper Jr. at the 5 and Aundre Hyatt at the 4. You can still have Geo on the court with a combination of McConnell, Mag, Jones and Mulcahy filling the other spots. Pikiell has talked about positionless basketball in the past and thats the type of lineup that could be effective when Cliff is in foul trouble moving forward. Dont expect Pikiell to give up on Gonzales-Agee too quickly, but having a plan B is going to be needed on certain nights.

The bottom line is that this loss is likely to create urgency for Pikiell to make decisions on the rotation sooner than he probably wanted to. And that means players accepting roles and prioritizing areas that make them the most productive as possible. We heard all offseason about how each player is focused on doing their role the best as they can, but whether their actual role thats needed actually matches up with the role they wanted needs to managed as well. Thats Pikiells job to manage and how this process sorts out remains to be seen.

Rutgers has played tight all season. They are truly a hunted team against the competition theyve faced so far. Their opponents play up to them and Rutgers has shown the troubling trend of playing down to its competition. They need leadership on the court to get out of that pattern. While Baker and Harper Jr. have been playing well, they also need to focus on getting their teammates to breath. I dont mean this as a criticism and that they arent trying to get players to relax more, but their battle scars make them capable of doing that. When this team feels the pressure, they press in their decision making or get overaggressive. Its leading to mistakes. It sounds simple, but in one sense they need to trust their abilities more and focus on the fundamentals. Trying to do too much or forcing the action is producing subpar results.

While the loss to DePaul is extremely disappointing and a ugly stain on their resume, this team needs to focus on the simple things. This team is tracking very similarly to the 2019-2020 team that took until mid-December to figure things out.

That 20 win team struggled in its first three games and lost its fourth contest of the season away from home to St. Bonaventure, who were rated No. 123 in KenPom. This Rutgers team struggled in the first three games of the season and lost its fourth contest away from home to DePaul, who were rated No. 123 coming into the matchup. Rutgers was No. 79 in KenPom after that loss two years ago, only to finish a program best No. 28 in March. This team is now at No. 75 in KenPom and with the strength of schedule in the Big Ten, there will be plenty of opportunities to make up for the loss to DePaul. The key is not allowing it to snowball and create a bigger hole.

The lack of creation on offense and lack of discipline on defense has raised serious concerns. The losses of Jacob Young and Myles Johnson have been felt. However, assuming this team wont evolve and be successful is not something I feel is warranted. If Rutgers can defend and rebound at a high level, which they are capable of doing, I truly believe more wins will follow than not. Offense obviously needs to improve and they have to play smarter. With this group and the way Pikiell coaches, everything comes from the defense first. Its a style and approach that isnt fun or popular, but its a proven formula thats worked.

Its not even Thanksgiving and this team is already at a gut check moment. They need to reevaluate themselves and each other in order to make corrections moving forward. The core group of players on this team have been through the wars and have responded well with their backs against the wall in the past. They arent in a desperate situation now, but in order to avoid that type of circumstance later this season, using this loss as a positive and learning from it is a must.

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Five areas Rutgers mens basketball must improve on - On The Banks

Jon Paul J.P. Brooker| Special to The News-Press

Oil and water dont mix.

That adage applies to protecting Floridas precious ecosystems from oil drilling. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature should permanently ban drilling for oil in or near any of the states aquatic ecosystems, including near our beaches, offshore on our reefs, or in our Everglades.

We have just seen another application to drill for oil near the Big Cypress Preserve. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection correctly acknowledged that would threaten highly sensitive aquatic ecosystems and upstream wildlife, and on Nov. 5 it denied Trend Explorations permit application. But companies have tried to explore for oil in the greater Everglades ecosystems for decades and this recent application wont be the last.

'This should be an outrage to the whole nation': Oil drilling permits would destroy historic Everglades, environmental groups tell feds

Guest opinion: New water control model brings 'significant improvement'

More like this: Legislation proposed enabling your right to know if Florida waters are safe

In a state where water quality has worsened and remains a top issue for voters, the last thing we need is the threat of oil spills in The Everglades or off our coasts. Red tide, Piney Point, blue green algal blooms, fish kills, a thousand dead manatees, thousands of acres of seagrass lost these severe water quality issues are reaching an apex in a state bordered on three sides by saltwater and filled with springs, lakes, streams and swamps.

Weve seen constant attempts to prospect for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. Those attempts are regularly shut down, because most Floridians dont want oil drilling off our coasts, spoiling our majestic views, threatening our world-class fisheries, and damaging our iconic coastal ecosystems and beaches that contribute billions in economic impact to the state. Floridians want our Everglades, oceans and coasts to be oil free.

A drop of water starting in the Kissimmee River can make its way into Lake Okeechobee, through The Everglades and its related ecosystems, and out to Florida Bay, the Florida Coral Reef Tract, and the open ocean. These ecosystems are interconnected, and their fates are intertwined. A failure of an oil drilling site in the Western Everglades isnt just a heartbreaking tragedy for panthers and other upland animals. Its a potential calamity for the seagrasses and redfish and tarpon that need clean freshwater sources to thrive in Florida Bay. That same drop of water making its way through South Florida watersheds can wreak havoc on our reefs if its tainted by oil as it travels through the glades.

Gov. DeSantis has emphasized protecting and restoring our states legendary waters. He has championed Everglades restoration efforts, steered millions to the Indian River Lagoon restoration, and embraced the Clean Waterways Act. Affirming a ban on oil drilling in The Everglades and off our coasts would affirm his commitment to providing Floridians with clean, abundant water for generations.

Jon Paul J.P. Brooker is the director of Florida Conservation and lawyer for Ocean Conservancy, the nations oldest marine conservation non-profit organization. He is a sixth generation Floridian.

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Guest opinion: Floridians want our Everglades, oceans and coasts to be oil free - The News-Press

BATON ROUGE, La. Former LSU coach Paul Mainieri has been elected for induction into the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Mainieri will be inducted into the LBCA Hall of Fame on January 14 in Lafayette, La.

Among the other members of the 2022 induction class are former Southern coach Roger Cador, former Tulane coach Joe Brockhoff, former LSU player and Catholic-Baton Rouge High School coach Mel Didier, and former LSU player and University High School coach Burke Broussard.

Mainieri will join in the LBCA Hall of Fame former LSU head coach Skip Bertman and former University of New Orleans coach Ron Maestri, for whom Mainieri played in 1978 and 1979.

Mainieri, who retired as the Tigers coach at the end of the 2021 season, completed his 39-season career with a 1,505-777-8 record, including a 641-285-3 mark in 15 seasons at LSU.

LSU won a remarkable 31 team championships during Mainieris tenure, including the 2009 national championship, nine NCAA Regional championships, five NCAA Super Regional championships, four SEC regular-season titles, six SEC Tournament titles and six SEC Western Division crowns.

Mainieri completed his career No. 7 among NCAA Baseball Division I coaches in wins, and he is one of only five coaches in NCAA Division I Baseball history to earn 1,500 victories and a national championship. He was inducted in 2014 into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

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Paul Mainieri Elected for Induction into LBCA Hall of Fame - LSUSports.net

By Jeff Deist*

In a decent society, real justice is specific and not general. In criminal mattersespecially,justice should betemporal and rooted in the facts of the instant case. Greater societal concerns, along with the identity ofdefendant and victims (sex, race, religion, notoriety, social or economic status, etc.), simply should not be considered. This is precisely why we sequester jurors, to keep them focused on the facts rather than outside influences.

Is America really prepared to fully and finally abandon this principle?To acquit or convict individuals based on the inherentlyamorphous ideaofsocial justice rather than the specifics of any particular case?

The criminal trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Wisconsin tests this question.The case now sits with the jury, awaiting a verdict.Given the tremendous media attention given this case, one can hardly discount the pressure on jurors to announce him guilty.Their anonymity is tenuous at best,and who wants more trouble in theleafy city of Kenosha?

Anyone looking for astrong argument against cameras in the courtroom has found it. The Rittenhouseprosecutors anddefense attorneys are nowuncomfortable and unwanted celebrities of a sort. Ditto for the district judge (old white guy), whose purported pro-Trump politics are now on secondary trial. And with the nation watching, young Mr. Rittenhouse unwittinglyserves as a proxy for a dominant political narrative. His case is now a matter of generalized justice, with enormous psychological and political outcomes hanging on his fate. This is disturbing and outrageous.

The Leftportrays Rittenhouseas an avatar for everything wrong with Deplorable America. He is a gun nut, a protomilitia member, athin blue linesupporter,and a thus representative of MAGA Trumpism. As such, he is a bad guy per seand of course the jury should consider this.In the Lefts conception, a straight white Christian conservative male(assuming Rittenhouse is all those things) simply cant have legitimate political grievances. Men like himhave power; the oppressed Antifa/BLM protestors do not. As such, his causeis illegitimate and his victims cause (ostensibly protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake) is noble and righteous, even if it got out of hand.

Furthermore, whywould anyoneespecially a teenagereven possess an assault rifle to begin with? And why would he arm himself with such a rifle to go mix it up in a riot?Not to mention he crossed state lines(a bizarre point repeated ad nauseum by his detractors)!By choosing to carry a weapon to the riot that evening,he placed himself in a position where he mightuse it. We mighteven infer his intent to use it. As the prosecutor said during closing arguments,When the defendant provokes the incident, he loses the right to self-defense. You cannot claim self-defense to a danger you create.In other words, Rittenhouse was asking for trouble and got it. Never mind whether at the moment of the shooting he reasonably thought his life in danger.What matters is the general context leading up to the shooting. Bad guys (Trumpers) doing bad things (using guns they shouldnt ownto defend property in the face of a righteous protest) dont get to claim victim status.

Even beyond this assignment of generalized malice to Rittenhouses actions that night, there are some who would throw himin jail for life to soothe racial tensions in America. Never mind that the threemen Rittenhouse shot were in fact white;the mainstream media certainly did not make much effort to disabuse thefalse impression that they were otherwise(Chris Hayes at MSNBC expressed surprise at his own misperceptionabout this). Facts aside, self-defense aside, why not sacrifice one young white kid to prison if it avoids enraging black Americans who already view the criminal justice system and as racially biased against them. Why not avoid more riots and unrest? This is generalized justice writlarge. Or asDave Bennerput it:

As for law enforcementand prosecutors, have we now reached a point where rioters will be allowed to burn city blocks or even police precinct houses if their underlying cause is considered sympathetic? This seemed to be the case last year, when in cities like Kenosha and Seattle violent protesters often went uncharged or even unarrested. Its one thing for police to retreat when outgunned or outmanned, or to make strategic decisions about deploying officers to mitigate property damage. Its quite another for police, supported by mayors and city councils, simplyto pull back and allow riots, looting, and arson to occur unchallenged because they sympathizewith their perpetrators. As forlibertarians who favor criminal justice reform, the Kenosha riots are decidedlythe sort of thing that turns average people against criminals in support of cops. And you better believe wealthy people will find ways to use private security (or capture local government) to make sure Kenosha never happens in the Hamptons or Tiburon or Brentwood.

Yes, proportionaljustice means we cant shoot a fleeing thief in the back as he absconds with our laptop. Everyone recognizes this. But society is headed in a very bad direction if we allow widespread destruction, arson, theft, and disorder on the grounds that property can never trump human life. Property is necessary to sustain life, and our material surroundings are part and parcel of our humanity. Mere property is atangible expressionof human energy and past effort, not just corporate trinkets snatched from a smoldering store (they have insurance!).When it comes to force in defense of property, chase may be morally questionable but retreat is notmorally required. This is especially true of ones home.

As with the recent announcement of a federal indictmentagainst former Trump advisor Steve Bannon,Americans increasingly sense thatprosecutorsat all levels of American government often wield power as a political bludgeon. Will selective prosecution become the order of the day, rooted in identity and the perceived politics of the parties?Willguilt or innocence in criminal trials increasingly hinge on broader desirable social justice outcomes? Will we put people in jail or acquit them based on context rather than specifics?

Our common law legal tradition urgently counsels against this. So too did thelate Sam Francis, who coined the termanarcho-tyrannyto describe a scenario where government officials selectively decide who is exempt from the rules and who gets the book thrown at them. We should resist this, vigorously.

*About the author: Jeff Deistis president of the Mises Institute. He previously worked as chief of staff to Congressman Ron Paul, and as an attorney for private equity clients. Contact:email;Twitter.

Source: This article was published by the MISES Institute

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Kyle Rittenhouse And The Evil Of Generalized Justice OpEd - Eurasia Review

Between 12pm and 2pm on Saturday 20th November, in the build-up to the Premier League fixture at Molineux, St Peter's Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton will open its door, allowing supporters to pay their respects by lighting candles and taking a moment to reflect.

At 1pm, an Act of Remembrance will begin, with Wolves officials including Steve Bull and John Richards in attendance, and will see words from the clubs former head of media Paul Berry shared and reverend David Wright provide a reading.

While inside the church, supporters are asked to maintain safe distances and wear a face mask unless exempt, to help keep fellow visitors safe and comfortable in their surroundings.

Either side of the 20-minute service, a book of condolence will be available for supporters to sign, starting at the church and later taking its place in the Molineux reception, allowing more opportunities for supporters to visit and pay their respects in the days following the game.

At 2pm, St Peter's will close its doors and tributes will turn to Molineux, with flowers laid out pre-match and a minutes applause allowing all those inside to pay tribute to the great man, before the game kicks off at 3pm, when both sets of players will wear black armbands.

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Ron Flowers Act of Remembrance this weekend | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - wolves.co.uk

The book was sitting on a bed tray in a hospital room, where I was recuperating from surgery. My husband, Paul, had come to visit, and one of the first things Id asked him to do was to get my current reading out of my backpack.

Now a nurse came through and spotted it. Look at you, with a real book. And a library book, when no one goes to the library anymore.

I am proud to say that, despite my debilitation I was able to retort, Oh, Im a school librarian, and actually, the library is busier than ever this year.

This particular nurse turned out to be not only knowledgeable and efficient, but quite pleasant. Still, it was discouraging to me that she was surprised to see a patient with a book. It was the second thing Id packed after underwear.

My furious pandemic reading has continued unabated, as much as the virus has. Even a weeklong hospital visit didnt slow my pace. Books have always been my refuge and solace.

I finally finished Grant, by Ron Chernow, the weekend before my surgery. I try to read a biography each summer, when I have more time for what tend to be thick and (sometimes) dense tomes. I believe I began Grant in June, and took time away from it for our week at the coast, because it was too heavy to tote along. So, five months.

Whew. Now, I always I have a fiction and a nonfiction book going at the same time. Mystery is my favorite genre, and I often finish a novel in a week. Fiction provides an escape, while nonfiction broadens my mind.

I enjoyed Grant and found it quite illuminating. The great general and not-so-great president was a complex man. His courage in his final years, when he endured excruciating pain from throat cancer, was inspiring. Grant was determined to finish his memoirs in order to provide financial security for his family, and he did.

Chernows descriptions of Reconstruction reminded me that todays political climate has deep roots. The violence against black people (truly horrific), the usurpation of their voting rights, the idea that various laws or elected officials were illegitimate; these were all on full display in the years following the Civil War.

One of the joys of my autumn reading was the second in Richard Osmans series, The Thursday Murder Club. These delightful mysteries feature a quartet of friends who live in an upscale British retirement community and who get themselves involved in real-life cases. Each has their special skills: Elizabeth is former MI5 (or is it 6?); Joyce is a retired nurse; Ibrahim a psychotherapist; while Ron was a union activist. Their latest outing finds them going deep into Elizabeths espionage background. The aches, pains and heartbreaks of aging arent glossed over, but these septuagenarians have fun.

Following Grant, my next nonfiction selection was Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. I am finding the story of President Donald Trumps last year in office, and the election of Joe Biden, to be intensely readable. I didnt bring it to the hospital because I didnt think politics would aid in my recovery, so I am still reading it.

I actually found that a real book was a challenge to hold up in a hospital bed, and also required me to have more lighting than I wanted. Luckily, I had my iPad, with its Kindle app. On it, I had two perfect selections for a prolonged hospital stay. (There were complications; I ended up in critical care for a week.)

My mystery choice was The Long Call, by Ann Cleeves. Id read Cleeves earliest books, before she became famous as the creator of Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. But while a fan of her Vera and Shetland TV series, Id not read any of those books. The Long Call is the first in a new series featuring police detective Matthew Venn. Hes a complex character who grew up in a restrictive religious sect, broke free, and later married his beloved Jonathan. The North Devon (southwest England) setting is vividly described and the mystery is timely and absorbing.

For nonfiction, I realized Id never finished Wintering, by Katherine May, which came out last year. It was the perfect pandemic book. May writes about the times in our lives when we may have to step back and do nothingnot quite hibernate, but take a hiatus from striving. She visits Iceland and Norway (above the Arctic Circle) and explores the cold weather lives of dormice, honey bees and wolves.

Mays words struck home as I endured my wintry week. I couldnt eat or drink. My only goal was to recover. My usual life was behind me; I could only hope it was waiting for me on the other side.

Im home now, and still reading. Ive returned to Peril and read the second Matthew Venn, The Herons Cry. And the first in Cleeves Shetland series, Raven Black. Now Im onto the second, White Nights.

Ive got a ways to go yet, health-wise. Books will get me there.

Liz Soares welcomes email at [emailprotected]

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Liz Soares: Recovering with the help of reading - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

One of musics biggest nights, the American Music Awards, gets back to in-person at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Cardi B will be the first female rapper to host since Queen Latifah in 1995, with performances slated from leading nominee Olivia Rodrigo, Maneskin, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Tyler, the Creator and collaborations between BTS and Megan Thee Stallion, Jason Alden and Carrie Underwood, and Bad Bunny, Tainy and Julieta Venegas. Rodrigos seven nominations are followed by the Weeknd with six and Bad Bunny, Doja Cat and Giveon, with five each. More details and updates via theamas.com.

Other events (all subject to change)...

FRIDAY, NOV. 19

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road, a new and authorized documentary about the Beach Boys genius -- with appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Al Jardine, Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins, Elton John Nick Jonas and others -- becomes available On Demand via Screen Media.

The Flip rocks live from Relix Studios at 2 p.m., free via twitch.tv/therelixchannel.

Houston trio Waterparks streams live from the House of Blues Orlando at 7:25 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit stream at 8 p.m. from the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. Tickets via fans.live.

John Primer, former guitarist for Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and others, leads his Real Deal blues Band at 8:45 p.m. Tickets via ourconcerts.live.

Foster The People celebrates the 10th anniversary of its debut album, Torches, at 9 p.m. from the Wiltern in Los Angeles. Tickets via momenthouse.com.

The NolaxNola 21 streams at 9 p.m. and again on Saturday, Nov. 20, free via NolaxNola.com. Performers include Irma Thomas, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dumpstaphunk, Big Freedia, Luther Dickinson and more.

Charlie Puth and Tate McCrae stream at 9 p.m. from Brooklyn, free via the Grubhub Sound Bites series on YouTube.

Revisit Janet Jacksons infamous Super Bowl XXVIII incident in 2004 with Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson, a documentary debuting at 10 p.m. on FX and streaming via Hulu.

Ohio jam band Caamp plays at 10:15 p.m., live from St. Paul, Minn. Tickets via mandolin.com.

The Aces stream live at 11:30 p.m. from the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets via mandolin.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 20

The new Metallica Black Box project rolls out its first ticketed archival concert, from Sept. 11, 1991 in Graz, Austria. Access via metallicablackbox.com, which also features The Black Album Exhibition and other content related to the 1991 Metallica (ala The Black Album) release.

Alt.rockers Grouplove go on late/early -- 1 a.m. -- from the Hollywood Palladium. Tickets via veeps.com.

Halestorm continues its VIP:One virtual meet and greet series at 4:30 p.m. as well as the same time on Sunday, Nov. 21. Tickets via mandolin.com.

Pittsburgh punk rock veterans Anti-Flag put its ANTIFest online for the first time, starting at 5:30 p.m. and featuring performances by Suicide Machines, Punchline, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Doll Skin and Swiss Army. Tickets via veeps.com.

Canadian Rapper Michie Mee is joined by a hardcore band and other guests at 7 p.m., live from Toronto. Tickets via veeps.com.

Simone Felixe & Friends play a Radio Woodstock Steeple Session show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets via flymachine.com.

Ted Lassos Jason Sudeikis hosts Thundergong!, a benefit concert for the Steps of Faith Foundation, at 8 p.m. via livexlive.com.

Reba McEntire presides over an all-star weekly livestream from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville at 9 p.m., joined by Carly Pearce, Restless Road and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. Watch free via circleallaccess.com.

Hitmaking rapper and actress Saweetie is the musical guest on this weeks Saturday Night Live, 11:30 p.m. on NBC (check local listings). Simu Liu hosts.

SUNDAY, NOV. 21

A benefit concert for Live Music Now streams at 1 p.m. from Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. Tickets via stageit.com.

K-pop favorite Seventeen streams its second Power of Love concert at 3 p.m. Tickets via weverse.io.

Postmodern Jukeboxs Morgan James performs at 4 p.m., with VIP sessions on either side of the show. Tickets for all via mandolin.com.

Celtic Thunder resumes its Home Series from Ireland at 6 p.m. Tickets via stageit.com. Additional shows take place through Thursday, Nov. 25.

Camilly Victoria sings and streams at 6 p.m. Tickets via sessionslive.com.

Country music up and comers Priscilla Block, Parker McCollum, Niko Moon, Jameson Rodgers, Hailey Whitters and Lainey Wilson perform at 8 p.m. as part of the first Opry NextStage Live In Concert, free via twitch.tv/opry_official.

Richard Marx performs his hits and more with a string quartet at 8 p.m. Tickets via stream.richardmarx.com.

Tennessee singer-songwriter Marc Scibilia plays live from his studio at 8:30 p.m, with a pre-show Meet & Greet at 7. Tickets via mandolin.com.

MONDAY, NOV. 22

Rodney Crowell and Marshall Chapman team up for an acoustic performance at 8 p.m. from Nashvilles Exit/In. Tickets via flymachine.com.

Gospel star Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music team up for a Jonny x Mali livestream at 8 p.m. Tickets via madolin.com.

The quartet Cold hart is joined for a GothboiClique show with Yawns and Drippin So Prett at 11 p.m. from the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets via nocapshows.com.

TUESDAY, NOV. 23

Jonas Brothers Family Roast, a music and comedy special, begins streaming on Netflix. Hosted by Kenan Thompson, the show also features guest appearances by John Legend, Pete Davidson, Niall Horan, Lilly Singh and others.

Trumpeter Wycliffe Gordon and the International All-Stars stream at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. from Dizzys Club in New York City. Tickets via jazz.org.

Trampled By Turtles reprises its July concert from Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado at 8:30 p.m. Tickets via mandolin.com.

JEFF the Brotherhood rock at 9 p.m. from the Exit/In in Nashville. Tickets via flymachine.com.

Ron Gallo and Post Animal team up for a double bill at 8:30 p.m. from the Basement East in Nashville. Tickets via dreamstage.live.

Indie rocker Sam Fermin streams a performance at 9 p.m. Tickets via mandolin.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24

Chicago rapper G Herbo celebrates his latest album at 8:30 p.m. from his home town. Tickets via livexlive.com.

Robyn Hitchcock continues his weekly streaming performances at 9 p.m. Tickets via mandolin.com.

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Jonas Brothers, American Music Awards top this weeks online music picks - cleveland.com

During last weeks Virginia gubernatorial debate, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe promised that as governor he would prevent parents from removing sexually explicit books from school libraries, because he doesn't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.

McAuliffe's disdain for parents who think they should have some say in their childrens education is shared by most progressives, as well as some who call themselves conservatives. They think parents should obediently pay the taxes to fund the government schools and never question any aspect of the government school program.

School officials' refusal to obey the wishes of parents extends to the anti-science mask mandates. Mask mandates are not only useless in protecting children from a virus they are at low risk of becoming sick from or transmitting, the mandated mask-wearing actually makes children sick! Yet school administrators refuse to follow the science if that means listening to parents instead of the so-called experts.

Replacing parental control with government control of education (and other aspects of child raising) has been a goal of authoritarians since Plato. After all, it is much easier to ensure obedience if someone has been raised to think of the government as the source of all wisdom and truth, as well as the provider of all of lifes necessities.

In contrast to an authoritarian society, a free society recognizes that parents have both the responsibility and the right to provide their children with a quality education that reflects the parents values. Teachers who use their positions to indoctrinate children in beliefs that contradict the views of the parents are the ones overstepping their bounds.

Restoring parental control of education should be a priority for all who believe in liberty. If government can override the wishes of parents in the name of education or protecting childrens health then what area of our lives is safe from government intrusion?

Fortunately, growing dissatisfaction with government schools is leading many parents to try to change school policies. Parents are also responding by pursuing alternatives to government schools, including the option hated most by authoritarians: homeschooling.

The unnecessary coronavirus lockdowns and the teachers union officials support for keeping schools closed have also contributed to the growth in homeschooling.

Parents looking for a homeschooling program that includes an introduction to the ideas of liberty should consider my homeschool curriculum. My curriculum provides students with a solid education in history, literature, mathematics, and the sciences. It also gives students the opportunity to create their own websites and internet-based businesses. The curriculum is designed to be self-taught, with students helping, and learning from, each other via online forums.

Starting in fourth grade, students are required to write at least one essay a week. Students also take a course in public speaking.

The curriculum teaches history from a pro-liberty perspective, and the economics section is taught from the Austrian viewpoint. But, unlike government schools, the curriculum does not compromise education quality, distort facts, or undermine parental authority in pursuit of an ideological agenda.

Students using my homeschooling program develop a love of learning, study superior communication skills, and gain real-world business experience. They also develop critical thinking skills that will enable them to succeed in whatever career paths they choose.

Parents interested in giving their children a well-rounded homeschool education that includes an introduction to sound economics and the ideas of liberty can get more information about my curriculum by going to RonPaulCurriculum.com.

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The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity : Parents ...