In a case called Garcetti v. Ceballos, the US Supreme Court ruled that whistleblowers do not have a Constitutional right to free speech. I’m no lawyer, but it seems to me that the Court has basically said that employers should be able to discipline employees for speech on the job without any regard to whether … Continue reading US Supreme Court rules against whistleblower rights
Interesting first-person account on the BBC site: The first step the authorities need to take is to block the prisoners from using mobile phones to direct the violence on the streets. That prompted me to do a little research, which led to a report from Prison Review in 2002 that suggests cell-phones were used by … Continue reading Sao Paulo riots run by cell phone
(From the poet Sharon Olds regarding an invitation to the 2005 National Book Critics Circle Award in Washington, DC. This was released to the public and also ended hp here: Poets Against the War) Laura Bush First Lady The White House Dear Mrs. Bush, I am writing to let you know why I am not … Continue reading Letter to Laura Bush
If you care about air quality, you also probably cringe every time someone brings up the subject of recreational or utility gas-powered engines. These workhorses are notoriously inefficient and designed with virtually no emission controls whatsoever, although historically they have the odd distinction of being called “less costly” because they pollute more. According to EPA … Continue reading Lawnmowers, risks and rebates