Is the only way to thwart the bad to arm some good guys?

English: The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution Česky: Originál Listiny práv, prvních deseti dodatků k Ústavě Spojených států amerických Deutsch: Die Bill of Rights genannten ersten zehn Zusatzartikel zur US-amerikanischen Verfassung, die den Bürgern bestimmte Grundrechte garantieren Español: La Carta de Derechos de los Estados Unidos, el término por el que se conocen las diez primeras enmiendas de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos de América (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This writer thinks so... and, frankly, so do I.

http://personalliberty.com/2012/12/28/should-we-arm-our-teachers/

Realistically, we will never succeed in disarming all the bad guys in this country.  There are too many guns.  There are too many nuts.  And there's the Second Amendment, which the Supreme Court has only recently ruled gives each of us the right to bear arms.

I absolutely favor a ban on assault weapons and serious penalties for selling, buying and owning them.  I'm with those of you who favor getting the cuckoos off our streets, too.  But these steps alone won't stop this madness.

Israel deals with its own variety of the madness by placing armed guards all over the place and licensing a goodly number of private citizens --- most of whom have previously served honorably in the military --- to carry concealed weapons.  Lives have been saved.  ANd the Israelis have done it while maintaining an open society and a vibrant democracy.  Freedom and security need not be a zero-sum game.

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• Protect Our Children or Disarm the Nation?

A Sea Change, Not a Cycle

Obama-Lincoln Portrait (Photo credit: nathangibbs)

On New Year's Eve the U.S. reaches its statutory debt limit.  Treasury Secretary Geitner sent this letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blog/Documents/Sec%20Geithner%20LETTER%2012-26-2012%20Debt%20Limit.pdf

Whether the U.S. backs away from the so-called fiscal cliff or not, a sea change has swept across the country.  And it is impacting all of us.

1.  Organized Labor in the private sector, if not DOA on January 1, certainly enters the new year on life support.  Membership at this year's end stands at an historic low of 6.9% of all private-sector workers.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20121124/ISSUE01/311249978/unions-have-a-new-enemy-their-own-members
Why? Because in this globalized economy, they can no longer protect their members' jobs nor deliver the compensation and benefits of days gone by, when America was the leading manufacturer in the world.

2.  The professions no longer insure their practitioners an upper-middle-class lifestyle.  Vets are working for Pet Smart.  Dentists are working for corporate dental chains.  http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/06/26/9186/corporate-dental-chains-see-big-profits-adults-who-cant-afford-care  Young lawyers are suing their law schools for misrepresentation.  http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/twenty-additional-law-school-class-action-suits-are-in-the-works-is-your-school-one-of-them/

3.  K-12 teachers and their unions are under siege.  http://theadvocate.com/home/4452402-125/lft-teachers-are-under-attack

4.  Higher education is being blasted by revolutionary changes, which don't necessarily benefit our students.  http://chronicle.com/article/The-False-Promise-of-the/136305/

So, when I say in my earlier Blog posting this morning that Obama, like Lincoln, is President at a critical time in our history, I mean that the Great Recession was not just a cyclical dip precipitated by an economic bubble. I am suggesting that a permanent paradigm shift is sweeping over us.  Whether the middle class will survive this deluge remains to be seen.

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Lincoln and Obama: Talented Amateurs in the White House

Obama-Lincoln Portrait (Photo credit: nathangibbs)

Recently I published a review of the film "Lincoln."  http://www.populist.com/15.22.castagnera.html

So impressed was I with Spielberg's film that my wife  gave me Goodwin's "Team of Rivals," one of the sources on which Spielberg drew.  http://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Doris-Kearns-Goodwin/dp/B004WZ9N02/ref=sr_1_fed1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356615972&sr=8-2&keywords=team+of+rivals%27

It's a big read.  I ventured into it last night.  On page 27 I found this:

"There was little to lead one to suppose that Abraham Lincoln,... who scarcely had a national reputation,... who had served but a single term in Congress, twice lost bids for the Senate, and had no administrative experience whatsoever, would become the greatest historical figure of the nineteenth century."

Consider, then, that Barack Obama went from the Illinois State Legislature into the Senate --- after having lost a bid for the House of Representatives --- and just four years later was elected president.

Two attorneys --- virtually amateur statesmen--- from Illinois, 150 years apart... and at crtical times in their nation's history.

Will Obama rise to greatness, like Lincoln?

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• The Truth About the 13th Amendment
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NEA announces 2013 Higher Education Conference

National Education Association  1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 pwilliams@nea.org or rgrant@nea.org  The 2013 Higher Education Conference will be held March 22-24, 2013 at the Portland Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Portland, Oregon. The theme of this year's conference is "Faculty, Students and the Common Good." As our nation becomes increasingly partisan and polarized, especially between rich and poor, and as public education becomes increasingly underfunded and targeted by anti-egalitarian forces, what is the role of faculty, academic professionals, higher education support professionals and students in creating a more democratic, more decent society? What is the public good, and what does it mean to fight for it? This year's conference is designed to provide participants an opportunity to engage in organizing training, professional development workshops, skill sessions in the areas of higher ed policy issues, funding, higher ed reform, negotiations, building stronger locals, organizing with social media, building internal and external relationships, engaging members and more. Here are some conference highlights: Keynote Speakers Dennis Van Roekel Michael Gecan Patrick Callan Richard Lapchick Lily Eskelsen Leadership Day Higher Education Local Presidents Training Workshops on organizing, local best practices, engaging members, higher ed policy, higher ed funding, social media and more Role alike "coffee" networking groups Poster networking reception with NEA Almanac Authors State and local "best practices" networking reception Workshops facilitated by NEA Executive Committee members Greg Johnson Joyce Powell Earl Wiman Open space workshop opportunities to create your own agenda Professional development workshop tracks Early registration is $250.00. Early registration will open December 20th and will close on January 20th.  Early Registration Incentives: ·        The first 20 people to register for the conference will receive free Wi-Fi on site for the duration of the conference. ·        The first 75 people to register for the conference will be entered into a drawing for a $50.00 Starbucks gift card to be given away at the opening of the conference.  General Registration [January 21-February 24] is $300.00.  The general registration includes a reception, dinner and entertainment on Friday; breakfast and lunch on Saturday; and breakfast on Sunday.   Late Registration is $350.00 and begins on February 25, 2013. Non-members registration is $350.00.  Online registration closes on March 10, 2013.  However, on-site registration will be available on March 22, 2013.  Please share this information with members and staff.  If you need additional information please contact Phadra Williams-Tuitt (pwilliams@nea.org / (205) 249-4229) or Rachelle Grant (rgrant@nea.org / (202) 822-7338).    Click HERE to register for the 2013 NEA Higher Education Conference! CC:   NEA Executive Committee NEA Board of Directors State Executive Directors Higher Ed State Staff NEA Advisory Committee on Membership      NCHE Executive Committee John Stocks Jim Rice Jim Testerman Thad Daise ELA Class of 2013  NEA Regional Directors UniServ Managers C4O All Staff

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Employment and Labor Law in 2013

Here's what I'll be offering in 2013:

1.  Termination of Employment: A Looseleaf Service and a Monthly Newsletter

http://store.westlaw.com/termination-of-employment/10278/17414737/productdetail?


2.  Employment and Labor Law: The 8th Edition of Our Textbook

http://academic.cengage.com/search/productOverview.do?N=%2014%204294922453&Ntk=P_Isbn13&Ntt=9781439037270


3.  The Employment Law Answer Book: Also about to emerge in the 8th edition

http://www.aspenpublishers.com/Product.asp?catalog_name=Aspen&product_id=0735582033&cookie_test=1&utm_source=GAN&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=AspenPublishers&utm_campaign=k186085

4.  Compensation and Benefits Law Bulletin

http://store.westlaw.com/compensation-benefits-law-bulletin/148213/40740023/productdetail?

5.  "Hot Topics in Compensation and Benefits Law":  A CLE/CPA COurse soon to be offered via
McDevitt & Kline

https://www.ceworkshops.com/

Counter Terrorism Law in 2013

Here's what I'll be offering on Counter Terrorism Law next year:

1.  Counter Terrorism Issues: Case Studies in the Courtroom
http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466571921

2.  "American Counter Terrorism Law" Online Course from Canvas Network

https://www.canvas.net/


3.  Al Qaeda Goes to College

http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?id=2147489357

4.  Ned McAdoo and the Molly Maguires

The Book:  http://www.amazon.com/Ned-McAdoo-Molly-Maguires-Educational/dp/1466248564/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347637046&sr=1-1&keywords=james+castagnera+ned+mcadoo

The Teacher's Packet:  http://jamescastagnera.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/teacher_s-packet1.pdf

The YouTube Ad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmYbsO9RJz8

Call for Papers: International Conference on Law, Regs & Public Policy

Please view our online newsletter if you are unable to view the below message If you wish to stop receiving further updates pertaining to these conferences, please reply to unsubscribe@globalstf.orgwith the subject "Unsubscribe".

Keynote Address "Competition vs. Financial Stability: The Case of Merging Banks in Time of Crisis and the Role of the State" will be delivered by: Professor Ioannis Kokkoris Chair in Law and Economics School of Law University of Reading, UK [Brief Profile] Keynote Address "Public Participation in Law Making and Policy Formulation: Emerging Trends" will be delivered by: Dr. K. C. Sunny Program Chair LRPP 2013 Dean, Professor and Head Department of Law University of Kerala, India [Brief Profile] LRPP 2013 PROGRAM COMMITTEE GENERAL CHAIR Prof. the Hon. Dr. Stephen Martin Member, Board of Governors, Global Science & Technology Forum (GSTF) Former Speaker Parliament of Australia Former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Strategy and Planning) Curtin University of Technology Former Pro Vice Chancellor International, Victoria University PROGRAM CHAIR Dr. K.C. Sunny Dean, Professor and Head Department of Law University of Kerala, India EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Professor Tony Carty Sir Y. K. Pao Chair of Public Law, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong PROGRAM COMMITTEE Dr. Willem de Lint Flinders University, Australia Dr. Jianfu Chen La Trobe University, Australia Dr. Christoph Antons Deakin University, Australia Prof. Denise Meyerson Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia Prof. Paula Baron La Trobe University, Australia Dr. Anqi She Teesside University, UK Prof. Jiunn-rong Yeh National Taiwan University, Taiwan Prof. Abu Bakar Bin Munir University of Malaya, Malaysia Prof. Mohd Altaf Ahangar Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Brunei Dr Tom Mortimer  Anglia Ruskin University, UK Dr. Dipak Das  Hidyatullah National Law University India Dr. Aruna B Venkat Nalsar University of Law, India Dr. Tarun Arora  Central University of Punjab India Prof. Gurdip Singh University of Delhi India Dr. Udapudi Shobhalata V. Gujarat National Law University India Dr. Mamata Biswal Gujarat National Law University India Dr. Amit Prakash Jawaharlal Nehru University, India Prof. Andy C. M. Chen Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan For a complete list of Committee, please visit http://www.law-conference.org/ Committee.html CONFERENCE THEME The laws of the land lay the foundations of peace and order, and to ensure people progress in all aspects of their lives – whether in business, education, travel, health or recreation. The role of public officials is to create, scrutinize, implement and uphold the laws in order to protect the rights of every individual, corporate entity or institution. Educators of law thus possess the task of not only shaping each and every generation of legal practitioners into knowledgeable and responsible agents, but also the study of issues which surround the practice of law and its implementation across jurisdictions. HIGHLIGHTS  The Conference Proceedings (Print ISSN: 2251-3809, E-Periodical ISSN: 2251-3817) will be indexed by EBSCO,CrossRef, ProQuest, Ulrichsweb and will be submitted to Scopus, ScienceDirect and Cabell's Directories amongst others, where applicable.  Best Paper Awards and Best Student Paper Awards will be conferred at the conference (in order to qualify for the award, the paper must be presented at the conference).  LRPP 2013 will also constitute a Special Panel Session.  Panel Proposals are invited for submission to the LRPP 2013. A minimum of three papers centering on a specific topic will be accepted for submission under Panel Category. IMPORTANT DATES * Extended Paper (Full Paper) & Panel Proposal Submission Due: 21st January 2013 Final Paper (Camera-Ready) Submission: 15th February 2013 Early Bird Registration: 19th April 2013 Late Registration: 17th May 2013 Conference Dates: 17th - 18th June 2013 Prospective Authors are invited to submit original papers not being considered for publication elsewhere. Submissions are subjected to independent and professional “blind peer review”. Submissions will be judged on originality, significance, interest, clarity, relevance, correctness and presentation. PUBLICATION (additional opportunity) 1) Contemporary Social Science Insights Selected authors will be invited to contribute book chapters in "Contemporary Social Science Insights" to be published by GSTF. The book will be edited by Edward P. Wolfers, CSM CMG BA PhD, Foundation Professor of Politics, University of Wollongong (NSW, Australia). 2) GSTF Journal of Law and Social Sciences (JLSS) Depending on their importance, originality, quality, relevance and other editorial considerations, eligible research articles will be invited for publication in the GSTF Journal of Law and Social Sciences (JLSS) (Print ISSN: 2251-2853, E-periodical: 2251-2861) which is indexed by EBSCO, CrossRef, ProQuest, Ulrichsweb and Cabell's Directories.  GSTF PARTNER UNIVERSITIES Universidad de Alcala Universiti Malaysia Sarawak University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Bedfordshire International Islamic University Malaysia SSA School Of Management, University of Turin Texas Woman's University New York Institute of Technology University of Wisconsin-Madison Monash University East Carolina University Universiti Sains Malaysia University of Surrey Edith Cowan University International Institute of Information Technology Faculty of Economics – Roma Tre University Washington & Jefferson College Dhofar University The University of Tulsa University of North Dakota University of Piraeus Munich Business School University of Szczecin Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali Al Ghurair University Mount Royal University Asia University Sripatum University Universitas Pelita Harapan Surabaya