Two weeks ago, the Ohio Supreme Court decided in Ohio Neighborhood Finance, Inc., v. Scott that lenders are not obligated to make payday loans under the Short-Term Loan Act, which restricted fees, and instead may lend under the Small Loan and Second Mortgage Acts, which permit significantly higher fees. The Short-Term Loan Act was passed […]
Short-term loan act was smoke and mirrors Read Post »
Two years ago, in response to questions about lack of uniformity in carrying out the death penalty, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor formed a task force to assess whether Ohio’s death penalty is being administered fairly. The task force recently announced its recommendations, and though it was a balanced group, some members criticized
Ohio death penalty task force got it right Read Post »
It is a criminal enterprise more profitable than the drug trade. Human trafficking targets and exploits primarily young girls, who are forced to engage in sex with strangers. It is modern day slavery, happening here in Ohio. Traffickers prey on young girls, offering the things they need. It may be shelter or food—whatever it takes
Sex trafficking captures girls even from “nice homes” Read Post »
Sometimes the lessons we learn aren’t what we would expect. You would expect to hear about faith or courage from a former prisoner of war. You wouldn’t expect a POW to talk about the destructive nature of hate, but that’s the lesson from Tom Moe, a Capital University graduate and Vietnam War POW, who served
Former POW has learned not to hate Read Post »
Don’t look now, but hell just froze over. I find myself agreeing with columnist Cal Thomas. I can’t remember his columns ever resonating with me, but there’s a first time for everything. Mind you, I don’t see eye-to-eye with Thomas just because he’s conservative. I think highly of David Brooks, who is conservative, but Brooks
Is Cal Thomas right about a double standard? Read Post »
Last month, The Dispatch published an op-ed piece of mine, “Focus needs to be on reducing gun deaths,” where I stated that, if we’re serious about reducing gun deaths, we should stop debating whether more guns result in less crime because the evidence is inconclusive.” I also questioned the credibility of John Lott, an ardent
Is gun advocate John Lott a straight shooter? Read Post »
The Dispatch reported today that Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor has abandoned four of her proposals to change judicial elections. The three ideas that remain from the proposals she suggested in early 2013 are: 1) amend the constitution so that judicial elections take place in odd years, so that only judges would be
Chief Justice O’Connor abandons some of her ideas Read Post »
Lisa and Robert Parr of Plano, Texas, were awarded $2.9 million by a jury for personal injuries and property damages sustained as a result of fracking operations conducted by Aruba Petroleum. According to CNN, Lisa suffered migraine headaches, nausea, dizziness, and her doctor found that her body had absorbed a number of chemicals. There were
Jury Awards $2.9 million in fracking case Read Post »
Almost every day we read about gun deaths. What’s behind this problem? The National Rifle Association tells us, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” Let’s go with that. The FBI reports that in 2012, people killed 144 babies, 422 kids age 12 and under, 1327 teenagers, 96 husbands, 498 wives, 140 mothers, 126 fathers,
Focus needs to be on reducing gun deaths Read Post »
The U.S. Senate is locking horns with the CIA over records concerning “enhanced interrogation” techniques practiced at Gitmo Bay. Senator Diane Feinstein accuses the CIA of removing from Senate computers documents concerning interrogation practices. The CIA denies any wrong doing. The Senate had been investigating whether meaningful information was gained through what most of us—but
How can be be debating torture? Read Post »
It’s finally happened—just what the NCAA has feared for years: a group of athletes went forward with the idea of forming a union. It took the Northwestern Wildcats to make it happen. The National Labor Relations Board in Chicago decided the day before yesterday that Northwestern scholarship football players should be allowed to organize and
Why shouldn’t Northwestern players be allowed to unionize? Read Post »
I once thought it was just me, but I now see there are others out there who are concerned. Someone I respect very much has confronted the problem. What’s the issue? The amount of time and energy we spend in heated, vein popping, face reddening, take-no-prisoners argument about abortion in comparison to the time and
If only kids got the same attention as the abortion issue Read Post »