February 7th, 2010
From: NFL.com
One step forward…and two steps back? Hmmmm.
Last week, eHarmony settled a class action lawsuit for $2M. Back in 2008, eHarmony launched CompatiblePartners.com, which catered to gay and lesbian customers. However, as a result of the lawsuit, eHarmony must now add a section devoted to gay and lesbian users. In addition, users of the websites will have access to both eHarmony and CompatiblePartners, without paying an additional monthly fee. After all, everyone is entitled to different avenues to find love. Match.com and Yahoo! Personals all cater to the gay and lesbian community, so eHarmony should also join in on that trend. Looks like a step in the right direction!
Perhaps CBS could learn a thing or two from the eHarmony story? CBS has recently faced scrutiny regarding the ads they have chosen to air during the Superbowl. Apparently, the network rejected an ad from Mancrunch.com, a gay dating website. CBS attributed the rejection to the fact that CBS was unsure whether or not Mancrunch would be able to pay for the ad and that the commercial was “not within the network’s broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday.” (If you watch the ad, though, it appears to be very ‘PG’ and almost comical.)
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Tags: eHarmony, Entertainment Law, Super Bowl Ads
Posted in Entertainment Law, Super Bowl Ads, eHarmony | 2 Comments »
February 3rd, 2010
From: Scientific American
In 2005, a federal judge halted the planting and sale of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa to hear arguments about whether the ban should stay in place while the government carries out an environmental impact statement (EIS) into the likelihood that bees will carry human-modified genes from one alfalfa field to another. This was one of many cases filed in an effort to prevent Monsanto from selling genetically modified seeds of alfalfa marketed under the Roundup Ready brand.
>> NPR reports about the genetically modified debate.
Now, flash forward to 2009. Having conducted its first ever EIS on genetically engineered products, the USDA released its draft EIS on December 14, 2009, and opened it to a 60-day public comment period.
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Tags: Environmental Law, genetically modified seeds, Monsanto, Roundup Ready
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February 2nd, 2010
Asian Carp
Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court (”SCOTUS”, for the uninitiated) denied a preliminary injunction sought by a coalition of Great Lakes states against Illinois to close navigation locks in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in an effort to curb the spread of the Asian Carp, an invasive fish species, into the Great Lakes. Issuing just a one-sentence opinion, SCOTUS denied the injunction while leaving open the possibility of a more thorough evaluation of the situation under Michigan’s petition to reopen a 1920s water diversion case.
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Tags: Asian Carp, Environmental Law
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February 1st, 2010
From: LongIslandBankruptcyBlog.com
Almost 1 in 4 U.S. homeowners is drowning in mortgage debt. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the percentage of homeowners who own more on their mortgage than their property is worth recently swelled to 23%, or just over 10.7 million households, according to First American CoreLogic.
Of that number, approximately 5.3 million households hold mortgages that are worth 20%+ than their home’s value. That number will rise in the coming months. The first wave of foreclosures has passed, but sub-prime mortgages involving balloon payments or adjustable rates will trigger another wave when consumers holding such rates fail to qualify for conventional loans.
Americans’ priorities have shifted. While in the past, making a mortgage loan was paramount, TransUnion recently reported that Americans now prioritize car payments and credit card payments above mortgage payments. Lisa Epstein recently reported that consumers recognize the need for a vehicle to get to and from work, while quoting Ezra Becker, Director of Consulting and Strategy for TransUnion, who concluded that “consumers recognize that their credit cards are their primary purchasing vehicles in this economy.” Many Americans attitudes toward home ownership has changed following the housing crisis over the past 2 years, and as a result many have become delinquent on their mortgage loans. For those homeowners who are drowning in mortgage debt and prefer not to go into foreclosure, there is the option of bankruptcy.
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Tags: Bankruptcy, Mortgage Debt, Real Estate Law
Posted in Bankruptcy, Mortgage Debt, Real Estate Law, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
January 29th, 2010
Barack and Michelle Obama should be highly flattered…or annoyed.
In recent weeks, both the President and the First Lady have been featured in advertisements, without giving their consent or approval. First, Michelle Obama was featured in PETA’s newest ‘Fur-Free and Fabulous’ ad, alongside Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Underwood and Tyra Banks. PETA admits that they did not ask for the White House’s consent to use the First Lady in the ad. However, since the First Lady swore off fur in a statement back in June, PETA felt this was enough leverage to use Mrs. Obama in their ad. Really, PETA?
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Tags: Obama, Right of Publicity
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January 28th, 2010
In a landmark decision with far-reaching consequences, a sharply divided Supreme Court last week struck down restrictions on campaign spending by corporations and unions, freeing them to spend a limitless amount to support or oppose a political candidate. The case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, reverses two prior Supreme Court precedents as well as overturns key aspects of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), also known as the McCain-Feingold Act.
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Tags: Corporate Political Spending, First Amendment, Supreme Court
Posted in Corporate Political Spending, First Amendment, Supreme Court | 2 Comments »
January 26th, 2010
At the heart of every issue is a story. In the case of U.S. v. Comstock, it’s the story of Martin Andrews, who was 13 when he was abducted by Richard Ausley and chained to a box in the middle of rural Virginia. He survived 8 days of brutal rapes and beatings. The civil commitment laws that govern whether sex offenders can be held after their terms are up vary state to state. 20 states have such laws. January 12, the Supreme Court revisited the case on civil commitment laws, which would allow men like Ausley to be held even after they finished their criminal sentences.
Credit: Ryan Garza | The Flint Journal
Does the government have responsibility to protect the public? Yes. But does the government have the authority to gain custody of sex offenders just because they may strike again? Supporters stress that these laws focus on risk assessment and prevention of re-offending. But when it comes to sexual deviancy, nothing is simple. For the victims concerned, the law may offer some peace of mind, but on the other side of the debate…
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Tags: Civil Commitment Law, Recidivism, Sex Offenders, Static 99
Posted in Civil and Human Rights, Criminal Law, Sexual Crime | No Comments »
January 25th, 2010
Every day, we are inundated with messages about the choices we make when it comes to nourishing our bodies. So, have you thought about the water that you drink? Do you prefer bottled or tap? Can you tell the difference between the two? When you’re thirsty, do you head for the nearest convenience store with its selection of branded bottled water? Or, do you head for the sink to get some tap water? Do you filter your tap water? Does it matter?
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Tags: Enviornmental Law, Tap Water
Posted in Environmental Law, Tap Water, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
January 22nd, 2010
(from: www.examiner.com)
Contract law. *yawn* It’s one area of law that I never thought could be described as “fascinating”. However, in the wake of the Conan O’Brien v. NBC drama, I must admit that the subject became more appealing. Here are a couple tidbits about contract law:
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Tags: Conan O'Brien, Contract Law, Entertainment Law, NBC, The Tonight Show
Posted in Conan O'Brien, Contract Law, Entertainment Law, NBC, The Tonight Show | 1 Comment »
January 21st, 2010
From: The Sacramento Bee
The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices measure the residential housing market, tracking changes in the value of the residential real estate market in 20 metropolitan regions across the United States. The latest Index reveals an apparent softening of demand in October, which translated into weak home price growth across the 20 markets that the index tracks.
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Tags: foreclosure, Real Estate Law
Posted in Real Estate Law, foreclosure | 1 Comment »
