Friday, December 02, 2005

Something going on today?

I know there must be something going on today...somewhere...maybe in the Ville or Indy?

USA Today takes a look at the new SNL cast members. I have no idea who Kristen Wiig is. She is listed as a cast member so I guess that she is always in the background because she isn't a featured cast member like the other ones. It says she made her debut on November 12th but I sure don't remember her. We'll know for sure tomorrow night.

Brian Ray will have his record release party on December 14th over at the Mint in Los Angeles. He's been playing guitar or bass guitar for former Beatle Paul McCartney since 2002.

The St. Louis Cardinals did make an offer to A.J. Burnett for four years and worth at least $10 million each season.

A must read article over at the Indianapolis Star: Bayh takes aim at violent games.

Interesting article over at the Courier-Journal dealing with two very good politicians (and good friends, I might add!): State Treasurer Jonathan Miller and Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Both are Harvard graduates at at least one point in their lifetime. The article mainly deals with a provision raised by one John David Dyche, who as Jonathan said "would not let it go."
Have two of Kentucky's top constitutional officers become scofflaws by living outside Frankfort?

Or is an arcane phrase in state law requiring the state treasurer and secretary of state to reside "at the seat of government" too vague and open to interpretation?

Those are the questions confronting Treasurer Jonathan Miller, who lives in Lexington, and Secretary of State Trey Grayson, of Boone County.

Miller, a Democrat, jokes that he and the Republican Grayson could wind up as roommates in Frankfort unless they can get clarification.

"We do a lot of bipartisan things together," Miller said. "I'm proud to be working with him on this project."

Neither thought the phrase meant they had to live in Frankfort until reporters raised the issued yesterday.

"I'm shocked; I had no idea that was in there," Grayson said. "I've got to call my wife before she reads this in the paper."

Grayson and Miller said they will ask for an attorney general's opinion. Meanwhile, they said they don't foresee any immediate impact -- and don't plan to move to Frankfort right away.

Bob Babbage, who was secretary of state from 1992 to 1996, said he had never heard of the provision.

"Oh, you mean live there?" Babbage asked. "I always came back home to Lexington. I don't think I ever spent a night in Frankfort."

Such provisions apparently don't apply to any other constitutional officers, including the governor. The law merely states "the governor shall have use of the mansion and the furniture therein and premises free of rent."

Vicki Glass, spokeswoman for Attorney General Greg Stumbo, said that his office has not issued an opinion on the meaning of the law relating to the secretary of state and treasurer.

John Y. Brown III, secretary of state from 1996 to 2004, lived in Louisville while he served in Frankfort. Brown said he was aware of the wording in the law that states: "The head of the Department of State is the Secretary of State. He shall reside at the seat of government."

But Brown said he was advised that the law didn't mean he had to actually live in Frankfort as long as he was in reasonable commuting distance.

Brown said he can't recall now who researched the matter for him "but I was satisfied it didn't literally mean I had to live in Franklin County."

Miller said he too was aware of a separate law that states: "The Department of the Treasury shall be headed by the State Treasurer. He shall reside and keep his office at the seat of government."

Miller said he learned of the phrase from John David Dyche, a Louisville lawyer and political writer. Dyche found it while perusing Kentucky statutes and argued that it meant that Miller had to live in Frankfort.

"I vividly remember this," he said. "Dyche would not let it go."

So Miller said he sought help from former Attorney General Ben Chandler's staff, who found a court ruling that indicated that he did not have to live in Frankfort.
This would be interesting if John David Dyche desides to file suit against the two of them.

Yesterday, I saw Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. This was the latest Robert Greenwald documentary. I have to say that I was impressed with the footage. I knew Wal-Mart had violated some labor laws but I didn't know about all the EPA violations of the Clean Water Act. They showed a lot of footage of CEO Lee Scott, and he is no Sam Walton. I feel guilty in a way because I always go to Sam's Club for food during breaks and before school starts. It's the only place to get food in bulk. It's unfortunate but that's the reality of it. I try not to go to Wal-Mart anymore but it's inevitable. I do hope that they change their rules before too long. When they move in, they close other stores down as soon as they get there. It's pretty much a monopoly. They did show clips from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in the documentary. Liberals and moderates, but mainly Democrats, will see this documentary but I hope Republicans do as well. I recommend that everyone see it. NKU will have a showing at 6:30 on December 6th at Budig Theatre. I won't be there due to class but I saw a showing yesterday sponsored by the English Department.

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