Policy Changes

I think the one main thing that we can do is make all education free. In watching the Happiest Nation 60 Minutes segment, it seemed to contribute greatly to the happiness of the society that country. More education means more opportunity.

I also think that the fact of more time off is great. At least 4 weeks of vacation would be a good policy to adopt for every business. As well as extended time off for having a baby and the like. These polices would greatly benefit my happiness.

Stephanitai's Search and Seizure Policy

"The right of the people to be secure in all possessions against all unreasonable search and seizures, shall not be violates. Searches shall be not commenced unless probable cause is in place or with a court ordered warrant. If a search is conducted for a certain reasoning, the people have the right to not be charged with crimes based off other incriminating things found."

"UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN STEPHANITAI"

Health care in Stephanitai will be delivered through a publicly-funded health care system, which is mostly free at the point of use and has most services provided by private entities.  It is guided by the provisions of the "Stephanitai Health Act".  The government assures the quality of care through Federal Standards.  The government does not participate in day-to-day care or collect any information about an individuals health, which remains confidential between a person and his or her physician.  Stephanitai provincially-based Medicare systems are cost-effective partly because of administrative simplicity.  In each town each doctor handles the insurance claim against the provincial insurer.  There is no need for the person who accesses health care to be involved in billing and reclaim.  In general, costs are paid through funding from income taxes, and for those that are at lower incomes, it may be waived or reduced.  There are no deductibles on basic health care and co-pays are extremely low or non-existent.  In this way all the people of Stephanitai will have health care to keep up their superior bodies.  A health card will be issued to each individual who enrolls in the program and everyone will receive the same level of care.  There is no need for a variety of plans because all essential basic care is covered , including maternity and infertility problems.  In this way, whether you are young, middle aged, or old you will have access to health care to live a long and productive life "In The Country Of Stephanitai.  Also I will pass into law that you are required to take 4 years of college, no matter what age.  In this way we will have men and women who are physically superior as well as intelligently superior than any other country in the world.

Stephanitai

Our country's name is Stephanitai and our motto is "Just Do It!"

Stephanitai's government is going to be ran like a business. We are going to have 5 main departments and department heads. The CEO who overlooks all operations and acts as the president of the nation. The CPO who is in charge of public relations, the CSO who is in charge of security and military, the CAO who looks over the country's finances, and the CATO who is in charge of managing the agriculture and trading of the country.

Pre-amble: "Oh grateful to thee, trenbolone, for providing our nation with our great athletic ability and dominance."

Each department head is selected by ability to manage each department with tremendous achievement. Every 5 years new people, including natives, are allowed to "apply" for department head. There will be a promotion committee to decide new hires and whether or not the department head needs changing. Whenever a new department head is in office they may run their department however they choose.

Our court systems are based on a court of opinion.

Everyone has equal opportunities.

NFL Lockout, Contracts and Finances

The NFL Lockout brings along several problems with contracts and finances. Contracts between the NFL, team managers, players, sponsors, and with the people who watch the NFL. One of the big issues lies within the financing and how the NFL can agree upon saving money and how to obtain money. Sponsors, television and the people who go to the stadiums or watch the games at home belong to the NFL's larger revenue source and these are affected quite strongly for the time of a lockout, yet there are several ways (not only for the NFL, but also individual players) to make the most out of this situation.

owners v players

NFL LOCKOUT 2011

begin with the WHO:

NFL: National Football League. The 9 billion dollar a year football league. Although the NFL is a sports league you should think of them as business. A 9 billion dollar a year business. Providing jobs for over one hundred thousand people across the states. The NFL is owned by the team owners and has a governing body headed by a commishoner, Roger Goodell.

NFLPA: Worker band together in unions to collectively bargain with their employer and come to agreements on thing like working conditions and labor contracts. National Football League Players Association founded in 1956 but not recognized until 1968 with the first collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The director DeMaurice Smith has beeen the spokesman for the union. It WAS the union for the players (workers) until it recently decertified to combat the lockout.

Basically...
The NFL and NFLPA made an agreement in 2006. Although the owners signed it, in a troubled economy they were losing profits. They declared in 2008 that they would opt out of the agreement when it expires in 2011. Owners want a larger piece of the pie, taking from the players who don't want to give it up. The CBA has expired and no deal has been made. The owners have locked-out and the NFLPA has decertified.

The players are happy with the former CBA and were asking for nothing new. But why would they want it to change. The previous agreement has players earning more than half the NFL revenue, without making any less if sales are down. Meanwhile as the econemy struggles, NFL sales are down and owners feel that the previous agreement gives the players too much. Cutting into their profits. Owners are proposing to basically double their piece of the $9Billion pie. Currently they earn adout $1billion and want 2, cutting into the players' pay and limiting their potential earnings. Owners are also asking to extend the regular season by adding two more games, two more oppurtunities to make $.
Either side is budging. Players feel that they are putting their lives on the line and have a limited window in which they can earn. They are asking the owners to prove they are losing $ and open up there financials. Obviously owners are'nt going to just hand that over. Your books our sacred in business. The owners made it known that they would opt out as far back as 2008. Over the last three years a lockout has been looming. After three years of negotiations, court proceeding, and mediation still no deal so what happens next.

Owners LOCKOUT. Essentially stopping all business. Players are combatting the lockout bisbanning the NFLPA. Now that they are out of a union they have the ability to file antitrust law suits. The owner are preventing player from potential earning by locking out so they have they right to sue.

Now i'm overwhelmed with were to go next so read for yourselves.

Court battles over TV deals and Anti-trust lawsuits. Even the Supreme Court had a say in the proceedings


What do you think. should the players keep thier cut or should the owners get more.

House Judiciary Committee Weighs In On the NFL

Democrat House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr made a statement saying that he will seek to overturn the NFL's antitrust exemption. About 50 years ago the NFL was granted this exemption to sign TV contracts on behalf of all teams.

It made sense then, but now we are stuck with limited options when we could be watching every game. I am a loyal DirecTV customer and probably always will be, but I pay $400 per season for Sunday Ticket for which they have an exclusivity agreement with the NFL, so they can pretty much charge what they want. I can’t help but think that if Comcast, Time Warner and Dish had more access to more games, the price would fall for the consumer.

The Republican chairman of the committee Lamar Smith says his party is not interested in considering the legislation, they don't think Congress should get involved in a "private dispute" between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. He called both sides "big boys" and said Congress doesn't need to referee their dispute.

VS

FIGHT!

Effects of Lockout on Transitioning Teams

Some teams will be affected much more than others with a full blown lockout. There are seven teams with a head coaching change. The Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers more then have their work cut out for them. With the lockout in effect, these teams are not allowed to even open a playbook to work with the players.

The Broncos, Vikings, Raiders and 49ers also have some turmoil in the quarterback position that will have no time to be addressed. The Broncos have Tim Tebow, a 2^nd year QB trying to find his place in the NFL with a potential future of greatness. If Tebow missed an entire offseason, he would be hard pressed to start when the season did get underway. A prolonged shutdown could leave the 49ers with no options at quarterback heading into the season. Re-signing Alex Smith could be the only move for them, and he has proven unreliable at best. The Vikings, of course, lost Favre. The Raiders haven’t been consistent at QB in years.

ESPN has posted some great articles on the effect it will have on the teams.

NFC labor impact: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

"NFL LOCKOUT COULD COST STADIUM WORKERS 115,000 JOBS"

                                                                                                                                                                                               

If the National Football League owners lockout the players next season, not only will millions of fans not have games to watch on Sunday afternoon, but more than 115,000 jobs could be lost.  The 32 NFL teams employ on average 3,739 people each , including players, concession workers, and office staff.  Beyond the rich players and even wealthier team owners, arguing over how to divvy up $9 billion dollars in revenue a year, the people who would suffer most if there's no NFL season this year are those whose jobs, businesses, and even charity work depend on games.  It's the 2,500 ticket-takers, janitors, and other game-day employees at the Superdome in New Orleans, and the suburban dry cleaner who wash all the uniforms, who would be the ones not able to make a living.  It's the Episcopal church that sells parking spots for the Tennessee Titans games, the hotel across the street from the stadium in Houston and the ticket broker who opened a store facing Cowboys Stadium.  It is the receptionist and accountants for the New York Jets, and the High School Band Booster Club that sells burgers and beer at Carolina Panther games.  Not only are the players affected, but also the jobs of 25,000 concession workers at stadiums across the country that are threaten by the lockout.  (See video above.)  Another example is Gibson a sales director for a Holiday Inn located one block from Reliant Stadium in Houston.  Here is how heavy his hotel's bottom line is tied to the NFL.  The food and drink tab on a typical weekend is $2,000; it is closed to $12,000 on a weekend when the Houston Texans are at home.  There is also a bump in occupancy.  All 238 rooms were rented for both preseason games last year and they sold out for a Monday night game one and a half months in advance, which never happens, he said.  Each NFL team plays eight home games, which generates on average $20 million dollars for the team and community.  A lockout could cost each of the 32 cities as much as $160 million dollars.  With just eight home games per regular season, game days are only part of a workers income--extra hours or a second job for stadium types; or a busy day at the office for the waiter at a nearby sports bar.  However, it is still money they are counting on.  "The doomsday scenarios are exaggerated, but there will be innocent bystanders who are casualties of this," said John Vrooman, who teaches sports economics at Vanderbilt University.  "The overall loses to these people are going to be small, but they are not small to them."  It is like an earthquake--there is a ripple effect out to other people, and other regions.  You cannot really assume the impact is limited to the area around the stadium.  You feel the shock everywhere along the way.  It may not be the same shaking as the epicenter, but you feel it.  Another aspect of losing revenue would be casino sports books not being able to take bets on NFL games.  The NFL is king among sports bettors, whose influence in casinos goes far beyond actual wagering on games.  The main tourism agency that promotes Las Vegas estimates this year's Super Bowl alone brought 275,000 visitors to Sin City, generating $85.6 million in revenue beyond gambling.  However, if there are no NFL games this year,will Las Vegas attract and bring in that kind of money as they did in the past.  In 2010, 267,000 people came and spent $83.1 million on hotel rooms, restaurants, and other entertainment besides gambling, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said.  Will the impact of no pro football this season put a financial crunch on mega casinos and surrounding businesses?  The way our economy is in this Country right now, I think that it will have a rippling effect throughout the United States.  Star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and seven others are among the players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL on Friday to prevent a lockout.  This will take place in U.S. District Federal Court in Minneapolis and my vote is going for the players.  Section 1 of the Sherman Act prohibits agreements that unreasonably restrain trade.  Generally speaking, an agreement is an unreasonable restraint if its anti competitive effects outweigh its precompetitive benefits, as judged under the "Rule of Reason."  The players would be arguing that all rules that restrict a player's ability to make money or restrict a player's mobility--including the salary cap, the draft, and free agency restrictions--are unreasonable restraits.  Antitrust cases are complex and unpredictable, even more so in the sports arena, so we will see how this all unfolds in Federal Court.  There's always UFL or Arena football, but it's not the same.  "My RIGHTS AS A FAN HAVE BEEN VIOLATED IN THE PERSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND I'M GOING TO MISS MY PRO FOOTBALL THIS YEAR."  

Cheif Justice, may it please the court;

Here is a list and synopsis of Supreme Court cases involving the 1st amendment. I was surprised at some of the cases. The interpretation of the amendment goes off in a tangent sometimes. For example when i think of "free speech" I only imagined protesters and people having the right to "SAY" what they feel without persecution. The amendment also carries a religion piece. So from politics to porn, censorship to Christ, here are a few cases i found interesting.

The hot topic is of course Snyder v. Phelps. "God Hates Fags" I am wondering if it gives the defendants more leniency to their cause because the call themselves a church?

Like the french Nazi i get a little drunk sometimes and run my mouth. Can i verbally insult someone in a public place. Not in 1942.

In politics:
Brown v. Hartlage(1982) While campaigning a politician made a promise to lower his salary if elected which under Kentucky state law was impossible. He was elected and respondents filed a suit seeking to void his election. It was found that under the 1st amendment the politician can express his ideas even if he can't legally follow through.
Buckley v. Valeo(1976) regards limiting campaign contributions. Does this 'limitation' limit the ability of a candidate to speak? It cost money to get your word out. The justices determined that limiting contributions protects our democracy from corruption and does not violate the 1st amendment.


Porn:
Stanley v. Georgia (1969) Oh yeah this case involved the ownership of 'obscene' materials. A law prohibiting the ownership of 'obscene' materials was ruled unconstitutional. i can only imagine how much trouble i would have been in if not for this ruling.

Censorship:
Island Tree School District Board of Education v. Pico(1982) The school banned some book from the library. Some kids had a problem with that. The Justices in only a 5 to 4 vote decided that the libraries have a special relationship with the rights of free speech and the book should not be removed simply because a group of people disagreed with the contents.
Jacobellis v. Ohio(1964) This guy was tried and convicted for showing a movie deemed obscene by the state of Ohio.
Cohen v. California (1971) This case ask the question of the use of the four letter word that starts with an 'F'. IF YOU SEEK A way to show you don't appreciate something you can wear a shirt that says F--k that.

Children:
Osborne v. Ohio(1990) I'd like to give a shot out to the arts blog. Child pornography is just wrong. Contrary to the Stanley case above owning this kind of obscene material is not covered under the free speech laws.

Religion:
Cantwell v. Connetticut Jehovah's Witnesses as annoying as they may be have the right to spread the word of their faith. Knock Knock!

This is the SPORTS blog so... Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts

There are so many other cases that are interesting and I'd hope some of you would look into them yourselves. The Supreme court listens to those who seek protection from and those who push the limits of our 1st amendment. Times and the way we perceive what is good and bad change and the Court makes sure our laws change with it. It says a lot to be number one. Our fore fathers knew exactly what kind of society they revolted from and exactly what they did not want to be. First on the list was the ability to speak and worship as we please.

ANTI - SEMITIC SHIRLEY PHELPS ROPER

Shirley Phelps Roper is a certified nut as well as the rest of her family that make up "The Westboro Baptist Church".  I don't agree with the incident that happen in France with John Galliano or with the Westboro Baptist Church going to funerals all around the Country and causing emotional and hurtful behavior.  Although, in France John Galliano is set to go to trail for saying anti-semitic things which is a crime in that Country, I think the better response in this case is the Westboro Baptist Church.  The reason I say that is we live in the United States Of America where we have the first amendment, which is Freedom Of Speech.  Even though I don't agree with it, people have the right to say things whether you agree with them or not, bottom line.  If I was in charge I would not change the law on the first amendment, the reason being that people in America need to be able to express their selves freely.  There's always going to be people out there pushing the envelope on how far to take the first amendment like the Westboro Baptist Church, but you just have to take the bad with good and form your own opinion.  We live in a democracy and if you can't speak freely we might as well become a communist country.  

What is Sports Law?

I'll try to sum it up and provide links to let you see for yourselves.
In the wild world of sports there is millions of billions of dollars being thrown around. There are professional sports and amateur sports. Professionals get paid and amateurs(in most cases) do not. Top professional sports that we know and love are the NFL (American football), NBA/WNBA(basketball), MLB (baseball), NHL (hockey), MLS (American soccer), NASCAR (rednecks), PGA/LPGA (golf), and I'm not sure where tennis players belong but you get the point. When we think of amateur sports you may think of things like the minor leagues in baseball but even those guys are getting paid. Amateur sports range from high school sports to Olympians, collegiate to the local parks and rec. As for skate boarders, snow boarders, wake boarder, moto-cross, ice dancers, runners, cyclist, etc., my understanding is you are an amateur until you gain sponsorship ($$). Millions of people play sports and spend billions of dollars so with that combination there needs to be rules and regulations, SPORTS LAW.

Without clicking on the link and looking for yourself I'll sum it up. The majority of sports law is focused on professional sports. Why you may ask? MONEY, chaching!
There could be an entire blog on the NFL as it is the hot topic for a pig trough of legal issues right now. oh yeah
Labor law issues as we see in the NFL . The owners and the players labor union (NFLPA) are disputing over a new collective bargaining agreement. These labor talks get ugly! Resulting in strikes or lockouts. Players strike and owners lockout. In this case the NFLPA is threatening to decertify or dissolve if an agreement can't be reached, leaving the players to handle there leagal issues with the league individually. Bad news for the NFL owners.

Antitrust laws, deal with market competitiveness and business conduct. Evident in the Sacramento Kings moving out of Sacramento. Kings owners have the right to move there team where they can make more money, be competitive. If the NFLPA decertifies major NFL players the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning,and Drew Brees are preparing themselves to file antitrust lawsuits against the teams owners.

Contract Law. Duh "SHOW ME THE MONEY" Player agent bargain for players to get their paychecks with big contracts. More trouble in the NFL as the NFLPA sued for the unfair broadcasting agreements.

The NCAA governs the world of collegiate sports they have rules in place regarding player recruiting, substance abuse, academics, ensure scholarship $ is distributed evenly between the sexes. The Cam Newton controversy is an example of legal issues surrounding recruitment. His father shopped his son's playing skills for money which is a big no-no in college. There is the the BSC which determines what football teams play in the 35 different bowl games. The system is always under scrutiny, even President Obama had a look into its legalities.

Last but not least we have DRUGS. I'll just say BONDS/CLEMENS and every other athlete who never got caught.