Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Maurycy Gottlieb

2013-02-05T13:44:16Z

JosephineW:

[[Image:Gottlieb-Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur.jpg|thumb|Day of Atonement (Jews at Prayer on Yom Kippur), done in Vienna in 1878.]]
'''Maurycy Gottlieb''' (Drohobych 1856 - Krakow 1879) was a [[Poland|Polish]]-Jewish [[painter]]. He was born in Drohobych (at that time Austria-Hungary). Gottlieb studied in Lvov, Vienna, Munich and Krakow. At the age of twenty, Gottlieb won a gold medal from a [[Munich]] [[art]] competition for ''Shylock and Jessica''.

<blockquote>
As a Polish-Jewish artist, Gottlieb is unique. As a Polish painter, he is considered to be the best of his generation. [http://www.eeweems.com/maurycy_gottlieb/]
</blockquote>

The painting "Day of Atonement" ''is one of three masterpieces on religious themes painted by Gottlieb which reflect the personal conflict of the artist as to his identity as a Jew, a Polish citizen or a man of the Enlightenment... The painting is based on the artist's memories of the [[synagogue]] in his childhood home of Drohowicz. '' [http://www.tamuseum.com/museum/masters/mauritzio.htm] ("Yom Kippur" or "Day of Atonement" is the most important holiday of the Jewish year.)

Gottlieb was extremely prolific, painting more than 300 works (some unfinished).
{{Clear}}
== See also ==

*[[Painting Schools]]
*[[Painting Masterpieces]]
*[[Gallery of Jewish Painting]]

== External links ==

*[http://eeweems.com/maurycy_gottlieb/ Maurycy Gottlieb]
*[http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/web/arts_culture/painting/painters/GottliebM/link.shtml Maurycy Gottlieb] Poland on the Web.
*[http://artyzm.com/e_artysta.php?id=511 Maurycy Gottlieb] Gallery of Polish Painting Masterpieces.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gotlieb, Maurycy}}
[[Category:Painters]]

Supreme Court of the United States

2012-06-28T16:57:53Z

JosephineW:

[[Image:Supreme Court.jpg|thumb|200px|US Supreme Court Building]]
The '''Supreme Court of the United States''' (SCOTUS) is the highest court of the judiciary of the [[United States of America]]. Between 1800 and 1935, it met primarily in the basement of the United States [[Capitol]] building, then in the Old Senate Chamber, until it moved into its present location at One First Street NE, [[Washington, D.C.]]. [[Alexander Hamilton]] originally described the federal judiciary as the "least dangerous branch" due to the fact that it does not have the power to enforce or controls the country's [[finance]]s.<ref>http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa78.htm Federalist #78</ref> However, the Supreme Court does have significant power and has grown to now rivals or even exceed that of the other branches of government.

== Decisions by Term ==

*[[Supreme Court 2011 Term]]

==Structure==
The Court is currently composed of eight [[Associate Justice]]s and one [[Chief Justice of the United States of America|Chief Justice]]. To assist them there are many clerks, guards, and staff. Cases are heard ''[[en banc]]'' whenever the Court is in session. Historians generally divide Court history into eras named after the Chief Justice then presiding (e.g., the [[Rehnquist Court]] and the [[Warren Court]]).
[[Image:SCOTUS.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Supreme Court of the United States, 2007 Back Row (l-r):Breyer, Thomas, Bader-Ginsburg, Alito Front Row(l-r):Kennedy, Stevens, Roberts, Scalia, Souter]]
Justices are appointed by the U.S. [[President]] with the advice and approval of the [[U.S. Senate]], which means that confirmation by a vote of a simple majority of the Senate is required before one can be sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

A list of pending cases to be heard on their merits by the Supreme Court, also known as petitions for which [[certiorari]] has been granted, is available on its website.<ref>[http://www.supremecourtus.gov/orders/07grantednotedlist.pdf Cases pending for the 2007 term]</ref>

==Opinions==
Prior to the [[Marshall Court]], the Court issued [[opinion|opinions]] in ''seriatim''. This means that each Justice wrote his own opinion and delivered it from the bench. Currently, the Court issues one opinion, said to be "the opinion of the Court". Opinions tend to have the history of the case, followed by the Court's reasoning and action. Generally the opinion will be written by a member of the majority, chosen by either the Chief Justice or the most senior Justice in the majority.

When a majority of Justices agrees to the opinion, it is called the [[Majority Opinion|majority opinion]]. Occasionally, a majority of Justices agrees to the [[remedy]], yet a minority of Justices agrees with the main opinion. This is called a [[plurality opinion]].

Justices that disagree with the Court's action can and frequently do write [[dissenting opinion]]s, which state their objections to the ruling. When a Justice agrees with an action, but not the reasoning behind it, he may write a concurring opinion, which states the reasoning he would have used. Such opinions have no bearing on the case at bar, but are often used later in time as justification for legal rulings.

==Conservative and liberal votes==
[[File:Judges-over-time.jpg|thumb|200px|How judges became more conservative (moving up) or liberal (moving down) over time. Click to enlarge.]]

Four of the five most conservative justices to serve on the court since 1937, out of a total of 43 justices, are on the court right now: Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] and Justices [[Antonin Scalia]], [[Clarence Thomas]] and [[Samuel Alito]] The fifth was Chief Justice [[William Rehnquist]], whom Chief Justice Roberts replaced in 2005.<ref> see Adam Liptak, "To Nudge, Shift or Shove the Supreme Court Left," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/weekinreview/01liptak.html?_r=1&hp ''New York Times'' Jan. 31, 2009] Data from a 2008 study by William M. Landes, who teaches law and economics at the University of Chicago, and conservative Judge Richard A. Posner of the federal appeals court. </ref> Looking at votes in divided cases on ideologically charged issues like criminal procedure, civil rights and the First Amendment shows Justice Thomas, the most conservative justice. He voted for the conservative position in those cases 82% of the time. Justice Marshall, the only other African-American to serve on the court, was by this measure the most liberal, voting for the conservative side 21% of the time.

In ten of the last eleven appointments, the new justice was more conservative than the one replaced.

==Current Members==
{|class="wikitable"
!Name!!Date of Accession!!Appointed by!!Title!!General ideology
|-
|[[Antonin Scalia]]||September 26, 1986|||[[Ronald Reagan]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Anthony Kennedy]]||February 18, 1988|||[[Ronald Reagan]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||moderate/swing
|-
|[[Clarence Thomas]]||October 23, 1991|||[[George H. W. Bush]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]]||August 10, 1993|||[[Bill Clinton]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[Stephen Breyer]]||August 3, 1994|||[[Bill Clinton]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[John Roberts]]||September 29, 2005|||[[George W. Bush]]|||[[Chief Justice of the United States of America|Chief Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Samuel Alito]]||January 31, 2006|||[[George W. Bush]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Sonia Sotomayor]]||August 6, 2009|||[[Barack Obama]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[Elena Kagan]]||August 7, 2010||[[Barack Obama]]||[[Associate Justice]]||[[liberal]]
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==
*[[State supreme court]], usually the corresponding court in a [[state court]] system
*[[Supreme Court]] for supreme courts generally

==Further Reading==
* Hall, Kermit L., ed. ''The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Supreme-United-States/dp/0195176618/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525239&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], complete text online at many academic libraries.
** Patrick, John J. ed. ''The Young Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States'' (1994)
* Hall, Kermit L., and James W Ely Jr., eds. ''The Oxford Guide to United State Supreme Court Decisions'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Guide-United-Supreme-Decisions/dp/019537939X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525239&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search], complete text online at many academic libraries.
* Rehnquist, William H. ''The Supreme Court'' (2002), a popular introduction [http://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Court-William-H-Rehnquist/dp/0375708618/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525459&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Savage, David G. ''Turning Right: The Making of the Rehnquist Supreme Court'' (1993) [http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Right-Making-Rehnquist-Supreme/dp/0471595535/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525459&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

{{Supreme Court|jay=y|ellsworth=y|marshall=y|taney=y|chase=y|waite=y|fuller=y|white=y|taft=y|hughes=y|stone=y|vinson=y|warren=y|burger=y|rehnquist=y|roberts=y}}

[[category:United States Supreme Court Cases]]
[[category:United States Supreme Court]]
[[Category:United States Law]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:United States History]]

Robert Max Ross

2012-06-17T21:11:03Z

JosephineW:

'''Robert Max Ross''' (August 5, 1933–September 15, 2009) was a small businessman from Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican]] candidate for governor, U.S. senator, state senator, and mayor during a time when two-party competition was rare in his state.

==Background==
Ross was born in Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, to Robert States Ross and the former Ruby Seymour (1911-2002), but he resided in Mangham most of his life. In 1951, he graduated from Mangham High School. In 1956, he obtained a bachelor of science degree, with a major in agriculture, from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was commissioned through Reserve Officers Training Corps as a second lieutenant in the [[U.S. Air Force]], served in the [[Vietnam War]], and was a major in the Air Force Reserves. After his military service, he returned to Mangham, where he engaged in a number of businesses, including the ownership of a mobile home park.

Ross's stepfather was Terry Clingan (March 24, 1918–December 3, 2007), the Mangham town barber. After the death of Clingan's first wife, the former Vera Wallace, he married again in 1949 -- to Ross' mother. The marriage lasted fifty-three years until her death. Clingan was a master Mason and a deacon of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Mangham. Robert States Ross was killed in an accident in a shipyard in Galveston, [[Texas]], when Ross was a boy.

==Political races==
Ross first ran for office in December 1971 in the only Republican gubernatorial closed primary ever held in the history of Louisiana. He was soundly defeated for the GOP nomination by the Metairie attorney David Conner Treen, who had also run unsuccessfully for the [[United States House of Representatives]] from suburban [[New Orleans]] in 1962, 1964, and 1968. Treen had the support of the party leadership, including chairman [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles|Charles C. de Gravelles, Sr.]], of Lafayette. Ross was the "outsider"; party leaders and voters preferred the "insider" Treen.

Ross also filed as a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate in the February 1, 1972, general election but was easily defeated, 78-22 percent, by incumbent Democrat Charles M. Brown of Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana. While Ross was opposing Charles M. Brown, his stepfather, Terry Clingan waged an unsuccessful Republican campaign against [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] State Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro, the seat of neighboring Franklin Parish.

After the 1971-1972 campaigns, little was heard of Ross again for a decade. In 1983, he filed for the nonpartisan blanket primary, also called the jungle primary, for governor and polled a minuscule 7,625 ballots. The other Republican candidate that year was David Treen, by then the embattled incumbent governor, who failed in his bid for a second term. Treen received 588,508 ballots, but the easy winner was the Democratic choice, former Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, with 1,006,561 votes.

In 1984, Ross challenged the two-term incumbent [[U.S. Senator]] J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., of [[Shreveport]]. Several minor candidates filed against Johnston in the primary but none made a showing. Some Republicans had encouraged Treen to make the race, but he demurred after his lopsided loss the previous year for governor. Ross therefore ran as the best-known of the Republican candidates against Johnston. The tally was 838,181 votes (85.7 percent) for Johnston and 86,546 votes (8.9 percent) for Ross.

When U.S. Senator Russell B. Long retired, Ross entered the primary in September 1986 to choose a successor. He finished far to the rear, as two members of the United States House of Representatives, Republican W. Henson Moore, III, of Baton Rouge and Democrat John B. Breaux of Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish, secured general election berths. Breaux went on to defeat Moore and held the seat for eighteen years until he retired in January 2005.

In October 2002, Ross ran for [[mayor]] of Mangham, but he polled only ten votes, or 7 percent of the total against the incumbent [[Democrat]], Robert Neal Harwell, who received 141 votes (93 percent). Ross had quarreled with Harwell and the town council over water-related issues when he made his mayoral bid. In 1990, a Republican, Royce V. Lowery, was elected to the Mangham Town Council, while the Republican Mayor Frellsen Reese was retiring. In addition to Lowery, the council then had two Democratic members and two no-party aldermen.

In 2007, Ross resurfaced with an advertisement in the ''Baton Rouge Morning Advocate'' which urged that a candidate, presumably a Republican, step forward to challenge the reelection of Democratic Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. Ross listed a mailing address in the ad, but no telephone number or email address. Shortly after Ross' ad appeared, District Attorney James D. "Buddy" Caldwell, Jr., of Tallulah, a Democrat, announced that he would challenge Foti in part as a reaction to Foti's arrest of of a doctor and two nurses in connection with deaths in the wake of [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Foti was narrowly eliminated in the 2007 primary. Caldwell handily defeated Republican Royal Alexander of Shreveport in the November 17, 2007, general election.

==Death and legacy==
Ross died from a lengthy illness at the home of his daughter, Cathy Ross Mitchell, and her husband, Patrick Mitchell, in Baton Rouge. In addition, he is survived by his wife of fifty-one years, the former Barbara Paul (born 1939) of Simmesport in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana; a son, Kenneth Ross and wife, Lottie Fields Ross, of Covington, the seat of St. Tammany Parish, and two other daughters, Tricia Ross Guidry and husband, Ricky Guidry, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Christy Ross Maier of Montgomery, Alabama; nine grandchildren, two sisters, Maxine Smart of Vidalia, the seat of Concordia Parish, and Terry Jean Agnew and husband, Raymond Agnew, of Monroe. Ross's late brother, Jimmy Dale Ross, was a Republican leader in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. He also had a third, sister, the late June Ross Rowland of Alto, Louisiana.

Ross's graveside services were held on September 18, 2009, at Gwin Cemetery in Mangham under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in Rayville. The Clingans are also interred there.

Bennie Hixon of Monroe, Louisiana, a former principal at Mangham High School, said that Ross may have been the first Republican in Mangham. "He helped break ground for the growth of the Republican Party in Richland Parish," said Hixon, the author of ''The History of Mangham and the Big Creek-Boeuf River to 1940''.

==References==
Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980" (M.A. thesis, Northwestern State University at Natchitoches, 1980)

[http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10050242]
[http://blog.rslc.com/blog]
[http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/5279326.html]
[http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/UPDATES01/70504067]
[http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/dclassifieds?Dato=20090917&Kategori=OBITUARY&Class=30&Type=CAT30200&Lopenr=90900159&Selected=3]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Robert Max}}

[[Category:Louisiana]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Baptists]]

Mitt Romney

2012-06-06T12:50:57Z

JosephineW:

{{Officeholder
|name=Willard Mitt Romney
|image=MittPortrait.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Ann Romney]]
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Massachusetts
|terms=January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007
|preceded=[[Jane Swift]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Deval Patrick]]
}}
}}

'''Willard Mitt Romney''' (born March 12, 1947) is a [[RINO]], former governor of [[Massachusetts]] and a successful U.S. businessman, currently portrayed in the mainstream media as the [[2012 Republican Primary|presumptive Republican nominee]] for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]. He was first runner-up for the nomination in 2008. If elected, Romney would become the first [[Mormon]] president. His father [[George Romney]], a former governor of Michigan, ran for the Republican nomination for president in 1968. In 1994, Mitt Romney proved to be the most difficult challenger that incumbent Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts ever faced for reelection, causing Kennedy to pour far more money into the race than he expected.<ref>[http://archive.newsmax.com/romney/ Romney to the Rescue: Mitt Romney's Got the Right Stuff for 2008] Kessler, Ronald, newsmax.com archives, retrieved April 27, 2012</ref>

While one poll showed that [[Mitt Romney]] had jumped to a 7-point lead over [[Obama]], 50-43%,<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226943-poll-romney-opens-up-big-lead-nationally</ref> in early May, he has since continually lagged behind Obama in most other national polls <ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html</ref> as well as polls in the key swing states of Ohio, <ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html </ref> Virginia <ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html </ref> and Wisconsin.<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/wi/wisconsin_romney_vs_obama-1871.html </ref>

Before entering politics Romney was a businessman in Boston, having served as CEO of Bain & Company, a management consulting firm known for outsourcing American jobs. His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for being extremely liberal, and was elected governor in 2002. As governor he raised taxes several times. He unashamedly admits creating [[RomneyCare]], which is a complete disaster and forces everyone to buy health insurance and has resulted in long delays for obtaining medical services, such as an ordinary physical, in that state. [[Ted Kennedy]] and other [[liberals]] supported the bill and probably wrote key parts of it. Romney declined to run for reelection and announced his candidacy for President.

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely but incorrectly supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in Florida, Michigan, and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved, though [[Sarah Palin]] eventually became the vice-president nominee.

Romney has supported many far left positions: Romney has a pro-abortion record and favors big corporations; Romney also continues to believe in liberal propaganda claiming global warming; Romney has been criticized for standing behind his 2005 [[RomneyCare|health care plan in Massachusetts]], which featured a mandate requiring everyone to purchase health insurance as well as taxpayer-funded [[abortion]]. This plan is very similar to the 2010 ObamaCare bill that was adopted on a national level, and may have been the basis for it.

The lack of criticism of Romney by the mainstream media suggests that they want him to win so that they can defeat him in the general election.

==Flip Flopping==
Romney's inconsistent track record on issues such as abortion and gay marriage has gotten to the point where he has gotten the nickname '''Multiple Choice Mitt.''' A man dressed as a dolphin calling himself Flipper has appeared at some recent conservative gatherings to bring attention to Romney's inconsistent stands on abortion and gay marriage. Although Romney now identifies himself as pro-life and anti-same sex marriage, he claimed to be pro choice and supported same-sex rights as late as 2002. These swaps coupled with his Mormon affiliation puts him at odds with much of the Evangelical right, but a PollingReport.com chart from September 2007 indicates that Mitt was still polling at approximately 10% within the GOP primary forecasts.

*Mitt Romney also changed his positions on gun control. He was originally for it, but recently joined the National Rifle Association, an organization opposed to it.

*Following the split of the first three major elections in the 2008 primaries, Ron Kaufman, a top adviser to Romney, stated that the battle between the top three candidates "is going to be like the Bataan Death March."

The Bataan Death March resulted in the death of approximately 9,000 prisoners of war during World War II, and has been labeled as a war crime.

== Personal Life ==
[[Image:MittRomneyYouth05.jpg|thumb|Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney]]
Romney is the scion of an old Mormon family. His grandparents were polygamists who fled the United States in the early 20th century when the Mormon Church repudiated polygamy; his father was born in Mexico. The Romneys returned to the U.S. in 1911 when a violent civil war broke out in Mexico.

Mitt Romney is a devout member of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]], and spent time as a missionary during his youth converting Catholics and agnostics to Mormonism in France. In fact, his time as a student and missionary helped him defer from military service during the Vietnam draft,<ref>Michael Kranish, "The Making of Mitt Romney: Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries" June 24, 2007. The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=1 </ref> but he stated during interviews that "he had longed to join the soldiers in Vietnam and support the war effort." His father had stated in 1967 that he felt "brainwashed" by U.S. officials over the justification of the prolonged Vietnam war. This statement had been very costly in George Romney's 1968 campaign for president against Richard Nixon.

Romney claims to maintains a stable marriage with his wife Ann, with whom he has five children.

Romney is the son of former [[Michigan]] governor and presidential candidate [[George Romney]], a "Rockefeller Republican,"<ref>Lisa McGirr, ''Suburban Warriors''(2001) pp. 141, 222.</ref> who amassed a large fortune as an automobile industry magnate during World War II.  George Romney was popular among moderates during his presidential run and was well-equipped for victory; many of his political advisors had come from [[Nelson Rockefeller]]'s 1964 campaign.

==Business Career==
From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain Capital. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority. Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

==Record as Governor==
Romney served as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included economic expansion. He balanced the budget every year of his administration with out increasing taxes or increasing state dept. Romney turned a $3 billion budget deficit into a $500 million surplus by reducing government spending and added 80,000 new jobs by the end of his term. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Governor Romney proposed cutting the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% <ref>http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/mitt_romneys_record_on_economi.php</ref>. Although the Democratic super majority in the state legislator refused to budge. Romney vetoed 844 pieces of legislation, with over 700 overridden. <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Mitt_Romney_Government_Reform.htm</ref> He vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, saying "there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs." <ref>Telegram & Gazette, 08/01/06</ref> Under Governor Romney the state abolished a retroactive capital gains tax that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay additional taxes and fees. <ref>http://www.americansformitt.com/</ref> Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson praised Romney, saying "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. … And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers."

However, some of the actions Governor Romney took received criticisms from conservatives, such as supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal [[health care]] program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign Romney supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos. In 2006, Governor Romney testified before the [[United States]] [[Senate]] to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. Additionally, Romney filed legislation to reinstate [[capital punishment]], but was defeated in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on a 99-53 vote.

Mitt Romney made no pardons as governor, "My conclusion was, if somebody has been convicted by a jury of their peers, and they’ve been prosecuted and the police were able to get the evidence necessary to put them behind bars, why in the world would I step in and reverse that sentence?" <ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2009/12/04/romney-on-huckabee-unlike-some-people-i-never-pardoned-anyone/</ref>

On [[Education]] Romney called for the privatization of the University of Massachusetts medical school<ref>Telegram & Gazette, 02/27/03</ref>. In 2004, he established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, which rewarded the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with tuition-free scholarship to any Massachusetts public [[university]] or [[college]]. In August 2006, Governor Romney refused to allow former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, an outspoken opponent of the [[United States]] and [[Israel]], state police escorts during his speech at [[Harvard University]]. <ref>http://www.nysun.com/editorials/khatemi-at-harvard/38903/</ref>

In December 2006, Romney signed a memorandum of agreement with the federal government that would allow state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws <ref>http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=96543</ref>, however was revoked when Democrat Deval Patrict took office as Governor in January 2007.

== Political Views ==

===Abortion===
Currently, Romney claims to be pro-life, but his record is very spotty. At times he has claimed to be pro-infantacide.
"I am [[pro-life]]. I believe that [[abortion]] is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by [[judicial mandate]]." ([[Boston]] Globe, Mitt Romney Editorial, July 26, 2005)
<ref>[http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Values America's Culture and Values] mittromney.com</ref> 

Despite having a largely pro-life record as governor, in a 1994 debate with Senator [[Edward Kennedy]], Romney said that abortion should be legal, declaring that "regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal." "Many years ago, I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion", Romney said. "It is since that time my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter. And you will not see me wavering on that."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/03/clarity_sought_on_romneys_abortion_stance/?page=2</ref>

In his campaign literature for the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Romney expressed a willingness to defend that State's pro-choice status quo.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/4</ref> He stated in a live, televised debate<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_w9pquznG4</ref>:

{{cquote|"I've been very clear on that, I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose, and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard."}}

===Civil Unions===
Romney claims to be opposed to the idea of [[gay marriage]], however he has voiced explicit support for the [[homosexual agenda]]. He has advocated for domestic partnership benefits and equal rights for [[homosexuals]], which is gay marriage in everything but name and an easy stepping stone on the vile gay agenda path towards homosexual recruitment.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/3</ref>. He also supports adoption for gay couples<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57432292-503544/romney-says-hes-fine-with-gay-couples-adopting-children/</ref>.

===Economic Agenda===
As President, Romney promised to pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. His number one economic priority would be to grow the economy — helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He says he would work to rein in excessive government spending and reform entitlements. To ensure America's continued economic growth, he promises to cut taxes — such as the Death Tax, savings taxes, corporate taxes and marginal tax rates. Despite these claims, he has supported the [[socialist|socialism]] agenda. He claimed credit for the government bailout of the union controlled car companies<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/07/romney-taking-credit-for-auto-industry-success/</ref>. Also his [[RomneyCare]] law started the process of [[socialism|socializing]] medical care in [[Massachusetts]]. He continues to defend this law up to this day, undermining his commitment to repel the similar and equally atrocious [[ObamaCare]]<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-defends-romneycare_560953.html</ref>.

Romney says he would also promote trade, bring market forces to bear in health care, pursue national tort and liability reform, eliminate excessive regulations that put a burden on our economy and strengthen American families.

===Immigration===

<blockquote>Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.<ref>http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Immigration</ref></blockquote>

Romney supports a strong stance on illegal immigration.<ref>[http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=91722 IowaPolitics.com: Romney Touts Strong Stance On Illegal Immigration]</ref> On 5/24/07, Romney spoke about how he was tolerant about gays and then he discussed the current illegal immigration bill before Congress:
<blockquote>He expressed less tolerance for illegal immigrants, and said he and President Bush have a difference of opinions on a bill that would provide a path toward legalization for an estimated 12 million people unlawfully in the country.

"He has his view, and other people have their views and I have my own," Romney said. "This is for all intents and purposes a form of amnesty in that everyone who is here illegally today will be able to stay under this bill."

The bill is unfair to people who are trying to come to the country legally, he said. People here illegally should be able to apply to come to the United States, but under the same terms as everyone else and behind those who have already applied.

"I don't think that we're going to round up 11 or 12 or however many million people and bus them out of the country. That's not what I'm talking about," Romney said. "Those who committed felonies, of course, would be deported. Those who require government assistance to stay here would surely need to get off government assistance and ultimately could not remain here on government assistance."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May24/0,4670,RomneyGays,00.html</ref></blockquote>

===Stem Cell Research===
Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments, which is essentially infantacide.<ref>http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main Article: [[Mitt Romney 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

[[Image:Dude and mitt romney.jpg|right|180px]] As chairman of the [[Republican Governors Association]], Romney campaigned nationwide for GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2006, building up a network of allies and supporters. While he did not run for reelection as governor, in 2004 Romney set up a federal political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC, which raised $2.71 million during the 2006 election cycle. On January 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. He officially announced his candidacy for President a month later. Romney was the first candidate in either party to start running television and radio ads. The ads focused mainly on his record as governor, running the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, and his work as a very successful businessman. Romney's five sons had been actively campaigning for their father, traveling around in a campaign bus called the "Mitt Mobile, A Five Brothers Bus."

As a presidential candidate Romney sought the support of the business community and social conservatives. He reversed moderate positions on abortion and gay rights to take a hardline conservative position on them, and on opposition to illegal immigrants. Opponents charged he changed too often. Romney was a leader in fund-raising, augmented by over $35 million from his own fortune. However he was little known outside of Massachusetts, so his strategy was to play for early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, then "sling-shot" the momentum into national visibility. Romney won the Michigan primary on January 16th, 2008, with 39% of the vote, edging out McCain with 30% and Huckabee with 16%. Romney was favored to win in the state of his birth, where his father, [[George Romney]] was governor from 1963-1969. After losing both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary (to Huckabee and McCain, respectively), Romney won a low-publicized Wyoming caucus. On January 19, Romney easily won the [[Nevada]] caucuses by 37 percentage points when there were seven candidates on the ballot, however, on that same day he placed a distant fourth in the [[South Carolina]] primary. After a disappointing performance on Super Tuesday, Romney announced the suspension of his campaign on Thursday 7th February. He expressed his wishes not to divide the Republican party and later endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]. Commentators correctly speculated on his chances for a return effort in 2012.

===Fundraising===
Mitt Romney had done well in fund raising. During his first fund raiser as a presidential candidate, he raised $6.5 million dollars compared to an original goal of only $1 million. During the first quarter Romney raised more money then any other Republican presidential candidate with $23 million. However, a substantial portion of his funds ($17 million) came from his own personal wealth. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/16/top_spender_romney_could_soon_run_short/]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mittromney.com Mitt Romney for President 2008]
*[http://www.ldslivingonline.com/article.php?articleId=17633 Mitt Romney: proudly, quietly Mormon]
*[http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/ Evangelicals for Mitt]
*[http://sparklepony.blogspot.com/2007/03/fresh-mitt-romney-juvenalia-hot-off.html Fresh Mitt Romney Juvenalia] Pics - Comments.
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjE4MmMyMzVkZjlhZGQzNzlhZjdmMDEzNjI3MzM4ZTA= Mitt Romney: “I Changed My View. Is that So Difficult to Understand?”] The candidate talks about his efforts to convince voters that his pro-life conversion is real. Byron York, National Review Online, November 20, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Y2ZkMWNkZDkzOTk1YTM0NTNkNmJlZThmYjJmM2ZmOGE= Did Mitt Romney Push Poll Himself?] Mark Hemingway, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2EzODZjY2UxZTRhMWE2ZDk1ZWE5MGI0ZmRjMDViZTI= Team Romney on Push-Poll Connections] After reading the Hemingway piece, Kevin Madden, Romney for President campaign spokesman replies. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzliMDgzOWVlOGEwYThlMzc5ZDVlNzM2YjA4M2ZkYTg= Romney Stands for Faith] The candidate pushes back against push-poll attacks. Larry Kudlow, National Review Online, November 16, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQ4YmM4Y2U3Yjc3MzYzNDQwYzk3YTVjMTI5YTkwNzg= Romney’s Religion], The Editors, National Review Online, November 16, 2007

==Blogs==
*[http://www.mymanmitt.com/mitt-romney/ My Man Mitt]
*[http://libertariansformitt.wordpress.com/ Libertarians for Romney]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Mitt}}
[[Category:Massachusetts Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Mormons]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]

Internet

2012-06-06T12:20:37Z

JosephineW:

The '''Internet''' is a global network of interconnected smaller [[computer]] networks. Although many people use term "Internet" and "[[World Wide Web]]" interchangeably, the two terms are not equivalent in meaning. The Internet and the Web are separate, but related, entities. The Internet is a massive network of networks, connecting millions of computers together globally, forming a network. On the Internet, a computer can communicate with any other computer, as long as both computers are connected to the Internet.

Data is transmitted between computers and networks in small packets using the Internet Protocol (IP); they are reassembled at their destination. The Internet originated in work that was funded by the Advanced Research Projects Administration (ARPA), a research funding arm of the [[Department of Defense]].

==Origin==
The conceptual foundation for the internet's creation was significantly developed by three individuals and a research conference, each of which changed the way we thought about communication, business and the exchange of technology:

*Vannevar Bush wrote the first description of the potential uses for information technology with his description of the "memex" automated library system.
*Norbert Wiener invented the field of Cybernetics, encouraging future researchers to focus on the use of technology to extend human capabilities.
*The 1956 Dartmouth Artificial Intelligence conference defined the concept that technology was improving at an exponential rate, and provided the first serious consideration of the consequences, the benefits and advantages or such a network.
*Marshall McLuhan made the idea of a [[global village]] interconnected by an electronic nervous system part of our popular culture. <ref>http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ii.htm </ref>
*Ethan K. Heinz (cousin of Teresa Heinz), in 1969, created a network named ARPANet. ARPANet was developed in the US as a means for various research universities and government facilities to "talk" or communicate with each other, even in an event such as war.<ref>[http://www.internetisseriousbusiness.com]</ref> ARPANet grew quickly and eventually evolved into today's Internet. Today, the Internet is a public, cooperative, and self-sustaining facility that can be accessed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide; the Internet has grown into a worldwide computer network where anyone can have a chat with anyone else almost anywhere in the world, and is a vast source of free information.

==Description==
The Internet is sometimes also known as "[[cyberspace]]." Most users are familiar with the [[World Wide Web]] of homepages, marked up with [[HTML]]; the Web is facilitated by one of numerous protocols that operate on the Internet. There are also [[email]], [[FTP|file transfer]], etc.

The common protocol used to access websites (including this one) is the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The creator of this is [[Sir Tim Berners-Lee]], who recently in an online magazine article claimed that given the opportunity, he wouldn't use the HTTP format for websites. Berners-Lee is currently the director of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).

[[Ted Stevens]] famously referred to the internet as "a series of tubes" during a panel on [[network neutrality]]. While the statement was technically inaccurate, it is a reasonable depiction of the internet as an interconnected system to a lay person.

The internet is formed from two basic elements, routers and connections. A router is basically a small computer that acts like a switching station, similar to the pumping stations of public water utilities. The connections are the pipes themselves, acting as a means to move packets from one router to another, and eventually from server to client.

===TCP/IP===
TCP/IP is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. Two recent adaptations of Internet technology, the intranet and the extranet, also use [[TCP/IP]].

===Ownership of the Internet===
It is true that the Internet is more a concept than an actual tangible entity. Despite this fact, the Internet still relies on a physical infrastructure that connects networks to other networks. Access to the Internet is controlled by [[telephone]] companies, because telephone companies own many of the infrastructure backbones and most of the connectivity hardware; however, no one actually owns the Internet, and no single person or organization controls the Internet in its entirety. There are many organizations, corporations, governments, schools, private citizens, and service providers that all own pieces of the infrastructure.

==Controversy==
Although the Internet has been shown to contain valuable information, it also contains pornographic or otherwise vulgar material. Therefore, some conservatives would like to see tighter controls on the Internet which would limit what can be hosted and what can be downloaded.

In 1999, [[Democratic]] presidential candidate [[Al Gore]] misspoke when intending to take partial credit for the development of the internet when he referenced his High Performance [[Computing]] and Communication Act of 1991, commonly known as the "Gore Bill":<ref>http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/09/president.2000/transcript.gore/</ref>

:CNN's WOLF BLITZER: I want to get to some of the substance of domestic and international issues in a minute, but let's just wrap up a little bit of the politics right now.

:Why should Democrats, looking at the Democratic nomination process, support you instead of Bill Bradley, a friend of yours, a former colleague in the Senate? What do you have to bring to this that he doesn't necessarily bring to this process?

:AL GORE: Well, I will be offering -- I'll be offering my vision when my campaign begins. And it will be comprehensive and sweeping. And I hope that it will be compelling enough to draw people toward it. I feel that it will be.

:But it will emerge from my dialogue with the American people. I've traveled to every part of this country during the last six years. During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system.

In response to [[Al Gore|Al Gore's]] comments, [[Robert Kahn]] and [[Vinton Cerf]], the two men responsible for the creation of the [[TCP/IP]] protocol which the internet uses for most of its communication and two men often credited as the creators of the internet along with [[Sir Tim Berners-Lee]], said the following:
<blockquote>
Al Gore was the first political leader to recognize the importance of the Internet and to promote and support its development.

No one person or even small group of persons exclusively “invented” the Internet. It is the result of many years of ongoing collaboration among people in government and the university community. But as the two people who designed the basic architecture and the core protocols that make the Internet work, we would like to acknowledge VP Gore’s contributions as a Congressman, Senator and as Vice President. No other elected official, to our knowledge, has made a greater contribution over a longer period of time.

Last year the Vice President made a straightforward statement on his role. He said: "During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the Internet." We don't think, as some people have argued, that Gore intended to claim he "invented" the Internet. Moreover, there is no question in our minds that while serving as Senator, Gore's initiatives had a significant and beneficial effect on the still-evolving Internet. The fact of the matter is that Gore was talking about and promoting the Internet long before most people were listening.<ref>http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200009/msg00052.html</ref>
</blockquote>

Their letter continued to go on to enumerate Al Gore's involvement in the early periods of the internet.

===Keeping Pornography out of the Reach of Children===
Studies have shown that 90% of children have been exposed to pornography, with the average age of exposure being 11 years old <ref>http://www.healthymind.com/s-porn-stats.html</ref>. Many countries have attempted to take steps to keep underage children from viewing pornographic material. [[Australia]] has taken the important step of requiring [[internet service providers]] to use web filters to keep inappropriate material from being displayed in houses and schools<ref>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm</ref>. This effort is being blocked by civil liberties groups (such as the [[American Civil Liberties Union]]) who believe that pornagrophy should be considered [[free speech]], and therefore not under the jurisdiction of the government.

Currently many private companies offer software-based web filtering for home use. [[Public school|Public schools]] in many US states are required to employ web filters. Most [[private schools]], [[libraries]], and employers also choose to use web filters.

==See Also==
* [[World Wide Web]]
* [[Subdomains]]
* [[Digital Philosophy]]

==External Links==
*[http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49299033,00.htm The 50 most significant moments of Internet history], ''Crave at CNET.co.uk'', September 25, 2008

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Information technology]]
[[Category:Internet]]

Right to Privacy

2012-06-06T12:18:36Z

JosephineW:

The '''Right to Privacy''' is a [[United States Constitution|Constitutional]] right in the [[United States]] that prevents federal and state government officials from violating rights possessed by individuals. The growth of the [[Internet]] and of very large databases containing detailed personal information has made privacy a major issue in the information age.
==Brandeis==
[[Louis Brandeis]], later a justice of the Supreme Court, defined modern notions of the individual right to privacy in a path-breaking article he published with his partner, Samuel Warren, in the ''Harvard Law Review'' (1890), on "The Right to Privacy." Stimulated by anger at offensive publicity concerning the social activities of Warren's family, it adumbrated a new legal concept that has had lasting influence. Building on diverse analogies in the law of defamation, of literary property, and of eavesdropping, Brandeis argued that the central, if unarticulated, interest protected in these fields was an interest in personal integrity, "the right to be let alone," that ought to be secured against invasion except for some compelling reason of public welfare.

Before Brandeis, [[classical liberalism]] protected privacy as a repository for human passions in order to prevent them from corrupting rational public discourse. Brandeis saw emotions as a positive expression of human nature, and so desired privacy protection for them as protection against repression of the human spirit. Contemporary constitutional theory rejects the restriction of personal passions to private forums and protects the right to personal expression in public.<ref>Grant B. Mindle, "Liberalism, Privacy, and Autonomy" ''Journal of Politics'' 1989 51(3): 575-598 24p.</ref>
==Tort law==
In [[tort]] law privacy relates to 1) intrusion on a person's solitude; 2) public disclosure of private facts about a person; 3) publicity that places a person in a false light; and 4) taking a person's name or likeness for the advantage of someone else (as in an advertisement).
==Griswold==
Until 1965, some US states criminalized the distribution of contraceptives. In 1965 the Supreme Court in [[Griswold v. Connecticut]], ruled the laws unconstitutional because they violated the right of privacy. [[John Roberts]] upheld "Griswold" at his 2005 confirmation hearings to be Chief Justice, and indicated the issue was closed.<ref> See [http://privacy-law.blogspot.com/2005/09/john-roberts-right-to-privacy-part-5.html quotations]</ref>
:asked, "Do you agree that there is a right of privacy to be found in the liberty clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?" Roberts responded:
::"I do, Senator. I think that the court's expressions, and I think if my reading of the precedent is correct, I think every justice on the court believes that, to some extent or another. Liberty is not limited to freedom from physical restraint. It does cover areas, as you said, such as privacy. And it's not protected only in procedural terms but it is protected substantively as well."

::"I agree with the Griswold court's conclusion that marital privacy extends to contraception and availability of that. The court, since Griswold, has grounded the privacy right discussed in that case in the liberty interest protected under the due process clause."

::"I feel comfortable commenting on Griswold and the result in Griswold because that does not appear to me to be an area that is going to come before the court again."
==Broad protection==
In his confirmation testimony, Roberts summarized the right of privacy. Asked "Do you believe today that the right to privacy does exist in the Constitution?", Roberts answered:<ref> See [http://privacy-law.blogspot.com/2005/09/john-roberts-right-to-privacy-part-5.html quotations]</ref>

:"Senator, I do. The right to privacy is protected under the Constitution in various ways. It's protected by the [[Fourth Amendment]] which provides that the right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, effects and papers is protected. It's protected under the [[First Amendment]] dealing with prohibition on establishment of a religion and guarantee of free exercise. It protects privacy in matters of conscience. It was protected by the framers in areas that were of particular concern to them. It may not seem so significant today: the Third Amendment, protecting their homes against the quartering of troops. And in addition, the court has -- it was a series of decisions going back 80 years -- has recognized that personal privacy is a component of the liberty protected by the due process clause. The court has explained that the liberty protected is not limited to freedom from physical restraint and that it's protected not simply procedurally, but as a substantive matter as well. And those decisions have sketched out, over a period of 80 years, certain aspects of privacy that are protected as part of the liberty in the due process clause under the Constitution."
==Posner==
Posner (1981), a leading conservative, presents an influential economic interpretation of privacy. He deals with the release of true but embarrassing information about yourself. He argues there should be no property right in hiding discreditable information about yourself and likens hiding information to fraud. Thus he supports publicity regarding the addresses of child molesters. On the other hand he agrees there is a property right to privacy regarding ordinary (non-guilty) information. For example, society protects the privacy of not being seen naked. Posner treats trade secrets owned by a corporation as a form of privacy,
==Criticism==
Conservative [[Robert Bork]] argued that ''Griswold'' did not derive the right to privacy from some pre-existing right or from natural law, but merely created a new right to privacy with no foundation in the Constitution or Bill of Rights.<ref> See Robert Bork, ''The Tempting of America: The Political Seduction of the Law'' (1990)</ref> Roberts reply is that the right is indeed grounded in the [[Fourteenth Amendment]].
==See also==
* [[Common law privacy rights]]
* [[Electronic Communications Privacy Act]] of 1986
* [[Privacy Act of 1974]]

==Further reading==
* DeCew, Judith. "Privacy" ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2006) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/privacy/ online edition]
* Johnson, John W. ''Griswold V. Connecticut: Birth Control And The Constitutional Right Of Privacy'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Griswold-V-Connecticut-Constitutional-Landmark/dp/0700613781 excerpt and text search]
* Posner, Richard ''The Economics of Justice'' (1981), part 3 pp 231-50 on privacy. [http://www.amazon.com/Economics-Justice-Honorable-Richard-Posner/dp/0674235266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250122931&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Scheppele, Kim Lane. ''Legal Secrets: Equality and Efficiency in the Common Law'' (1988)
* Smith, Janet E. ''The Right to Privacy'' (Bioethics & Culture) (2008), 105pp; introduction by [[Robert H. Bork]]; conservative analysis
* Turkington, R., Trubow, G., and Allen, A., eds. ''Privacy: Cases and Materials'' (1992), reprints major court cases
* Warren, Samuel, and Louis Brandeis. "The Right to Privacy," ''Harvard Law Review'' (1890) 4: 193-220.
==External links==
* [http://epic.org/privacy/privacy_resources_faq.html Online Guide to Privacy Resources]

====references====
<references/>
[[Category:Law]]
[[Category:First Amendment]]

TrueOrigin

2012-06-06T12:13:14Z

JosephineW:

TrueOrigin is a [[young earth]] [[creation science]] website.

== External links ==
*[http://www.talkorigins.org/ TrueOrigin]

[[Category: Creation science]]
[[Category: Creationism]]

Hinduism

2012-05-31T14:15:43Z

JosephineW:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world and is the oldest among major religions.<ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref> Historians believe that it originated more than 5000 years ago.<ref>[http://hinduism.about.com/od/hinduism101/a/origin.htm Origin of Hinduism] (About.com)</ref> Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It is often referred to as "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's billion Hindus live in [[India]], so about 80 percent of Hindus are Indians.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their religion."</ref>
According to a recent American survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups in the [[United States]].<ref>Hanerjee, Neela, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?ei=5124&en=1f44cce06fd2c02a&ex=1361682000&adxnnl=1&partner=digg&exprod=digg&adxnnlx=1204020358-3HkVoV4zxeYh9vTOw6Tydw Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds], New York Times, 25th February, 2008.</ref>
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual communion with [[Brahman]] (God) as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. Hindus outline the four goals of various humans (purusharthas) as: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman); above all four of these, in certain Hindu schools, is the goal of pure Love of God.

== Definition by law==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri [[Krishna]] (incarnation of [[Vishnu]]) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example [[Agni]] (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, [[Indra]] (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and [[Lakshmi]] (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus from being forced or coerced into converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

==Believer?==
In Hinduism, according to one classification, believers are categorized into four distinct categories, acording to their beliefs.
* Advaita Astika: Believer of God & Believer of Scripture
* Advaita Nastika: Believer of God & Non-believer of Scripture
* Dvaita Astika: Non-believer of God & Believer of Scripture
* Dvaita Nastika: Non-believer of God & Non-believer of Scripture

==Criticisms==
===Sati===
''Sati'' was a practice during the medieval period whereby still-in-love Hindu widows jumped into the funeral pyre for the their husbands(together till death). It was developed in a blatant misinterpretation of their scriptures. In modern times, family members of the husband forced widows to burn to death. Thus this practice was abolished in the 19th century by the efforts of Ram Mohan Roy and Lord William Bentinck.

===Caste system===
Hinduism also has a "caste by profession" or ''varna'' system. Traditionally Hindu society is divided into four castes:
*''Brahmin'' (the highest caste in Hinduism)
*''Kshatriya'' (the warrior or ruling class)
*''Vaishya'' (merchants)
*''Shudra'' (unskilled laborers and servants)

In ancient times, caste was determined by profession, and could be changed by changing career. As time passed on, both Caste and Profession became defined by birth. <ref>[http://western-hindu.org/2008/01/27/the-caste-system/ The Caste System]</ref>

''Shudras'' were the lowest caste and were denied of many rights in past. Apart from these four main castes, there was a new addition in the modern distortion of the caste system, as the lowest caste and without any rights, called the ''Dalit'' (Untouchables).<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/living/caste.shtml The caste system] ''BBC''</ref> Historically these ''dalits'' are the victims of discrimination by higher castes. Even today there are many reports of discrimination against ''dalits''.<ref>[http://indianchristians.in/news/content/view/1954/44/ Dalits face discrimination in southern Tamil Nadu] ''All India Christian Council''</ref><ref>[http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/13/india15303.htm India: ‘Hidden Apartheid’ of Discrimination Against Dalits] ''[[Human Rights Watch]]''</ref>

==See Also==
* [[Dharma]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]
* [http://western-hindu.org/2008/01/27/the-caste-system/ The Caste System]
* [http://ethics.wikia.com/wiki/Param_Atma Parmatma]

==Further reading==
* Johnson, W. J. ''A Dictionary of Hinduism'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Hinduism-W-J-Johnson/dp/0198610254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238980666&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Knott, Kim. ''Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/read/62971675?title=Hinduism%3a%20A%20Very%20Short%20Introduction online edition]
* Shattuck, Cybelle. ''Hinduism'' (1999) [http://www.questia.com/read/103395975?title=Hinduism online edition]
* Sullivan, Bruce M. ''Historical Dictionary of Hinduism'' (1997)
* Werner, Karel. ''A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Popular-Dictionary-Hinduism-Dictionaries-Religion/dp/0700710493/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238980666&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
* Zaehner, R. C. ''Hinduism'' (1966) [http://www.questia.com/read/23180604?title=Hinduism online edition]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism| ]]
[[Category:Dharmic Religions]]
[[Category:India]]
[[category:Indian History]]

Squid

2008-11-30T16:13:21Z

JosephineW:

{{RefAppeal}}
A '''squid''' is an aquatic [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]] with ten tentacles known for its abilities at [[camouflage]], accomplished using special skin cells called [[chromatophores]], and producing ink clouds. There are a large number of species spread across the oceans of the globe. The largest type, the [[Colossal Squid]], can grow to upwards of 46 feet in length from the tip of the caudal fin the the end of the two longer tentacles, while a number of species are only a few inches in length. Squid are distantly related to [[Octopus]] and [[Cuttlefish]] as all are cephalopods.

In recent years, the popularity of calamari and other squid dishes have caused their numbers to dwindle.

Squid, though short-lived, are highly intelligent. Most are active [[predator]]s. Squids are also fairly common in [[mythology]], in which [[giant squid]] known as "[[kraken]]" sink ships at sea.

[[Category:Molluscs]]
[[Category:Seafood]]

Squid

2008-11-30T14:00:38Z

JosephineW:

{{RefAppeal}}
A '''squid''' is an aquatic [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]] with ten tentacles known for its abilities at [[camouflage]], accomplished using special skin cells called [[chromatophores]], and producing ink clouds. There are a large number of species spread across the oceans of the globe. The largest type, the [[Colossal Squid]], can grow to upwards of 46 feet in length from the tip of the caudal fin the the end of the two longer tentacles, while a number of species are only a few inches in length. Squid are distantly related to [[Octopus]] and [[Cuttlefish]] as all are also cephalopods.

In recent years, the popularity of calamari and other squid dishes have caused their numbers to dwindle.

Squid, though short-lived, are highly intelligent. Most are active [[predator]]s. Squids are also fairly common in [[mythology]], in which [[giant squid]] known as "[[kraken]]" sink ships at sea.

[[Category:Molluscs]]
[[Category:Seafood]]

Ammonites (biology)

2008-11-30T13:57:52Z

JosephineW:

== Ammonites (Biology) ==

Ammonites are an extinct group of marine [[Cephalopod]] [[Mollusc]], belonging to the subclass [[Ammonoidea]] in the class Cephalapoda, which belongs in the phylum Mollusca.

Ammonites are excellent [[index fossils]], that is, their fossils will often give an age to the rock layer in which they are found.

Although Ammonoids were present from the late Silurian, Ammonites were at their height in the Jurassic.

Cephalopod

2008-11-30T13:56:16Z

JosephineW:

'''Cephalopod''' mollusks are a branch of related marine [[invertebrate]]s. They include, [[octopus]], [[squid]], [[cuttlefish]], [[nautilus]] and the extinct [[ammonite]]s.

Cephalopod

2008-11-30T13:55:53Z

JosephineW: New page: '''Cephalopod''' mollusks are a branch of related marine invertebrates. They include, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, nautilus and the extinct [ammonite]]s.

'''Cephalopod''' mollusks are a branch of related marine [[invertebrate]]s. They include, [[octopus]], [[squid]], [[cuttlefish]], [[nautilus]] and the extinct [ammonite]]s.

Squid

2008-11-30T13:22:39Z

JosephineW:

{{RefAppeal}}
A '''squid''' is an aquatic [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]] with ten tentacles known for its abilities at [[camouflage]], accomplished using special skin cells called [[chromatophores]], and producing ink clouds. There are a large number of species spread across the oceans of the globe. The largest type, the [[Colossal Squid]], can grow to upwards of 46 feet in length from the tip of the caudal fin the the end of the two longer tentacles, while a number of species are only a few inches in length. Squid are related to [[Octopus]] and [[Cuttlefish]].

In recent years, the popularity of calamari and other squid dishes have caused their numbers to dwindle.

Squid, though short-lived, are highly intelligent. Most are active [[predator]]s. Squids are also fairly common in [[mythology]], in which [[giant squid]] known as "[[kraken]]" sink ships at sea.

[[Category:Molluscs]]
[[Category:Seafood]]