"Sony Dong and another man were charged Tuesday with conspiracy in an eight-count federal indictment. 

Three red-whiskered bul-buls, four magpie robins and six shama thrush were among the birds that are now in quarantine. More birds were found in a Southern California home."

What a unique way to smuggle in birds.  Probably not real tidy when the only place for them to poop is on the guys legs, down his shoes.  But funny just the same.

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44 different citations for violating a non-smoking law in privately owned establishments?  Wow, the law doesn’t care that individuals apparently want to smoke, the business wants to let its customers smoke, but the government says no.  Well, we can all rest easy at night knowing that the government in its infinite wisdom is protecting the citizens by closing businesses that are letting their customers smoke, a practice that by the way is a legal activity. 

From this article it sounds like the government is going to take these business’s liquor licenses away because they allowed a legal practice inside their buildings; the buildings that they own.  Somehow this doesn’t sound right.  In fact it sounds an awful lot like a nanny state.  Please government stop making more laws; aren’t you in our lives enough without telling us how much of a legal activity we can do and where we can do it at? 

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While vehicle occupants are required to wear seat belts, officers cannot pull a car over because they spot an adult who is not buckled in. A primary law would allow officers to stop a vehicle if they see someone not wearing a seat belt.

The rule is already in effect for drivers younger than 18, but Senate Bill 59 would make the law apply to everyone.

If Kansas doesn't enact the law by June 30 it will lose a one-time federal grant of about $11.2 million and another $456,000 annual appropriation, Miller said."

Here is another example of the Federal government using money to get a state law passed.  Kansas can either pass this seat belt law or they will loose out on the Federal money for highways.  Fair or not this seems to be the way our government operates; do what the Federal government wants or you will not receive any funding in this area.  Are we all sick of the government telling us how to live our lives yet? 

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"Lawmakers said Wednesday they would work this year to try to close a loophole in Iowa law that allowed a teenage sex offender to "age out" of Iowa's juvenile justice system after he committed a felony and failed to complete treatment.

State Sen. Keith Kreiman, D-Bloomfield, and Rep. Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield, said they were exploring language to add to existing sex-offender legislation that would allow for the confinement of serious juvenile sex offenders and require treatment after they turn age 18. The two said they will likely schedule a public committee hearing in the next week to discuss that and other changes under consideration to Iowa's sex offender laws.

 The move came a day after the family of a 9-year-old sexual assault victim told The Des Moines Register that state leaders had ignored their pleas to act to prevent Dustin Richards of Ames and others like him from abusing other children. Richards was released from treatment a day after he aged out of the juvenile system, even though he had said on more than one occasion he would likely offend again.

"This is to me a very unique situation," said Kreiman, who met Wednesday at the Statehouse with the grandmother and mother of Richards' victim."

It would appear that no matter what the sexual offense once an offender turns 18 they get out of the system…..but they have to register as a sex offender.  Does treatment of sexual offenders really work?  Most of the studies done on pedophiles state that treatment does not necessarily work as intended; the offenders often if not always are repeat offenders and another child’s life is changed forever.  But to know that a 14 year old molested a 6 year old, turned 18 and was set loose on the world is a little much.  What kind of treatment did he receive and was it successful?  How does one judge how successful the treatment for sexual offenses is?  If he never molests another child then it was successful and if he does then the treatment was not successful?  That seems a little chancy for the children of the world but is it any different than when a murderer gets out of jail after 7 years and commits another murder?  When does justice end and revenge start in a case like this? 

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"This increase is actually part of a federal plan, with the money geared at covering health-insurance for low-income children. While the increase wasn't supposed to happen until April 1st, prices are already jumping as manufacturers prepare to pay their own tax.

The key behind the jump is a federal excise tax of $1.00 on tobacco products slated to hit April 1st. That money is expected to help pay for the expansion of SCHIP. But prices are spiking now as manufacturers prepare to pay a floor tax due on April 1."