PDD.143: Half-truths are still half-truths

Consider these news articles in which the Public Duty Doctrine is not disclosed to the public: http://wbztv.com/local/norton.police.response.2.1793057.html and http://www.truth-out.org/connie-schultz-cut-budget-then-arm-citizens-judge-says58773

PDD.142: Restraining Orders

Yesterday, 8-25-2010, in the Asheville Citizens-Times newspaper (print), page A2, under the title of "Police response cut with budgets: Areas place focus on violent crimes," by Kevin Johnson of USA TODAY, a remarkable thing happened.

First, read the on-line version. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-25-1Anresponsecops25_ST_N.htm

So, I first read the actual print paper. And then I compared it with the on-line USA TODAY version, and, lo and behold, there was a paragraph missing. And then I checked the Asheville Citizen-Times on-line version, which is a link back to USA TODAY, and, again, the paragraph was missing from it too!!! With no reference to the article being edited. In other words, the on-line version from both news medias are being represented as being the original, with no edits.

Now, here is the missing paragraph (It goes between "The chiefs are putting the best face ....." and "In Tulsa, which lost 110 officers to layoffs..."): "Oakland police say they don't have enough resources to dispatch officers to theft, vandalism and car burglaries. Residents instead are being asked to report the incidents via computer. Violations of restraining orders are among the offenses on the no-dispatch list."

Focus on the last sentence: "Violations of restraining orders are among the offenses on the no-dispatch list."

No. 1: Of course, there was no mention made of The Public Duty Doctrine. No. 2: This is a classic example of American journalism as being suspect, and the reason for the need of blogs to get the truth out.

PDD.141: What a "Justice Index" Must Include

Such an index must include whether or not the general public knows of the Public Duty Doctrine http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/11/opinion/11bach.html

PDD.140: "Tribal Law and Order"

New York Times, August 2, 2010, opinion section: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/opinion/02mon3.html

PDD.139: OSHA too little, too late, as usual

Key words: "...371 violations, including 225 considered 'willful,' found after the Feb. 7 blast..."

Consider this Connecticut case: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/nyregion/06middletown.html

PDD.138: Eating Gulf Coast Fish

Before you eat any fish from the Gulf Coast, you might want to look at my blog posting .102, which specifically draws your attention to paragraph [75] of the following article http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cases/food/winstead.htm

PDD.137: State of Am. Legal Profession

If the police and district attorneys have no legal duty to protect, and they cannot be held liable for failing to protect, individual Americans have had to turn to lawyers to seek justice. American lawyers over the past 50 years have done a lot of good and a lot of harm. But, now, the average American may not have a choice if the following trend continues. Consider this: http://classic.cnbc.com/id/38572210

PDD.136: A Scientific Poll (Survey)

What needs to be done, before any legal action, is a scientific poll. A representative sampling of the U.S. population needs to be asked the question: Have you ever heard of the Public Duty Doctrine, either specifically or generally?