You Think What?

This article was authored by attorney Sheryl L. Axelrod, of  The Axelrod Firm, PC.
The Axelrod Firm, PC  is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania law firm established for the purpose of assisting individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations with  commercial, real estate and employment issues.  Sheryl L. Axelrod  is the owner of the three attorney, state-certified, woman owned law firm.  As few as 5% of lawyers per jurisdiction are recognized by their fellow lawyers as Super Lawyers,  Sheryl L. Axelrod has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for the third year in a row.  Attorney Axelrod is the President of the Temple Law Alumni Association (TLAA), its 4th female President in its over 95 year history.

It frequently happens. A business owner purchases an insurance policy to protect the business. You pay your premiums in a timely manner, year after year. Then one day, your business is at the wrong end of a lawsuit. You quickly submit the claim to your insurance carrier and expecting they’ll cover it. They’ll hire a lawyer at their cost (after you pay any deductible), and the lawyer will defend your company. After all, that’s why you’ve been paying all those premiums, to get that coverage. However, a few weeks later,  you receive a letter s in the mail. Your carrier is rejecting the claim and now you’re the one who must foot the bill to pay for, defend and fight the lawsuit. This is what you should do to effectively fight back. (more…)

Late last month, April 2011, the American public was informed of a last minute amendment tacked on to the federal legislation known as the James Zadroga bill. It’s a legislative act providing funds for health care  of the 911 responders who sustained injury while they worked, sacrificed and even died, at New York City’s World Trade Center as well as supplying money for surviving members of their families. It is a law enacted to help those like the man for whom the bill was named. It was intended to be a way We, the people, remember and reward the people who bravely helped during the tragic collective events we remember as September 11, 2001. It was a date that changed our world forever.

It took nine years to get the law passed to provide treatment for the responders who survive and who are experiencing devastating health issues as a result of breathing toxic fumes at the site of the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings, number 1, 2 and 7. The emergency medical technicians, police and fire personnel inhaled the dusty debris while cleaning up the mess, searching for colleagues and saving lives of those injured and recovering the dead in the rubble.

Unfortunately the man for whom the bill is named died of respiratory disorders during 2006. James Zadroga was a New York City police officer, in fact he is the first NYPD officer whose illness and subsequent death has been attributed to his participation in rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of the World Trade Center following the September 11 attacks. Zadroga was the first whose death was attributed to his contact with toxic chemicals at the site of the deadly attack of September 11th 2001.

We learned last month there is a caveat that comes with the bill passed last December during the so called “lame duck” session of the United States Congress. Prior to passage of the bill  congressional representative from Florida’s 6th District  Cliff Stearns suggested an astounding last minute amendment:

Thank you Mr. Chairman.  This basically I’ll give it in one sentence.  Before a person is certified as eligible for the program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has to confirm with the appropriate federal agency that that person is not a terrorist.  So it’s a simple straightforward amendment.” REP. CLIFF STEARNS, R-FL (5/25/2010)

and received support  from HENRY WAXMAN, a Democrat from Fornicalia

I think it makes a lot of sense, and I’m willing to support it.  All those in favor of the Stearns amendment, say ‘aye’.REP. HENRY WAXMAN, D-CA(5/25/2010)

And as they say “the ayes have it”, allowing the passage of the law with the following amendment in place as reported by reputable news outlets around the nation:

Under the new 9/11 health bill, responders and Ground Zero workers seeking benefits will receive a letter, notifying them that ‘the Act also requires the World Trade Center Program Administrator to determine whether a World Trade Center responder or survivor is on the terrorist watch list prior to his or her enrollment or certification.’ “

We, the people,have knowledge of this most recent added insult to grave injury amendment to a bill intended to help those who were courageous to expose themselves to toxic chemicals and disease when the rest of us were left standing about trying to figure out just what had happened.

The law has been passed. Many of us are feeling helpless. That is why the staff of YouThinkWhat believes the best way for us be helping the individuals and their families who have been damaged by this bad law is to support the efforts of the organizers of an event that will be taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 9, 10, 11, 2011 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11th 2001 attacks, also known as 911,  by commending and raising money to assist the 911 responders.

The event is called 911Remembrance. We’ll have more details  in an upcoming post.

After a humiliating TSA, Transportation Security Administration, pat down at Jackson, Mississippi airport, that left Indian Ambassador to the United States, Meera Shankar, livid and insistent that she would never return to America has prompted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to promise a review of TSA policies in the aftermath of a nationwide revolt against invasive airport security measures. At the height of the TSA backlash last month, Clinton herself told CBS News that the pat down procedures were so invasive that she would personally want to avoid them.

Now she has been forced to promise an inquiry into measures that led to Indian diplomat Meera Shankar being confined to a glass cage before being invasively groped by TSA staff in full public view, after Indian authorities demanded an apology for her treatment. “We obviously are concerned about it,” Clinton told reporters in Washington. (more…)

Here’s a ditty dedicated to all of you who will be flying domestic or international flights during this Christmas holiday season. The tune is a parody of the Bing Crosby favorite, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”; the special lyrical twist is supplied by the mellow holiday musical stylings of Roxi Copland. Enjoy!

You read it here first…word on the street is  the producers of the upcoming BigotPalooza have added more names to the upcoming performance schedule.

When the political road show comes to your town, and according to our sources it will be coming to a public venue near you before November 2010 Election Day, that religious zealot and xenophobe extraordinaire, Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida will be included on the program. (more…)

The word on the street is Ken Mehlman is joining the rodeo clown from Faux News Channel,  the guy who isn’t sure he wants a theocracy because he doesn’t know what one is; along with the grifter former Governor of Alaska, as well as Don Imus, you may recall he’s the over-the-hill radio DJ with a way with words to describe young black females;  along with disgraced comic, actor, performer Michael Richards the man who really knows how to call a spade a spade, along with that self appointed arbiter of bad advice and poor judgment Dr. Laura “She’s-Not-A-Licensed-Psychologist-Or-Psychiatrist-But-She-Needs-To-Be-Under-The-Care-Of-One” Schlessinger, when they will be touring the country in the coming weeks to help gin up the Repuglican Party faithful in preparation for the November mid term elections.

Tell your friends you read it here first. Plans are in the making for a national road show featuring all of America’s favorite racists. (more…)

On Saturday, August 28, 2010 many Americans around the world will remember the forty-seventh anniversary of the historic March On Washington For Jobs and Freedom. It is the monumental event which, few would dispute, was the culmination of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It was considered the very first time a U.S. president gave the organized descendants of former slaves and poor people his undivided attention and with the intent to change their lot through decisive legislation.

Several groups will be in Washington for commemoration of this very historic American event. (more…)

There’s just no stopping the reprehensible rip-off artists, the predators in government and banking.  The beat goes on, and John and Jane Q. Public are on the receiving end of the beat down. (more…)

Happy Independence Day to everyone. We send greetings of celebration to Americans all around the world.

In remembrance of our declaration of independence from British tyranny, we present a musical treat from our favorite group of  six talented men.. Take 6, their rendition of our National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner…

May Day Continued …..

“* Workingmen to Arms!
* War to the Palace, Peace to the Cottage, and Death to LUXURIOUS IDLENESS.
* The wage system is the only cause of the World’s misery. It is supported by the rich classes, and to destroy it, they must be either made to work or DIE.
* One pound of DYNAMITE is better than a bushel of BALLOTS!
* MAKE YOUR DEMAND FOR EIGHT HOURS with weapons in your hands to meet the capitalistic bloodhounds, police, and militia in proper manner.” ~Printed a few days prior to May 1, 1886, a publisher’s appeal to working people.”

“….whether a man works eight hours a day or ten hours a day, he is still a slave.” ~ Samuel Fielden pointed out in the anarchist newspaper, The Alarm 1886

One hundred twenty-four years ago, on   May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers in 13,000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the first May Day demonstration in history.

Chicago was the focal point for the 8-hour work day advocates. (more…)