Monthly Archives: June 2010

The billionaire and the bait shop

By Joel Thurtell Don’t mess with a bait shop. That’s the lesson Matty Moroun, the billionaire trucking magnate and Ambassador Bridge owner, might take from the ruling Thursday, June 29, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland if he shuts … Continue reading

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Matty & the judge

Here is the ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland putting Matty Moroun’s claim of federal powers right where it belongs: In the garbage. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN SOUTHERN DIVISION COMMODITIES EXPORT COMPANY, Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant, … Continue reading

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Not the Middle Ages

By Joel Thurtell In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic church got to act as prosecutor in cases touching every walk of life. The church’s behavior was justified by authorities as “defending the faith.” Legally, in many countries, the Church … Continue reading

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Protecting Public Parks

By Joel Thurtell Today, which is to say June 23, 2010, there will be a session of the U.S. Social Forum aimed at discussing a hot issue around the country — protecting public paraks from greedy private developerse. The session … Continue reading

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Warning the neighborhood

Peppermint Patti is still convalescing from surgery to repair her left hind anterior cruciate ligament. She still has not related to her editor how in the world this injury occurred. We are hoping she may give us the details in … Continue reading

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Senator Patterson’s stimulus plan

By Joel Thurtell Republicans never cease to amaze me. You think they’re all in the pockets of business and industry, and then out of the blue some GOP hack shows a streak of brilliance. So it is with Michigan Senator … Continue reading

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Lesson for brush-butts

After nearly two weeks of taking pain pills and sleeping most of the time, star JOTR columnist Peppermint Patti underwent surgery today for her blown knee. We presume she twisted her left hind leg in pursuit of one of those … Continue reading

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I’m ‘yellow’! No, I’m ‘red’!

By Joel Thurtell It’s an idictment meant to unsettle the nerves of any correct-thinking Journalist: I’ve been charged with Yellow Journalism. My accuser — whom I don’t know — sent me an e-mail under the subject heading “Manny Maroun”: Joel, … Continue reading

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Breaking news and Patti’s knee

By Joel Thurtell Our star columnist is on the disabled list. We’d been in Canada for a bit more than a week, opening our cottage. The daughter of our good old friends in Charlevoix was having a graduation party, so … Continue reading

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