Royal Wedding and Short Takes

Another Update: a federal appeals court decision allowed the NFL owners to reestablish their "lock-out" of the players on last night. By 2-1, the 8th Circuit Appeals Court granted the NFL owners a "stay" against the effects of earlier lower court rulings against the owners and for the players. The owners filed the appeal with the 8th Circuit because of its reputation for being anti-union. Still, the justices vote was split. Though the lock-out seems to be back, players and managers across the league are confused about its impact on the draft and training camps.

SEE UPDATE, below on the surprises at last night's Planning Commission roast of the Whalerock project.

House of Love. If you plan to watch the Royal Wedding tomorrow, this viral video is a must-see. If you haven't seen this already, you've probably heard about it.

Right on, Mrs. Krantz. Bernice Krantz, a CCA founder and steering committee member  wrote an outstanding letter printed in today's Providence Journal. She skewers birthers, Donald Trump and bigots.

And right on, Tom Brady. Most football fans know by now the NFL players' union won a great court victory defeating the team owners' lock-out. The lead plaintiff in the suit is none other than Tom Brady. He put his name on the union's lawsuit knowing it could jeopardize his lucrative endorsements.

This isn't right. The Narragansett Bay Commission started off right by awarding a $12.2 million contract to Gilbane Building to build three wind turbines at the Providence Wastewater Treatment plant. But earlier this week, Gilbane selected Goldwind USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of China's Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co. to manufacture the turbines at its plant in North Dakota. We don't have the manufacturing capacity in Rhode Island, at least not yet, but there are American companies manufacturing in the US that could have been used for this publicly-funded project.

Arrrrggghhh! Earlier this month, Governor Lincoln Chafee granted letters of marque to the Rhode Island Pirate Players permitting them to go forth and, well, act like pirates. Now would be a good time to book them for your next Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19) party.

OSPRI Whine-tasting. Bill Felkner, head of the Ocean State Policy Research Institute, a right-wing "research" group aligned with the RI Statewide Coalition, used a ProJo op-ed to whine about Politifacts calling OSPRI' s claim that taxes, especially estate taxes, are driving rich Rhode Islanders to move to Florida to be false. Like so many others, the ProJo Politifacts researchers found OSPRI's claims to be without foundation. 

Just when you thought he was gone.... I really meant it when I wished Steve Laffey well with his horse and cow ranch in Colorado because I truly hoped we would be rid of him. Not so, it seems. According to WRNI, Laffey is teamed up with RI Tea Party queen to make a movie about how to fix America - I'm expecting it to be a cross between "Atlas Shrugged" and "Mein Kampf." Maybe a little "Duck Soup," too. Check out the Fixing America website to see the definition of the Texas saying "all hat, no cow."

Author: Will Collette