Patricia Vaccarino

Freedom Spent

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When I was in college, a professor suggested that I read Freedom Spent by the legal writer Richard Harris. Freedom Spent was a narrative of three case studies in which Americans lost their civil liberties during legal proceedings that adhered to the letter of the law, or abided by a strict constructionist (narrow) interpretation of the law that disregarded the gravitas and prevailing spirit of the U.S. Constitution.  I lent Freedom Spent to so many friends that eventually I lost track of it and fear it is no longer in my library. 

Today, I am more convinced than ever that America has the most amazing...

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I was brought up to believe in Baby Jesus. I had a Catholic mass card imprinted with his face aglow under a mass of blonde curls and a halo. In my child-like wonder, I recognized myself in that face.

Forgive me, but I didn’t see a fundamental...


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#PressOn #TrueEnergy #FreePress

In the October, we explore less quantifiable forms of energy—the energy it takes to run a business or run your body in a way that produces maximum power. Our contributors have an interesting view of the world, so we have little on energy resources and more stories about the energy generated by people.


Are you Sneaky Smart?

The sneaky smart don’t accept rules on face value and follow them blindly. They will weigh the rules and ponder how they affect them (as well as others). So think through every law carefully. Consider each law in how it affects you (as well as others). Obey laws that make sense and were written to protect and advocate for the people. Recognize laws that were made to favor the divine right of kings to pander to their interests. The key is to recognize the difference and act accordingly. They obey laws that make sense, but they also know when it is time to break the law.