February 14, 2017 Open Thread

Filed in Delaware, Open Thread by on February 14, 2017

17 prison staff members quit since Vaughn siege (link)

Families fear mistreatment of inmates after Vaughn prison uprising (link)

South Bethany could be next town to ban smoking on beach (link)

Del. Supreme Court affirms TransPerfect sale (link)

A recent demolition of a barn in Brandywine Hundred brings to question if New Castle County followed its own rules (link)

Philadelphia Union announce search for Chief Tattoo Officer (link)

Out of control cop throws a 66-year-old man to the floor at Beebe Medical Center. “Stop resisting arrest!” are the magic words cops use to get out of being decent human beings.

The Carney Accountability Project rolls on. We are 33% of the way to meeting our weekly goal of signing up three more members. Click here if you don’t know this is about. If you do know what it is about, pledge your $25.00 or find someone in your circle to pledge. (Unless you agree with Carney that the wealthiest corporations need more tax breaks. If so, kindly fuck off.)

Carney accountability

Reebok has an Elizabeth Warren shirt. This is an interesting development, as big national brands are notoriously skittish when it comes to weighing in on the politics of the day.

Reebok Elizabeth Warren Shirt

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A Dad, a husband and a data guru

Comments (15)

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  1. jason330 says:

    You want the warm feeling of satisfaction of getting us to our weekly Carney accountability project goal, don’t you?

  2. jason330 says:

    It is a busy news day when nobody wants to talk about police malfeasance.

  3. chris says:

    Prison leadership says then can add new staffers every 9 weeks after each training class. But when you only pay guards 32K, you can’t keep any of them in the jobs.. Same story for 10 years. Nothing has changed on the state level. Time for a change or more guards will get killed. And more Task Forces that do nothing will be formed.

  4. Alby says:

    Normally I’d pitch in with a shot at Wilmington City Council, which apparently took the criticism “they don’t have a prayer” too literally:

    http://www.wdel.com/news/to-pray-or-not-to-pray-that-s-the-question/article_95cd09ee-f274-11e6-b645-77ebe056ae2b.html

  5. Alby says:

    Also worthy of notice: The Delaware Supreme Court upheld the Court of Chancery in ordering the sale of TransPerfect, the company whose 50-50 co-owners couldn’t agree on either how to run the company or an amicable split.

    The case sounded like the basis for a sudsy Hollywood comedy, ex-fiancees whose dorm-room idea spawned a billion-dollar company while they grew to hate each other. The loopy subplot: employees of the translation company formed a lobbying association to advocate for their interests in the General Assembly, which knows as much about Chancery Court as a monkey does about a diesel engine.

    Forbes gives a good account of the final decision, which one side welcomed.

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/katiasavchuk/2017/02/13/delaware-supreme-court-upholds-forced-sale-of-transperfect-and-sanctions-against-cofounder/#30b25c6773db

    Almost everybody forgets that the Court of Chancery is not a court of law but of equity, giving it powers a legal court does not have at its disposal — such as the power to solve not just this but any similar case in just this way.

  6. liberalgeek says:

    Alby – Yes. The subplot (for Delaware) is that the Chancery is one of the biggest reasons that companies incorporate here, not because of the low fees and taxes that we charge them. In there lies opportunity.

  7. mouse says:

    All the corporate crooks love Delaware

  8. RE Vanella says:

    Too complicated to explain how things got to be this way. Capitalism has a great mythical quality, also it covers its tracks with arcane jargon and near incomprehensible math.

    Just say NAFTA! and Mexicans did it, cut taxes and move on.

    Easier sell like that, seen? Rubes eat it up.

  9. Paula says:

    I’ve worked with Transperfect as freelance translator and I have no sympathy for the owners. They exploit their low-level employees and freelance translators alike. The company is widely disparaged by professional translators for low rates offered, impossible deadlines, and desperate attempts to convince people to take on assignments.
    https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/TransPerfect-Reviews-E32824.htm
    That said, I hope that whoever buys it does not justify employee fears of cost cutting, layoffs, etc.

  10. Alby says:

    @LG: As you know, Chancery Courts are not only legally and constitutionally permissible, their roots in the English Common Law predate our Constitution. They exist specifically to deal with cases that legal courts have trouble with, and Delaware’s is well within the bounds of that long precedent to take this action.

    The plaintiff’s strategy, to challenge the court’s standing to take the case, was a sure-fire loser for that reason. Unless someone can show illegal actions — and the only ones on record seem to be the plaintiff’s — this simply isn’t, by design, a matter for a court of law.

    In a case like this one, the chancellor’s reasoning is obvious — neither side will accede to the other’s management of the company, nor will either sell to the other. In response, the court ruled the company’s value should be determined at auction in which public bids will determine the best price. You can see how this solution fits the standard of equity — this is the only way to split the company 50-50. Unlike Solomon’s baby, the company won’t die.

    In short, a couple living out Act 1 of a “Murder, She Wrote” episode isn’t going to overturn centuries of precedent. The constant bad behavior, tantrum-throwing and perjury by the plaintiff make it pretty easy to choose sides.

    I wonder who will play the couple in the Oxygen movie. Paula, any suggestions?

  11. liberalgeek says:

    Alby – Yes, I agree. My comment was more about the rubes that think that if our rates for incorporation or franchise tax goes up one penny all these corporations will pull up stakes. They stay for our court system.

    We don’t need to gouge them, but they have a pretty sweet deal right now.

    I haven’t followed the specifics of this case, but I like the way you are describing it. Maybe call it Lobo del Rodney Square.

  12. Paula says:

    How about Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt? Then you get a little meta with your docudrama.
    http://nypost.com/2016/06/17/exs-transperfect-feud-may-be-heading-to-supreme-court/
    http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/marriage-brad-pitt-jennifer-aniston-gallery-1.2306925?pmSlide=1.2306910
    I think Shaw’s mother will be the plum role, though.

  13. Alby says:

    Brad and Jennifer would be playing against type, though — both of them usually play sympathetic characters.

    I agree about the mother. In the “based on a true story” Hollywood version Shaw is a Trumpian wild man who steps on everyone’s toes and gets bumped off. Lots of people get interviewed and things start to point to the partner but the final reveal is that it was really the mom who was tired of being used by her spoiled son.

    Any resemblance to real characters living or dead coincidental, of course.

  14. mouse says:

    They should have made them wait a year and try to work it out instead it will destroy jobs to satisify the egos of the super wealthy

  15. Alby says:

    First off, they tried that. Second, how will new ownership “destroy jobs”?

    It appears the most likely outcome is the woman will find backers to help her buy out the man.