New post from Pasco County DUI:
Pasco County DUI Tips - What Not to Do
The most important thing to keep in mind if you are pulled over for a DUI in Pasco County, Florida is always what you should NOT do. If you ever happen to be stopped by law enforcement in Pasco County for a suspected DUI, you should be aware of how to react and respond so that you put yourself in the best possible position if the case does go to trial.
You should know that from the moment you are pulled over, the police officers on the scene are looking for every piece of evidence that they can to provide justification for arresting you for DUI. Remember also that police officers are mostly good people, but they are paid by the state or country to do a job, and one of the biggest parts of the job with the most pressure on them to perform is to keep drunks off the road. So they are going to be very aggressive in trying to collect evidence against you.
Overall, the less information you provide to the police when you are stopped, the better off you will be. You should not ever answer them if they ask you where you were, what you drank, how much, or where you were going. All of this will be used against you in court, and you are not required to answer any of it.
You also do not have to perform any of the field sobriety tests that they may want to administer to you. And, importantly, there are no consequences whatsoever if you refuse to do so. Of course, the police will not inform you that these tests are in no way required. All you need to do is to politely decline to take any field sobriety tests.
When it comes to the breath test, a good rule of thumb that many DUI lawyers believe in is to decline to take the preliminary alcohol screening test (PAS) when they first pull you over and you have not yet been arrested. The problem with this test is that it can be unreliable; you have no way of knowing the quality of the device they are using and if it is in good working order.
Now if they arrest you, they will want to have you take a breath or a blood test. You should tell them that you want to take the test at the police station. The equipment at the police station is most likely to be in the best working condition. Also, if you test as legally intoxicated at the station, a good DUI lawyer can still argue that you should not be charged with DUI, because the police cannot prove you were legally intoxicated at the scene.
The bottom line is to give the police as little information as possible, without causing further legal problems for yourself.
Special Female Defenses for DUI
Most people who are charged with DUI in Florida are men, but more women are being arrested each year as well. Fortunately, there are some possible defenses to a DUI charge for a woman that an effective DUI attorney can use.
Field Sobriety Tests
The law enforcement officer may ask the woman to exit her car and perform certain exercises to check if she is intoxicated. A good DUI lawyer can argue that some of these tasks can be very difficult to perform well because she is concerned about safety and is under a high degree of stress.
Safety Concerns
Most law enforcement officers are male. Many women who are stopped in the middle of the night in an isolated place may feel uncomfortable in performing roadside sobriety tests. The officer might think that this reluctance shows the woman is guilty. However, a woman who declines to take these tests may have very valid reasons for not taking them.
High Heels
A woman who does take the roadside agility tests may be at a disadvantage because she is wearing shoes with high heels, or possibly flip flops. The officer may tell the woman to remove her shoes, but walking barefoot over stones, glass and so forth may make her uncomfortable. Also, the stress of being put in this situation may be so much that the woman cannot perform the tasks properly.
General Female Reactions to Stress
A law enforcement officer who stops a woman for DUI may act aggressively and this can upset her. Of course, anyone can be upset in this situation, but generally, women may tend to react to a highly stressful situation such as this by crying or shaking. This does not indicate guilt usually, but is simply occurring because of stress.
Possible Gender Bias in the Intoxilyzer 8000
The breathalyzer used in Florida has been shown in some studies to give artificially high readings on women. In fact, a man and a woman of the same weight can take a breathalyzer, and the woman’s reading can be higher than the man’s.
This is a page of marketing text I wrote for my site Expertbriefings.com.
This article was published in September: Don't Be Haunted By Your Words - How to Avoid Document Mistakes That Destroy Your Credibility and Lead to Legal Trouble. I will email a sample to interested parties. It will be published in AFDO's magazine.
You can view sample sample newsletters above that I wrote and edited as a freelance newsletter writer.
I have two websites in the pharmaceutical area as well, for which I've written all of the content: Expertbriefings.com, Laboratoryretriever.com.
Sample Oct. 2011 for a real estate site:
Why Shouldn’t I Contact the Listing Agent?
The last thing you want to do as an Athens, Ga home buyer is to call the agent on that home listing.
Listing Agents Represent the Seller, Not You, The Buyer.
The seller’s agent has a contractual agreement with the seller to achieve the best possible results for the seller. That’s right. The seller's agent will be very friendly and seemingly helpful, but, make no mistake and do not be fooled, that agent has a legal and fiduciary responsibility to the seller- not you.
You can easily end up paying thousands of dollars more for your home by dealing with a seller’s agent.
Why You Need A Buyer’s Agent
Every buyer should be represented by a buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent is your advocate to ensure you get the best property at the lowest price.
Our site features the complete MLS listings for the Athens, Ga area. So you can find that perfect home. But, when you need an agent, that’s where we come in. We are here to help you before you accidently get stuck with a real estate agent who does not represent your interests. We can help you find the right real estate professional along with other local professionals like builders, inspectors, mortgagers, insurers, surveyors and attorneys.
What About Commissions?
The seller always pays the real estate commissions in a real estate transaction. Any commission your buyer’s agent receives comes from the seller, not from you.
Why Us?
We are experienced brokers, developers and builders with decades of experience and 1000's of transactions. Through a conversation we will get to know your situation, needs and personality. Then we'll connect you with a buyer’s agent that best fits your needs in your search for your Athens Home.
There is no obligation when you search on our site or talk to us on the phone. We simply want to provide you the best possible advice and get you the best representation as a buyer.
Get in touch with us today!
This is a sample I wrote Sept. 14 for e-firstaidsupplies. com:
Why You Should Choose Us As Your Medical Glove Supplier
Medical examination gloves protect both medical professionals and patients from dangerous blood borne pathogens. These items are a disposable item, so they can be a major routine expense for many medical practitioners. That is why it is becoming more common for many hospitals to use only one type of glove, or even one size to cut costs.
At e-firstaidsupply.com, we do not recommend this practice. We provide you with the most complete stock of glove materials and sizes to best suit your patients’ needs. Our glove line gives you the ultimate in:
· Materials. All medical gloves provide protection, but the type of material they are made of makes a difference. A primary care facility, intensive care ward, and emergency room do not have the same needs, so the type of glove for each will vary. We give you a full choice of the best latex, vinyl, and nitrile for your environment. Whether you need a thicker nirile glove of 6 mm thickness for your ER, or a 4 mm latex for your regular ward, we have your needs covered here.
· Sizes. One of the most common ways to cut costs is to have only one size for an entire facility. This is not recommended, because a poor fitting glove is a glove that some people will decide to avoid. Also, if the glove is too small, some professionals will tear them off, thereby increasing your expenses. This will not be a problem, because we provide a full line of medical gloves in all the common sizes for men and women.
· Price. By using our complete line of products, you will have everything you need for every department in your facility. But your costs will be kept low, because our prices are the most competitive in the industry.
Learn more about our wide line of latex, vinyl and nitrile gloves here.
Here are sample pharmaceutical articles I wrote this year:
U.S. to have 3 drug inspectors in China by end of year; Chinese authorities disagree
FDA continues to work toward establishing eight full-time, permanent positions at U.S. diplomatic posts in China, according to an import safety action plan update released July 2.
Also, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt stated that he expects FDA will have investigators in three Chinese cities by the end of 2008.
However, Li Changjiang, head of the Chinese agency that oversees quality control, disagreed last month, saying that the issue had not been totally resolved because U.S. authorities have not granted permission to permit Chinese food and drug inspectors in the U.S.
According to published reports, Li said: “The relevant U.S. authorities are still following through and we have yet to receive the go-ahead” for the Chinese inspectors in the United States.
Entitled the “Import Safety – Action Plan Update,” the just-released report outlines steps taken by the federal government, private sector and international partners to bolster import safety. Since November 2007, there have been strong enforcement actions, signed agreements with key trading partners, bilateral and multilateral discussions, critical information sharing on safety and best practices, and a process begun to improve safety practices both inside and outside of government, FDA stated.
According to the report, FDA is working with New Mexico State University to develop a prototype system for improving electronic screening, using open-source intelligence, of imported products offered for entry into the U.S. The evaluation of the prototype system PREDICT (Predictive Risk-Based Evaluation of Dynamic Import Compliance Targeting) has been completed and the final pilot evaluation document is under review.
Further, the report stated that the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency is coordinating to ensure harmonized government procedures and requirements in importation. CBP is working toward a shared automated system permitting information gathering and sharing among participating import safety agencies.
The agency stated in the import update that it continues to work with the Chinese government to improve testing for drug contamination to prevent cases such as heparin, which led to at least 80 deaths in the U.S. The report stated that working with the Chinese government “was more efficient due to two previous Memoranda of Agreement that were put in place last December to enhance the safety of a wide variety of food, feed, drugs and medical devices traded between the two nations.”
Also, the U.S. government participated in a forum with Central American countries to discuss ways to ensure the safety of manufactured goods and foods as they move between countries. Similar discussions have occurred with the leaders of other countries, including China, Vietnam and India.
In addition, FDA July 2 released an update on the Food Protection Plan (FPP), which addresses safety and food defense for domestic and imported products, some of which applies to drugs and medical devices.
The FPP stated that the implementation of the China Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has begun. FDA has met its first set of deadlines by providing registration materials to the Chinese government, identifying points of contact for the MOA and drafting the first five-year work plan.
An FDA delegation visited Indian counterparts to discuss requirements for an FDA presence in India. Results are promising for future collaboration.
In April, the FDA Commissioner traveled to Jordan to explore the possibilities of enhanced collaboration between FDA and Jordan.
The report noted that FDA is exploring an FDA presence in Latin America/Central America.
“FDA is working to enhance traceability capabilities because the ability to quickly identify where a contaminated product came from and where it has been distributed is essential for a rapid response,” the report added.
Also, FDA currently is engaging in dialogue with industry and other stakeholders on current traceability models and standards to identify best practices for traceability.
Questions remain about policies and membership of drug safety board
ROCKVILLE, MD – As FDA’s newly-formed and independent Drug Safety Oversight Board (DSB) continues to take shape, a number of unanswered questions remain, such as, what will the criteria be for determining what is an emerging drug issue, and what will be the policy by which drugs are put on and taken off the Drug Watch List?
At a meeting of the FDA Science Board Advisory Committee here April 15 on pre- and post-marketing drug safety programs, numerous stakeholders asked tough questions about the DSB, which was announced by HHS Secretary Michael Levitt in February.
For example, several panelists grilled Galson about the Drug Watch List, a new section on the FDA website that will contain emerging data and information about drugs to increase transparency and public knowledge of drug safety issues.
“There will be a policy where a drug can go on and off watch,” responded Steven Galson, M.D., acting director, Center for Drugs. “As a communication tool, the list isn’t effective if it just grows and grows. The board will have to set criteria for taking them off, as well as on,”
According to an FDA press release, the DSB will “enhance the independence of internal deliberations and decisions regarding risk/ benefit analyses and consumer safety.” The Washington Post reported that the board would, for the first time, take the officials who approve new drugs largely out of the process of assessing whether side effects that appear later are serious enough to require quick regulatory action. The DSB will comprise FDA members and other government agencies and people from industry. One of its first initiatives will be to commission an Institute of Medicine study to look at drug safety from top to bottom.
But questions still came up at the advisory committee meeting if the new board is still too populated with people who approved the drugs in the first place. For example, one panelist asked: “Should there be a way to get a more distant oversight of this process, given all the internal people on the board? We need a mechanism to ensure there is an oversight so that it does not have anything to do with approving a drug.”
Galson responded: “I think that is an important concept. We are just in the early process of putting the board together, and we will examine all of the options.”
Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations Janet Woodcock, M.D., noted: “Nothing we are doing in setting up this board is meant to diminish the role of advisory committees. It is not meant to supplant the efforts of our experts on the outside.”
Galson added that consumer groups would be represented on the Drug Safety Oversight Board. “They will represent all of the patient groups, and they will all have gone through the SJE Process and been vetted.”
Sen. Michael Enzi, (R-WY), speaking at a Food & Drug Law Institute (FDLI) meeting in Washington, D.C., April 7, said he is fighting the concept of a separate drug safety board. “When all you have is a hammer, you think everything is a nail. If I was on that new drug safety board and I saw some of the prescription drug commercials on TV with all the listed side effects, I’d pull every drug with that side effect.”
Enzi further commented that it is easy to overreact to adverse events, given all of the media exposure they receive. ““Every time we take a drug we take a risk, so we shouldn’t overreact. Pharma needs to do better job of promoting the miracles they have created. We don’t emphasize the miracles the industry is doing today. A drug that is unavailable is safe, but not effective.”
