DISCOVER VIENNA CITY OF DREAMS: FROM SUBLIME MUSIC TO MUSEUMS OF DEATH Piled on the floor and lining the walls of a charnel house beneath St. Stephen’s Cathedral are the skulls and other bones of 11,000 people, according to Atlas Obscura. The Habsburgs created elaborate containers to preserve their embalmed entrails after death. The city’s Crime Museum houses relics of famous murders, including the mummified head of a known killer. Fortunately, the Habsburgs were readers, too. The Austrian National Library, a baroque masterpiece, is home to 2.5 million books. In a Gothic twist, library employees may slip silently in and out of hidden passageways behind the stacks if you watch closely. The city is also noted for its intellectual history. Sigmund Freud lived and worked in Vienna, which led to its nickname, “City of Dreams.” The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein also worked in Vienna, where he made many contributions to logic in mathematics and language. On the lighter side, Vienna’s Spanish Riding School offers a unique opportunity to see its famous Lippizaner horses perform dressage. The Imperial Butterfly House is a tropical oasis housing about 400 beautiful insects. Visitors to the “lost garden,” a vast topiary maze at the Habsburgs’ summer palace, can enjoy tales of courtiers frolicking among the web of manicured hedges — not only for playful exploration but also for illicit romance.
If you yearn to visit a European city rich in imperial grandeur, music history, and macabre memorials to death, Vienna is for you. And that odd mix of attractions reflects only a small part of the city’s diversity. This former frontier city of the Roman Empire expanded to become the glittering capital of a great empire for centuries. The Habsburg dynasty’s sponsorship of the arts made Vienna a global center of classical music. Home to Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mozart, Mahler, and Strauss, Vienna hosts frequent performances of classics by these and other composers. The city’s museums, churches, and charnel houses offer macabre tributes to death.
Taken together, these diverse attractions promise travelers to Vienna a visit to remember!
A SEISMIC SHIFT IN THE BALANCE OF POWER The Supreme Court Shakes Up the Administrative State
A Call for Vigilance and Engagement
In a landmark decision sure to reverberate across the nation, the Supreme Court has struck down the longstanding Chevron doctrine, a ruling that significantly curtails the power of federal agencies. This monumental shift in the legal landscape promises to have far-reaching implications, from environmental regulations to health care policies. The Chevron Doctrine Toppled For over four decades, the Chevron doctrine has been the bedrock of federal administrative law, granting agencies the authority to interpret ambiguous statutes they are tasked with enforcing. However, in a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court overturned this precedent, calling the doctrine “fundamentally misguided.” This decision marks a dramatic departure from the previous deference afforded to federal agencies, empowering the courts to rely on their own interpretation of the law. Implications Across the Spectrum Environmental regulations, health care costs, and economic policies are just a few domains that will face increased judicial scrutiny, as courts now have the authority to second-guess agency decisions. This shift could lead to more challenges to federal actions, potentially slowing the pace of regulatory changes and altering the balance of power between the branches of government.
Citizens, businesses, and policymakers must closely monitor the implications of this landmark decision. Staying informed and engaged will be key as the courts grapple with the boundaries of federal agency authority. Only
by remaining vigilant and actively participating in the process can we ensure the delicate balance of power is maintained and that people’s needs are effectively addressed. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and its companion case, Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce, has sent shockwaves through the administrative state, fundamentally reshaping the relationship between federal agencies and the courts. This seismic shift will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences, and it is up to all of us to stay informed, engaged, and ready to navigate the evolving legal landscape.
2 • swbwlawfirm.com
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