Problem: Irish Banks are experiencing a rash of “tiger raids,” where customers are taken hostage to force another spouse to withdraw large amounts of money. Solution? More law enforcement? More surveillance? More training for bank officials? No, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern wants to increase ATM fees.
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Archive for September, 2010
Irish Minister Proposes Higher ATM Rates To Reduce Hostage Taking in “Tiger Raid”
Published 1, September 4, 2010 Bizarre , Criminal law , International , Society 10 CommentsOpen Season: Fight Breaks Out At The U.S. Open Tennis Competition
Published 1, September 3, 2010 Bizarre , Society , Torts 43 Comments
Tennis has always struggled with the absence of crowd-pleasing violent outbursts as in hockey. The U.S. Open was able to overcome that liability this week with a full fist fight that erupted in the stands as Novak Djokovic and Philipp Petzschner watched on as spectators.
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Karzai Demands U.S. Bailout Largest Afghan Bank
Published 1, September 3, 2010 Bizarre , International , Military , Politics 13 Comments
The United States is being asked to fund another bank bailout. This one however is in Kabul. This might not sit well with Americans who continue to watch billions spent in Iraq and Afghanistan as states shutdown critical programs. Moreover, Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently stated that he was considering joining the Taliban and fired the top prosecutor to stop him from investigating grotesque levels of corruption among his advisers and family. He also accused the United States of massive fraud in his country. Now, however, he is calling on the United States to intervene to prevent Kabul Bank from failing.
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Teenager Sues After He and Friends Clamp Electrical Cord to His Nipples and Plug It In
Published 1, September 3, 2010 Bizarre , Torts 9 Comments
A New Hampshire high school student and his parents are suing their school district, the city of Dover, and a former shop class teacher, Thomas Kelley, after the student was shocked and severely injured by an electrical cord in “trades class.” The student, Kyle Dubois, reportedly had friends clamp the electrical cord to his nipples before being shocked. However, they claim that Kelley encouraged such dangerous antics in class.
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Neighbors Allegedly Leave Mentally Disabled Man Homeless After Convincing Him To Sign Over Home For $10
Published 1, September 3, 2010 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society , Torts 23 Comments
In Florida, a family is dealing with a shocking account from their relative, Michael Dever, a mentally ill man living in West Boca Raton. They say that Michael (who suffers from a paranoia disorder) was befriended by his neighbors and then taken advantage of by selling his house to them for $10.
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Remember the Oil Rigs That Obama Insists Really Don’t Cause Spills? Another One Just Exploded
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Bizarre , Media , Politics , Science 122 Comments Remember those oil rigs that President Obama assured us really do not cause spills? Well another one just exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion of the rig 80 miles off the Louisiana coast further undermines Obama’s insistence on lifting the long moratorium on drilling off our East Coast.
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Former Sen. Simpson Under Attack for Criticism of Vietnam Veterans For Agent Orange Claims
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Politics , Society 77 Comments
The Republican co-chair of President Obama’s Deficit Commission, former Sen. Alan Simpson, has a certain knack for controversy. Recently he described the Social Security system as a “milk cow with 310 million tits.” Now, Simpson has taken on Vietnam veterans claiming Agent Orange injuries as people who are “not helping us to save the country.”
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Golfer Swings and . . . Starts Massive Fire
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Bizarre , Society 15 Comments
One California golfer (not the one shown here) is in need of a major Muligan after his swing started a fire that burned 12 acres of the course and surroundings.
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Report: Large Amounts of Oil Skimmed From Sewers Being Used in China’s Food System
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Bizarre , International , Politics , Society 19 Comments
If you are visiting Beijing, you might want to go for energy bar and a bottle of Evian. The Chinese are dealing with their latest food scandal. After “toxic beans, contaminated milk and pork, pesticide-laced dumplings, [and] chemically-tainted chicken,” they now have to deal with reports that a large number of restaurants and food vendors are cooking in oil that has been skimmed from the sewers.
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Police Officer Allegedly Refuses To Perform CPR On Girl Who Later Dies
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Bizarre , Politics , Society 36 Comments
The New York Police Department has suspended Officer Alfonso Mendez, 30, who is accused of refusing to help Carmen Ojeda revive her daughter, Briana Ojeda, 11. Mendez allegedly refused to perform CPR on the little girl who later died.
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West Virginia School District Bans Playground Swings
Published 1, September 2, 2010 Bizarre , Society , Torts 19 Comments
This is a curious story. A West Virginia school district has dismantled all swing sets because of the danger of lawsuits. Cabell County cites a single such case that was settled.
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Republican Governors Association Ordered To Pay Former Texas Democratic Candidate Two Million Dollars
Published 1, September 1, 2010 Courts , Politics 12 Comments
Travis County Judge John Dietz has issued a rare order to the Republican Governors Association to pay Chris Bell, the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, $2 million because of flagrant campaign contribution violations to support Texas Governor Rick Perry.
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Hamas Kills Four Israelis (Including Pregnant Woman) on Eve of Negotiations
Published 1, September 1, 2010 Bizarre , International , Politics , Religion 47 Comments
In the wake of the controversy of a powerful Rabbi calling for a plague to kill all Palestinians before the start of negotiations between Israel and Palestine, Hamas has found its own way of contributing to the peace process by killing four Israeli settlers, including a pregnant woman. Hamas called the murders an “heroic operation.”
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Seattle Police Shoot and Kill Whittling Man
Published 1, September 1, 2010 Criminal law , Society 31 CommentsThe Seattle police have another controversial shooting on their hands. In this case a man was sitting on a fence and whittling what looked like a wooden doll’s head. A police officer stopped and demanded to know what he was doing. According to an eyewitness, the man stood up and walked toward the officer despite demands that he stop. He was then shot and killed about 4:15 p.m.
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Word to the Wise: Washington Post Columnist Suspended For Fabricating Story on Twitter
Published 1, September 1, 2010 Media , Society 13 Comments
Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise has been suspended for fabricating a story on Twitter. His one-month suspension came after Wise admitted that he fabricated a story about Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger to show how fast a story is picked up today through the new media. It was picked up — quickly followed by the story of his suspension.
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Doctor Dies Trying to Break Into Home by Crawling Down Chimney
Published 1, September 1, 2010 Bizarre , Society 14 Comments
Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac, 49, came to a bizarre end in Bakersfield, California when she tried to break into the home of her “on-again, off-again” boyfriend by climbing down his chimney. She was found three days later by the housekeeper stuck in the chimney.
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