Who said that watching really bad science fiction movies is not educational? For those who grew up with The Blob, the Hubble Space Telescope has finally found its galactic origins. The HST has spotted a mysterious giant green blob in outer space that appear to be giving birth to new stars.
Continue reading “It Came From Outer Space: The Blob Finally Spotted By Actual Scientists”
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are widely viewed as an American classic. However, the editors of NewSouth Books have decided that they need to do some editing. The editors have decided to remove the “n” word from the book and replace it with “slave.” The editing of a classic raises very troubling questions from the right of an author to have his works remain unchanged to the integrity of literary and historical works. Like all great works, the book must be read with an understanding of the mores and lexicon of its time.
Continue reading “Publisher Announces Intention to Edit Huckleberry Finn To Remove N-Word”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
We’ve read several times on this blog about police reluctance to help drowning victims and even to prohibit family members from leaping into the water to save their loved ones (here) when authorities refuse to help. Seems the policy is now international. Scottish police stood idly by, keeping back onlookers, as a 37 year-old woman thrashed about in the water near Glasgow’s Albert Bridge and repeatedly called for help.
Continue reading “Heroes Rush In Where Police Fear To Tread”
Boy, New Mexico governors really stick together . . . even after 130 years. On his last day in office, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico refused to pardon Billy the Kid for the killing of Sheriff William Brady in Lincoln County, New Mexico despite his conclusion that William H. Bonney was indeed promised such a pardon by then Governor Lew Wallace.
I have the very sad duty of reporting that Eric Fatla, one of my first-year evening law students has died in Chicago. Eric was 26 years old. I have been informed that Eric died today shortly after 1 p.m. from the severe injuries that he sustained in his fall at the Union League Club in Chicago shortly before Christmas. I cannot express the profound sadness over the loss of Eric who was a brilliant young man with an extraordinary background and an even brighter future. As shown by the outpouring of comments on this blog and other messages sent directly to the family, Eric’s tragedy has left many in shock and disbelief. We have lost a good friend and a wonderful person at George Washington and he will be long missed by those who knew him.
Continue reading “The Passing of Eric Fatla”
Best wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Continue reading “Merry Christmas To All”
I am afraid that I have some devastating news for the George Washington community. Late last night, shortly before leaving for midnight mass in Chicago, I learned that evening law student Eric Fatla had a horrible accident while visiting with his family in Chicago. He reportedly fell four stories and suffered traumatic brain injury. The family is reaching out to his friends and asking for prayers. He is given less than a five percent chance of survival and the next two days are critical.
A 13-year-old boy in Oklahoma City was arrested in class in possession of a . . . wait for it . . . here it comes . . . a permanent marker. That’s right, Roosevelt Middle School teacher DeLynn Woodside, 50, had the boy arrested when finding him with a permanent marker in violation of a city ordinance.
Continue reading “Indelible Education: Teacher Has Middle School Student Arrested for Use of Marker”
Law professors David Rudovsky of the University of Pennsylvania and Leonard Sosnov of Widener University have won an extraordinary verdict: $5.2 million in compensatory and punitive damages for defamation by West Publishing. At issue was a shoddy 2008 pocket part issued under their names. Rudovsky (left) called the update a “poorly researched ‘sham’ pocket part.”
Recently I added Versailles (and more specifically its director, Jean-Jacques Aillagon) to our ignoble list of “Things That Tick Me Off.” Now, Aillagon has succeeded in securing a second appearance on this list with the news that he had decided to convert part of Versailles into a hotel. That’s right. To raise money for his plans for the historical site, Aillagon is moving into the hotel business. This is after his widely condemned effort to become an art museum with the obnoxious placement of works by Takashi Murakami throughout the palace.
Continue reading “Things That Tick Me Off: Versailles II”
This is very cool. Astronomers have released new information that they believe shows the existence of an “ice volcano” on Saturn’s moon Titan.
Continue reading “Meet Sotra: Titan’s Ice Volcano”
While every snow flurry or cool snap is often cited as evidence of the folly of “global warming” by critics, scientists at the NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies have released data showing that 2010 now ranks as the hottest climate year on record.
Continue reading “2010 To Be Hottest Year On Record”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Author’s note: This is my third submission about events of historical significance following pieces about George Washington and The Boston Tea Party. It is quite lengthy and for that I apologize, but the story and the people involved are both larger-than-life and fascinating. I hope you enjoy reading this history as much as I do writing about it.
Clutching the mahogany bannister of his elegant home located in the Shockoe neighborhood of Richmond’s River District, the old man haltingly descended the steps. Sweating profusely, and doubling up in pain, he could not even summon the energy to cry out. Almost falling numerous times, the ‘father of American jurisprudence,” finally reached the kitchen only to find his freed-slave housekeeper, Lydia Broadnax, and her son, Michael Brown, writhing in distress and afflicted with the same intestinal ailment. Hours later when one of the triumvirate of Richmond’s elite medical establishment would arrive, the Judge would purposefully sit-up in his bed to declare, “I am murdered.” It was May 25, 1806. Fourteen agonizing days and numerous repetitions of the charge later, that prediction would come true.
Continue reading “The Curious Death of George Wythe: “I Am Murdered!””
Evanston, Illinois may not seem like the epi-center of a galactic struggle between “The Force” and the “Dark Side” of bullying, but for seven-year-old Star Wars’ fan, Katie Goldman, it surely was. When the first grader announced she would no longer be bringing her cherished Star Wars waterbottle to her classroom, mom and dad wanted to know why. Katie was as mum as R2D2, but her parents kept pressing. Finally, the little girl said her classmates were teasing her because “only boys liked Star Wars.” She didn’t want the water bottle anymore.
Continue reading “The Blog Force Is With You Or Don’t Mess Around With Katie!”
The United States Senate will convene with all 100 members this morning for the final arguments in the impeachment of Judge G. Thomas Porteous. Final motions arguments will commence at 9:45 am on the Senate floor.
Continue reading “THE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT: FINAL ARGUMENTS”