Category: Bizarre

Bizarre, International, Politics, Society

Putin Government Reportedly Bans “Communist Monopoly” Game As “Anti-Russian”

Russia under Vladimir Putin has seen a dramatic rollback of civil liberties, including free speech and free press. The government has little tolerance for anyone voicing opposition views, but the most recent action after a board game reached a new low for the Putin regime. The game is Kolejka or “Queue” which widely popular as a type of “Communist Monopoly.” It requires players to fight for limited resources under the prior Polish communist regime. In an ironic move, the Putin regime has banned the game for its critical depiction of communism — thereby showing the striking similarity between Putin’s regime and the one depicted in the game.

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Bizarre, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi Arabia Ambassador Explains that There Is Nothing Hypocritical In Demanding Elections For Syria Since Saudi Citizens Are Content Not To Have Full Democratic Rights

Saudi Arabia UN Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi has finally resolved the rather glaring inconsistency of the Kingdom demanding elections in Syria while denying full elections to Saudi Arabians. The reason is simple according to Al-Mouallimi: Saudi citizens are the happiest in the world and would not want a democratic choice.

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Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Twelve Year Old Middle School Student Arrested For Battery After Pinching Boy’s Butt School Game

3273DCE900000578-3504348-image-a-6_1458652064703A 12-year-old girl, Breana Evans, from Milwee Middle School outside of Orlando, Florida was arrested and booked after she allegedly pinched a boy’s butt in school as part of a popular game. While the boy did not want to press charges, the boy’s mother reportedly insisted on criminal charges being brought against the girl.

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Bizarre, International, Religion

Saudi Prince Sued After Trashing Los Angeles Mansion In Alleged Drug-Laden, Destructive Party

3281A04F00000578-0-image-a-25_1458778105142We have previously discussed the anomaly of the House of Saud executing people in Saudi Arabia under its draconian Sharia laws while Saudi royalty is seen in booze and drug saturated scandals in Western countries. The latest is Prince Aziz al Saud, 29, who allegedly hosted a wild party at a rented Los Angeles mansion with naked female dancers and copious amounts of drugs. He is now being sued for $300,000 by the owner for lost rent after the damage to the mansion was repaired.

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Academia, Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Politics, Society

Emory To Identify Those Who Chalked Support For Trump On Sidewalks and Walls

495px-Donald_Trump_by_Gage_Skidmore220px-Emory_University_SealWe have been discussing how colleges and universities are expanding the range of micro aggressions and hostile or hate speech to troubling levels in terms of free speech and associational rights. Now the expression of political views in the presidential election has been added to speech that students have declared threatening. Someone at Emory chalked the name of Republican candidate Donald Trump around campus. Nothing unusual about that. Students often chalk up statements on sidewalks for causes or candidates. It would not be seen as in any way unusual and the next rain brings a clean slate. However, the statement of support for Trump has led to a protest calling for the supporter to be punished or expelled and for the President to express condemnation of such political affiliations. The students want a statement of support for Trump to be treated as the same as the writing of a swastika. The students have said that they feel threatened in the wake of the statements of political support for Trump.

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Bizarre, Courts, Lawyering, Society

Texas Judge Sanctioned After Keeping His Own Divorce On His Docket

gavel2383rd District Judge Mike Herrera apparently sees nothing wrong in his action that led to a sanctioning by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct. Herrera kept his own divorce case on his docket for months but insists that it “made no difference” that the case was before him even though he was one of the litigants. In reality, there may have not been any action taken but Herrera’s utter failure to see the conflict (and appearance) issues is rather shocking. The case itself shows a real mess in representation and conflicting accounts.

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Academia, Bizarre, Free Speech, Society

Kansas Professor Cleared Of Racial Insensitivities In Use of The N-Word In Lecture . . . Then Asked to Undergo Retraining and Other Changes

Andrea_Quenette_OPT(1)We have been discussing the worrisome trend of professors being subjected to investigations and discipline for “micro aggressions” or hostile environment in classrooms. These actions raise serious concerns over academic freedom. One such case involves University of Kansas Assistant communication studies professor Andrea Quenette. Quenette was subjected to a four-month investigation after using a racial slur in class as part of her lecture. Now, she has been cleared of the offense but she is still being asked to comply with special training and remedial actions.

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Bizarre, Society

Sixth Grader In New Jersey Subject To Anti-Bullying Investigation After Criticizing Vegetarianism Of Fellow Student

220px-ClassroomWe have been discussing the increasingly draconian rules in our schools under zero tolerance policies. Incidents that were once handled by a stern conversation or the calling in of parents are now more likely to result in a formal disciplining or suspension or even criminal charges of a student. A case in point is out of New Jersey where a sixth grade has been found guilty of bullying and given punishment for poking fun at a vegetarian classmate.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law

“I’m A Drunk”: Florida Supreme Court Rules That Drunk Juror Was Entitled To Counsel In Contempt Proceeding

Florida_Supreme_Court_Seal_2014There is an interesting ruling out of the Florida Supreme Court where a trial court’s order of contempt was overturned due to the failure of the trial court to afford a lawyer for potential juror Noel Plank. He was held in contempt for allegedly appearing at court drunk. The exchange with the Court is detailed in the opinion, which reaches an interesting distinction between direct and non-direct criminal contempt.

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Academia, Bizarre, Religion, Society

“From Noah’s Flood To My Front Yard, How Much Better Can It Get?”: Texas Man Claims To Have Found Fossil From The Ark

Noahs_ArkWe have previously discussed the increasing difficulty faced by creationists who believe that the earth is just a few thousand years old or that dinosaurs walked at the same time as humans. However, Wayne Propst insists that he has proof and he had to walk no further than his front year. The creationist in Tyler, Texas insists that he has found fossils from Noah’s Ark buried in his yard. “From Noah’s flood to my front yard, how much better can it get?” Not much, Propst, not much.

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Bizarre, International, Society

Introducing The RRS Boaty McBoatface

15583117-1458567987-640x360Democracy can be a tricky thing in presidential elections and ship namings. When the National Environmental Research Council decided to enlist the public in naming its new $300 million boat to be launched in 2019, the public was delighted. The top name? “Boaty McBoatface”. Yes, Boaty McBoatface could soon set sail and I for one cannot wait for the christening.

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Bizarre, Free Speech, Media, Society, Torts

A Matter of Free Speech or Privacy? Jury Awards Hulk Hogan $115 Million In Sex Tape Case

Gawker220px-Hulk_Hogan_Pointing A Florida jury has handed down a massive privacy violation award in favor of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea. The jury of four women and two men voted to give Hogan $115 million in damages against Gawker Media, Gawker founder Nick Denton and former editor Albert Daulerio for violating his privacy by publishing an excerpt of a sex tape. It is a shockingly large award when one considers that the jury could still add punitive damages on top of the award. Notably, Hogan was seeking $100 million in the lawsuit.

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Bizarre, Society

QI’yaH!: Paramount and CBS Studio Sue To Claim Ownership Of Klingon Language

KlingonInsignia.svgWe have another example of copyright and trademark laws have boldly going with no logic has gone before. The latest lawsuit is by two movie studios which contend that a crowdfunded Star Trek fan film has violated copyright law by using the Klingon language, among other alleged violations. To use the Klingon profanity (which cannot be translated on a family-oriented blog): QI’yaH!

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Tennessee Man Leads Police To Thief After Discovering Gaming Device Still Playing Off His Wifi

c0464ad6-68ef-4584-bb99-b450dc0149be-large16x9_PhillipBookerMetroPolice.pngThere is an interesting story out of Nashville, Tennessee where an alert, tech-savvy victim was able to solve his own crime. The man, a committed gamer, was shocked to return from a vacation to his apartment to find it ransacked. Gone were various valuable items including his PlayStation 4, PS4, two televisions, a laptop, and other assorted items. Then he noticed something odd: the PS4 was still connected to his wifi.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Media, Politics, Society

Where Have All The Birthers Gone? Cruz Is Running

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

Ted_Cruz,_official_portrait,_113th_CongressI guess I will defer to Pete Seeger’s lyrical talent to explain through verse the disappearance of our friends pejoratively referred to as “birthers”: that is, those who assert President Obama was born in Kenya and as such is ineligible for office due to not being a “natural born citizen” as required by the US Constitution.

Now that Mr. Obama is in the final year of his presidency, one would think that Birthers would be legions to storm forward and attack presidential hopeful Ted Cruz, who by his own admission and clearly established facts, was–are you ready for this–born outside the USA!

It begs of course the question…Where have all the Birthers gone?
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