Category: Bizarre

Bizarre, Politics, Society

Magic Carpet Bombing? Poll Shows Surprising Number of People Want To Bomb Agrabah

250px-Robinwilliams_aladdin220px-B-2_spirit_bombingA poll by the Democratic Public Policy Polling outfit found that 30 percent of Republicans support the bombing of Agrabah. The only problem is that agrabah is the fictional home of Aladdin. Of course, few would sympathize with Jafar, Grand Vizier to the Sultan of Agrabah (particularly after his horrible conduct in the Cave of Wonders), there are other rather cute cartoon characters in Agrabah who should not be vaporized in the war on terror. Yet, the bombing of Agrabah seems almost tame when candidates are calling for the killing of the families of terrorists or pledging that, if they are allowed to go back in time, they would strangle the baby Hitler.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Religion, Society

“He Gets You The Get”: Prominent New York Rabbi Gets 10 Years For Kidnappings and Beatings

cover-prodfather-1215 Rabbi Mendel Epstein, 70, of Brooklyn was convicted this week in a bizarre series of crimes where he and others kidnapped and beat Orthodox Jewish men who refused to grant their wives religious divorces or “gets.” He was to 10 years in prison, a relatively light sentence given multiple kidnapping and beatings ordered by Epstein. The attackers were paid by women to force “gets” out of their husbands. That makes this a religious-based form of organized crime.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Officer in South Dakota Acquitted After Tazing Man On The Ground 28 Times

UnknownA former police officer who may have tazed a man as many as 28 times has been acquitted by a federal jury to the surprise of many who have followed the case of former Oglala Sioux Tribe police officer Rebecca Sotherland. Sutherland, 33, is shown below tazing Jefferson Eagle Bull, 32, who had reportedly drunk of gallon of vodka and passed out in Manderson, South Dakota. Manderson is on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southern South Dakota. Sotherland faced three criminal charges including “deprivation of constitutional rights, assault with a dangerous weapon and obstruction of a federal investigation by filing a false report.

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Academia, Bizarre, Politics, Society

University of Maryland Campaign Asks Students To Use “Undocumented Citizens” Rather Than “Illegal Aliens”

200px-University_of_Maryland_Seal.svgThe University of Maryland has launched a campaign educating students and faculty about how to refer to people and asking them to “think before you speak” to avoid insulting others. One of the lexicon lessons has caused a controversy. The campaign by UMD’s Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy office tells people not to use terms like “illegal alien” but rather “undocumented citizens.”

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Society

German Politician Arrested After Being Spotted At Pool With Death Camp Tattoo

nazi-tattooCivil libertarians have long been critical of the German speech crimes, including the prohibition on any Nazi symbols. Not only have the laws not had any discernible impact on the neo-Nazi movement but they actually make these extremists into victims and force them further underground. The laws also lead to bizarre cases like the arrest of a German man for a cellphone ringtone of Hitler. The latest case is out of Oranienburg where German politician Marcel Zech was arrested due to a tattoo spotted on his back at a pool.

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Animals, Bizarre, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media

Thai Mechanic Faces 37 Years For “Liking” Spoof Photo Of King’s Dog

220px-Rama_IX_of_Thailand_and_Barack_Obama,_2012_croppedOur close Asian ally, Thailand, continues to crush both free speech and political dissent under its draconian criminal code. Mechanic Thanakorn Siripaiboon, 27, is facing a potential of 37 years for allegedly insult King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, by “liking” a humorous photoshopped photo of the King’s dog and passing it along to his over 600 “friends.” That’s all it take in Thailand to face 37 years in jail . . . insulting the King’s dog. It is all part of what is called lèse-majesté governing royal insults but this is the first known extension of the law to royal pets.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society, Uncategorized

“We Made A Mistake”: Georgia Police Reportedly Enter Wrong Home In Response To 911 Call, Kill Family Dog, Shoot An Unarmed Father, and Then Shoot One of Their Own Officers

Yanna2imgresDekalb police are admitting this week that “we made a mistake” but that does not seem to capture full extent of the blunder perpetrated by three officers who mistakenly entered the home of Chris and Leah McKinley in response to a 911 call. Not only did the officers enter the wrong home, but they proceeded to shoot the family dog, then shoot the unarmed father, and then shoot one of their own officers.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Trump Critics Unleash Vulgar and Violent Rhetoric Over Immigration Debate

Screen Shot 2015-12-12 at 10.24.53 AMDonald Trump’s recent proposal to ban Muslims from entry in the country and his policies on illegal immigration has caused a heated debate. As we recently discussed, some have taken this debate to a personal and vulgar level, including the involvement in children in disgraceful videotapes. Now El Diablito, a food cart company in Portland, Oregon has followed suit with its own disgraceful display of children screaming to “kill” Trump and flashing vulgar signs. It is beyond me how parents would expose or encourage such things with children. However, they are not alone in such shocking conduct. Loring Wirbel, co-chairman of the Colorado Springs, Colo., chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has resigned after saying that Trump supporters should be shot.

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Bizarre, Society

New Jersey Gasoline Station Triggers Controversy Over Inflated Prices

New-Jersey-gas-station-keeps-price-at-398-despite-179-price-across-the-streetThere is a curious story out of Voorhies, New Jersey that touches on a past subject of how gas stations set their prices. The Lukoil station in the town is charging $3.98 per gallon while other area stations, including one directly across the street, price gas at $1.79. What is interesting is that even Lukoil says that it is trying to strip owner Tony Caprio of his franchise over his gouging of customers.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Religion

Police Arrest California Man Who Allegedly Bought The Guns Used in The San Bernardino Massacre

We have another unnerving case of a recent convert to Islam allegedly turning quickly to involvement in terrorism. Enrique Marquez, 24, legally purchased the AR-15 rifles that his neighbor San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik used to kill 14 people and injure 21 others. Police say that former security guard Marquez had recently converted to Islam and was part of the planning for the attack but got cold feet after the arrests in a nearby town of terrorism suspects in an unrelated case. He will initially face gun charges since he transferred the weapons to the couple after serving as the purchaser.

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Academia, Bizarre

Protesters at Small Pennsylvania College Call For Change In Name Of Lynch Memorial Hall As Racially Insensitive

lynch200px-Lebanon_Valley_College_logoWe recently saw the decision at Harvard (followed by Yale) to drop the historic title of “Master” for the heads of the residential houses due to racial connotations, even though there is no racist connection with the term which originated in England. At the time, I expressed concern over the lack of a clear understanding of when historical terms must be curtailed or eliminated due to misunderstandings of their meaning or origins. Now, students at Lebanon Valley College are calling for the name of “Lynch Memorial Hall” to be changed due to the racial overtones of the word “lynch.” However, “Lynch” is clearly not being used as a verb (which would hardly make such to “lynch Memorial Hall” unless there was a person named Memorial Hall. Rather, it is a well-known reference to Clyde A. Lynch who was president of Lebanon Valley College from 1932 until his death in 1950. This would seem a case where the school motto is instructive in rising above the anger through knowledge: Libertas per Veritatem (The truth shall set you free).

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Bizarre, Society

Airplane Manufacturer Moves To Patent New Design For Transporting People In Former Windowless, Luggage Spaces

zodiac-cabin-overv_3521947bThrough the years, I have written stories criticizing the airline industry for its nosedive in customer services and accommodations. (here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). We have often remarked that new designs reducing space, adding “bench seating,” and adding more rows on planes are part of a trend that seems to be pushing passengers to the status of luggage. Indeed, I have often noted that first class is what coach used to be and coach is what the luggage storage used to me. Now it appears to be actually coming true. Zodiac Aerospace, the French aircraft equipment manufacturer, has filed a patent to convert windowless luggage areas into new budget seating. This Harry Potter space will be equipped with cameras showing you what you would see if you were not in a crawl space and had a window.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Suspected Burglar Hides In Lake From Police . . . Alligator Eats Suspected Burglar

3e9572f41e724a37896c231dd0689f88There is a bizarre tragedy in a criminal matter out of Florida where suspected burglar Matthew Riggins, 22, allegedly was fleeing a crime scene and hiding from police in Barefoot Bay, Florida. He chose unwisely. He hid in a lake where he was eaten by an alligator.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, International, Politics, Religion

Trump Calls For “Total and Complete Shutdown” of Muslims Entering The United States

495px-Donald_Trump_by_Gage_SkidmoreIn a truly shocking and facially unconstitutional plan, Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump is calling for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States. The plan would violate a host of domestic and international protections, as I discussed today with the Washington Post.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

The First Glimpse Into The Farook Family Confirms Twisted and Hateful Views

tashfeensyedpicWe have often discussed how Islamic extremists seem to recruit mentally ill candidates for terrorist operations. What is most unnerving about the history of the couple is that they appeared to be fully functioning and relatively successful people. However, exposure to extreme elements on the Internet and in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan seemed to unleash a deep hate and latent violence within them. If that is now clear is that San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook came from a family and married a woman with extreme views on Jews and Islam. An Italian newspaper interviewed Farook’s father who offered his own bizarre take on the world. In the meantime, more is being learned about the entry of Tashfeen Malik, who married Syed Rizwan Farook after meeting him online and coming to the U.S. on a fiance visa – including this entry photograph.

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