In an obviously awkward and (for one) emotional reunion, Judge Mindy Glazer recognized a former high school acquaintance standing before her awaiting his bond decision. Arthur Booth is accused of burglary and broke into tears after Glazer identified him. Glazer clearly did not view the prior relationship (which was clearly long ended) a basis for recusal.
Category: Bizarre
We have previously discussed the series of scandals in Washington where powerful individuals have been spared serious sanctions for acts where ordinary people have faced long and unrelenting prosecution. (here) It is part of America’s Animal Farm system where some individuals are more equal than others. That concern is even greater this week with the combination of the disclosure that Hillary Clinton did use a personal email system for classified communications and most media outlets appear to be ignoring the obvious import of that fact.
We previously discussed whether England was becoming a “Nanny State.” (here and here). As much as I love London (and Londoners), it appears to have plunged into realm of government regulation of virtually every aspect of life and family management. An example is the new directive from the British government to school officials that they can and should use their “common law powers” to search student lunches to remove and destroy “unhealthy or inappropriate.” Education minister Lord Nash issued the directive to cover unhealthy items listed by the school that are now barred. Teachers can now “confiscate, keep or destroy” such snacks.
Rick Jones, 21, became a cause celebre after he alleged that he was beaten and had a homophobic slur carved into his arm. In a case reminiscent of the Tawana Brawley case and some other more recent controversies (here and here), Jones has now admitted that it was a hoax.
Having run out of sedans and swimming pools for its view of creative and fun forms of execution, ISIS is now returning to an old favorite of beheadings. In the latest video, they executed women for sorcery in Syria and earlier beheaded a street magician as immoral under Islam and Sharia law. Two women were executed with their husbands.
We have been following the growing menace of flash mob attacks on stores where teenagers descend on a store, trash its interior, and steal merchandise — only to vanish with the arrival of police. However, in the case of a trashed Macon Wal-Mart, police say that they not only have videotapes of the mob but one of its leaders, Kharron Nathan Green, 17, who made the mistake of returning to retrieve his cellphone.
I have long admitted that, as an academic dweeb, I have long been confused by events after the eighteenth century. However, this story has me entirely perplexed. The University of Missouri at Kansas City has opened a women’s Hall of Fame and was looking for a female leader to open the event. Their choice among the millions of women in this country from generals to jurists to CEOs to governors to journalists to writers? Chelsea Clinton. Not only that, but the university paid $65,000 for Chelsea Clinton to speak only ten minutes under highly abridged appearance restrictions set by her handlers (in addition to other restrictions from a brief period for photos and water specifications).
There is a fascinating story out this week that reminds us of how people can view history and violence in vastly different ways, including attacks of terrorism or assassination. Take Gavrilo Princip. Most of the world view him as a fanatic who triggered World War I with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, Serbia just honored him with a statue — commemorated by President Tomislav Nikolic, who heralded Princip as a freedom fighter and hero.
Continue reading “Serbia Erects Statue To Honor Assassin Who Triggered World War I”
The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended Rodger Moore, a Northern Kentucky attorney who appears to have been undone by a love for expensive wines — very expensive wines. Moore reportedly admitted to a series of shoplifting incident of wine. As a wine lover, I always joke that this is an expensive habit and that a heroin addiction would be cheaper. Moore appears to have prove the point.
Having just returned from London, I was struck by the video below of tourists who cross the line with the famed Queen’s guard and force confrontations with these soldiers. For the most part, tourists were well mannered and respectful during my observation of the guards at Buckingham and the Tower. However, these videos show how some are incredibly rude and thoughtless.
In one of the truly most bizarre criminal cases this year, Hayden Smith, 18, has been arrested after killing six of his mother’s chickens after demanding that she call the parents of his girlfriend to repair the relationship. I cannot imagine why the girl’s parents would not want her going out with Smith.
Gaming sites are reporting that Apple has pulled all war games featuring the confederate flag from the App Store as “offensive” and “hateful.” That decision of course wipes out historically accurate Civil War games. As a military history nut, I find the actions by Apple to be bizarre and revisionist. This was the symbol of one side in one of the world’s most famous military conflicts. When used in the context of a war game, it is obviously being used to closely mirror the symbols, uniforms, and equipment of the time.
Continue reading “Apple Pulls All Games Featuring Confederate Flag From App Store”
Not long ago, this image went viral after KFC customer Devorise Dixon said that he was served a fried rat in California. The company insisted that the picture showed it was white meat and complained that Dixon refused to speak directly with the company. It eventually spoke with Dixon’s lawyer and arranged to have the chicken tested. It was proven to be chicken through DNA analysis. Now the Colonel wants an apology.
Anthony Gerald Dunton has allegedly confessed to a bizarre crime: he was reportedly filmed putting Roundup weed killer in the water bottle of a co-worker. When he confessed to the crime, Dunton insisted that he was only trying to “mess with him.”
Conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe has reported that he was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents Monday when attempting to reenter the country. The reason appears his widely published video showing him crossing the border repeatedly from United States and Mexico while dressed as Osama bin Laden. The video succeeded in capturing what critics have complained about for years: that the border remain wide open and that the Administration is misleading the public on the ease with which potential terrorists could cross into the United States illegally. Whatever the merits of that video, it does seem to me to be either a form of journalism or political speech. It was also very embarrassing for Customs and the Administration. That makes the action troubling if O’Keefe was told, as he states, that he will be detained from now on whenever he tries to reenter the United States.
Continue reading “Controversial Filmmaker O’Keefe Detained At Border By Customs”