Category: Bizarre

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Society, Uncategorized

Kentucky Psychology Board vs. the First Amendment. Oh My!

Submitted by Charlton Stanley (aka Otteray Scribe), Guest Blogger

John Rosemond syndicated columnist psychologist
John Rosemond

Kentucky Psychology Board SealSixty-five year old North Carolina family therapist John Rosemond was having a day much like any other day last May, until he opened the certified letter from the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In a Cease and Desist letter, the Kentucky Attorney General advised him the Kentucky psychology licensing board had determined that by publishing an advice column in the Louisville Herald-Leader, he was practicing psychology without a license. The letter warned him that if he did not cease and desist, he faces criminal penalties which includes both fines and jail time. The Attorney General thoughtfully enclosed an affidavit which John was to sign and return, promising that he would forever give up his life of crime.

You read that right. John Rosemond, syndicated columnist, is being threatened by the Commonwealth of Kentucky that he might face stiff fines and jail unless he stopped writing his advice column in Kentucky newspapers. Naturally, John did what any self-respecting reporter or columnist would do. He got a lawyer. He contacted Jeff Rowes of the Institute for Justice who agreed to take the case, and last July 16, Mr. Rowes and local counsel, Richard Brueggeman, Esq., filed a 45-page lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Taking It To The Limit: Woman Cuts 64-Year Old Housemate For Playing Eagles Music

By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

baderI’ve seen some tough music reviews but 54-year-old  Witchy Woman Vernett Bader takes the cake. Incensed by her housemate’s incessant playing of top Eagles tunes like Hotel California, Lyin’ Eyes, and Life in the Fast Lane, Bader grabbed a 14-inch “steely knife” and cut her 64-year-old victim several times on the arm and hand. This  One of These Nights left Bader charged as a Desperado and facing a sentence for aggravated criminal domestic violence and her victim with a Hole in His World. The night’s Peaceful Easy Feeling was Already Gone when  both parties became so intoxicated that  they could not agree on the music. Proclaiming “I Don’t Want To Hear Anymore,” Bader downed her last Tequila Sunrise and went for the blade after her victim told her to “shut up” and thus starting her on her not so Long Road Out Of Eden.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Florida Man, 54, Arrested For Alleged Abusive Exorcism Of 80-Year-Old Girlfriend

Benes_11554720_8colWe have yet another bizarre case out of the Land O’ Lakes jail in Pasco County. David Edward Benes is under arrest for reportedly restraining and abusing his 80-year-old girlfriend in an effort to “exorcise her and the get the devil out of her.” What is interesting is that, given the age of his girlfriend, Benes is looking at the enhanced charge of domestic battery on a person older than 65 as well as tampering with a witness and false imprisonment.

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Bizarre, International, Media

Worst WiFi Ever: BBC Anchor Confuses Ream of Printer Paper With iPad

bbc-ipad-247x349BBC News anchor Simon McCoy cause quite a chuckle this week by apparently confusing a ream of printer paper for an iPad. Of course, while the weight was a bit much and the WiFi horrible, the ream appeared to have the same connectivity over some 4G networks as an actual iPad. This network is more 3M and 4G.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

95-Year-Old Man In Nursing Home Resists Going To Hospital . . . Police Arrive And Shoot and Kill Him With Stun Gun And Bean Bag Rounds

JohnWranaThere is a disturbing report out of Chicago where police were called when 95-year-old world War II veteran John Wrana refused to go to a hospital for a urinary tract infection. Called by paramedics to assist in getting Wrana into an ambulance, the Park Forest police showed up in riot gear and proceeded to shoot Wrana first with a stun gun and then with a bead bag fired from a shotgun. He no longer needed treatment for the urinary tract problem. He died from internal bleeding and blunt force trauma. He was about to celebrate his 96th birthday.

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Bizarre, Free Speech, Lawyering, Society, Torts

Insane Clown Posse Sued By Their Former Attorney For Harassment and Abusive Conduct

190px-Insane_Clown_PosseAttorney Andrea Pelligreni has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former client for a culture of sexism and improper behavior. A lawyer suing a client for such misconduct can be a challenge in itself, but when your client is named the “Insane Clown Posse” it is especially difficult. While many would view working with the Insane Clown Posse to be something of an assumption of risk, Pelligreni insists that she was shocked and moved to tears in working with the recording group and particularly two members of Insane Clown Posse, Joseph “Shaggy 2 Dope” Bruce and Joseph “Violent J” Utsler. Other defendants include Psychopathic Records; its president, William Dail; and some of its employees. It makes for a curious cite as an attorney sues defendants named “Shaggy 2 Dope” and “Violent J” and Psychopathic Records for being shockingly immature and demeaning and . . . well . . . insane.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Society

Swedish Court Rules That Public Masturbation Is Legal

516px-Greater_coat_of_arms_of_Sweden.svgA court in Sweden has handed done a rather novel ruling. The Södertörn District Court has declared that it is legal to masturbate in public so long as you are not “targeting” anyone in particular. Moreover, public prosecutor Olof Vrethammer says that he entirely supports the ruling.

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Bizarre, Congress, Politics, Society

Politico: Vitter Moves To Block Exception For Congress Under Obamacare . . . Dems Move To Raise 2007 Prostitution Scandal

vitter-headshot-200It honestly takes a lot to get me to feel sympathy for David Vitter, (R. La.) Like most of the world, I was floored by the voters of Louisiana returning Vitter, a religious right politician, to the Senate after his scandal involving high-priced prostitutes. However, that is precisely the unique skill of the current Democratic leadership — they seem eager to win any race to the bottom. Vitter this week opposed an Obama regulation that gives an exemption of members of Congress and their aides under Obamacare. The regulation allows Congress to pay for its own generous subsidies to avoid having to live under the new law like normal citizens. While there is a definite appeal to Vitter’s view that the Congress should live under the same law applicable to average citizens, there may be some legitimate argument that I am missing. What should be clear is that some Democrats reacted in worse possible way. Politico is reporting that it has legislation drafted by Democrats that would eliminate health care benefits for lawmakers where there is “probable cause” to believe they patronized prostitutes. If true, this is really a sophomoric act of retaliation. Politico is reporting that this is not a joke but something actually raised as a meeting of Democratic members.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Pia Zadora Sentenced To Alcohol and Anger Treatment For Bizarre Encounter Over Teenage Son

b51ab7f7ea584b1e3d0f6a706700d2b2-1Pia Zadora, 61, is back in the news but not exactly as the actress and singer would want after a long career hiatus. Zadora was arrested in Las Vegas last June after her teenaged son called police. The abuse included her spraying her teenage son with a hose and scratching him in an attempt to get him to go to bed. For that she ordered to undergo alcohol and impulse control counseling. She was originally domestic abuse and coercion in dealing with her autistic son, Jordon. The case raises some troubling questions over the treatment of her husband, a Metro police officer. Continue reading “Pia Zadora Sentenced To Alcohol and Anger Treatment For Bizarre Encounter Over Teenage Son” →

Bizarre, Politics, Society

Looking For Profanity? Try The %&$#?@ Buckeyes!

390px-Seal_of_Ohio.svgnicubunu_open_mouthNow this I did not see coming. As a born and bred Midwesterner, I would have guessed that a study of which state swears the most would have led to the usual suspects: New York or New Jersey. Well, according to a study of more than 600,000 phone calls from the last year, the state with the highest use of profanity is . . . Ohio.
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Bizarre, Criminal law

Newlywed Accused Of Pushing Husband Off Cliff

091013_ff_newlydead_640There is an intriguing case out of Montana this week where Jordan Linn Graham, 22, is accused of murdering her new husband Cody Lee Johnson, 25, by pushing him off a cliff at the Glacier National Park. There were no witnesses to the act but Graham left a trail of conflicting accounts and emails discussing how she was having second thoughts about the marriage after only a few days. She was the one who reported finding the body and said that she looked in a place that Johnson said he wanted to see before he died.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Society

Federal Court Sentences Man To Eight Months In Jail For Advising People On How To Beat Lie Detectors

300px-Limestone_Technologies_Inc._-_Polygraph_TestThere is a troubling conviction in Alexandria, Virginia where Chad Dixon has been sentenced to eight months in jail for training people how to pass top-secret security polygraphs. The Administration prosecuted Dixon, a former Little League coach, obstruction and wire fraud for teaching between 70 and 100 people how to get past lie detector tests. He was paid $1000 a day and the Justice Department labelled him a “master of deceit.” However, if other people are actually giving false information or gaming the system, the question is whether this should be treated as a protected form of speech. It raises many of the same issues as the prosecution of people who encourage or advice others on how to commit suicide. [The picture is a file image of a test and not associated with Dixon or these underlying charges]

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Iowa To Issue Gun Permits To The Blind

100px-Long_cane220px-Mamba_(pistol)There is a controversy in Iowa where the state has started a program to issue permits to carry guns in public to people who are legally blind. This includes people who are completely blind. Disability advocates insist that any denial of a permit for a gun to a blind person would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

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Bizarre, International

Team Masseur Blocks Game Winning Goal In Brazil To Allow His Team To Advance To Finals

split-1-522x293I have previously discussed how I continue to be mystified by how international soccer is managed as with the long resistance to using basic technology to confirm goals. The recent controversy out of Brazil however leaves me stunned by how these rules often ignore the obvious. In this case, the team’s masseur with Aparecidence snuck on to the field and saved a certain score in a semi-final play-off — resulting in Aparacidence winning the game and moving on toward the finals.

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