Category: Bizarre

Academia, Bizarre

Columbia Professor Strips In Bizarre Lecture On Quantum Mechanics

columbia19n-1-webProfessor Emlyn Hughesof Columbia University found a solution to the common complaint of students surfing the Internet and text messaging through class. In his lecture on quantum mechanics, Hughes stripped to his underwear as images of 9/11 and the Holocaust were shown to the class. Two people dressed as ninjas blindfolded stuffed animals while Hughes laid in a fetal position on the floor. One then impaled a stuffed animal with a sword.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society, Torts

Slap Suit? Executive Fired After Allegedly Slapping Baby On Flight And Using Racial Slur

article-2279328-179D27D3000005DC-94_306x423article-2279328-179D27CF000005DC-847_306x423Meet Joe Rickey Hundley, 60, of Hayden, Idaho who allegedly responded to an irritable flight by getting himself arrested and later fired from his job as a company executive at a defense contractor. Hundley was on a Delta flight when he allegedly slapped a 19-month-old boy who was crying.

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Bizarre, Environment

Sverre Skiing: World-Class Skier Continues To Compete After Triggering Avalanche

There should be extra points awarded in world skiing competition for sheer guts or at least a medal for the best performance in the worst conditions. Skier Sverre Liliequist was competing in the 2012 Swatch Skiers Cup when his run tripped off an avalanche. Liliequist continued to ski in front of the avalanche and then finished a flip as his final feature virtually on top of the avalanche. Now get up and go to work, campers.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Two Brothers Win Lottery And Proceed To Torch House And Trigger Arrests In Celebratory Drug Use

220px-Lottery_ticket_posterPrisonCellTwo Wichita brothers may have won not only the lottery but the top spot for the most dim-witted felons this week. The brother won a $75,000 winning lottery ticket and celebrated by buying pot and meth . . . and proceeded to burn down their house, securing their own arrests.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International

“I Chase Him, I Bite Him”: English Officers Under Investigation For Dog Witness Statement

Westmidlandspolicenew-recruits-three-tnIt appears that police supervisors in the West Midlands Police department have a certain lack of humor. Officers were frustrated by the demands of prosecutors for an account of an arrest involving a dog capture. The account lacked a witness statement. Finally, the officers completed a witness statement (below) on behalf of “PC Peach” and then posted a copy at the station. I personally thought it was a scream but supervisors told the officers that they are not amused.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Tennessee Police Stop Elderly Couple For Having Ohio State Decal On Car Because It Looked Like A Marijuana Leaf

SMG503Bonnie Jonas-Boggioni, 65, and her husband were driving home to Plano, Texas, when they were pulled over under suspicion of being drug mules. The elderly couple would not seem to fit a profile for a cartel member, but the Tennessee police felt that they had made a critical mistake in their drug conspiracy. Their car had a picture of a marijuana leaf — apparently a common marking for drug mules. It turned out to be a Buckeye leaf decal. After being detained, the police reportedly told the Ohio State football fans that they needed to be more careful in the future and take off the decal. It appears to be the view of the Tennessee police that a picture of something looking like pot is enough for reasonable suspicion.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Florida Police Officer Unleashes Torrent Of Abuse On Man and Threatens To Kill Him . . . Given Written Reprimand and Returned To Service

bso-tiradeA new videotape is causing a stir in Florida after Broward Sheriff’s Officer Deputy Alan Dubinski unleashed a torrent of obscenities on a suspect, Jessie Merchant. Duinski threatens to threw the man to alligators. Yet, he was given only a written reprimand and returned to active duty. Ironically, Merchant was being investigated for causing a disturbance. The video is below.

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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Politics, Society, Uncategorized

The Connecticut Effect

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Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw)-Guest Blogger

In the weeks since the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the call for more action in controlling military style guns and large capacity magazines has increased, but as of yet, nothing concrete has been done on the national level.  In fact, the NRA was recently quoted as suggesting that nothing will be done, once the country gets over the “Connecticut Effect”!  “The National Rifle Association will wait until the “Connecticut effect” has subsided to resume its push to weaken the nation’s gun laws, according to a top NRA lobbyist speaking at the NRA’s Wisconsin State Convention this weekend.” Think Progress  Continue reading “The Connecticut Effect” →

Academia, Bizarre, Politics, Religion, Science, Society

Missouri Legislator Introduces Bill To Teach Creationism As A Scientific Theory And To Teach Evolution As A Philosophy

RickBrattinMissouri GOP Rep. Rick Brattin still doesn’t buy that whole evolution thing. Indeed, Brattin is the latest politician to seek to make science conform to religious beliefs by introducing bills that would force creationism into science classes and make “intelligent design” theories equivalent to evolution as a scientific subject. Brattin has proclaimed in this district that he would work to stop the “slow erosion of our God ordained liberties and freedoms.” That apparently begins by ordering “God-ordained” science for Missouri children. By the way, Missouri is already ranked 41st out of 50 states in school quality. Brattin appears committed to beating South Dakota for the distinction of the worst school system in the nation. Students will now receive education in the three rs: reading, ‘riting, and religion.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: GOP Indiana State Senator Moves To Make Undercover Videos A Crime At Farms And Businesses

100497Recently, the public was outraged by undercover videos taken in factory farms showing abuse of animals. While many legislators would see such videos and think of ways to force better conditions for animals, state Sen. Travis Holdman, a Republican from Markle, Ind., had a different reaction: make such videos by whistleblowers and journalists a crime.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Lawyering, Society

Brooklyn Prosecutor Given A Reduced Charge and Just 10 Days of Community Service After Strangling EMT Worker

100px-Seal_of_Brooklyn,_New_York.svg250px-Brooklyn_Bridge_PostdlfMany emergency medical workers were visibly upset after prosecutors reduced charges for Michael Jaccarino, a prosecutor in the Brooklyn district attorney’s office, who attacked a female EMT in a drunken rage. Jaccarino was given just a 10 day community service sentence for his guilty plea to assaulting the ambulance worker while he was being taken to a hospital. Prosecutor Sherita Walton insisted that his drunkenness was a complete defense to intent since it was not clear if he actually intended to hurt the victim,Teresa Soler. EMT workers cried foul and suggested that prosecutors were being far more lenient on one of their own in the plea arrangement. We previously discussed the case.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Lawyering

American Lawyer Charged With Forgery Over False Professional Claims Before London Court

220px-Advokat,_Engelsk_advokatdräkt,_Nordisk_familjebokGeorgetown graduate Soma Sengupta may have been undone by sheer vanity. Sengupta had secured a position practicing in London based on a series of false documents and claims of her professional and educational history. However, it was her claim to be eight years younger than she is that caught the eye of a female clerk. The clerk raised the alarm over the misrepresentation and soon discovered the application to practice in England was riddled with false documents, including a letter of recommendation signed by Professor Robert Drinan a year after his death.

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

Georgia Legislator Responds To Parody Of His Picture By Seeking To Criminalize Photoshopping Of Images

article-2278383-1790B181000005DC-624_306x443smithEarnestRep. Earnest Smith has a curious understanding of the First Amendment. Smith is upset that someone photoshopped his picture by placing his head on the body of a porn star. He has responded by seeking to make such photoshopping a crime and insisting that “No one has a right to make fun of anyone. It’s not a First Amendment right.” That is news to many of us.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Religion, Society

New Jersey Minister Represents Himself After Stabbing His Mistress and Fellow Minister

article-1362814-0D75ECC6000005DC-590_224x289article-1362814-0D75ECCA000005DC-68_224x289Rev. Edward Fairley, a New Jersey Minister, is representing himself in a bizarre murder case where he stands accused of the attempted murder of his long-time mistress and fellow minister the Koinonia and Christian Ministries. Fairley, 59, is not denying that he viciously stabbed Simone Shields, 52, while she was getting her hair done. He is arguing to the jury that he should only be convicted of aggravated assault rather than attempted murder because he lacked premeditation.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society, Torts

Obama Administration Sides With Music Industry In Seeking To Uphold Draconian Award Against Minnesota Mother For Sharing Songs

PresObamaWe have previously discussed how President Obama has repeatedly yielded to the “copyright hawks” who have steadily increased the penalties for copyright and trademark violations, including criminal penalties. Despite the abuse of average citizens by thuggish law firms and prosecutors, the Obama Administration continues to support draconian measures against citizens. Even after the abuse and death of Aaron Swartz by the Justice Department, the Obama Administration has decided to double down in a case of a young mother in Northern Minnesota who was hit with grotesque penalties for simply sharing 24 songs. She was told to pay $222,000 — over 100 times the actual damages for the songs. The Obama Administration has intervened before the Supreme Court to ask for it to allow the penalty to stand as lawful and correct.

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