The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are widely viewed as an American classic. However, the editors of NewSouth Books have decided that they need to do some editing. The editors have decided to remove the “n” word from the book and replace it with “slave.” The editing of a classic raises very troubling questions from the right of an author to have his works remain unchanged to the integrity of literary and historical works. Like all great works, the book must be read with an understanding of the mores and lexicon of its time.
Continue reading “Publisher Announces Intention to Edit Huckleberry Finn To Remove N-Word”
Category: Bizarre
Vermont lawyer Melvin Neisner Jr. has been suspended but not disbarred after he caused a car accident in September 2007 and then had his wife falsely claim that she was the driver — even watching as she was arrested and charged with the accident.
A penguin in Germany has learned the meaning of “out of frying pan and into the fire.” The penguin named Leona succeeded in escaping from her enclosure only to find itself in the Lion’s den with a bunch of sleeping lions. I am not sure what passes for swearing among African Penguins, but I am sure if you listened real hard you could hear a few choice words upon the landing of this particular bird.
Continue reading “Happy Feet, Unhappy Landing: Penguin Chooses Poor Escape Route From German Zoo”
I just saw this story on ABA Journal as a cautionary warning to those lawyers who allow their emotions to get ahead of their judgment. Two Florida lawyers — Nicholas Mooney and Kurt Mitchell — have been sanctioned for an exchange of emails that included such notable comments as one calling the other a “scum sucking loser.” The state supreme court was not amused.
Continue reading “Uncivil Action: Florida Lawyers Sanctioned for Email Exchanges”
This is a true New York story. A suicidal 26-year-old man was saved from a jump from the ninth floor of an apartment building by a pile of uncollected trash.
We have another case of an alleged horrific injury due to the ever-present delays at emergency rooms in the United States. Malyia Jeffers, 2, was left for hours in the ER at the Methodist Hospital in Sacramento as her Strep A devoured her body. She ultimately lost both of her feet and one of her hands to amputations and she is fighting for her life at Stanford University’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
Continue reading “Toddler Left in ER for Hours Until Her Feet and One Hand Are Amputated”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Pittsburgh area police have arrested 37-year-old Jody Lynn Bennett on suspicion that he stole a hand-held video gaming system from the coffin of 17-year-old Bradley McCombs, who died in a Christmas Day SUV crash. Seems the respectful, but sticky fingered mourner, attended the viewing to pay his respects. In exchange for his “payment,” he stole the electronic device and three games from the decedent’s coffin. Bennett fled the funeral home after being confronted by family members.
Continue reading “Pa. Man Steals Video Game From Teenager’s Coffin”
There is a disturbing case out of Kentucky this morning. State police and the FBI are reportedly investigating Owsley County deputy Sheriff Michael Havicus and Booneville Officer Timothy Marshall in the beating of John Adkins at a horse-riding event called the Fall Trail Ride. He was allegedly assaulted after he asked the officers if a band could continue to play at the event.
Continue reading “Kentucky Officers Sued After Man Is Beaten At Horse Show”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Diners in Naples, Italy may be unwittingly getting a new ingredient on their traditional Mozzarella cheese and tomato pizzas. Police are investigating reports that several “lower-end” bakeries and pizza shops are using wood from coffins to fire the ancient stone ovens. Neapolitan graveyards are hunting grounds for thieves with over 5000 flower pots being stolen last year, and the Carabinieri theorize that a gang may be desecrating graves to obtain the traditional oak wood tender for pizza ovens.
Continue reading “Double Cheese and Pepperoni; Hold The Formaldehyde”
We have seen in recent months how the Jewish community has been dealing with an abuse scandal similar to the one in the Catholic Church. This week, such allegations were leveled at an unnamed Rabbi in Israel, who is accused of at least three counts of child molestation. What is interesting is that the government is refusing to release his name, even though such information often leads other victims to come forward.
Boy, New Mexico governors really stick together . . . even after 130 years. On his last day in office, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico refused to pardon Billy the Kid for the killing of Sheriff William Brady in Lincoln County, New Mexico despite his conclusion that William H. Bonney was indeed promised such a pardon by then Governor Lew Wallace.
Happy New Year’s Eve to all of our blog family. We will be spending New Year’s Eve at home this year — preparing for our annual New Year’s party on January 1st. I will be toasting to everyone on our extended blog family.
I saw this story on Reddit and it raises a lot of unanswered questions. The Examiner below reports that the video was taken by the wife of Gary Grana, 33, who was arrested for firing a crossbow in his yard at a target. Grana ends up under a pile of officers after a rather large number of officers respond to the call.
Continue reading “Lincoln Nebraska Police Shown Arresting Man For Firing Crossbow at Target in Backyard”
The video below has resulted in the arrest of a Brooksville Florida police officer, Detention Sgt. David Dixon, after he was shown punching an inmate in the face for no apparent reason. The sheriff said that man was just “running his mouth” and did not deserve to be punched at the Hernando County Jail.
Continue reading “Florida Officer Arrested After Video Shows Him Punching Inmate”
Christopher Blackstone, 25, seems intent to make the worst people of 2010 year before time runs out. Upset that his girlfriend, Talitha Peterson-Hooks, 25, left their apartment during an argument and then refused to take his calls, he proceeded to stomp her puppy to death and sent her a text message saying “If you would have answered your phone, your dog would still be alive.”