Category: International

Bizarre, International, Media, Politics, Religion

Dead Letter? Egyptian Necrophilia Law Called Hoax By Mubarak Supporter

We have been discussing the story that ran on various sites about the consideration of an Egyptian law that would allow husbands to have sex with their wives up to six hours after death. Our last blog noted that some were still reporting the story while others have questioned the truth of the story. Now a story below appears to have debunked the story, at least in part. While not addressing the alleged consideration of lowering the age for marriage of girls to 14, the story says that the “farewell intercourse” law claim was made by Amr Abdul Samea, a supporter of the deposed Hosni Mubarak. An Islamic cleric did in fact say that Muslim men (and women) could have sex with their dead spouses up to six hours after death, but there is no indication that this view was put into a proposed law.

Continue reading “Dead Letter? Egyptian Necrophilia Law Called Hoax By Mubarak Supporter” →

Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Report: Islamic Legislators In Egypt Allegedly Move To Allow Husbands To Have Sex With Dead Wives

Women’s groups are justifiably worried about the domination of Islamic parties in Egypt and the move to rollback on the hard-won rights of women in that country. Now, according to the Daily Mail and various other news sites, legislators are pushing not only to lower the age for marriage for girls but to protect “farewell intercourse” where a husband can have sex with his dead wife up to six hours after she died. If true, both pedophilia and necrophilia would be divinely ordained, according to Islamic clerics in the country. It is not clear if this is a hoax with some people in Egypt reportedly denying the report while others continue to report the story. [Update: A new article is contesting the truth of the necrophilia part of the story]

Continue reading “Report: Islamic Legislators In Egypt Allegedly Move To Allow Husbands To Have Sex With Dead Wives” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Meet Paul Hayward: The Neighbor From Hell

If you ever have problems with your neighbor, just think of Paul Hayward. Hayward, 49, harassed his neighbors for ten years by making 150 silent telephone calls, ordering hundreds of unwanted taxis, and even ordering two tons of coal to the homes of his victims. He was ultimately sentenced to 14 months in jail after breaching an “anti-social behaviour order” on 19 occasions.
Continue reading “Meet Paul Hayward: The Neighbor From Hell” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Saudi Man Held In Jail 12 Years After Completion Of Sentence — Awaiting Forgiveness From Father Under Sharia Law

We have another example of perverse “justice” under Sharia law. Eid al-Sinani, 43, has remained in jail for 15 years because under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia the father was given the final say on when he should be released. He was originally sentenced in 1997 to three years in prison and 200 lashes for beating up his step mother. When the sentence was completed, the father demanded the right to keep his son in jail “until he is proven to be righteous by his father.”

Continue reading “Saudi Man Held In Jail 12 Years After Completion Of Sentence — Awaiting Forgiveness From Father Under Sharia Law” →

Criminal law, International

Wal-Mart Accused Of Covering Up Millions Paid In Bribes To Mexican Officials

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been accused over the years of everything from stripping employees of basic benefits to seeking to destroy critical historical areas. Now, however, the company faces a criminal investigation and a call for a U.S. congressional investigation. The company is accused of giving millions in bribes to Mexican officials to build stores. The company is accused failing to notify the police after it uncovered the bribes in an internal investigation.

Continue reading “Wal-Mart Accused Of Covering Up Millions Paid In Bribes To Mexican Officials” →

Congress, International, Politics, Society

Burn, Baby, Burn: Detroit Fire Chief Proposes To Let Vacant Properties Burn Down To Save Money

Faced with additional cuts in its budget, Executive Fire Commissioner Donald Austin has proposed an easy way to save money: let buildings burn down. Austin would like to allow such drastic action if the building is over 50 percent ablaze and does not endanger surrounding dwellings. In the meantime, Baltimore is looking into advertisements on the side of fire trucks. They are the latest examples of the insanity that has taken hold of this country as we burn hundreds of billions in Afghanistan and Iraq because our leaders have lacked the courage to withdraw forces from those countries. Instead, we will allow buildings to burn down while building facilities for Iraq with one of the world’s largest oil reserves.

Continue reading “Burn, Baby, Burn: Detroit Fire Chief Proposes To Let Vacant Properties Burn Down To Save Money” →

Bizarre, International, Society

Sexist Legos? Feminist Group Denounces Lego For LadyFigs

Feminists have launched a campaign of criticism against the Danish company, Lego, over its new line of figures called LadyFigs. Lego has added subtle curves to its new “LEGO Friends.” Not exactly soft porn, mind you. Just characters without the traditional blocky form. Nevertheless, SPARK executive director, Dana Edell,”They have little breasts and they have fancy hair.”

Continue reading “Sexist Legos? Feminist Group Denounces Lego For LadyFigs” →

Bizarre, Free Speech, International, Religion, Torts

Mel Gibson Threatens Defamation Lawsuit Against Joe Eszterhas

The release of a tape taken of Mel Gibson in Costa Rica by the son of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas has prompted a threat of a defamation lawsuit by the actor. Not only did Eszterhas release the tape secretly made by his son during an argument with Gibson, he accused Gibson of not wanting to proceed with the film “The Maccabees” because he hates Jews.

Continue reading “Mel Gibson Threatens Defamation Lawsuit Against Joe Eszterhas” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Police Arrest Alleged Canadian Pedophile Who Posed As Justin Bieber

For those of us with kids, Internet predators are a constant fear. Canadian Lee Moir, 34, may be the worst nightmare among that criminal element. He is accused of posing as Justin Bieber to entrap girls in Canada, United States, France, Australia, and the Philippines. The Toronto resident was arrested in the United States in Essex County in a international cooperative effort between the U.S. and Canada.

Continue reading “Police Arrest Alleged Canadian Pedophile Who Posed As Justin Bieber” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Keeping Abreast Of Crime: Hacker Traced By FBI From Picture of Girlfriend

This corpus delicti was the key piece of evidence in the arrest by the FBI of alleged super hacker Higinio O. Ochoa. I am not sure why this piece of evidence caught the eye of FBI agents, but they used its posting on Twitter account of @MissAnonFatale to find Ochoa’s girlfriend and then Ochoa.

Continue reading “Keeping Abreast Of Crime: Hacker Traced By FBI From Picture of Girlfriend” →

Bizarre, International, Society

We’re Not Number One, We’re Not Number One! Qatar Takes The Cake As Fattest Nation On Earth

The United States achieved a major victory last week by avoiding the title as the fattest nation on Earth. That distinction goes to the wealthiest nation on Earth: Qatar where half of the population is obese and seventeen percent are suffering from diabetes.

Continue reading “We’re Not Number One, We’re Not Number One! Qatar Takes The Cake As Fattest Nation On Earth” →

Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

Roma Advocates Seek Ban Of Swiss Magazine Over Incitement

We have followed the growing trend toward criminalization of speech in the West. This morning we have another such story out of Germany over a cover on the Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche, on the increasing numbers of Roma in Switzerland. The cover shows a Roma boy pointing a gun and critics have called for the magazine to be banned for racial incitement. There is ample reason to debate the merits of the cover story, entitled “The Roma are coming.” However, once again, there is a move to ban unpopular speech rather than allow free speech to be its own disinfectant.

Continue reading “Roma Advocates Seek Ban Of Swiss Magazine Over Incitement” →

Free Speech, International, Politics, Society

Report States Iran To Cut Off Entire Country From World Wide Web; Iran Denies Story As Hoax

We have seen our own government and other Western countries moving to exercise greater control over the Internet in recent years — reaffirming the fact that the Internet may be the single most important vehicle of free speech created by mankind. Iran, however, is not to be outdone when it comes to denying liberties. A widespread news report stated that country is about to cut off its entire population from the Internet services on the World Wide Web. Such sites are viewed as polluting the minds of Iranians with unIslamic thoughts and ideas. Now, instead of Google and Gmail, Yahoo and the like, Iranians would have Iran Mail and the “National Internet.” Iranian officials insist that citizens will now receive mail and stories on a “clean Internet” designed and maintained for good Muslims. [UPDATE: The Iranian government issued a statement today responding to the articles on the Iranian internet that specifically denies that it intends to cut off access to the worldwide web]

Continue reading “Report States Iran To Cut Off Entire Country From World Wide Web; Iran Denies Story As Hoax” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Tourist Beaten, Robbed and Stripped Naked In Baltimore As Crowd Laughes

A video has emerged from last St. Patrick’s Day that shows a brutal attack on a tourist in Baltimore who is beaten, robbed, and stripped naked as a crowd stands around and laughs. No one reportedly called police and someone stood filming the scene of utter inhuman and depraved conduct by the crowd. [Update: A second video of the brutal attack has emerged]

Continue reading “Tourist Beaten, Robbed and Stripped Naked In Baltimore As Crowd Laughes” →