Category: International

Academia, Bizarre, Environment, International, Science

Are Males Obsolete? Female Dragonflies Go It Alone

OK, this is bad. Just as many wives are at their wits end with husbands who have turned to couch potatoes during the playoffs, scientists have found another species that made males obsolete. Spanish investigators have discovered that dragonflies are capable of parthenogenesis, asexual reproduction without fertilization by a male. While plenty of women are avid football fans, the announcement of this discovery during the playoffs can only be viewed as a direct threat to the male gender.

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Academia, Constitutional Law, International, Justice, Military, Politics, Society

Their Rights As Englishmen: A Brief History of the Second Amendment-Part I

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Few words have sparked as much emotion on the blog –and may have even cost it a victory lap in the ABA blog voting this year — as the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Seems the history of the Amendment was just as jumbled and ferociously fought, or so contends Law Professor David E. Vandercoy, in his short history of the Second Amendment.

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Academia, Bizarre, International

Teacher Fired After Allowing Students To Sled After Class

In Wales, Design teacher Richard Tremelling has been sacked. He was not fired for poor teaching or hitting on students or even habitual lateness. He was fired because he let two 15-year-old students go sledding after his class at Cefn Hengoed Community School in Swansea — failing to prepare a “risk assessment” and getting prior written approval. That’s right, the students asked if they could try out a sled that he brought into class as a design object. He said yes and now he is unemployed.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Italian Man Sneezes Out Bullet

Italian Darco Sangermano, 28, took matters into his own hands literally while waiting in an emergency room to be seen after being shot in the head. Sangermano was hit in the head by a bullet fired by one of those morons who like to shoot their guns on New Year’s Eve. Sangermano suddenly sneezed in the Naples hospital and the bullet came out his nose.
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Bizarre, International, Society

Australian Pastor Blames Prime Minister for Causing Disasterous Floods as God’s Vengence

It appears Pat Robertson is not alone speaking for God in the use of nature to punish the sins of man. A Christian pastor in Queensland, Daniel Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries, has announced that the devastating floods in Australia are actually divine judgment against Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd because he “spoke against Israel” in December 2010.

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Bizarre, International, Military, Society

GAO: U.S. Has Fired 250,000 Rounds For Every Insurgent Killed

There is an amazing (and startling) statistic out of Iraq and Afghanistan: the United States has fired an estimated 250,000 for every insurgent killed. The U.S. is going through so much ammo that manufacturers are struggling to keep up. In another milestone, U.S. troops in Afghanistan now surpass the number in Iraq.
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International, Politics, Society

Let Civil Liberties & Freedom Ring!

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

In his speech Restoring British Liberties (dated January 7, 2011), Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg talked about the freedom and the “hard-won liberties” that people in Britain have held dear. He talked about the standards of a nation that have been the hallmarks of a civilized society to which people who are victims of oppression in other places around the world have looked to as a beacon of hope…as an example of a better way of life.

Clegg claimed that in recent times under Labour many of Britain’s best traditions have suffered—and that many of its civil liberties “have been undermined, eroded, lost.”

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International, Justice, Politics, Society

Egypt Demands Return of “Cleopatra’s Needle.”

Submitted by Mark M. Esposito, Guest Blogger

Dr. Zahi Hawass is none too happy with New York Mayor Bloomberg. The Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council on Antiquities has sent the Mayor a letter demanding the City preserve a 3500 year old obelisk known as “Cleopatra’s Needle”  or send it back. Since 1881, the red granite monument has stood in Central Park near the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is nearly 68 feet high.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Society

Mainstream Pakistani Islamic Groups Praise Assassin of Governor and Warn Others That They Would Be Killed For Opposing Blasphemy Prosecutions

The mainstream Islamic organizations have rallied in response to the assassination of of Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province by one of his bodyguards. However, they are not rallying to denounce the killing but to celebrate it because Taseer had stood up against the country’s notorious blasphemy laws. Islamic leaders warned people not to mourn his death and warned other politicians that they could face the same fate if they tried to curtail blasphemy prosecutions. In the meantime, his killer, Mumtaz Qadri was showered with rose petals and kisses by supporters in court.
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Animals, Bizarre, Environment, International

Happy Feet, Unhappy Landing: Penguin Chooses Poor Escape Route From German Zoo

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.

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Courts, International, Military, Politics

Why Doesn’t Senator Graham want to ever leave Afghanistan?

SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE RAFFERTY, GUEST BLOGGER

I had a very peaceful Sunday afternoon watching my beloved Bears take it on the chin against their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers.  It was sadly peaceful until I read a story that quoted Sen. Lindsey Graham on Meet the Press as stating that he wanted the United States to maintain permanent military bases in Afghanistan even after all NATO forces are transitioned out by the year 2014.  I thought the Bears had done enough to tie my stomach in knots, but Lindsay Graham’s statements forced me to find the last remaining antacid in the house!

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Academia, International, Society

Heroes Rush In Where Police Fear To Tread

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

We’ve read several times on this blog about police reluctance to help drowning victims and even to prohibit family members from leaping into the water to save their loved ones (here) when authorities refuse to help. Seems the policy is now international. Scottish police stood idly by, keeping back onlookers, as a 37 year-old woman thrashed about in the water near Glasgow’s  Albert Bridge  and repeatedly called for help.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Society

Double Cheese and Pepperoni; Hold The Formaldehyde

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.

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