Category: International

Bizarre, Environment, International, Society

Shock Lobster: Company Invents Lobster Stunning Machine

With the increased use of tasers on humans, it was perhaps inevitable that the crustacean set would demand their own stunning device. Simon Buckhaven of CrustaStun has developed a system that allows lobsters to be zapped to death in a device rather than boiled alive. It was such a breakthrough that animal rights groups organized a lobster dinner fundraiser with lobsters dispatched with the CrustaStun device. The problem is that the machines were lost in transit and the sponsors had to boil hundreds of lobsters alive at the event with such participating groups as PETA.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Environment, International, Society

Barney The Bovine Canine: Man Barred From Owning Dogs for Ten Years After Overfeeding Dalmatian

John Green 50, has attained the novel status of being banned from keeping dogs for ten years. Green’s victim was a Dalmatian named Barney, who he overfed to the point that he weighed “11 stone” — a stone is roughly the equivalent to 14 pounds. This made Barney look like he ate the other 100 Dalmatians.
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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Qaddafi Hires a Room Full of Attractive Italian Women to Convince Them to Come to Libya for a Vacation and Conversion

Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qaddafi (aka Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi) may have bombed at the United Nations with his rambling speech, but he is still trying to win the hearts and minds of the young. This week, Qaddafi spoke to an audience of young Italian women about the need for them to convert and come and see him in Libya for a vacation.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Media, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

President Obama Calls On China to Be More Transparent and Open — And Then Bars The Release of Any More Photos of Detainee Abuse to the Media and Public

225px-official_portrait_of_barack_obama180px-Abu_Ghraib_prison_abusePresident Barack Obama and his Administration set a new level of hypocrisy this weekend with calls on the Chinese government and military to end censorship and be more open with the public while barring disclosure of embarrassing photos of detainee abuse.
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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Indian Tribe Sues Self-Help Author Over Use of Sweat Lodge

jamesray-0608Touch_the_Clouds_1877aWe previously followed the investigation into the three deaths in a sweat lodge run by “Spiritual Warrior” James Arthur Ray at the Angel Valley Retreat Center in Sedona, Arizona. Now, the Lakota Sioux Tribe is suing, demanding the prosecution of Ray under the 1869 Treaty of Fr. Laramie for appropriating a Native American ritual.
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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Man Convicted After Turning in a Discarded Shotgun to Police

SurreypolicePaul Clarke, 27, a veteran, thought that he was doing the right thing when he found a shotgun in his garden. He took the shotgun to the police station and was immediately arrested for possession of a firearm without permit and criminally charged — an offense that brings five years imprisonment. Prosecutor Brian Stalk insisted that this is a strict liability offense and his intent to help police does not matter — he is a menace to society as defined under the criminal code.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Journalist Charged with Pornography for Sending Pictures of Woman in Unassisted Child Birth to Government Officials

125px-Flag_of_Zambia.svg85px-Coat_of_arms_of_zambiaThere is a disturbing trial being held in Zambia where the news editor of The Post, Chansa Kabwela, sent photos of a woman giving birth in a hospital car park without assistance to highlight the costs of a nursing strike and poor government policies. She was right. The officials, including Zambia’s President, Rupiah Banda, were horrified. They immediately arrested Kabwela for distributing pornography.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Society, Torts

City of Fights: Internet Promotion Sparks Violence in Paris

200px-Tour_Eiffel_Wikimedia_CommonsWe often discuss liability issues associated with promotional events. Now, it seems that the French are dealing with the same problem. An Internet company canceled a promotional event in which it promised to hand out thousands of dollars in cash. The result was violence as the crowd took out their disappointment on police and parked cars. The site for Mailorama still shows a bus throwing money.

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Academia, Bizarre, International, Society

School Accused of Terrorizing Students With Faked Murder

tape3_MED284401sdcParents at the Fox Hill Primary School in Sheffield England are a bit put out over a curious educational program at the school. When children showed up at the school recently, they were met by a bloody crime scene, a dead teacher on the ground, and police. They were asked to solve the crime but not told that it was all for fun.
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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Military, Politics, Society

9-11 Defendants to be Given Real Trials as Holder Stands on Principle — Sort Of

holdererickhalid_shaikh_mohammed_2 Attorney General Eric Holder has ordered actual trials for five 9/11 suspects rather than military tribunals. The decision places the United States squarely back on the road of the rule of law in giving due process even to our most hated defendants. The five defendants include 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The other four are Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi and Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali. However, this courageous act was diminished by an inexplicable decision of Holder to order five other defendants — including USS Cole suspect Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri — be tried in a military tribunal. I discussed this decision on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
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Bizarre, International, Society, Torts

Abating Mrs. Cartwright: English Woman Declared Noise Nuisance for Vocalizing Intimate Moments in Her Home

nicubunu_open_mouthWhile English courts are generally viewed as rather buttoned down and proper, a trial last week was rated strictly adults only. The Newcastle Crown Court played a recording of Caroline and Steve Cartwright having sex in a novel nuisance case. Neighbors have complained that the couple is a bit vocal in their amorous moments.
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