Category: International

Constitutional Law, Courts, International, Media, Politics, Society

Turley To Speak At ASCRS Conference in New Orleans

img_3550It will be my distinct pleasure to serve as the keynote speaker today at the conference of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) in New Orleans. I will be addressing the society tonight in New Orleans on the rise of the Fourth Branch and how it relates to the practice of medicine in the 21st Century. It is always fun to return to New Orleans where I started my teaching career at Tulane University, though this will regrettably have to be a short visit due to a speech in Michigan. Since today is my birthday, I will have to at least get out to a couple of my favorite haunts for some good food and drinks with the Napoleon House at the top of the list for a Pimm’s Cup . . . or two.

Continue reading “Turley To Speak At ASCRS Conference in New Orleans” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International

English Woman Jailed For Six Months For False Rape Claim

We have often discussed controversies involving false rape allegations and the resulting punishment for such crimes. I have previously discussed the pattern of prosecutors in either not charging false rape victims or seeking relatively light sentences despite the incarceration of innocent men. (here, here, here, here, here, and here). One case of jail time came be found this week in England where Wendy Willson, 62, alleged that she had been raped and caused an intensive investigation. Later the police determined that the allegation was made for financial gain. She received six months in jail.

Continue reading “English Woman Jailed For Six Months For False Rape Claim” →

Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

High-Ranking Egyptian Official Finds Source Of Violence and Extremism . . . In Tom and Jerry?

TomandJerryTitleCardcThe rise of ISIS and other groups has left the entire region of the Middle East in smoking ruins with tens of thousands of innocent victims. So when the head of Egypt’s State Information Service Salah Abdel Sadek said at Cairo University that he had traced the source for such violence, many thought that they would hear a frank discussion of Islamic extremism. Yet, instead of Bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the culprit proved (at least in part) to be none of than Tom and Jerry.

Continue reading “High-Ranking Egyptian Official Finds Source Of Violence and Extremism . . . In Tom and Jerry?” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

Egyptian President Announces That Civil Liberties Are Just A “Western Perspective” That Has No Place In Egypt

sisi-mouseBacked by the United States, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has led a crackdown on civil liberties in Egypt, particularly when it comes to critics and journalists. In Egypt, a teenager was jailed for cartoons of Muhammad and a leading businessman was attacked for a cartoon of Micky Mouse with a beard. Then there was the three-year sentence given Amr Nohan, a 22-year-old law graduate for posting a Facebook image of al-Sisi with Mickey Mouse-style cartoon ears shown above. A leading cartoonist Islam Gawish, 26, was arrested in Egypt by the hyper sensitive al-Sisi government. This year, al-Sisi went after journalists who dared to even criticize his policies as a criminal act against the state. Now al-Sisi has finally had enough with the pretense of civil liberties. On Wednesday, he reportedly rejected even the notion that civil liberties should apply to Egypt as a “Western perspective.” In other words, such freedoms have no place in Egypt. What is really remarkable is that he told his to a congressional delegation from the United States without fear of any question over the massive aid that he receives from this country.

Continue reading “Egyptian President Announces That Civil Liberties Are Just A “Western Perspective” That Has No Place In Egypt” →

Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Turkish Legislators Seeking To Create Islamic Constitution Balk At References To Oscar Wilde

220px-Erdogan_croppedOscar_Wilde_SaronyJust when you thought that Turkey could not get more frightening under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamic parties, you get a story like this one. Turkish lawmakers were debating Erdogan’s effort to adopt an Islamic constitution and further increase his authoritarian powers. A member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) sought to quote Oscar Wilde when members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) objected that they had no idea who Wilde is and thought he was quoting from the Oscar movie awards. When the meaning was made clear, these Erdogan drones objected that it was a reference from a Western source. Of course, as Wilde noted, “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”

Continue reading “Turkish Legislators Seeking To Create Islamic Constitution Balk At References To Oscar Wilde” →

Bizarre, International, Religion

Indonesia Village Finds Sex Doll On Beach And Proclaims That It Is A Living Angel and Gives It A Hijab For Modesty

_89547397_032748100-1In an example of how religious fervor can overwhelm basic judgment, the residents of a remote Indonesia village called Kalupapi recently discovered what they believed to be an “angel” on a beach. They described a being of “shining white, (with) round eyes with red eyebrows” that was naked, crying and only clothed in a white cloth after descending from the heavens. Police seized what they said was far from angelic: a sex toy that was tossed over the side of a boat.

Continue reading “Indonesia Village Finds Sex Doll On Beach And Proclaims That It Is A Living Angel and Gives It A Hijab For Modesty” →

International, Politics, Society

Airlines Rack Up Huge Profits As Passengers Face Shrinking Seats And Rising Fees

ori_402-34292-2215352-Orig-Canadian-Pacific-AIRLINES-Poster-White-1960s-FRL9103MCCPAWe have been following the increasing lines at security checkpoints in our airports due to budget cuts and TSA incompetence while airlines pile on extra charges for passengers while reducing both room and comfort to the level of cattle cars. As passengers are treated with level more regard than cattle by TSA and the airlines, the airlines themselves are racking up huge profits. Indeed, the most recent report shows that U.S. airlines had a combined $25.6 billion in net earnings last year. Yet, the airlines successfully lobbied to kill a bill in Congress that would have required such things as the publication of leg room on seats.

Continue reading “Airlines Rack Up Huge Profits As Passengers Face Shrinking Seats And Rising Fees” →

Academia, Bizarre, International, Society

“Something So Black And Wonderful Had Happened”: Rhodes Scholar At Oxford Under Fire After Gleefully Making White Waitress Cry Over Tip

images33B5ED3900000578-3568590-image-m-53_1462142686173There is a deeply disturbing controversy out of one of South Africa. Ntokozo Qwabe is an Oxford student who has received incredible privileges as a Rhodes Scholar and looking at virtually limitless opportunities. However, when he and a friend went to eat recently, they refused to leave a tip for a waitress because she was white and instead left a note that reduced Ashleigh Schultz, 24, in tears. Qwabe, who has led a campaign to remove a Cecil Rhodes statue at Oxford, displayed not only his own racism but lack of humanity in the treatment of Schultz, particularly in posting a gleeful account of who he made Schultz cry “typical white tears.” He celebrated on line that he and his friend were “unable to stop smiling because something so black and wonderful had happened.”

Continue reading ““Something So Black And Wonderful Had Happened”: Rhodes Scholar At Oxford Under Fire After Gleefully Making White Waitress Cry Over Tip” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Philippino Presidential Frontrunner Jokes About Pledges To Pardon Human Rights Abusers Including Himself

220px-Rodrigo_Duterte_(2009)If you thought Donald Trump was raising eyebrows in a presidential election with his support for torture and killing the families of terrorists, he appears perfectly moderate in comparison to Philippine presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte likes to comment on his genitals and recently attracted international criticism for a disgusting joke about his desire to rape a female minister who was savagely killed in 1989. Now he is being quoted as saying that he would pardon himself for mass murder if elected and hand out thousands of pardons to government officials accused of such crimes.

Continue reading “Philippino Presidential Frontrunner Jokes About Pledges To Pardon Human Rights Abusers Including Himself” →

Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Lawyering, Society

Disgorging The Record: Russian Lawyer Caught Eating Evidence In Judge’s Chambers

338B3DF000000578-3559294-image-a-1_1461668927275Lawyers often try to take a bite out of the evidence but one Russian lawyer takes that expression to a literal degree. This Russian lawyer was caught on CCTV actually eating the report showing the level of alcohol in his client’s system at the time of an automobile accident. The video is below.

Continue reading “Disgorging The Record: Russian Lawyer Caught Eating Evidence In Judge’s Chambers” →

Academia, Bizarre, International

Bamboccioni: Italian Court Orders Father To Pay For His 28-Year-Old Son’s Advanced Degree Education

tumblr_md0qu0Pggt1qggdq1In Italy, there is a term “bamboccioni” or chubby child or big babies to refer to children who are staying with their parents for longer and longer periods into their adult years. One decision however has shocked many Italians in Modena in Northern Italy where a court ordered a middle-aged father to keep supporting his 28-year-old son financially. The son wants another academic degree and the court held that the father remains liable for the costs.

Continue reading “Bamboccioni: Italian Court Orders Father To Pay For His 28-Year-Old Son’s Advanced Degree Education” →

Constitutional Law, International, Religion

Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Calls For Islamic State

İsmail_Kahraman_Ankara_cropped220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganWe have followed the rapid decline of civil liberties under the authoritarian rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the past few years as well as his empowering of Islamic parties in the once secular state. When Erdogan first ran, he assured Turks that he was committed to the secular traditions and constitution of the country. He then did precisely the opposite in power by chipping away at secular laws, introducing Islamic governing principles, and assuming authoritarian power. Now,Turkish Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman has finally taken Erdogan’s policies to their natural conclusion and called for the dismantling of secular government and the creation of an Islamic state. Now, Erdogan is again saying “trust me” and, that secular values remain safe in his hand..

Continue reading “Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Calls For Islamic State” →

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

Dutch Newspaper Publishes Front Page Cartoon Mocking Erdogan After The Arrest Of Dutch Journalist

Cg3jHtBWIAAAf4iAs Western leaders like Angela Merkel cave into the authoritarian demands of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in crushing free speech, journalists and cartoonists are fighting back. After a Dutch journalist was arrested in Turkey this weekend for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the most-read newspaper in the Netherlands threw down the gauntlet and published a front-page editorial cartoon that shows Erdogan as an ape crushing Europe’s free speech. Since Erdogan demands the prosecution of journalists even outside of Turkey who insult him, the publication could force another confrontation with the aspiring dictator. In the meantime, the West (including the United States) continue to prop up Erdogan as he destroys secular government in Turkey, arrests journalists, and denies the most basic forms of free speech.

Continue reading “Dutch Newspaper Publishes Front Page Cartoon Mocking Erdogan After The Arrest Of Dutch Journalist” →

Bizarre, International, Society

Winnipeg Mother Faces Child Welfare Inspection and Questioning After Allowing Her Children To Play Alone In Their Fenced-In Backyard

Coat_of_arms_of_Manitoba.svgWe have another bizarre case of child welfare overreach on the same week as a story where child welfare officials appear to have ignored one of the worst cases of child abuse in recent memory in Washington state. In Winnipeg, Jacqui Kendrick, a stay-at-home mom, was called out by Child and Family Services because she let her children play in her fenced-in backyard. That’s right, a neighbor called to complain that children were playing on their own in their own fenced-in backyard.

Continue reading “Winnipeg Mother Faces Child Welfare Inspection and Questioning After Allowing Her Children To Play Alone In Their Fenced-In Backyard” →

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

Turkey Arrests Western Journalist For Criticizing Erdoğan

220px-EbruUmar220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganOur close ally in Turkey this week is continuing his comprehensive attack on free speech and free exercise. A Dutch journalist, Ebru Umar, a well-known atheist and feminist journalist, is the latest victim of the crackdown by Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan was recently given a boost to his scorched earth campaign by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to first apologize to him for a comedian making fun of him in Germany but also approved a prosecution of the comedian . As Merkel abandoned any semblance of free speech in Germany to appease Erdoğan, the authoritarian leader set out to punish Western journalists in his own country who dared to criticize him. Umar recently wrote a piece critical of Erdoğan for the Dutch daily Metro, extracts of which she then tweeted. Her last tweet chillingly said “Police at the door. No joke.”

Continue reading “Turkey Arrests Western Journalist For Criticizing Erdoğan” →