The corruption of Nigeria has long been breathtaking. Indeed, what would normally be alarming (like a politician with millions in cash in his room) is treated as perfectly understandable in Nigeria. Take the recent theft reported by Senate President Bukola Saraki, who said that ₦300 million(about $1.6 million) disappeared from his room. Police are questioning aides as well as some members of the security detail but not pressing on the fact that Saraki had huge amounts of cash sent to his hotel room.
Category: Society
There is a highly disturbing report out of the Federal Election Commission that, again, raises the inclination of some commissioners to curtail free speech under loose regulatory standards. A recent report indicates that two top Democrats voted to investigate former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for what their own staff viewed as an obvious joke. In the video, Huckabee (available here) clearly is joking in a speech when he said that he hoped supporters would shower him with million dollar contributions. Indeed, if Huckabee was going to violate federal law, he would hardly have done it in an open speech. Yet, Commissioners Ann Ravel and Ellen Weintraub still threw common sense (and respect for free speech) out the window in backing a complaint against Huckabee.
Below is my column in USA Today on the striking similarities between Richard Nixon and Hillary Clinton, particularly with regard to the staffers surrounding them. Both tended to blame others about being, to paraphrase Nixon, “kicked around.” However, there are deeper and rather disturbing patterns emerging that are shared by the two leaders in my view.
We have been discussing the erosion of free speech and academic standards at our universities and colleges. What is alarming is not only the pace of such demands but the support of some faculty to stripping away core courses and historical references. The latest such example can be found at Yale University with undergraduate students have demanded that the English department abolish the prerequisite course requirement to study such writers as Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton. Students claim that it is “unacceptable that a Yale student considering studying English literature might read only white male authors.” Of course, this is not the only course for students but simply one course designed to introduce students to “major English poets.” However, the students find it oppressive and some faculty support their cause like English Professor Jill Richards who insisted that “it is unacceptable that the two-semester requirement for all majors routinely covers the work of eight white, male poets.” The students have demanded that “It’s time for the English major to decolonize — not diversify — its course offerings.”
There was an emotional and dangerous moment in court last week when Van Terry faced the murderer of his daughter Shirellda Terry. Terry was giving his victim statement when his understandable emotions took over and he leapt over the table to attack Michael Madison, as captured on videotape.
Continue reading “Ohio Father Attacks Serial Killer After He Grins During Victim Impact Statement”
For those supporting the British exit from the European Union, a new video could not come at a better time. EU critics have argued that Britain is being ruled by five “presidents” that no one can name and Brits have little voice in selecting. As if on cue, one of those five –Luxembourgish politician Jean-Claude Juncker — appeared in public in what appears to be an inebriated state — even playfully slapping people.
Continue reading “President of EU Commission Caught Apparently Drunk in Public Event”
By Darren Smith, Weekend contributor
An environmental advocacy group alleges that a Seattle recycling company disposed of electronics in overseas nations without following contractually mandated recycling practices. Seattle based “Total Reclaim” now faces investigation by the Washington State Department of Ecology and the potential loss of state contracts.
Environment NGO “Basel Action Network” initiated a two-year investigation of recycling methods by using, among others things, GPS transponders in two hundred devices hidden in recycled items dropped off at recycling locations throughout the United States. BAN then tracked the devices to record their migration and if the material did in-fact arrive at large recycling locations.
Reportedly thirty percent of electronic recyclables instead arrived in foreign nations such as Kenya, Hong Kong and Mexico; locations having questionable environmental practices.
The academic world lost a gifted member in the murder of UCLA professor William Klug, who was gunned down by a former student Mainak Sarkar, 38. Sarkar is a former doctoral student that Klug mentored and was upset about his grades, according to police. Sarkar left what is described as a “kill list” that led police to the body of a Minnesota woman who was gunned down in her home. The list included another professor’s name, but thankfully that professor was not hurt.
Continue reading “UCLA Professor Killed By Former Doctoral Student”
The former information technology adviser to Hillary Clinton is reportedly intending to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination at a deposition next week in answering questions about Clinton’s decision to use an unsecure personal server exclusively in her communications as Secretary of State. Bryan Pagliano made the disclosure in a court filing where he also sought to prevent the videotaping of his invocation of the privilege against self-incrimination.
Continue reading “Former Clinton IT Advisor To Take The Fifth In Deposition On Email Scandal”
We have been discussing the rollback of free speech on university and college campuses, particularly when it comes to conservatives or right-to-life advocates. As discussed recently, conservative speaker Milo Yiannopoulous has been the target of some of the most egregious effort to silence certain speakers and prevent other students from hearing opposing views. The latest such protest was held at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). After protesters blocked fellow students and faculty from entering to hear Yiannopoulous, campus police found an alternative avenue for the audience. However, a bomb threat was later called in and the room cleared by police. Once again, there does not appear to be outrage at the effort of students to block access to such speeches for other students and the denial of free speech on campus. I have no problem with protests but preventing speakers from being heard runs against the core values of an academic community.
The Louisiana Supreme Court has issued an interesting ruling for a new trial for two medical malpractice plaintiffs due to the conduct of Judge Timothy Ellender — conduct described as “bizarre and disturbing.” This is not the first such finding of improper conduct by Ellender, though there was a dissent based on the evidence cited for this conduct in the medical malpractice trial.
Continue reading “New Trial Ordered in Louisiana Due To Judge’s “Bizarre and Disturbing” Conduct”
We recently discussed the tragedy in Chile where a man sought to commit suicide by jumping into a lion enclosure at the zoo — resulting in two lions being shot and killed to protect him. Now in Cincinnati, a parent failed to properly supervise her 4-year-old son who fell into gorilla enclosure. Even though the lowland gorilla did not seem to be trying to hurt the child, he was nevertheless killed to guarantee the safety of the child. Many commentators have called for the parents to be prosecuted for the loss of Harambe.
This glum fellow is Stephen Gidcumb who has been arrested for counterfeiting. What is interesting about the case is that Gidcumb used his personal computer to generate the $100 bill and the counterfeiting was discovered by a strip joint. Indeed, Gidcumb appears to have returned to the club not long after passing on the fake bill. Not surprisingly, the club is named Déjà Vu.
Continue reading “Déjà Vu: Michigan Man Arrested For Passing Counterfeiting $100 Bill To Stripper”
Muslim cleric Mallam Abass Mahmud in Ghana has explained the real cause of earthquakes. Never mind those pesky seismologists and tectonic plates. The real cause it appears are gays and specifically gay sex. It is not clear if the level of gay relations corresponds to the Richter scale in the intensity of earthquakes.
Continue reading “Muslim Cleric In Ghana Proclaims That Gay Couples Cause Earthquakes”
Iran this month reminded the world that it remains entirely committed to the medieval Sharia legal system. Over 30 college students participated in a graduation party but were arrested by Iranian police for participating in a mixed gender party. Each of the students was given 99 lashes under the Islamic law.