We previously discussed the lawsuit by 3M Co. against Covington & Burling over its alleged conflict of interest and violation of its duty to 3M in representing the state against 3M in an environmental case. In a major conflicts decision (and a major embarrassment for Covington), a court has found that the firm betrayed its former client and “exhibited a conscious disregard for its duties of confidentiality, candor, full disclosure, and loyalty to 3M by failing to raise its conflicts arising from the fact that it previously advised and represented 3M.”
Category: Society
One can certainly understand why Ryan Adams is a bit confused in Pflugerville, Texas. After a dove hit the side of his house and broke its neck, Adams decided to eat it. He proceeded to post a picture and the recipe on cooking the Texas white-winged dove on the Internet. The doves are killed in the thousands by hunters in the U.S. and Mexico during this season. However, because he did not shoot the dove himself with a license, he has found himself the target of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
I saw this picture on Reddit and had to share it. It raises vividly the problem this country continues to have over excessive packaging.
We have previously discussed the growing trend to charge people for rescues in parks and remote areas — particularly where there is evidence of negligence. While I have opposed this trend, defenders of the policy could now cite to He Liesheng, known as the “Eagle Dad.” The father had to be rescued from the top of Mount Fuji after taking nothing more than a cup of water and a chocolate bar for the three of them. This is not the first bad landing for the Eagle Dad.
Continue reading “The Eagle Dad Has Landed: Chinese Father and Children Rescued After Climbing Mount Fuji With Only A Cup of Water and Chocolate Bar”
There has been continuing controversy over the heavy use of stop and frisks in New York — 700,000 in just 2011 alone. Only 2 percent turned up contraband and minority groups have objected to what they claim is profiling and harassment. This video gives an insight into the type of abuse that can occur in such incidents. In this video, a teenager named Alvin is stopped by three officers on the grounds that he looks “suspicious.” The officers are caught calling him a “fuckin’ mutt” and threatening to break his arm and beat him. He is roughed up and repeatedly told to “shut the fuck up” when he tries to ask questions.
Dr. Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon, has published a book “Proof of Heaven” that purports to show his personal view of the afterlife. Alexander says that he was a skeptic until he fell into a coma in 2008 with meningitis. He then claims to have experienced consciousness after death. He describes how he found himself greeted by a beautiful blue-eyed woman in a “place of clouds, big fluffy pink-white ones” and “shimmering beings.” He then came out of the coma . . . and eventually wrote a book.
The Pennsylvania’s Court of Judicial Discipline has found that Traffic Court Judge Willie F. Singletary is guilty of bringing his office into disrepute in a bizarre case involving the judge holding “photo sessions” with his genitals . . . and then showing the picture on his iPhone to a Traffic Court cashier. It was not the first time that Singletary has run afoul of standard of judicial decorum. However, his alleged “grooming” of his member for the photo display appears to have been enough to force his resignation. He is shown here in his other job — as pastor at a West Philadelphia church that he founded.
We have another despicable crime committed by fanatics in the name of religion. Malala Yousufzai, 14, is an incredibly brave girl who wrote about the atrocities against women and girls under Taliban rule — writing about conditions and crimes in the area. She was honored internationally for her advocacy. A Taliban gunman walked on to her bus as it was leaving her school and asked for her by name. Another girl pointed her out but Malala denied being the girl so the gunman shot both girls in the name of Allah.
This week the Supreme Court will find itself facing yet again the question of the use of race in higher education. It is question that the Court failed to definitively answer in 1978 and then again in 2003 and will now try again in 2012. Fisher v. University of Texas Austin however has the makings of a decision that could not only answer the question with finality but effectively bar the use of race in admissions in higher education. While the Court has repeatedly allowed the limited use of race for the purposes of achieving diversity in classes, the record of these programs suggests that this one factor is difficult to confine and tends to overwhelm other considerations. The Court now appears to have the votes to adopt a bright-line rule that ends decades of experimentation with this controversial factor.
Continue reading “Supreme Court Takes Up Affirmative Action In Higher Education”
David Siegel, the founder and CEO of real estate company Westgate Resorts, is a true piece of work. The billionaire real estate mogul sent a letter to employees that threatened to fire many of his employees if Obama is reelected and told them to consider that when they voted in November. The letter informed his workers that “What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration.” Forbes has pictures of the struggling Joe Six Pack in his gilded throne and equally gilded wife.
Reflecting a trend in other Western nations, Americans who describe themselves as without a religion continue to grow in number. They now represent one-fifth of all Americans and a huge one-third of adults under 30. It is an incredible disconnect with our politicians who continue in both parties to push faith-based politics. Some of these individuals may believe in the concept of a divine being but not associate with a particular religion. Perhaps sensing this trend toward agnostic and atheist views, U.S. politicians have increased their attacks on those who do not believe in an almighty being (here and here).
Edward Archbold, 32, had secured the world’s least appealing title this week: champion roach eater. However, the Florida man then collapsed and died in front of the Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach.
Continue reading “Roaches Revenge? Florida Man Collapses and Dies After Roach Eating Contest”
This YouTube video shows a rather bizarre scene as QVC co-host Cassie Lane passes out. However her co-host continues to pitch the sale without missing a beat.
Below is my column today in USA Today. We are now just a month away from the presidential election and our continued inexplicable use of the Electoral College. I have previously discussed steps that we can take to reform our political system. However, the starting point should be the elimination of the electoral college and the requirement that our presidents be elected by a direct and majority vote. As with other leading countries, we should allow for a runoff to guarantee that every president enters office with the support of over half of the voters.
Annika Eriksson is not your usual lunch lady. The Swedish lunch lady often served fresh bread and vegetables to the children at her school in Falun, Sweden. The school district soon heard of the rave reviews from students and teachers alike. It moved quickly to stop Eriksson — telling her to serve the same fare as other schools so not to give her students a better meal than other students. It is managing a school to the lowest common denominator. Rather than striving for all schools to serve better food, it was easier to reduce the quality at the leading school.