Category: Society

Bizarre, Politics, Religion, Society

GOP Senatorial Candidate: God Intended Rape Victims To Get Pregnant

Honestly, what is the problem with rape and Republican candidates this year? First, Rep. Todd Akin loses a lock on a Senate seat by holding forth on “legitimate rape” and how women possess some magic ability to prevent pregnancies by rapists. Now, Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock (who defeated respected Senator Richard Lugar) has proclaimed with only a few weeks to go in the election that the impregnation of women in rape is part of God’s plan. What happened to the good old day when GOP candidates primarily followed a formula campaign based on lower taxes and longer criminal sentences?

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Society, Torts

Ask Not What Your Doctor Can Do For You . . . : Patients Charged For Asking Too Many Questions

There is an interesting story about patients who are charged more if they ask too many questions of their doctors. In the case of Susan Krantz, a doctor charged her for two visits because she asked too many questions about his diagnosis. It is an interesting trend since consent is the common defense to malpractice. However, if you ask too many questions before giving consent, you are charged by some doctors.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Small is Beautiful: Seventh Circuit Rules $1200 Bribe Not Enough To Constitute A Bribe Under Federal Law

There is an interesting decision out of Chicago in which  Judge William Bauer (left) finds that a Chicago zoning inspector is innocent of federal bribery because the bribes were too modest to constitute the prescribed crime. Dominick Owens was convicted under a federal statute  for taking two $600 bribes to issue certificates of occupancy for four homes.  However, the federal law states a $5000 threshold and the court ruled that the value of the bribes fell below that definition. It is a curious bribery statute that effectively distinguishes between federal non-criminal and criminal bribes on the basis of their worth.

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Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Science, Society

Leading Italian Scientists Convicted Of Failing To Predict 2009 Earthquake

In a blow to science and rational thought, Italian prosecutors have succeeded in convicting seven of that country’s leading scientists of manslaughter for failing to predict the 2009 earthquake that struck central Italy. Despite objections from the world’s science community that such accurate and consistent predictions are still impossible, the government blamed the scientists for failing to alert the public that an earthquake was coming.

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Bizarre, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

After Calling For International Blasphemy Crime: Egyptian President Morsi Participates In Service Calling For The Annihilation of All Jews and Israel

You many recall the demand of Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi for a new anti-blasphemy law at the United Nations. One of Mursi’s chief aides, Emad Abdel Ghaffour, “we call for legislation or a resolution to criminalize contempt of Islam as a religion and its Prophet. The voice of reason in the West will prevail if there is mutual respect, dialogue and efficient lobbying for this critical resolution.” That does not appear to be a two-way street with Morsi or his followers. Morsi was shown this week attending prayers and listening to cleric Futouh Abd Al-Nabi Mansour calling for the destruction of all Jews and their supporters. Observers report that Morsi not only did not object or distance himself from the remarks, but appears to say “Amen” after the specific call for death to all Jews.

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Criminal law, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Texas Judge Faces Bar Hearing Over Alleged Abuses As District Attorney

One of the most common complaints by civil libertarians is that prosecutors who abuse the system or rights of defendants are rarely held accountable when convictions are later thrown out. Some like Nancy Grace actually make television careers based on their checkered record as prosecutors. One exception is the Texas proceedings against Texas judge and former Williamson County District Attorney Ken Anderson, who is accused of withholding evidence and making false statements during the 1987 trial of Michael Morton for the murder of his wife. Despite the allegations of his abuses as a prosecutor, Anderson was elevated to the bench to mete out justice as a judge.

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Academia, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Science, Society

Turkish Schoolchildren Issued Anti-Semitic and Anti-Darwin Textbooks

Turkey was long a bastion of secular politics — a rare position in the Muslim world. After the ascension of an Islamic party-controlled government, however, religious extremism is taking hold in a variety of areas to the alarm of civil libertarians in Turkey and around the world. The most recent example is a series of books issued to schoolchildren that are filled with anti-Semitic and anti-Darwinian references. Darwin is actually described as a Jew (he wasn’t) with a big nose and a weird fetish for monkeys.

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Politics, Society

Credit Card Survey Shows Forty Percent Of Americans Have No More Than $500 In Accessible Savings

The level of debt and poverty in the country was reflected in a shocking polls conducted by CreditDonkey.com, a website that compares credit card offers. The survey of over a thousand individuals found that forty percent do not have more than $500 in readily accessible savings.

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Courts, International, Politics, Society, Things That Tick Me Off, Uncategorized

Did Romney Profit from the Auto Bailout?

Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw)- Guest Blogger

If he said it once, Mitt Romney has said it a thousand times.  President Obama should have let GM and Chrysler go bankrupt instead of “bailing” them out. (paraphrased)  Of course, the discussion usually revolves around how Unions allegedly made out like bandits in the bailout to the detriment of the country and our economy.  What has been selectively left out of the discussion was the role played in the bailout by vulture capitalists in reaping an enormous profit from the bailout.  According to Greg Palast, the bailout created an opportunity for the vultures to swoop in and make huge profits.   All at tax payer expense! Continue reading “Did Romney Profit from the Auto Bailout?” →

Politics, Society

The Al Smith Dinner: I Have To Give This One To Romney

Having watched the Al Smith dinner last night, I have to cast my vote with Mitt Romney as the better delivery and jokes though President Obama had some good material as well. You decide, but let’s put ideology to side and for once just focused on what matters: the jokes. While we are not selecting the comedian in chief, at least we have a common measure of success in a roast.

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Academia, Bizarre, Society

A is for Apple, B is for . . . : Teacher Mistakenly Places Topless Photo On School iPad . . . Students Suspended For Seeing It

I just saw a rather bizarre story out of Anderson, Indiana where middle school students were using a school-issued Apple  iPad in class when a picture of their topless teacher suddenly popped up. The students, who did nothing but use the device, were suspended and are threatened with expulsion while the teacher has been subject to unspecified action by the school.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Rough Start: New Democratic Council Member Arrested For Stealing Signs and Destroying Farm Field

Alburtis Councilman Kyle A. Bower has gotten an early start as a politician in trouble with the law. The Democratic city councilman has been arrested for allegedly stealing GOP campaign signs and damaging a farm field. Such violations would usually result in bail but he is on probation for other charges.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Politics, Religion, Society

Leading Pianist and Secularist Charged With Blasphemy In Turkey

Last Sunday, I published a column on “The Death of Free Speech”, highlighting the continuing threat of blasphemy prosecutions around the world.  This week we have yet another such disturbing case.  Well-known Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say appeared in court on Thursday on charges of offending Muslims and insulting Islam in brief Twitter posts.  Say is a celebrated artist who has appeared with both the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and will now face 18 months in jail for making a joke on Twitter. Continue reading “Leading Pianist and Secularist Charged With Blasphemy In Turkey” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Big Chew Leads To Big House: Seattle Police Arrest Man in Cold Case Based On DNA Evidence Obtained Through Fake Chewing Gun Survey

Gary Raub, 63, can claim that he was arrested by a true “gum shoe” detective by the homeless man was tricked to give up his DNA in a fake chewing gum survey. Raub was arrested in Seattle in the death of Blanche Kimball, a 70-year-old retired dental technician in 1976.

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Animals, Criminal law, Society

San Antonio Officer Goes To Wrong House On Call And Shoots Family’s Pet Dog

We have another dog shooting by an officer who went to the wrong house on a call. Albert Morales and his brother Hector Serna were awoken by a San Antonio officer banging on a window of their home before dawn. The officer was at the wrong house in responding to a call about a deceased person. As almost an afterthought, according to Morales, the officer said that he might want to check out his dog.

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