For many years, it has been suspected that workers at factories making microwave buttered popcorn have a higher risk of lung cancer. Called “popcorn lung,” this condition has now been found in at least one consumer. Denver doctors have notified the government that the case involves an individual who made the popcorn several times a day. While this is a lot of popcorn consumption, it is not a great deal of exposure when you consider most risks found in defective products. The suspected culprit is the diacetyl in butter flavorings, which is an approved flavor from the FDA. This is now shaping up into a classic products case and the industry will have to decide what steps to take after being notified of the potential dangers to consumers. For the full story, click here
Category: Uncategorized
It appears that the will of Leona Helmsley may go unfulfilled in critical parts. State law prevents Helmsley’s dog from being buried with her. Helmsley left the eight-year-old Maltese $12 million to live on — an amount viewed widely as obscene, particularly after Helmsley’s notorious treatment of employees, cutting off family members, and financially ruining her son’s widow. Now, her brother has indicated that he will not comply with the demand to take care of the dog.
An American company has filed for rights to half a billion dollars in treasure from a 17th Century merchant ship. Note how ambiguous the filing is on the location.
Click here for story. Such finds are often contested by nearby nations over locations and whether the find is in international waters.
Sen. Craig’s suggestion that he is considering re-visiting his plea with the assistance of counsel is not without merit — it is only fatally delayed. There is much to challenge in this arrest. The officer was relying on highly interpretive conclusions about his actions. Had he challenged the arrest, he could have argued that the evidence did not establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Continue reading “Legal Challenge to Craig Charges is Valid — But Likely Too Late”
A judge in Montana was asked by a defendant to “let it be” after citing “the beetles.” The judge responded with not just a corrective sentence but an opinion correcting the defendant’s understanding of the beatles.
For the full story, click here
Reserachers believe that they have finally uncovered who killed Beethoven and the culprit is Andreas Wawruch, his doctor.
Beethoven died in 1827 at the age 57 and there has been long speculation over the cause or even whether he was murdered. Now, it appears that his doctor gave him lethal levels of lead in his treatment.
For the full story, click here
In Iowa, a wife is claiming that she did not murder her husband. Rather he walked into a four-inch paring knive that drove deeply into his chest. Found in the bedroom was a book entitled “After the Affair.”
For the story, click here
A recent question on the educational system in the United States for a beauty queen may be the greatest argument for increasing immigration in this country to guarantee a small margin of intellectually viable humans to carry on basic institutions.
Caution: this is painful to watch, but click here if you dare.
The U.S. military is trying to repair the damage of giving out a ball with the Saudi flag and the name of Allah spelled out on it. The idea of kicking Allah’s name succeeded in outraging the locals in Afghanistan.
For the full story, click here
I once had dinner with a Texas judge who asked me if I knew where Jesus lived. When I answered no, he replied “he lives at Huntsville Prison because all my prisoners tell me they find him there.”
Today, Michael Vick became the latest to find Jesus in the post-plea stage of his life. He appears to have shown “bad judgment” in carrying on the medieval form of entertainment known as dog fighting — simply a matter of “growing up.” I have four kids under nine and, without growing up, they would be physically ill to watch what Vick enjoyed as entertainment.
For the full story, click here
The New York Times is reporting that Alberto Gonzales will finally resign today as attorney general of the United States. It is a sad end to what should have been a historic term for the first hispanic to hold that office. As one of the critics of Gonzales, it is hard not to feel a sense of relief but that is also tempered by a feeling of tremendous waste. I expect that Gonzales may look back at his controversial tenure in a few years and wonder whether he would have better served the president, the country, and indeed himself but being a voice of independence in the government. Instead, Gonzales made a career as the enabler for George W. Bush. When they wanted to strip citizens of all of the constitutional rights at the whim of the president, Gonzales was there to say it was fine. When they wanted to engage in torture, Gonzales was there with a pen in hand. One can only wonder how much better this president would have fared if he had a lawyer prepared to tell him that he did not have such Caesar like qualities.
In a startling report, CNN is revealing that the grand jury that declined to indict on second-degree murder charges against a doctor and two nurses for four deaths. Continue reading “Report: New Orleans Grand Jury Never Heard Expert Testimony Supporting Murder Against the Doctors”
The Secret Service has often been criticized for interrogating everyone from cartoonists to kids about statements deemed threatening to a president. Now, they have succeeded in locating a man who was involuntarily committed as insane for saying insane things about hurting the presidents. Continue reading “The Secret Service Snags an Insane Man Saying Insane Things”
Well-known attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who represented Jack Kevorkian, has been indicted on charges of conspiring to make more than $125,000 in illegal contributions to the 2004 presidential campaign of Democrat John Edwards. Continue reading “Geoffrey Fieger Indicted on Illegal Contributions to Edwards”
A man claiming dual U.S. and French citizenship has successfully resisted extradition to Chicago to face murder charges.
Hans Peterson allegedly killed Dr. David Cornbleet, after acne drugs left him impotent. He would only face a maximum of 20 years in France for the murder. He claims French citizenship through his mother.
For the story, click here