In the latest outrage from China’s burgeoning organ black market, a teenager in China known only as Little Zhern, 17, sold one of his kidneys in arrange to buy an iPad 2.
Continue reading “Now If I Can Only Find a Dialysis App: Chinese Teen Sells Kidney For iPad”
In Laconia, New Hampshire there is an interesting case that may give some of our clients pause before accepting a plea bargain. Jonathan E. Lord, 25, had accepted a plea bargain to spend one year in jail for trying to run over Police officer Michael Finogle. However, Judge James O’Neill III rejected the plea (because he felt the plea was too lenient) so the case went to trial . . . and Lord was acquitted of one felony charge of reckless conduct and two misdemeanor charges of disobeying an officer and reckless operation.
Continue reading “Good Lord: Judge Rejects Plea As Too Lenient, Jury Then Acquits Defendant”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has caused a considerable stir with a warning that cellphones may increase the risk of brain tumors. If you are interested, the study below ranks cellphones by the radiation that they emit. My iPhone seems a bit high, but here is the list.
Continue reading “WHO Warns Cellphone Use Is “Possibly Carcinogenic”: How Much Radiation Does Your Cellphone Emit?”
This amazing photograph has been released by NASA and, if you look closely, you will see a comet speeding to its demise on a collision course with the sun.
Continue reading “A Comet’s End”
This YouTube video features the unlikely sensation known as Steven Kendal, a 53-year-old Telecommunications Specialist from England.
Continue reading “Meet Steven Kendel — England’s Dancing Sensation”
We have been following cases of police detaining or arresting people who either photograph them or photograph public scenes in this country and other countries like England. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has been repeated criticized for stopping citizens engaged in entirely lawful photography. The latest such victim is Christopher Fussell who kept the camera running (below) during the confrontation where officers displayed a complete lack of knowledge of the existing laws — and rights of citizens.
We have previously discussed the dysfunctional effects of baggage fees. Airlines have made air travel a punishing experience with passengers now carrying huge bags on the airplane to save money. The result is that some airlines have actually told travelers not to put their computers or jackets in the overhead compartments — penalizing those who do check their bags. Now a report confirms what we all knew: airline baggage and other add-on fees have gone up 96 percent in just three years. That is an extra $21.5 billion for the airlines with United Airlines leading the pack.
Continue reading “Report: Add-On Fees Roughly Doubled in 2010 for Airlines”
President Obama has made another huge concession to developers and drillers this week. He has abandoned a pledge to restore eligibility for federal wilderness protection to millions of acres of undeveloped land in the West. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who was himself viewed as a decidedly anti-environmental Senator before being picked by Obama, announced that millions of acres will no longer be designated as “wild lands.”
Continue reading “Timber! Obama Reverses Himself On Protecting Millions of Acres of Wildness in New Concession To Developers and Drillers”
Remember when we were told the bailout of the auto companies was just like a loan and we might even make money on it. Well, the President’s National Economic Council has announced that it will cost $14 billion. That is $14 billion out of the original $80 billion bailout.
Continue reading “Auto Industry Bailout to Cost U.S. Taxpayers $14 Billion”
You have to give this dog points for determination.
Continue reading “Dog vs. Bath: The Legendary Battle Continues”
If you said this is the Milky Way, you would be understandably wrong. This is NGC 6744 — what astronomers are calling the twin of the Milky Way.
Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah is the spiritual mentor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and he is not exactly a kid person. After telling the faithful that suicide bombings are required for Muslims in fighting Israel, he declined to make an exception for children.
There is a bizarre case in Italy where Italian prosecutors have charged the country’s top seismologist with manslaughter for failing to predict a natural disaster that struck Italy in 2009. The massive earthquake killed 308 people and they blame Enzo Boschi, the president of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. Six other scientists and technicians are also charged.
Continue reading “Seismic Charge: Italian Prosecutors Charge Seismologists With Manslaughter For Failing To Predict 2009 Quake”
Now this is a novel citation. The Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church has been fined for “excessive pruning” of its its crape myrtles. The city is demanding fines or replacement of the trees.
Continue reading “Church Cited For Excessive Pruning of Trees In Charlotte”
I pledge not to use The Jerk in the following story. Steve Martin has been named as one of the victims in an impressive international forgery scheme. Martin paid $850,000 in July 2004 for Landschaft mit Pferden (Landscape With Horses). Later he sold it at a loss of 200,000 euros to a Swiss businesswoman. It was then found to be a fake.
Continue reading “Real Men Don’t Buy Campendonk: Steven Martin Named As Victim in Massive Forgery Scheme”