Virginia Tech Offers Settlement to Families of Victims in 2007 Shooting

Virginia Tech massacre is offering $100,000 to each of the 32 families of victims killed in the 2007 shooting rampage of Seung-Hui Cho. The offer is a relatively low given the strong case of negligence by the University and the higher averages for wrongful death awards. Continue reading “Virginia Tech Offers Settlement to Families of Victims in 2007 Shooting”

Alabama Judge Orders Courtroom into a “Circle of Prayer”

tn_6-12-07_07c.jpg In Alabama, Presiding Covington County Circuit Judge M. Ashley McKathan has long been criticized for his insistence on practice religion and law at the same time. Now, he is being cited for ordering 100 people to form a “circle of prayer” and then dropping to his knees in prayer in his courtroom. Continue reading “Alabama Judge Orders Courtroom into a “Circle of Prayer””

Congress and the President Force Mars Rovers to Be Shutdown Temporarily Due to Budget Cuts

It is hard to express the anger that comes with the following story. It appears that after refusing to cut billions in pork and wasteful earmarks, Congress and President Bush have cut the NASA’s budget and forced scientists to curtail their research on Mars. Scientists planned to put one of the twin Mars rovers to sleep and to try to meet the shortfall. Now, after a public outcry, NASA has rescinded the order. Continue reading “Congress and the President Force Mars Rovers to Be Shutdown Temporarily Due to Budget Cuts”

Ready to Serve: Clinton Aide Sidney Blumenthal To Plead Guilty to DWI

2190248533_6ffd62f705_o.jpg Sidney Blumenthal, a top aide to Hillary Clinton and a past aide to Bill Clinton, will plead guilty in New Hampshire to drunk driving. It makes this a particularly bad day for the Sen. Clinton. She is being pummeled by questions over her Iraq vote after the death count passed 4000. Gov. Richardson not only endorsed Obama but criticized her campaign for “gutter” tactics. And then there is the release of the video below debunking a claim that she made concerning a landing in Bosnia under sniper fire as first lady . . . and its only Monday. Continue reading “Ready to Serve: Clinton Aide Sidney Blumenthal To Plead Guilty to DWI”

Craig List Prank Leads to Ransacking of Oregon Home

There is a fascinating case emerging from Oregon. Someone posted a couple of hoax ads on Craigslist that announced that Robert Salisbury had left the area and that all of his possessions were free for the taking, including a horse. Salisbury found people ransacking his home and tried to stop people who had their trucks filled with his belongings. They refused to give them back and in doing so could be (and should be) charged criminally and sued civilly. As for Craigslist, it is notable that this is not the first time this type of hoax has been perpetrated through its site. Continue reading “Craig List Prank Leads to Ransacking of Oregon Home”

Detriot Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Criminally Charged and Could Faced 15 Years in Prison

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Prosecutors have charged Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with perjury and other criminal counts tied to his effort to conceal and deny an affair with his former aide, Christine Beatty. Beatty was hit with perjury and obstruction charges as well. Things are likely to get worse before they get better for both of the defendants. Continue reading “Detriot Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Criminally Charged and Could Faced 15 Years in Prison”

Indian Tantrik Tries to Kill Man on Television with Black Magic

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Now, this is reality TV at its best. This month, Indians were glued to their television as India’s leading tantrik or black magician Pandit Surinder Sharma tried repeatedly to kill atheist Sanal Edamaruku first with a death-causing tantra and then later with the “ultimate destruction ceremony” on live TV. This display was the result of a high-ranking government official Uma Bharati (former chief minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh) accusing her political opponents of using tantrik to cause disasters in her life. Continue reading “Indian Tantrik Tries to Kill Man on Television with Black Magic”

Spitzer’s Socks and Stone’s Secret: Political Intrigue and Personal Hosiery Cited in Spitzer Scandal

Not since Sandy Berger have socks figured so prominently in a major Washington scandal. It appears that former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer may have been fingered by Republican political operative Roger Stone. Strangely, Stone’s lawyer cited the fact that Spitzer never took off his knee high socks during a sexual encounter as a key factual element to prove the accuracy of the source. Continue reading “Spitzer’s Socks and Stone’s Secret: Political Intrigue and Personal Hosiery Cited in Spitzer Scandal”

Pilot’s Gun Goes Off in Cockpit on US Airways Flight

There were many objections to arming pilots after 9-11 — not the least with the danger of intentionally adding a gun to flights that could be taken by terrorists or mishandled by pilots. For those critics, a US Airways flight from Denver will likely be cited often: a pilot accidentally discharged his weapon in the cockpit during the flight.

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