Either Ayoub El-Khazzani is a terrorist or one of the unluckiest and most misunderstood men in the world. El-Khazzani is accused of wounding passengers on a French train in a foiled terrorist attack. He was in possession of an AK-47 assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. His former lawyer, however, says that he is “dumbfounded” by the allegations and that he simply found the AK-47 assault rifle “by chance.” If the lawyer’s account is accurate, his defense appears that he was planning to hold up the train and then flee. He is simply a misunderstood wannabe bank robber.
On August 9, a Philadelphia police officer Sgt. Chad Culbreath was allegedly speeding down a street and ran over a woman’s pet dog, Phoebe. Sidara D. Son says that Culbreath refused to let her take her dog to a hospital and allegedly said “it’s just a dog.”
We previously discussed the disturbing ethics cases against Texas district Judge Elizabeth E. Coker who was caught sending text messages to prosecutors to help them with a case. Coker is now stepping down in a voluntary agreement with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, though some have objected that such a voluntary departure is not sufficient punishment for such an egregious lack of ethics.
Dr. Christopher Duntsch is facing both civil and criminal charges over his injuring four patients and killing one patient, Floella Brown. He is also under investigation for at least 10 other botched surgeries. What is even more chilling however is the evidence in the case, including an email where Duntsch writes one of his employees that “I am ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold blooded killer.”
Continue reading “Texas Doctor Sent Email About Becoming “Cold Blooded Killer” Before Allegedly Killing One Patient and Injuring Four Patients”
The Islamic State continued its campaign against civilization this week with the demolishment of a 1,500 year old monastery. ISIS views no religion but Islam as worthy of worship and kills non-believers as acts of true faith. ISIS has also abducted dozens of Christians and is known to sell girls as sex slaves — again claiming such rapes as acts of Islamic morality in its twisted reading of the Koran.
Continue reading “Islamic State Bulldozes 1,500 Year Old Monastery”
We have been discussing the ever-expanding copyright and trademarks claims on what seems every object and observation in modern life, including such things as pictures taken of public scenes in London, in Paris, and in New York. Now the Inglewood City Council has attempted to use copyright law to silence critics and control public information by invoking protection over Inglewood city council meeting footage used on YouTube videos. Fortunately, Joseph Teixeira prevailed in City of Inglewood v. Teixeira after a federal court ruled that it could not use copyright to silence him or others.
Continue reading “Federal Court Rules That City of Inglewood Cannot Copyright City Council Meetings”
Philadelphia police officer Matthew Zagursky, 32, appears to believe there is no better time to close a sale than a traffic stop. Zagursky was selling tickets to the “Police and Fire Hero Thrill Show fundraiser” and decided to make a rather curious pitch: buy these tickets or I take your car.
We have another academic who has found himself in an embarrassing criminal case involving prostitutes. Keiser University’s President Matt McEnany, 60, was mugged and carjacked by two women on what the police say was a “sexual rendezvous.” McEnany was reportedly meeting with two women identified only as “Luscious” and “Brittany” and was struck from behind when he got out of his 2011 Toyota Venza Sunday night.
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Another method comes forth that should serve as a reminder that extra measures should be taken to guard one’s electronic security. In an interview with IT News, an Australian news medium, Sec-Tec reported that relatively inexpensive devices attachable to iPhones and other handhelds can use thermal imaging to photograph latent heat signatures left on keypads after users enter their PIN on access devices. Coupling this with technology to receive RFID (Radio Frequency ID) signals that provide account information, hackers and thieves can then be able to gain access to funds and users’ accounts.
Continue reading “Thermal Imaging Cameras Might Be Used To Gather PIN Codes”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
In January of 2014 we featured an article about the City of SeaTac Washington, where the Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is situated, passed a set of labor codes that included a fifteen dollar per hour minimum wage. Immediately afterward opponents filed suit in Superior Court objecting to, among other issues, that the Port of Seattle was a separate legal entity not subject under state law to Proposition 1, granting these increased wage benefits and city oversight. The trial court partially ruled in favor but struck down parts of the law’s provisions. The judge however certified the case for direct appeal to the state supreme court.
Today, the Washington Supreme Court published its opinion, siding with defendants, the City of SeaTac and Its clerk in her official capacity, in a five to four decision.
This is what Angel Rice did when she was just hanging out waiting for the crowning at the All Star Games.
Continue reading “Think Cheerleaders Are Not Real Athletes? Watch This”
Hillary Clinton has insisted throughout the ongoing email scandal on two points repeated as a virtual mantra: there was no classified material sent on her unsecured personal email system and she was in total compliance with the law. I have questioned both points and noted that she is really saying that no “marked” classified material was sent (a less than compelling argument) and she is speaking of federal criminal laws as opposed to the clear official policy not to use such personal servers. It appears clear that some of this material was indeed classified and, as I discussed this week on NPR, the policy against doing what she did was clear and strong at the time of her tenure at State. Now, United States District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan has weighed in with comments this week that Clinton clearly did violate State Department policy and that violation caused much of the difficulty in retrieving her communications while in office.
Judge Michael Coll of Delaware, Pennsylvania has vacated a child support order and apologized after a bizarre exchange with a party and his lawyer. Coll seemed intent on commenting on the Greek heritage of Kostas “Gus” Hartas despite repeated objections by his lawyer. To the credit of his lawyer, he continued to object as Coll demanded to be able to establish that “Greeks never pay taxes.” No doubt he will now warn his colleagues to beware of Greeks bearing lawyers.
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Judge Vacates Order and Apologizes After Anti-Greek Tirade”
For an animal rights activist, the only thing worse than being beaten by a deranged individual at a protest would be to be beaten by a deranged individual using one of the very animals you are trying to protect. That happened to a man in the Catalonian town of Roses when a woman hit him with one of the ducks that protesters were trying to protect from use in an annual festival. The video is below.
ISIS has continued its blood soaked campaign to impose its view of pure Islam on the world and to destroy all evidence of art and civilization in its path. The destruction of ancient works and structures has appalled the world. The Islamic extremists have now murdered one of the world’s leading experts on the history and art of the region — 82-year-old archaeologist Khaled Asaad. By all accounts, Asaad refused to tell ISIS where art was hidden. ISIS has been destroying large works while selling smaller works on the black market. Images show ISIS supporters laughing and rejoicing as their ancient history and art is destroyed with sledgehammers as the professed will of Allah. The standoff between Asaad and these murderers put the conflict between civilization and these Islamic extremists into the sharpest relief. It also shows who many Muslims continue to put their very lives at risk to protect their history and art. Indeed, they are protecting the art and history of the very nadir of civilization.