Academia, Military, Society

Scientists Find Likely Identity of Intact Skeleton Unearthed at Waterloo Site

Battle_of_Waterloo_1815There is a remarkable story out of Belgium where researchers have not only identified a 200-year old skeleton discovered beneath a parking lot at the Battle of Waterloo site as a German soldier, but identified the soldier as 23-year old Friedrich Brandt, was a member of the King’s German Legion of British monarch George III. The pictures shown here actually reveal the minimal still lodged between Brandt from the wound that killed him.

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Criminal law, Society, Uncategorized

Georgia Officer Indicted In Shooting Of Unarmed Driver

ernest-satterwhite7389335_G A Georgia grand jury has indicted former police officer Justin Gregory Craven (left) for the shooting death of an unarmed driver, Ernest Satterwhite, 68, through his car window following a car chase. What is interesting about the case is the grand jury rejected homicide charges and the prosecutors then asked and received a charge for discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.

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Criminal law, International

Amnesty International Accuses Hamas of War Crimes

100px-Amnesty_International_logo.svg220px-Flag_of_Hamas.svgAmnesty International has issued a report accusing Hamas to a campaign of abduction, torture and wanton executions of Palestinians during last year’s conflict in the Gaza Strip. The report identifies roughly two dozen Palestinians who were shot and killed by Hamas and dozens of others who were arrested and tortured.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Lawyering, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

FEDERAL COURT TO HEAR HISTORIC CHALLENGE OVER SEPARATION OF POWERS

220px-Meade_and_Prettyman_CourthouseAt 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will hear argument on the motion to dismiss filed by the defendants in U.S. House of Representatives v. Burwell, et al., No. 1:14-cv-01967 (D.D.C.). The defendants are the Departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury, and the secretaries of those two executive branch agencies. The Administration is seeking to prevent the Court from reaching the merits of this historic case, which was authorized by an affirmative vote of the entire House of Representatives on July 30, 2014, and which the House filed for the purpose of protecting our constitutional structure.

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Criminal law, International, Society

“For the Game, For the World”: Swiss Police Raid FIFA Meeting And Arrest Senior Officials in Corruption Investigation

Flag_of_FIFA.svgSepp_Blatter_Nov_2013_ZurichFor those of us who have been vocal critics of the flagrant and open corruption of FIFA, there is finally some good news. Swiss authorities swooped into a hotel Wednesday and arrested some of the top soccer officers on corruption charges in the United States. The police notably went to one of the most expensive hotels in the world where these officials were treating themselves to another gold-plated over-the-top meeting with views of the Alps and Lake Zurich. They were led from the five-star hotel in an early morning raid, but many will be disappointed that one official remained in his luxury hotel room untouched: Sepp Blatter (right), FIFA’s longtime president who has ruled over one of the most corrupt organizations in sports for years. While the slogan of FIFA is “For the Game. For the World,” it has been run for the benefit of its leadership for decades. This prosecution, not FIFA, can be properly embraced as “For the Game. For the World.” Continue reading ““For the Game, For the World”: Swiss Police Raid FIFA Meeting And Arrest Senior Officials in Corruption Investigation” →

Bizarre, International, Religion

Respecting Women By Erasing Them: Ultra-Orthodox Papers Remove Female Cabinet Members From Official Photo Including Justice Minister and Gender Equality Minister

150521-israel-cabinet-newspaper_a39aac85fa58c87afb06bebfd083fdc5.nbcnews-ux-680-520We have yet another triumph of Orthodoxy in the removal of all female cabinet members from an official picture with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There are three new female cabinet members — Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Culture Minister Miri Regev and Minister for Senior Citizens Gila Gamliel — but you would never know it from the pictures in Jewish ultra-Orthodox publications which either removed them or even replaced them in the shot with male cabinet members.

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Bizarre, Free Speech, International, Religion

Egyptian Woman Arrested For Dancing On Video for “Inciting Debauchery”

Screen Shot 2015-05-26 at 6.15.32 PMWe have yet another prosecution in Egypt in the name of public morality. Reda el-Fouly is shown dancing in a low-budget clip entitled “Hands Off,” or “Sib Eddi” in Egyptian Arabic. The clip below contains no nudity but a lot of sensual moves to the music of a singer named Mena. That was enough to arrest el-Fouly and seek the arrest of her boyfriend, Wael Elsedeki.

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Criminal law, Torts

Don Carlos Sues Twin Peaks Over Bike Melee In Waco

200px-Twin_Peaks_logoBandidos_Motorcycle_Club_logoThere is an interesting lawsuit coming out of Waco, Texas in the aftermath of shootings between motorcycle gangs at the Twin Peaks restaurant where nine people were killed and 18 wounded Sunday. The nearby Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant is now suing Twin Peaks for the loss of business — blaming the chain for ignoring police requests not to host the event and pandering to motorcycle gangs.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Bears Cut Ray McDonald After New Arrest for Domestic Violence

Ray McDonald Mugshot arrestedThe Chicago Bears has always prided itself on valuing character in its players — often passing on talented players with off-field conduct problems. For that reason, many (myself included) were not thrilled with the decision to take defensive end Ray McDonald on a one year contract after he was dumped by the 49ers. He was desperate to find a team after an arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence. He swore that he would use the opportunity with the Bears to redeem himself. That chance ended today with a release by the Bears within hours of McDonald being arrested in California on charges of domestic violence and child endangerment.

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Criminal law, International, Uncategorized

Australian Man Repeatedly Rapes And Beats Dutch Backpacker Over Months . . . But Could Be Released In Just 13 Years

We have previously discussed the sentencing difference between the United States and the United Kingdom and other countries. While we clearly have a problem with lengthening sentences in this country, there are cases abroad that shock the conscience in the imposition of relatively light sentences. The difference is evident in the Australian case of Alfio Anthony Granata, 47, who pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape and charges of theft, threats to kill and intentionally causing serious injury that left his victim with 54 injuries. He also kept the 21-year-old Dutch backpacker for months while threatening to kill her. For all of those crimes, Granata was given only 17 years. He could be released in 13 years.

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International, Politics, Religion

Muslim Mob Sets Sharia Court On Fire In Nigeria After The Release of Defendant Accused Of Insulting Mohammad

190px-WLM_-_roel1943_-_KoranThere was a bizarre twist on an all-too-familiar story in Nigeria. An irate mob of Muslim protesters set a court on fire for releasing a man, Malam Abdul Nyass, after he was accused of insulting Mohammad. The crowd demanded his death. What is a bit different is that the court was actually a Sharia court imposing Islamic law and the accused was a cleric.

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Academia

A Beautiful Mind And A Senseless Waste: John and Alicia Nash Killed In Taxi Accident in New Jersey

A_Beautiful_Mind_(book)Famed mathematician John Nash, 86, and his wife Alicia, 82, were killed in a tragic accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. The world has lost one of its most brilliant minds in John Nash, though not one of its most inspiring stories in the life of this couple.

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Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Dutch Cabinet Backs Partial Burqa Ban

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

170px-Burqa_Afghanistan_01The Dutch Cabinet voted to draft a bill to enforce a ban on wearing the Islamic burqa in various government buildings and institution. Citing what were described as security concerns, the government in a statement declared “Face-covering clothing will in [the] future not be accepted in education and healthcare institutions, government buildings and on public transport.”

Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated to journalists: “The bill does not have any religious background.”

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