Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

NFL Crushes Indiana Man Who Claimed Ownership Of “Harbowl”

FirstfootballgameWe have previously discussed how Congress and the White House have yielded to demand for increasing copyright and trademark restrictions, including criminal prosecutions of ordinary citizens. One of my longest complaints is how people and businesses now claim ownership of common symbols and phrases. (here and here). This week we have two parties in a fight to claim trademark over a common expression. Roy Fox of Pendleton, Indiana secured a copyright to the term “Harbowl” last year to make money off of a Superbowl with the Baltimore Ravens under coach John Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers under coach Jim Harbaugh. He was then muscled out of his trademark by NFL lawyers claiming to own the term “Superbowl.”

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Animals, Bizarre, Environment, International, Science

Zoo Animals In China Dying From Abuse

220px-NileCrocodile250px-Male_Lion_on_RockWe have previously discussed the cruelty shown by Chinese to animals in zoos and circuses. The article below offers a further glimpse into this national and cultural disgrace after a man strangled an ostrich to death in a zoo. Another report shows that a zoo in Shenzen is down to just two crocodiles from a dozen because people are killing them by throwing rocks at them and garbage into their pools.

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Bizarre, Politics

Alexandria Moves Toward Registration And Taxing Bicycles

301px-Seal_of_Alexandria,_VA.svg220px-MichauxjunWe have previously discussed the counterproductive increases in taxes that have been implemented recently without consideration of their impact on behavior or revenue. France’s ridiculous 75 percent tax on the rich is an obvious example (now even the former French president is reportedly planning to flee the taxes for England). So is our high tax on corporations while Canada continues to lower its tax just next door. There are also reports of high earners like Tiger Woods leaving California and New York in the face of high increases. A smaller but even more moronic tax is being contemplated by Alexandria, Virginia where the city council is considering a law forcing people to register bikes so that they can be forced to pay a fee.

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Bizarre, Media, Society

What So Proudly We Hailed at Beyoncé’s Lip Syncing . . . (Part II)

220px-Beyonce_Knowles_with_necklaces220px-The_Star-Spangled_Banner_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_21566We previously discussed the insulting decision of Beyoncé to lip sync the national anthem at the Inauguration.  The story has only gotten worse with time.  First, it turns out that the Marine band also faked playing to match her fake singing.  Second, and more recently, we have learned that Beyoncé decided to lip sync the day before after showing up late and not rehearsing. It appears that gig was not important enough to her to either show up on time or work a bit later. It is not the Superbowl after all.

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Columns, Constitutional Law, Politics, Society

Obama and The Leap Of Faith

PresObamaAfter the Inauguration, I shared my thoughts on President Barack Obama’s address. I liked the speech but, as with many civil libertarians, I do not share the faith in his commitment to principle — at least not the principles behind civil liberties. Below is today’s print column that touches on some of the same themes with a few additional observations.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Torts

California Highway Patrol Settles Case Of Pregnant Woman Being Thrown To Ground and Hogtied After Talking On Her Cellphone While Driving

mqdefaultThe California Highway Patrol has agreed to a settlement of the recent case of a pregnant driver, Tamara Gaglione, 30, being hogtied by police after being stopped for talking on her cellphone. Gaglione will receive a $250,000 settlement.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Science

Paleontological Perversity? Saudi Religious Police Shutdown Dinosaur Exhibit

220px-Marasuchus170px-Ministry_of_Interior_Saudi_Arabia.svgThe Saudi Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is a religious police force that has been a constant presence in the Kingdom arresting woman having coffee with colleagues or forcing young girls to burn to death in fire rather than run out without their scarves. Now the religious police in Dammam marched into a popular dinosaur exhibit and shut it down without any explanation of why the dinosaurs threatened the virtue of good Muslims.

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Bizarre, Society, Torts

Pay the Piper: Reporter Bankrupted After Being Ordered To Pay Damage To Porsche 917

200px-Porsche_917CJournalist Mark Hales is facing bankruptcy after he blew the engine of a £1.3million replica Porsche 917 during a test drive. Hales says that the owner, veteran Formula One ace David Piper, told him that he would cover any damage. However, Piper denied the oral agreement occurred and a court ordered Hale to pay $76,000 to cover repairs to the car, plus $100,000 in legal costs.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

North Carolina Teacher Avoids Rape Charges By Marrying Student

teacher_244x183In Bolivia, North Carolina, former teacher Leah Gayle Shipman, 42, was spared a criminal trial on statutory rape of a student on a rather novel ground: she married the student. Shipman married Johnnie Ray Ison, 17, after divorcing her husband of 19 years. Ison married with the consent of his mother.

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Bizarre, Politics

What So Proudly We Hailed at Beyoncé’s Lip Syncing . . .

220px-The_Star-Spangled_Banner_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_21566220px-Beyonce_Knowles_with_necklacesRemember the moving rendition of the National Anthem by Beyoncé at the Inaugural? Not only does it now appear that she lip synced but it took a British newspaper to uncover the truth. The Times is reporting that the spokesperson for the Marine Corp Band Kristen DuBois confirmed that Beyoncé did a Milli Vanilli with the National Anthem.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Three Illinois Police Officers Indicted In Narcotics Sting

chi-schaumburg-officers-and-female-companion-20130117Three police officers in Schaumburg, Illinois (outside Chicago) have been indicted for allegedly teaming up with a drug dealer to sell narcotics. Matthew Hudak, John Cichy, and Terrance O’Brien were all members of the tactical unit and charged with a female companion, Nicole Brehm, 44.

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Criminal law, Politics

Former New Orleans Mayor Nagin Indicted On Federal Corruption Charges

225px-Nagin2June2006In perhaps the world’s least surprising news item, former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been indicted on federal corruption charges. Nagin was a disgrace during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was notorious for bizarre and self-absorded conduct. His reelection in New Orleans soured many on the idea of giving additional relief to a city that would retain such an utter failure as a mayor. Now, Nagin will face 21 charges including bribery, money laundering, fraud and filing false tax returns.
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Bizarre, Lawyering

Lowe Blow: Minnesota Lawyer Suspended After Having Affair With Client And Then Billing Her For Time Spent In Sexual Encounters

230px-Honoré_Daumier_018Minnesota attorney Thomas P. Lowe, 58, has been suspended indefinitely after he was found not only to have had an affair with a client in a divorce case but then charged her for time they spent having sex.

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