Bizarre, Environment, International, Society

Death of English Gardener Linked To Wolfsbane Plant

220px-Aconitum_variegatum_110807fThere is a tragic and rather bizarre fatality at a large English estate where gardener Nathan Greenaway, 33, died after being rushed to the hospital. The cause appears to be a plant that many may recall from medieval stories — wolfsbane (aka Devil’s helmet, monkshood, leopard’s bane, women’s bane, devil’s helmet or blue rocket). Aconitum is so poisonous that even if brushed against without protection it can cause can vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, heart palpitations, and, in severe cases, paralysis of the heart and airways. The case would present an interesting tort action in the United States against the retired venture capitalist who owns the $6 million estate. The question is whether Christopher and Kathy Ogilvie Thompson were negligent to have such a lethal plant on the premises if there were no barriers or warnings. The name aconitum comes from the Greek meaning “without struggle”.

Continue reading “Death of English Gardener Linked To Wolfsbane Plant” →

Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society

Why is it Illegal to Feed the Homeless?

100px-Seal_of_Fort_Lauderdale,_Florida

Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw)-Weekend Contributor

Did you know that somewhere in America, it is illegal to feed the homeless in public?  It can’t be true can it?  It is true in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after the recent passage of an ordinance by the city council.  The real scary part of that news is that Fort Lauderdale is not alone in taking this anti-compassionate stance!

“Over 30 cities across the nation have outlawed or are considering criminalizing the provision of food to homeless people. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, over 20 cities have devised laws against giving food to homeless people since January 2013.” Nation of Change

While I can understand this stance if these cities are adding health guidelines to make such feeding attempts safer, I am shocked that over 30 cities have outlawed it or are considering outlawing the practice of giving food to the hungry and homeless.  Are public picnics next on the hit list? Continue reading “Why is it Illegal to Feed the Homeless?” →

Environment, Hikes, Travel Blog

Dawn On The Billy Goat

IMG_1605Last weekend, I did not post pictures from my dawn hike because I was off to play in our annual paintball competition and then later that day we held the annual Turley Pumpkin Smash for kids in the neighborhood (where the kids wake the Turley Troll at the top of the house and he proceeds to throw down all of the pumpkins). So here is Billy Goat trail this morning at dawn.

Continue reading “Dawn On The Billy Goat” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice

Washington Supreme Court Shifts Burden To State In Proving Lack Of Consent Element In Rape Cases

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

scales_of_justiceThe Washington Supreme Court ruled it is a violation of Due Process to require a rape defendant to prove lack of consent in rape trials, shifting the burden to the state. The opinion reverses decades old practices of the courts and by extensions investigators of such crimes to include elements showing lack of consent that were previously assumed based on the statements and evidence of alleged victims.

Continue reading “Washington Supreme Court Shifts Burden To State In Proving Lack Of Consent Element In Rape Cases” →

Academia, International

Canadian Students Not Accepted At New, Elite College At The University Of British Columbia

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

ubc-sealA controversy has erupted in academic and student circles over the University of British Columbia’s Vantage College. The college’s campus is under construction and expected to cost the university C$ 127 million but is beginning its enrollment

Canadian Citizens are prohibited from enrolling at Vantage College. The college is marketed toward wealthy foreign students mostly from China. Tuition and living expenses are stated to be over fifty thousand dollars per year for the privilege of attending Vantage. The university offers higher perks to these students than what is afforded the university’s common students.

Continue reading “Canadian Students Not Accepted At New, Elite College At The University Of British Columbia” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society

SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS OBAMACARE CHALLENGE

Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court has decided to wade back into the controversy over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or “Obamacare” today with the granting of review of King v. Burwell, No. 14-114. I have previously written about the King case as well as the parallel case in the D.C. Circuit in Halbig.

Continue reading “SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS OBAMACARE CHALLENGE” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law

Texas Death Row Conviction Overturned Due To Withholding Of Key Evidence

alfredbrownhcsoThe Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has thrown out a 2005 conviction and death sentence that week based on the misconduct of prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. The court found that prosecutors withheld material evidence favorable to Brown’s case in a denial of a fair trial.

Continue reading “Texas Death Row Conviction Overturned Due To Withholding Of Key Evidence” →

Bizarre, International, Politics

Rack Dry Die: Chinese Government Warns That People Hanging Laundry Might Be Shot By Snipers

unnamedA colleague and Chinese expert sent me this notice which is a bit chilling for Chinese residents. The notice tells residents that “To avoid injuries and ensure that sharpshooters will not open fire after misjudging the situation, please retrain from opening your windows or hanging out laundry.”

Continue reading “Rack Dry Die: Chinese Government Warns That People Hanging Laundry Might Be Shot By Snipers” →

International, Politics, Society

Washington Post: Border Data Posted Then Retracted Within Hours By Obama Administration

190px-thumbnailPresident_Barack_ObamaThe Washington Post is raising another instance where the Obama Administration appears to be withholding information on immigration for political purposes — further contradicting President Obama’s pledge to be the most transparent Administration is history. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection releases its annual statistics on October 10th before the elections. Someone in the Administration then ordered the statistics taken down in what the Post is calling a move that seemed to confirm the view of “the Obama administration playing politics with public information.” Notably, the Post however only wrote about the story today so any such intention worked to keep the information out of the public debate. There is a reason why these statistics would be particularly bothersome before an election.

Continue reading “Washington Post: Border Data Posted Then Retracted Within Hours By Obama Administration” →

Animals, Criminal law, Environment, International

Chinese Diplomats Accused Of Smuggling Ivory Out of Tanzania During Presidential Visit By Xi Jinping

Xi_Jinping_October_2013_(cropped)170px-Ivory_tradeChina has long been the greatest driving force in the trafficking of endangered species parts and ivory to fuel its traditional medicine market and jewelry market. We have discussed recent cases (here and here and here) of seizures of huge amounts of illegal animal parts going to China, which also set shocking records for pollution and contamination. Throughout these continual arrests and stories, the Chinese government simply insists that they are combatting such trafficking. Now however an environmental watchdog is accusing the government itself in trafficking. the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency says that Chinese officials used a state trip by President Xi Jinping and other high-level visits to smuggle ivory out of Tanzania. Worse yet, the Chinese are accused of using diplomatic bags to load huge amounts of ivory on planes as a government-maintained illegal trafficking operation.

Continue reading “Chinese Diplomats Accused Of Smuggling Ivory Out of Tanzania During Presidential Visit By Xi Jinping” →

Society

Now Passengers Are Advised To Bring Your Own Seat? Airlines to Move To “Bench Seating”

Screen Shot 2014-11-07 at 6.50.30 AMThrough the years, I have written stories criticizing the airline industry for its nosedive in customer services and accommodations. (here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). It now turns out that airlines are moving to make flights even more uncomfortably with “bench seating” that will allow them to stuff more passengers into a cabin. While this is better than the “standing only” sections of RyanAir, it is yet another example of how passengers are now being treated as little more than bleating sheep by airline executives who have already reduced space so that you cannot open a computer or risk knee capping.

Continue reading “Now Passengers Are Advised To Bring Your Own Seat? Airlines to Move To “Bench Seating”” →

Criminal law, Society

Did Bad Credit Lead To Kidnap Arrest? Police Rescue Abducted Philadelphia Woman And Arrest Habitual Offender

Carlesha+Delvin+Barnes+CompositeWe previously discussed the horrific abduction of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither from a street in Philadelphia and the fear that such an offender would be unlikely to leave the 22-year-old nurse alive. It was wonderful news last night therefore to learn that Carlesha had been rescued by federal officers and is now at home with her family. The alleged abductor is Delvin Barnes, 37, who has a long history of violence against women and other crimes. Notably, however, it was not his criminal recidivism but his bad debt that proved his undoing.

Continue reading “Did Bad Credit Lead To Kidnap Arrest? Police Rescue Abducted Philadelphia Woman And Arrest Habitual Offender” →