Society

MEET THE PATTERSONS: BEARS-PACKERS RIVALRY YIELDS A BECKERS WEDDING

photo 1Given the game last week, the long-standing rivalry in football between the Bears and the Packers has only become more intense. As the Bears growl and the Packers . . . well do whatever angry cheese does, there would seem little hope for a dénouement between the great powers. However, this weekend, hope emerged in the most unlikely of places. In Illinois, my niece, Jessica Turley, a die-hard Bears fan, and Matt Patterson, a die-hard Packers fan, got married. That’s right, before a large crowd divided 50-50 between Bears and Packers families, Jessica and Matt tied the knot in a beautiful wedding to the joy of both families. The whole Turley family from Virginia joined the rest of the Turley clan (despite having our flight cancelled the day before) for the event, which was a huge amount of fun in Oak Brook. Madie was the flower girl. Sure, there are some who do not believe that either family should “intermarry” but these two brought not just two teams but two families together. So Middle East negotiators, Russian-Ukraine diplomats, farmers and ranchers, Carnivores and Vegans, take note. Peace is possible.

Continue reading “MEET THE PATTERSONS: BEARS-PACKERS RIVALRY YIELDS A BECKERS WEDDING” →

Bizarre, Torts

Oregon Judge Dismisses Product Labeling Lawsuit Filed Against Nike By Convicted Pimp

Submitted By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

sirgiorgio-clardy-croppedIt only took half an hour for an Oregon court to dismiss a $100,000,000.00 lawsuit filed against Nike by a convicted pimp who sued the company for allegedly not warning consumers its product could be used as a deadly weapon.

The lawsuit was originally filed in January by Sirgiorgio Clardy, who is serving a one hundred year sentence for an assault stemming from the use of his shoes.

Continue reading “Oregon Judge Dismisses Product Labeling Lawsuit Filed Against Nike By Convicted Pimp” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law

The Laws Of Everett, Washington: The Unconstitutional And The Bizarre

Submitted by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

everett-logoToday we feature the City of Everett, Washington, a city with a few rather interesting municipal codes. Several ordinances on the book should serve as both lessons in unconstitutionality and comic relief. From prohibitions on certain public gatherings, to regulations on ducks to criminal impersonation of crossing guards, Everett can bring an assortment of entertainment for the unsuspecting tourist.

Continue reading “The Laws Of Everett, Washington: The Unconstitutional And The Bizarre” →

International

Reports Of Iraqi Soldiers Bribing Officers To Release Them From Military Duty

Submitted by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

125px-Flag_of_Iraq.svgIn one example of the difficulties in rousing the Iraq military to fully commit to engaging the Islamic State within Iraq, a Kurdish news source reports that soldiers are taking to bribery to escape their military responsibilities and returning home to avoid combat.

In some cases the bribes are so prevalent that up to half of military detachment soldiers are reported to have been released, making the army’s war efforts difficult and especially magnified in confronting terrorists waging war against their nation. Fear of war and the atrocities of their enemy is the primary motivating factor.

Continue reading “Reports Of Iraqi Soldiers Bribing Officers To Release Them From Military Duty” →

International, Religion, Society

Hundreds Of Cases Reported In Pakistan Of Infanticide Due To Illegitimacy

Submitted by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

pakistani-infantDeutsche Welle reports a frightening and disturbing practice within Pakistan where newborn children are murdered due to the stigma of illegitimacy.

Warning:  This article contains explicit information.

Adultery is often punished by vigilantism where family exact revenge against couples, often murderously.  The children and mothers more often are targeted.

Nurse Razia Zulfikar of a maternity hospital in Gujranwala, Pakistan states that hundreds of children are killed simply by reason of the status of having unwed parents; a social taboo of society.  The law provides a potential capital criminal offense stemming from pre-marital intercourse.

Continue reading “Hundreds Of Cases Reported In Pakistan Of Infanticide Due To Illegitimacy” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Society

Report: Justice Department May Shutdown Zimmerman Civil Rights Investigation . . . quietly

zimmermantrayon-martin-picture1When the Obama Administration sent in a team to investigate civil rights violations in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, some of us expressed doubt over the basis for such a charge as well as the timing of the federal move into the case. Indeed, I was highly skeptical of how the case was charged and prosecuted. Now the Washington Post is reporting that, after two years of investigation, Justice officials do not believe that they have sufficient evidence to bring federal charges.

Continue reading “Report: Justice Department May Shutdown Zimmerman Civil Rights Investigation . . . quietly” →

Politics

Bling Zing: Daughter of Hong Kong Chief Enrages The Public With Taunting Posting Over Her Diamond Bracelet And “All My Beautiful Shoes and Dresses and Clutches”

Hong-Kong-leaders-daughter-creates-controversy-with-Facebook-postHong Kong chief executive Cy Leung is having a bad month. He is the mouth-piece for the authoritarian Chinese communist government in a city that was promised a modicum of democracy. As expected, the Chinese government has simply disregarded the commitment that it made in the handover of the city from Britain. A new flashpoint occurred when Beijing said that people in Hong Kong could vote for the leaders but only from a list of candidates approved by the Communist party — a curious concept of democracy. Now however he has his daughter to worry about. Chai Yan Leung decided that this was the week to taunt citizens by flashing a new diamond necklace and saying that it was purchased by “silly” taxpayer money.

Continue reading “Bling Zing: Daughter of Hong Kong Chief Enrages The Public With Taunting Posting Over Her Diamond Bracelet And “All My Beautiful Shoes and Dresses and Clutches”” →

Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Society

Activist Fired After She Posts Video Berating Family For Flying Mexican Flag
Screen Shot Youtube
Screen Shot Youtube

Recently I spoke at Utah Valley University about the private regulation of speech, particularly in businesses curtailing not just workplace speech but speech outside of the workplace. We have discussed such incidents where people were fired for YouTube videos or drunken scenes. This “little brother” problem falls outside of the first amendment which addresses government regulation of speech. As a result, businesses have wide latitude in punishing employees for private conduct, though some states have laws protecting some forms of speech and employment such as voting and political activities. We have a new such case involving a woman in Ontario who shot and posted a video of her berating a neighbor for flying a Mexican flag. The video caused many to be understandably angry with Tressy Capps, who didn’t seem to see how obnoxious she appeared in her own posted video. However, it has not escaped her employer, which proceeded to fire her.

Continue reading “Activist Fired After She Posts Video Berating Family For Flying Mexican Flag” →

Bizarre, Society, Torts

Roller Coaster Decapitates Deer and Covers Riders In Blood

250px-white-tailed_deer250px-UltimateLifthillsNow this has the makings for an interesting torts lawsuit. Riders on what is billed as Europe’s longest roller coast in Ripon, England experienced an unexpected fearful element when their car hit a deer — covering the riders in deer blood. “The Ultimate” ride left many hoping for a bit less than the decapitation of a deer.

Continue reading “Roller Coaster Decapitates Deer and Covers Riders In Blood” →

Criminal law, Society

Former Louisiana Police Chief Given Probation After Alleged Sexual Assault Of Female Prisoner and Lying To The FBI

gavel2Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson has sentenced former Sorrento Police Chief Earl Theriot Jr. to probation with no jail time after he lied to the FBI about an alleged sexual assault of a woman under arrest. Theriot will have to pay just $2,500. No state charges have been brought thus far against Theriot for the alleged assault of the 42-year-old woman who was arrested for public intoxication.

Continue reading “Former Louisiana Police Chief Given Probation After Alleged Sexual Assault Of Female Prisoner and Lying To The FBI” →

Bizarre, Science, Society

Farrakhan: United States Developed Ebola and Other Means To Kill Black People While Sparing White People

ebola250px-FarrakhanLouis Farrakhan has long been dismissed by most people as a race-baiting crank. However, Farrakhan’s latest missive to his Nation of Islam followers is particularly incendiary. He suggests that ebola and other diseases were developed by the United States to “depopulate” the world of black people. What is dangerous is that thousands actually believe Farrakhan’s conspiracy theories. Notably, this conspiracy is very close to the one being spread among remote villages of Africa where health care workers are being killed because they are viewed as spreading the disease or working for those who created it.

Continue reading “Farrakhan: United States Developed Ebola and Other Means To Kill Black People While Sparing White People” →

Criminal law, Society

Elderly Man Asks Man To Stop Using Obscenities Loudly At Applebees . . . Young Man Allegedly Assaults 80-Year-Old Man

mikiesawyermugThis is Mikie Sawyer, 26, who is accused of being a demonstrably horrible person . . . and an accused felon. Harry Sander, 80, was at Applebee’s when he said Sawyer was speaking loudly with various obscenities. Sander reportedly asked Sawyer politely to stop the foul language in the family restaurant and Sander allegedly proceeded to cuss him out and punch the octogenarian in the face. Please promise me that this will make it to a jury. Hopefully, Sawyer will to take the restaurant’s new slogan literally: “See you tomorrow”.

Warning: this story contains foul language.

Continue reading “Elderly Man Asks Man To Stop Using Obscenities Loudly At Applebees . . . Young Man Allegedly Assaults 80-Year-Old Man” →

Academia, Animals, Environment, Science

Scientists Find 35,000 Walrus Stranded In Alaska Due To Receding Ice Flows

Walrus_alaska

This extraordinary picture from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has many scientists worried as the latest sign of climate change. These are estimated 35,000 pacific walrus ashore on a beach in north-west Alaska. As mammals, walrus cannot swim indefinitely so they use their tusks to “haul out,” or pull themselves onto an ice floe or rocks. However, the loss of sea ice has left them effectively stranded.

Continue reading “Scientists Find 35,000 Walrus Stranded In Alaska Due To Receding Ice Flows” →

Academia, Animals, Science

Awkward Insect Moments: Scientists Discover That Offspring Of Flies Can Resemble The Previous Sexual Partner Of The Mother Rather Than The Actual Father

220px-Musca_domestica_PortraitThis must make for some awkward moments at fly delivery rooms: “Look Honey he has your first lover’s eyes!”

Researchers at the University of New South Wales have confirmed a new form of non-genetic inheritance in flies. The research found that offspring can resemble a mother’s previous sexual partner of flies rather than the actual father. The size of offspring was determined not by the actual father but the previous sexual partner of the mother. It is an fascinating example of telegony, which dates back to ancient Greece and was once discredited under modern genetic theories.

Continue reading “Awkward Insect Moments: Scientists Discover That Offspring Of Flies Can Resemble The Previous Sexual Partner Of The Mother Rather Than The Actual Father” →

Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law

Wunderkind: Ohio State Student Stripped Of Full Scholarship After Football Stunt

Anthony_WunderOfficials have informed Ohio State student Anthony J. Wunder, 21, that he will be stripped of his full scholarship as a result of his running on to the field in the second quarter of the game between the Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bearcats. The incident went viral with pictures of assistant Buckeyes coach (and former OSU linebacker) Anthony Schlegel tackling Wunder. It appears that linebackers never truly forget their techniques or training.

Continue reading “Wunderkind: Ohio State Student Stripped Of Full Scholarship After Football Stunt” →