Since 2008, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo has been seeking the arrest of Lieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir for his alleged involvement in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed since 2003 in Darfur. He might want to pop in on the United Nations Human Rights Council — Al-Bashir is about to be one of its members.
Continue reading “Genocidal Sudanese Warlord To Join U.N. Human Rights Council”
This Olympics has seen a number of clearly bad calls by referees or judges. Some sports like gymnastics allows judges to review videotapes in resolving a challenge such as was the case where the American team successfully challenged the awarding of the bronze medal to the Russian female gymnast on the balance beam. (I loved watching U.S. national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, her husband, Bela, shouting demands for a challenge from the stands to ensure a review in favor of U.S. gymnast Aly Raisman. I have previously admitted to watching solely for the legal challenges). I was struck, therefore, to learn that they do not use instant replay in volleyball — one of my favorite sports to watch at the Olympics. This arose when the Chinese judge made an erroneous call in favor of the American men’s team against the Italians. The Italians were understandably upset since the instant replay clearly showed the American ball falling outside the line (though I was disappointed, as an Italian, to hear that the team is infamous for badmouthing referees). Yet, despite the instant and clear evidence of a bad call, the decision stood.
Continue reading “Question of the Day: Why Do Certain Olympic Sports Resist Instant Replay?”
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled against professor Lynn Branham who challenged her firing as violating her guarantee of tenure. The case, Branham v. Thomas M. Cooley Law Sch., No. 10-2305 (August 6, 2012) 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 16266, contains some interesting language on the tenure and when it is more rhetorical and real. Ironically, Branham has relocated to the faculty of St. Louis Law School — just time for its dean to resign over the “disrespect” shown her by the University president. Cooley Law School has been getting a fair level of trial practice recently — as a defendant, plaintiff, or witness (here and here and here). That leaves the impression of a type of perpetual legal machine, producing lawyers who produce lawsuits in an endless loop of litigation.
Continue reading “Sixth Circuit Rules Against Cooley Law Professor”
Annette Clark, the dean of St. Louis University’s law school has resigned after only a year on the job in a very public spat with the University president Father Lawrence Biondi. Clark released a letter stating “From the beginning of my deanship, you have evinced hostility toward the law school and its faculty and have treated me dismissively and with disrespect.”
It appears the fight over Lebensraum is now being waged over liquor store shelf space. An American couple has triggered a free speech controversy in Italy after complaining about the sale of wine with the image of Hitler on the label or other labels for “Mein Kampf” wine or wine with the motto “Ein volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer” (one people, one empire, one Fuhrer). Michael Hirsch, a lawyer from Philadelphia, complained about the sale of such items. In Italy, prosecutors are looking into the matter for possible criminal charges. The question is whether the producer should have a right to supply such bottles and customers should have the right to buy such bottles.
Many of us have been in weddings that seemed to go on to the first anniversary of the couple. However, only children know how to respond honestly to interminable ceremonies. Take Claire Miller who decides it is time to take a break from the arduous duties as flower girl in Lexington, Kentucky.
Louisiana education officials are moving to block a decision by the Delhi Charter School to ban pregnant students and require pregnancy tests for students suspected of being pregnant. The state-funded school in Delhi, Louisiana implemented its “Student Pregnancy Policy” to remove pregnant girls from school — requiring them to either find another school or study at home.
Continue reading “Louisiana School Requires Pregnancy Tests and Expulsion for Pregnant Girls”
There is an interesting case out of Mansfield Township, New Jersey where Matthew Argintar was arrested for dressing as a superhero and going to the Home Depot. Agintar, 23, was wearing a small mask, elbow and arm pads, bulletproof vest, and a cape when he appeared at the store. The charges caught my eye: disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of handcuffs.
Continue reading “New Jersey Man Arrested For Dressing As Superhero At Home Depot”
The Vatican has taken the extraordinary measure of rejecting Bulgaria’s ambassador due to a prior book in which he depicted gay sex. Kiril Marichkov is a 39-year-old lawyer with two degrees, married to an Italian woman, and speaks five languages. He is also the grandson and namesake of the man appointed Bulgaria’s first ambassador to the Vatican after the collapse of communism in 1990. However, none of that matters to the Vatican which is upset with some of the scenes in his successful novel, Clandestination.
Continue reading “Vatican Rejects Bulgarian Ambassador Due To Prior Book Depicting Gay Sex”
This happy woman just completed what Salt Lake police describe as a virtual husband hunt with her SUV. As shown in the video below, Brenda Christine White, 36, chased her husband with Ford Explorer as he ran from her — pursuing him into an office building and driving down a hallway.
Continue reading “Meet Brenda White: Ex-Husband Hunter”
Various news organizations have been reporting an exodus of the superrich from France — often buying homes in England or surrounding countries to avoid the expected 75 percent tax rate proposed by the Socialist government of President François Hollande. While the rate would apply only to those making one million euros a year or more, I view it as a mistake. I admit that I tend to have great reservations about heavy tax hikes during economic crisis. We have debated the value and potential harm of such hikes on this blog. However, a 75% rate is in my view insane. As rational actors, top earners are likely to simply leave the country as they are doing. Hollande came into office on a wave of sentiment to soak “Les riches” and Hollande himself proclaimed “I don’t like the rich.” It is a bit too Robespierrean for my tastes as an economic policy.
Continue reading “Off With Their Riches: France Prepares A 75% Tax Rate For Top Earners”
This video of former Christian radio preacher Michael Leisner’s protest of General Mills seems right out of Saturday Night Live. Leisner is upset with what he says is the support of General Mills for same-sex marriage so he decides to torch a box of Honey Nut Cheerios on their lawn . . . and proceeds to torch their lawn in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He did succeed in reaffirming the company’s new slogan: “You’re on your toes with Cheerios”
White House press secretary Jay Carney is expected to answer an array of questions from taxes to Iraq to unemployment. With a critical motion depending in the Sister Wives case, one reporter decided to ask a simple question: “How does the president stand on polygamy?” Carney responded with stony silence and moved on.
Continue reading “White House Press Secretary Deflects Polygamy Question”
Note to self, don’t ever try to run from a vaccination at a Shaolin temple. This monk throws a needle through a plate of glass.
Continue reading “Time For Your Vaccination, Little Grasshopper . . .”
It appears that after years to clearly cultivating a cult of personality with action-hero photo ops and staged acts, Putin is still uncomfortable with kisses from his subjects . . . well at least on the hand. Putin seemed truly alarmed when a Russian Orthodox priest tried to kiss his hand while visiting a 14th century monastery on Russia’s northern Valaam Island. It was a particularly telling moment after Putin created an alliance with the Church to support his authoritarian government. Putin has particularly pleased the Church leaders after his government continued a widely condemned prosecution of the Russian punk group Pussy Riot after they carried out a brief demonstration in a church.
Continue reading “Not On The First Date: Putin Recoils As Russian Priest Seeks To Kiss His Hand”