Despite the criticism of the Supreme Court’s eminent domain ruling in Kelo, the city of Auburn, New York appears undeterred and is threatening to invoke eminent domain to seize private property for a private company. The Kelo opinion was wrongly decided in allowing a Connecticut town to seize homes to give the land to a private company. Putting that flawed legal logic aside, I am astonished that elected officials continue to abuse eminent domain powers in this way and shows the need for state laws barring the practice. Mayor Mike Quill insists that the interests of the majority (and one powerful developer) must trump the property rights of a few citizens.
Continue reading “New York Town Threatens To Use Eminent Domain If Citizens Do Not Sell Out To Powerful Developer”
There is an interesting discrimination lawsuit filed in Seattle where three bisexual men –Steven Apilado, LaRon Charles and Jon Russ — say that were barred by the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance from participating in the Gay Softball World Series because they were insufficiently gay. According to the lawsuit, the men are playing center field in their private life and need to pick a team — totally gay or straight.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the latest writers or artists to face death threats over a depiction of Muhammad. In this case, the threats are based on an image of Muhammad in a bear suit on the cartoon program “South Park.” Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee of RevolutionMuslim wrote on his Twitter account “May Allah kill Matt Stone and Trey Parker and burn them in Hell for all eternity. They insult our prophets Muhammad, Jesus, and Moses…”
Continue reading “South Park Creators Threatened With Death Over Depiction of Muhammad”
Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr., chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, has taken on an important and worthy cause — reforming the federal rules to remove barriers to average citizens and public interest groups in the forms of financial costs and penalties. It is a move that should be supported by lawyers and lay persons alike — who should contact other members of the subcommittee and committee to convey their support. This is a bill that does not have any headline grabbing elements and, unlike Chairman Johnson, members may not see the value in supporting its passage. For that reason, civil libertarians and citizens need to rally behind Chairman Johnson.
Continue reading “H.R. 5069: Chairman Johnson Introduces Bill To Remove Barriers To the Courts”
In a torts case, the chain of causation is rarely captured on videotape, but this film shows a runaway street blade looking for a tort.
Continue reading “Video: Runaway Saw Blade Damages House”
The Democrats have finally pulled the plug on the D.C. Vote bill — citing an amendment that would strip the city of its gun control laws. While D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) previously stated (here and here) that there was an agreement to pass the amendment as the cost for the D.C. vote, House leadership decided yesterday to pull the bill.
Our war on terror has nailed another domestic terrorist in our midst. This one is Taylor Trostle who was found lurking in the Bleyl Middle School in Houston, Texas. Trostle, 13, made her move at the end of math class when she suddenly turned on a teacher pointing her finger at her and said “Pew! Pew!” Thankfully, the teacher survived and Trostle was charged with terroristic threat.
Continue reading “Terror Tots: Girl Suspended for Terroristic Threat in Pointing Finger At Teacher and Saying “Pew, Pew””
Richard Simard appears out of a job after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Not good for anyone, but particularly for the New Hampshire State Liquor Commissioner.
Continue reading “State Liquor Commissioner Fired After Arrest for DUI”
Ahmed bin Qassim al-Ghamidi is no longer the head of the religious police in Mecca. His offense is not corruption or nepotism or adultery. It is a single statement made in an interview in a newspaper where he suggested that men and women should be allowed to mingle in the district. He was immediately fired as head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. There will be no mixers in Mecca.
Continue reading “Saudi Head of Virtue Police Fired For Suggesting Men and Women Can Mix in Mecca”
This is a very disturbing video. A small number of veterans chain themselves to the White House fence. Reporters are eager to take pictures — even from across the street — and to shout questions on their protest of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Instead, the White House orders media pushed entirely out of the Lafayette Park.
Continue reading “Video: White House Pushes Media Out of Lafayette Park”
In a major free speech victory, the Supreme Court has ruled in the Stevens cases — striking down a law designed to punish the sale of dog fighting and so called “crush films.” The vote was 8-1.
Continue reading “Supreme Court Strikes Down Dog Fighting Video Law”
There is an interesting lawsuit filed over Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold who is suing the Plain Dealer over disclosing her identity and that of her daughter after the posted anonymous comments on articles. They are seeking $25 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages for alleged breach of contract and invasion of privacy. Her lawyer admitted that the judge may indeed have posted under the pseudonym “Lawmiss.”
Continue reading “Lawmiss: Judge Refuses to Recuse Herself While Suing Newspaper For Revealing Her Identity in Anonymous Postings”
The officials in Brooksville, Florida have shelved a controversial measure that would have required city employees to quit smoking and disqualifying others from employment who are already smokers.
Continue reading “City Backs Down From Smoking Ban for Employees in Their Homes and After Hours”
This video is getting a great deal of attention after the TSA brought charges against a woman, Nadine Hays, who is accused of hitting a TSA agent. Nadine Hays and a TSA agent got into a tug of war over a cooler with her grandmother’s applesauce. While you may want to do without the narrative, the video does raise the question of the basis for an assault charge.
Continue reading “Woman Charged After Tug-of-War Over Elderly Mother’s Applesauce”
No it was not Ken. Paul Hutton, 40, was arrested for driving a child’s Barbie car while drunk on a city road in England. He is accused for failing to stop and trying to flee at speeds reaching as high as 4 miles per hour.