Legal Commentary

Rap Sleet: JMU Students Arrested for Felonious Snowballing

Posted on February 10, 2010
If you see these men on the streets, you are advised to be cautious and avoid eye contact Charles Gill and Ryan Knight, both 21, are felonious snowballers. The James Madison University students were arrested in Harrisburg when they threw a snow ball at a city plow, which hopefully could handle the hits...

Canadian Court Sentences Brother to Two Months in Jail for Beating Sister with Power Cord After She Tried to Celebrate Birthday at Nightclub

Posted on February 10, 2010
A Somali refugee in Canada, Ibrahim Osman, 23, received a remarkably light sentence of two month for beating his sister with a power cord and threatening to shave her hair off when she tried to go a nightclub to celebrate her birthday. He considered dancing at clubs to violate Islamic standards for women...

Worm Watchers: Chinese Dieters Turn to Swallowing Roundworms to Lose Wait

Posted on February 10, 2010
Chinese public health officials are trying to discourage residents from joining the latest craze in weight loss: swallowing eggs of Ascaris worms ? giant intestinal roundworms to literally eat away your fat. It is the inverse of Weight Watchers: rather than giving dieters meals, the dieters are the meals...

Dog-Eat-Dog: Westie Mugged in New York City

Posted on February 10, 2010
The snow, it seems, has turned New York into a dog-eat-dog struggle. Donna McPherson says that someone mugged her 10-year-old Westie outside of a supermarket — stealing Lexie’s green wool coat, with leather trim and belt. McPherson, 42, is shocked, asking “how could anyone steal a coat off someone’s back in the freezing cold?” She [...

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The Bare Necessities: English Man Faces Life In Jail Over Nudist Conduct

Posted on February 09, 2010
Stephen Gough, 50, is presenting something of a dilemma for English police. Gough likes to go out in the buff and refuses to wear clothing. As a result, when he is released for walking around naked, he promptly strips and is promptly re-arrested. The result appears a vicious loop where Gough could [...

William J. Clinton Foundation Found in Violation of Better Business Bureau Standards

Posted on February 09, 2010
Bill Clinton has had his share of criticism over receiving fees in shady deals (here) and raising tens of millions of dollars from foreign sources while Hillary Clinton serves as Secretary of State (here and here). He is now facing a stinging report from the Better Business Bureau, which has found that his [...

To Kafir With Love: Christian Teacher Sues London School for Discrimination Over Alleged Hateful Statements From Muslim Students

Posted on February 09, 2010
There is an interesting story out of England where a teacher is suing the school system for failing to take action after he made various complaints over Muslim students who direct anti-Christian language toward him and praised the 9-11 hijackers. Nicholas Kafouris, 52, is suing his former school for racial discrimination...

Twelve-Year-Old Girl Seeks Divorce From Eighty-Year-Old Man in Saudi Arabia

Posted on February 09, 2010
State-sanctioned child abuse continues in Saudi Arabia. This month, a 12-year-old girl is trying to secure a divorce from her 80-year-old husband in Saudi Arabia. Not only was the marriage consummated but the man is a family member on her father’s side...

My Way Killings: Police Are Dealing With An Increase in Attacks Over Bad Karaoke

Posted on February 09, 2010
Police in the Philippines, Malaysia and other countries are trying to deal with a new rash of crime: Karaoke or “My Way” murders. People are being shot and stabbed over bad karaoke and Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” appears to be a common trigger for violence...

Top London Commander Jailed for Assaulting and Falsely Arresting Man

Posted on February 09, 2010
Metropolitan Police Commander Ali Dizaei, 47, has long been a star in the London force. The highest ranking most senior Asian officer and former head of the Metropolitan Black Police Association, Dizaei’s career came to an end this week after being sentenced to four years in jail for assaulting and falsely arresting a man [...

Man Dies After Being Tasered in Arizona

Posted on February 09, 2010
We have another taser related death. This one is out of Arizona where Mark Andrew Morse, 36, began to have breathing problems after being tasered by a highway patrol officer. He later died. The officer spotted Morse walking in the carpool lane on the Interstate...

London Calling: British Investigators Want to Interview Bush Officials on the Iraq War

Posted on February 09, 2010
It appears that American citizens curious about why we went to war in Iraq may soon get some answers . . . from London. The British inquiry into the war is now heading into a more advanced stage after the testimony of Tony Blair. Notably, the English want to interview Bush [...

Florida Police Officer Arrested For Allegedly Writing Fraudulent Tickets

Posted on February 08, 2010
Florida police officer Paul C. Lawrence, 38, allegedly was so good in combating traffic violations that he did not wait for them to occur before ticketing citizens. Lawrence has been charged with giving tickets to people who were not even in the state, let alone on the highway...

Study: This Blog May Save Your Life

Posted on February 08, 2010
A recent study raises an alarming concern over people blogging on other sites. Scientists at Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London have found that people can die from boredom. The logical conclusion is that regularly blogging at this site is not simply a social but medical necessity...

Palin Ready to Run Against ?Hopey, Changey? Policies With Combination of Oil and God

Posted on February 08, 2010
Like many bloggers, I find Palin irresistible to watch like a primate without an opposable thumb: a reverse evolutionary wonder that is able to function despite the obvious advantages of other competing mammals. The Tea Party convention (covered adoringly by Fox) was no disappointment with Palin proclaiming that she is prepared to run against [...

Say Goodbye to the Dentist?s Drill . . . And Hello to the Acid Syringe

Posted on February 08, 2010
This might not sound like much an improvement, but the hated dentist’s drill is about to be replaced with the “acid syringe.” Pick your poison, drill or acid. Sounds like something from the Marquis de Sade school of dentistry. A German company has come up with this innovation...

T is For Torture: Soldier Allegedly Waterboards Four-Year-Old Daughter After She Fails To Recite Alphabet

Posted on February 08, 2010
Soldier Joshua Tabor is accused to using “enhanced interrogation” techniques perfected by the Bush Administration (aka torture) as a parenting skill with his four-year-old daughter. When she failed to recite the alphabet correctly, Tabor allegedly held her under water as a corrective measure...

OK, Maybe Our Snow Is Not That Deep After All . . .

Posted on February 08, 2010
This certainly puts our 33 inches of snow into better perspective. These men are enjoying the Russian version of cliff diving in Acapulco. In the Spring, they tend to collect missing friends. As for the Turley, we have completed our Igloo City of four igloos, which capable of holding two people each...

Snack Attack: Obama Administration Set to Seek Ban on Vending Machines With Sugarly Snacks and Drinks

Posted on February 08, 2010
President Barack Obama is preparing to ask Congress to ban vending machines of sugary snacks and drinks. It could raise another fight over federalism. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the administration will seek changes when Congress overhauls the Childhood Nutrition Act...

Staying Snow Positive During the Snowpocalypse

Posted on February 07, 2010
Being snowed in is simply a matter of attitude. Meet Bailey the Snow Dog. We are about to set out for today’s shoveling saga. We have drifts of five to six feet outside. The boys built an igloo that fits three comfortably and is big enough for people to turn around inside...

Seeing Red Over Blue Slipping

Posted on February 07, 2010
In light of today’s controversy over Sen. Richard Shelby’s hold on 70 nominations (here) due to a disagreement over Air Force tankers, this 2001 column may be of interest. Seeing Red on Blue Slips Congress is on fire over blue slips. In fact, we haven’t had so much discussion of blue slips in Washington since J...

Sen. Shelby Accused Of Blocking 70 Nominations Over Air Force Tanker Deal

Posted on February 07, 2010
Senator Richard Shelby really likes air tankers. Shelby reportedly is blocking 70 nominations in a dispute over the long-controversial Air Force tanker deal. This contract has been criticized for years as wasteful and unnecessary. Shelby is supporting the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company against Boeing in the dispute because the Europeans [...

Perdition in Pink: Religious Groups Protest Release of Pink Quija Board

Posted on February 07, 2010
Religious groups are sounding the alarm over the release of a soul-sucking, spirit-crushing new product released by those heathens at Hasbro. It is a pink version of the Ouija board that has corrupted millions of children in this country and turned them into satanic, soulless zombies...

Hoosick? Matthew Beck is One Sick Dog Catcher

Posted on February 07, 2010
Matthew Beck, 46, may be a dog’s nightmare. He was the dog catcher for the town of Hoosick, New York. He has pleaded guilty to shooting stray dogs that he found and burying them in his barnyard manure pile. Beck pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of official misconduct, petit larceny and animal cruelty as well [...

Semper Fraud: Two False Heroes Challenge The Constitutionality of The Stolen Valor Act

Posted on February 07, 2010
Previously, I have questioned the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act, which criminalized false claims of military medals and decorations. Now, a case in Colorado could become a test for viability of the act — an appropriate forum given it is the home state of Rep...

Not So Sharpie: New York Police Arrest Lime-Green Marker Menace

Posted on February 06, 2010
The New York authorities have finally caught up to Alexa Gonzalez, who saw her open life of crime end with an arrest in her junior high school in Queens. Gonzalez was caught doodling on her desk with erasable marker and promptly cuffed and taken downtown...

How To Light a Cigarette With Only an AK-47

Posted on February 06, 2010
In our category of useful things to know, I give you how to light a cigarette if you are caught in the desert with no matches and only an AK-47. When I saw this on Reddit, I immediately thought of how the Cub Scouts never mentioned this use of automatic weapons...

Family Group Accused of Using False Picture of Lesbian Couple

Posted on February 06, 2010
Scott Maxwell at the Orlando Sentinel has an extraordinary story about the lengths that social conservatives and anti-gay advocates will go to block the adoption of children by gay couples. Vanessa Alenier and her partner, Melanie Leon, are affluent and loving parents who were awarded custody of a child who was in their foster [...

Mammals Join Together During the Snowpocalypse

Posted on February 06, 2010
At times like this, mammals must stick together. Now, if only I can get the wildlife to shovel the two feet of snow on my driveway. It is still snowing in McLean and I just went out and measured just short of the two-foot mark. I have no choice but to return to the house [...

Jenny Craig to Slim Down Claims: Weight Watchers Wins Fight With Rival on Fat Claims

Posted on February 06, 2010
Weight Watchers International Inc. has announced that it has reached a settlement with Jenny Craig to end its advertisement campaign stating that its pre-packaged meals were found superior to those of Weight Watchers. While Jenny Craig claimed that a study showed its food was superior for weight loss, Weight Watchers argued that there was no [...

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