JD Journal

Occupy Wall Street sues NYC for Treating them Unconstitutionally and Destroying their Property

danielj — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:01:24 +0000

Did authorities go too far when they broke up the Occupy Wall Street convention last November? Their lawyer, Norman Siegel, says yes. He is helping the group sue New York City for $47,000 to compensate for the books and other materials that police damaged, destroyed, or trashed after they swept in at a surprise night raid against the camp, demoralizing the group and collecting up their libraries of books into 26 sanitation trucks.

The protesters, who redress issues of wage inequality in the United States, took the November raid in Zuccotti Park, near Wall Street in Manhattan, as a huge blow against their project. Lately, their funds have dwindled and their attempt to organize a general workers’ strike has failed as well.

Not only is the group seeking $47,000 in damages, they want to make this a moral victory, and are stipulating that police admit the plaintiff’s rights under the U.S. and New York State constitutions were violated.

Such demonstrations as the Occupy Wall Street have not only balanced the Tea Party with two sides of dynamic demonstrations, but it has also put in the forefront what it means for Americans to have the right to “peaceably assemble.” If they win this case, the group may regain the morale they will need to continue their plight.

Travolta in Drag: Is this Shocking?

danielj — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:44:41 +0000

In an amazingly overblown bit of nonsense, pictures have arisen showing John Travolta dressed in drag. Decked in a white dress, with visible bra, brown belt, fur stole, earrings, and necklace, Travolta does not make the most attractive woman. Nevertheless, *cough* — so what? Isn’t this the 21st century? Nevertheless, the Enquirer is running with it, adding a dubious back-story hanging on their pathetic credentials as a news source that Travolta was not dressed in drag for a movie, but — God forbid! — because he actually enjoys it.

The back-story is in line with the typical high-quality tone and noble message of the Enquirer: Travolta’s wife of 6 years, Kelly Preston, is upset about the scandal, is leaving him, there is a $200 million dollar settlement, blah blah blah.

The only reason they are reporting on this is because a few male masseuses have alleged that Travolta sexually assaulted them. This includes the allegation of a 40-year old black belt who recently withdrew his $2 million lawsuit. The man, John Truesdale, had lost a job 8 years ago for being ‘sexually inappropriate’ with clients and co-workers, so his story is dubious and is probably simply preying on the media hoopla surrounding the case.

Bill Clinton Photographed with Porn Stars at Monaco Event

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:30:39 +0000

Former President Bill Clinton was attending a gala in Monaco on Wednesday night when he was photographed posing with his arms wrapped around two women. The photo of the president went viral when one of the women he had his arm around tweeted the photo from her Twitter account. The photo was tweeted from the same account used to promote the movie career of 22-year-old Brooklyn Lee. Lee has starred in movies such as Femdom Ass Worship 10 and close to 86 other adult film movies. Lee is also well known for her recent award at the Adult Video News Awards, which was for the Best Oral Sex Scene.

The scandal gets worse for the former President. The woman on the other side of him is Tasha Reign, 23. Reign is another young pornstar with dozens of adult films on her resume. Clinton took the picture while overseas to attend the gala known as the Nights in Monaco gala at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. The event was billed as the following according to the event’s website: “exceptional and exclusive night in the presence of his serene highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and the honorable William J. Clinton, 42nd president of the United States.” It cost $5,000 per person to attend the event, with the proceeds being donated to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the William J Clinton Foundation.

Air Passengers Angered by Problems Stemming from United Merger

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:23:19 +0000

March 3 saw the merger of two of the country’s largest air carriers as United and Continental merged their reservations systems, their frequent-flier programs and their websites. The merger was performed by the world’s largest airline, United Continental Holdings.

A retired investor from Honolulu and a customer of United for 45 years, Lawrence Fung, said that he had to spend hours on the telephone attempting to postpone and then rebook a trip to Hong Kong. He was also waiting to purchase a seat upgrade. Fung said his number for his frequent-flier account changed and that he needed to acquire a new password.

“I’m very loyal to United,” Fung said. “But unless they go back to normal, it’s hard to even buy a ticket.” Fung said that he and a lot of his frequent-flier acquaintances are tired of the games and want to spend their United miles and then use other air carriers. Fung is going to use Delta to fly to Istanbul in July.

The merger happened close to 20 months ago and was worth $3.2 billion but United and Continental are still dealing with problems. The frequent fliers for the airline account for one percent of frequent flier members and 25 percent of airline revenue.

A large chunk of the frequent fliers are business travelers who pay big money for their tickets and who travel often. As business travelers, they have strict schedules and very little time for disruptions. Jeff Smisek, the CEO for United, issued an apology via conference call with investors for not being able to deliver customer service that was satisfactory. He said that the transition “was a monumental task for our company.” He also said that the company was on the “steep back slope of our integration.” This means that the problems will soon diminish and the benefits for the customer will increase.

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Law Grad Pays Loan Balance in Cash

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:11:47 +0000

It can take decades for law school graduates to pay off their student loans using checks or automatic bank withdrawals. But, for one student, he was able to pay off his entire debt in cash. That is right, Alex Kenjeev, from Montreal, paid off his $114,000 balance from a $190,000 loan to the University of Toronto in cash. He said he did it in order ‘to get a few laughs.’

The bank he uses did not laugh though and turned down his initial request to give him the money. They told him he would have to pay a fee in order to transport the money via an armored truck. The bank eventually gave in and helped him on his way to paying off the balance of the loan. Kenjeev was able to get his cash, put them in a canvas bag, and walk two blocks to the bank that gave him the loan.

“I just plopped the bag down (on the counter),” Kenjeev said. “They also didn’t know how to handle it. At first the manager didn’t want to accept the money.”

Once the bank accepted his payment, Kenjeev took a photo of the receipt and posted it on Facebook. Then, the photo made it to Reddit, which garnered a handful of comments. One of the comments likened Kenjeev to a man from Utah who was fined and charged with disorderly conduct after he paid a medical bill for $25 in pennies. Kenjeev has not been charged with anything yet and he runs the venture capital firm of O’Leary Ventures.

Fetuses Found in British Resident’s Luggage

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:04:43 +0000

Chow Hok Kuen, a 28-year-old British citizens, has been arrested in Thailand after police discovered six fetal corpses in his luggage on Friday. The fetuses ranged in age from two to seven months old and had been roasted. Some of the fetuses were covered in golf leaf. The police who made the arrest were tipped off anonymously that a black magic services website was selling fetuses on it. The fetuses were found in a box packed in Kuen’s luggage.

The roasting and gold leafing of fetuses is part of a black magic ritual known is Thai as Kuman thong, or ‘golden child.’ It is thought that good fortune will be bestowed upon the owner of the fetus. It is believed that Chow was going to smuggle the fetuses to Taiwan, his native country, where one of them could sell for close to $200,000 Thai baht, which converts to $6,376 USD.

Chow could be facing a year in prison if convicted on charges of hiding and covering dead bodies. The authorities investigating the case do not know where the fetuses came from, but the bodies are having forensic tests performed on them. The arrest was confirmed by the British Foreign Office, which will offer consular assistance in the case if it is necessary.

Phillip Phillips Wins ‘American Idol’

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:52:06 +0000

The winner of season 11 of American Idol is Phillip Phillips. Yes, you are reading that right, Phillip Phillips. His first performance in front of the judges was ‘Thriller’ and it seemed he was destined to win the 11^th season from that performance. Phillips has a winning combination of Southern humility, risk-taking originality, rebelliousness and a goofy personality. Phillips was also incredibly charming on the show, developing a bromance with finalist Heejun Han and was distraught when Colten Dixon was booted from the show.

Jessica Sanchez should have been eliminated from the running a couple of weeks ago but was saved by the judges. When the contest reached Top Three week, Sanchez knew she should not have made it that far in the contest.

“I told Phillip, ‘You’re gonna win this whole thing,’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I’m not,’” recalled Sanchez. “I’m like, ‘Yes, you are.’ I don’t think he totally believed that, and I totally believed it. I just went out in this competition after that moment and just sang. Phillip’s gonna win, anyway. I might as well just sing my heart out.”

The show did not announce how many votes each finalist received but many believe that Phillips won in a landslide, who won the show battling serious kidney problems that plagued him throughout the season. Phillips is a native of Leesburg, Georgia and never once had to sit in the bottom of the pack while on the show. This is a testament to his fans and his talent. Phillips rocked the stage especially well on two major performances. One was when he sang Usher’s ‘U Got It Bad’ as an acoustic song and then covered Damien Rice’s song ‘Volcano.’

“I’m excited to do my album,” said Phillips. “I know it’s going to be challenging because a lot of opinions will be coming my way, but it’s like the show, I know my music. I know how I want it. I’m not trying to win Grammys or be famous or anything.”

Record sales will determine how successful Phillips will be in the future, which is the same for all of the other ‘Idol’ winners from the past seasons. Phillips could become one of the next best things in the music world or fall into obscurity within the next year, much like Lee DeWyze and Taylor Hicks have.

“It’s been such an honor to be up on this stage playing with everybody. Thanks to all the fans out there,” he said. “Thanks for voting for us.”

Jermaine Jones Kicked Off American Idol

Hyun Chung Joins Greenberg Traurig

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:27:41 +0000

The law firm of Greenberg Traurig has announced via a press release that Hyun Chung has joined the firm as a shareholder in the firm’s New York Corporate & Securities Practice. Chung will work on increasing the practice of the firm in Korea and across Asia. Chung previously was the Director and Counsel at Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC. While there he advised on multiple structured products and derivatives. He also practiced law with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in their New York office as a Senior Corporate Attorney.

“Our balanced business model, effective structure and unmatched U.S. platform allow us to build from strength, ready to move on top-tier opportunities as they arise globally,” said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Greenberg Traurig’s CEO. “We focus on the careful selection of individuals and teams in a sensible manner, and we are pleased that someone with Hyun’s unique combination of legal and business acumen has joined us as a natural evolution of our fast growing practice focused on major Korean companies and elsewhere in Asia.”

The practice run by Chung is centered on corporate and securities law while also focusing on corporate finance and structured products and derivatives. Chung provides legal counsel for collateralized loan obligations, structured products and leveraged investments. Chung has worked on cases involving CLOs, CDOs, convertible debt securities, high-yield securities, medium-term notes, equity linked securities, convertible debt securities, common stock and equity units. Chung will work closely with another new addition, Frank Adams, who is in the London office. Adams recently joined the firm from Dewey & LeBoeuf where was the global chair for corporate finance.

“We are delighted to bring someone with Hyun’s unique background to Greenberg Traurig. His experience working at a top law firm and an investment bank in the United States will add great depth as we grow our practice in Korea,” said Richard A. Edlin, Chair, Regional Operations at Greenberg Traurig.

Witnesses in Trayvon Martin Case Change Stories

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:16:28 +0000

The witnesses in the Trayvon Martin case have changed their stories regarding what they saw the night Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, who has claimed self-defense since the night of the shooting. The shooting took place on February 26 in a gated community in Florida. It has been reported that four witnesses, when interviewed a second time in March, changed their accounts of that night significantly. The statements made by the witnesses were included in evidence released to the public last week by the State Attorney’s Office.

The Sentinel reported the following about Witness 2:

“A young woman who lives in the Retreat at Twin Lakes community, where Trayvon was shot, was interviewed twice by Sanford police and once by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

She told authorities that she had taken out her contact lenses just before the incident. In her first recorded interview with Sanford police four days after the shooting, she told lead Investigator Chris Serino, “I saw two guys running. Couldn’t tell you who was in front, who was behind.”

She stepped away from her window, and when she looked again, she “saw a fistfight. Just fists. I don’t know who was hitting who.”

A week later, she added a detail when talking again to Serino: During the chase, the two figures had been 10 feet apart.

That all changed when she was reinterviewed March 20 by an FDLE agent. That time, she recalled catching a glimpse of just one running figure, she told FDLE Investigator John Batchelor, and she heard the person more than saw him.

‘I couldn’t tell you if it was a man, a woman, a kid, black or white. I couldn’t tell you because it was dark and because I didn’t have my contacts on or glasses. … I just know I saw a person out there.’”

On March 20, Witness 12 was interviewed and said that she ‘didn’t know which one’ had the upper hand in the conflict. Then, just six days later, the witness said that for sure it was Zimmerman on top during the fight. Witness 6 told police the night of the shooting that Martin was on top of the fight “just throwing down blows on the guy, MMA-style.” Witness 6 also said that Zimmerman was screaming for help during the altercation but then said he was not sure who was screaming for help just three weeks later.

Police were told by witness 13 that he saw Zimmerman with ‘blood on the back of his head.’ The witness claims that Zimmerman told him that Martin “was beating up on me, so I had to shoot him.” The witness was interviewed twice after that night and in those interviews said that the demeanor of Zimmerman was easygoing, such as, “… More like, ‘Just tell my wife I shot somebody’ like it was nothing.”

Jim Parsons Reveals He is Gay

jim — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:02:15 +0000

Jim Parsons, also known as Sheldon on ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ has revealed that he is gay and has been in a committed relationship for quite some time now. Parsons is starring in a production of ‘Harvey’ on Broadway at the moment. The revelation from Parsons came during a profile of the actor done by Patrick Healy from the ‘New York Times.’ The announcement from Parsons occurs towards the end of the article, in which the role Parsons plays in the revival of the HIV/AIDS drama ‘The Normal Heart,’ is discussed.

‘”The Normal Heart” resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said,” Healy wrote.

It has been speculated for the past couple of years that Parsons might be gay but he never confirmed those speculations. Parson’s partner is not identified in the profile piece from the ‘Times.’ But, in 2010, Parsons thanked a man named Todd Spiewak during an acceptance speech for an Emmy Award. Multiple times, Parsons and Spiewak have appeared at awards shows together and have made contributions to public theater in the past. It has previously been reported that Parsons and Spiewak were engaged and were planning to get married in Massachusetts during Christmas-time. That engagement was called off because Parsons does not want to have any children. All of these rumors have not been denied or confirmed by the representatives for Parsons.

Angry Shareholders Sue Facebook, Puts Pressure on NYSE

EmploymentCrossing — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:22:09 +0000

Facebook Inc’s questionable IPO is having its ripple effects. The crowning moment of the eight-year old company is rapidly turning into an anticlimax as evinced by a lawsuit filed on Wednesday seeking class-action status. The lawsuit, against Facebook, its CEO Zuckerberg, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co alleges that the defendants concealed “a severe and pronounced reduction” in revenue growth forecasts that resulted from the use of Facebook through the internet or through mobile devices.

The lawsuit also accuses Facebook of instructing bank underwriters to “materially lower” their forecasts to the public, and those underwriters disclosed the lowered forecasts only to their preferred investors. Samuel Rudman, a partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, the law firm, which brought the lawsuit, said “The main underwriters in the middle of the roadshow reduced their estimates and didn’t tell everyone.”

Rudman further said, “I don’t think any investor in Facebook wouldn’t have wanted to know that information.”

While the law firm, which is one of the leading securities class action firms of the nation is sure of its action and proof, Facebook claims to have maintained its face, and Andrew Noyes, a Facebook spokesperson told the media “We believe the lawsuit is without merit and will defend ourselves vigorously.”

On the same day the lawsuit was filed, the Knight Capital Group Inc said that its second quarter results would be hurt by numerous issues including losses related to the Facebook listing. The firm predicts that it will suffer a pre-tax loss between $30 million and $35 million only from the Facebook related IPO.

The company has followed up with submission of claims for financial compensation from Nasdaq OMX and is considering all other legal avenues. Knight Capital has made a regulatory filing.

Another investor sued the Nasdaq OMX directly claiming that the exchange operator acted negligently while handling the orders for Facebook shares.

Morgan Stanley announced that it is reviewing Facebook trades and would adjust prices for some retail customers who had to overpay.

Wednesday’s lawsuit is one of several such lawsuits that have been filed against Facebook’s IPO across the country.

The case is Brian Roffe Profit Sharing Plan et al v. Facebook Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York,No. 12-04081.

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120 Afghan Schoolgirls Poisoned to Thwart Women’s Education

EmploymentCrossing — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:18:13 +0000

In their latest attack to teach women a lesson for going against conservative laws and daring to study, the Taliban released an airborne chemical poison in a school in the Takhar province of Afghanistan. In the second attack of its kind on women’s schools in the province, scores of schoolgirls were left unconscious. Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security said that the Taliban appear intent on closing down schools teaching to women ahead of a 2014 withdrawal of NATO troops. More than 120 schoolgirls and three teachers were poisoned in the attack, as reported by Afghan police and education officials on Wednesday.

Officials said that Takhar province, where the attack took place, was a hotbed of radicals who were opposed to women’s education and maintain that men should have beards, and women should have no education.

NDS spokesman Lutfullah Mashal, while speaking on the Taliban, said “A part of their Al Farooq spring offensive operation is … to close schools. By poisoning girls they want to create fear. They try to make families not send their children to school.”

According to a report issued last week by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, at least 550 schools in 11 provinces have been shut down by the Taliban, who oppose all forms of education except what they teach. In all the 11 provinces, the Taliban have strong support and attacking schools and children makes spreading terror easy among families. People are ready to die themselves, but are not ready to see their children killed. So, the Islamic radicals have chosen schoolchildren and schools as their new targets for spreading terror.

Last month, in the same Takhar province, at least 150 schoolgirls were poisoned by drinking water laced with unidentified toxins.

Women had been returning to schools in Afghanistan since U.S. backed forces toppled the Taliban in 2001. Under Taliban rule, women were banned from education and from work outside the home unless required by Taliban overlords and permitted by their families.

There are periodic attacks against students, teachers and school buildings in the Taliban infested south and eastern regions of the country which are close to Pakistan. The Taliban insurgency draws most of its support from these areas.

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Heiress Adopts Former Husband as Son to Grab Inheritance: Court Rejects Rights

EmploymentCrossing — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:13:02 +0000

On Tuesday, Delaware’s Supreme Court ruled that an heiress adopting her 65-year old husband as her son did not entitle the man to lay claim to a billion dollar inheritance. The claim was over Delaware’s famous Gore-Tex waterproof fabric fortune over which the heirs of the founders have been fighting for years. The privately held company has $3 billion in annual revenue.

The case came to court over disputes related to the wishes of late Wilbert L. Gore, the founder of the company, W.L. Gore & Associates Inc, and his late wife, Vieve, about how they intended to divide the fortune. The controversy boiled around Susan, one of the five children of Wilbert and Susan’s ex-husband, Jan Otto.

According to the court, Susan Gore, and her son Nathan Otto hatched the plan to even out the potential distribution from the family trust which would have divided 26,500 Gore shares.

Each of the five children of Wilbert had four children, except Susan, who had three. According to their ideas, they understood that Susan’s children, being lesser in number would be inheriting less. So, Susan, eventually decided to adopt her ex-husband Jan Otto, to increase the number of her children to four, and be at par with her other siblings.

According to the court, Jan Otto initially assured Susan that the steps were needed to ensure benefit of their children. So, Susan Gore, visited a Wyoming court and secretly adopted Jan Otto in 2003. Within a year, Jan showed his colors and declared that he wanted to keep the potential distribution from the trust for himself, because, now he was legally entitled to the fortune as Susan’s son.

While Susan was considering that she should “un-adopt” her ex-husband and present son, Susan’s mother, Vieve Gore died, releasing the trust assets and setting into motion the courtroom battle.

In the 37-page opinion, Chief Justice Myron Steele wrote that “The fact that Susan kept this adoption secret until Vieve died further evidences that Susan and the Otto grandchildren knew that they were acting to thwart Vieve’s intentions.”

What a ….

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Patrick Fitzgerald, the “Prosecutor’s Prosecutor,” to Step Down on June 30

EmploymentCrossing — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:09:31 +0000

The famous U.S. attorney, called “a prosecutor’s of prosecutor” by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and described as a person who served the American people “with the utmost integrity and a steadfast commitment to the cause of justice,” has announced he’s leaving the game effective June 30.

Fitzgerald is a man who shook the knees of the corrupt and powerful in Washington. Karl Rove, the most powerful White House aide of former President George W. Bush, wrote in his book “Courage and Consequence” that he wept with joy when he learnt that Fitzgerald would not be prosecuting him for his role in a scandal. Fitzgerald’s track-record includes investigations of the former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, a great number of CIA leaks, the prosecution of two consecutive Illinois governors, thousands of criminal cases, organized crime and mafia bosses, supporters of terrorism, and former Chicago officials who rigged recruitments by the city.

Fitzgerald is the longest-serving U.S. attorney in the history of Chicago and has always been criticized by politicians for taking a hard line on political corruption. He was the lead counsel in the 2007 trial of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, who was the chief of staff and national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. Fitzgerald secured Libby’s conviction on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Under his leadership, the media baron Conrad Black was also convicted.

Andy Shaw, president and CEO of the Better Government Association said Fitzgerald was “in a class of his own” because he did not carry any personal political agenda. In quick succession he floored and convicted, first the Republican governor, George Ryan, and then the Democratic governor, Rod Blagojevich. “He will be a tough act to follow – that’s the understatement of the day … he brought a level of commitment and passion and skill to that job that elevated it to a new level,” added Shaw.

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Roger Ailes, Fox News Chief, Criticizes Jon Stewart

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:45:16 +0000

The chief of Fox News, Roger Ailes, has made some interesting comments about television show host Jon Stewart and they are sure to raise some eyebrows. Ailes claims that when the two were at a bar together, Stewart admitted to Ailes that he was a socialist. The comments were made by Ailes during a talk at Ohio University on Monday night. The points made by Ailes were tweeted by journalist and media lawyer Jonathan Peters.

Ailes made the claim that Stewart “wouldn’t do well without Fox. And he basically has admitted to me, in a bar, that he’s a socialist.”

The favorite target of Stewart seems to be Fox News, so Ailes has made his thoughts about Stewart pretty clear in the past. Back in 2010, Ailes issued similar comments about Stewart when he called Stewart ‘crazy’ and said he ‘makes a living by attacking conservatives.’ Ailes went on to criticize other media outlets for bias. He said that “Media Matters writes all of the primetime programming for MSNBC. MSNBC is out of the news business and Brian Williams, a sincere newsman, wouldn’t want to be caught dead over there.”

Ailes claimed that the only difference between television shows airing on Fox News and CNN or MSNBC is “Fox invites liberal voices to engage in dialogue.”

Ailes went as far as criticizing the Associated Press and the New York Times. Ailes described the Associated Press as ‘tips to the left’ and the New York Times as ‘a cesspool of bias’ that employs reporters who are ‘a bunch of lying scum.’

Ailes decided to retract some of his attack against the New York Times as a top executive from Fox News said that Ailes regrest his language. The top executive also said that Ailes feels the paper has actually been fair towards Fox News under the direction of executive editor Jill Abramson.

Grandmother Held Without Bail for Murder of Grandson

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:33:13 +0000

A 911 dispatcher was told by a frantic Jonathan Hoffman that he had been shot in the chest b his grandmother and was about to die, according to testimony by a police detective on Monday. The 17-year-old high school senior had four more shots in him from a .40-caliber handgun by the time police arrived at the family’s condo in a Detroit suburb. A detective from West Bloomfield Township said that eight entry and exit wounds were discovered in Hoffman’s body after the shooting occurred on Friday. The testimony given by the detective occurred during an arraignment for the grandmother, 74-year-old Sandra Layne.

Layne was charged with open murder and has been held without bail. As her charge was read in court, Layne stood without talking and on her behalf a guilty plea was entered with the court. With an open murder charge, the jury is given the chance to determine if it should be a first or second degree murder charge after being presented with the evidence in the case.

As Hoffman’s divorced parents settled things in Arizona, Hoffman was attending an alternative high school in Farmington while living with his maternal grandparents, according to his father, Michael. Michael is from Scottsdale, Arizona. According to the attorneys for Layne, there were issues at the condo where the family lived, claiming that Layne was scared of her grandson. Mitchell Ribitwer, an attorney for Layne, said that drugs and drug paraphernalia was found at the condo and that it apparently belongs to the teenager. Michael Hoffman said that no matter his son’s behavior, he should not have been shot to death. He also said that his son was unarmed.

The detective, Brad Boulet, testified in front of the court about the 911 call from Hoffman. He said that when the officers arrived on the scene they found Layne inside the condo.

“She put the gun on the floor after being ordered so by officers,” Boulet said. “She exclaimed she had just murdered her grandson.”

Layne was described to the judge by Ribitwer as a resident of West Bloomfield for 30 years and a retired teacher. When he requested a reasonable bond amount and an electronic tether monitor, the judge denied him. On Thursday morning, Layne will be in attendance for a pre-examination conference. In March, police responded to Layne’s condo for a domestic disturbance call.

“I spoke to the officer who responded, and he indicated this young man was totally out of control in the street,” defense attorney Ribitwer said. “He was derogatory to his grandmother. He was yelling and shouting and almost got into it with the police.”

Ray J Hospitalized for Exhaustion

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:04:09 +0000

On Monday, not long after the Billboard Music Awards, Ray J was hospitalized for exhaustion and jet lag. It was reported that the singer was extremely tired from traveling the past couple of days and was advised by doctors to get rest. Just last weekend, Ray J was on a flight, for 32 hours, from China to Las Vegas, which caused most of the exhaustion. Then, at the Rio Hotel and Casino, Ray J hosted a party for the debut of his new hair serum ‘Prince Reigns.’

Ray J was rushed by his staff to the hospital after he became ill. Doctors said that he suffered from exhaustion that was caused by long-distance traveling on jet airplanes, which is known as jet lag. Ray J will be supervised by doctors for the next couple of days to make sure that he recovers properly.

It has been reported that his exhaustion was not only caused by his extensive travel schedule but also the death of Whitney Houston. Unnamed sources claim that Ray J was in an off and on relationship with the famous pop singer and was absolutely devastated by her death. He was even quoted telling reporters that he has found it difficult to cope with the emptiness from her death.

Defamation Trial to begin on January 2, 2013 for Casey Anthony

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:28:36 +0000

Casey Anthony has returned to the public eye once again but not because she chose to do so on her own. This time, Anthony is back in the public eye following a 10-month search by investigators looking for her. She was found at a residence in Florida and was then issued a subpoena for a defamation lawsuit. She could be faced with the task of answering questions in court, under oath, regarding the death of Caylee, her daughter. Anthony was acquitted of murdering her two-year-old daughter not too long ago.

The lawsuit was filed by Zenaida Gonzalez because Anthony told officials that a babysitter named Zenaida Gonzalez kidnapped her daughter Caylee. The woman is claiming defamation against Anthony because she holds the exact same name as the woman Anthony made up back in 2008.

“Ms. Gonzalez is happy to hear that Casey Anthony finally will be held accountable just like everybody else,” Gonzalez’s attorney Matt Morgan said.

Anthony has been hiding from the public since she was acquitted last July during her highly publicized trial. The only appearance made in public by Anthony has been on YouTube in videos that were posted featuring her. In the videos, Anthony expressed her ideas on life after her trial and how things were going. During the trial, Anthony never took the stand to speak for herself.

The suit filed by Gonzalez has been permitted to go forward by a judge, who also demanded that Anthony’s lawyers tell of where she is located. Anthony’s lawyers accepted the subpoena on her behalf since she avoided the investigators watching the house. In October, Anthony filmed a deposition for the lawsuit from an unknown location. She was wearing sunglasses, a baseball hat, and a long, black wig. During the testimony, Anthony decided to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights. Prior to the subpoena being filed, Anthony was going to leave the country in September, which would have been after she completed her probation for a charge of check fraud. Instead, Anthony has to return to Orlando to answer questions about the murder of Caylee. The trial will begin on January 2, 2013.

Lawyer Weisberg Pleads Guilty to Escrow Theft

danielj — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:13:15 +0000

Martin Weisberg, who has been indicted on a smorgasbord of charges, has pleaded guilt to two counts brought against him: money laundering and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

The former New York partner of Baker & McKenzie has faced similar charges before, such as when he managed to evade unscathed from 1991 charges of trading in a Ponzi scheme.

Despite his attempts to challenge all the charges — he tried to have the money laundering count thrown out and contended that the 10 wire fraud counts were on an improper venue — he has hankered down and admitted his faults.

“I deeply regret this action on my part,” he read from a statement. “My actions were wrong and in violation of the law and again I deeply regret my actions.”

He is speaking specifically of when he told three clients, including SIAM capital management, Regenmacher Holdings Limited, and JMV Fixed Income Arbitrage Performance Partners that he would put $30 million in an escrow account that would earn no interest when in fact he put it in an account that earned him $1.6 million in interest.

Other charges include 10 counts of wire fraud and one of money laundering

He was also indicted with giving discounted shares in Xybernaut Corporation and Ramp Corporation to two Israeli investors, Zev Saltsman and Menacham Eitan.

He could face up to 10 years in prison for money laundering and 5 for the security fraud conspiracy charge. Part of his pleading of guilt is contingent on him getting less than 97 months of prison.

Three Climbers Dead, Two Missing, on Mount Everest

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:02:22 +0000

An official from Nepal said that three climbers have died and two others are missing after climbing Mount Everest this past weekend. The three climbers died during their descent after scaling the mountain with a group of people. Gyanendra Shrestha, from Nepal’s Mountaineering Department, said that the best weather of the spring climbing season was present on Friday and Saturday of this past weekend. Shrestha then said that a windstorm hit the highest altitudes of Mount Everest late on Saturday afternoon. Close to 150 climbers made it to the summit of the mountain on both days, with most of them succeeding on Saturday.

“There was a traffic jam on the mountain on Saturday. Climbers were still heading to the summit as late as 2:30 p.m. which is quite dangerous,” Shrestha said from the base camp of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest climbers have been warned that they should not try to climb the summit after 11a.m. The ‘death zone’ of the mountain is located just above the final camp at South Col. It received its nickname from its conditions, which include a low oxygen level and a steep icy slope.

“With the traffic jam, climbers had a longer wait for their chance to go up the trail and spent too much time at higher altitude. Many of them are believed to be carrying limited amount of oxygen not anticipating the extra time spent,” Shrestha said.

It is believed that the three climbers who perished this weekend did so from altitude sickness and exhaustion. They have been identified as Doctor Eberhard Schaaf, 61, from Germany; Shriya Shah, a Canadian citizen born in Nepal; and Song Won-bin, a South Korean mountaineer. The two climbers still missing are a Chinese national and his Nepalese Sherpa guide.

In the month of May, the conditions are clear enough for only a short period of time for climbers to climb the 29,035-foot peak of Mount Everest. Eight people died on May 10, 1996, which is thought of as the deadliest day in history on Mount Everest. It is believed that the climbers that day began their climb very late in the day and wound up being caught in a snowstorm that swept across the mountain during the afternoon hours.

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What is Facebook’s Value?

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:50:59 +0000

In the first quarter, the growth rate for Facebook was at 45 percent year over year, which is a decrease of 55 percent from the fourth quarter of last year. That decrease was also a big decline from the previous quarter. Facebook is staring at a major problem right now and that problem is deceleration, which the market does not like at all. The profit margin for Facebook when it opened was 50 percent, which means it more than likely can only decrease from here.

Facebook’s revenue growth from advertising in the first quarter only hit 37 percent, which most view as very unimpressive. Facebook has begun to burn cash because the company is spending so much money on data centers. Many thought that Facebook would rival Google in terms of revenue, but the revenue for Google is 10 times as large as Facebook’s and Google has a larger cash flow than Facebook’s revenue. Should Facebook not reaccelerate its growth for the remainder of the year, then it could post a revenue increase of just under 40 percent for the entire year.

Analysts estimate that the earnings for Facebook in 2013 range from roughly $0.40 to $1.00, which puts the trading at 40X-100X in 2013 earnings. Facebook is markedly smaller than Google and Apple, which means that if all goes well, Facebook could grow its earnings quicker than those two companies. It is quite possible that Facebook could trade at 20X-30X if their revenue does not reaccelerate. Should Facebook be able to earn $1 per share in 2013, it could possibly trade at $20-$30, which calculates to $50 billion to $85 billion. Should Facebook wind up trading at Google and Apple’s valuation according to Wall Street, Facebook could earn $0.60 at $6-$7.

When you look at Facebook, some people think that the company is just beginning to monetize its users, that it will be able to create dozens of new products that will make billions of dollars in revenue, that it can jump into apps and platforms and that it will have 2 to 3 billion users soon. One thing that the company needs to realize is that the first one billion users of Facebook are the company’s most valuable because the richest people in the world are already using the site. These users are the ones that advertisers are trying to reach right now.

Should Facebook acquire 50 percent revenue growth over the next two years, it could post revenue of $5.5 billion in 2012 and $8.3 billion in 2013. For the most part, it might be safe to estimate Facebook’s value at 20X-30X 2013 for estimated earnings. If you estimate the value between Wall Street’s estimate of $0.60 and an aggressive estimate of $1.00 at say, $0.80, the value of Facebook would come in between $16-$24.

Asperger Woman Pardoned her Law School Student Loan

danielj — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:46:13 +0000

It’s rare, but it does happen; once in a while a debtor manages to convince the court to dismiss his or her because of the “undue burden” standard. Yet Carol Todd, 63, managed to do just that when she convinced the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland on May 17 that her debt to the University of Baltimore School of Law constituted an “undue burden,” and her debt of $339,361 dollars, was forgiven.

She had studied at the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1992 but dropped out. She gained her Ph.D. from an unaccredited online university in 2007.

“[T]o expect Ms. Todd to ever break the grip of Autism and meaningfully channel her energies towards tasks that are not in some way either dictated, or circumscribed, by the demands of her disorder would be to dream the impossible dream,” said U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gordon.

During the trial, Todd broke down and wept when faced with “seemingly innocuous questions,” and “folded into a fearful shell,” with little provocation.

Student loans must be repaid under federal bankruptcy, requiring meeting a rigorous proof that the “undue burden” justifies negating the debt.

“You hardly find a student loan debt case where the debts are discharged,” said Frank Turny, who represented Todd. “This situation had a client who had some serious disabilities.”

New Lawyer for Travolta Accusers Sued by Their Former Lawyer

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:54:39 +0000

A federal lawsuit against John Travolta was dismissed in court last week when the plaintiff dropped out because there was confusion regarding the date when the incident occurred. Then, the second plaintiff in the case fired his lawyer, Okorie Okorocha, and hired Gloria Allred instead. The lawsuit accused Travolta of groping two male masseurs at different hotels in Los Angeles and Atlanta this past January. The allegations have been denied by the lawyer for Travolta, Martin Singer. Allred is now the attorney for both of the plaintiffs in the case and she has said that she is considering filing the lawsuit against Travolta again in a different court. Allred has denied that she solicited her clients, instead claiming they contacted her about her services.

“She’s either calling her client a liar or she’s lying,” Okorocha said, who filed the lawsuit on Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Okorocha claims that Allred unethically and illegally solicited the second plaintiff, who is known as John Doe #2.

“The solicitations included asking John Doe No. 2 ‘Are you happy with your representation?’” the suit said. A piece of evidence attached to the lawsuit shows a screenshot of a text message exchange with John Doe #2 only two days prior to the client firing Okorocha and hiring Allred.

“Do you have the number Gloria Allred called from?” the screenshot showed. “I will check my caller ID. It was on my home phone,” the client replied.

“She ain’t been in a courtroom in 20 years. Just doing stupid ass press conference side shows,” Okorocha wrote in reply.

Okorocha spoke with CNN just two days prior to being fired by John Doe #2, saying that he thought Allred was soliciting his client. Allred immediately denied the claim that day.

“That is completely false,” Allred said. “I have never done that and do not have any idea who John Doe 2 is.”

Okorocha said he received a call just two days later telling him he was fired by John Doe #2.

“We believe that the lawsuit should be filed in another court and, therefore, the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice,” Allred said. “We will be conferring with our client regarding what will happen next in this case.”

The lawsuit filed by Okorocha claims that Allred intentionally interfered with contractual relations, intentionally interfered with prospective economic relations and unfair business practices.

“I get the case to national prominence and then someone who only does press conferences and sideshows, and doesn’t actually go to court or do trials, just steps in and says, ‘I’ll take the clients,’” Okorocha said during the interview with CNN.

The claims by Okorocha were described by Allred as ‘false, outrageous and defamatory.’ Allred also asked for a detraction.

“Because both John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 contacted us,” she said. “As have all of our thousands of clients in the 27 years that I have been practicing law. And we have great confidence that we will obtain a judgment against him for defamation.”

Former Dewey Partners Hire Lawyer for Clawback Protection

jim — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:38:39 +0000

Mark Zauderer, a partner from the law firm of Flemming Zulack Williamson Zauderer, has confirmed that he has been retained by a group of at least 50 former lawyers from Dewey & LeBoeuf as their former firm considers filing for bankruptcy. The former partners are using representation to defend against possible clawback attempts by the firm should it ask for money from those former partners. The former partners are also looking for representation in order to file claims of possible compensation that they are owed.

In a 1988 bankruptcy filing by Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg, Manley, Myerson & Casey; Zauderer represented a senior partner from the firm against a clawback claim from the firm. Zauderer has represented law firms regarding partnership disputes and has worked as special litigation counsel in bankruptcy courts. It was confirmed by Zauderer that he is going to work with Andrew Eckstein, a restructuring parent from Blank Rome in New York. Eckstein worked with Citibank when it dissolved Thelen and Thacher Proffitt & Wood. He also worked with the bank when it dissolved Howrey. Also representing a group of former partners is that of Tracy Klestadt, from Klestadt & Winters.

It was reported by The Wall Street Journal on May 18 that Dewey could be preparing to file for bankruptcy in the coming weeks. A senior managing director from Zolfo Cooper, Joff Mitchell, confirmed that he is the firm’s chief restructuring officer.

Whitney’s Last Record Released for the Movie “Sparkle”

EmploymentCrossing — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:31:57 +0000

The last recording of Whitney Houston, a duet with “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks , has been released on Monday. Jordin’s upcoming film “Sparkle” will feature the number “Celebrate” sung by Whitney and Sparks. “Sparkle” will be hitting movie theaters on August 17 and was produced by R. Kelly and recorded a few days before Whitney’s death. The movie is being released by Sony Pictures Global.

On Sunday, Jordin Sparks delivered a moving tribute to Whitney Houston at the Billboard Music Awards. She sang “I Will Always Love You” before a posthumous award for Whitney was presented to Whitney’s daughter Bobbi Kristina.

“Sparkle” is a remake of the 1976 film with the same name. It tells the story of three sisters who went on to become Motown stars hard pressed to deal with fame and fortune. Houston plays the role of Spark’s mother in the film.

The role was supposed to be a big comeback for Whitney after almost a 15-year hiatus from movies like “The Preacher’s Wife,” and “The Bodyguard.” The movie would also be the first leading movie role for Jordin Sparks.

Whitney Houston died on February 11 at his Beverly Hills hotel by accidental drowning in her bathtub. Her collapse was caused by a potent mix of heart disease, medicines, and cocaine.

The song, which is already a must-see for Whitney fans, features disco beats and a message full of life: “I’m going to celebrate, celebrate you” sings Whitney.

The movie is still waiting for ratings.

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Four Lawyers Leave Ball Janik to Begin New Law Firm in Portland

EmploymentCrossing — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:29:05 +0000

In-house dispute at the Portland law firm Ball Janik has lead to several prominent attorneys leaving the firm en masse. All of those who have left are real estate lawyers and the group announced on Monday that they are launching a new law firm by the name of Radler White Parks & Alexander. Radler, Parks and White were partners at Ball Janik, who were joined by their colleague Christe White. Ball Janik officials declined to comment on the matter.

For long, Ball Janik has been known as one of the best firms in the Northwest for real estate developers. However, over the last decade, the law firm also hired a group of litigators specializing in construction defect claims. This formed two lobbies within the firm – one of the real estate specialists, and the other of the construction defect specialists, and differences kept piling up between the two. With the recession setting in, real estate lawyers were no more in such a great demand as before while litigation claims over construction defects emerged as a prime market. Naturally, the money and revenue equation within the law firm changed substantially from its original pattern.

Dina Alexander, one of the partners who left to float the new firm told the media, “Organizations evolve and I think this organization is evolving … It’s to the point that the litigation practice is becoming the biggest practice in terms of number of people and revenue. For some of us, it made us thing it was time to get back to the basics of real estate and land-use. … In our opinion, there are some inherent inconsistencies and certainly some conflicts when you have a group that represents developers and another group that represents homeowners.”

The new law firm would see Alexander and White work together once more. Their team is considered to be one of the most formidable real estate development lawyers in Portland area practice. Earlier, White had left Ball Janik to join another firm, and later set up a solo practice.

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Naked Man Ties Himself to Tree for Anonymous Sex

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:47:19 +0000

Ramsey, Minnesota was the scene of an interesting crime last week as Alan Petrusson decided to tie himself to a tree. Now, some of you might be wondering why that is such an interesting crime. Well, it gets weirder as Petrusson decided to do so with a blindfold over his eyes and his genitals exposed for all to see. He told police that he was waiting for anonymous sex when he pulled this stunt.

“It’s the weirdest thing I’ve heard of out there,” Ramsey Police Chief James Way said. “We have had reports of sexual activity out there though.”

Petrusson tried to tell police that he was simply sleeping when they showed up to remove him from the tree.

“I don’t believe that,” he said. “That’s up to a judge and/or jury to determine, if it gets that far.”

Petrusson is facing multiple charges of lewd conduct, indecent exposure and trespassing. The trespassing charge comes because he was tied to a tree that was not on the property of the park he was at during the incident.

“I really do not appreciate in-your-face-type behavior like that,” an unidentified woman said. It has been reported previously that there are all types of interesting incidents at the park, including one where a man was reading a book in his car when another man reached into his window. Another incident included a pastor attempting to run from the police by jumping into the river.

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Massachusetts Bar Task Force Releases Report

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:37:38 +0000

A report was released last week by the Massachusetts Bar Associations Task Force on the Law, Economy and Underemployment. The report investigated the causes and possible solutions for law school graduate underemployment. The task force is comprised of 12 lawyers, a law student and one university pre-law adviser. The members of the task force devoted six months to the investigation, which is called ‘Beginning the Conversation.’ The report places a focus on how law schools help contribute to the underemployment problem of their graduates.

The report details that during the 2010-2011 academic year, there were 60,400 students admitted to law schools, which accounts for 68.7 percent of applicants. There were close to 49,700 graduates from American Bar Association-accredited law schools to graduate in 2010. The admission rate at medical schools in the United States is at 43.6 percent, with close to 18,665 graduates each year from medical schools. When medical students are in their third and fourth years, they are working their rotations in hospitals and other specialties. Then, for three to six years following graduation they are working on their residencies, with 23,000 positions available. The amount of positions available is more than enough for the amount of annual graduates.

“What can law schools learn from this comparison?” the report asks. The report suggests that the third year of law school should be devoted to training. “The task force recommends that the MBA encourage Bay State law schools to reinvent the third year so as to provide greater opportunities for law students to gain practical legal experience and expand opportunities to hone their legal writing skills, beyond that offered through traditional first-year legal writing programs.”

Eric Parker, the co-chair of the task force and from Parker Scheer, said the following about physicians and dentists being prepared to graduate: “They have marketable skills that people want to pay for. By contrast, we found that law graduates come out with a generic exposure to legal theory and lack the experience and practical training that converts into a marketable skill.”

A legal residency program was also a suggestion as mentioned by the report. “In such a program, recent law school graduates could apply for legal residency positions with Massachusetts law firms participating in residency training.”

The report also suggests that possible law students need to be informed consumers; that the number of licensed attorneys allowed to practice in the state of Massachusetts be controlled by lowering the bar pass rate and to create rewards for students who graduate from Massachusetts law schools who decide to practice elsewhere.

Miley Cyrus Discusses Sex on Lifetime Interview

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:14:53 +0000

When she was 12, Miley Cyrus burst onto the public scene as ‘Hannah Montana’ for Disney, growing up right before her fans eyes. Cyrus has been criticized the past couple of years for growing up too fast and trying to become too sexy too soon. In a recent interview with Amanda de Cadenet on Lifetime’s ‘The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet,’ Cyrus said she knows the expectations the world has for her and that it is hard to live up to them as a 19-year-old.

“I feel I was so trained in my interviews to be All-American or whatever. I just got so set in the way of saying the same things I did when I was 12-years-old… I guess I kind of realized that my whole life isn’t one giant press junket. I don’t have to be smiling all the time and always have the perfect answer.”

Cyrus has found herself defending her views on gay marriage and religion over the past couple of years as well as her ‘sexier’ appearance.

“For me, what I do [being sexy] is not the point. You’re not sitting there trying to be sexy. If people find that [I am], I take it as a compliment,” she said. “People are so scared of seeing a woman being like, ‘This is who I am and you’re not going to change it.’”

A couple of Cyrus’ toughest critics have described her as ‘disgusting’ and Cyrus says that she believes the entertainment industry has forced her into behaving a certain way.

“[It] used to be if you’re a woman you do not sing about sex, and now if that’s not what you’re singing about, if that’s not your entire image, you won’t get played [on radio and TV],” she explained. “The last season of ["Hannah Montana"] I put out “Can’t Be Tamed,” which even just the title of that for a woman to say that she can’t be tamed, and of all people in the world, my face saying I can’t be tamed, when that’s all people really wanted to do — I think that proves how sexist people still really are and judgmental. It’s the whole thing of saying ‘be sexy, but our way.”

Cyrus explained how there are young girls out there today who value themselves based on how they interact sexually.

“The girls that really base how much they’re worth on the sexual favors they can do for somebody, that makes me really sad. Because sex is actually really beautiful. It’s the only way we create, and it’s the only way the world keeps going. So it’s ignorant not to talk to your kids about it or [not] make it seem as magical or cool as it actually is,” she explained. “[Kids] have a TV, so they know what sex is. So educate them and let them know … it’s a beautiful thing, and it is magic, and it’s when you connect with somebody. And it isn’t how much you’re worth. Your worth isn’t based on that, your worth is based on how you feel about yourself.”

Cyrus goes on to say that the expectations of her from the world have taken their toll on her.

“I’ve lost [my sense of self] a lot. There’s times you hear what you should be so much that you lose what you actually are, and that’s really hard,” she said.

Tapeworms in Brain Cause Neurocysticercosis

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:06:24 +0000

Neurocysticercosis, brain tapeworms, is a parasitic disease of the body’s nervous system. A recent expose revealed how disgusting the brain tapeworms are and how they can enter the human body. They are larvae that can attach to the brain in large white cysts. Humans can get them by eating undercooked pork because they are usually found in the bloodstream of a pig, where they then attach to the pig’s muscles.

Even though the larvae are inside the human body, it still believes that it is inside the body of a pig, which causes them to move into the bloodstream and then get stuck in fluid-filled cavities in the human brain. Once this happens the larvae latches onto the immune system, forming networks on the brain, destroying its functions if not treated. Dr. Theodore Nash, from Maryland, says that patients he has treated suffer from awful side-effects. Those side-effects include the loss of motor function, comas, violent seizures and blindness.

What makes this disease even scarier is the fact that it is more common than most people think or even know. It is hard to pinpoint exactly how many people actually suffer from the problem, especially since they are common in areas of the world with poor sanitation and poor healthcare networks. Nash gives an estimate of 2,000 people in the United States being infected with the tapeworms and close to 29 million in Latin America.

Recommendations for preventing such tapeworms from entering your body and latching onto either the brain or the intestines are to cook your food thoroughly and wash your hands as regularly as possible.

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Ratings for Rush Limbaugh Drop

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:55:58 +0000

It has been reported that the ratings for radio host Rush Limbaugh have plummeted recently in some markets as a result of the firestorm regarding his comments about Sandra Fluke. Fluke was called a ‘slut’ and a ‘prostitute’ because of her advocacy for birth control. These comments brought out criticism from President Barack Obama and many others in the public eye. The comments also spurred multiple advertisers to leave the show. Recently a radio CEO admitted that the comments cost him millions of dollars.

Nearly one month after he made the comments, Limbaugh had the following to say about his show, “The advertisers who hung in here are going gangbusters, yes,” he said, adding, “On the range of all 600 radio stations, our ratings are up anywhere from 10% to 60%, depending on the station.”

The report about Limbaugh’s ratings was released on Monday and it showed that his ratings fell by 27 percent in the demographic of 25-54 in New York City. In the Houston-Galveston market, his ratings fell by 31 percent. The Seattle-Tacoma market, the ratings fell by 40 percent. Jacksonville saw a decrease in ratings by 35 percent. The Arbitron ratings covered the time period from March 29 to April 25. Limbaugh’s ratings climbed in San Francisco and saw an overall spike in listeners as a result in the controversy.

One of the most vocal proponents against Limbaugh posted the following on Twitter:

Ratings info released today. Limbaugh is down in key markets…big time. I keep telling y’all: his business model is failing. Onward

North Carolina Pastor’s Rant about Gays Posted on YouTube

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:08:29 +0000

Charles L. Worley, a pastor from the Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, North Carolina, has a video posted on YouTube of himself condemning President Barack Obama’s stance on gay marriage. In the video he also requested that gays and lesbians be placed in an electrified pen and then killed.

“Build a great, big, large fence — 150 or 100 mile long — put all the lesbians in there,” Worley suggests in the video, which was filmed on May 13.

“Do the same thing for the queers and the homosexuals and have that fence electrified so they can’t get out…and you know what, in a few years, they’ll die out…do you know why? They can’t reproduce!”

When he was asked who he would vote for in the election this November, Worley responds with the following: “I’m not going to vote for a baby killer and a homosexual lover!” The majority of the congregation replies with “Amen.”

“It makes me pukin’ sick to think about — I don’t even whether or not to say this in the pulpit — can you imagine kissing some man?”

You can check out the video from YouTube at the top of this post. Leave us your thoughts on Worley’s remarks in our comment section at the bottom of the page.

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Facebook Stock Continues to Struggle

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:10:51 +0000

On the third day of trading for the newly public stock of Facebook, the trading continues to slide as investors in the company continue to reconsider how much the network is actually worth right now. The initial public offering of Facebook’s stock raised $16 billion, which put the value of the company at $104 billion, which is more than Amazon Inc., which is worth $98 billion. The stock fell $1.09, which is 3.2 percent, to $32.94 late on Tuesday morning after it dropped to $30.98 earlier in the morning Tuesday. This puts the value at $91 billion for the company. On the other hand, Google Inc. is worth close to $200 billion. Facebook still boasts 900 million users and the company is still operated by Mark Zuckerberg.

When Netscape released its IPO in 1995, the stock in the company doubled on the first day of trading. When Google released its IPO in 2004, the stock gained 18 percent when it debuted. Facebook’s IPO — like Netscape’s in 1995 and Google’s in 2004 — was billed as a milestone moment. On Monday, the stock for Facebook closed at $34.03, which was a decrease of 11 percent from the closing bell on Friday, which was $38.23. Last Thursday, the investment banks set the stock price for Facebook at $38. On Friday, the stock for Facebook opened at $42.05 and jumped from $45 and $38 throughout the day.

One reason why the Facebook stock could be struggling is the fact that its IPO went public during the same week that saw the market witness its worst performance of 2012 to date. As Facebook’s IPO went public, the interest in the stock market has decreased steadily since 2008, with $400 billion being removed from U.S. stock mutual funds. Another reason for the Facebook stock troubles is that of banks being extremely cautious. “Regulators want banks to take less risk,” said Larry Tabb. Tabb is the founder and CEO of Tabb Group. “To support a $100 billion offering can be challenging in this environment.”

“It was like trying to get a jumbo jet to take off in turbulent weather,” said Kathleen Shelton Smith. Smith is a principal at Renaissance Capital, which deals with IPOs. “It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

Many have been wondering how the stock for Facebook did not struggle more than it did the past couple of days. One of the answers is that the offering price never dropped below $38 even though it only climbed a couple of pennies above it. The reason for this is that the banks that set the price placed enough orders at $38 that would keep the price at that mark without dipping.

Dharun Ravi Sentenced to 30 Days in Prison

jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:19:16 +0000

Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers student, was sentenced to 30 days in jail on Monday for his role in his former roommate’s suicide. Tyler Clementi committed suicide after a video of him kissing another man was streamed online by Ravi. In March, Ravi was found guilty of hate crimes and invasion of privacy. Ravi did not speak during the sentencing on Monday morning and he will begin serving his sentence on May 31.

“The media was ripping him apart with their misleading facts … He was absolutely devastated and broken into pieces,” Sabitha Ravi, Dharun’s mother, pleaded.

“I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi,” Judge Glenn Berman said when announcing his sentencing decision. “He had no reason to. But, I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity.”

In relation to the case, Ravi was also convicted of witness tampering, bias intimidation and hindering arrest. Ravi used a webcam to view Clementi and his date in their room back in 2010. He then posted tweets about the encounter he saw on video. In the tweets, Ravi explained what he saw and invited his followers to watch as his roommate kissed another man.

Clementi jumped from the George Washington Bridge back on September 22, 2010. This occurred after Clementi posted the following on his Facebook page, “Jumping off the gw bridge. Sorry.”

The man in the video with Clementi, who has not been identified, issued the following statement via his attorney, Richard Pompelio. “While I bear no anger towards Mr. Ravi, after much thought and many sleepless nights, I must say that Mr. Ravi should serve some type of confinement so that he can reflect on the serious harm he has caused. I do not believe that he has taken responsibility for his conduct, and to this day he seems to blame me for the actions he took.”

Joseph Clementi, the father of Tyler, said of Ravi, “He had no call to do what he did. Tyler never did anything to Mr. Ravi to cause him harm.” Joseph described Ravi’s actions as a result of seeing his roommate “as someone not deserving basic human decency and respect. All because my son was different from him [and] because he was gay.”

Jane Clementi, Tyler’s mother, said that the actions of Ravi were “mean-spirited, they are evil and, most important, they are against the law.”

There was a plea deal offered to Ravi prior to the trial that if he accepted he would have been sentenced to probation and mandatory community service. If Ravi accepted the plea deal he would have been kept out of jail.

General Mattis and Obama Differ in Whom they Regard Our Major Military Threat to Now Be: Iran or China

danielj — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:04:00 +0000

It seems military intelligence is going in two directions, with Gen James Mattis eager to put a third carrier group in the Gulf to intimidate Iran while Obama commandeered that carrier instead to the Pacific Ocean to buffet threats from China. Mattis, whose military jurisdiction include all of the Middle East, except Israel, has named his top three military concerns in the Middle East: “Iran, Iran, and Iran,” whereas Obama wants to intensify our Pacific Ocean presence to cap threats from China.

We have only 11 carrier groups, one that is due to be disbanded this year; commissioned in the middle East are the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Enterprise, which are responding to Iran’s threat to close the Persian Gulf and responding to Iranian politician’s public boasts that they would sink American ships.

Mattis is no warmonger. Known by fans as the “warrior monk” and by enemies as “Mad Dog Mattis,” his military opinions are reflected by America’s Arab allies and Israel, if not the U.S. Government.

Regarding Mattis, George Little, a spokesman for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta characterize him as a commander of “outstanding manner and with great skill,” adding that “the Secretary trusts his judgment implicitly on some of the most pressing security and military challenges of our time, including the war in Afghanistan. General Mattis is seasoned, studied, and the consummate warrior. He is also among the best of advisers, candid and honest, and always in keeping with–and in full support of — our national interests. He’s one of America’s finest military leaders.”

One senior U.S. defense official concurred that in disputing Obama’s view on Iran, “He’s dong exactly what we need any combatant commander to do: telling us what he thinks he needs, giving us his perspective on the problems he faces. That’s what you want. That’s what you expect. And he does it all privately, with all the more credibility. There isn’t a single other leader in government who doesn’t share some concern over the direction Iran is headed.”