Unusual News
Wife Allowed to Sue Husband for Forced Labor
In an unusual case, a wife has been given the go-ahead to sue her husband for damages relating to forced labor.
Russian immigrant Natalya Shuvalova paints an ugly picture of her American husband, Joe Cunningham, whom she met through eHarmony... read more
Goodbye Earmarks; Hello Phonemarks, Lettermarks and “Soft” Earmarks
Call them what you want...lettermarks, phonemarks, “soft” earmarks, they all do the same thing: direct money to a state or congressional district at the behest of a senator or representative. But some Republicans have been thumping their chests ... read more
Home Depot to Employees: Don’t Sit Down
An appeals court has cleared the way for a lawsuit to proceed against Home Depot, which is accused of not providing seats for employees despite having available space to do so. The litigation was brought by Devon Harris and Lawrence Winston, cas... read more
4 Political Concepts Ruined by Their Boring Names
Sometimes a policy or concept becomes popular because it acquires a catchy name. The Car Allowance Rebate System, for example, would not have captured the public’s imagination had it not become better known as “Cash for Clunkers.” Here are four co... read more
Jury Revolt against Marijuana Law
In Missoula, Montana, prosecutor Andrew Paul wanted to try Touray Cornell for possession of marijuana. But he couldn’t find enough people in the jury pool open to the idea of sending Cornell to jail for holding a 16th of an ounce of pot. The so-... read more
Wall Street Computers Scan Twitter for Buy and Sell Leads
Specially programmed computers are being used by stock market experts to analyze news media sites, blogs and even social media networks like Twitter to determine the right time to buy or sell.
For instance, Dow Jones has a program that scans... read more
New at the Library: Checking Out Human Beings
Want to know what life is like for those working in law enforcement, or for someone enduring poverty and homelessness? You could read about these ways of life, or you could learn about them by checking out a person at the public library in Toron... read more
“Hallelujah Chorus” Leads to Shopping Mall Evacuation
So much for culture trumping consumerism. At a shopping mall outside Sacramento, California, thousands of singers descended on the Westfield Galleria in Roseville to perform a rendition of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” But before a single note c... read more
Drone Crashes into Backyard in El Paso, Texas
An unmanned aircraft from Mexico crashed last week into the backyard of an El Paso, Texas, home, presumably while looking for drug smugglers along the U.S. border.
American officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were ... read more
Saddam Hussein Had Qur’an Written in His Blood
It took three years and 57 pints of his own blood for Saddam Hussein to have a special copy of the Qur’an printed, and today, no one in Iraq knows exactly what to do with it.
Saddam commissioned the work on his 60th birthday in April 1997 an... read more
Army Ranger Wins Bronze Star…and Pastry Chef Award
Army Master Sergeant Mark Morgan knows how to mix it up on the battlefield and in the kitchen.
The 16-year veteran and Army Ranger served two tours in Iraq and four in Afghanistan, and received the Bronze Star along the way for his service. ... read more
“Government Takeover of Health Care” Wins 2010 Political Lie of the Year
Frank Luntz, you are a winner. The Republican consultant who labeled President Barack Obama’s health care reform plan a “government takeover” was responsible for the tagline selected as the 2010 Lie of the Year by PolitiFact, the independent fac... read more
Court Rejects Katrina Victims Settlement…Because All Money Might Go to Lawyers
Victims of the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans will not be receiving their $21 million settlement from local flood control districts because there would be no settlement to receive, ruled the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal... read more
Stop the War in Afghanistan…Just Joking
Was it a dying man’s last (literal) words, or just a little repartee? That’s the question surrounding the final remarks of veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke before he passed away last week from heart problems.
Holbrooke, the Obama administr... read more
Soldiers and Marines Want Pets…Pentagon Says “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
In an attempt to maintain morale among troops, U.S. military commanders are looking the other way and allowing soldiers and Marines to care for stray dogs and cats on bases in Afghanistan, even though it is prohibited by the Uniform Code of Mili... read more
U.S. Fights Saudi Extremism with…David Letterman and Desperate Housewives
The way to the hearts and minds of young people in Saudi Arabia is not through long interviews with George W. Bush, but through the personalities of David Letterman, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Aniston.
A classified communiqué from the U.S. em... read more