How’s that strict gun control working for you, Chicago?
First they came for the large sodas, and I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t drink soda. Then they came for the energy drinks…
Obit watch: Patti Page. NYT. A/V Club.
The NYT profiles Christopher Tinker, auto mechanic in Baltimore. Why? Christopher Tinker’s great-grandfather was Joe Tinker.
Yeah, that Joe Tinker.
Lake Tahoe has a bear problem. Actually, Lake Tahoe has two bear problems:
Problem #2:
Let us pause in our revels for a few moments to consider the plight of the less fortunate.
Specifically, the Vegas sports books, which did not do well this NFL season.
One of the people involved in the MGM sports books claims they took a “seven-figure” hit that day.
“Looking at this, I can tell you we’ll need the underdogs to win in every game. Again,” he said.
If I understand this right, the Texans are favored by between 4 and 5 points over the Bengals. Just saying.
This story was reported by Instapundit and other folks late last week. I didn’t link it because all the reports came back to PRNewswire, who I don’t trust. However, I finally found a link to a WSJ article. So here’s what happened: the ASPCA and other animal rights organizations sued Feld Entertainment (the parent company of Ringling Brothers) for violations of the Endangered Species Act. The organizations, along with a former Ringling Brothers employee, claimed that the circus was mistreating elephants. This has been dragging on for years:
The hook (so to speak): last Friday, the ASPCA settled with Feld Entertainment and paid Feld $9.3 million. Feld is pursuing other parties in the case, including “the Humane Society of the United States, the Fund for Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Animal Protection Institute United with Born Free USA, the former employee and the lawyers who prosecuted the bogus case”.
I’m opposed to animal cruelty. I don’t think you should run over turtles. I think dogs and cats deserve decent treatment, and I think we could do a better job of dealing with meat animals. But I also think that when you hear Sara McLachlan singing “Silent Night” while a bunch of sad-eyed animals appear on the screen, you should keep in mind that the money you donate is going to pay off a settlement from a frivolous and malicious lawsuit.
This is an actual headline on the Dallas Morning News website, as of 9:48 AM today:
Dallas police officer on leave over rap video has car burglarized while visiting husband’s grave
And I said, “Whaaaaaaaaht?” (Short item, but worth clicking through to read. The headline, while odd, is an accurate summary.)
Today’s NYT has a follow-up story about Ryan Freel, whose death was previously noted here. Of interest:
Jean S. Harris, former headmistress of the Madeira School.
Of course, those of you who were alive and aware of your surroundings in the early 1980s know that’s not why I bring up the late Ms. Harris. For those of you who don’t recall, she became notorious after shooting her lover, Dr. Herman Tarnower (a cardiologist who’d become very rich after publishing The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet
Ms. Harris and Dr. Tarnower had been long-time lovers, but Dr. Tarnower started dating his younger assistant. Eventually, Ms. Harris snapped; she claimed she drove to Dr. Tarnower’s to kill herself, Dr. Tarnower tried to get the gun away from her, and she accidentally shot him twice in the struggle.
Unfortunately, Dr. Tarnower had four bullet wounds, not two. Ms. Harris was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 15 to life. She did 12 years before Governor Mario Cuomo granted her clemency.
While she was in prison, she became known as something of an activist for better treatment of women prisoners:
She also tutored her fellow prisoners and worked in the prison library.
Edited to add 12/30: Longer and more detailed obit from the LAT.
The Statesman is reporting the death of Houston McCoy.
Mr. McCoy never got the fame he probably deserved, because that’s the way the media works. He was an officer with the Austin Police Department on August 1, 1966. Mr. McCoy and his fellow officer Ramiro Martinez fired the shots that killed Charles Whitman.
There’s always been some controversy over who actually killed Whitman, and that’s touched on briefly in Mr. McCoy’s obit. I expect to see this rehashed some more in the coming days. Gary Lavergne’s A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders
I previously noted the strange case of Carolyn Barnes, the local lawyer who was accused of shooting at a census worker, found incompetent to stand trial, sent to the state hospital in Kerrville, and yet retains her license to practice law and is representing at least one client.
Yes. Well. There’s an update to the story:
The judge’s position actually kind of makes sense to me:
Meanwhile, the whole issue may become moot, as the Statesman also reports Ms. Barnes is moving closer to being declared competent to stand trial.
I have been critical of the HouChron in the past, but I have to give them credit for this headline:
(Click to embiggen.)
If only they’d added “Women, minorities hardest hit” as a subhed, it would have been a classic.
Heh. “a beer in a paper bag”. Bunny Colvin, call your office, please.
Black truffles are selling in Paris for around $1,200 a pound.
. Is there any evidence that they were ever in Florida to begin with, much less Sarasota? Serious question: I honestly do not remember.Lawrence has just informed me of the passing of Robert Bork. Obits to come.
And I said, “What about ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’?”
She said, “I think that’s just been added to the National Film Registry.”
“And as I recall, we both kind of liked it.”
And I said, “Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.”
(For those of you who have forgotten your one-hit wonders, reference explained here.)
(“The Matrix”? Whoa. But I’m pretty happy about “Dirty Harry” and “A Christmas Story”. I have the Criterion editions of both “Two-Lane Blacktop
The NYT finally got around to publishing an obit for Reinhold Weege, the creator of “Night Court” whose death we noted previously.
Alex Sanchez was the executive director of Homies Unidos, an anti-gang organization, when he was indicted in 2009 on Federal charges of “racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder”. The government alleged he had ties to the MS-13 gang.
Yesterday, the government asked that the charges be dismissed “without prejudice”, which gives them the right to refile those charges in the future.
Remember Pat Lykos, former Harris County DA, unceremoniously tossed from office in this past election cycle? Remember the whole BAT Van scandal? (If you don’t, the “HCDA” category” will provide you with a historical overview.)
Anyway, Amanda Culbertson and Jorge Wong, two of the people who brought up the problems with the BAT Vans, are suing Ms. Lykos, Rachel Palmer (another prosecutor in the DA’s office) and Harris County itself.
The NYT informs us that there hasn’t been a big hit book this holiday season. (Apparently, last year’s big hit was Steve Jobs
Obit watch: Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
Maurice Herzog, noted French climber.
Herzog died of natural causes at the age of 93.
He was stopped after running a red light, “nitially declined to provide his identity” until the cops said they’d fingerprint him, and, oh, by the way, the police also searched his car and found meth.
Also:
Interesting. I can, as of 8:11 PM local time on December 12, 2012, pull up their website. I can also click on the big “PayPal” button, but doing that results in a message from PayPal stating “This recipient is currently unable to receive money.”
(Previously.)
Christmas is coming, so let me give you a gift that keeps on giving.
A while back, I noted the case of San Fernando councilman Mario Hernandez and councilwoman Maribel de la Torre. In brief, the two were involved in an extra-marital affair that went sour, there were accusations of domestic violence by both parties, Hernandez later asked that his charges against de la Torre be withdrawn, and the DA refused.
Ms. de la Torre (who, along with Mr. Hernandez, is no longer a councilperson) went on trial today.
The charges were dismissed “after Deputy Dist. Atty. Ruby Arias announced that she would not be able to proceed”.
Why couldn’t she proceed?
It seems pretty clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of Hernandez. The thing I wonder about (because I am not a lawyer) is: what now? With the charges dismissed, is there still an active bench warrant for Hernandez? Can he still be hauled before a judge? If so, could he face contempt charges? Can the charges be re-filed if Hernandez is found? The dismissal was “without prejudice” so I think the answer to that last question is “yes”, but, again, I Am Not A Lawyer.
I also wonder if this is really worth pursuing any more. It appears that Hernandez doesn’t want it pursued, I’m sure de la Torre is delighted by this turn of events, and both of them (along with the mayor) are no longer in office. Should the DA just call it an unfortunate series of events and move on?
That was the sound of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s head exploding, as well as the heads of many other Chicago politicians.