Blog
Published On: July 17, 2008
Donie Vanitzian (see her bio below), the preeminent consumer protection advocate, has written a fabulous book, published by Thompson-West. A must read for any owner, or prospective owner, of a condominium or a property which is governed by a homeowners association. Click here to order it directly from Thompson-West! This guide is an annual pamphlet that discusses all aspects of subdivision and condominium law from a homeowner’s perspective, as well as from a homeowner’s association and developer’s perspective. It provides advice on what to avoid and what to look for when purchasing a common interest development, as well as guidance on mediation, arbitration,… Read More
Published On: July 9, 2008
The most unbelievable video that I have seen in a long, long time. Two teenage girls steal $150 from a 9 year old little girl selling Girl Scout Cookies. Not only do they show no remorse, they are “pissed” because they now have charges pending against them. What is this world coming to? You have to watch this to believe it. Now 18, One of the Teenage Girls Is Arrested! Click Here for Video
Published On: July 4, 2008
(Albany) has published Holding Bishops Accountable: How Lawsuits Helped the Catholic Church Confront Clergy Sexual Abuse (Harvard University Press 2008), available here. The abstract (from SSRN) reads: The sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy is arguably the most acute crisis Catholicism has faced since the Reformation. The prevalence of clergy sexual abuse and its shocking cover-up by church officials have obscured the largely untold story of the tort system’s remarkable success in bringing the scandal to light, focusing attention on the need for institutional reform, and spurring church leaders and public officials into action. Stories of the tort system as an engine… Read More
Published On: July 3, 2008
Fireworks, barbecues, beach, friends and family gathering to celebrate Independence Day: The Fourth of July!!! Here’s to a Happy, Healthy and Safe 4th of July! I’d like to share some 4th of July tidbits with you: From History.com: Independence Day in the U.S., is an annual holiday commemorating the formal adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the Fourth of July holiday has been accepted as the official anniversary of U.S. independence and is celebrated in all states and territories of the U.S.… Read More
Published On: July 2, 2008
The most amazing trapeze act that I have ever seen. It’s not particularly relevant to personal injury law, but it is so exquisite that I had to share it with you. Chinese acrobats engaging in such a beautiful act. It’s awe-inspiring. Please watch the whole video.
Published On: July 1, 2008
I found an interesting article on the Helpguide.org website entitled Senior Citizen Driving: Warning Signs and Helping an Unsafe Driver to Stop Driving. The article details a great many issues of importance to senior drivers and those who love them: Risk Factors of Aging That Can Affect Driving Ability Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving Steps to Take if You’re Concerned About the Safety of a Senior Driver Talking to a Senior Driver Who Should Stop Driving When a Senior Driver Refuses to Give up the Keys Helping a Senior Adjust to Life Without Driving References and Resources for Helping an Unsafe Senior to… Read More
Published On: June 25, 2008
As you know by now, I’m a great proponent of the new California hands-free law which goes into effect on July 1, 2008. I blogged about it in May: Click Here. A corollary, of course, are my rants and raves about texting while driving: Click here, here, here and here. So, I’ve decided to post (yet again) on this subject and provide several useful links to articles, videos and hands-free equipment vendors below. What to Expect from California’s New Hands-Free Law: The Public Policy Institute of California writes the following press release: Update: 2009 Law Bans Text Messaging while Driving – See Video As of July 1, 2008,… Read More
Published On: June 25, 2008
Another classic which was allegedly taken verbatim from an actual court case: The Court: In this case the request is made for the appointment of the psychologist for the performance of an IQ test. The court does not see the need for an IQ test since it appears to me that he is dumber than a fence post. Counsel: Has the court stated it in numerical terms? The Court: His IQ is less than zero.
Published On: June 21, 2008
Yet more outrage today when I read the Center for Responsible Lending report entitled “Tarnished Golden Years: Unauthorized Bank and Credit Union Overdraft Fees Threaten Financial Security of Older Americans.” (Read entire report here) The Center has yet another report, Shredded Security, which reports the following: As AARP reports this week that bankruptcy among older Americans has doubled since 1991, and as banks raise their overdraft fees and make it easier to hit their account holders with multiple charges, we release findings on how unauthorized overdrafts strip fees from Americans 55 and older at the level of $4.5 billion per year. Nearly $1 billion of… Read More
Published On: June 21, 2008
How outrageous is this? CNN reports that an Ohio high school teacher is being accused of burning a cross on a male teenage student’s arm. It is shocking to me that the Mount Vernon City School District school administrators are just now beginning the process of firing the teacher. Shouldn’t they have fired him immediately? The teacher, John Freshwater, has been teaching eighth-grade science for 21 years in Ohio. He has been reprimanded several times for refusing to remove his Bible from his classroom desk while simultaneously teaching creationism and evolution. By the way, he used an electrostatic device to mark the… Read More