There are a lot of Latin phrases you learn when you’re in law school. Some of them have even made their way into common, everyday English! One of those is the warning caveat emptor, “Let the buyer beware.” Expressed in more modern terms, caveat emptor serves the same purpose as the reminder that, if a… more
“Should he still be a trainer? Still be a cop? Probably not, but let the investigation proceed and let his full record be taken into account as higher-ups decide how to handle the incident. But let’s consider how an ordinary citizen would be treated under similar circumstances. Let’s say an NRA instructor had been ‘playing around,’ picked up a loaded weapon, and accidently fired at some spectators during a training session. Would reckless endangerment charges be brought?” Continue reading →
“A former California mayor admitted in federal court on Thursday to stealing more than $2 million from her dead husband’s charity to fuel a $1 billion gambling binge. The former mayor of San Diego pleaded not guilty to money-laundering charges, and now has two years to repay the charity. O’Connor’s attorney said the former mayor suffered from a gambling addiction that caused her to lose $13 million, mostly playing video poker at casinos both locally and in Nevada and New Jersey. O’Connor, who served as mayor from 1986 to 1992, blamed her gambling largess on a brain tumor that was not diagnosed until 2011.” Continue reading →
“Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) on Friday said he plans to introduce legislation that would bring back the military draft and extend it to women for the first time. Rangel, who has pushed for years to bring back the draft, said the Pentagon’s decision to allow women to serve in combat means that they too should register for the Selective Service. In an interview on MSNBC, Rangel said the draft should be reinstated because the majority of Americans make ‘no real sacrifice’ when the country goes to war.” Continue reading →
“Anti-anxiety drugs find their way into wastewater where they make fish more fearless and antisocial, with potentially serious ecological consequences, researchers said Thursday. Sientists examining perch exposed to the sedative Oxazepam — which, like many medications, passes through the human body — found that it made them more likely to leave their school and strike out on their own. With the use of such drugs on the rise, in Sweden and elsewhere, the researchers said the changes in the fish could be a global phenomenon, adding that more research is necessary before broad-based conclusions can be drawn.” Continue reading →
“Using a computerized decision making processes similar to IBM’s wiz computer ‘Watson’ that won the game show ‘Jeopardy,’ researchers plugged in big medical data sources and tasked it to simulate treatment outcomes for 500 patients, most of whom suffered from clinical depression and at least one other chronic condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes. Using data from actual patient-doctor treatment sessions, real-life outcomes were compared to simulated treatment regiments and the computer was nearly 42 percent better at diagnosing illnesses and prescribing effective treatments than human doctors.” Continue reading →
“Two men – one in Washington State and the other in South Africa – used open source software to design a series of mechanical hands for a boy whose family could not afford a commercial prosthetic. A group called Defense Distributed have already ‘printed’ a plastic high capacity ammunition magazine. President Obama is noticing. The Department of Defense has shelled out $30 million to promote 3D printing and the sum is being matched by a group that includes crony-capitalist corporations such as Boeing. Nothing could be more disastrous to the technology than being championed by government promoting the technology, especially in league with crony corporations.” Continue reading →
“Since New York State enacted its restrictive new gun laws, many manufacturers have sent that state (and others) a message: If local governments are going to severely restrict the ability of citizens to own guns, then these companies will not be selling to law enforcement in those areas. Among the gun manufacturers sending that message: Olympic Arms, Inc; La Rue Tactical; EFI, LLC – Extreme Firepower; York Arms; Templar Custom; Cheaper Than Dirt. In addition to these very public statements, gun-owner groups are asking members and fans to contact three other manufacturers with significant sales to law enforcement in New York.” Continue reading →