Category:
Law
Law
Why Riots Happen
The Zimmerman verdict which, whether you agree or disagree with it, is racially highly charged. Then this story comes out of the same state at the same time. Apparently only certain races and one gender are allowed to stand their ground in the wonderful F-state.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 14, 2013 -
Comments (14)
Category: Law
The Coal Mining Daughter
I would have been proud to shake Ida Mae Stull's hand--except that she might have crushed mine!
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 07, 2013 -
Comments (7)
Category: Feminism, Law, 1930s, Women, Mining
How often are barrister’s wigs washed?
In the UK, and in some countries formerly part of the British Empire, they maintain the strange habit of making barristers (attorneys) wear wigs. Apparently these wigs, traditionally made out of horsehair, are very expensive, so barristers often own only one. And according to the South China Morning Post, barristers rarely wash them, so over time the wigs start to smell bad:
Tong said he had never washed or dry-cleaned the wig before, for fear that it would fall apart. "It is made of horsehair that is glued together and is not very strong."
In fact, few lawyers would have their wigs cleaned as there is an odd perception that an old and discoloured wig is a better symbol of seniority. But the rows of white curls can become stale and smelly as they absorb sweat and oil from the scalp. A court dress shop in Admiralty charges HK$760 to wash it.
In fact, few lawyers would have their wigs cleaned as there is an odd perception that an old and discoloured wig is a better symbol of seniority. But the rows of white curls can become stale and smelly as they absorb sweat and oil from the scalp. A court dress shop in Admiralty charges HK$760 to wash it.
This info is seconded by thelawyer.com:
The aim of most barristers is to achieve a wig with a worn and matured look to create the impression of experience when standing before a judge.
"None of them likes to look the new boy," says David John Harris, manager of the legal department at Ede and Ravenscroft, which has been manufacturing wigs for barristers, judges and royalty since 1726. "If it is really grubby looking, it looks like they've been around," he says.
Barristers will go to great lengths to make their wigs look fashionably old. There are a number of tried and tested ways to age one, including stamping on it, kicking it in the dirt, giving it to kids, letting the dog at it, or shaking it in a Hoover bag...
Wigs should last for 100 years but are often damaged by perspiration. Ede and Ravenscroft suggests cleaning wigs every four to five years, while Thresher and Glenny recommends every 25 to 30 years. "The longer you leave it, the better it is," says Hill.
"None of them likes to look the new boy," says David John Harris, manager of the legal department at Ede and Ravenscroft, which has been manufacturing wigs for barristers, judges and royalty since 1726. "If it is really grubby looking, it looks like they've been around," he says.
Barristers will go to great lengths to make their wigs look fashionably old. There are a number of tried and tested ways to age one, including stamping on it, kicking it in the dirt, giving it to kids, letting the dog at it, or shaking it in a Hoover bag...
Wigs should last for 100 years but are often damaged by perspiration. Ede and Ravenscroft suggests cleaning wigs every four to five years, while Thresher and Glenny recommends every 25 to 30 years. "The longer you leave it, the better it is," says Hill.
The sweet smell of tradition!
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 23, 2013 -
Comments (8)
Category: Fashion, Headgear, Law
Squatter Rights
Heidi Peterson left her Detroit home empty for a year, and when she returned, she says, she found a woman, Missionary-Tracey Elaine Blair, squatting there. The woman refuses to leave, and apparently you can't just kick someone out who's squatting. You have to go to court, prove you own the property, and then get an eviction order. So now both women are living there together.Missionary-Tracey Elaine Blair, for her part, says she's not squatting. She insists she has a lease. [Yahoo! News]
Whatever the case may be, the experience certainly qualifies Missionary-Tracey Elaine Blair to occupy the highest office in the land and squat in the White House for four years. So she's campaigning as a write-in candidate for President, and wants your vote. That's her below, posing with George Washington. Remember her name on election day!
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 16, 2012 -
Comments (9)
Category: Law, Politics, Strange Candidates
Judge Parker’s Gallows
Here you see the main attraction at Fort Smith National Park. A recreation of the gallows where Hanging Judge Isaac Parker sent 79 criminals to their death.
And people say kids will get bored at such historical monuments! This makes history come alive! Er, come dead...?
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 19, 2012 -
Comments (12)
Category: Death, Law, Judges, Recreation, Regionalism, Monuments
Charles Walker’s Will
When Texas resident Charles Walker died on March 13, 2000, he left this handwritten will:I hereby direct my Executor to sell tract 3 of the V.M. Donigan 456.80 Partition for cash and to invest the proceeds in safe and secure tax-free U.S. government bonds or insured tax-free municipal bonds. This trust is to be called the James Madison Fund to honor our fourth President, the Father of the Constitution. The ultimate purpose of this fund is to provide a million dollar trust fund for every American 18 years or older. At 6% compound interest and a starting figure of $1,000,000.00, it would take approximately 346 years to provide enough money to do this. My executor will head the Board of Trustees . . . . When the Fund reaches $15,000,000 my Executor's function will cease, and the money will be turned over to the Sec. of the Treasury for management by the federal government. The President of the U.S., the Vice-President of the U.S., and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives shall be permanent Trustees of the Fund. The Congress of the United States shall make the final rules and regulations as to how the money will be distributed. No one shall be denied their share because of race, religion, marital status, sexual preference, or the amount of their wealth or lack thereof. . . .
The Texas courts ruled the will invalid because it didn't meet the criteria for a charitable bequest. That is, it served no social purpose beyond the mere "financial enrichment" of the American public. So it's okay to help the poor. Just make sure you keep 'em poor.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 06, 2012 -
Comments (6)
Category: Death, Law
Psst Kid, Wanna Buy a Goldfish?
Posted By: Nethie - Wed Mar 31, 2010 -
Comments (9)
Category: Animals, Crime, Government, Law, Pets, Stupidity
Don’t Pull Over a Cop
If you are going to dress up, decorate your car and pull people over for jollies, try not to pull over off-duty police officers. This guy also pulled over another state official for using the car pool lane.Here's the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35905045/ns/us_news/
Any suggestions of who you would like to pull over?
(maybe Bret Farve for impersonating team loyalty?)
Posted By: gdanea - Mon Mar 22, 2010 -
Comments (3)
Category: Law
A Little Light Weirdness – 9
And it's not just the the British, military officials in Russia recently discovered 100 front-line battletanks parked and forgotten by the side of the road near Yekaterinburg in the Urals. Locals say the tanks, which were unguarded and unlocked, have been there for several months and lack only ammunition and the all important starter keys (Reuters).
Someone who might have had a use for those tanks were guests at a wedding in New Delhi in India recently. The Hindu ceremony was somewhat marred when an elephant hired for the event went on a rampage after becoming aroused by the smell of a nearby female in heat. The amorous pachyderm then proceeded to crush 20 limousines, smash through a nearby mall and mount a truck before it could be tranquilised (Orange).
Also losing it this week was the man on the RyanAir flight who found he had won 10,000 euros on a scratchcard he bought on the budget flight from Poland to the UK. Furious that the airline had not seen fit to equip all their planes with the requisite amount of cash onboard, hence he could not be given his prize there and then as he demanded, the unnamed passenger ate the winning card rather than wait to claim it at his destination (BBC News).
More in extended >>
Posted By: Dumbfounded - Sun Mar 07, 2010 -
Comments (7)
Category: Armageddon and Apocalypses, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Ceremonies, Weddings, Destruction, Disasters, Government, Law, Lawsuits, Military, Motor Vehicles, Technology, Goofs and Screw-ups
Gay News Today
And what about those silly gay people who want to serve in the military? Surprisingly, a recent CBS News poll asking about Obama's wish to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, finds that a majority of the public support allowing openly gay men and women to serve. But what's even more surprising is that the same poll doesn't want homosexuals to serve. I suppose the poll was worded badly. Or maybe the people who answered that poll still think gay means 'having or showing a merry, lively mood'. In that case, who wouldn't want a bunch of merry old souls in the military?
More in extended >>
Posted By: Nethie - Fri Feb 19, 2010 -
Comments (11)
Category: Body, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Crime, Domestic, Government, Law, Politics, Religion, Sexuality, Africa, Europe
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |